Regrets

Flo wished she could just curl up in her foxhole immediately and try to sleep, but unfortunately, when they arrived in the Ardennes the boys were just dispensing from a church service. She and Gene shared a look and walked over to Spina who was walking towards them with a sad look on his face.

"Battalion wanted a reconnaissance patrol, kraut hunting," Spina said shaking his head and looking around.

Before Flo could speak Gene shoved his supplies into Spins hands and said "I'll go with them, Flo needs rest and anyway I've been to Bastogne away from the front for the past few trips. It's my turn to go on patrol".

Flo was about to protest and say she should go but Gene put a gloved hand over her mouth as she rolled her eyes. "Spina take these to Joe Toye, tell him their a 9", Spina nodded and walked away towards his tasks.

Gene then took his hand away from Flo's mouth and gave her a small smile as she nudged him and linked his arm with hers while they walked over to where the patrol was preparing.

"Hey Hilton are you coming?" Julian asked, as he was a replacement he didn't really know how to talk to her and didnt want to assume the nickname before permission, hence he called her Hilton.

She turned and smiled and said "I'm not Julian but Gene is and he's the best so try not to worry", Julian nodded his head in response and moved over to Babe who was his closest friend here.

As Gene went to open his mouth to talk to Flo, Martin came over in a hurried fashion and said "Doc and Fizz you don't need to come, it's just a routine patrol. No use you wasting energy on a patrol when there should be no action, stay here and relax", Johnny then quickly marched over and started calling out about what formation her boys should get into and then they were off.

Flo and Gene stared at each other.

"I don't know about you but I'm not happy with this"

"Me neither Flo. Me neither"

***

The 2 medics sat their freezing. Gene had his arm wrapped around Flo but it wasn't providing much heat. After 5 minutes of sitting there in the snow, Flo's head drooped and Gene heard her breath even out as she fell asleep.

Gene kept an eye on the horizon watching for the patrol and signs of trouble, he knew Flo would never forgive him if he didn't wake her and someone got hurt, he was lost in thought with the snow coming down around him, that for a moment he closed his eyes and imagined he was  back at home or in England with his Vera. He was quite happy day dreaming and forgetting about the cold when Shifty suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Hey doc, you and fizz okay? Do you need anything?" he asked while eyeing Flo in the uncomfortable position she was sleeping in.

"Hey Powers, I'm good, although Flo could do with a blanket if you can?" Gene asked as Shifty nodded and went off to find a blanket for their Fizz.

Gene started to hear Flo mumbling in her sleep, he smiled and remembered just how young she was, he went back to staring at the mist the patrol had gone through about 30 minutes ago when he noticed a shape coming closer through the fog.

He internally panicked and started shaking Florence, "Flo! Flo! Wake up cherie!" he said urgently in a harsh tone. Flo immediately woke up and shot to her feet gazing wildly around her until she noticed the figure "Gene. Who is that?" Flo asked with a slight tremor in her voice.

As Flo was about to sprint to CP to warn them, Lt Peacok came hurtling past saying "We got hit docs, I'm going to CP" he said quickly and continued running down the forest.

As soon as she heard 'hit' Flo had started running to where Peacock had come from into the unknown.

She heard Gene's footsteps behind her catching up as she saw Luz come near her trying to radio back to CP "Fizz have you seen Peacock? We made contact" Luz asks flustered as he tried to juggle his equipment.

"He's headed to CP, where are the others at?" Flo asked quickly gearing up to run again, but before Luz could answer the rest of the patrol came running back, except Babe was shouting "We have to go back for Julian!".

Upon hearing this Flo took a step towards the way they came but Johnny pulled on her sleeve to stop her. "We stumbled onto the German line by accident, Julian is gone, there's nothing we can do".

Flo looked at him in horror "Johnny yes there is, we can get his body back. Give his dog tags to his mum, let him be buried with honour". Johnny shook his head "Fizz I won't risk anyone's life for a dog tag".

Nix suddenly popped up out of nowhere "Johnny situation report, what happened? You hit their OP or line?"

Flo then faintly heard Johnny telling Nix all that she knew and then she heard Babe saying again to back to Julian. She closed her eyes and bit her cheeks to refrain from swearing and going off on one.

She tuned back in when Nix said" That's enough, fall back. Docs come on we're falling back, your not needed here"

Flo turned back towards where she could still hear gunfire and Julian screams and took a step forward, "Oh no Floss, your not being a hero today" she heard Nix say as he turned her round by the shoulders and walked her back to the foxholes.

Flo didn't know how she felt, on one hand her physical pain from the wet cough and mucus coming out of her every few minutes, the pain and numbness from the cold overtook any other feelings she could feel. Or maybe she was just numb from losing yet another preventable death.

Nix had handed her off to Gene who was gently guiding her, Gene was wanting her to get in the foxhole, take her medication and sleep.

But when Flo spotted Babe sitting by himself that plan changed. "I'll be a few minutes Gene" she said walking over to Babe.

"Hey stranger" she said sliding in next to him, careful not to touch any of Julian belongings, "I know you and Julian were close, please if you need to, talk to me about it" she slid an arm around him.

"I regret getting to know him Floss. If I hadn't been so friendly with the replacements then I wouldn't be feeling this pain when they die. It makes fighting so much harder" he said honestly.

Flo nodded, she had often used the same philosophy for herself "That's a good rule in theory, but then Julians time here would have been miserable, you gave him hope and friendship in his last days, I don't think you can regret that however much you might want to babe"

He nodded then gave a small smile "How come you always have the best advice Floss, even though your only 20?". She smiled in return and gave him a much needed hug, Flo then stood and smiled down at him "Because, even though I'm young I have seen a bit of life" and then she walked back to the medics foxhole, giving kisses in the forehead and hugs as she went by her boys.

Gene looked freezing. She sat next to him and wrapped him in her arms, but not before he had just said one word to her "Medicine".

She injected the liquid into her arm and settled down for a disturbed night of sleep. Her head resting on Genes shoulder and his head resting on hers.

When Shifty came by, he laid the extra blanket on top of their exhausted bodies.

~~~

Update:

Hi just wanted to say I'm sorry for not updating in a while. I was tested positive for Covid-19 and so over the past few weeks I've been recovering and fighting off the virus. But I'm doing well now and have finished my isolation period. Hopefully my updates will become more regular now and we won't be waiting as long for the next chapter.

Thanks for reading,

Livi x