"Patsy Mount."

Nothing, not even the twitch of an eyebrow.

A few seconds went by: still, nothing. The girl fidgeted, nervously looking around her to see if she had come to the wrong place or, Heaven forfend, had violated some sign of obedience like on Mother Superior's office at school.

But, no - there was nothing. Nothing, except for a long row of beds with an equally long row of sleeping male heads that she could just make out amidst the shadows.

"Well, they're all men," Patsy thought to herself, "and several look like they need surgery, so I must be in the right ward."

Glancing down at the desk below her, at the occupant's cap bowed behind a large medical textbook, the girl now began to feel some impatience. "Well, really!" She checked her fob watch, for once pinned perfectly in place, and found herself to be on time and clearly in the right ward. What had she done to be so rudely ignored?

Sounds of slumber crept around the ward, interspersed with the distant sound of a ticking clock, yet, strangely, either her hearing had improved tenfold or... A sudden realisation struck her and, mischievously, she edged forwards to see if she was right. Patsy was just bending over to peek behind the book when:

"Snort!"

The cap upon the seated figure's head gave a sudden bob upwards and, a second later, Nurse Patsy Mount found herself peering into the face of a very startled, and clearly very sleepy, duty nurse.

"What the...?"

Patsy stepped backwards and stood upright, simultaneously biting her lip to keep herself from laughing - a habit for which she was well-known. She could feel the slight iron taste of blood but, successfully straight faced, cleared her throat and repeated:

"Patsy... I mean... Nurse Mount, reporting for duty."

The other nurse sat bolt upright.

"Oh!"

Now, properly visible in the dim light of the desk lamp, Patsy glanced down and discerned a not entirely regulatory starched uniform on (and this thought had her biting her lip even harder) a not entirely unattractive brunette. She relaxed; in the dull light she had assumed she was addressing the Night Sister but, instead, it was a mere nurse - and a slumbering one at that. As if reading her thoughts, the other nurse quickly pulled the book towards her and Patsy had the satisfaction of a brief glimpse of a small cushion disappearing over the edge, presumably into her lap. The brunette pursed her lips, straightened her uniform and cap, in an attempt to regain composure, and looked up at the newcomer.

"Ah...yes...Nurse Mount. You are early, I was not ... expecting you until... tomorrow evening." Their eyes meeting, she blushed, pulling the diary towards her as an excuse, studying the date. "Yes... the 25th, Matron said. I was not... er...err..." and she blushed again, "...ready to receive you."

Patsy chuckled to herself - that was an understatement - but, seeing the girl's embarrassment, interrupted:

"Please, it is my fault entirely. Matron did mean it to be just so, but I arrived early and, in my excitement of being at The London, asked if I might start tonight."

The light flickered brightly for a second and, for the first time able to see the other clearly, the duty nurse stared up at the blonde girl's rather lofty height.

Patsy was tall: there was no beating about the bush in that respect! She had been tall as a child and even taller she became. Even factoring in her seated position, the nurse felt dwarfed and a little intimidated by her new colleague; but, seeing a pair of bright, friendly eyes gazing down at her in the lamplight, she was immediately put at ease and smiled. Gazing back, their eyes briefly met again before the tall girl's cheeks coloured slightly and glanced away.

"What was that all about?" the duty nurse thought; but, brushing it to one side, she put it down to shyness. "Honestly, Delia!" she reprimanded herself, "Not everyone has your mind." Beckoning for the blonde to sit down, and trying not to be caught taking an admiring glance at her figure, Delia found a not entirely unwelcome sensation filling her body.

The quietness of the room was disturbed by a faint snore and both girls jumped, turning to look at the offending sound.

"Mr Williams," the brunette nurse tutted, "he's been quiet tonight but I knew it wouldn't last."

Stiffly getting up, she walked a few feet down the aisle towards the sleeping patient - Patsy's eyes following all the while, enjoying the sight of her colleague's swaying hips. But, before the nurse was halfway to her patient, the man rolled onto his side and, once more sleeping soundly, the gentle rhythms of the ward were restored. Patsy composed herself. It may be dark in here, and the other nurse may be an absolute peach, but the dangers of carelessness were etched upon her now fading smile. Loose lips, they warned of during the war, but today an unguarded glance was just as deadly to those in her position. Her eyes saddened in a slight frown.

"I'm Delia," the nurse said softly, returning to her place; but she was stopped in her tracks as she reached the desk by the strangest of sights.

The light may not be brilliant in here, she thought, but her eyes were definitely not mistaken this time. Nurse Mount was staring - no, positively gaping - at her! She flushed, both at the rudeness and at the now unwelcomely warm sensation. 1...2... she stared back but the other nurse did not look away. What was it? The blonde's eyes were fixed upon Delia's uniform and, as a grin began to etch upon her lips, the other began to seethe with irritation. Really! This was so rude! Especially as a moment earlier she had been all friendliness. She broke the gaze and glanced down at herself. There, on her waist, hanging ever so precariously but ever so visibly (even in this light), was her pincushion. It must have caught on her uniform as she pulled the book into her lap. Cheeks burning, she looked down at Patsy whose face was sheer amusement, a smile twitching on (Delia now noticed) her heart-shaped, pink lips. That was all it took: Patsy's lips twitching, Delia's face broke and both girls erupted into (stifled - this was The London after all) paroxisms of laughter.

Falling into her chair, shaking and tears in her eyes, Delia tried to free herself from the predicament but the cushion was well and truly caught. That had both girls rolling in more merriment. Thank goodness for The London's well-renowned night-time tonic, a requirement for the good discipline of male patients - they were all out for the count.

She was so busy in an attempt to extricate herself from the offending cushion's clutches that Delia did not hear the approaching footsteps until nearly too late. Fortunately, Patsy's better hearing saved the day; her quick turn of the head towards the sound giving a warning to the duty nurse. Instantly pulling herself into the desk, lap and cushion hidden from view, Delia came face to face with a glowering intruder.

"Is everything in order, Nurse Busby? There seemed to be the most dreadful disturbance coming from here a moment ago."

Patsy bit her lip again to suppress the laughter, holding her hands to keep them still, and saw a stout, older woman, with the most frightful look upon her face. She had been told that old wives tale about the wind but had never believed it. Here was living proof. The woman had one of the ugliest expressions she had ever seen, one that showed exactly what sort of person she was. It portrayed someone who could be vicious and who would, given the circumstances, happily torture or terrorise another human being. Patsy had seen faces like that before and her hands clenched in fists as she tried to suppress those memories.

Delia saw the change in her new friend, and she felt herself not just wishing to hold the girl for reasons she knew she could never acknowledge, but also out of a desire to comfort and protect her. Unable to do anything else, she quickly cleared her throat, composing herself in an authorative response.

"What disturbance is that, Nurse Smith?" she looked around then back at the intruder. "The only disturbance I see here is that one that you have made, interrupting my orientation... " At this word Delia thought she saw a faint grin from Patsy and briefly paused with confusion, but quickly continued. "... evening with Nurse Mount here."

Delia glared at the other woman, who was still peering into the shadows clearly hoping to find, perhaps, one of the junior doctors hiding under a bed. Oh, the irony! But the older nurse soon glared back at the brunette, fixing her with a stare over her horn-rimmed spectacles that had Patsy feeling angry and very protective of her new (she hoped) friend.

"It's Smythe, not Smith, as you well know, Nurse Busby!"

"I do beg your pardon," Delia retorted with clear insincerity. "How silly of me to forget."

Stopping Nurse Smythe in her tracks as she was about to walk over to inspect the room and its beds, Delia continued, indicating with her hands: "Now, we have a full ward and are very busy. I do not have much time and need to finish giving Nurse Mount her orientation."

Another twitch of the lips from Patsy, who wondered if there had been the slightest emphasis on the word. Now she silently reprimanded herself. "Stop imagining things, Pats! It's a perfectly innocent phrase in everyone but you. But..." and at this next thought she drew blood once more, "Delia's Welsh lilt did sound rather delicious."

The intruder gave a not particularly polite nod to Patsy, threw another filthy look at the brunette and, with a huff of annoyance, walked out of the ward.

Delia watched her go with bated breath on her pouting lips, shoulders relaxing with a sigh at the sound of the closing door. Patsy followed her gaze then, with another of those awkward glances, their eyes met again. Colouring, there was another brief silence, then more laughter and it was once more all ease and familiarity between them. This was only broken by a moment when Patsy rose to come towards Delia in such a sudden movement that left the brunette's heart thudding in confusion. "Oh you fool!" Delia thought a moment later, "She's only trying to help."

"I once slept through an entire night's duty at my last hospital," Patsy chuckled conspiratorially, helping to unfasten the pins. "The Acting Sister sent me out for more bedding in a ruse to spend a few moments with her beau. It backfired because I came back to find them mid-meeting..." Patsy chuckled heartily again, "...and I fled to the safety of the blanket stores where I laughed myself to sleep. Acting Sister was furious because she had to do everything herself - for once - but she couldn't say anything for fear of her indiscretion being found out!"

Both girls laughed at this and, watching her tell the story by a now brighter glare from the lamp, Delia found that warm sensation returning and her heart filling with happiness. Patsy really did have the most mischievous eyes: they were going to be great friends.