Chapter 1

Josephine "Jo" Heaton sat in her bedroom at the desk writing to her brother James who was currently serving over in Europe. The year is 1941 and WWII is in full swing. Josephine never really believed that something like the first war would happen again but here they are, countries fighting one another and thousands already dead. Her hometown, London, has been particularly hard hit due to the Blitz. It's early April 1941 and all she has to do is look out her window to see the full extent of the damage.

Josephine's Father had died three years before the war began leaving her older brother James to become the man of the house. In a way she was glad her Father had died, yes it had taken its toll on the family as any family death does but he wouldn't be seeing this right now. Her Father doesn't have to walk through the burning streets every day to get what little food they are allowed, her Father doesn't have to take care of her Mother in her deteriorating state much like the war itself, her Father doesn't have to worry if her brother will ever come back home. Her Mother broke down after her Father died leaving her and James to take care of themselves, run the family shop and try and pay the bills. Yes her Mother did help in the furniture shop they owned but since James left to join the army Josephine had been running it herself. With the family shop not earning enough money and with her medical experience from taking care of her Mother she became a nurse at the army base just outside of London. It was the noblest job she could get at the moment as she refused to go work in an ammunitions factory like the other neighbourhood girls.

With a sigh she dropped her pen and stood up. Slowly she made her way to the cracked mirror hanging on the wall. Carefully she sorted out her light brown hair into Victory Roll. Once she'd finished she stared into the mirror and looked at the girl in front of her. The piercing blue eyes that stared back at her, neat make-upped face, tall and slender girl didn't seem like the one she knew before the war. Now she's just turned twenty four she seemed to have matured and as stupid as it sounds grown into a woman. With a roll of her eyes she turned to her wardrobe and grabbed her blue nurse's dress and grabbed her small white hat. Grabbing her coat on the way past her door she placed it over her arm before walking down the stair. On the way to the door she peered into the living room.

"Right Mother that's me away, I'm heading out now. There's some food in the fridge if I'm not home for tea again. I'll see you after my shift Mother," she smiled as she kissed her Mother on the check leaving a faint red mark from her lipstick.

"Oh? Yes dear off you go, I'll see you later, take care Josephine!" her Mother called after her. Josephine gave her a smile.

"You know I will Mother and remember if the sirens go off go straight into the Anderson Shelter because I won't be here to get you out if they do, goodbye Mother," she told her. Often her Mother forgot to get out the house if the sirens and if it wasn't for Josephine she would have stayed in the house. With her Mother properly warned she unlocked the door and steeped out it the street closing the door behind her. Next door her best friend Annabelle "Annie" was going into her house from her shift at the ammunitions factory.

"Afternoon, Jo!" she called, her Cockney accent really seeping through, to Josephine leaving the door open, "Headin' off to work eh? Gonna take care of all your army boyfriends?" Josephine laughed before walking over to the gate.

"Oh come on Annie you know you get all the boys," she winked. It was true, the pair had grown up together and every time Annabelle got the boy never Josephine. Annabelle gave a hearty laugh.

"I don't know how all those army boys can keep their hands off of you! You must be a real sight for sore eyes after all those weeks fighting for us! You're beautiful Jo how you've not snagged yourself a man I'll never know," Annabelle winked. Josephine looked at her best friend eyebrow raised.

"Well maybe that's because all the men I see are half dying," she giggled, "Right I've got to go or I'll be late. I'll talk you later." Josephine smiled at her before turning away. She'd just started to walk down the street when a thought occurred to her.

"Oh and Annie?!" she shouted to her friend who was half way to her door.

"Yeah?" she called back.

"If the sirens go, do me a favour and get my Mother in the shelter, you know what she's like nowadays!" she called.

"'course Jo, you know I will! Now get going you don't need to be late!"

Jumping off the bus that stopped at the army base she headed into the compound. Flashing her identity papers at the guards at the gate she walked past.

"Afternoon Jo, heard any more about that brother of yours?" one of the guard, Barony Wilson, asked her. Josephine turned to him and smiled.

"Not yet but thanks for asking Mr Wilson, I'll see you after my shift," she winked. Quickly she made her way to the hospital. As soon as her hat was on and coat hung up she turned to see another nurse, Sally Crawford come running in.

"Jo quickly we've got another plane load coming in!" Sally burst through the door. Josephine only took a second to react, she ran round the front desk and out the door. A group of other nurses were already rushing towards the plane who she quickly over took. It was times like these that Josephine was glad so could keep her cool and run fast. As soon as the cargo door was lowered the soldiers that could walk were pushing the injured on stretchers down the ramp. Jo ran up the ramp and took a stretcher off of one before running back down and towards the hospital shouting orders at solders walking past to open the doors. Of course they did as they were told and held the doors open. Jo rushed past and shouted orders at the terrified trainees. This would be the first time that they say a full load like this but for Josephine she saw this on a daily basis.

With the solders now attended to Jo grabbed her clip board and went to attend her usual patients. Clutching the clip board to her chest she walked over to ward E. Sally and herself worked in that word. As soon as she walked in cries and wolf whistle came up from the beds. Josephine laughed and walked to her first bed before addressing all of them.

"Afternoon boys!" she smirked. Once she reached her first bed she checked the usual things.

"So how are we today Mr Baron?" she purred.

"Getting better Nurse and seeing you has helped a lot," he winked. Jo laughed as she checked his drip.

"Well aren't you sweet? Now how's the leg been?" she asked as she moved the cover just enough to see his leg. His leg had been shot, then it had been broken and then it had gotten infected. He'd also been shot in the stomach. Jo quickly cleaned up his wound and redressed it before moving to his stomach.

She'd just attended to her last patient when the door flew open. Slowly she looked up to see Sally panting in the doorway. Josephine raised an eyebrow at Sally.

"You need to see this," she panted a weak smile pulling on her lips. Josephine picked her clipboard back up and followed Sally out of Ward E. Together the girls walked to Ward C and as soon as they were their voices came from behind a curtain.

"I've told you I am fine! It does not need attention! Send me back!" a man growled.

"Sir please let me see your wound," a nurse told him firmly that Jo recognised as Maggie another one of her friends. Jo sighed and turned back to Sally.

"You want me to deal with another one of the stubborn?" she asked. Sally only smirked at her before pushing her towards the curtain. Jo glared at her in reply. Sally smirked again before walking out the Ward to deal with her solders. With a sigh Josephine walked over to the curtain and pulled the curtain back.

"Maggie what seems to be the-" Josephine stopped midsentence as her eyes landed on the solder in the bed. She clutched her clipboard tighter and her breathing became heavier. No, it can't be! But it is!

"James!" she gasped.

"Jo?" he asked shocked. James quickly stood up and hobbled over to her. Josephine throw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. James kissed the crown of her head and hugged her back. Josephine quickly pulled away from the embrace and held him at arm's length scowling at him. She turned to Maggie.

"You can go now, I'll take care of my brother," she smiled. Maggie nodded before walking away to deal with her other patients.

"Now let's see these wound of your," she smiled up at her brother.

Around seven that night Josephine and James left the army hospital and then the compound. Josephine waved her goodbye to Barony at the gate before running over to the waiting bus. She got on first before helping James on. They arrived at the end of the street around twenty minutes later. Walking along the street to their house they passed Annabelle who was in her garden weeding. She looked up to see them pass and her eyes lit up.

"James?" she cried.

"Hey Big Ben," he smirked. Annabelle quickly opened the gate and ran over to James hugging him.

"When did you get back?" she asked.

"A couple of hours ago," he smiled, "Hate to cut this short but I'm going to see Mother." James walked back to the house. Josephine quickly said goodbye before running after her brother and into the house. She ran into the living room to see her Mother hugging her brother crying. After a second she'd regained herself before running off muttering something about organising a photo for her two heroes. James looked at Josephine confused. She just shrugged in reply before going to change and making tea.