Hello Clockblocker friends!
It's been far too long since I posted something new - hope you enjoy this story inspired by A Christmas Miracle! This is a re-imagining of a part of the Time Team's mission in North Korea. There was something I wanted to see in Korea that didn't happen in the movie...so I decided to make it happen in fic! A huge thank you to OnceUponAWhim for her beta read and ideas -but know that any grammar/spelling/word choice/typo errors are all mine.
Please let me know your thoughts in the review box!
The port was alive with a hustle and bustle of a community five times its size. People of all ages and sizes filling the dirt streets with carts and bikes, cattle and baskets, all on a mission to get out-and to get out now. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people, all on a quest for the port town's docks. A mix of fear, anticipation, and hope filled the air. Lucy stepped to the side as a rickety but fast-moving cart missed her toes by inches.
Rufus pulled her back onto the road. "So in just a few hours they bomb this whole place?"
"Can't leave any supplies behind for the enemy," Lucy shrugged.
Rufus nodded. "But everyone makes it out alive, right?"
Lucy smiled. "They did."
"All these people are getting on one ship?"
She shook her head, "There are actually a few ships in port today-but they've already evacuated close to 200,000 people! Between December 9 and Christmas Eve, nearly 100 vessels transported civilians and military from here to Busan, in the South." She started forward with conviction in her renewed attempt to reach the M.A.S.H unit. Jostled again by a group of men running toward a truck depot, she paused, swinging her head to try and find her bearings.
Rufus pointed over her left shoulder, "There."
"Where?"
"That way," his hands dropping to her shoulders, he gently turned her until she was staring at the large tent which, given the red cross on its roof, was their destination.
She moved forward, continuing, "All of these people…. Did you know they estimate there are nearly a million descendants of those rescued at Hungnam living around the globe today. Well, I mean in our today." She smiled as Rufus gave an impressed whistle. "It shows you just how significant saving people can be." They were standing in front of the large tent now, and she looked back at Rufus, "Well, this is where we can find some help."
"This is the M.A.S.H facility?"
She nodded-"Not what you were expecting?"
Two men clad in scrubs raced by them toward the tent.
"Well….I mean I was expecting more wise-cracking surgeons, crossdressing corporals, and home-made stills I guess, but if there are doctors and nurses here….that's all that matters."
She laughed. Turning away from him, she began striding with purpose toward the hospital's main tent. "Well, let's go find some help."
At that moment, the doors swung open and two men stepped outside-one clearly a Senior Officer.
Was that actually them? Lucy's mind spun through her memory of photos and accounts of the time. Convinced, she turned back to Rufus. "Oh my gosh, Rufus-that's Colonel Forney, and Dr. Hyun Bong Hak beside him! They're the real heroes behind this entire operation. They convinced General Almond not to leave any refugees behind!" she moved toward the two men, "Colonel Forney, sir?"
The man approached, a surprised expression on his face, "Ma'am why haven't you evacuated?"
Indeed, why hadn't she? For that matter, what possible reason would he believe for her to even be here? There was only one play she could think of.
"I'm a war correspondent, Lucy Preston. I work with Maggie Higgins."
"Bu-we put Maggie on a plane, days ago!"
"I know, we got separated."
"We need to get you on a boat," there was growing exasperation in the man's tone.
And they didn't have time for that.
"Of course, of course, but Private Carlin here," she suppressed a grin as Rufus attempted to salute the superior officer, "He came across a refugee who's gone into labour, we need a….a nurse or a doctor," she looked at the Colonel, pleadingly, "As soon as possible."
The Colonel shook his head, "Ah, M.A.S.H. unit's jammed up with injured patients we need everyone we got"
"Sir, please!"
"Ma'am!" he shook his head emphatically, "I gotta make sure everyone in this port gets out safely, okay?" Then his face softened. "I don't know, maybe you can find a midwife….."
Hope began draining from her heart. Where would they find a midwife now? Eung-Hee had risked her life for them, she had to help her…. Lucy's thoughts trailed away as she saw Dr. Hak move toward them then.
"I-I'll take care of this, Colonel," he said softly.
She couldn't believe their luck, "Really?"
Colonel Forney smiled, and patted the doctor's shoulder in thanks, "Okay."
Lucy nodded, "Okay, let's go!"
"Dr. Hak! Dr. Hak!"
The shouts were muffled, coming from inside the OR tent, but their meaning was still easily understood by Lucy. So much for our luck.
The Doctor spun back toward the tent. The shouts became clear and somehow even more urgent as a young man burst through the doors.
"Orderly? What's wrong?" asked Dr. Hak.
"The soldier from this morning, the shrapnel….the nurses said to get you immediately."
Dr. Hak moved toward the doors of the OR, then hesitated, turning back to face Lucy. "I'm sorry, I have to take care of this. As Colonel Forney said, maybe a midwife from one of the villages is here in port today."
"Go, go," said Lucy, "We understand." She watched him as he disappeared back through the doors to attend to his patient. "Rufus, what do we do now?"
"Excuse me, Colonel Forney?" a soft voice came from behind them. Lucy turned to see a young woman holding a first-aid kit.
"Yes, nurse…."
"Nurse McRae," she supplied. "I overheard what….well, I was just sent to go back to my quarters to pack, since my shift was done, to get ready to leave…." she trailed off, suddenly looking unsure.
Lucy wondered if she had ever had opportunity to speak directly to the Colonel before-it seemed unlikely. Lucy gave her a soft smile.
Nurse McRae nodded in return and, her confidence seeming to strengthen, she continued. "Sir, back home in Montana….well, I've delivered more babies than I can count….I'd like to help."
Colonel Forney appraised the woman, and glanced back at Lucy. "Okay-take any supplies you might need."
"Yes sir," she replied.
"Thank you, sir," said Lucy, relief flooding through her. She touched the woman's shoulder, "This way," she motioned back down the road the way they came, "We should hurry. Come on!" The trio went to move down the road.
"Wait!" the Colonel's voice boomed from behind them. "Private-do you have a weapon?"
Lucy's eyes met Rufus' which were wide with uncertainty.
"Private—that's you," Lucy hissed barely audibly at him.
'I know' Rufus mouthed, concern growing in his eyes.
Lucy motioned behind them at the Colonel, 'Say something', she mouthed.
Rufus turned back toward the Colonel, apprehension clear on his face. "Uh….no. No sir, I don't."
"We'll then you're not going-not until we find you something," the Colonel said.
"Uhhhhh…." Rufus spun back to look at Lucy, the consternation clear in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we just don't have time, we really need to get going." Lucy said.
"Yeah," said Rufus, "We'll just go…."
Colonel Forney's face turned hard. "Soldier, there is no way that I am allowing these two women to get a foot closer to enemy lines without armed protection-"
"With all due respect, sir," began Lucy, "There are more woman than you can count already too close to enemy lines-we're trying to help one of them-"
"Sir?" Lucy spun around to see the owner of the new voice that had entered the discussion. An enlisted man, perhaps a few years younger than her, with close cropped dark hair.
The soldier nodded at her in greeting, and said, "I'll go with them. I was working with the fuse an' wiring group, but the last of the trucks was just rigged."
Lucy looked back to the Colonel, who was also quietly appraising the new arrival. "Sure you're not needed elsewhere, Staff Sergeant?"
"Sounds like I'm more needed with them, Sir."
The Colonel nodded. "Good-go. But you get them back here as fast as you can, do you hear me? Last boat leaves at fourteen-hundred hours." With that the Colonel spun on his heel, and moved quickly through the crowd, back toward the docks.
The Sergeant turned back to Lucy and Rufus. "I couldn't help but overhear, and when the Colonel asked why you weren't armed….well, you seemed like you could use some help."
Rufus nodded, "Yeah, I'm a-" he glanced toward the ambulance parked by the OR doors, "-A mechanic….I never really have much call for shooting….anyone, much...well, not very often." He shrugged sheepishly at the man. "Rufus," he said, offering his hand. The soldier shook it.
"Nurse McRae," the woman behind Lucy offered.
"I'm Lucy, Sergeant," she said.
The soldier gave her a lopsided grin. "Good to meet you all, now let's go take care of this new mother, shall we? Oh-call me Sherwin."
Lucy felt like the wind had been knocked out of her-the shock at hearing that name was so intense. It wasn't possible, was it? She looked at him again, the square jaw, the clear blue eyes…..
"Everything alright, ma'am?" he asked, the slight Texan drawl she had missed before now suddenly evident.
The timbre in that voice. That ma'am. Oh god, it obviously was more than just possible…. Don't let your imagination carry you away, she chided herself. Afterall, Wyatt said he left right after Chosin. She collected herself—only to realize that the Sergeant was still staring at her, evidently expecting a response. What was the question? Right—he'd asked her if she was okay.
"Uh, yeah," she replied tentatively
He didn't look convinced.
Okay Preston, let's just test this crazy hypothesis of yours. "Y-your accent," she said, where…..where are you from, back home?"
His blue eyes sparkling, he gave a light chuckle, that showed off two unnervingly familiar dimples. "Nowhere you've ever heard of."
Try me, she thought.
He shifted then, turning more fully to face her. "Tiny place in West Texas—just a couple 'a crossroads and one gas station."
She smiled, to hide her shock. She'd heard Wyatt describe his hometown using exactly the same phrase on several occasions. Maybe her imagination wasn't so wild after all. She searched for something to say, as one single thought raced around and around in her brain-How was this happening? Trying to control the shake suddenly permeating her voice, she replied the only way she knew how-with the same response she had given Wyatt on those same occasions. "One whole gas station," she managed, "Impressive."
Sherwin gave her a lopsided grin. "Though the last seven years or so I've really been from all over—wherever this man's army takes me, you could say." He continued to smile warmly at her.
How the hell was any of this real?
"Lucy!" Rufus' shout drew her out of her thoughts, "You comin'?"
She realized that Rufus and the nurse were probably already half-way down the block.
She also realized Sherwin was now looking at her with real concern etched on his face….though that was probably because she was still staring at him. She forced her gaze toward Rufus-who was indeed half-way down the block-then back to Sherwin. "I'm good," she said quietly to him, "We're coming," she shouted back to Rufus-and then broke into a sprint to join him.
Lucy's mind buzzed as she followed Rufus back along the road toward the hut where they had left Wyatt. They were returning with help for Eung-Hee….and protection in the form of Wyatt's Grandpa Sherwin. How was that even possible? Wyatt had said his Grandpa was injured, that he had left Korea before Hungnam….had something already changed in this timeline then? Something that put him here, now? Or had Wyatt's original memories been of an altered timeline? Or was it something less profound, like a confused memory passed down, a result of a war story version of telephone? Who even knew anymore? But one thing was clear to her-fate or providence….or something had wanted Wyatt's Grandfather to find them.
She snuck a glance over her shoulder at the man loping easily to her side, scanning the horizon for any sign of danger….in exactly the manner she had seen Wyatt do the same thing, a hundred times before. And what would Wyatt think, to meet this younger version of his Grandfather? The man who had been such an influence in his life, the man he was fighting for….to make him proud. What would Wyatt say to him?
Her musing was cut short by a staccato of what could only be gunshots from the left. She heard Rufus shout, and then felt a heavy weight crush against her back, pushing her to the ground as she heard a different gun fire repeatedly, this one from just above her ear. That noise was followed by a nearly deafening silence.
The weight pinning her to the ground lessened, "I think I got him," she heard Sherwin's voice come from above her. She opened her eyes. She was lying flat in the dirt, had obviously been pushed down by Sherwin because….someone had shot at them. She pushed herself to her knees, concern for the rest of the group flooding through her
"Rufus!"
"Here."
She turned in the direction of his voice, to see him helping Nurse McRae up from the ground.
"We're good."
She turned back to look at the other side of the road where Sherwin was leaning over the prone form of a man. As though feeling her eyes on him, he turned toward her with a slight grimace. "Chinese," he said. He stood upright, scanning the area. "But he seems to be alone….we're still well back of their lines."
"A deserter?" Rufus asked, moving to stand beside Sherwin.
Sherwin nodded slowly. "Maybe." he bent to pick up the dead soldier's weapon, handing it to Rufus. "Just in case," he said quietly, then turned to look at Lucy. "You okay, ma'am?"
She nodded, standing to join the rest of the group.
"That was too close," commented Sherwin….I was afraid he'd hit you for sure." He glanced back down the road and scanned the horizon again. "Deserter or not, let's get out of here."
Lucy gazed down at the Communist Soldier, the previous moments racing through her brain. Because it had been that close. If not for Sherwin….she could have been dead on a road in North Korea. Or perhaps Rufus, or Nurse McRae….or what might have happened if Dr. Hak had accompanied them? They had been lucky…..if you believed in that kind of thing.
Sherwin glanced back toward Lucy, putting a hand on her arm. "You sure you're okay?"
She nodded. "Thank you," she said.
He gave her a reassuring smile. Anytime, ma'am.
Deciding to leave further thoughts on the workings of the universe to a more opportune and less dangerous time, Lucy brushed the dirt from her legs and nodded back. "Let's go deliver that baby."
With that their small group was off again, racing past a collection of seemingly deserted buildings and fields, following the road back to where they had left the rest of their team. Lucy allowed herself a smile of anticipation again at the idea of Wyatt coming face-to-face with his grandfather, all while helping the woman who had protected her and Jiya at the church. She increased her pace, suddenly impatient to see him, knowing how close they were now.
Her field of vision was suddenly filled by a fiery blast-and she stopped in shock. As her brain caught up with her eyes she heard the reverberations of the explosion, saw the smoke pouring from the hill, the location of the hit-making it only too clear where the actual blast had occurred.
NO!
"Oh my god-Wyatt!"
She started running, only barely aware of Rufus' strangled cry of "Jiya!" from behind her.
The panic rose in her chest as they drew nearer to the blast. Surely it hadn't been that exact spot, surely it was her imagination running away from her again, it was further away, on the other side of the road, it was….she stumbled to a halt in front of the building….it was a direct hit. The building where they had just been….where Wyatt was….where she had left Wyatt….
"WYATT!"
No, no, no-not Wyatt. Not. Wyatt. Images streamed through her mind-of things in the past, of things yet to come. To not see that reassuring smile, not hear his calming words-to have no understanding voice to share ideas with, no steadfast presence to share her life with…. No more warm embraces….no more laughter between them at the craziness of the world, or even shared laughter on those occasions that she proved coordination did not run in her family….
No more of his laughter.
No more of his love.
What was the point? If he was gone, what was left in her world to fight for? This didn't work without him. None of this worked without him! And he didn't even know-didn't even know what she thought-she'd never let him know that he was what she was fighting for….for longer than she'd wanted to admit to herself. And he didn't know that, even after everything that had happened between them, she was desperate to continue that fight. But, she had let him believe that what they'd shared didn't matter to her….that he didn't matter to her. To save her heart she'd acted as though Hollywoodland had never happened…. She'd let him believe that she wasn't ever going to say those words back….god!
They'd squandered their time, and now it was too late.
She folded in on herself, feeling her resolve-her hope-crumble and fade as the cold truth washed over her….
"WYATT!"
"That was close, huh," a familiar voice fought its way into her mind, pushing away the despair. Surely her imagination….wishful thinking…. With her last remaining ounce of hope she forced herself to look in the voice's direction….
He was there. He was safe. He was….holding a baby?
It's a girl, he said, locking eyes with her.
She couldn't remember ever having seen anything more beautiful. Joy and relief bubbled through her, bringing with them laughter, and tears. She registered that Jiya and Eung-Hee were safe as well, but found herself unable to take her eyes from him.
Because he was still here, she hadn't lost him.
Hadn't lost his voice, his laugh, his love.
It wasn't too late.
A low voice from behind Wyatt broke her out of her reverie.
"Sorry we were late to help with the baby-but it looks like you have things well in hand."
Sherwin!
She'd forgotten.
A broad smile crossing her face, she nodded at the approaching soldier and met Wyatt's eyes again. "There's someone here that you should meet."