Disclaimer: The Rat Patrol is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.

Pinky Swear

By Suzie2b

When the German patrol attacked the convoy, Private Carl Jensen pushed Charley to the floor of the truck with one hand while he steered with the other. "Stay down!"

Charley felt the truck accelerate as she pulled the pistol out of her satchel. She chambered a round and slowly pulled herself up to peek through the window. They were so close to their lines and safety. If only…

Bullets ripped through the driver's side and Carl was hit. As the truck began to slow, Charley was on her knees next to him. She pulled on his arm and said, "You've gotta move, Carl!"

He was barely conscience, but managed to slide over with Charley's help. She scrambled to get behind the wheel and had to sit on the edge of the seat to reach the pedals. She pushed down on the clutch and threw the truck into gear as more bullets ricocheted off the side. Charley floored the gas pedal and sped off as two of the other trucks passed by.

Then there was the unmistakable sound of 50 caliber machine guns. It wasn't long before the Germans took off into the desert with the Rat Patrol on their tail, allowing the convoy to stop and assess the damage. Charley attended to Carl's wounds until two of the others appeared and got him out of the truck.

##################################

As the jeeps returned to check the convoy, Tully saw Charley slide out of the driver's side of the truck and sit down on the running board. She leaned back and put her head against the side of the seat before closing her eyes.

Tully was out of the jeep the moment it was stopped with Moffitt right behind him. Tully saw the bullet holes in the door as he took the gun that was laying in Charley's lap and handed it to Moffitt. Then he knelt in front of her. "Charley … hey, open your eyes, sweetheart."

She did and moved her head to look at him and Moffitt. She managed a slight smile and said, "Hi, guys. What brings you out here?"

Tully looked at her pale face worriedly. "Are you all right?"

Charley nodded as she sat up and said softly, "Kind of a wild ride."

Moffitt went back to the jeep. He stowed her gun before he grabbed the med kit, a canteen, and a blanket. "She looks a little shocky. Let's get her out of the sun."

Tully gently pulled Charley to her feet and put his arm around her. He felt something wet and looked at his hand, which was covered in blood. "Sarge, she's been hit!"

Charley felt a stab of pain in her back as Tully scooped her up into his arms. "Ow! When did that happen?"

Tully followed Moffitt around the truck and set Charley on the blanket that the sergeant spread in the shade. Tully took the canteen and held it to her lips as Moffitt tore open the back of Charley's blouse. "Here, take a sip."

Charley did and nearly spit it in Tully's face when Moffitt pressed gauze against the bullet wound. She managed to swallow, then coughed before she said, "Hurts now."

Moffitt nodded. "I bet it does. As soon as the bleeding stops we'll see what we're dealing with."

Charley leaned against Tully. "Where's Carl?"

Tully looked around and spotted the big private lying unconscious on the sand. He had taken a bullet to the leg and another in the side. Tully asked the two who were attending to him, "How's he doing?"

One of them looked at Tully and replied, "He'll make it if we get him to a doctor. How's Charley?"

"Got hit in the shoulder."

"She did real good getting that truck rolling again."

Tully nodded before focusing his attention on Charley again. "Here that … Carl's going to be fine."

Charley hissed with pain. "Good. After you and Hitch, Carl's the best driver I have."

Tully kissed Charley's forehead. "How's it look, sarge?"

Moffitt inspected the wound and said, "I have a feeling the bullet passed through the door before it hit her and lost a lot of momentum. It didn't go very deep at all. Charley, do you want me to take it out now or wait for a doctor to do it?"

She winced and said quietly, "Now, please."

"All right. Just give me a minute to get things ready."

Unaware that Charley had been injured, Hitch was surprised when he walked up to them. He knelt and asked, "Is it bad?"

Tully watched Moffitt give her a half dose of morphine and she quickly fell asleep. "She'll be fine. The bullet didn't go too deep. Moffitt's going to take it out."

Moffitt sterilized the small forceps with alcohol and asked, "How bad did the convoy get hit?"

Hitch said, "Real bad. It's a good thing we were on patrol out here or it would've been worse. Almost half of the drivers are wounded or dead. All of the trucks were hit. Some aren't drivable. Troy and Sergeant Davis are working out how to redistribute the cargo and still have room for the wounded. Tully, Troy wants you and me to do a recon to make sure those Germans aren't circling around to come back." He looked at Moffitt. "He wants you to check the map for the closest field hospital."

Moffitt nodded. "Let him know I'll get to it as soon as I take care of Charley's shoulder."

##################################

With Charley fixed up and resting, Tully met up with Hitch while Moffitt went to the jeep for the map bag.

Troy looked at Tully. "Hitch told us what happened. Charley okay?"

Tully nodded. "She will be. Moffitt got the bullet out and cleaned the wound. He's going to stay with her while he checks the map."

Sergeant Davis said, "One of my men told me that she took the wheel after Private Jensen was shot. That's one brave little woman."

Tully smiled a little. "Yeah. Sometimes she's too brave for her own good."

Troy chuckled. "You two are like peas in a pod when it comes to that." He sobered again and said, "Okay, you and Hitch get going. Don't go too far. As soon as we can get these supplies redistributed and the wounded loaded, we're heading for whatever field hospital Moffitt comes up with."

An hour passed before the few trucks that were running were loaded with supplies and wounded. Moffitt showed Sergeant Davis where the closest field hospital was located on the map. However, before they could get started, they all heard shooting in the distance. Seconds later, they saw the jeep speeding towards them with German halftracks following.

Troy yelled, "Get those trucks moving! Moffitt, let's go give 'em a hand!"

Troy and Moffitt jumped into the jeep and headed out to help Hitch and Tully.

It didn't take long before the halftracks turned and ran the other way. They stopped to quickly check the jeeps for damage. Tully, who had been manning the 50, climbed slowly and carefully out of the back of the jeep.

Hitch noticed he was standing with most of his weight on one leg as he leaned against the vehicle. "You okay, Tully?"

He held his hand against his thigh. "I'll be fine. It's just a nick."

Hitch knelt and moved Tully's hand. He tore the material to look at the wound and said, "That's more than a nick." Hitch stood and put his arm around his friend to help him into the passenger seat as he said, "Hey, sarge! Tully's been hit."

Tully grimaced as he pulled his wounded right leg into the jeep. The two sergeants hurried over and Moffitt examined the wound while Troy got a med kit and said, "Hitch, keep your eyes open."

He grabbed binoculars. "Right, sarge."

Tully said, "I'll be fine."

Troy sighed. "Yeah, you will be as soon as we get you to that field hospital."

Moffitt wrapped a pressure bandage around Tully's leg to control the bleeding and said, "That'll have to do for now. I don't think we should hang around here."

Troy nodded. "Let's shake it. We need to catch up to that convoy."

##################################

At the field hospital, Charley was taken to an area where a curtain could be drawn. A nurse helped her out of her blouse and then gently removed the bandage. Charley gasped as a dose of procaine was injected to numb the area around the wound. Dr. Nelson thoroughly cleaned it before putting in a few stitches, applying a fresh bandage, and settling her right arm in a sling. He gave her a shot of penicillin and said, "There now. The nurse will take you to a bed where you can rest. When your shoulder starts hurting, there will be someone nearby to give you something."

The nurse helped Charley into a hospital robe before drawing the curtain aside. Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch were standing there waiting for her. Charley managed a small, tired smile. "Hi, guys." She looked around. "Where's Tully?"

Troy explained, "I sent him and Hitch out to look around before the convoy got moving again. That German patrol was still out there. Tully took a shot in the leg."

"Take me to him."

The nurse said, "The doctor wants you to rest."

Moffitt said, "He was just taken into surgery, Charley. It isn't a severe wound. He's going to be all right."

She frowned as she looked at them. "Promise?"

Moffitt smiled. "Promise."

Charley held up her hand with her little finger extended. "Pinky swear."

"Pardon me?"

Hitch grinned. "Hook your little finger around hers and say, 'I swear that Tully will be all right.'"

Moffitt raised his eyebrows. "This must be some kind of American ritual I've never heard of."

However, he did it and Charley was satisfied. "Any word on Carl?"

Troy shook his head. "He was one of the first to go into surgery and he's not out yet."

"Okay, I'll go lay down for a while."

##################################

Charley woke several hours later. She'd been given a cot against one wall with two privacy screens set up around her. She wanted to sleep some more, but her shoulder was beginning to ache. Then she remembered that Tully had been wounded.

In her stocking feet Charley stepped out of her little "room" into the main ward. She recognized every man on every cot. Most were sleeping or unconscious from anesthesia. The few that were awake she greeted and asked how they were feeling. Charley found Carl unconscious, but a nurse assured her he would recover. "Where's Private Pettigrew?"

The nurse led her to a cot and said, "He hasn't been awake yet, but he should be soon. How's your shoulder? Can I get you a pain killer?"

Charley smiled slightly. "It is starting to throb a bit."

The nurse moved a chair next to the cot. "Have a seat. I'll be right back."

By the time she returned, Charley had managed to carefully lay down on the cot next to Tully and was fast asleep. The nurse stared at them in disbelief.

Moffitt arrived and the nurse said, "I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it. How did she manage to fit on that cot next to him?"

The sergeant smiled at his two friends. "Love concurs all."

The nurse just shook her head and gave Charley the shot as she slept on.

A while later Tully opened his eyes and saw Charley lying next to him with her head on his shoulder. He sighed and kissed the top of her head, then whispered, "How did you get away with this?"

"No one witnessed how she did it, but since neither of you were in pain, the nurses left her there."

Tully turned his head to see Moffitt sitting next to him and smiled. "How long has she been here?"

"A little over an hour. How are you feeling?"

Tully sighed. "Leg stings a bit, but I'm okay."

Moffitt smiled. "Shall I get the nurse to give you something for pain?" Tully hesitated, then nodded. "I'll be right back."

After a shot of morphine, Tully started to feel groggy. "Umm … sarge. How's Carl doing?"

"It'll take a little time, but he'll make a full recovery. They're keeping him sedated for now." Moffitt noticed Tully trying to keep his eyes open. "Go ahead and sleep, Tully. One of us will be here when you wake up."

Tully laid his cheek against Charley's head and closed his eyes.

##################################

A few days later, Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch found Tully sitting up brushing Charley's hair. One of the nurses had found a shirt she could wear instead of the robe. It was a bit big, but it was more comfortable.

Troy grinned. "You two look like you're ready to get going."

Charley, her arm still in the sling, smiled and said, "I want to sleep in my own bed tonight."

Tully set the brush aside and began to gather her hair to put in a ponytail. "Looks like most of the guys are being taken back to base to recover." He deftly wound an elastic band around the hair and made sure it was centered neatly.

Hitch chuckled. "How do you know how to do that so easily? If I tried it, I'd no doubt get my fingers wrapped up in it."

"You've never had two younger sisters. I've done ponytails, pigtails, and braids of all types."

Charley grinned as she turned on the cot and leaned against Tully. "My husband is multitalented."

They watched as another patient was taken out to a waiting ambulance, and Tully asked, "When can we leave?"

That's when Dr. Nelson stepped up and handed Charley and Tully their release papers. "Whenever you're ready. I'd prefer you go back to Ras Tanura in an ambulance, but I really don't want another argument like the one over the crutches."

Tully frowned as he mumbled, "Don't like crutches."

The doctor smiled. "I've come to realize that over the past few days, private. Just make sure to use that cane." Tully nodded. "And as for you, Charley. No lifting, no pushing or pulling, and don't hold anything heavier than a pencil while your shoulder is healing. Use the sling and do those exercises I showed you so the joint won't freeze." Charley nodded as she was handed a large bottle of pain pills that she and Tully could both use. "Now get your healthy selves out of my hospital and behave."

Moffitt grinned. "We'll all be keeping an eye on them, doctor."

##################################

A few hours later they were back at Ras Tanura. Charley and Tully checked in at medical with Dr. Baker and were sent home.

Troy held Charley's uninjured arm as they climbed the stairs while Moffitt and Hitch helped Tully. Charley fumbled with the key and Troy gently took it from her shaky hand. He opened the door and ushered her inside. Tully hobbled in behind her and sat down on the bed.

Moffitt went to the window and opened it before flipping on the fan. "A bit stuffy in here after being closed up."

Charley sat down next to Tully, who had flopped onto his back, and said, "Thanks, Jack. Would you do us a favor?"

"Of course. What can I do?"

"On the closet shelf there's a wooden box with some money in it. Could you take some down to the café and order some dinner for us? We have to eat before we can take our pain medication and I don't have the energy to do those stairs again right now. Hamza or one of the kids should be able to bring it up."

Moffitt smiled. "Anything special you want?"

Tully said, "Chicken shawaya with extra rice and hummus."

Charley smiled. "Make that two, please. But take the word 'extra' out of my order."

"All right. I'll go take care of it."

After Moffitt left, Tully laid there and said, "He didn't get the money, did he?"

Charley sighed. "Nope. Didn't even go near the closet."

Troy chucked. "Well, Hitch and I need to get the jeeps to the motor pool. Get some rest."

Hitch said, "We'll be by to check on you two occasionally."

Charley smiled and held out her little finger. "Pinky swear."

Hitch grinned and hooked his little finger around hers. "Definitely."