Combat!

"The Song of the Nightingales"

Donna LaVigne-Kearns

(Éclaireur)

and

Janice LaVigne

(Ma Grande Sœur)

I would like to dedicate this story to Pierre Jalbert. My sister Janice and I started this story before the passing of Pierre, the man who portrayed "Caje" in the series Combat! After his death I found it almost impossible to finish this story.

But then Janice said something that made me think.

She explained that as long as we, and all the others who love to write fan fiction keep writing,

Pierre, Vic Morrow, Dick Peabody and Rick Jason

Will always be with us. I like that.

This story is part three in an ongoing tale. If you have not read the first two stories you might find yourself lost as to what's going on. So here are the titles to the stories that lead you up to this tale.

Part one is entitled…

"A Husbands Promise"

Now part two is rated M for Mature, as it does contain sexually explicit material. If you go to the setting and change your filter to M. you should find it.

This story is called…

"Her Soldier"

And now, s'il vous plaît, my sister andI would be honored if you would read…

"The Song of the Nightingales"

Chapter One

As Second Platoon First Squad moved out, Caje was left behind in the care of Doctor Reynolds and his nurses. Two of the nurses stood outside the rag tag make shift hospital and solemnly watched as the men march out.

Gabriel had just finished up her paper work and had checked in on Caje. Stepping outside, she spotted Rhonda silently watching as Caje's outfit walked away.

"Rhonda, are you ok?"

What a way to start the day.

Rhonda was thinking as she watched "her soldier" leave with the rest of the squad.

What now? I feel so lost and I don't know why. Is he coming back? Will he be safe? What is this that I'm feeling towards a man I just met? Love?

Could I really be in Love?

"Rhonda, Nurse Rhonda, are you OK?"

Gabriel went over and stood beside her scatter brained little nurse as Caje's squad moved out to again fight the war that was raging all around them.

"Uh, what, Ma'am? Did you need me for something Ma'am?"

Rhonda's hand quickly moved up to brush the tear away that had started to fall.

Gabriel couldn't help but put her arm around Rhonda and try to reassure her.

"Oh honey, he'll be ok. He's a non-combatant and that arm band and helmet he wears clearly marks that he is there to help. He'll be fine."

Rhonda, trying desperately to understand, turned to face her lieutenant.

"I know Ma'am, that's what he told me too, but I'm still as confused as to what all this means. I'm learning, but I'm so slow sometimes. Just like in school. Sometimes I just don't understand."

"Sir" Rhonda continued, "I think I love him. I have never been in love before, so I don't know, but I think about him all the time. And I'm scared. I'm so very scared for him. Is this love?"

Turning to face Rhonda as the last of the squad disappeared from site, Gabriel softened her voice,

"Rhonda, if that feeling you have is love, well then, I seem to have it also. And I know what you mean. I can't stop thinking about Paul. And I am so very scared. Paul's not well enough to join his squad yet, but he will be. And when that day comes…oh Rhonda, I don't even want to think about it."

As the two totally different women continued to talk, it was obvious a bond was starting to form.

"Why don't you come in and help me go over the supplies. We're pulling back tomorrow. Doctor Reynolds will be leaving first with the ambulatory patients. You and I will wait for an ambulance that is being sent to transport Paul, I mean Private LeMay. We need to get the inventory loaded and ready to move by 0600 hours. Oh and Rhonda?"

Rhonda looked up, waiting for her Lieutenant to continue,

"Yes Ma'am?"

Gabriel smiled,

"Rhonda, I was thinking, seeing as we now have something so new to both of us in common."

A look of confusion crossed Rhonda's face. Gabriel, seeing it, continued, but added,

"Seeing that we both are now in love with two men from the same squad, how about you call me Gabriel instead of "a'am or Sir". Does that sound okay to you?"

Gabriel looked at Rhonda,

"Yes Ma'am."

Rhonda answered,

"I would like that a lot Ma'am."

Gabriel shook her head in dismay; she then put her protective arm back around Rhonda, leading her back into the hospital.

Chapter Two

"Let me get this straight. You and that little bitty nurse, uh Ruthie, are an item now?"

Kirby was trudging alongside Doc, scratching his head at what the medic had just told him.

Doc looked at him and tried to explain.

"Her name is Rhonda, and yeah, an item, that's a good word for it. We're an "item".

"Well that's really good to hear Doc."

Littlejohn, who was just a step or two behind them, heard Doc's news and wanted to add his support.

"Well thank you Littlejohn. I'm glad someone is happy for me."

Doc turned back around and gave Kirby an unhappy look.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Doc. I'm happy for ya. It's just; well she's just, uh, well, she's just a bit, uh, well…"

As Kirby tried to get his thoughts out without offending Doc, Doc stepped in.

"Yeah Kirby, I know. She's just a bit…Uh."

Doc continued,

"And that's why I'm drawn to her. She's a sweet, innocent little thing. And yes, she's a bit naive as far as life goes. She Is sweet. She Is innocent. And yes, she Is naive. She also has morals and she is just the kind of girl I've been looking for. Every one back home has been try'en to par me up with, well you know, Cousin Edna*. I hate to disappoint them, but honestly, I ain't going near that girl. She's an accident just a wait 'in to happen and I ain't going to be in the passengers seat when it does."

Up ahead, Sergeant Saunders had stopped to receive a message from a runner. The message stated that the field hospital where they had just left Caje was in need of an escort. With the fighting getting dangerously close, the brass ordered the hospital to pull back and Sergeant Saunders orders were to go back and help them.

"Listen up,"

Sergeant Saunders waited until he had the full attention from his squad,

"Looks like we're going back the way we came. That field hospital is in need of an escort and we're it. Saddle up."

"Well Doc, looks like someone up there must believe in love."

Littlejohn had a slight smile on his face and slapped Doc on the back. Doc just smiled.

Chapter Three

"What are you doing out of bed?"

As Gabriel walked into Caje's room, she saw that he had gotten up and was trying to walk over to a chair. Not having the strength yet to complete the task, Gabriel rushed over to his side just as what little strength he had was spent.

"Like I said, what are you doing out of bed?!"

"I'm feeling better. I need to get up and move."

Caje gave her a look of determination, but his weakness was so apparent.

"Paul, stop this. You're not better and you know it. Doctor Reynolds will be in shortly. How would it have looked for him to find you on the floor? You're not going to get better if you don't take it slow."

Caje, his eyes revealing to Gabriel the amount of pain he was feeling, pleadingly looked at her.

"Could you help me to the chair?"

Gabriel knew Caje should not be up, let alone trying to walk. She knew he should be back in bed. But she also knew Caje needed to feel he had some control over his life. And if helping him over to a chair to sit for a while instead of back to bed was what he needed to do, she knew she had to show her support and help him.

With Gabriel's help, Caje slowly made it over to the chair.

Shaking physically from pain and fatigue, and with Gabriel's help, Caje slowly sat down.

"Paul, I'm not going to tell you I understand what you're going through, because I don't. But I know what you're thinking. You feel guilty for staying here. You need to be with those men, I understand that. And I know that in time, you will be back with them."

Gabriel, caught up in what she was trying to say, started to tear up.

"But can I tell you something? I just watched your squad leave with Rhonda by my side. She's so scared for Doc. While trying to comfort her, I realized just how scared I am for you."

She reached up and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She then went down on her knees in front of him and looked up into his eyes.

"Paul, please tell me, what have we started here? I know what I'm feeling, but I need to know, what is it your feeling?"

Caje was caught off guard. He was aware that what took place between the two of them could be taken the wrong way. He found he had to stop for a moment to arrange his words in English for in his mind he was thinking in French. If his words bounced around too much between the two languages he could cost this beautiful, gentle woman kneeling before him more pain.

He needed to make sure Gabriel understood he did not use her. That he did not look upon what took place between the two of them as just having sex. No, what he had to make clear was he not only gave his body to her, he gave his heart.

"Oh ma cher, I did not use you in there. Is that what you're thinking? That once I am better, this,"

Pointing to himself then Gabriel he continued, "This will end?" He took both her hands and brought them up to his lips and kissed them.

"This has just begun. I would never lead you on just to satisfy my needs. You must trust me on this. What has happened is something special."

"Oh my dear sweet girl, what happened in there is that I made Love to you. And that is how I feel."

With that said, Caje lifted her up into his arms and kissed her on the mouth. Not the passionate type of kiss that usually leads to desire.

No.

But the type of kiss that he hoped would reassure her. He had given his heart to her, and there it shall remain.

* Cousin Edna is a character from another story I wrote a while back entitled "D.O.C."

Éclaireur