Step 1: Listen A/N: This is a one-shot about Roe and Renee. These are 5 simple steps on how to save a life. By the way, some of the events in this story don't match with the actual series, but I mixed it up so I incorporate it into a story. You'll see why when you read! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I mean no disrespect, most of these events aren't true.
Step 1: Listen
Medics, The silent warriors. Despite the brutal and terrifying sights of the war outside, they must have the strength to fight the battle raging inside, find the line between insanity and reality. Other soldiers live in their worst nightmares; medics try to wake them up. Although it's hard, who could forget the shriek of a grown man, losing blood by the second? How do you cope with the stench of death forever caked onto your palms? How on earth do you forgive yourself for letting one of your own from slipping away? The guilt is so strong; it's like a presence, another person. And he follows you. You can't get to sleep at night because you know he's watching you. You can here him thinking, whispering to you. He's the tension in the air, making you want to scream, and rip the hair right off your head. He makes you feel completely, and utterly revolting, and he's supposed to, his name is Guilt.
No one knows what goes on in Roe's mind. He's solitary, a lone wolf, speaking only when spoken to. Roe knows bottling up the guilt and pain will come back and bite him one day. He wants to talk to someone, anyone, about the horrors he's seen, heard, smelt, and touched. He'd make sure he's alone, barricaded in his foxhole away from the others, and just pray. Pray to God, to take the pain, and carry it away.
And one day, his prayers were answered. He found his every own dose of morphine. He found a way to cope. He met an angel, named Reneé. Her fair skin, sparkling eyes, and innocent glow made strangely made Roe feel at home, and happy to know he can find comfort in this hell they call Bastonge.
Roe was interested, and found himself somewhat attracted to how strong Reneé was. He listened to all she's been through, and noticed a smile on her face.
"Yo smile," he said. She moved her eyes from the dusty ground to his gaze. She felt no need to reply, but to give him a puzzled look.
"You lost everythin', and you've bin to Hell and back, but you still smile--" He lost his thought, but suddenly a new one replaced it. "You don' disserve—it jus'--it ain't fair." His eyes shifted down the ground. He shook his head. Something this beautiful shouldn't be anywhere near something so ugly. He raised his head to face her, and found she was still smiling. Her face was glowing so bright; it lifted Roe's spirit, and made his heart fall into his chest.
Suddenly, the doors opened and a chilling breeze, loud shouter and the reeking odor of blood filled the room like a tidal wave. Reneé shot up onto her feet and ran over to the broken men. He watched her disappear into the mess of soldiers and nurses. When he was submerged into the crowd, he turned on his heel, and headed up the stairs and out the door and back to the line.
Step 2: Cry
After Hoobler was lost, silence hung over the men like a plague. It was making Roe sick to his stomach. He knew the guilt would be looking for him, and once he found him, it didn't want to leave. Roe knew what he had to do, and before the jeep that was taking Hoob back to the air station left, Roe quickly hoped on the back, trying to keep his eyes off of Buck's jacket that covered Hoobler.
Anger seeped into Roe's blood, slowly it felt it start to boil. When he got to the aid station, he was ready to tear up the place just looking for Reneé. He scanned the room, but he saw bleeding men and very busy nurses but no angels. Now, frustration accompanied the anger. His eyebrows furrowed. He felt like calling out to her, but the cloud of everyone yelling could just smother his voice. Roe took a very deep breath, trying to calm his stiff muscles. Roe turned around aggressively and marched forward. He looked up, and stopped dead in his tracks. A beam of sunlight shone through the stained glass windows, lighting up the spot Reneé was standing. Her whole body was luminous. She stood with her hands clasped together in front of her. The faint shadows on her face gave her features depth. She was Heaven in the form of a woman. Roe could not take his eyes off her radiance. He was hypnotized, and didn't notice her call his name.
"Eugene, Êtes-vous bien?"
Roe kept his gaze on her face. Many people busily ran behind her. Personnel everywhere, but all Roe could she was Reneé. "Eugene…" She repeated. Roe snapped out of his trance. He looked upon her face once more, then slowly turned his head and walk past her, into the empty room behind her. He scanned the room, and found a bench on the other side of the room. He walked over, his boots on the ground echoed against the walls of the large room. He took a seat, and rested his elbows on his knees, and placed his hand into his palms.
Reneé quickly followed him, and invited herself to sit down next to him. She didn't touch him, yet. Instead, she let him open up to her.
After seconds of silence, Reneé heard sobs. Roe's body started to shake uncontrollably. Reneé instinctively wrapped her arms around him, not too tight to squeeze him, but just enough to left him feel her warmth. Roe finally lifted his head. Reneé's eyes widened. She saw shiny streams of tears connected to his eyes, falling down to his chin, then dripping off to the floor. His eyes were glistening. He turned to her and embraced his into a large hug. No words were exchanged. Reneé moved her hands up and down Roe's back, soothing him. She felt cold drops sink into the fabric of her uniform onto her shoulder. Clearly, he was very upset. His short sobs turned into long gapping breaths for air. No words were exchanged. They just sat there, arms in arms, Reneé resting her head upon his brood shoulders, and Roe's wet face buried into the crook of her smooth neck.
Step 3: Touch
Still in each other's embrace, Roe remembered what he had said to her the other day. "Yo touch, calms people. Now that's a gift from God." Roe could help but to feel relaxed, settle, calm. He seemed to forget about Hoobler, forget about the war, and forget about all the pain that surrounded him. Eventually, when he thought he was ready, Roe let himself fall back away from Reneé's arms. With his sleeve, we wiped the wetness away from his rosy cheek, but stopped when he the backside of soft fingers and fingernails caress his face. Reneé wiped away the rest of the tears away and smiled weakly at Roe. For that very moment, everything felt okay. He was lost the in her touch. He was so soft, so soothing. He felt awkward for feeling so safe in a place so dangerous. He felt so right in a place so wrong. He felt so whole in a place so incomplete.
Roe grimaced as Reneé pulled back her hand, wiping the access wet on her apron. They both giggled uneasily. Roe looked down at the ground, smile now gone. He remembered that Hoobler had died, and he had come here to hide from the guilt. Roe's spirit had dropped through the floor. At last, he broke the silence. "Ever feel guilty, when a man dies in yo hands?" Roe said, still staring blankly at the plain floor. Reneé thought about the question, and took it into extreme thought.
"Oui, but I tell myself, I tried my best," She said with her accent. "Better off dead than in Bastonge." She said, attempting to joke. She could see Roe smile ever to faintly at the ground, but almost immediately it faded. "My friend—everyone was der—I couldn't help him—The men—I, I…" Words poured out of Roe's mouth all at once, but he couldn't find the words to finish what he had to say. He only hoped she'd understand him, despite his lack of words.
Reneé stretched out her arm, and slowly, put her soft hand under Roe's chin, and gently tilted his head to face her. They're eyes met. "You tried your best. That's all that matters." Her voice was so soft. She was so pure, so full of love and understanding. Roe started to think she was really an angel, and God actually sent her down from Heaven to save him.
Step 4: Love
"Perfect." Roe muttered under his breath, eyes still connected with hers. "What?" Reneé asked, not quite sure what he had said, or what the word even meant. "Je voudrais vous embrasser." Roe said. Reneé's eyes widened, and before she could reply, Roe placed his rough hand on hers, and lips quickly, but affectionately collided with hers. His were cold, but were almost instantly warmed by hers. Soon, the both pulled back, and lovingly looked deep into each other's eyes. Roe got a grasp on both her silken hands, fingers lacing together, intertwining. Roe gradually rest his forehead upon hers, eyelashes sweeping against each other's skin.
"Dire me que vous êtes un ange, et à Dieu envoyé te du ciel pour me sauver. Je pense que je tombe amoureux de toi."
Reneé's heart skipped. Never had someone tell her she was an angel.
"Je t'aime."
Or told her they loved her. That radiant smile of her came back. She threw her arms around his neck and laughed cheerfully. "I love you too!" she exclaimed.
By now, the sad and sober feeling that hung over the empty room was lifted and replaced by ecstatic joy. Outside, the sun came out from behind the smoky gray clouds, and shone down through the mosaic windows at the top of the cathedral. It lit the room. Roe grabbed Reneé by the waist, lifted her and spun her around in circles. The pair could relieve the smile plastered on their faces, as the walked out of the room, hand in hand. The couple had climbed the stairs and out of the aid station. The air was warmer than the usual bitter cold. The snow actually seemed slushy as opposed to powdery. Roe knew he must go back to the line, it somewhat pained him to leave.
"I'll be back, I promise." Roe said, raising the back of her hand and kissing it, before walking backwards and turning away.
Reneé stood outside the doors under the large red cross flag, watching Roe as he climbed into the back of a jeep and speeding off to the forest, remembering the last words he said to her.
"I'll be back, I promise."
Step 5: Say goodbye
That night, there was another shelling. Lt. Welsh was hit. Roe got a ride back to Bastonge on the jeep. The sight horrified him. Buildings exploding. Jeeps on fire. Screaming everywhere. The aid station was just ahead. Roe sprinted towards it, but stopped suddenly. The entrance had been blown to pieces. Debris lay everywhere. Bits of wood fell dangerously from the roof to the ground. Roe approached the mess with high caution. His eyes were fixated on the familiar blue cloth that lay in a heap inside the rubble. He slowly bent over to pick it up. A bandana. Reneé's bandana? Thoughts rushed into Roe's mind. Terrible feelings stabbed him. Roe knew what this meant. He slowly put the bandana in his pocket, and looked up at the entrance, hoping for a sign of life, a sign of anything.
"Get your ass out here!"
Roe was frozen, but he knew he must leave. He took one last look at the aid station, and slowly turned and walked away. The sounds of explosions in the background were faint. And in what seems like a flash, he was gone.
The next day, Roe and Heffron sat together in a foxhole, overlooking the line. Roe noticed the mild cut on Heffron's hand. Being the amazing medic he was, Roe decided to patch it up for him. Roe reached into his pocket, fumbling for a bandage, when he pulled out a blue cloth. He stared at it, heart skipping beats. Roe ripped it in half, using one half for a Heffron's bandage, and keeping the other to remember his guardian angel by.