Copyright 7/15 by Kirby's Cowgirl
Fan-Fiction based on TV Show Combat! Copyright Selmur Production, Inc, ABC, Image
Productions etc.
Disclaimer: Combat! and its characters do not belong to me, this WWII story is a piece of fan-fiction and I am not being compensated in any tangible way for this story.
The Flyboy
"Aren't you ready yet, Alex?" one of the junior nurses asked her.
"I'm not going, sweetie." She looked up from the letter she was writing to her mother in law. "I hope you have a really good time."
"But everybody's going! It'll be fun!" the girl protested.
"Alex doesn't dance." Sally said, giving her cousin a disgusted look.
"Well you could just sit and talk to some of the men." An older nurse said. "That's what I'm going to do." But there was a wistful look in her eyes, and they all knew she was hoping that somebody would ask her to dance.
Alex sighed. " I don't want to go, I'm sorry. I tried to take a shift at the hospital so one of the night crew could go but they wouldn't let me."
"I guess you don't care that a fighter pilot has a life expectancy of six weeks. This is the last chance some of them will get to have fun." Another nurse said, glaring at her.
"HEY!" Sally protested, ready to punch her.
"I didn't know that. I'll be ready in ten minutes." Alex scrambled to her feet.
"I'll do your hair in the truck." One of the young nurses offered.
There was a hastily nailed together set of improvised stairs at the back of the deuce and a half that was their transport. A soldier stood on each side and handed them into the truck. Once the girls were inside, the stairs were put in the back of the truck with them.
"OW!" Alex protested as her hairdresser jabbed her with a bobby pin. "My hair's fine, just leave it."
"There." The girl gave her creation a final smoothing. "You look great."
Alex seriously doubted it, but she thanked the girl. She liked most of the young nurses. They reminded her of her sister Patty, who luckily was stationed in England. As far as Alex was concerned, that was too close to the fighting for her kid sister. She'd forbidden her to come to France.
"I hope you don't mind getting your feet stepped on." Alex told the Captain as she stood up to dance.
He smiled at her. "We'll be fine. I' m Tom Davis, by the way."
"Alex West." She took the hand he offered her.
"Is your husband over here fighting also?"
"He died at Omaha." When he would have apologized to her, she shook her head. "It's alright." She wondered what he would have thought if she'd said, "I lost my husband and my lover and twenty good friends on that damn beach." Kirby was dead. Kirby was gone. The little grieving she'd allowed herself had been for him and the men from the ranch. She certainly hadn't shed any tears over Bill, but she had cried for her mother in law, who she knew was shattered over his death.
"I thought you said she didn't dance." One of the nurses commented to Sally, as they watched the other couples clearing the floor for Alex and the Captain she was doing the swing with.
The look of utter shock on Sally's face made her partner laugh. "Captain Davis is a good dancer, but she's really good." He eased them off the floor and Sally watched her cousin in amazement. Alex had refused to learn to dance for years. Well, maybe she just didn't want to dance with Bill. Whoever had thought her, had done an excellent job.
Alex faltered when she realized they were the only ones out on the floor, but the Captain said something to her and flashed her a boyish grin, and she picked right back up.
"Damn." One of the guys on the sidelines said. "They're every bit as good as Fred and Ginger."
"Caje! Wait!" Littlejohn called out.
The scout, fixing to step out in the open from the treeline, froze, and gave the giant a questioningly look.
Saunders, set to reprimand Littlejohn for being too loud, stopped at the look on his face.
The giant pointed up and mouthed, "Messerschmitt?"
They all froze for what seemed like minutes, and Saunders was fixing to tell Caje to get a move on, the giant was mistaken, when the look on Doc's face changed and he started pointing up too. Then they smelled the smoke.
Caje ran uphill in the treeline to try and find a better vantage point as the plane shot over them.
"Ours." Saunders said to himself. But trailing smoke and going down. They all ran to the edge of the treeline and watched.
"One chute, Sarge!" Caje called, pointing.
They jogged uphill and Billy gulped. "He's on fire!" And looked at Saunders to ask how that could be possible.
They heard the crash as the plane went down several miles away and there was an explosion and a big cloud of smoke.
"I'm goin'." Doc said, starting after the drifting parachute. "He needs help."
They found the injured airman on the ground in bad shape, with burns covering most of his body. Doc immediately set to work on him and Littlejohn started assembling a stretcher with Billy's help. Suddenly the young soldier darted into the brush and they could hear him being sick.
"It's the smell." Littlejohn said to Saunders, who nodded in silent agreement. "I can help Doc."
"I'm sorry, Sarge." Billy said, stumbling back towards them. "I'm sorry." Then he looked at Saunders, tears in his eyes, and whispered, "How is he even alive?"
"Billy, it's ok. He's unconscious." Littlejohn said.
"But he can still hear me." Then, "Oh, god." And he dropped to his knees and was sick again.
"Davidson! You help Doc with the stretcher." Saunders barked out, and gestured for Littlejohn to help Billy, who was still retching.
"Why me?" Davidson whined. "That guy stinks. If I puke -" he didn't see the murderous glare he got from Doc, but the look he got from Saunders was enough to make him shut his mouth.
"Doc?" Saunders asked.
"Billy was right." Doc shook his head sadly. "I don't know how he's even alive. Maybe they can do something for him at the hospital."
They set out with Caje on the point, Littlejohn all but carrying Billy, Doc and Davidson with the stretcher, Kirby the rear guard, and Saunders running back and forth. When the shooting started, Saunders ran to the rear, yelling to Doc and Littlejohn to keep going. Caje doubled back and lent his rifle. The German patrol vanished as quickly as they'd appeared, and the men ran after their wounded.
Saunders stepped out in the road and flagged down an uncoming jeep. "I've got some wounded men that need a ride." he told the Corporal who was driving.
Doc and Davidson set the stretcher across the back, and Littlejohn eased Billy to the ground. After one last check of the airman's vitals, Doc ran to Billy, who was only half conscious. Littlejohn had carried him the last mile.
He shot a worried look at Saunders. "I think it's his appendix."
They tried to load Billy in the passenger seat but he couldn't sit up, and Doc had to ride in the back to balance the stretcher.
"Let Littlejohn drive. That kid," Kirby gestured to the Corporal, "can hold Billy in the seat. But I shore would appreciate it if you could come back for us." He suddenly staggered and nearly fell, and that was when they all noticed the blood stain on his leg.
"Kirby!" Doc sprang to aid the BAR man, but Caje already had him on the ground and had slit his pants leg up the seam with his bayonet.
"Jesus." Kirby said under his breath. That blade was a little too damn close.
"Why didn't you say something?" Caje demanded.
"I could still run. Not like there was anybody left to help me." The Irishman tried to shrug, but it turned into a wince.
"Kirby, you hold Billy -" Saunders started.
Kirby shook his head. "I can walk Sarge. Just let them go." He shot a worried look at Littlejohn, that everybody except the giant noticed.
"Doc?" Saunders asked.
"I'll make sure they come back for you." Doc said. "Try not to get him wet if you can help it." Just when you wanted to murder the little Irishman, he'd do something so out of character with his usual whining self that you were thrown for a loop. If Billy's appendix ruptured before they got him to the hospital, he would die. Maybe if he woke up and saw his buddy Littlejohn on the way there it would offer a little comfort.
"Don't get close to me, Sarge." Littlejohn said tiredly. The giant was sitting on a crate outside the hospital wearing his skivvies and a blanket. He had a cup of untouched coffee sitting next to him. "They don't know if I'm contagious or not." He added, as Caje hustled Kirby inside. He swiped at his eyes before continuing, "Somebody poisoned Sergeant Beckley's squad. Billy must of got some of whatever -" his voice broke. Billy had been temporarily assigned as a runner and had only just come back to their squad. "They don't know what's wrong. You better tell the nurse we've all been exposed." Then, "Oh, God!" And he put his face in his hands.
Saunders hurried inside the hospital tent to see a worried looking Doc helping with Kirby. One of the nurses appeared to be on the verge of smacking Caje, who was refusing to leave.
"CAJE!" Saunders called out. "Don't argue with the lady!" "Ma'am?" he turned to her. "We've all been exposed to whatever Billy has."
"I don't think you're contagious but we don't know." She yelled at one of the orderlies. "I need all of you to disinfect yourselves. He'll show you how." She gestured to the orderly. "Your uniforms will have to be burnt. Wipe down your boots and weapons as best as you can."
"I need to report to Lieutenant Hanley -" Saunders started.
"I've got five men in there who may be dying." The nurse pointed at a curtained off area. "DO NOT argue with me. We don't know what's wrong and I don't need any more patients."
"Yes ma'am." Saunders said, flinching when the curtain opened as the Doctor exited. Beckley was in the end bed, and he was so white he looked like a corpse. "Just tell us what to do." He told the orderly.
Hanley stopped fifteen feet from Saunders and said, "I thought it was Nazi sympathizers who poisoned Beckley's squad. When the MP's got to the village, the woman who fed them, and two other people were dead. We think it was tainted meat, but the Doctor called into Battalion to see what to do. I didn't understand half of what he said, something about biologicals. He's not sure if you're contagious or not. I can't have an entire platoon down. They're sending me two replacement squads and you'll just have to do what the Doctor tells you until they give us an all clear."
"Yes sir." Saunders said. "Do they have a bed for Littlejohn?" The giant was sick now too, and he'd been trying to hide it. Saunders knew Billy had vomited on him, and he didn't know if the giant was just worried about his buddy or they did have something more sinister to worry about. The hospital had found them some clean, cast off uniforms that didn't fit, but were better than nothing. His pants were threatening to fall off even with his belt cinched as tight as possible. "Did you hear anything about Billy?"
"No change." Hanley said, scrubbing tiredly at his eyes. "We've got some more medical personnel in route. "How bad is Littlejohn?"
"He's vomited twice that I've seen. He's really worried about Billy." And so am I. Saunders thought, but left it unsaid. And what in the hell was up with Kirby?
"I'll tell one of the orderlies to come and get Littlejohn." Hanley sighed. "How are you holding up?"
They were used to being out in the weather, but the forced inactivity was grating on Caje and Saunders. Since no one in the squad liked Davidson, the Sarge had been worried about the men fighting, but they were just so emotionally drained they didn't want to do anything.
Saunders shrugged. "We know how to fight Krauts, sir. This is just -" he searched for a word.
"Wrong." Hanley said, and he looked like he wanted to be sick himself. "I'll see if I can find you a deck of cards."
"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here." Alex said. "They wouldn't let me come by myself. I could have walked it in all the time they wasted."
"I didn't think you were going to come."
"I'm sorry." Alex said again. "I hate all these damn regulations. And I barely know the poor man, I don't know why he asked for me."
The nurse stuck a swab in a container of Vicks, and then rubbed it under Alex's nose. "For the smell." She said, when Alex would have stopped her. "He's burned really badly and he's dying. I don't know how he even regained consciousness. Just tell him he's ok and talk to him. You think you'll be alright?"
"I can do it." Alex assured her, though she wondered if she really could.
"We had to stick a jackass in there with him. If he gives you any trouble, just brain him with a bedpan. We were afraid he was contagious at first and we're out of beds in the isolation ward. It didn't matter with that poor pilot, he'll die anyway. That private is awful. I called the MP's to come and get him and take him to the brig before the nurses strangle him. He's just got a little shrapnel and the way he's carrying on -"
"I can handle jackasses." Alex assured her. "I'll sit with Tom until -" she stopped, and her eyes filled with tears.
"I'll come and check on you if I ever get caught up." The nurse squeezed her arm. "Thank you for doing this."
Alex stepped into the tent, so scared she was shaking. And then she nearly screamed, because the man in the bed next to Tom was Kirby! Who she had thought was dead.
Kirby had been talking to Tom, who was swathed in bandages, and he froze when he saw Alex.
"Krauts?" Tom wheezed, starting to thrash around.
"Naw, naw." Kirby patted the bed next to him. "Really pretty lady. I haven't seen one in awhile." His eyes were speaking volumes to Alex.
"Alex?" Tom gasped out.
"I'm here." She sat down in the chair between his and Kirby's beds, and very gently touched his bandaged arm. She grabbed Kirby's hand with her free hand and held on tight.
"My eyes? Am I blind?" Tom asked.
"They had to bandage them to keep the medicine out." Alex said, squeezing Kirby's hand hard and trying to keep her voice from cracking. "You're gonna be just fine."
"I can't feel my legs. And I wanted to take you dancing again."
Alex shot Kirby a helpless look, and he said, "I think you're one of those lucky guys that only need a little morphine. I heard the Doc tell the nurses not to give you anymore. I asked if I could have it." He chuckled, and squeezed Alex's hand. "I'm ok." He mouthed at her.
"I'm sorry. How bad are you hurt?" Tom wheezed out. Kirby had told him earlier, when they'd first stuck him in the tent with the poor man. He had drifted in and out of consciousness, and the Irishman had told him jokes and funny stories. When Doc or one of the orderlies made their rounds, they'd just shake their heads at the poor man. Kirby didn't know how he'd stayed alive as long as he had. It was like he was waiting on something. The poor guy must have been waiting on Alex to come so he could hear her voice …
"I just got some shrapnel. Hurts like a bitch, but it's not bad." Alex was crying over this flyboy. He couldn't stand to see her hurting like this, and trying to be brave about it. Kirby swallowed hard. Well, she'd broken up with him because she didn't want him getting shot. And then when her Uncle had told him she'd been widowed, and where she was, he had torn up her address without looking at it. * She didn't owe him anything.
"Alex do you think you could –" Tom's breathing got raspier and harder, and then just stopped.
"I think he's gone, honey." Kirby said gently. "I'm real sorry, but Doc said he was in bad shape when we picked him up."
Alex gave a strangled sob and launched herself at Kirby, and he folded his arms around her and stroked her hair. Well if they wanted to court martial him for this, they wouldn't get a fight out of him.
"I thought you were dead." She said against his chest. "You got shot. I saw you get shot." **
Kirby thought she was just upset, and had no idea what she was talking about. "I'm fine, honey. I'm sorry about your flyboy."
"I don't even know him." Alex raised up and looked at him. "I met him two weeks ago and I danced with him a couple times. I'm just so tired of people dying."
"I know." Kirby gently swiped the tears from her face with the back of his hand. "Honey, you need to go before you get us both in trouble."
She nodded, biting her lip, tears streaming down her face. She started out of the tent, and then ran back and kissed him. Both of them were crying.
"If this shit is ever over," Kirby swallowed hard. "361st, King Company, 1st squad. I'm so bad nobody else will have me."
"Please don't die." Alex whispered, and then she ran out of the tent.
"Kirby, do you know that WAC Captain?" Doc asked as he stepped into the tent. Then he noticed that the flier was dead.
"I'm sorry, Doc. You did the best you could." Kirby sighed.
"You alright?"
" Just a little shrapnel, I've had a lot worse. How's Billy and Littlejohn?" Kirby evaded the question.
"Maybe a little better. At least they decided we're not contagious." Doc decided to tease him a little. "That WAC Captain must really like you."
"I used to date a little girl in her command." Kirby said absently, because he had just realized what Alex had said earlier. "I saw you get shot." At Omaha, he had thought he was hearing things because he was so scared when they hit the beach. It had been her voice, her screaming at him, that had forced him into action and off the beach. If she'd really been there… He swallowed hard.
"Sorry." Doc said automatically. "You need some more pain meds?"
"Naw." Al had thought he was dead.
"He's going to the brig!" they heard the nurse's voice outside the tent.
"Over my dead body!" Alex retorted.
"Oh, shit!" Kirby said, jumping to his feet and nearly falling.
"Kirby, what the hell?" Doc grabbed him to keep him steady.
"Get back in that bed, young man!" the nurse ordered as she and Alex stepped into the tent together. Saunders, trying to hold his pants up, was right behind them. An MP and Caje, who were both laughing, brought up the rear.
"You were trying to send him to the brig!" Alex accused.
"They have beds in the brig!"
"And it's filthy! He has an open wound! You are not sending him anywhere!"
"Ladies, please." Saunders said, shooting Doc a helpless look as he struggled with his pants.
"It's alright, ma'am." Kirby said to Alex. "I sort of acted like a jackass. I don't mind going to the brig." He looked at the head nurse. "Can I please stay here until somebody comes to get him?" gesturing to the pilot. "Nobody should have to be by themselves." He knew Alex would have stayed with the man until somebody came to get his body, if he hadn't been there. He could do that for her.
The nurse looked deflated, and she simply sighed. "Will you behave yourself?"
"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry."
"Sarge? I can help the burial detail." Caje offered. He'd heard one of the nurses say that the dead flyboy was the WAC Captain's sweetheart, and she'd been crying. Women's tears had always bothered him - but he didn't know what was up with Kirby. She must have gotten to him too.
"Go see how far behind they are." Saunders said tiredly.
"Young man, you've started yourself bleeding again." The nurse scolded Kirby, who had finally let Doc put him back in the bed.
"I've got this." Doc said to the nurse. He knew she had too many patients and much responsibility. The men in the squad would always be his.
She checked Kirby's wound anyway, and Doc looked back to see the WAC Captain was still standing there, tears on her face.
"Just forget I called you." The nurse said to the MP, and Alex visibly relaxed.
"Ma'am, can I walk you to Lieutenant Hanley's HQ?" Saunders asked Alex.
"No thank you, Sergeant." Alex said, taking one last worried look at Kirby before she left.
"I hear Kirby caused a little excitement earlier." Hanley said to Saunders.
"Yes sir. I thought those two ladies were going to fight over him."
Hanley snorted, put his hand over his mouth, and finally said, "Ladies fighting over Kirby is something I thought I'd never hear."
"Yes sir." Saunders agreed. It had been pretty funny. Well it would have been if - "Lieutenant, you have got to find me another pair of pants."
Whispers
** Omaha Beach