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

Remembered Times

By Suzie2b

Tully and Hitch had joined a baseball game late one morning. Hitch was on second base and Tully was up to bat. The first ball whizzed by for a strike, the second was called ball one. Tully had just stepped back up to the plate and got into his stance when he saw Sergeant Johnson out of the corner of his eye. He straightened up and looked at him. Johnson was in charge of the convoy Charley was with. Everyone looked at the sergeant as he waved Tully over. There were a few words between them, and then Tully took off at a run.

Hitch trotted over to Sergeant Johnson and asked, "What's goin' on?"

The sergeant replied, "The convoy was hit hard. Charley's in bad shape."

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

Tully burst into medical and grabbed the first person he saw, an orderly, and wanted to know where Charley Pettigrew was. When the orderly couldn't give him an answer, Tully pushed passed him and saw Vicky hurrying towards him.

She took his hand and led him to a quiet corner. "Charley is being prepped for surgery. They're going to do everything they can to save her, Tully."

He looked at Vicky, desperately trying to read her face. "How bad?"

Vicky hesitated, then said, "She was hit three times."

The color drained from Tully's face. "Can I see her before she goes in?"

"I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Tully took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. "Please, Vicky."

She relented and took him to the surgery. The nurses had just put a sheet over Charley's naked body, an IV with plasma had already been started. "You only have a few seconds. The surgeons are waiting."

Tully nodded and stepped up to the gurney. He looked down at his wife. She was unconscious and terribly pale. He put his hand on her forehead and felt her cold, clammy skin. Tully bent close to Charley's ear and whispered, "Hang on, sweetheart. Just hang on."

He felt a hand on his back and Vicky said quietly, "It's time. They need to take her in now."

Tully kissed Charley's cheek and straightened up to watch the nurses take his beloved wife into surgery. "What are her chances?"

Vicky sighed. "Fifty-fifty at the moment. It depends on what they find when they go in. She's lost a lot of blood and is bleeding internally."

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

Hitch had gone to find Troy and Moffitt. By the time they reached medical, Tully was sitting alone in a corner, holding his head in his hands as he leaned his elbows on his knees."

Troy put a hand on the private's shoulder. "How is she, Tully?"

"Charley got hit three times." Tully straightened up looked at his friends. "She's in surgery now."

Vicky saw the four men and joined them, saying, "It's going to be quite a while before Charley comes out of surgery." She thought Tully looked absolutely lost. "Why don't go get some coffee or something. I'll send someone for you as soon as she goes into recovery."

Tully started to shake his head, but Moffitt headed off any argument by saying, "I believe the mess hall will be a much better place to wait than here."

Troy nodded his agreement as he took the private's arm. "Come on, Tully."

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

Moffitt led Tully to a table while Troy and Hitch got the coffee. The word had already gotten around base about the attack. The people that were in the mess hall watched the four men, but said nothing.

As Troy and Hitch sat down with the coffees, Moffitt said, "I remember the first time we met Charley in Captain Boggs' office. She was dirty and tired after being out on a three day mission and being shot at. Then the captain told her she'd be leaving again that very day."

Hitch smiled. "Yeah, she wasn't too happy when she heard that Marcus had broken his leg … playing cricket no less."

"We discovered on that first trip that she can be headstrong and brave. But also vulnerable."

Troy smiled. "Just don't make her angry."

Tully nodded slowly. "She's the most loving and caring woman I've ever known. It still baffles me why the heck she picked me."

A large hand came down on Tully's back and Carl said, "I heard about Charley. Is she going to be okay?"

Tully sighed as the big private sat down next to him. "Don't know yet, but I'm sure hopin' so."

"You know, Tully, you and Charley are my best friends. You've both taught me a lot. I used to be a real jerk, but you showed me I don't need that attitude. And Charley became my friend the moment I met her. Most people are afraid of me because I'm kind of a big guy, but not Charley. I was the one afraid of her because she's so small next to me. She stuck her hand out and I was scared to death that I'd break it if I touched her. She's always been nice to me and makes me smile just being around her. She's the little sister I've never had."

Tully managed a slight smile. "Thanks, Carl. That means a lot."

"Just keep me updated on Charley's condition, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be sure to do that."

People were starting to file in for lunch, but Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully didn't pay any attention to them as each was lost in their own thoughts.

Eventually, Troy sighed. "I have to admit that I had some doubts about Charley being out here as a courier. But she's shown me a thing or two about perseverance and taking care of business. I swear that girl isn't afraid of anything."

Tully said, "Spiders. She hates spiders. I was coming home one day and I heard her scream. I rushed into the apartment thinking she was being attacked." He grinned as he replayed the scene in his mind. "She was standing on the table with her pistol, ready to shoot a tarantula that had wandered in. Luckily I got there before she put a hole in the floor."

They all chuckled and Hitch asked, "What happened to the spider?"

"I picked it up and took it outside. Charley wouldn't get off the table until I got back and proved the spider was gone."

Eric Anderson stepped up behind Troy and Moffitt and looked at Tully across the table. "I know I'm not your favorite person, but I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry about Charley." The skittish private hesitated, then said, "I know I'm a lousy driver. And I'm sure she's complained about me to you on more than one occasion. But she's never been anything but nice to me. I hope she gets better real fast."

Tully nodded. "Thanks, Eric."

A few minutes later, Vicky walked into the mess hall. She sat down next to Tully as he asked, "Is Charley out of surgery?"

Vicky shook her head. "No, they're still working on her. Right now we know she has a punctured lung and a lacerated liver, but they're still looking for the third bullet. The problem is she's still bleeding badly and we're running low on plasma. Charley's blood type is AB-."

Tully quickly said, "Hitch and I are O+."

Vicky smiled. "Well, that's a start, but…"

Moffitt said, "I understand that people with AB blood can receive any blood type."

"That's true, sergeant."

Troy leaned forward on the table. "Okay, now you've got four donors. How many more do you need?"

The line of volunteers was out the door of the mess hall. Cots were set up and donations were done four at a time. Tully was the first, along with Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch.

They were sitting at a table across the room, drinking orange juice and coffee, when Cookie set a plate of chocolate cookies on the table. Tully noticed the bandage on the cook's arm and said, "Thanks for donating, John."

"It's the least I can do. Charley's a sweet kid. I hate to see her banged up like this. I remember when I first met her. She wanted to borrow part of my kitchen to cook you a special meal. I thought she was a little nuts, but Sergeant Troy here gave me one of his patented looks and threatened to make it an order. So, I gave in." A rare smile appeared on John's lips. "Want you to know that I was truly honored to bake that wedding cake for you two. She's a real special lady, Pettigrew. You hang on tight to her."

Tully smiled. "I'm doing just that."

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

Two more hours ticked by slowly. The volunteer blood donors were gone. The mess hall was put back in order. People came and went, some stopped to talk about Charley. Then Troy and Moffitt were summoned to Captain Boggs' office for a meeting.

Tully and Hitch were still sitting at the same table. Tully had his legs stretched out with his feet on another chair. Hitch fiddled with his glasses. Their silence amiable.

Then Hitch asked quietly, "You know, Tully. We've all been talking about Charley today. Remembering when we first met her, telling stories … you must have a lot of memories besides the spider."

Tully sighed and stared at the ceiling for a bit. "Yeah. I remember when we met and I thought she reminded me of one of my sisters. I remember the moment when I started having feelings for her. Our first kiss after rescuing her from Colonel Franke. The first time we made love…" He smiled. "The talks, driving lessons, painting her toenails … the occasional argument. Making up is the best part."

Hitch chuckled. "What about after the war?"

Tully shifted in the chair and looked at his friend. "We want kids. I'll be taking over the farm in Kentucky. Dad's looking forward to retiring. Charley and I just want a life together … to grow old together … to be happy."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have all that and more."

Reverend Holloway walked into the mess hall. He walked across the room and sat down with the two privates. The reverend looked at Tully and said, "I was in the chapel saying a prayer for Charley … and I suddenly got the urge to come and talk to you."

Tully looked a little worried. "Is there something wrong, reverend?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I believe Charley's the nicest thing that's come of this war."

Tully smiled. "I sure agree with you there."

Reverend Holloway blushed slightly. "I met her before your wedding and I remember thinking what a lovely young lady she was. So warm and open. Your wedding was the first, and so far the only one I've done since I've been here. When I find myself feeling a little down, I remember that day and can't help but think there's still hope left in this world."

"Well, I'll make sure to tell Charley that when I talk to her."

"I will continue to pray for her recovery, private."

Tully shook Reverend Holloway's hand. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

Just then Vicky walked in and told Tully. "Charley's out of surgery and in recovery. She's stable but in very guarded condition."

Hitch said, "I'll stay here and wait for Troy and Moffitt."

Tully stood up and said, "Keep the prayers coming, reverend. Charley needs all the help she can get."

As Vicky and Tully walked quickly to the hospital, Tully said, "I take it they found that third bullet."

Vicky nodded. "It was lodged in her small intestine."

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

Tully sat next to the bed in the small room just off the main ward. It was normally used for isolation cases, but with Charley being a woman the doctors and nurses wanted to keep her out of the ward. He held her hand and listened to the machine on the other side of the bed hiss as it helped her to breathe.

After Dr. Baker examined Charley on the third day, he turned to Tully and said, "She's improving. I'm going to allow her to wake up now. I want you to be here with her. She'll be disoriented and probably scared because of the tube helping her to breathe."

Tully nodded. "Yeah, I remember going through that."

Three hours passed before Charley's hand twitched in his. Tully moved to sit on the edge of the bed so he could watch her face. Slowly her eyes opened and she blinked. Tully smiled. "Hi." Charley's eyes began to focus and her hand closed around Tully's. He kissed her knuckles. She reached for the mask that was on her face and Tully intercepted it. "Be still. I know you're still groggy, but you need to listen to me." Charley nodded slightly. "You've got a tube in your throat helping you to breathe." After several seconds she nodded her understanding. "Do you remember what happened?" She moved her head from side to side. "Okay. That last mission you were on was attacked. You were badly injured, but the doctors say you're going to be all right." Charley squeezed her eyes closed and tightened her grip on Tully's hands. "You're in pain. I'll go get a nurse."

Time passed slowly, but finally the breathing tube came out and the first thing Charley wanted, even before a sip of water, was to kiss her husband. Eventually, she was allowed to sit in a wheelchair and every chance she got she would enlist the help of an orderly to push her through the ward to visit with the other patients, write letters, or play cards.

There was more than one time when Tully walked in after a day on patrol to find his wife in the ward just being herself. A smile, a chuckle was all any of the wounded needed to get through their day. Then Tully would take her back to her room so she could rest and he could sit next to her, reading as she slept.

Finally, Tully was able to take Charley home. Hitch had the honor of driving them while Troy and Moffitt waited at the apartment so it could be left open. She was doted on until she couldn't stand it anymore and had to ask for a little alone time with her husband. It was the middle of the afternoon, but Charley undressed and got into her teddy bear pajamas.

Tully could see that she was tired and asked, "Feeling okay, sweetheart?"

She smiled up at him and put her arms around his midsection. "I feel good … just a little tired. It's just great to be home."

Tully led her to the bed and she got in under the covers. Charley watched him strip down to his boxers before getting in bed next to her. Tully kissed the top of her head. "Comfortable?"

Charley snuggled up to him and sighed. "I haven't been this comfortable in some time."

It wasn't more than thirty seconds later and she was fast asleep. Tully smiled, kissed her again, and silently thanked Reverend Holloway for his prayers, Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch for sticking by him, and everyone for their memories.