Thank you all so so so much for favoriting, following, reviewing (especially the reviewers!) and reading my story of Toye and Liz. This was a random thought of mine while I was stuck with my Liebgott story and it turned out better than I had hoped!
September 9, 1946
Guarnere was long gone. He was discharged leaving Toye alone with only the nurses, who thankfully, were a lot nicer than Nurse Mindy. Although he could probably use the extra motivation right now from her token kick in the ass.
He was getting beyond frustrated. Although Guarnere promised him that it took several tries with multiple prosthetics before he found the right one for him, Toye began snarling whenever the poor woman would come in for another to try that week. He had yet to find the one that could work for him.
Toye knew he was being a bastard to the staff, but without Guarnere to calm him down, he was downright unpleasant all hours of the day. And he knew it had nothing to do with his leg when it came down to it.
Because he never reached out to Liz, she probably didn't even know he had been sent stateside. It didn't help that he had no idea where she was either, if she was even alive or safe in Germany. He once tried to poke and prod his way into finding out information about her regiment, but once one of the younger nurses caught on, he abruptly stopped when he saw the twinkle in her eye. Since then, he mostly communicated in grunts and nods.
Nurse Vanessa walked in tentatively, holding another leg for him to try. "Sergeant Toye," she said softly, her beautiful blue eyes wide and cautious. "It's time for another round of PT."
Toye grunted, but allowed her to attach the wooden leg. Ever since the first failed attempt, he wasn't interested enough in finding out how to do it himself. Fuckin' waste of time. Within a few minutes, she was done.
She gave him a bright smile, hopeful to see the quiet, but respectful young man that entered her hospital months ago, but hadn't been seen since Guarnere left. "Alright, grab my hand. I've got you."
He only grunted back, but followed her lead.
October 3, 1945
Frannie kissed Guarnere on the cheek and gave Toye a small smile before leaving to go find them all some coffee. They watched her walk down the hospital corridor.
Toye smiled to Guarnere, an expression that felt foreign. At least since his buddy's last visit. "She's somethin' else, Bill."
Guarnere grinned back. "Yeah, she is. Still can't figure out what she sees in me. She's seen me at my absolute lowest, when I'm a fuckin' bastard, but she's still around."
"Like I said before, the woman is a damn saint."
Guarnere shrugged. "When you find the girl that loves ya despite the fact that you're an asshole, I'm tellin' ya, Joe, you hold on tight." He paused a beat and he tried with all his might to keep the smile from his face. "Speaking of which, Liz says hello."
Toye neck snapped up so fast, he had to rub it immediately to alleviate the pain before looking at his friend. "What the hell?"
He shrugged again. "When she didn't hear from ya, she contacted a buddy at the hospital and got my home address. She's doing good, by the way. Still stationed in Berlin."
Toye scowled. "That's good." Inside, his stomach twisted at the news. She thankfully never got to pacific before the Japanese surrendered.
Guarnere seemed to see this somehow with his damn inquisitive gaze. "Don't worry. I told her you're doin' good too."
His buddy gaped before spluttering angrily. "You wrote her back? What the fuck?"
Guarnere shrugged innocently, but he couldn't help the self satisfied grin now. "Can't ignore a broad like that."
Toye was silent for a long time. "What did she say?"
"Dunno yet. Just sent my reply on my way over here." He watched as Toye spluttered again and cackled. "Had to. Couldn't let you try and talk me outta it, you damn fool."
"You are a fuckin' bastard, you know that?"
Frannie walked back in then and smiled. "Oh, he knows," she replied, sitting down next to Guarnere, handing them each a cup of steaming coffee. "I'm guessing you let him know?" She turned to Toye. "I told him not to until he spoke to you, even if you are being a damn fool."
Guarnere smiled wide and mouthed to Toye, This woman, amiright? And then he smacked a loud kiss on her cheek.
"How's therapy going, Joe?" she asked after pushing Guarnere away with a roll of her eyes and a smile. "You seem good."
Toye huffed. "Slow. Too slow."
Guarnere poked him, one prosthetic leg into the other. "Hurry up. You gotta start movin' if you're gonna stand up beside me at the altar."
Toye looked up and alterated glancing between them. "You serious?"
Frannie smiled wide. "We'd be honored, Joe."
Guarnere nodded, holding out a hand to Toye. "Can't leave Babe up there with me on his own. Damn kid is sure to embarrass us. I need ya."
Toye chuckled and shook his friend's hand hard. "Then I better start workin' harder." He looked as the lovebirds shared a knowing glance and smiled. It was time to snap out of his funk.
December 22, 1945
Toye was almost there. After several tries, he and the nurses had finally found the right contraption to fit his needs. It also helped that he was cooperating in his therapy for the last several weeks.
Guarnere and Frannie visited every other week, and his family came by at least every Friday to bring food and cheer him on. He'd be leaving to go home with them any day now.
Toye just returned to his single room after a long PT session. He leaned against the bed with a sigh and wiggled the prosthetic off. Keen on a shower, he began massaging his skin to help alleviate some of the sting.
"Glad to see you're taking the advice of a medic."
Toye froze as he registered the voice behind him at the door. Slowly he turned to face Liz, unbelieving until he took her in. Even then it was hard to comprehend.
He said the first thing that came to his mind. "Nice blouse." Nice blouse? Well done, asshole. You're a shoo-in.
Liz grinned before pushing herself off the door frame and walked in until she was standing a few feet in front of him. He drank her in, trying not to be distracted by the feminine slacks and deep blue shirt she was wearing instead of the drab ODs he was used to seeing her in. The color brought out her eyes, he realized, and now he couldn't look away
"My mother says I'm being hard-headed, insisting on wearing my sister's old work slacks instead of the dresses she bought me, but I see it as a compromise," she drawled, tugging on the soft fabric of the blouse sleeve.
Toye blinked a moment before grinning back. "How can anyone find you hard-headed?"
Liz laughed and stepped closer to him. "I know, right?"
He hummed under his breath as her scent wafted towards him. His fingers unknowingly gripped the sheet of the mattress. "When did you get home?"
She shrugged. "About two weeks ago. Ma finally stopped crying."
The corner of Toye's mouth twitched up. "Bet she's cryin' again. Her daughter ain't home."
Liz stepped closer again. "Oh, she's fine. I'm on my way to pick up my brothers from Philly for Christmas." She shrugged again, but this time, he could feel her nerves. "Thought I'd make a pitstop along the way."
Toye couldn't help it; he smirked. "Pitstop? You drove right by it on the way here."
She smiled at his playful tone. "Never was good with direction."
Silence stretched between them. Toye found he couldn't pull his eyes from her, which was the exact opposite problem that Liz was currently facing. She looked anywhere but him as her nerves set in.
He finally broke the silence. "What are you doin' here, Liz?"
Liz couldn't help but meet his eyes now. When she did, she stepped closer once more until he could touch her if he tried. Steeling herself, she replied, "I'm visiting a patient - I don't know why since he never wrote me back-, but I'm glad I got here when I did. A very nice nurse told me he is being discharged this weekend."
Toye cocked an eyebrow. "She said that, huh?" She nodded silently. He took the opportunity and stole her hand in his. "Lucky guy," he murmured.
Liz gave him a small grin, her confidence returning as his fingers danced around hers. "How about I break you out of here for a few hours?"
Toye gave her a look, but he couldn't stop the smile on his face. "You mean go AWOL? I hate to be the one to tell ya this, Liz, but you're pretty terrible at that."
She swatted him with her free hand, but this move only allowed him to hook an arm around her waist and pull her against him. She stared into his brown eyes a long time before whispering, "You'll pay for that one, Toye."
His eyes traveled over hers before looking down to her lips briefly. He slowly dragged them back to meet her eyes once more. "Show me," he rasped. She almost forget how smitten she was with his course velvet voice. Almost.
Her lips twitched up quickly before leaning forward and brushing her mouth against his. In the next moment, he deepened the kiss, twisting their bodies to slant closer together. Liz breathed out a moan when his fingers dug into her hair. She couldn't get air back in, and broke away until the blood pounding in her head faded away.
Liz smiled wide. "Does this mean you'll come with me?"
Toye grinned back. "Only if you come with me to Bill's wedding."
She leaned forward again, leaning her chest against his until their lips were inches from one another. "If you go, I'll follow you anywhere, Toye."
He brushed her another kiss a moment before responding. "If I go, I'll only be happy if you're there too, sweetheart."
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story of Joe and Liz!
