I gotta get out
Or figure this shit out
It's too close for comfort
Ohohoh…-"Disturbia", Rihanna

Chapter 10

Dick was trying his best to muddle through the paperwork on his desk, his work being made all the harder as he listened to Nixon and Harry Welsh talking about other things. He was just about to tell them to find somewhere else to hang out when the knock came. He looked up grateful for any distractions, only to smile at Bill Guarnere standing in his doorway.

Nixon and Harry were moving to great him as he entered. Dick noticed he still had a very prominent limp, so the chances of him having escaped the hospital were very high.

"Uh yeah sir, I'm back. I escaped from that hospital I hope that don't cause you no problems."

Dick looked up from under his lids, "would you care if it did?" Not waiting for Bill to answer Dick stood and looked at the others, "could you excuse us for a second?" When the door closed behind them, Dick turned to face Bill, "you need to go to the hospital today."

Bill felt the fear ride up his spine; he'd only been gone two weeks, what had happened? Licking his lips, "alright sir, can I ask what's wrong?" He watched as Winters moved back behind the desk, his lips were pulled tight and he face showed the internal struggle he was feeling.

"I ran into Lillian this week. Babe had wanted me to talk to her because he was becoming concerned about how withdrawn she had become, but before I could find her, we ran into each other literally. I think I now understand what is going on, how much do you know about this doctor of hers?"

Bill ran a hand around the back of his neck trying to release the tension that had suddenly began to build. "Uh, not too much, I do know they were engaged before the war, but it had ended with him leaving her why? What happened sir?"

"Bill I don't know, but I think that this man has been hurting her. When I ran into her she had a bruise along her cheek."

Bill shook his head, "I should've seen it, and her wrist was bruised before I left for the hospital. Sir, what do I do?"

Dick shook his head, "I don't know what to do. Something strange is going on between them because when she was talking to me she seemed worried that someone would see or hear us. Talk to her Bill and see if you can find out anything, I think she is protecting someone because she said she didn't want anyone getting hurt."

Bill nodded and started for the door. "Yeah well I'm heading over there now; I'll let the others know to come back in."

Dick watched Bill leave with a feeling of unease. There was definitely something going on here and he felt that whatever it was had to do Ron's injury in Holland. Now if he could just find Ron. His thoughts were distracted when Nixon waved another piece of paper in his face.

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Bill stood watching her from the doorway. She didn't look up and she didn't move fast. It was if every move of her body was to keep someone from noticing her, in fact she moved like a ghost, passing through but never really stopping. The uniform she was wearing had to be at least two sizes too big. It would have fallen off her if not for the belt around her small waist. As he watched her treat the next patient her touch was as gentle as ever but she was not using her right hand as much as she should, and he noticed it wrapped in a bandage.

Waiting until she sat down her supplies, he plastered a smile on his face, "hey doll, your favorite guy is back." He was even surprised at how upbeat and natural his voice was, but when she didn't turn he knew something was wrong. Walking over he gently touched her shoulder, "hey, Lil, I'm back and all in one piece."

Her head never lifted but he heard her mumble, "that's great Bill nice to have you back. I need to get back to work."

When she started to move away from him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the other room away from the patients. "Oh no you don't, we're going to talk if I have to stay here all night, so you either tell me what the hell is going on or do I go get Joe and we start hurting someone? You're choice."

When he saw her shoulders shaking he didn't know what to make of it, but when she threw her arms around his neck he felt the wetness against his cheek and that's when he figured out she was crying. "Hey easy doll, come on you can tell me what's wrong?" The crying seemed to intensify yet she didn't make one sound. Pulling her closer he held her until the shaking began to slow then he eased her into a chair and kneeled in front of her.

Reaching out he gently wiped the tears from her face and got a good look at her cheek, which had faded to a dull yellow by this point, but he could see now why Winters would be worried. He saw her draw a deep breath and finally look at him. The bright green eyes weren't bright anymore and they seemed to be as dead and lifeless as a doll.

"I'm glad you're back, but you really shouldn't be here, no good will come from this." Her voice was choked with tears and it sounded rusty like she rarely spoke any more.

"Yeah, well I don't care. I want you to tell me what is going on. You were fine when I left, I come back and you're…just existing. Who or what is hurting you?"

She shook her head, "if I tell you it will cause more problems." She looked away from him and down at the floor.

Bill ran his thumb across the back of her hand softly. He was trying anything to soothe her, hell soothe him. She wasn't going to talk to him. Then an idea hit him. "Okay, you don't have to tell me, but if I guess, will you tell me if I'm right or not?"

Meeting his eyes, she slowly nodded her head that she would. "Okay good girl. Let's see, I have a strong idea that Thomas is keeping you away from everyone is that right?" He paused and waited, the nod of her head indicating he was right was almost so small he missed it. "Okay, he's the one who's been hurting you too isn't he?" Again the small nod, this time accompanied with tears dropping on his hand.

Taking a deep breath Bill released it slowly, "he's using someone or something to make you stay isn't he?" More drops on the back of his hand told him what he needed to confirm his suspensions. Now that he knew the answers to the questions, what did he do to get her away from the problem?

Pulling her into his arms he held her and gently stroked her hair, "it's okay doll, we'll find a way to get you away from him. But you can't keep letting him hurt you like this."

When she spoke, it was so low he almost didn't hear her, "I know, but I won't let him hurt someone who has nothing to do with this."

"Okay, but you can't let him keep hurting you, tell me what he is using against you?" Bill's frustration was growing. He knew it had to be something bad for her to comply so easily but he'd never seen someone as broken as she was right now. Sighing he decided to let it go for the moment. He'd pushed her hard enough and maybe if he asked around he'd find the answer for himself.

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Dick was heading for the car that would take him to Paris when he ran into Ron and it jogged his memory as to what he'd wanted to talk to him about. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, what do you remember about your time in the aid station in Holland?"

Ron raised a brow, "well that's a strange question to ask, why you want to know?"

"Look I just wanted to know if you remember seeing Lillian there or not?"

Ron frowned for a moment, the voice that had been in his memory was hers, but she hadn't been there when he woke up, Jen swore she'd been with him the whole night. "I really can't say. I was unconscious when they brought me in then when I woke up Jen was there. Told me she'd been there the entire night, why?"

Dick frowned and threw his bag into the car, "see that's where I'm confused, your medic told me that a dark haired nurse with green eyes had taken over when they brought you in. Ron, I think you need to have a talk with your medic, something strange is going on with Lillian and I believe Holland is the reason. Look I've got to go let me know what you find out."

Ron nodded and watched the car drive off. He knew something was wrong with that night in Holland. Smirking he decided that the only person who would tell him with truth about that night was Miller. Heading back toward the company CP he devised the most intimidating way to get information out of him.

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By the time he got back to the company CP, he found the medic had gone back to the hospital for supplies, not the place he wanted to start asking questions, but it still might work to his advantage. Smirking he entered the place as if he owned it and found his medic in the supply room. Leaning casually against the doorframe he attacked while the other man had his back turned.

"So Miller, I never asked, but would you mind telling me what happened the night I was wounded." He had to hold back the chuckle as the medic dropped what he was holding and let out a very feminine sounding squeak.

"Oh uh, Lieutenant Speirs, I didn't hear you come in, uh yeah sure I can tell you. Uh let's see we got you stabilized then put you in the jeep and brought you to the hospital."

The kid shrugged and started to turn back to what he was doing when Speirs voice stopped him, "what happened at the hospital?"

Miller frowned for a moment. "Well when we got there I had to yell for someone then this really good lookin' nurse came out and she took over and we got you cleaned up and into a bed." Miller watched Speirs face for any sign of reaction. When he saw the look of annoyance pass over his face, he cringed. "Really sir, I'm not sure what else to tell you. Once we got you into bed, the nurse let us go."

"This nurse, the good looking one, what color hair did she have?"

Miller seemed to relax, "oh yeah she had black hair and the greenest eyes. Really pretty sir, you know when she found out it was you she said something really strange, didn't make sense." Shrugging again, he bent to pick up the box he'd dropped only to find Speirs hand gripping his arm tightly.

"What did she say Miller and if you don't tell me everything this time I swear you're about to become your own patient."

The kid swallowed hard, "she said that you weren't going to die on her, and that this wasn't going to end like this. Honest sir, that's all she said, I've got no idea what she meant and when I asked her she told me not to worry about it."

Releasing Miller's arm he nodded, "thanks, that's all for now. Oh and this conversation never happened."

Miller watched Speirs leave before he slumped against the shelves. He had no problem keeping this story to himself; no one would believe him any way.

Ron paused outside the hospital and lit a cigarette. Jen had lied. The next question was why. Dick had been right, something funny had gone on in Holland and he was going to have a talk with his sweet and loving girlfriend.

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He prided himself on his patience and sitting in the dark room waiting on her didn't take much. Just a strong desire to gain the advantage by scaring her. When the door opened and she slipped inside, she didn't bother with the light but continued to mumble under her breath. His eyebrow lifted as she mumbled about Lil's attitude and how she just moved through space not saying anything.

He'd waited an additional three days before he confronted her. He had to calm down and regain perspective of the situation. Actually, he'd been too pissed for the last three days to talk to her. He hated being lied to and he hated been made a fool of and he had a strong suspicion that both had just happened.

When she dropped onto the bed to take her boots off he slowly got out the chair and approached her. He was silent as he stalked his prey and when she dropped a boot on top of his, her scream gave him a sense of accomplishment.

"Jesus Ron why didn't you tell me you were here?"

Her hand was grasping her shirt and her breath was less than steady, he'd accomplished his mission. Reaching behind him, he flipped the switch and the small room lit with a dim light. "Well you see, I wanted to surprise you and it looks like I did. I also wanted some answers to a few questions."

Jen eased back slowly on the bed to put a small amount of room between them. She didn't like the look on his face, something had happened and she'd just bet it had something to do with Lil. "Well okay, what's going on?"

"Hmm, see someone brought it to my attention that something happened in Holland that might not be exactly as you stated."

"Oh Ron, now why would you ever doubt what I told you? I mean why would I not be truthful about everything, how would it benefit me?" She tried to keep her voice light and joking but inside, her stomach was twisting into knots. Someone had talked and now she had to find out what exactly he thought he knew.

"Well, I'll start with the fact that you weren't there when they brought me in, it was Lil and before you start to deny it my medic confirmed her identity, so now I'll ask you again, why?"

Before Jen could speak, the pounding on her door broke the tension and she quickly slipped past Ron to the door. "I'm glad I found you. Get Lil and Thomas and get your asses back to the hospital, we're moving out you've got maybe two hours to get things together."

Jen watched the Regimental surgeon run down the hall and slowly shut the door turning back to face Ron. "Well I guess I need to get moving. We'll need to talk about this later I really don't have time for this."

Ron grabbed her arm before she could grab her boot, "oh yeah, we'll talk, I don't like to be lied to Jen. Remember that." The slamming of the door behind him chilled her to the bone. She'd have to talk to Thomas, if Ron kept asking questions, he would eventually figure everything out and that couldn't happen for the next few weeks. She need time to make her plan sound believable.

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Thomas was following closely behind Lillian. She'd been quiet and was doing her job packing but something was off here. He'd heard that Bill was back and they'd been seen talking but as far as he could see she was normal.

"Thomas I think this is the last load, I'm going to take it out to the truck and then try and find as many medics as I can and pass along supplies until I'm out." Lil didn't really raise her head, she knew if he saw her eyes he'd see the truth, she wanted to check on Bill and Joe.

"Hmm, well maybe I need to come with you? I could help you carry more." He didn't know why letting her out of his sight worried him, but something about today had just seemed off to him.

"No, that's okay, won't take but a moment. Oh look here Jen comes; I'll be back in a few." Lil scrambled away before he could say any more, but the look on Jen's face led her to believe that Thomas was going to be busy with her anyway.

"Thomas you have to do something, anything."

His brows lifted and then he sighed, Jen was always the dramatic one. "Alright, what do I have to do something about now?" This situation was getting out of hand.

Jen looked around before she moved closer and dropped her voice to just above a whisper, "Ron knows that I wasn't there all night and he's pissed that I lied to him. Not only that he knows that Lil was there. What are we going to do?"

Shrugging he turned back to looking for Lil, "do, what do you mean do? Nothing, so what he's upset you lied, that has nothing to do with our plan. As long as he stays away from Lillian then he'll just be upset with you." Turning back to frown down at Jen, "so what's the problem."

The low growl that emanated from her would have done a tiger proud, "what's the problem he asks?" Throwing her hands in the air she began to pace in the small space in front of him, "well the problem is this, he knows I lied about this and will become suspicious as to why she wasn't there when he woke up. Also when I need him to really believe me he won't." Seeing that none of this was getting through to Thomas she grabbed him by his uniform pulling his face down level with hers, "look you idiot, if he talks to her he will get it out of her that she is being kept away from him."

Thomas slapped her hand away in frustration, "no he won't, she's too afraid I'll kill him, she's not about to say anything. Trust me I've got the situation well in hand."

Jen lifted an eyebrow and smirked, "really, you have it in hand. Okay hotshot then tell me why she's getting on the truck with those friends of hers." Jen pointed behind him.

Thomas turned to see Bill boost her into the back of the truck and then get in himself, the tailgate closing immediately. "Damn her, apparently we'll have to discuss this when we get to wherever we're going. I can't believe she did that."

Jen patted his face, "believe it sweet pea, she's not as cowed as you think. Get control of the situation before something drastic has to happen." Spinning on her heel, she left Thomas to wonder what exactly she'd meant by something drastic.

Disclaimer: We mean no disrespect to the real men of Easy Company.

Huge thanks first off all to captain ty who wrote this masterpiece. Without her, where would we be? hehe And thank you also to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, and adding this story to their alerts and favorites. I can't tell you how much we appreciate it. Hope you liked this chapter enough to review. *puppy dog eyes*