Happiness, another chapter. This is my birthday gift, to you. We are so very near to the end of this story, perhaps another chapter after this, an epilogue perhaps.

Chapter 14

The short walk to the old shed, seemed like several miles to, Roland and Grace. He held her hand in a death grip because he was so nervous, and it was becoming uncomfortable for Grace.

"Roland?" she whispered to him

"What?"

"You're hurting my hand." She told him

"Oh, sorry, sorry." He apologised as he loosened his grip on her hand

She smiled up at him.

"We will be alright."

"Will we?"

"Yes," she confirmed "We're together."

He nodded but wasn't convinced.

Along the way, they passed many of the nurses and surgeons, which worked at the hospital. They all nodded at the pair, giving them support without any words. Unfortunately they met Margaret along the way. She smirked, evilly at them and Grace had to grip Roland's hand tighter to stop him from lashing out at her. They saw that she had been moved up to the rank of Matron now.

"Roland, what's wrong?" she asked in concern, as she felt him tense.

"They've put her in your position." He said angrily

"What did you expect? Nobody knew if we were going to be executed or not, and as Margaret is the most senior member of staff. She was right for the position."

"You were right for the position!" he snapped angrily "She definitely isn't. She has no compassion and isn't fit for the position."

"That doesn't matter." She stated "The emotional part doesn't matter, only the fact that she has the right qualifications."

"People need to judge more than qualifications."

"Convenience, Roland. That's all."

They had finally reached the shed and were led inside. They were made to stand on two X's in the middle of the room. Their hands were also pulled apart, and they were each held still by a separate guard. Roland felt that this could not be good and fought slightly against the guard, but saw Grace had little resistance and stopped.

Purbright had sat down at the desk and pulled out the notes, from the file on the desk. His face was completely unreadable, and expression blank. No emotion showed on his face, as both Roland and Grace avoided his eye. The silence became uncomfortable for all of them, Roland began shifting, Grace started biting her bottom lip and Purbright was shuffling the papers on his desk. When he finally looked up at them, the tension became worse. The tension was finally broken by Purbright starting what he had to stay.

"You've both been on trial, and you have been tried by military law. I have been a fair judge. I hope you understand this, when the verdict is given to you."

They both nodded, more out of fear than anything else.

"I have gathered evidence from those who knew about this case and the people involved in the case. With the evidence I have gathered, I have come to, what I believe, is a fair and balanced verdict."

The pair once again nodded.

"Well the conclusion I have come to, is that the pair of you have disobeyed orders from high command," The room was once again full of tension, and the pair both braced themselves for the worst "but, you did it for the right reasons. So you will be let off with no more than a formal reprimand."

He then waved the guards away, and they were released from holding arms.

At this news, Roland let out an audible gasp of relief and raised his eyes to heaven. Grace had a slightly different reaction. She was stunned into silence and her legs went from under her. Thankfully, Roland noticed in time and caught her before she fell to the ground. Purbright quickly motioned for one of his guards to bring a chair for her. Roland lowered her into it.

"Grace, are you alright?"

She could only manage to nod, at that moment.

"You'll be reinstated to your old positions." Purbright confirmed "Will you be alright Miss Carter?"

She looked up at him, and once again nodded.

"I will leave you too it," he went to leave but turned at the door "But consider this a severe reprimand. If anything like this happens again, you are to ask high command, before doing anything. Is that understood?"

"Completely." Roland told him quickly

"This is the official document that shows you are to be reinstated." Purbright told them, before laying out a document before them. He also took from behind his desk, Grace's cape and medals.

He gave them a quick smile before, departing from the shed, taking his guards with him. Roland turned to Grace, leaning down beside her and carefully placed a hand on her arm, trying not to startle her.

"Darling, talk to me, please." He implored

"We're going to be alright?" she whispered to him

"Yes, we are." Roland confirmed for her

Her hand flew to her mouth to stop the sob that was about to escape. He pulled her into his arms, to keep her from crying anymore. She wound her arms round his waist, while burying her head in his chest.

"No guns." She murmured

"No guns, no getting shot, no prison sentence." He told her

"Back to normal."

"Yes, all back to the way it was before."

"All?" she questioned, her body tensing

"Well, not everything." He said, running a hand over her hair, feeling her relax

"Do you know the best bit?" he asked her

"What?" she asked, curious to know what was better than not being executed

"You get to boss around Margaret." He answered

"I doubt she'll like it."

"She doesn't have to like it." he nuzzled her neck "She has to lump it."

She laughed lightly.

"Now, what do you say, that we go and reinstate ourselves?" he asked, and waved the document Purbright had given them, in front of her.

He also picked up her cape and placed it around her shoulders.

"Matron?" he offered her his hand

She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the shed, towards their offices. They managed to get to the offices without their joined hands causing too much attention. They both marched straight into Grace's office and saw Margaret sitting at the desk. She looked up in shock at the pair of them.

"Good afternoon, Margaret."

"That's Matron Quayle to you." she snapped at the pair

"No, it isn't." Grace laid the paper on the desk for Margaret to see

Margaret looked over the document, then gasped in anger.

"Where did you get this?" she ground out

"From Colonel Purbright himself." Roland told her "We have be reinstated and you are to return to your former position."

"You may even be taken down to the rank of a Staff Nurse."

Margaret was seething.

"Leave, Margaret." Grace instructed

Margaret stomped to the door, but turned before leaving.

"I'll run this hospital one day!" she shouted, before storming out

"Not while I'm here, she won't." Grace murmured

She went and sat down at the desk, looking over the files quickly.

"Oh goodness, there's a ton of work to be done." She complained

"We'll get it done." He reassured her "It's fine, darling."

"I suppose," she said vaguely "but I should get it started. The sooner it's started, the sooner it's done."

She went to her draw and picked up her pen, but Roland took it from her hand and lay the pen on the desk.

"We have just been through one of the worst ordeals, that we could have been put through, and yet you want to go back to work." He looked at her, confused

"Roland we have to show Purbright that we are worth keeping on." She explained

"I think Purbright will understand if we take the afternoon off!" He exclaimed "Come along."

He pulled her along, into his own office. He then walked her over to an armchair and sat her down.

"Stay." He commanded

Roland then walked to his room for a few moments, before returning with a blanket, a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He sat next to her in an identical armchair and placed the blanket around her shoulders, making sure she was warm. He then poured them both a glass of whiskey. Finally he handed her a glass, which she accepted.

"Home." She whispered, as she curled up in her armchair.

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