36

While James took to tackling the buttons on his uniform jacket Dorothy wandered around the treatment room getting things together.

"You managed to sneak up onto the roof again hm?"

"Yes," James admitted although there wasn't much point to. "I was actually looking for you." This caused Dorothy to smile, and also for a small colouring to flit onto her cheeks.

She waved her hands at him, he put one of his in hers and watched as she took to cutting away the bandages.

"I was in Harry's ward. Him and his friends have their vision back."

"That's good to hear." James smiled and looked at his hand.

"You're free of one bandage." Dorothy smiled and held onto his wrist and pulled his hand back so it was near her, picking up a gauze dressing she wiped it over his hand. The scrapes and cuts which were on his hand had healed, there were light pink marks though of where the injuries had been.

"It feels weird," James said while wriggling his fingers. He was free of having bandages around his hands. He had only just got used to the gauze material being wrapped around them. Now that it was gone it felt strange.

"James?"

"Yes?"

Dorothy nodded her head and pointed to his shirt, he had after all only taken off his uniform jacket. From there he had partially rolled his shirt sleeves up enough for Dorothy to snip away at the bandages around his hands.

The two looked at each other and then he took to trying to undo the buttons. The bandages around his arms really did restrict his movements.

James jumped when a pair of gloved hands appeared in his line of vision and helped him out. He looked up at Dorothy, she smiled lightly and stepped back. Managing to wriggle out of his green shirt James sighed heavily.

He was mentally preparing, from the last time these bandages got changed it was truly the most painful thing he had ever experienced.

Dorothy walked around the bed he was sitting on and took to sorting out the back of it. "Sit back and get comfortable."

"Comfortable," James shook his head yet pushed himself up to lean against the back. Leaning his head against it he looked up at the ceiling. "Trying to get comfortable is impossible."

"I'm sorry James."

"It isn't your fault." He looked at her quickly as she took to cutting away at the bandages around his arm.

"Can I ask you something?" Dorothy's eyes quickly flitted to look at him. James nodded slowly yet gritted his teeth when she slowly pulled the bandage and dressing away.

"What happened?"

"Do you honestly need me to say?"

"Yes," Dorothy held his arm in her hands and inspected the wounds.

"You were right to be bothered," James said, she looked at him and then turned to get some items off of the trolley.

"We didn't stand a chance, as defeatist as that sounds." James spoke quietly, Dorothy looked at him and took to cleaning his injuries this caused him to cease talking for a moment.

"It's horrid." Dorothy said, "War and all the things which get created to injure the opposition." She let out a sigh while quickly bandaging his arm up. "Done." Pushing the trolley around to the other side she took to cutting away the bandages on his other arm.

"You know I said that there could be other cavalrymen in another hospital?" James questioned, Dorothy nodded slowly. "I don't think there is. After what happened to us it is a miracle that we're still here."

"Never lose hope James." Dorothy smiled and looked up at him.

"Are you having an optimistic moment there Dorothy?"

"Perhaps," she grinned and looked to the door when a nurse walked in. The two of them got briefly looked at before the nurse disappeared again. Rolling her eyes in James's direction she smiled, "That was awkward."

"Just a little bit." James agreed, "What happened at your end?"

"Hm," Dorothy pulled a face and finished wrapping his arm up. She sat down on the edge of the bed and let him have a breather. "It was eye opening." Dorothy said slowly and thoughtfully.

James propped himself up on the bed more and nodded for her to continue. This was the first time either of them had really talked about what they had experienced over there.

"As a nurse I had to have had two years experience in a hospital before I could sign up. The most I saw in there were broken bones and the odd farm accident." Dorothy shook her head slowly. "Nothing could have prepared me to witness people have to go through emergency amputations. I tell you, broken bones and farm accidents suddenly look like a walk in the park in comparison." Dorothy picked up the scissors and cut away the bandages which were around his chest.

"Do you regret signing up to help?" James questioned curiously, in all honesty it was a question which had been on his mind more or less since their first meeting.

Dorothy paused in her movements and looked at him, slowly she shook her head and smiled. "No."

"Can I question why? Most people would answer yes."

"Because I wouldn't have met you," Dorothy grinned and looked at him quickly before cleaning the injuries and taking to bandaging him up again. "Nor would I know that my brother was alive and well here." She stood up and pulled off the gloves and pushed the trolley to the end of the bed. "You are free to go James."

He sat up slowly, it would take a while to readjust to having restricting bandages on again. Reaching over and pulling his shirt on he stood up and buttoned it up. Once his shirt was all done up he picked up his jacket and turned to her.

"Dorothy would you perhaps like to accompany me into town?"

Dorothy put a hand under her chin in thought and nodded slowly, "Yes. I would very much like to." James smiled and pulled on his jacket, he watched as she quickly tidied up. Once she had she turned to him. Holding out his arm Dorothy linked an arm with his and the two quickly exited the room.