Slight awww-factor popping up. No i'm being serious, i aww'd while writing this chapter (more near the end of it! n_n)

Thank you for reading and everything else!~

37

The other small town which neighboured the manor was much more interesting. Both Dorothy and James couldn't figure out why they hadn't come here for their outing the other day.

There were more buildings, most of these buildings were little shops. "Oh," Dorothy said while walking away from his side.

James turned and watched as she walked up to a little shop window and took to eyeing up a dress which was in the window.

He frowned, of course she would be interested in shopping. Most women liked shopping, James walked slowly to her side.

Dorothy's attention on the dress didn't last long until she moved off to look into another shop window. Pushing some of her dark curls behind her ear she turned to him. "Are you hungry James?" She smiled and watched him walk over to where she was standing.

He looked at her thoughtfully, "You should really eat something especially after your body got put through the strain of having your bandages changed." Dot said while standing back up straight and smiling up at him.

"You are off duty right now Dorothy," James smiled and crossed his arms slowly.

"Yes I may be off duty but I am still a nurse. It is my job to look out and after you, and everyone else." Dorothy added in and then looked up at him.

"You're blushing."

"Am not."

"You really are, quite considerably at that."

"No I'm not you liar!" Dorothy exclaimed and crossed her arms and looked away at him. In fact she took to looking at anything but him, her eyes right now were fixed on the bakery window which they were standing in front of.

The two stood in silence all that could be heard was the pottering of the inhabitants of the town behind them.

James rolled his eyes when Dorothy tentatively put her hands over her cheeks. A light frown appeared on her face which caused him to smile slowly. Her green eyes slowly flitted up to look at him, "Oh be quiet you!" She exclaimed in a meant to be serious sounding tone, but instead her voice sounded like it was trying its hardest not to break into a laugh.

Dorothy went as far as childishly stomping a foot on the pavement and turned to walk off briskly. James shook his head, she was so dramatic at times he wondered if she knew of her flare of the dramatic or not.

He did feel ever so slightly guilty, he had after all embarrassed her in public. Dorothy's only thing to counter it was to walk off. She did stop however at the end of the street and turn on her heels and look at him.

She wasn't mad at him, James highly doubted Dorothy could get mad at anyone. Walking away from the bakery he put his hands in his trouser pockets and slowly walked up to where she was waiting for him.

The two looked up at each other and then got pulled from their stare off by someone exclaiming behind them. Dorothy leant away from the street lamp and watched a teenager run into a small building which looked like the towns newsagents. The teenager was the source of all the noise.

Exchanging a look the two hesitantly crossed the road and entered the building.

Leaning against the counter talking was the teenager, neither of them could hear his hushed words but the man behind the counter looked hung on every word.

Dorothy frowned and picked up a newspaper, James looked away from the counter to look at the paper in Dorothy's hand.

The headline involved the sudden withdrawal of some troops in certain parts of France and Poland, there were also articles about how many men were supposed to have died so far.

James noted Dorothy's face lose colour and a rather forlorn expression to flit onto her face. Reaching out James plucked the paper from her hands and put his arm around her shoulder and directed her out of the shop.

"Would you go back?" Dorothy piped up, James looked at her a little shocked. He wasn't expecting to have that question posed to him, least of all by Dorothy.

"I mean...if you healed up soon, would you go back? You'd have to go back, people who get discharged from the hospital then get checked over by a doctor from the army. If they're deemed in good shape and fight ready then they get shipped off again." She paused, "Of course those who suffered greater injuries can't go." Dorothy's voice was very quiet, almost a whisper. She wiped her eyes and pushed her hair out of her face.

James stopped walking and turned her to face him, keeping his hands on her shoulders he leant down to appear in her line of vision. It took her a few seconds to lift her eyes up from the floor and look at him.

"No crying now Dorothy," James said while running his thumb under her eyes. "I said I'd try and be by your side as much as possible remember?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded slowly, he smiled lightly and tapped her on the nose. Dorothy pulled a face and looked at him sternly. James laughed and stood back up straight, nodding his head to the street they were standing on he watched as she quickly wiped her eyes and commenced walking again.

"James?" Dorothy's tone was a questionable one.

Looking down at her he nodded at her slowly, "What's wrong?"

"I've just thought over something."

"Yes?"

"Well," she paused and took to twiddling her fingers, James briefly looked away from her form to the street and then back again. The inhabitants of the small town were busying themselves with their own business.

There were children running and playing in the streets. Although every so often they had to run onto the pavements to avoid a passing car.

"It's just," Dorothy paused again and ran a hand down her face. James looked at her oddly, she was being very evasive. "What you said."

"You need to be more specific Dorothy." James smiled lightly.

"The I'd try and be by your side thing."

"Yes?"

"Well," Dorothy quickly looked at him and then down at the floor. "It's just...it's like, how do I say this?" She hummed and looked up at the sky. "Very...erm, well. Coupley sounding..." Dorothy's slight embarrassed induced ramble trailed off.

James's eyes widened only a fraction, when he thought over it she was right. "Oh." He said and the two of them turned the corner and walked into a park. There were some children in here playing football. There were other children, groups of little girls, who were sitting on plaid blankets having what seemed to be teddy bear picnics.

They both sat down near a willow tree, the draping green foliage shielded them off slightly from the surrounding park and the happy children and walking adults.

James mulled over his thoughts and slowly turned to look at Dorothy. She sat with her knees to her chest and her arms leaning against her knees, her chin was leant against her forearms.

"Dorothy?"

"Yes?" Her eyes flicked and looked at him sidewards, straightening out her legs she turned and looked at him.

"Would you," James started to say, Dorothy stopped picking at blades of grass and looked at him with interested green eyes. "Like to be my girlfriend?" He said quietly and looked at Dorothy, her expression went rather blank which didn't fill him with much confidence.

Slowly though a smile broke out on her face, and that smile soon turned into a little grin. James smiled lightly to and let out a surprised sound when Dorothy had flung her arms around his neck and sat holding onto him as tightly as she could.

"Dorothy I hate to say this but please loosen your grip, you're sort of hurting me." James said while shutting his eyes and leaning his head against hers. She did as he said and nudged her head against his shoulder.

"I have to ask, does this count as an answer, the answer being yes?" James questioned, Dorothy nodded her head and leaned away from him.

"Yes," she said despite confirming his question with a nod. James smiled and leant his forehead against hers. Dorothy shut her eyes but kept a tight grip on his jacket as if he was going to suddenly disappear.