DISCLAIMER: I still only own Nikki and David. No disrespect is meant toward the real men of Easy Company
I want to thank everyone for reviewing. I'm working on another story, so those of you who are Nixon fans I hope you will like the new story too.
Chapter 10 Beyond
New Jersey-1948
"Mr. Nixon you've a phone call."
He really didn't want to be bothered, sighing he keyed the intercom, "Tell them I'm in conference and can't be disturbed."
"Sir, I tried that already, this person is very insistent that he speak with either you or Mr. Winters and since Mr. Winters is currently out of the office-."
"Trudy, who did you say this was?"
"Sir he gave his name as a David Stein, said you two served together in the war."
"Put him through."
"David, how are you? Wow, I hadn't heard from you in a couple of months, how are things?"
"Lewis, I need your help, God, I'm not sure what to do, so I really need you. Something terrible has happened and I need to get in touch with Ron."
The static on the line made it difficult for him to hear, but Nixon was sure he heard him ask about Ron.
"David, the static is terrible; did you just ask me to get in touch with Ron?
"Yes. I need to find him, something terrible has happened, and he needs to get here. Please Lew, find him, and get him over here."
"Wait hold on, where is here and what the hell happened?"
"Berlin, you need to get to Berlin, Nikki is what the problem is, and I'll explain everything when you arrive. Please Lew I can't talk any longer but if you need to talk to me copy this number."
Nixon wrote the number down quickly and promised he would try to get in touch with Ron but could make no promises.
After he hung up with David, Nixon sat staring into space. What could have happened that would have upset David enough for him to call and try to get Ron to Germany?
"Trudy, get me Colonel Wilson at Fort Campbell, I'm about to steal one of his officers for an extended period."
Nixon leaned back in his chair dreading the phone call. Getting Ron Speirs to do something wasn't exactly easy. Getting him back to Germany without an explanation, might be impossible.
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Fort Campbell
Ron left Colonel Wilson's office upset. However, only someone who had spent a lot of time with him would have known just how much. He'd walked in only to be handed orders to report to American Sector Berlin for an undetermined period.
Dropping down behind his desk, he looked at the stack of paperwork that would now go to someone else. The paperwork leaving his desk was something he definitely wouldn't complain about, however going to Berlin was another story. He wondered if he would see her while he was there, or if she was even still in Berlin. Had she married?
Unwillingly his eyes went to the photo that sat on his desk. It was sent to him by Dick when he had found it among some regimental photos he had. The picture was of Nikki and David sitting together talking on D-Day looking exhausted. The one that no one ever saw sat in his bedroom and was of him and her looking at each other and smiling. He had no idea when or where it had been taken and sometimes he wondered why he kept it; all it did was remind him of what could have been.
Stop it Ron, you can't live in the past, go do this assignment, and if you see her then okay and if not, maybe it's for the better.
Picking up the items he thought he might need he left to go pack.
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Berlin
When he had finished his phone call to Nixon, David resumed his pacing. He had paced a particular spot so many times he was surprised not find a path worn. How many hours had she been in surgery? The clock confirmed that only two hours had passed. God how had they gotten to this point?
David's pacing stopped with the arrival of the doctor. "Doctor how is she, is she going to be okay?"
The doctor waved David over to a chair so they could both sit down. "Mr. Stein, I won't kid you her injuries were very serious and she had lost a lot of blood. However, we were able to repair the injuries but now we must wait. Is there family you could call?"
David shook his head. "She doesn't have any family, just me and my wife, but I was able to reach some friends in the states and I'm hoping they arrive soon."
The doctor nodded. "Good, having familiar people around her will be a big help. You can see her before you leave, but I recommend going home tonight and trying to get some rest."
"Oh, alright, thank you doctor."
David followed the nurse down the hallway until he arrived at Nikki's room. Pushing the door open, he braced himself for what he might see. Yet when he saw her in the bed, it wasn't as bad as he'd feared. The cuts and bruises on her face were the only indication that she was hurt.
"Well love, once again I let you out of my sight and you find a way to get hurt. You're going to be all right though; I just hope you won't kill me when you wake up. I finally made the phone call I should have made a year ago, but now that you've got no say it in the matter it had to be done."
Leaning over to kiss her forehead, "I'll see you tomorrow love. Don't worry I've taken care of everything."
It was three days later when Nixon finally arrived, looking exhausted. "Okay David I'm here, now tell me what the hell happened?"
David pulled Nixon out into the hallway so they wouldn't disturb Nikki. "They found her near the Berlin Zoo four days ago beaten. That's all any of us know. Whoever they were assumed they had beaten her badly enough that she would die."
"My God, what was she doing there alone at night?"
David shook his head, "I've got no idea because she lives close to us near downtown. But I do know that she had been doing things lately that she won't discuss with us." Sighing, "The last two years have been hard on her, maybe more than even I realized. Look, go in say hello to our girl and I'll take you home, then maybe it'll make sense."
David waited in the hall while Nixon went back inside to see Nikki. He had a feeling that at least part of the last two years would be explained the minute they walked in the door.
When they arrived at David's house David's wife Abby greeted them at the door. They had been married a little over a year, but originally met while David was living in England before the war.
"Abby, this is my friend Lewis Nixon, Lew this is the love of my life, Abby."
"Very nice to meet you Lewis, diner will be ready in a minute. David can you go get Alex. I think he's slept long enough."
"Grab a sit Nix, I'll grab Alex, and we'll sit down and eat."
Nixon dropped on the couch exhausted. He hadn't gone this long without sleep since the war ended. If he closed his eyes for a moment, he didn't think David would mind.
David came back into the room carrying Alex. Nixon had his eyes closed and for a moment, David thought he was asleep until he spoke.
"I think Ron should be here tomorrow. I'll go get him and bring him to the hospital. Not sure, it's such a good idea to tell him before I get him there. Ha, funny we always seem to be sneaking around to cover up something about Nikki."
David sat down in a chair across from Nix. "Yeah probably a good idea, hey how do you think he's going to take it?"
Nixon chuckled, "Well let's see the woman he loves who he hasn't heard from in two years is suddenly in the hospital combined with the fact that I've pulled all kinds of strings to get him here," cracking open one eye to look at David, "how do you think he'll take it?"
David grimaced, "yeah well that's what I'm afraid of. Anyway, I'd like you to meet Alex. Alex can you say hello to Nix?"
Nixon sat up and opened both eyes to get a look at David's son. Yet, when Alex turned to face him, Nixon was speechless. The little boy had black hair and crystal blue eyes, other than that he was a miniature version of Ron Speirs.
"Oh my God, that's not your son, is it?"
"Cleaver guess my good man. This is Nikki's son. Abby keeps him while Nikki works, that's why we knew something, was wrong when she never came to get him."
Nixon finally found his voice, "How did this happen and no offense but how did you keep it quiet."
David sighed, "Well that's part of the long story. How we kept it hid was easy. We bought Nikki a wedding band and said her husband was a Soldier killed in the last week of the war. She found out a couple of months after we arrived in Berlin that she was pregnant. For the record I tried to get her to tell him, but she said she would rather be alone than have him come back just because of a child."
Moaning Nixon dropped his head in his hands. "Does she not realize that man is miserable without her? Hell he keeps a picture of her on his desk and has never got over the fact she rejected him."
"What, she rejected him? No, she went to the airfield the morning he left and tried to tell him everything, he shut her out. You know how Ron can be."
"You mean to tell me that both of them have been miserable for the last two years thinking the other didn't want them? Well this is a mess," Nixon caught the look on David's face, "oh wonderful you about to tell me it's worse aren't you?"
David chuckled, "Well if it was easy, it wouldn't deal with the two of them now would it? But no, there is nothing worse to tell other than him having a son."
The next morning Nixon was waiting in the adjutant's office when Ron walked it.
"Nixon? What are you doing here?"
Nixon stood up and pushed Ron toward the door, "Well actually I'm here for you, and we have somewhere to be."
When Nixon pulled up in front of the hospital Ron was more confused. "Okay Nixon, are you going to tell me what's going on now?"
"Nope, not yet, you are going to come in with me and once you do that I'll tell you everything."
They will almost to Nikki's door when David walked out into the hall. Nixon cringed and turned to look at Ron, who had stopped walking and was just staring at David.
Grabbing Ron's arm Nixon pulled him down the hall said a brief hello to David, and then shoved him into the room and quickly followed behind him.
"Nixon what is wrong with you?"
"Just take a look at the bed. When you're done we'll be in the hall."
Ron turned back facing the bed. He hadn't paid attention that anyone was in it. The person's face was turned away from the door, but the long black hair drew his attention. Walking around to the side of the bed where the chair was he finally saw her face.
"Oh God." He managed to say before his legs gave out and he dropped into the chair. Reaching out to take her hand in his all he could do was stare. She looked bad and even her hands were scrapped and damaged. The one he was holding had two nails that had been broken back into the quick. Whatever had happened to her must have been serious.
"Oh baby, what happened to you? You were supposed to be safe here."
After an hour, Nixon and David exchanged looks because Ron still hadn't come out.
Nixon raised an eyebrow, "Guess I get to go in huh?"
"Well you are the braver of the two besides I've a wife to consider."
Opening the door, he found Ron sitting in the chair with Nikki's hand in both of his.
"Ron, they are going to kick us out soon. We're staying at David's place with him and his wife."
Ron only nodded in response. Standing up he gently laid her hand back down then bent over to kiss her forehead. Stepping back from her bed he watched as Nixon came over and kissed her goodbye telling her they would be back in the morning.
When they had left the room, Ron asked if they thought she could hear them.
David gave a shrug. "They told me she could. They expect her to wake up any day now. By the way, it's good to see you again Ron."
When they arrived at David's house Abby greeted Ron warmly, "So you're the handsome devil who stole our Nikki's heart. Come in make yourself at home."
As Ron was lead through the house with a never-ending string of chatter from Abby, Nixon grabbed David's arm to hold him back.
"So exactly how are you going to explain Alex?"
David laughed, "I'm not explaining, I think he speaks for himself don't you?"
Nixon shook his head. "You know you're a dead man right? Either he will kill you tonight or she'll do it when she wakes up."
Smirking David reminded him that was why he needed him here, so he wouldn't be killed.
When they entered the dining room, Abby was still talking a mile a minute and Ron was just listening and smiling.
"Oh there the two of you are. Nixon would you please get Alex so we can have an early diner. I'm sure Ron is exhausted from traveling." Abby continued rambling on as Nixon left the room.
When he had Alex, he paused outside the door. "Well here goes nothing."
Entering the room, he went to what had become his normal chair, which placed him directly across from Ron. For the moment, Ron wasn't paying attention because he was talking with Abby. When Nixon put Alex in his high chair, Ron actually looked.
"So how old is your son David?"
David looked up, "Oh Alex isn't my son, but he just turned two a few months ago."
David and Ron were both watching Ron closely. It still hadn't clicked, nor had he looked that closely at Alex.
Smiling Ron turned to Abby, "I'm sorry I just made the assumption that he was yours."
Abby smiled in return. "No he isn't ours, but the little darling is with us so much I feel like he's mine. I watch him for his mother while she is at work. It's just been the two of them since he was born."
David and Nixon both tensed as Ron finally turned all his attention on Alex. Since Nixon could see his face, he knew the minute everything clicked, but had no time to warn David before Ron turned his full anger onto him.
"David, you need to start talking and fast because I want to know what the hell is going on here."
"Abby take Alex into the kitchen and let us talk to Ron."
Ron watched as Abby picked Alex up and started to leave with him. "Wait, don't go. Can I hold him?"
Abby smiled, "of course you can." She then passed Alex off to Ron, who was starring at his son in utter amazement.
"Okay David, start talking about why she hid my son from me?"
"Ron it wasn't like that I promise. She didn't want you feeling obligated to come back. She loves you but didn't want you feeling trapped."
Ron didn't answer for a moment; he was currently too busy looking his son over. He was a beautiful little boy and seemed healthy. He definitely got the best looks from both parents.
Finally, he answered. "I'd have come back because I love her. The child would have just been…what's his name."
David groaned, "His full name is Alexander Ronald, but we just call him Alex. If you felt that way about her, then why did you treat her that way at the airport in Austria?"
"David, I thought she was going back to Johan and I was trying to protect myself. You're right I should have stayed. When she wakes up, she isn't getting rid of me this time.
Nikki's head was pounding and her entire body was aching. Her mind tried to sort through what was wrong and how strange it was for Alex not to have woken her up by now. She could see the light from behind her eyelids, but couldn't bear the thought of opening her eyes.
Hearing someone enter the room and assuming it was David, she told him to close the blinds because she had a pounding headache. When she sensed the light had dimed she slowly cracked her eyes open.
This isn't my bedroom what is going on.
Turning her head to face the person she had heard sit down she found Lewis Nixon smiling at her.
"Well brat, glad to see you're back with us. You really had us worried for a while. How you feeling?"
"Confused, how did I end up here and better yet what are you doing here?"
"Well we were hoping you could tell us. Well here is what we know, you were found beaten and left for dead by the zoo about a week ago. Do you remember anything?"
Nikki looked away from Nixon. She knew exactly what had happened and why, but the last thing she wanted was for either Nixon or David to get involved. "I really don't remember anything; the last thing I remember is leaving work and heading home to pick up Alex."
Jerking her head back to look at Nixon, "You've met Alex by now; please Nixon if you do nothing else you need to keep quiet about him. Ron can't ever know I won't have him feeling obligated."
"Nikki, I really think you're making a huge mistake. Ron loves you, probably more than you realize. Don't you think he deserves to know?"
"I hate it when you're right. I'll think about it, besides I would have to find out where he is any way."
Nixon just smiled, "oh I think he might be closer than you know."
Nikki just gave him a puzzled look. She probably didn't want to know what he meant by that.
Nixon had left after a couple of hours promising to return later that afternoon. She was so tired and the doctor had just left after a quick check-up.
"Well Ms Klemp, you are a very lucky young lady. I think we can let you go home tomorrow."
Nikki smiled in response. It would be good to get home, but the situation that put her here wasn't going away and she needed to get Alex and her out of Germany fast.
Giving herself a headache from trying to think, she closed her eyes she and contemplated sleeping, but wasn't able to shut her brain off. She was worried about Alex, he had never been without her this long, but she was also worried about Nixon's comment. Where was Ron and how close was he to Berlin, and if he was close, would he try to see her.
Sighing she turned onto her side and tried to doze, which she must have done because when she woke it was dusk and she wasn't alone in the room. When she finally focused on the chair, it was hard to contain a smile.
"Well seems something's never change. Still sneaking into places aren't you."
Ron just grinned. "Yeah well you are still getting into trouble aren't you? The grin had faded, "So how are you feeling? Doc says you can go home tomorrow."
"Yeah well I've done my best to stay out of trouble but you know. How are you Ron?"
"I'm much better now that you are awake." Reaching out to take her hand, "do you think we can talk when you get home tomorrow?"
He watched as she dropped her head and starred at their joined hands. He really wished he knew what she was thinking. When she finally looked up, he noticed the tears in her eyes.
"You know don't you?" She managed to choke out. God she hated crying.
"Yeah, he's beautiful, don't worry we'll talk." He got up to leave kissing her on the forehead and heading for the door. He stopped when he reached the door turning to face her, "I still love you Nikki, that never changed and when you get out of here, we're getting married." With that, he was gone.
Damn, why does he always have to have the last word? She didn't realize it, but she was smiling for the first time in a very long time.
The next morning David stuck his head in the door expecting to find Nikki still asleep, instead found her dressed and drinking coffee.
"Oh look who's here, my best friend. Well do come in and sit down. We are going to talk."
David slid into the chair. "So I guess you're upset with me aren't you?"
Nikki smiled, "No, I'm not I should have done it myself when Alex was born, but was too chicken. Therefore, I think I owe you a huge thank you. Oh according to his majesty, we're getting married."
"Nikki that's wonderful. I'm so happy for you, but I guess this means you'll be leaving Berlin doesn't it."
Nikki shrugged, "Probably, he is from the states, and you know after what happened, it's probably for the best that I go."
David looked confused, "You told Nixon you didn't remember, but you do don't you."
"Yeah I do, and it has to do with what I won't talk to you about. If you don't know, they won't hurt you. I'll tell Ron, but no one else."
"I understand, I don't like it but I understand. So are you ready to go home."
"I'm so ready to go home, how's my boy?
David laughed, "Spoiled, now that Ron knows he has a son, he won't let him out of his sight. It's very cute really."
"I'm sure it is. Well shall we go?"
It was later than afternoon before Nikki got a chance to be alone with Ron. Deciding this was the right time; she pulled him to the couch and sat down beside him.
"I need to tell you something. I remember exactly what happened to me the other night and why. When I tell you this, you can do nothing and tell no one. I've kept this quiet to keep not only Alex safe but Abby and David as well."
"You see I've been helping families from the US sector get their relatives out of the Soviet sector. As you can imagine not an easy task, nor very appreciated by the Soviets."
Ron shook his head, "you really know how to find trouble don't you?"
"Yeah I do." Smiling a little, she continued. "So it I've been doing this about a year now and they finally caught up to me. I'm taking this as a warning and leaving Germany. I would like to leave with you, and I really hope you were serious about marring me."
His answer was to pull her in for a kiss.
Sighing all Nikki could think was even after all this time, he was still the best kisser in the world.
The next morning they were married in a quiet ceremony with only David, Nixon and Abby attending.
Later that night as they were lying in bed, Ron traced the scar on her right cheekbone that was barely there. "I remember that one, that's the one that started it all."
Laughing she rolled over on top of him. "Who would have ever thought being attacked by a tree could start a life time love affair."