Chapter Six

Caterina found it difficult to form a sentence, the sight of her husband seemed to turn her into mush. She had imagined their first encounter since his leave many times, how he would send her a letter and she would put on her prettiest dress before rushing down to the station. Then he would stepped out of the first class cart, looking handsome in a clean uniform, as perfect as he was annoying. Then she would rush forward and have one of those romantic reunion kisses that she had become so accustomed to (she had read many of those types of books in his absence). Instead she was covered in dirt and blood, her hair was matted to her face and she could guess that she resembled a corpse, but he was also far from perfect. Somehow she thought that he would be immune to the shots and the attacks, but from the looks of his arm she knew enough from her training to know what that meant, he had almost died.

Robbie stared back at his wife, not at all surprised to see that she was wearing a nurse's uniform; she would make the perfect nurse, so caring and willing to work for something she believed in.

"You know I've always loved women in uniform." He said playfully as his eyes trailed up and down her small stature.

Caterina knew what he was doing, he was trying to appeal to her quick temper so it would be like nothing has changed. Going to slap his good arm he grabbed her hand and pulled her over to him, bringing his lips down to hers. That one action brought Cat home, suddenly she felt her world once again flooded with colour, she felt rejuvenated. His tongue traced the outline of her lips, begging for entrance that Caterina was not ready to give; she was a tease by nature.

Pulling away from him she sighed, "Thank god you are okay."

Robbie smiled as he caressed her cheek, "I promised you I would make it back to you."

Cat's eyes flicked to the sling that held his arm, "When was this last changed? Dirty covers can lead to infection you know. Come with me, I want to clean this."

Robbie tried to protest but he knew it was futile trying to argue with Cat, she would always win. He winced when she placed the tonic on his large wound, her eyebrows furrowed together in concentration as she wound the cotton wrapped around it.

"It was not that bad." He said nonchalantly, "A mere scrape."

Caterina cocked an eyebrow as she tied the gauze in a secure knot, "There is no point in lying to me Robbie, this could have easily killed you."

"But it didn't." He reminded her, "I am still very much alive."

As Caterina cleaned the scratches on his face, he took this moment to actually study his wife, she was different, her eyes were sunken in with large shadows underneath them, it made her look gaunt and sickly. But her demeanor had changed also; she seemed older, more confident. Not at all the innocent girl that she used to be, you did not need to be overseas fighting in war it would seem. It was a virus that affected the whole nation. Just looking at Cat told him that.

"When was the last time you slept?" He asked her, his voice laced with concern.

Smiling slightly she counter attacked with, "When was the last time you slept properly?"

Robbie lips curled into an endearing smile as he held out his hand, "Maybe we could solve this problem together."

Caterina grinned as Robbie pulled her to her feet and rushed her up to their bedroom. For the first time in months she willingly walked into the bedroom, somehow the room did not seem so daunting anymore, with Robbie by her side the bed was no longer a torture chamber, no monsters lurked beneath waiting to swallow her whole. Kicking off her shoes, she removed the pins from her hair, letting it cascade down her back, the loose waves framing her face nicely. Peeling her grimy uniform from her skin, she let it fall to the ground, leaving her only in a small petticoat. She smiled at Robbie, a blush creeping onto her cheek as he stared at her hungrily.

"I forgot just how mesmerizing you are." he murmured, his eyes following her as she sat on her knees on the bed.

Crawling over to him she began to unbutton his uniform. She spluttered with laughter as together they began to difficultly remove the shirt, by the end of it he felt like a piece a string that Cat had twisted and turned around her finger. Finally when the shirt was removed Cat bit her lip when she stared at his stomach, hidden scars finally showing themselves. Her fingers followed the white marks and she felt him shiver at the contact.

"You are so lucky." she murmured, and she leaned down to lightly kiss each scar before leaving a trail of kisses from the nape of his neck to his jaw, stopping just before she reached his mouth, "I love you."

Pressing his lips to her quickly, he mumbled, "I know, I love you too."

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Lady Caterina felt groggy when she woke up the next morning, her legs ached from inactivity and her head was pounding from over sleeping... and she couldn't of cared less, because she could feel his steady breathing on her exposed back, it made the hair rise on her arms, sending little waves of pleasure around her body. Shifting in the bed she turned to face him, she still could not wrap her head around it. He was here, in the flesh. It was not something she had just imagined, which she had considered before she fell asleep last night, it all seemed to brilliant to be true. Reaching out she gently wound her fingers into his hair, gently massaging his head as if he was a small animal. She continued it for several minutes, completely entranced with watching him sleep.

Before her eyes could even flutter shut, Robbie's hand flew forward, grabbed her and pinned her down on the mattress, "I see my looks have not faded in any way, you cannot seem to keep your eyes off of me."

Cat laughed was breathy as she tried to push him off, "Okay very funny. Now move I have to get up, I have a shift at the hospital."

Wriggling from his grasp, she hopped out of the bed to grab her gown. Wrapping it securely around her small frame she pulled the cord that would alert the staff downstairs that they were awake, "Do you want your breakfast brought up on a tray?" she asked as she glanced at his arm, "Can you still feed yourself?"

Frowning at his wife he replied, "It's my left arm Cat. I am not a baby, I can feed myself."

She smiled as hopped back on to the bed and planted a kiss on his cheek, "No need to be so testy Robert. Just because you did not get what you wanted."

She couldn't help but laugh when he slumped back in the bed, his bottom lip dropping like a small child's might when they were being chastised by an elder.

"I am not testy." he muttered.

Just then there was a small knock on the door and Tori clumsily bounded into the room, "Cat what are you-" her eyes widened, her cheeks flooded bright red with embarrassment when she spotted the couple on the bed together, Sir. Robert's chest was exposed.

One rule of being a servant, never walk in on a couple in bed.

"I am so sorry!" Tori rambled, she was begging her feet to move but she could not seemed to get them to work, "I did not realise you were home Sir or I would not have barged in!"

Robbie placed his hand up to silence the maid, "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Could you ask them to bring me up a tray please?"

Tori nodded slightly as Cat ushered her out of the room, "Don't be so frazzled." she giggled slightly, "It's not like you witnessed anything bad."

Tori didn't reply because she had seen something bad, it just would not seem that way to Cat. She could not believe that he was home. Glancing up at Cat she felt as if someone had punched her in the throat, she could barely breath. She looked so angelic, she was glowing, she walked with confidence once more and Tori could not have been more envious. Every smile the friend shot her was like she was stabbing her in the eye with a needle, every time the pain intensified. It was a great unfairness that for the time being Cat could be happy once again, knowing that her husband was safe when Tori knew next to nothing about her own. As soon as she placed the final pin in Cat's hair, she made her excuses and rushed out of the room. She could not bare to be in the same place as her at the moment.

Rushing down to the servant's quarter she sought refuge in the cold room where they stored all of the game. The sight of the dead birds and rabbits made Tori's stomach heave but she managed to swallow back the bile. Crumbling to the ground she placed her head in her hands and let the tears fall. She tried to remember easier times, better times. She recalled the first time she had ever met him, how she thought he was gross, but she was ten at the time so that was perfectly normal thinking. Then when she turned sixteen she had realized that she had feelings for him, then she just had to get him to notice her. God, she had gotten into so many scrapes with women over him, everyone wanted to the better half of Beck Oliver. Then finally after two years of trying she finally got him to kiss her. That was the best moment of her life, she was not going to say that up until that point her life was easy, in fact it was anything but. He was the first person to ever make her feel like she was worth more, that someone could love her in return.

Drying her eyes with the back of her hand, she rose and stalked out of the cold room, down the path towards the cottage. Taking the shortcut through the woods she arrived at her house. Before she even stepped in to her home she could hear the delighted gurgles of her child. Smiling at Jane, the girl she paid to watch her daughter, she picked up her daughter who was squealing for her attention, and kissed her cheek.

"You have gotten heavy." She mumbled as she sat her down on the sofa.

She watched as her baby zoomed through the legs of the table, crawling around the room she laughed at she played with her only toy, a small white rabbit. She never strayed from her mother's sight. Tori eyes began to water again as she thought of Beck overseas, he was missing out on the most precious moments of their child's life. Soon Natalie would be walking and that would be followed by speaking. She was growing at such a rapid speed, if you blinked you missed something.

"Where there any letters Jane?" Tori asked, already knowing the answer she was going to recieve.

"No, sorry Tori." Jane replied as she began to mash some carrots up for Natalie, "If it helps my dad has not contacted us in ages, maybe they are just delayed."

Tori smiled weakly, "Maybe you are right Jane."

But she still couldn't get rid of that feeling of unease, that something was coming. Something she would not be able to control and it frightened her more than anything.

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Caterina could not remember a time when she had felt so grand, the sun was burning in the sky about without a storm cloud in sight to cover it's warming rays. She had actually had a good nights sleep for the first time in 8 months and she was actually holding hands with her husband as he walked her down to the hospital. They were spotted several times on there way to the Valentine Hospital, many of the locals had stopped to shake hands with Robbie, as a token of their gratitude for his efforts in the war. They were so glad to see the young couple together again, even if it was only for a short period, Lady Caterina finally had a reason to smile again.

"This is so strange." Robbie muttered as the latest herd from the welcome wagon disappeared, "No one has ever thanked me for anything."

"Nothing?" Caterina said, "That cannot be true."

"No, never. Other men certainly did not thank me for anything, mostly they would hit me or swear at me for stealing all of the women." he murmured, grinning as Caterina scowled.

He couldn't help annoying her, it brought him back to the first time he danced with her at her "engagement" ball, how much she had hated him... it reminded him of how much he had loved her for it.

"Enough sharing." she muttered as they reached the Hospital, "What are you going to do with the rest of your day?"

He shrugged, "I'll probably head up to Emerson, check on the witch who resides there."

Standing on the tips of her toes, she kissed him lightly on the lips, "Play nice with Jade." she warned, "She has been cooped up in the countryside too long. It is making her go a bit... well, crazy."

Sir. Robert grinned, "Well this could be fun."

Kissing her on the forehead, he gave her a fleeting wave before starting up the path towards Emerson. He had to admit that he did not want to be alone, there was something strange about freedom. For months he had been used to confined spaces, sleeping rigidly with your hands wrapped around a riffle. The fact that he was not carrying one was making him uneasy, which he knew sounded insane. What use would a gun be in the middle of Yorkshire? But he just could not abandon his feeling of dread, that at any minute someone would jump out and attack him.

He reached Emerson estate ten minutes later and it had been a terrifying time to say the least, some gentlemen had decided that today was the perfect day to go pheasant hunting. The gun firing had rung in his ears, echoing, the sound amplifying. Robbie had fallen to the ground in search of shelter, he would not move until the coast was clear. All of his survival training had kicked in action and it was not until he saw some women calmly walking past him did he realize what he was actually doing. He felt completely idiotic as he emerged from the shrub and the sound of the women cackling only made the matter worse.

As he walked towards the garage he heard something that made him stop, a giggle. That sound was even more petrifying than the gunshot as far as he was concerned. Jadelyn West did not giggle, so why did the girl who was standing outside the garage look so much like her? Robbie watched as the man she was talking to, pointed in his direction, which caused Jadelyn to spin around, her eyes popping with shock when she spotted her cousin. Gathering speed, Robbie watched in horror as she raced towards him and gave him a hug.

"You lucky bastard!" she exclaimed as she held him close.

Robbie cried out in pain, "Jade, my arm!" he complained and she immediately let go, "What has gotten into you? That is such fowl language for a Lady like yourself to use."

She scowled, the warmth she felt towards her cousin was dwindling quickly, "I was just glad to see that you aren't dead. What happened to your arm?"

Robbie stared at the scar, "Actually that's what I want to talk to you about, can we go inside?"

Jadelyn, sensing his apprehension nodded, "Of course."

The walk up to the estate had been a quiet one, Jadelyn's eyes flicked curiously back to Sir. Shapiro every so often. She had never him this, quiet. It spooked her, he always had something to say, someone to make fun of or a conquest to boast about. Bringing him straight into the parlour, she poured him a drink and handed it to him.

"Okay what did you have to say?" she asked as she sat opposite him on the small sofa, "Lay it on me, I can handle it."

After he had recounted his story of how he had injured his arm to Jadelyn. She had slapped him, hard. He was pretty sure that would leave a bright red hand mark on his face.

"Okay, that was sore." he exclaimed as he brought his good hand up to his face, "Want to get me some cold meat or something for this?"

Rolling her eyes at her cousin, she raised her hand, "I will slap you again if you are not careful."

"Care to explain why you hit me?" he asked as he dampened his handkerchief in his gin and placed it on his face, sighing in relief as the cold drink soothed the redness.

"You need some sense knocked in to you." she replied, "Rob, there is a war on, you can not feel remorse for killing a man who would not think twice about killing you. If you hesitate like that again, you might die."

"So you do not see me any differently to the way you used too?" he asked, his voice heavy with remorse.

Jade snorted,"Of course I do, ever since you married Cat you've turned into a sap."

He arched an eyebrow, "You know what I mean."

"No Robbie." she said, her voice surprisingly comforting, "This does not change who you are. It does not make you monster."

And for once, he actually believed her.

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He sat there shaking with fear, his hand fumbling as he placed more bullets into his riffle. He could barely make out any shapes, the landscape was thick with dark clouds of soot and dust. André Harris using his teeth, unclipped one of his grenades and threw it in the direction of the enemy. Sheilding his ears, he heard the deafening blow and prayed that it had at least injured someone. He just wanted this nightmare to end.

"Watch out!" Screamed a voice.

He rolled, narrowly missing a shot that would have definitely killed him, looking up he saw the familiar face of Beck Oliver, someone he had grown close to in the trenches.

"Thanks!" he screamed as he grabbed his riffle again, "There is too many of them."

"Don't talk like that!" Beck screeched back, "We can win this."

André had always admired Beck's optimism, it made him so wholesome. He had picked him out of the crowd of men instantly as one of the nicest, he was caring, compassionate and he never spoke a bad word about anyone. Just last night they were reminiscing about all of the strange experiences they had together up in Blackwater. Beck spoke so warmly of his home, of his wife and friends and it almost broke André's heart when he heard about his daughter. He could only imagine the pain of leaving a child behind.

"Grenade!" A boy behind them screamed as it landed at his feet.

Beck felt his stomach drop, ten seconds. This regiment only had ten more seconds of life. Staring around at all of the petrified faces of the boys his heart pounded with fear. Some where so young, they had their whole lives to look forward too. They could settle down after the war. Have a nice life and a family. Grasping André's shoulder he shot him a meaningful look before removing his helmet.

"It has been a pleasure serving with you."

Then he placed his helmet over the grenade and lay on top of it, ignoring the protest from André.

"Just get as far away as possible!" he demanded.

They say that moments before death your whole life flashes before your life. Well that was not true for Beck Oliver, for him he only saw the best moments of his life. He was ten when he went to Blackwater, when he met Caterina and Tori, his first friends. Then he was eighteen, he had kissed Tori for the first time. Suddenly he was 19, he was married, he had a child. Then he was at this moment, only he wasn't sacrificing his life to save these men. He was back at his cottage, Tori had opened the door, little Natalie was in her grasp, her little arms outstretching to him, wanting nothing more than her father's touch. He was home and for a moment everything was perfect. Beck Oliver smiled, feeling suddenly calm, the thought of his wife and daughter had given him the courage he needed. He kept smiling.

Until he felt nothing at all.

:'( So much happened here so if you don't review I will be most displeased! :L

Each character got a mention! Come on that is good stuff!

Anyone shed a tear? Close to tears?

I heard a story similar to Beck's death when I was about 12 and it really stuck with me, that is serious courage right there.

I am conflicted, I don't know what to do with Jade, I have been hinting at it but I am not certain that I want to go through with it, i.e Flynn the chauffeur :L

Problems!

Anyway love you all!

until next time

xoxoxo