A/N: okay so i have had the craziest year ever, and am finally recovering from a really bad time in my life. I've begun writing again and became inspired to continue this story. This time I have a clear direction that it's heading in. Enjoy xx

Miles sat in his tent late that night. Amelia's tale had touched him, he was angry that such a thing had happened. When he'd returned Tom was fast asleep but none such fate awaited him yet. Too many thoughts swam in his mind. She was so bright and funny and beautiful but still such a darkness tainted her past. How her own brother could have caused her such pain was unbelievable. After realising he wouldn't be getting any sleep anytime soon he got up, grabbed his note paper and fountain pen and sat at his desk. Dear Ruby, Lucy and Marie, he wrote carefully on the page, my charming sisters I do miss each of you greatly. I hope this letter finds each of you in good health and you are happy in these grave times. The rest of the letter was full of questions for them and stories from the hospital. After it was finished he placed it carefully in an envelope and addressed it before pulling out a small framed picture out of his desk draw. In the picture sat three girls, the eldest early twenties and the youngest mid teens. Miles felt a tear spring to his eye. He thought of Amy they began to fall. What would he have done if any of them had been in Amy's position. He didn't know, from out here he had no way to keep them safe back home, he had to have faith they were safe, just like Tom would have had, faith that his twin would protect the family. He looked over at Tom, he understood his anger earlier, he hated not being able to protect her, not being able to protect anyone really, only cure and help. Miles put the picture down and delivered his letter ready to be posted as the first light was showing.

Amy confronted him at breakfast later.

"Miles," she said sitting in the seat besides him. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have told you it is not your burden to bear."

"No Miss Gillan it is not yours to bear alone." He said quickly turning to her. " and if the brother of yours ever turns up here, I will ensure his stay is painful but short." Amy laughed.

"Thank you. I do not wish him harm, i just don't wish him luck. But thank you." Miles smiled finishing his breakfast he jumped up yawning,

"Now my good lady I must wish you good day, for I have a shift starting in an hour yet I have not slept, 20 minutes though and I'll be fit for purpose no doubt." Amy felt bad knowing her troubles must have kept him up all night. But as Miles left Tom entered with Kitty not far behind. She pushed him gently towards her table and when Tom turned to protest she gave him a look that Amy had only ever seen on the face of her mother and the matron at her last hospital. Tom walked over head hung and took up the seat opposite. Kitty walked to the corner where Flora was sitting.

"Amy, I'm, I'm sorry," he said looking at her straight in the eye with a small frown as if it was almost painful to say.

"You should be." Tom nodded and looked as if he was about to leave but Amy continued, "and I forgive you." Tom's face lit up,

"You do?"

"I've already lost one brother." Tom nodded and relaxed into his seat. They ate in a near silence until Tom broke it.

"Is Jaimie, is he, you know,"

"He's alive." Tom let out a sigh of relief.

"We write to each other as often as we can." Tom smiled.

"How's he doing?"

"He's in the front trenches." Tom's face fell again. He had hoped his baby brother would be lines back, he imagines him far from danger most of the time. But the front of the front line, that was too painful to imagine.

"Whereabouts?" He said biting his lip as if hoping it would make a difference. Amy wrung her hand and shifted awkwardly on her bench.

"Well," she started slowly, "put it this way. You are not they only reason I chose this hospital." It took the surgeon a moment to figure out what she meant but then he stood abruptly as if he was about to run all the way out in to no mans land and collect his brother from the trenches.

Instead he shouted.

"He's out there," he pointed in the direction of the hospital exit, other staff started to look their way, sisters shook their heads disapprovingly at them. Amy hung her head, she had been meaning to tell Tom but the time had never felt right. "When exactly were you going to tell me?"

"Captain Gillan sit down!" Matron shouted, having heard what was going on from out side the food tent. Tom dropped back down to his seat and ran his hands through his hair.

"I'm sorry." She said simply. For the rest of Tom's week his thoughts were plagued by the reality that anyway now his brother could show up broken or burned, wounded or worse, dead.

But work in the hospital carried on as summer ended and the days got cooler the trees lost their leaves and had to swept from the entrances of the wards. Kitty and Tom's secret relationship was flourishing , the couple finding in the declining temperature less people entered the wood, preferring to stay in the hospital structures with the wood burners. Amy and Miles began to find them selves alone more, with Tom and Kitty gone in any free time, Miles would often find himself playing chess with Amy who would be a match for her brother. They would talk about all manor of things and debate on issues of politics, art or literature. Miles, knowing her background, found it outstanding she carried such a broad knowledge. But she informed him of her thirst for knowledge, of the story's told to her by patients and learned at the other hospitals. Back in her training, every time she had time off she would go to the library. She'd recount stories of how she had discovered her favourite books and that no matter what Alice in wonderland was her favourite. No matter how mad her life got, she knew there was always somewhere stranger. Miles would sit and listen intently, hanging off her every word. Then he explained his love for Tarzan and theatre and golf. She would laugh at his tales and Miles was thankful some one would finally listen with genuine interest and not just to humour him.

But those times only told half the story. The convoys that were coming in were heavier and the number of dead rose with each arrival. Free time became a rarity and moral was falling. More VADs were called in and the responsibility for training them up fell on Amy and nurse Walker, whose first post since training was the field hospital. Late surgery and early rises caused Amy's nightmares to become more common. The increase in staff meant tents were closer together and nursing staff were often woken by her shouts. After complaints and pleads from Tom to the Colonel and matron they arranged for Tom to sleep in her tent as to sooth her nightmares and give everyone a much need nights sleep. So as Tom's bed was shoved in to the small tent Miles was being threatened not to move any of his things as he was only sleeping in there and not vacating his and Miles's larger space. The first few nights Tom would wait up until he was sure she had gone off peacefully and then do so himself, only to be woken by her progressive murmur turning into cries out. He would then hold her till she was still again. This continued for days but gradually her cries lessened and he knew his presence was working.

Following yet another convoy the dust roads were lined with stretchers of the wounded gradually being processed, the staff worked throughout the night and into the next day. As more patients arrived at Tom's surgical table they seemed to blend together, a continuous flow of amputations and removal of shrapnel. Everyone was working to the edge of there capabilities.

"Deep laceration by bayonet." The orderly called as as another patient arrived. Amy looked the body up and down as Tom inspected the wound. It was a deep slice to the side of the ribs, not fatal in itself but it was bleeding out heavily not to mention the risk of infection given the conditions bayonets are stored in. As Tom attempted to stem the bleeding Amy let out a cry.

"It's Jaimie." She said and Tom's head snapped up to look at the face. Continuing the pressure on the wound with his hand he look away to hide his face for a moment. The other orderlies around them waited for his next move, but Tom just turned back and continued.

"Tom, we can get Miles." Amy said stopping his arm. Tom shook her of.

"I can do this."

"I know you can but I don't think you should." Tom gave her a look and Amy shrugged continuing the surgery and Tom removed the infected tissue and began to sewing up. He bit his lip seeing the colour of his brother and Amy saw it too.

"He's lost too much blood." Tom said shaking his head.

"He needs a transfusion." Amy whispered so only Tom could hear.

"No." He replied clearly. Amy pleaded at him before he turned to the orderly and ordered,

"Get Captain Hesketh-Thorne, now." The orderly departed quickly through the white curtain, and Tom turned to his sister, "this is dangerous,"

"Will it save him. If it works will he be okay?" Tom nodded slightly so Amy began rolling up her sleeve. Tom flinched at the sight of her burns as she retreated to a chair in the corner. A minute later Miles entered, after conversing in soft tones to Tom for a moment, he made his way over to Amy, she looked up with raised eyebrows. His usual smile and charms were missing as he passed her a tourniquet.

"Pull this tight." He said indicating to her upper arm. He held the syringe up to her as he crouched in front. "This will hurt, I have to ask, are you sure?" She nodded.

"I need you to say it."

"Yes, I'm sure." Miles looked slightly sad but nodded none the less.

"Ok look at my ear." He said in a serious tone. But Amy nodded not wishing to see the blood being draw from her body. It stung but she'd had worse and the strange feeling of have fluid removed from her body didn't last long. Miles took the blood the Tom and had returned in seconds placing some cotton wall on the area that had been pierced.

"How do you feel?" He asked placing a hand on her shoulder. Amy smiled,

"Fine, I'm fine." She stood up to go see her brothers when a wave of nausea and dizziness came over her. She reached out to steady herself and Miles stabilised her gently.

"Woah there." He said calmly and steered her away out of the tent and into the late afternoon air, had that much time passed, Amy thought, realising how long it had been since she'd slept.

"Miss Berwick," Miles called out seeing Rosalie exiting the linen cupboard next to the surgical tent. She instantly turned.

"Yes Captain?" She looked suspiciously at the two of them, Miles still had his arm around Amy to support her and Amy was turning pale.

"Could you escort Nurse Gillan to her tent please, and tell her when she's settled that I'll be along shortly to check on her." Rosalie's arm replaced the Captains and she swiftly made her way across the hospital to the female sleeping quarters.

Amy lay in he her bed for what seemed like hours, she was tired but sleep did not take her, she was hungry but had no energy to move, lying down made the dizziness fade so she stayed there and waited. Miles arrived in reality half an hour after she'd left the tent. He came with a tray of food and some sweet tea. She great fully accepted them sitting up in her bed as Miles took up the only chair in the tent.

"How do how do you feel now?" He said once she'd finished the food and drink. She smiled,

"Much better thank you Captain." He frowned.

"Since when was Miles not okay?"

"Since I became the patient it would seem." He laughed lightly.

"How is Jaimie?" She said gasping, feeling awful for not asking sooner.

"He's going to be fine."

"Will they send him home?" She said hope in her eyes. Miles played with his cap in his lap.

"I doubt it, he might get sent for some training first till he's fully healed but then he'll be back out there." Amy nodded.

"He'd want that anyway," She said sadly " too bloody honourable." She said with a laugh.

"Both your brothers are honourable men, you are lucky to have them." He said standing up as if to leave. But Amy reached out and grabbed his hand as she knelt on her bed.

"You are honourable too Miles." She whispered simply. He smiled nervously.

"I don't no more of a court jester perhaps" he took a step closer to her and she smiled.

"You are too hard on your self."

He leant down capturing her lips and in one fluid movement he wrapped his arms around her back pulling her close to him. She was warm against him and her hands pressed against the sides of his flushed cheeks keeping him there. Their kissing was soft but gradually building, she moved her hands so they were locked in his hair as the kiss became harder and more desperate. It was wonderful for both of them, real passion and emotion like neither had ever felt. They broke apart and Miles stared down at her. Sweeping a stray hair off her cheek and cupping her chin he sighed,

"I should go." Amy twisted her lips into a mischievous smile,

"Or you could stay." Miles laughed and blushed red, a very uncommon occurrence.

"Your brother will be a long any moment," he said reluctantly kissing her fleetingly on the lips, she leaned up to make it last but he drew away too quickly. "All so I am a man of honour." He smiled his cheeky grin and picked up the tray of the empty plate and cup and his cap, securing it to his head,She laughed,

"Damn you honourable men." Just as he left.