DISCLAIMER: No disrespect is meant to the real Band of Brothers and what they accomplished. I own nothing except Alana and Sara.
Wow, I hope everyone out there is still enjoying the story and people are just not reviewing because they are still on vacation. Big thanks to those of you who have reviewed. To all those reading and not reviewing, I really hope you are enjoying the story as well. This was a little longer than I'd planned, but I need to get us to a certain point. Enjoy.
Chapter 8
Before Lana could say, anything else Winters entered talking a mile a minute about some patrol Sink wanted. Seeing her chance to escape she slid against the wall and paused at the door. Ron was watching her with that same intense look and before she could look away, he silently mouthed that he'd be seeing her later.
Slipping out the door and running for Dick's headquarters, there was no way he was seeing her later if she could help me. Maybe she could just stay locked in her room for the rest of the war.
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Lana glanced around the headquarters realizing she had nowhere to hide. Maybe she was getting upset over nothing, the patrol would probably occupy most of his time and that would give her tonight to figure out a new strategy.
She'd almost forgotten the entire meeting until Lew dropped down in the chair next to her desk.
"So I hear that you were over at Easy today and met up with our favorite grumpy Captain."
"Wow, and someone told me you weren't a very good intelligence officer. I'm glad to see they were wrong."
Placing a hand over his heart, "ouch sweetheart, you really know how to hurt a guy. However, let me come to the point of this little visit. First, you will be pleased to know that he isn't going on the patrol, since I know you really do care, second, I'm only telling you this so you will be prepared when he shows up here and baby he will be showing up here tonight."
"Damn, I thought he might. Lew I need you to do me a favor. I need you to find any unit that is going to be going anywhere near Heidelberg. I know you can find out and when you do, let me know."
Nixon's eyes narrowed, "what are you up to now?"
"Lew, I just want to try and check on my grandparents that's all. I've not heard from them in months. I promise to come back."
Nixon shook his head, "you really don't like me very much do you? You know if I do this and you leave, he'll kill me. See you were unconscious the last time you did something that nearly got me killed. I like living and last time I checked Sara liked me alive as well."
"Please Lew, I promise he'll never know it was you."
Rubbing his neck in frustration, "he doesn't have to know I did it, he'll know I knew and that will be enough." Pausing for a moment, he let the smile spread across his face, "okay, I'll do it, on one condition."
"Okay, what's the condition?"
Lew's smile should have warned her she wasn't going to like the condition. "Well, the two of you will talk and you will listen to what he has to say. If you don't…I won't help you."
"That's not a condition that's blackmail."
Laughing Lew kissed her on the forehead. "Call it what you want, but it's that or nothing, so which is it going to be."
"Fine, I'll let you know how it goes."
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Lana could hear the machine gun firing and knew this was the best time to try to escape to her room. Ron would be distracted and she could avoid him for one more day if she was careful. In fact, if she played her cards right, Lew would have the information, and she could leave without ever talking to him and that would be even better.
She was pleased with herself as she slipped between shadows until she arrived at her small room. Shutting the door behind her, she moved across the room to sit down and take her boots off.
The click of the latch closing had her head jerking up to face the door. Ron was standing with his back against the door staring at her.
"How do you do that? I've never meet anyone who could move as quietly as you do. Oh yeah, I don't remember asking in you."
She watched as he reached for a chair, placing it in front of the door and sitting down.
"You'd have said no if I asked and I knew the only way to get you to talk to me was corner you, so…now we talk."
Lana got to her feet and paced the confines of the small room, keeping as far from him as she could. She had no idea what she was going to do, but she knew she had to get him out of this room. He was harder to resist when he was this close.
Stopping and facing him with her hands on her hips, "okay, so what do you want to talk about?"
Sighing he removed his helmet and ran his hands through his hair. "Well let's start with why you suddenly hate me? Then we can move on to why you don't trust me? Then if those questions are answered, maybe we can move on to some of the other questions I have, but let's just start with the first one."
Sitting down facing him, she shook her head. "I don't hate you and I'll answer the second question as well, I do trust you. What has been going on really has nothing to do with you."
"Then why are you avoiding me. I thought when we left England that you felt something for me and now you won't even let me get near you. What's changed?"
Lana knew this was her chance to make him leave, to make sure he had no feelings left for her. Swallowing she steeled herself and met his eyes. "Look, I'm just not that into you. Yeah it was a nice kiss and everything but I think I can do better. So now that you have your answers you can go."
She watched as he slowly got to his feet and crossed the room to stand in front of her. The look on his face was something she couldn't name; there was softness in his eyes almost had her confessing everything.
He never broke eye contact, but gently reached out to touch her face. She had to stop herself from flinching. The last thing she wanted was for him to notice she was afraid.
Ron slowly traced his fingertips over her wound and down the curve of her jaw. "You know I made a terrible mistake the last time I saw you. I let my jealousy and anger get the better of me and I didn't say what I should have. Therefore, as this is probably my last chance, Lana, I care for you very much. I'm not saying its love, but I do know if I had a chance it possibly could be."
Lana couldn't breathe; the look in his eyes was soft, and warm. She would give anything to change the past, but she couldn't let him throw his life away on her. Fighting back the tears, she grabbed his hand and pulled it away from her face. Pushing to her feet, she found herself facing his chest.
"Thank you so much for telling me how you feel, but I'm sorry, I don't feel anything like that for you. I'm thankful to you for saving me in the alley, but other than that, there is nothing between us. So now that you have your answers, please leave."
He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her head until she meet his eyes. "I don't believe you. If you really felt nothing, you wouldn't have been wearing my jacket when we found you."
When she gasped at his statement, he lowered his lips to hers. He didn't touch her except with his lips and the finger under her chin. She had to clench her hands at her sides to keep from pulling him closer. His lips were warm and soft and nothing about the kiss was demanding or aggressive. Good lord, but the man could kiss, and if he didn't stop, he would break down her resistance.
Pulling his head back until his lips barely brushed hers, "I don't know why you're doing this, but I know you're lying about your feelings. I know you wore that jacket for a reason and if you felt nothing for me, you'd have given it back to me a long time ago. When you decide to tell me the truth, you know where I'll be."
Before she could even get her breath back, he was closing the door behind him as he left. Collapsing back into the chair, she realized that she had to leave, there was no way she could stay now, Lew had been right, he wouldn't give up until she was his.
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"Lew you have to get me out of here. Now!"
"Well good morning to you too. What's wrong with you, you look like you haven't slept."
Sitting down in the chair next to him, "I haven't slept, no thanks to you."
"Me, what did I do that's caused you to lose sleep?"
"Nothing, I'm sorry Lew; I'm just exhausted and more than a little stressed. I had a late night visitor."
Nixon sat up straighter in the chair, "oh really so did you two talk and work things out. I hope so; he is going to kill someone if you two don't resolve this. I can only hope it won't be me. Wait a minute, you aren't happy, what happened?"
Shrugging she looked away. "Nothing really he knew I was lying about how I felt and he kissed me, other than that…"
"Wait, your glossing over the good parts. He kissed you... what happened then."
"I told you Lew, nothing, he just said he knew I was lying about how I felt about him and that when I got my act together, come find him."
She watched as Nixon rubbed his hands together in glee. "Oh yeah, this is about to get fun. There is no way I'm letting you out of here now. You need to tell him the truth, the whole truth and let him decide what he wants."
"No Lew, I'm not going to tell him the truth and have him look at me like that. I couldn't take it."
"Have who look at you like that?"
Both of them jumped and looked at the door where Ron was currently standing leaning on the door jam. "Oh please, don't let me interrupt."
Stepping further into the room, he made a point to brush against Lana as he approached Nixon's desk. "So Nixon, could you give me the latest intelligence for today?"
Nixon glanced between the two of them before lowering his head quickly to hide his smile. This was about to get good. Speirs might have told Lana he was backing off, but he could read the other man like a book, he was just taking a different road to get what he wanted, who knew Speirs could be subtle.
Coughing to cover the lapse, "here you go. I think there should be another coming in later today so stop by after twelve."
Taking the paper and nodding his thanks, he moved to leave the room. He made a point to brush against Lana one more time. He saw her shiver out of the corner of his eye and smiled as he left the room. Yep, he was getting to her.
When Nixon burst out laughing behind her, Lana turned to glare at him. "Lewis Nixon, I don't know what you think is so funny about this. Did you see what he did? He is trying to get to me."
When Nixon finally got himself back under control he just shook his head, "sweetheart, I tried to tell you, the man makes a mule look easy to deal with. You are so finished, he is going to win, so just tell him."
"No I'm not telling him, you are getting me out of here and if you don't, I'll go to Sink and he will."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Watch me." She slammed the door on her way out just to get her point across.
Damn, Nixon was right, he wasn't backing down, this might call for drastic measures, time to go talk to Sara, and Ronald Speirs wasn't the only one who knew how to fight dirty.
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"So he kissed you, oh my God finally how was it?"
Lana sat staring at her friend in shock. "Why is everyone excited because he kissed me and furthermore, why do you want to know what it was like? Aren't you getting enough from Lew?"
Sara ran her lip out in a fake pout, "of course I am, but I've got to admit, Speirs is kind of hot, not in the way Lew is, but more in that dangerous kind of way. Any way so you were saying he is flirting with you."
"Yes, I guess he's decided to weaken my defenses and slip right in. The man is making me crazy that's for sure. I just don't know what to do, I don't want him getting the idea he's winning."
Smiling sweetly Sara could only sigh, "but sweetie, he is winning. Maybe you should talk about what happened, and before you threaten to kill Lew, he told me nothing, the medic did let some things slip and I filled in the blanks. Talk to him."
"Gees are you and Lew reading from the same page. I come over here for advice and you sound like him. I think the two of you spend way too much time together."
"Did you ever stop to think that maybe we're right? Just think about it and no I won't get you an appointment with Sink to run away."
"How did you know?"
Getting up to hug her friend Sara whispered in her ear, "Lew beat you here and told me what you were up to. You need to stay and fight; you deserve a chance to be happy."
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Two nights later
Lana looked at herself in the mirror. Most of the bruising was gone and with her hair fixed a certain way the ugly red wound from the gunshot was a little less noticeable. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the two letters and put them in her pants pocket. Turning she walked out the door.
Ron was more tired than he could ever remember being even in Bastogne. This chasing Lana was wearing him out. Maybe he was just wasting his time and should let her go. No, he wasn't going to think they way, she belonged with him; it was just going to take some time to convince her.
He'd just taken off his boots when the knock came at the door. Sighing he crossed over to open it expecting Luz or Lipton, but instead found Lana.
"Hi, I know it's late, but I was wondering if I could come in and talk to you for a few minutes."
Without saying anything he stepped back to let her in, closely the door behind her.
"Ron, I know what you've been doing and I have to admit, you are hard to resist, but there are some things you don't know about me and I just think it would be better if…"
She never got the chance to finish the sentence because his lips were on hers. Her mind was screaming to push him away, but her heart begged for just this small thing. Sliding her hands up his chest, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer.
Something close to a growl escaped him and she felt his whole body tense. He still hadn't touched her and she knew he was going to let her lead the way. Pulling back from him, she had to wait for his eyes to open. They were glassy and filled with lust, yet there was something more that she really didn't want to see.
Grabbing his arm, she sat him down on the bed and stood in front of him.
"Lana, are you sure this is what you want?"
She kissed him again. He really was a sweet man and if there were anyone she was going to be with it would be him. Smiling she ran her fingers through his hair.
"Yes, I want this, but I need to you let me lead, okay and we just take it slow."
"Okay, your way, tell me what you want."
Lana pushed him back until he was flat on the bed, and then sat down straddling his hips. "You're right where I need you to be."
He was asleep behind her, his breath warm on her neck and his arm across her waist. Moving slowly so as not to wake him she lifted his arm to look at his watch, frowning when she realized she had to go.
Slipping from beneath his arm, she stilled as he mumbled something in his sleep and shifted to his back. Quickly dressing she took one last look at him, her fingers twitched to touch him just one more time.
Pulling one of the letters from her pocket, she laid it on the table next to his bed. She hoped he stayed calm enough to read the whole thing, but knowing his temper, probably not. She could only hope he would understand and forgive her, but it was a chance she had to take.
Giving in to her urge, she leaned in and kissed him gently, then turned and walked out the door.
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Okay, so they are together, but not together, tried to add a little happiness to this chapter. I hope you have time to review the story.