A/N Thank you to all the readers for sticking around, I really do appreciate every one of you. Thank you to the reviewers and new favourites and followers.
ljvs - Thank you for your review. I completely forgot that if you reviewed the old chapter 33 then you couldn't review the new chapter 33. Thank you for your kind words and I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter.
LolaJGreen - Thank you for your kind words and I'm glad you liked the interaction with Speirs and Churchill. It won't be too long until I wrap things up now, hopefully.
Here's the next chapter, I hope it's ok and you all enjoy, please let me know your thoughts.
...
Cara cupped her hands over her mouth, secretly she knew this would come, but he had taken her by complete surprise with his timing. Cara melted at his words, she couldn't believe how romantic he could be. Their first date had been a taster of this, but now his proposal? He had exceeded himself. Cara stood in silence and rapture, the tears started to flow oh these damn emotions creeping in again!
Ron grinned, his one eyebrow raised.
Cara suddenly realised, she hadn't answered him! She nodded her head erratically, her hands still covering her mouth. Then she dropped her hands "Yes! Yes!" delighted, Cara threw herself at him, knocking him off balance she lay on top of him covering him in kisses "Yes!" she confirmed.
Those few seconds of silence were the longest few seconds of his life, even more so than when Cara got thrown in the air by that mortar in Bastogne. He grabbed her round the waist as she lay on top of him in the grass. He looked up at the twinkling tree, life would be perfect now he thought. Ron chuckled "Do you want to put the ring on?"
Cara pulled away from smothering him in kisses and nodded. She rolled off him and sat in the grass as Ron sat up and took her left hand and slid the beautiful gold and diamond solitaire ring onto her finger. "You're mine forever now, regardless of a wedding ring."
"It's beautiful Ron" Cara gushed admiring how it looked on her hand.
"It's a family heirloom, it's very valuable and very sentimental"
Cara threw herself at Ron again. "I love you Ron, I'll cherish it"
"I love you too Cara"
...
It was a beautiful day and Cara almost wished that somehow Eve and Nix could have had their ceremony outside, but it wasn't to be, luckily they had planned the small reception in the garden at the Company CP overlooking the stunning lake. Cara sat next to Ron on the wooden pew, he was smart and ever handsome in his dress uniform, Cara glanced lovingly at him as Eve and Nix said their vows. Feeling Cara's look, Ron glanced at her too, squeezing her hand, he leaned in and whispered into her ear "us soon" he smiled as he returned his attention to the altar. Cara smiled but felt guilty, she was deliriously happy, but she didn't feel his excitement, she felt terribly nervous to the point that she was dreading it. She turned her attention to Eve and Nix, hoping to keep her fears far from her mind.
Cara couldn't help but gush as she heard her best friend speak, the girl who had been engaged more times than she had hot dinners, but now finally tying the knot and settling down.
"I do" Eve spoke sincerely
Cara looked at the beautiful bride, the bump was hardly noticeable at all, hidden under the gorgeous ivory silk dress she had found in her and Ron's house. The v-neck was perfect, cut not too deep to allow for Eve to keep her modesty. The Empire waist indeed disguising the baby bump secured with an added ribbon, the dress flowed out and skimmed her hips as it rested just below her knees. Cara had removed a petticoat from another dress and sewn it inside to make the dress more formal. Eve opted out of a veil, therefore Cara combed Eve's luscious long brown locks off her face and left them in loose curls. Cara then dotted little white flowers in Eve's hair with a few bunched up at the side. Eve had been impressed with the style and Nix had been blown away at the sight of his bride walking down the aisle towards him on the arm of his best friend Richard Winters.
Cara hoped she could be as confident a bride as Eve was, but she just was not feeling it right now. Maybe when they were back in England, she'd be better and more enthusiastic.
Cara felt Ron squeeze her hand again as Nix was given permission to kiss his bride and they all let out a cheer.
Eve was married, Evelyn Nixon. Cara couldn't be more proud of her best friend and even prouder that she'd be having a baby soon. Cara realised that was another worry playing on her mind. She hadn't had a cycle for sometime now. She had spoken candidly with the Polish surgeon who had saved her life. He informed Cara that with the stress, trauma and malnutrition Cara's body had endured over an extended period of time, it would no doubt have had an affect. In Cara's case no, monthly cycle. Cara was better now and eating healthily, but it still hadn't made an appearance. She tried not to think about it, but what if she couldn't have children and therefore Ron wouldn't want to marry her? She knew she'd have to tell him of this worry, she couldn't trap him like that knowing this. It wasn't a conversation she was looking forward to.
...
Aldbourne
"Uncle Hugo you have to help me!" Edie wailed at her Uncle's disdained expression as she fiddled with her hot cup of tea. She was desperate and he needed to get something right and she was determined that he righted her.
"I have more important things to do Edie" Hugo sighed, how he loathed to entertain Edie's spoilt nature, but what she wanted would satisfy his thirst for blood, although highly hazardous with the end of the war and his need to keep a low profile until he could leave the UK.
"You were more than willing when she was out there!"
"We were after her anyway"
"Please, she's taken my husband and the father of my baby!"
"Ok, ok, I'll think of something, but it'll have to wait until she returns to England, my contacts are scattered, I won't be able to touch her while she's still in Austria"
"That's fine, thank you"
"You do realise that if the man is in love with her, eliminating her isn't necessarily going to bring him back to you"
"I know, I just can't let her be happy"
"Then the only way to achieve that is to eliminate him"
"Never, he's going to be a father"
"Why would you want a man who has run out on his wife and child to pursue another woman is beyond me!"
"Because I love him!" Edie screeched. She knew she was lying to help convince her Uncle to once and for all sort out Cara Finney, but he didn't have to know the child wasn't Ron's, it was a minor detail, a nothing.
"Fine, I only have a narrow window to do this in, we are leaving the country as scheduled regardless of the outcome" It would be very satisfying indeed to sort out the Churchill girl, but it wouldn't be easy, was it really a risk he wanted to make so late in the game? He thought so, if anything but to have a bit of peace from his high pitched, whining niece.
...
Austria
Cara was bored, she was still on sick leave and found herself becoming mischievous when Ron was working. He had less downtime now that the word had spread that the occupation forces would soon be shipping home. Easy company had to tie up loose ends at the D.P. camp and prepare to move the Battalion back to England. Cara spent her days with any of the Easy men who were off duty, if they weren't on a date of course and sneaking around the D.P. camp practising her evading capture skills. Cara hadn't seen Eve for a few days since the wedding, leaving her and her new husband to have a honeymoon period. Nix returned to duties and Eve was tired a lot of the time, therefore Cara would do some jobs for her and then leave her to sleep.
Cara thought about her own wedding to Ron. They would marry back in England. Ron wanted the wedding as soon as possible, he didn't know when he'd be sent back to America and wanted Cara to be able to follow him straight away. If Cara was to be honest with herself, her impending nuptials still filled her with dread. Ron had thought about it all already, he wanted them to marry in St Michael's church in Aldbourne. Cara tried to stall by saying she didn't want to marry him where he had married Edie, but Ron never married Edie in the church, the vicar couldn't accommodate them and they married at the registry office in the end.
Ron thankfully hadn't picked up on Cara's anxiety. She wanted to marry him more than anything, she just needed to make sure he'd be there.
Knock knock
Cara was startled from her thoughts as she walked over to answer the door. She opened it to be greeted by Corporal Wilson. "Ma'am if you're free, Major Taylor has requested your company"
"Ok, come in, let me change into my uniform" Cara stood to the side and let Wilson enter the Austrian home she shared with Ron.
"Very well Ma'am "
...
"What's this all about?" Fin asked Wilson as they headed for the SOE Field HQ.
"No idea Ma'am"
Fin looked out as they proceeded through the town for her to catch sight of Ron, she waved and smiled to be greeted with his confused maybe unhappy face. She ignored it, he hated it when she was in uniform being driven by Corporal Wilson, it brought him bad memories.
Fin jumped out of the jeep and entered the new office of Major Taylor, he had moved most of the administration for SOE to a modest building on the edge of the town. Fin made her way to his office, his door was open and had already seen her arrive.
"Thank you for coming" Taylor greeted Fin.
"Of course Sir"
"Sit down please, do you want tea?"
"No thank you Sir"
"Right I'll get straight to it then. Agent Loralie, I wanted you to be the first to know...I'm retiring" Taylor began, surprising Fin with his announcement.
"I'm sorry to hear that Sir" Fin replied genuinely, he had always been a commanding officer she respected and looked up to.
"You have been an exceptional agent and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you, it'll be those times that I will miss" he confessed.
"I'm honoured you think so highly of me Sir"
"I do very much".
"I would like to return the compliment and express how fortunate I feel to have had such an outstanding commanding officer"
"Thank you, With that in mind..." Taylor held out a tattered, old, white envelope "Because of the person you are, I impart this onto you"
"Sir?" Fin took the blank envelope from Taylor being very careful not to inflict any damage onto the already fragile paper.
"Now pay close attention...this is very important...Do not open it, do not read it... unless you are absolutely certain you are about to die and you can see no chance of survival" Taylor spoke cryptically.
"Sir?" Cara questioned confused.
"Just take these instructions on board Loralie, I say again, do not open it, do not read it unless you are about to die. Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir, but..."
"Good" Taylor interrupted a baffled Cara. "Keep it on your person always, never let anyone else read it"
"I won't Sir"
"It is of the upmost importance that you follow the instructions precisely"
"I will Sir, but I don't understand?!" Cara exclaimed.
"You don't need to understand, just take it, look after it and don't open it until your time has come"
"Do you know what it says Sir?"
"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information"
"What if I don't know I'm about to die?"
"You're asking too many questions, take it at face value Loralie. Dismissed" Taylor ordered.
"Ok Sir, thank you Sir" Fin replied, confused and amused at the same time.
Cara said her farewells to Taylor and the staff at SOE Field HQ. They would all be returning to England before her on the same aircraft as Eve and Nix. Cara had been given permission to swap places with Nix, so that he could fly with Eve and she could take his seat on Easy's aircraft in a couple of days time with Ron and the men. Cara looked at the envelope, turning it over and over in her hands, being careful not to rip the paper. There was certainly a level of temptation bubbling away inside of her to just rip it open and read it, that little devil on her shoulder telling her to do it. The angel on her other shoulder was stronger though and told her to put it in her pocket and follow the instructions that were given. Cara did so and tried to take her mind off what the hell it could possibly say and why at a time when a person was about to die. Why now and not at the beginning of the war? Surely her chances at death were greater then?
...
"Where were you going with Wilson?" Ron asked as he accepted the bottle of beer from Cara as she greeted him when he returned later that evening.
"Taylor wanted to see me, he's retiring and wanted to confirm that Nix and I can swap seats on the plane home" Cara half told the truth. With the envelope safely in her pocket, it felt like the beginning of a heavy burden.
"That's good about the seats. Are you surprised at his retirement?"
"Yes a bit, he's still quite young, but I suppose some people will just have had enough of war..." Cara answered "I wish you had enough of war"
"I'm staying in the military for as long as you are" Ron stated "Anyway, let's get back to planning the wedding"
"If we're talking about the wedding then I think we need to practice some self restraint" Cara began to an immediately suspicious Ron as she leaned against the kitchen table crossing her arms.
He raised his eyebrow in anticipation to Cara's next harebrained idea.
"I think we should sleep in separate rooms until we are married" Cara eyed up Ron's response.
"You're kidding me?" He questioned as he took a swig of his beer.
"I feel it only appropriate, seen as though I'm not really qualified to wear white, this is me righting a wrong" Cara continued seriously.
"I...I don't think I'm going to be able to do that, have you seen you?!" Ron replied beginning to feel deeply worried that he may not be sharing a bed with his fiancé for some considerable time.
Cara ignored Ron's concern "I think it would be important to set an example for any future children we have, that their parents were able to abstain from such temptation" Cara added straight as an arrow.
"Are you going all frigid on me Cara?"
"Abstinence is important, we could get in touch with our spiritual side and meditate our way through the allurement of fornicating" Cara watched a shocked Ron, his mouth dropped open, his bottle of beer dangling loose from his hand down by his side. They stared at each other for what seemed like a long couple minutes. Cara could almost see the cogs turning in his head, he was speechless, he literally had no response. Cara buckled she couldn't keep it up any longer and doubled over laughing hysterically. Ron immediately grabbed his wind up merchant of a fiancé and tickled her causing her to choke and splutter, he eased off so she wouldn't be sick.
"Hell Cara, I know I threatened Taylor to give you extended time off to heal, but fuck me, I need to get you back to work if you're gonna spend all day thinking of ways to wind me up!" he exclaimed.
"Oh that didn't take me all day!" Cara grinned.
Just in case there had been any seriousness whatsoever in Cara's suggestion, Ron put down his beer and scooped up his giggling wife-to-be, carrying her upstairs to the bedroom.
...
Aldbourne
Edie smiled as she lounged on her sofa. Her Uncle was going to deal with that woman for her. She couldn't, she was no match for her, especially now she knew the whore was British Special Forces, her Uncle had revealed to her, although she was still suspicious that Uncle Hugo was still holding back. Edie was pleased though, if anything should fail, he would be the one arrested not her, it was a win win situation for her. The only thing she couldn't figure out was how to win Ron back. Threatening to kill herself got her nowhere and her Uncle was right, killing Cara Finney wouldn't necessarily have him run to her. She needed to sit down and think about this one hard, what would make him leave Cara alive or dead and return to her? If Cara cheated on him perhaps? But that would be difficult without the whore's cooperation. She needed to come up with something and fast.
...
Austria
Cara couldn't believe it, they were all finally leaving mainland Europe and heading for the British Isles. She watched as the men enthusiastically loaded their bags onto the plane, obviously laden with loot. The only one that didn't look happy was Carson. He had married Antonia when she confided in Ron that she was pregnant, leading to Ron informing Carson. Gordon Carson had quickly married Antonia, but they would both have to wait for the red tape to be sorted before she could follow him to England and then onto the United States. He was devastated at leaving his pregnant wife. Cara offered what comfort she could, but nothing would make him happy until Antonia and her young son could join him.
Cara was surprised at the little baggage Ron had, but he had already arranged for the majority of his loot to be posted back. Cara was very curious to see it all finally and to find out what he had done with her gifts to him from Hitler, which he was still keeping very close to his chest. Cara didn't mind the secrets, he had a right to his seen as though she had the letter Taylor gave her and her worry over being barren hidden from him.
"Are you ready?" Winters asked snapping Cara from her thoughts.
"Yes Sir"
"Sorry you're having to fly back in your jump gear, but we'll have a great celebration at the other end with your wings waiting" Winters smiled, he was very pleased with himself, he couldn't have any soldier under his command without wings.
Cara was indeed uncomfortable, but it was a necessity. Ron was pleased that she'd be jumping back into England 'making an entrance' he expected nothing less from her now, but Cara had a nagging doubt at the back of her mind about it all, she wasn't scared, just unsure. Maybe Taylor had the same nag and that's why he gave her the note? Could she read it as she plummeted through the air as her chute failed to open? Was that the nag? Or was she going to die on landing, maybe she'd be impaled and would read the note as the blood poured from her mouth, spluttering it over the writing, preventing anyone else from ever knowing what it said? No, she didn't feel it was her time yet, there was something else.
"You ok baby?" Ron asked seeing Cara deep in thought.
"Yes" she smiled, now would be a good time she thought and then he could use the journey back to England to think things through. "Ron"
He looked at her, concerned for her expression.
"I haven't had a cycle for a while, well for a long time actually" she began
Ron furrowed his brow.
"A woman's monthly." Cara confirmed "It hasn't returned, the doctor said my body might need time to recover from the trauma it's experienced. Basically I may not be able to have children" Cara lowered her head and looked at her boots. She immediately felt a finger under her chin and lift her head.
"It's ok baby, let's just cross each bridge as we come to it, right now all I want is to marry you"
"Still?"
"Shit Cara of course! I'm marrying you because I love you not for what you can bring to the marriage!"
Cara smiled.
"Ok now?" he asked
Cara nodded.
"Good, I don't want you worrying about a thing, now come on you've got some wings to earn!" Ron said cheerfully before being distracted by some of the men. He turned and walked back to see what the fuss was about.
"Come on doll, it's time to board" Luz grabbed Fin and assisted her unnecessarily over to the plane. "Do ya think Sparky will let you sit between me and Tab?"
"I don't see why not, he's Easy CO, so can't really be seen fraternizing with his troopers and let's be honest that's all he'll do throughout the flight if I were next to him!" Fin joked, she welcomed Luz's timing.
"Well if you were my broad, that's what I'd be doing!" Luz winked "I can't promise that I can keep my hands to myself the whole flight though Fin!"
"Well, that's ok because I can't promise to keep my hands to myself either!" Fin laughed.
"All hands will be kept to themselves!" Speirs smirked as he walked past Fin and Luz overhearing their conversation.
"Oh well, maybe we can undress each other with our eyes!" Luz said quietly into Fin's ear.
"Might take you a while, with all the extra gear I'm wearing!"
...
Aldbourne
Edie couldn't concentrate, normal life had become clouded by her hatred for Cara Finney. She felt her thirst for vengeance flood into her bloodstream. This had become her main focus, she could not let it go, she could not carry on living her life without appeasing her hatred for that whore. Her and Ron hadn't been together long but she knew that it would have led to forever if only that whore hadn't come along. What did Cara Finney have that she didn't? Edie had found a new confidence in herself, that whore may be a soldier but she was about to meet her match, there is nothing more dangerous than a woman scorned.
Edie felt a sharp pain again, she'd been feeling them regularly the whole day so far. She knew what it meant, the baby was coming, but she didn't care for the pain, it was nothing compared to the hate she felt right now. She sat upright in the armchair she had moved to from the sofa, it felt more comfortable. As she panted through the pain, she seethed her venom out between her gritted teeth.
"Uncle Hugo!" she called out as the contraction slowly subsided "You need to take me to the hospital!" the next contraction was only a few minutes away and Edie didn't want to give birth at home.
...
Over the skies of England
Cara walked up and down the plane after the light turned red high fiving each one of her lads as she prepared to make her jump. Her stomach doing somersaults gave her a feeling of unease. She was never nervous about jumping, she finally put it down to Taylor's note spooking her as an explanation, that's what it had to be. Christenson insisted on a peck on the cheek as she high fived him, feeling Speirs' glare as a result, but she figured it would be more aimed at Christenson than at her, it didn't matter anyway, she was jumping out of the plane, Christenson was the one stuck on there with him. Fin grinned cheekily as she finished her good-byes to the men and made eye contact with Speirs as she approached him by the door. Winters stood up and hugged her before sitting back down, leaving Speirs to be the last one to say good-bye. He turned to her so that his back blocked the sight of her from the men. He mouthed "I love you" at her as he held her by her shoulders, she mouthed the precious words back. The light turned green.
Fin stepped into the open doorway feeling the cool air on her face, she turned to the men one final time.
"CURRAHEE!" they all shouted as Fin smiled and then jumped.
...
Aldbourne
Lew and Eve Nixon stood waiting near the airfield as they saw Fin leave the plane, her chute opening, she elegantly drifted down towards the ground, with little breeze, she'd make the DZ easily.
Eve screwed her face up as she leaned on her husband trying to hide her contractions from him. She wanted to see her best friend safely back on British soil first, but she wouldn't be able to hide them for long. They were bloody painful and would only get worse. As soon as Fin had landed and was on her feet, she'd tell Lew. As the next contraction started Eve begged for Fin to get down quicker, but not too quick for her to be hurt. It felt like forever come on Fin!
Fin landed and quickly jumped to her feet Finally! Eve thought relieved, she turned to Lew.
"Time to go to the hospital darling" she informed as the contraction eased.
"Why? She seems fine" Lew replied confused as to why Eve thought Fin needed to go to the hospital.
"Not Fin! Me! It's time Lew and I'm about to break your arm when the next contraction starts, so it's very much in your own interest to get me to..." The contraction started "...THE DAMN HOSPITAL NOW!" Eve shouted out as she bent over squeezing Lew's arm tightly.
"Shit! What?!" Lew buckled under Eve's sudden new found strength. "Ok, ok, let's go! Shit, fuck!"
"Can you refrain from cursing when the baby is born, I don't want that to be the first sound it hears!' Eve asked as Lew assisted her into the jeep. He quickly rounded the vehicle and jumped in fumbling the keys in the ignition, he started the engine and drove off a little too erratically in his panicked state.
...
Fin quickly gathered up her chute wont be reading the note today she thought as she strolled across the airfield to the odd holler and cat call from some British ground crew, Fin acknowledged them with a courtesy. As she neared she saw a jeep pull up, Fin smiled and jogged over.
"Hello Corporal Wilson and what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I wanted to see you complete your training Ma'am" Wilson replied perplexed as to why she had to do the jump to get her wings when she clearly had enough jumps under her belt already.
"Just a formality" Fin replied as if she had read his mind, their conversation interrupted by the rumble of the trooper transport planes landing.
"Ma'am" Wilson began.
Fin turned to the Corporal
"I saw Lieutenant Heaton and Captain Nixon drive off, speeding, I don't care for his driving ability Ma'am"
"You don't care for his driving ability?" Fin questioned "Well that can only mean one thing! Get me to that hospital Corporal!"
Speirs disembarked the aircraft and looked over the airfield as he saw Cara climb into a jeep with that damn Corporal Wilson and drive off. How he hated that man with a passion, always driving his girl off somewhere he was unaware of. Where the fuck was she going now?!
"Weekend passes all round" Speirs announced to a round of cheers "If anyone comes across Lieutenant Churchill, remind her that her ceremony is at 1900, if anyone needs me, I'll be in the pub" with that Speirs headed off to drop his bags and do exactly as he said, go straight to the pub.
...
Aldbourne Military Hospital
Fin rushed into the hospital, still a military one, a baby being born would probably be a very welcome change.
"Delivery suite?" Fin called to a nurse as she slowed down for the answer, the hospital was large with long corridors and lots of staff busying themselves, Fin didn't want to waste time searching the place.
"Down the corridor and turn left"
"Thank you!" Fin replied picking up the pace, as she rounded the corner she caught sight of Nix pacing up and down.
"Everything ok?" Fin asked skidding to halt by his side.
Nix looked up at Fin's arrival "I think so, they won't let me in"
"Some nurses allow the dads in some don't, shall I go in and ask?"
"No...no, I'm not sure I want to go in, she's been screaming pretty loudly"
"Oh Nix, you're not scared of Eve are you?!"
"Yeah! Damn right I am!"
Fin laughed and pushed the door open "Oh thank God, Fin, you're here, hold my hand!" Eve called her over. The nurse eyeing Fin's attire disapprovingly.
Ignoring the look from the nurse, Fin rushed over and took her friends hand. "Oh Fin, there is no decency in giving birth!" Eve cried through the next pain.
"You're progressing well" the nurse said as the door opened again and a middle aged lady walked in. "Hello Eve, I'm your midwife Audrey, let's see how you're doing"
Audrey walked over and took a look. Definitely no dignity during childbirth Fin thought to herself.
Audrey stuck herself at the bottom of the bed and inspected Eve as Fin pulled a face. Noticing Fin's expression Audrey chuckled "You might want to remove some of your gear and jacket, you might get a bit hot dear" she said to Fin.
Fin agreed and began removing her straps and field jacket. As she pulled her jacket over head being too lazy to undo all the buttons, Audrey gushed as Fin exposed her midriff before pulling her shirt down.
"What?" Fin asked as Audrey stared at her.
Audrey cocked her head, did the girl not know! "Judging by your frame dear, that's not a fatty belly you've got there!"
"Huh?"
"You're very lean, but that is one firm bump you've got, congratulations!"
"Are you telling me I'm pregnant?" Fin asked confused
"Yes dear, I've been in this game long enough to know that you are most definitely sporting the latest fashion in pregnancy bumpage"
"That's wonderful news!" Eve screeched as another contraction peaked.
"But I haven't had a cycle in quite a while" Fin stated
"Well it looks like it came back and you got caught!" Audrey smiled.
Fin stood there grinning she was pregnant! "How far along am I?"
"Judging just by your bump it's difficult to say but maybe four plus months? Likely to be more. I can examine you after I've delivered"
"Shit! I've done two jumps in that time!" Fin exclaimed to Eve who was now smiling as she re-took Fin's hand.
"Well, no damage has been done by the looks of it, don't worry, but make sure you're eating well" Audrey replied turning her attention back to Eve. "Ok dear, you are ready to push, but I want them slow and controlled, let's try and avoid any tears" the midwife said calmly.
"Tears?!" Fin exclaimed
"Let's keep it together!" The midwife laughed at her own pun.
Eve let out a loud groan as she felt the urge to push. Fin spoke to her kindly, supporting her friend as she brought a new life into the world.
...
Fin opened the door of the delivery room and walked into the corridor where Nix was pacing up and down. Ron had gotten word and had joined him along with Winters. All three men stared at Fin. "Nix do you want to go in?" Fin asked proud as punch. Nix smiled and walked straight past Fin and in to see Eve and his baby.
Behind the door they heard Nix happily announce he had a daughter.
"A girl!" Winters smiled.
Fin nodded as Ron pulled her in for a hug. "How is Eve?" he asked.
"She's just fine, no tears"
"Tears!?" Ron asked bewildered.
"I know! It's horrific to think about!" Fin laughed. Fin had persuaded Eve to keep her pregnancy a secret from Ron for the time being. Just like the perfect moment Ron had created for his proposal, Fin wanted the perfect moment to tell him he was going to be a daddy.
...
Fin's celebration after finally receiving her wings turned into a joint wetting of the baby's head, which she was more than pleased to accommodate. With the men getting completed plastered, it was easier to disguise her drink as non-alcoholic. The difficulty she was having was disguising the tightness of her jacket of her number 1s, she felt she had suddenly put on weight since finding out. Luckily it was warm inside the pub, she removed it and untucked her shirt to hide the small bump protruding from behind her skirt. At some point though she was going to have to dance on the tables if she was to convince everyone she was drunk, unless of course Ron prevented her from doing that, she never thought he liked it but mainly because the men joined her. Fin laughed as Nix sunk into a chair, he wasn't going to last long at this rate with the men never letting his glass get empty. Ron looked over at her and smiled taking a drink from his pint as he helped lower Nix down. Fin felt a hand on her elbow, it was Tab "Care for a dance?" he asked.
"Always" Fin replied letting him lead her to the floor. "I'm going to visit Shifty tomorrow, do you want to come?"
"Always" Tab smiled
...
Later that evening Eve slept on the ward unaware that Edie was only a few beds down from her. Edie stared at the sleeping brunette. The woman who had held her at gun point. Edie thought it was strange, she felt no feelings towards her at all, not even hate. All her ill feelings were saved for the whore. Edie had heard the nurses gossiping about the blonde, female paratrooper who didn't know she was pregnant, Edie put two and two together, it had to be the whore and pregnant by her Ron! Edie sunk her fingernails into her forearm. That whore was pregnant and was going to have her Ron's baby! It should have been her! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HER! Edie dug her nails harder into her skin and drew her own blood, she couldn't stop thinking about how perfect things were working out for Cara Finney. She fucking despised her so much that there was no name for the intensity she felt. Edie didn't feel the pain her nails made as they bore in deeper, her blood trickling down onto the white bedsheets.
Edie smirked. In the pits of darkness Edie had sunk into she had finally come up with a plan.
