Hey everyone! i'm back and now it's summer! but i have a job now, so i dont know how much writing i'm going to get done.
i'm gonna try really hard tho!
anyways here is the next chaper! thanks for all the reviews, and feedback!
It looked like Harper was just realizing they were in a war.
"We are all going to die," she said matter-a-factly.
"No," said Wade holding tight to her shoulders. "As long as I'm around, no one is dying."
When the fear didn't subside from her face her face Wade pulled her face close to his.
"I swear to you," he said.
She nodded, but didn't look reassured.
"Wade, move it!" yelled Miller.
They had reached the little farm house. Wade tore his eyes away from Harper's and helped her into the house. It was more like a barn than a house. There were animal stalls with hay piled around the sides, and there was a fire pit in the middle. Jackson gently helped Reiben sit on a pile of hay against one wall as the res of the squad set to work building a fire. Wade helped Harper inside, suddenly worried about what he had to do. He knew that a fire alone would do nothing against Harper's frozen body. She needed to get warm clothes on, and wet clothes off.
He looked around for help and Mellish noticed his worried eyes. He caught Wade's attention.
"We are about the same height," he said indicating Harper.
He tossed his gear to Wade smiling knowingly. Wade nodded and started rummaging in the pack. He pulled out army issue shirt and trousers and handed them to Harper. Her violent shaking had been reduced to a minor trembling, but Wade was still nervous about her health. She turned and took the clothes toward one of the stalls. Wade started after her, but she turned and said, "I can change by myself, Wade. I have been doing it since I was five."
Wade nodded and smiled turning a light shade of red.
"Remember to take everything off that's wet," he cautioned.
She nodded and disappeared into the furthest stall. Wade was then free to tend to Reiben's ankle. He knelt in front of him and rolled up his pant leg. He eased his boot off, them was better able to asses the damage.
"It doesn't look broken," said Wade rolling Reiben's foot in a small circle.
"Ouch!" yelped Reiben causing Harper to poke her head over the wall. "You sure doc?"
Wade grinned.
"Which one of us is the doctor here?" he asked.
Reiben laughed, his mood clearly not dampened by his and Harper's near death experience. A few minutes later, the fire was roaring and Reiben's leg was wrapped.
"How yah doing, Lewis?" yelled Miller.
No one had heard anything from the stall for several minutes.
"Fine sir," Harper replied.
In a second she appeared around the corner in the dry clothes. Her ebony hair was elegantly French braided along her forehead and pulled back into a long pony tail.
"How did you get into the army with such long hair?" Jackson asked, admiring the braid.
Harper shrugged.
"I cut it for basic, but that was 9 months ago. I guess it grows fast," she said pulling the end of the ponytail over her shoulder.
At that moment she noticed the gauze wrapping on Reiben's ankle.
"Are you alright?" she asked sitting next to him in the circle around the fire.
He waved a hand dismissively.
"Nothing a little rest won't fix."
"Speaking of," said Miller. "We have all had a rough last few hours. We all need some rest."
Everyone began getting blankets out and finding comfortable places to sleep.
"I'll take first watch," announced Reiben. "I won't be able to sleep anyway. I'm in to much damn pain."
"I told you, you could have morphine," said Wade, spreading his blanket out near the fire.
"No way, doc," said Reiben throwing up his hands like Wade was trying to kill him. "I've heard stories about morphine overdose. They all die!!"
Wade shrugged. "At least its pain free."
They all laughed as they settled into their beds. Reiben scooted lower against the wall making himself a deeper 'bed.' Harper cast him a worried glance as Jackson touched her arm.
"He'll be alright," he said looking across the fire toward the young man.
"I know," said Harper turning back to Jackson. "I just feel bad. I mean he did save me… twice. And he doesn't even like me."
Jackson smiled and said, "go talk to him. You both have things you could get off your chests."
"Really?" Harper asked smiling.
For some reason, Harper thought it would be weird to sleep with anyone but Jackson given how they slept the nigh before.
"Yeah go talk to him."
"Thanks," said Harper leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'll be back before you wake up."
Jackson nodded, and said, "I'll be looking forward to waking up then."
He let a few of his long fingers run down Harper's cheek bone and come to rest under her chin.
Jackson's eyes smiled as their eyes locked for a fraction of a second then Harper got up and made her way around her sleeping comrades to Reiben's side.
"What are you doing over here?" he asked jokingly. "Your boyfriend is going to sleep."
He looked out of the corner of his eyes at Harper, giving her a crooked smile. It was odd to Harper that Reiben had such a problem with her and then, all of a sudden when he saves her, he seems like her best friend.
"What is it?" asked Reiben when Harper's face stayed serious.
"Why did you save me?" she asked.
"You don't beat around the bush do yah?" Reiben asked as Mellish rolled over in sleep.
"Come on, you don't think it's a little bit strange?"
"What? Me saving my fellow soldiers ass?" asked Reiben thouroly confused.
"No," said Harper scooting down into the bed of hay. "You saving my ass. In case you have forgotten, you hate me."
Reiben sighed and looked away from Harper's eyes.
"I never hated you," he said letting his gaze fall to his lap.
"What?" Harper said, her voice coming almost in a yell.
Miller rolled over and shot them looks that said, 'keep it down or shut up.' She and Reiben gave him apologetic looks and Harper restated her question in a quieter volume.
"I never hated you," said Reiben. "I actually really liked you when we first met… well as soon as I found out you were a woman."
Reiben laughed remembering that soldier Harper had kicked the crap out of on the first day he met her. She smiled too but continued to look confused.
"So you never really hated me," Harper said as more of a statement than a question.
"No," said Reiben looking up at her suddenly serious. "I was afraid."
Harper stared at him, mouth hanging open.
"Afraid of what?" she asked.
Reiben sighed clearly having trouble with what he was about to say. Harper lightly put her hand on his shoulder urging him to continue. He sighed and spoke softly.
"I didn't want to get attached to you because I thought you were going to die. I obviously underestimated you, but I was… well I just didn't want to become friends with you only to loose you."
"Boy you really have that hero complex thing down pat don't you?" asked Harper smiling.
Reiben turned worried eyes on her, not knowing if she was kidding or not.
"Its not a hero complex if I want to protect my friends," he countered furrowing his brow.
"But it is a hero complex if you want to protect all your female friends," Harper said smiling softly to show that it was ok. "I'm just glad you didn't hate me."
"I don't think I could hate you even if I wanted to," he said gently covering her hand with one of his.
Harper looked up at him confused for a second, then he pulled his hand away and awkwardly looked at the fire. They sat in silence for a long time listening to the rest of the squad's even breathing. Harper noted that even Jackson's breathing was regular and deep. She wished hers could be that way too, but there was no hope of that tonight.
"So if there was anything I said while I was trying to hate you that was rude, I'm sorry," said Reiben breaking the silence after a while.
Harper snorted at the irony in that statement. She couldn't remember if Reiben had said anything that wasn't rude, the whole time she had known him.
"It's ok," said Harper. "I would be scared for you're health if you went 10 minutes without saying something sarcastic."
He smiled and said, "I tried to hate you because you remind me a lot of my little sister."
He seemed intent on trying to explain himself, even though Harper understood and didn't blame him for trying to hate her.
"I just couldn't bare to have the memory of her around. In the middle of this war is the last place I would want her."
Harper understood fully now that Reiben didn't have a hero complex. He had a big brother complex.
"What's her name?" Harper asked.
"Lea," said Reiben staring into the fire.
His eyes were glazed over as he remembered home. As Harper watched, a small tear escaped out of the corner of one eye. It slid down his cheek making a small line of his face clean.
"You'll get to see her again," said Harper searching his face for the Brooklyn tough guy attitude he normally wore.
For some reason it was unnerving for Harper to see Reiben in tears. He looked at her and smiled feebly, but let the tear continue to run down his face. Harper reached up to his face and drew one of her fingers across his cheek.
"You'll see her again," she said staring deep into his eyes. "I'll make sure of it."
Reiben put his hand over hers on his face and said, "even if I don't make it home, I know she'll be alright."
"Why?" Harper asked still staring intently into his eyes.
"Because she is just like you."
