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For three days Wade had been able to keep the captain from moving, but he was getting restless. Wade doubted he would be able to keep Miller from moving on much longer, no matter what Harper's condition. As he finished wrapping her infected wound he yelled for Miller.
"I think one more day would do it sir," he said.
Miller nodded.
"How do you feel private?" he asked Harper.
"Better sir. I don't have a fever anymore. I think this medic saved my life," she said smiling up at Wade.
"Damn it now I'm gonna' owe him," Jackson said coming over.
Harper smiled at him and he greeted her with a soft kiss on the hand. Miller, who wasn't quite as excepting of their relationship, rolled is eyes and walked back to Horvath.
"Why are you all wet?" Harper asked touching Jackson's hair.
"I was swimming with the boys," he said nodding toward a lake.
Harper looked at the water sadly. She watched Reiben, Weston and Mellish splash each other, then Mellish tackled Reiben and they disappeared under the translucent waves. Weston was not to be outdone. He dove into the water where Reiben and Mellish had disappeared. They all came back up and Weston shook his head sending water droplets onto Upham, who was trying to wash his clothes. Because of Upham's oh so Upham reaction, they made it a game. See how many of his dry clothes they could get wet again.
"Sorry darlin'," Jackson said. "You aren't well enough yet."
"Please Jackson. Please?" Harper begged sitting up trying to show off how good she felt.
She really did feel ten times better than she had in weeks.
"Well…"
It was Wade. He was regarding her with a critical eye looking at the three wounds. Two of them were almost healed and the third was free of infection.
"If you promise to be careful and not rip your-"
"Oh Wade thank you! I haven't been clean since basic!" Harper said throwing her arms around Wade.
He pulled her arms off him and held her back. "You can go ONLY if you promise to be careful."
"I'm always careful," she said and jumped up.
Her fast movements surprised Jackson and Wade who hadn't seen her move for days. Wade figured she had been humoring him. She grabbed one of Wade's arms and one of Jackson's arms and pulled them both toward the water. She already had her gear and field jacket off so when she got to the water's edge all she did was pull her boots off, resting with the left one, and pull her trousers off. She was then free to run into the water, the cold waves splashing up around her legs. When it was deep enough she dove in and swam letting the cool water wash everything that had happened since she went to the base in Flagstaff. She came up and flipped her shoulder blade length hair right into Reiben's face.
"What are you doing in here?" he asked after he got the water out of his eyes.
"I'm better. Didn't Wade mention that to anyone?" Harper asked then she dove beneath the water again.
Reiben looked back to the shore where Wade and Jackson were pulling off their gear. Wade smiled and nodded. Reiben suddenly grinned from ear to ear then jumped on Harper propelling them both beneath the water. The muted sound of people yelling, and splashing filled Harper's ears and she would have laughed out loud had she been above water.
Reiben had her around the waist and they were both sinking fast until Harper felt the pebbles on the bottom of the lake. Reiben pushed off the bottom with his free hand and they both popped out of the water, everything becoming suddenly clear and loud without the water to dim it.
Mellish, Wade, and Weston had run after Upham who had been hanging up his clothes. When he saw them coming after him he had run for his life, but it had done no good. Weston had tackled him to the ground, and with the other two's help, drug him back to the water. He was not happy about it, but when Harper smiled and lightly slapped him on the back he rolled his eyes and took his jacket off.
Jackson dove in and disappeared before coming up behind Harper. He snaked his arms around her waist making her jump.
"Sorry," he laughed.
"You are not," Harper said turning and playfully hitting his bare chest.
"Ouch," he said half smiling.
She scrutinized his features to see if it really hurt, which she was sure it didn't. The water was lapping at Jackson's chest and arms making Harper strangely nervous. She wasn't nervous because they were both the closest to naked they had ever been with each other, but because of the way he made her heart jump. Just being in his arms made her heart so hard she was sure he could feel it against his chest.
For years she had guarded her heart so well no one could get in. she hadn't even let Weston in
"Hey you two get a room!" Reiben shouted from across the water.
Jackson took his eyes from Harper and turned to face Reiben, but Harper turned his face back to her. She trailed her pointer finger down his stubbly cheek and pulled his face to hers. Their lips met softly and stubble tickled Harper's chin. After a second, Jackson opened his mouth and ran his tongue along her bottom lip gently asking permission. Harper kept her mouth closed and he nipped her lip showing his annoyance, but he smiled into the kiss making Harper melt. The heard Reiben hoot and Mellish whistled, and Jackson almost broke the kiss, but Harper slung her arms over his shoulders and ran her fingers through his hair. She felt a shiver ascend his back and she heard Reiben groan.
She let her hand rise above Jackson's head and she raised her middle finger. Everyone saw it and whooped. All but Reiben. He clenched his jaw and shoved the closest person to him who happened to be Upham. He yelped and went under the water. Wade glared at Reiben and pulled Upham up by one arm.
For the next hour and a half the men, and Harper splashed around, and acted more like young people than they had gotten to in a long time. Finally Harper swam back to shore and drug herself, waterlogged and tired up onto a sunny spot on the grass. Jackson followed and everyone else followed at their own pace.
Jackson threw himself down next to her and looked up at the sky.
"You ever wish you were a bird?" Jackson asked.
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