Hello! I'm back with a new chapter :)

Special thanks to my readers and reviewers... your support made my day wonderful :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Band of Brothers. This is purely of entertainment. It is based on the HBO miniseries and no disrespect is meant towards the real men of Easy Company.

Chapter Four: Chasing a Spitfire

It lasted only for a moment.

I quickly pushed myself away, separating my lips from Roe's. That was when I saw his face and swallowed a lump in my throat. He looked as if something hard had just whacked him on the head. But, a moment later, he snapped back into reality, while his pale cheeks got a peculiar, deep shade of red. I was bloody sure that mine weren't too different.

Jessica, what the hell have you done?

"Roe…"

I couldn't even describe how embarrassed I felt. I bet that somebody had seen the whole lot, but I didn't have the courage to turn around and see who it was. I could only stare at the medic, rooted to my spot.

"I'm so, so sorry…"

"It's… it's okay, Miss. It ain't yo fault." Roe timidly smiled, trying to persuade me that everything was alright. But, it wasn't… was it?

As I was still looking at him, I felt a strong urge to scuttle off, to make myself vanish from the pub. Maybe I should do that right now. I bit my lip, thinking of the quickest possible route out of here. But, I didn't manage to make a run for it, because someone grasped my arm.

"Jess, Gene, I need you two back at the aid station." Ralph's concerned face appeared between Roe's and mine. "There was a brawl again…"

Roe gazed at me for a moment, with an expression I couldn't decipher. And then he ran towards the door, weaving his way among the tables. Sighing, I mentally thanked Ralph for coming. After all I had done, I didn't have a clue what to say to Roe.

"Where was the brawl?", I asked, trying to look composed.

"At the other pub, the 'Blue Boar'. Some of our guys from the 101-st had a fight with those from the 82-nd, so don't expect anything pretty." Ralph tugged at my sleeve. "C'mon, let's get to work."

"You go first, I'll be right behind you."

Ralph nodded and made a run for it. Meanwhile, I glanced around the pub, searching for my shoes. While I was picking them up from the floor, I noticed Bill standing nearby and felt guilt spreading through me. We were here barely an hour when my job called for me. He definitely wouldn't be happy to hear this.

"I'm sorry I'll have to spoil your evening", I said.

However, he didn't seem disappointed at all. In fact, he smiled before he said: "It's okay, Jess. Do what you gotta do. I'll see ya later!"

He sent me a wink as Ralph dashed through the pub door. Having only time to wave at Bill, I grasped my shoes in my hands and sprinted after the two medics. Ten steps later, I was already in the street, barefoot and doing all I could to keep up with them. A few passers-by sent me confused looks, but I ignored them.

The village houses soon stayed behind, while the base appeared in front of us, along with the small aid station. I followed Ralph and Roe through the door with the red cross and suddenly felt my heart sliding to my feet. The brawl must have been a big one, because eight lads were now sitting or lying in beds.

"I'll go and change into something apt", I muttered.

"Just hurry up", Ralph said, heading towards the nearest bloke.

While Roe went after him, I grabbed my nurse clobber and rushed into the supply closet on my right. As quickly as I could, I changed my clothes and placed my mum's dress in a corner. There was no time for me to find my official shoes and take off my make-up, so I just smoothed my skirt and got outside.

Don't expect anything pretty… that's charming, Ralph. I fought with the urge to bite my lip when I approached the beds. But, that was much easier said than done. Dishevelled and battered, some of them with painful grimaces, the lads looked terrible. I quickly glued my eyes to the floor, in case that someone was bleeding. Fainting wasn't something I needed right about now.

"Hey, Jess, could you pass me the iodine?", Ralph asked.

"Uh… sure."

I took a small bottle from a shelf and handed it to him. That was when I let my gaze drift to the left, where Roe was untying a roll of bandages. All of a sudden, as if he felt that someone was watching him, he glanced behind and his dark brown eyes met mine.

I quickly shifted my gaze to another place and bit my lip again. Even though I had apologised, I still couldn't shake off the embarrassment from the pub. Hand on heart, I felt like a complete idiot.

Probably because I was one.

"Do ya see that guy over there?", Ralph asked, jerking me out of my thoughts, "He's all yours."

"You really have a way with words, Spina", I said sarcastically.

He quietly chuckled. Giving him a glare in return, I went to the bed he had pointed at. As soon as I sat beside the patient, I recognised the white eagle on his sleeve. He might have been from the same notorious company as my two colleagues. Speaking of them, he even looked similar, with his black hair and dark eyes.

"I haven't seen you before", he said in a husky voice. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding his arm tightly against his left side. "Are you a new nurse?"

"You could say that." I moved my chair close and observed the side he was shielding. "It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Like a son of a b..." He suddenly stopped and added: "I mean, yeah."

"Could you take your shirt off?"

He shortly hesitated. But, then he carefully pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing an enormous bruise on the side of his chest.

"Holy shit…", I muttered under my breath.

"Whoah, nurse, you sure got a tongue!"

"Swearing isn't only reserved for you lads." I frowned as I observed that spot. He had been hit so hard that his skin became yellowish. "How the hell did you get this?"

"I picked a fight with a big guy."

That was really smart of you. Biting my lip, I placed my hand on the bruise and tried to feel it under my fingers. As I moved my index and middle finger up, I heard the private's snigger.

"Shouldn't we have dinner together first?", he asked, wincing.

I pouted while moving on. Recalling Roe's instructions, I pressed the bruise just a little. But, that was enough to make the bloke grunt in pain.

"Well, private, it looks like you'll have to take a break from fighting. You broke a rib, maybe two." I reached into my pocket. "I'll bandage them up, and then Roe will give you some pills."

He nodded, a bit crestfallen. "'Kay."

Taking out a long piece of bandage, I carefully began wrapping it around his chest. However, no matter how I tried to be gentle, he couldn't stop wincing every few moments.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I kept talking to him. That should advert his attention from the pain – or at least some of it.

"I don't remember you telling me your name", I said, moving along with the bandage.

"It's because I didn't say it." He winced one more time. "I'm Tipper. Edward's the name. And you?"

"Jessica. Or Jess, for short."

"You look… really presentable, nurse Jess."

Doing my best not to snort, I looked up at him. Judging by his expression, the chat seemed to be working.

"Do you always prepare for work like that?", he asked.

"No. I was having an evening off when you lads decided to throw punches."

He grinned. "I see it wasn't an ordinary evening off."

"Oh, Tip, you have no idea", Ralph said, a couple of beds away, "She was on a date with Wild Bill himself!"

Edward's eyes suddenly widened. He looked back at me, with disbelief spreading all over his face.

"You're shittin' me! You're Guarnere's girl?"

"Hey, I'm nobody's girl!", I snapped, "He just called me out for a drink."

"Yeah, yeah, you keep talkin'."

I felt my cheeks becoming warmer. Hoping to change the subject, I quickly asked: "Speaking of drinks, why were you lot fighting at the 'Blue Boar'?"

"Because of those guys." Edward nodded towards the blokes, who were sitting on the other side of the room. "They're from the 82-nd. I think that explains every damn thing!"

One of the lads sent a murderous glare in his direction.

"I guess you don't fancy each other much", I assumed.

"It's because we are the problem", Edward tried to explain, "The 101-st is the top notch in the entire regiment. Those losers over there just can't live with that."

Like two football club rivals. Lads will always be lads, I see. A corner of my lips curved as I lied the bandage off. That was when a voice behind me said:

"You think you're so tough when you're 'ere, in safe 'ole England…"

I glanced back at the insulted bloke from the 82-nd. Propping against his elbow, he leaned slightly towards Edward and me.

"We're gonna see who's the best when the jump comes", he added, "I heard that's gonna be very soon!"

I could only shrug to that. But, I noticed that those words had made quite an impact on Ralph. His face, which was once cheerful, suddenly became ashen in front of my eyes. I could have sworn that he looked terrified.

"That's bullshit", he quickly said, waving it off.

However, the aid station remained silent long after that. Except a rare sigh or a grunt of pain, I didn't hear any other sound from Roe, Ralph and the others.

Perhaps, in some way, that bloke was right after all.

XXX

A couple of hours later, after we cleared out everyone, I went outside. Letting a tired sigh pass through my lips, I leaned against the aid station wall. That was when I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

Thanks goodness that's over.

But, then I saw something else shining, a couple of steps away. It was a tiny orange glow, which seemed as if it was levitating in the night. Taking a closer look, I realised that it was Roe. He was standing next to me, with a cigarette wedged between his two fingers. But, something about him didn't look right. He was completely still and silent, gazing at empty space.

"Mr Roe?", I asked.

He turned around and looked at me. "Miss?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm okay."

Everything around us became quiet again. But, that didn't last for long.

"Would it help if I said 'I'm terribly sorry' one more time?", I asked.

His smiled for a short time. "I said I forgave you."

He raised his cigarette and took a long, steady drag from it. Soon after, he raised his head and let out a puff of smoke. I silently watched as it floated through the air, towards the bright stars above us.

"He's right, you know", he said suddenly.

I shifted my eyes back to him. "Who?"

"That guy. From the 82-nd."

Remembering that lad's words, I swallowed hard. Although it must have been just rumours among the Yanks, it made Ralph and him more than solemn. Frankly, I had never seen them acting like this.

"He probably made that up just to…", I began, but he cut me off.

"We got a new lieutenant two days ago. And da drills are gettin' harder."

"That doesn't mean you'll be moving out soon…"

"And our S-2 keeps disappearin' at sum meetings in da middle of da day."

My brow furrowed. "S-2?"

"Intelligence officer."

"You mean, Nixon?"

"Yeah. Him." Roe's voice was so quiet, that it was on the edge of becoming a whisper. "Somethin's about ta happen, Miss. And I ain't sure if that's gonna be good."

Gazing at the buildings in the distance, he took another drag. Although the light of his cigarette cast a reddish glow on him, I could see that his face was as pale as frost. His hand trembled slightly when he lowered it. He was struggling to hide that, but it wasn't enough to keep the truth away. Behind all that silence, he was afraid.

"It'll be okay."

I had no idea why I had said that. Making up comforting words weren't one of my talents. However, I couldn't stay silent. I needed to say something to him.

"You think so?", he asked quietly.

"As long as you believe in that."

He nodded with a thoughtful look. And then, for just a second, a small and shy smile found its way back to his lips.

"May I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What's your name?"

He was quiet for a moment. But, after some time, he replied: "Eugene."

I opened my mouth to say something more. But, I didn't get any time for it, because a sound of hurried steps broke through the night.

"Doc?", someone asked, "Doc, are you there?"

What is it now? I turned around, just in time to see two blokes emerging out of the darkness. One of them, with bright fiery hair, was heading towards us and supporting his limping friend. To my surprise, I had met both of them at the "Oak and Stag".

I blinked a couple of times, remembering the red-head's name. "Malarkey?"

"What happened?", Eugene asked.

"I think I sprained something when I fell", the other lad muttered, with his arm slung over Malarkey's shoulders, "Gahdamn jigs…"

I quietly sighed. My working hours were obviously far from over.

XXX

It was almost dawn when I woke up.

I was at home again, lying in my ancient bed. Neve was in the bed beside mine, murmuring something in her sleep. Trying not to make too much noise, I slung my jacket over my shoulders and sneaked into the chilly air outside.

Nobody was up yet. My only company were the houses around me, almost grey in the fade daylight. High above me, the sky was becoming lighter by the minute. I frowned a little when I noticed that the stars were disappearing. Only a few of them remained in their old places, flickering above the rooftops.

As for the moon, it had already fled the sky. All I could see now was a blue, empty space where it once had been. Not moving my gaze from it, I sat on the cold pavement under my feet.

One day, Eugene and the others would also go away, leaving an empty space in this village.

That fact had made me think a lot last night, on my way home. Even though I was trying hard to be a good nurse, the bashful medic would soon fly over the English Channel and take my job with him. Without him, the aid station would be closed and I would once again be in trouble. And, this time, there would be no intelligence officers named Nixon to help me.

Maybe I should look for another job these days. But, what could I do?

I immediately said 'no' to factories. I was fed up with them and there was nothing that could make me work there again. However, that left only three more options. For a lass of my age, I had the best chance to become a dishwasher, a waitress in a pub or to go from house to house and do my neighbours' laundry for money.

Damn it. All three ideas made my brow furrow. I didn't want to do something like that for the rest of my life. I had my dreams and wishes, too. But, I had Neve, as well. In spite of everything, I needed money for food, clothes and rent. And I wouldn't earn it by avoiding all my chances here.

I sighed again, which seemed incredibly loud in the quiet street. In fact, it was the only existing sound in the neighbourhood. The birds weren't chirping and there were no busses and Jeeps rumbling between the houses. The whole street looked as if everyone had deserted it during the night.

That was when I heard something.

At first, it sounded like some sort of humming in the distance. However, as seconds went by, it was becoming louder and louder. In the end, it became really close to the sound of thunder. I covered my ears with my hands, while a few sparrows soared from the nearby trees.

To tell you the truth, that nose was more than familiar to me. I knew what the source of it was before I even looked up into the sky.

It was an airplane. Recalling my dad's stories, I discovered that it was Spitfire – a small, but fast plane that could move through the air with ease. Its greenish, elliptic wings were wider than any bird's as it roared above the silent houses.

My jaw dropped slightly. I couldn't take my eyes off that plane. I just kept gazing up, while my heart began thumping with excitement. It must have been an amazing feeling being able to start the engine, lift the whole thing from the ground and weave a path above the rooftops.

In that moment, I felt a smile slowly spreading over my face.

This was a chance I didn't want to miss.

The Spitfire was steadily getting lower when I sprinted down the street. I had no idea where it would land – so I just started chasing it. But, that lasted for only a few steps, before I ran into a man who had taken his dog out for a walk.

"Hey, watch it!", he barked at me.

"Excuse me…"

Avoiding his small, but growling dog, I kept running through the village. With my eyes fixed on the plane, I barely found my way among the houses, fences and hedges. After some time, I was out of breath, leaning against the last house in Aldbourne. However, I saw the place where the Spitfire was flying to.

About half a mile in front of me, short green grass turned into vast fields. From my quiet spot, I could see patches of gold where the wheat fluttered and green squares where the vegetables grew. In the heart of that field, there was a couple of farm buildings, with a large barn right behind them. The Spitfire landed not so far away, while its engine continued to rumble like mad.

I tilted my head a little. Soon after the plane touched the ground, it made a turn to the right and slowly moved towards the barn. Perhaps that barn was some sort of a hangar.

Watching it disappear inside the building, I waited until I got my breath back. Just a second later, I was running again, straight through that field. I didn't stop until the farm got only a few feet away from me. But, I quickly found out that there was nobody around. There wasn't a single soul standing nearby.

Where's everybody? I looked at the barn, which door was wide open, allowing the breeze to enter. At that moment, something came to my mind.

Maybe I could take a peek. That wouldn't cause much trouble, could it? I decided to make another few steps. And then I stopped at the edge of the entrance and glanced inside. Somewhere in the shadows, I caught a glimpse of two more airplanes. That made my heart jump. I wasn't certain about the first one, but the second one was definitely an old Spitfire, too. Although its paint seemed a bit fade, its long propeller was glimmering as it should be.

"She's a real beauty, isn't she?"

I jerked when the pilot got out of the first Spitfire. He soon strolled out of the barn and stopped in the sunlight. To my bewilderment, he was tall and young – maybe in his early twenties – with a proud smile on his face.

I moved a bit, letting him pass. "Aye. She is."

I had never seen that lad before. I was sure of it. However, I had a strange feeling that I had met him somewhere else, a long time ago. Somewhere before Neve and I had moved to Aldbourne, before we had left Newcastle behind. I tried to link his face with one of my memories when it suddenly hit me.

Of course, years have passed. He's older now. But, it must be…

"Mike Sullivan?" I gazed at him. "Is that you?"

After blinking in surprise, he nodded. Holy mackerel, it IS him!

That was when he froze to his spot. "Jess Prichard?"

I couldn't keep my face straight for long. Before I knew it, I had already burst into laughter. He chuckled in the meantime, pulling me in a long and tight hug. When I wrapped my arms around his neck, I finally convinced myself that I wasn't imagining this – one of my best friends from Newcastle was in the same village as I was.

"Jess, it's… jeez, it's bloody good to see you!", Mike said, setting me free from his embrace. But, he kept holding my hands and looking deep into my eyes. His smile refused to disappear when he asked: "How long has it been? Three years?"

"Four."

"Oh, right…"

I looked at him more closely. He was still the same on the inside. That was obvious. But on the outside… well, he was looking quite good. Actually, I had barely recognised him. He seemed so different from that lad I had been laughing with in Tyneside.

"Wow, Mike, you're taller since I last saw you. And you got some muscles… you're not so skinny anymore, are you?"

"Holy smoke, Jess, you sound like my mum!" He gave me one of his cheeky grins. "Well, the lads back home stopped calling me 'Stick Figure' Sullivan."

That made me chuckle. "Oh, that's not good at all."

Mike frowned a little. "Why do you say that?"

"You're not a 'Stick Figure' anymore. How should I call you now?"

He grinned again. "How about 'Stunning' Sullivan?"

"You can keep dreaming, Mike", I retorted, earning a snigger from him. I managed to smile back. However, I still felt a bit weird for seeing him after all those years. "So… what are you doing so far from home?"

"I'm flying one of those babes." He pointed at the planes behind us with his thumb. "I guess you know the Carters." I nodded. "Well, they needed some help in the fields. And they were ready to pay for it, too. They wanted someone to fly three old, decommissioned planes and sprinkle pesticides from above. My two buddies and I volunteered for the job."

"Oh. That's interesting."

I glanced at the planes, hidden in the shady barn, and then back at Mike. There were three pilots and three planes in total – and no room for anyone else. But, my heart refused to sink. It wasn't time for sinking yet.

"How are you?", Mike asked, making me snap into reality, "How's Neve?"

"She'll be thirteen soon. Time flies, eh?" One of his dark eyebrows raised. I almost sniggered at that. "By the way, she wants to become an artist. She's dreaming of having her own gallery one day. Can you believe that?"

"And you?"

Okay, just be honest. "I'm looking for a job."

"As a worker in the fields?" He seemed confused. However, he shrugged in the end. "I think the Carters won't mind extra help, now that summer's on its way…"

"Actually, working with the crops isn't something I had in mind", I admitted.

Mike sent me a surprised look. It was enough for me to swallow thickly. I wasn't planning on mentioning this so soon. But, there wasn't much I could do now, was it? I bit my lip again before I said:

"I would like to work as a pilot."

All of a sudden, his dark blue eyes grew wide. "What? You must be joking!"

I shook my head. "I'm serious, Mike. I want to do this."

"But, you…" As he looked me, he seemed a bit uncomfortable. "You're a…"

"I'm a what? A lass?" He didn't say anything about that. However, I read the answer from his face. "So what? When I get up there, nobody will notice that I wear a skirt!", I said, pointing a finger at the sky.

Meanwhile, Mike's cheeks had become almost pink. He was about to say something, when he suddenly gave me a sign to move. Passing a few steps with him, I saw two men coming out of the barn. They were carefully pushing the second Spitfire outside. Despite the years its wings carried, it was still beautiful. My dad used to address planes as she, because he considered them beautiful, graceful and sensitive.

I had never quite understood that. Until now.

"Oi, Mike!" One of the men, who was standing beside the Spitfire, glanced at us. "I have bad news, I'm afraid!"

Mike frowned at him. "How bad?"

"Hugh joined the Navy and left the village yesterday. That's how bad it is. He found a fucking good moment to change his career!"

As I gawked at him, the stranger sighed and returned his gaze to the plane's wing. But, after a second or two, his eyes darted to Mike again.

"There's only one way to deal with this mess", he said.

"You're serious?", he other man asked.

"I'm dead serious. One of us has to get to the village today and find a rookie to train him. Could you do that, Mike?"

My heart skipped a beat. Bloody hell.

I could hardly believe my own ears. An empty space had just appeared in this flying community. And one of my best childhood friends was suggested to train the newcomer – and show him the way to the sky. As slowly as I could, I looked over my shoulder, focusing on Mike's face. But, he knew instantly what I was about to say.

"Jessica…", he started.

I arched my eyebrows for a bit. "Michael…"

"No. Absolutely not. Flying isn't a job for you."

"Why?"

"Firstly, the salary isn't that good. Why don't you have a go at something more rewarding… like working in a factory?"

"Please, don't mention factories. Ever again. Alright?" The low sound of my voice surprised even me. In the meantime, Mike frowned in confusion. "It's a long story. Anyway, why don't you hire me? You'll need someone you can trust up there, won't you? And who would be a better choice than a fellow Geordie?"

His lips curved. I began twisting my foot, digging a small hole in the dirt.

"Oh, come on, Mike. I'll promise I'll work hard. And I won't cause any trouble. I neither drink, nor smoke and…"

"Jess, listen. I really want to help you." He seemed as if he was more than sorry. "But, what could I say to Mr Carter? That we're from the same home town and that's the reason why he should hire you?" He shook his head. "He won't take you seriously. He's like that. I'm really, truly sorry… but, this can't be done."

Thank you very much. I angrily scoffed and glanced around, searching for even the smallest glimpse of hope. Unfortunately, there wasn't any. All I could see was that greenish Spitfire, which was being prepared for a new flight. The man who had talk to Mike got into the cockpit, while the other one moved to a safe distance.

As sudden as lightning, the propeller started turning. It soon became so fast, that it turned into a silvery smudge in the air. The engine roared, ready to lift the heavy bird from the field. But, it sounded a bit strange. I could have sworn that I heard something like a weak cough from inside the plane. However, as the propeller went on spinning, I heard it again.

That wasn't my imagination.

"Hey! Stop!", I shouted and ran towards the plane. Ignoring Mike's warnings, I stood in front of the Spitfire and began waving my arms like crazy. "WAIT, DAMN IT"

Luckily, the pilot heard me and the propeller rumbled to a stop. But, that was when the other man trod to me, glaring daggers my way.

"What do you think you're doing?", he snapped.

"There's something wrong with the engine", I said, "You should take a look."

He shortly chuckled. "She tells me that something's wrong… ha! Why don't you mind your own business, Miss, and get back to the kitchen you belong in?"

"Excuse me? Kitchen?"

I glared at him twice as fierce. But, before that man said anything, the pilot appeared next to us.

"What's going on here?", he asked.

"Nothing", the man said, "She's just annoying. I'll get her out of here."

"Oh, no, you won't!", I protested. Fuming with anger, I turned to the pilot. "Look, sir, there's something wrong with your engine! You should check it out, and I mean now!"

"And how do you know that?", the other man sneered.

"Because I heard it!"

He gave me a mock-surprised look. "Oh, you heard it? Joan of Arc heard things, too, but that doesn't mean that…"

"Look, Rob…", the pilot said, cutting him off, "Maybe it's not a bad idea to check just in case. Mr Carter would go ballistic if he found out that something's wrong with his planes."

The bloke called Rob scoffed. He looked angrily at him, while his thick eyebrows almost collided. But, eventually, he caved in.

"Fine."

Muttering something rather unpleasant, he walked back to the plane with the pilot. I wanted to go after them and see the engine by myself, but Mike's hand on my shoulder stopped me. His voice was hardly louder than a whisper when he said:

"If you're making this up, you won't be the only one in trouble."

"You still don't trust me? After all these years?" I made a sad face in front of him. "Oh, Mike that hurts."

While Mike frowned, I saw the pilot turning to Rob. They both started scrutinising the engine, murmuring something to each other. That lasted for a few minutes – or maybe more than a few – before the pilot suddenly stepped back and shouted:

"Jesus… one of the parts cracked open!"

Mike's eyes became wider than ever. "What?"

He dashed to the Spitfire, stopping between Rob and the bewildered pilot. On the other hand, I didn't move. I stayed where I was, shuffling my feet and waiting for the next turn of events. A few steps away, the three blokes kept gawping at the plane's engine, as if it were a ghost.

"Christ, Dave!", Mike exclaimed, "If you'd flown with that, you would have crashed somewhere!"

Dave gulped. "Well, it's a good thing we can fix that…"

And then, almost in the same time, all three of them raised their heads. Mike, Rob and Dave looked straight at me, with almost hilarious looks on their faces. I did my best not to snigger as I waited.

"How in bloody hell did you know this?", Dave asked.

"My father was a mechanist", I answered, "I used to work with him."

"What's your name, Miss?"

"Jessica Prichard."

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Dave slowly moved his gaze towards Mike. That was when he said only two words. However, they were enough to make my heart leap towards the clouds.

"Hire her."

That's right, my lovely readers, Jess is going to get her own wings... :)

I would be very grateful if you review :)