Hello, my lovely readers! I'm back with a new chapter! :)

But, firstly, I have to thank bethrodrigues.77 for the wonderful review. I'm more than happy to hear that you enjoy reading this story. :) You're completely right, luck wasn't on Jess's side in the last few chapters. But, I have to say that it won't change in this one. You'll soon find out why...

By the way, I have news for you. I'll be going on a trip soon and I won't be able to update until I get back... and that will be in a couple of weeks. I'll have to ask for a bit of patience until the next chapter.

And now, without further delay, enjoy! :)

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 Twenty-Eight: It Could Be Worse

I quickly dived behind the nearest bunch of hay. Bull hit the ground next to me as the German turned around. He raised his rifle, aiming in our direction.

But, thank goodness, he hadn't noticed us.

It didn't last long, when he stopped and looked back at the barn door. The reason for that was simple – his friends had decided to join him. I bit my lip hard again when three more Germans came inside.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end. The moment they entered, they begun searching through this place, just like Bull and Mike had done it before. Hay quietly rustled under their soles as they moved further.

In the meantime, I didn't dare to make a single sound. As carefully as I could, I turned my head and looked for Mike. However, I couldn't see him anywhere. There was no signs that could give away where he was. Perhaps that was a good thing.

Holy smoke... Turning around again, I peered through the hay. And then I froze on my spot. One of the Germans had approached my hiding place. He was standing so close, that his boot was just inches from my hand. I wished to move away, but I knew that would make noise. And noise would make Bull and me push up daisies.

Swallowing thickly, I forced myself not to move a single finger. That was when I heard a voice nearby, muttering something. When I shifted my gaze, I saw one of the Germans talking.

I had no idea what was he saying. But, the men beside him had. They soon something in return. And then they all walked away.

I did my best not to sigh in relief – although I wanted that so badly. However, I couldn't help but smile. For a second, I was almost certain that all three of us would be discovered. And now, the Germans were leaving the barn and vanishing in the dark.

But, my small smile didn't last for long, because the last German suddenly stopped.

What in bloody hell is he doing? I craned my neck a bit, trying to see him better. For some reason, he was standing alone in the middle of the barn. He was holding his rifle low in his hands, while he was looking down.

It didn't last long when he slowly bent and picked up something from the hay. It looked like a long piece of cloth. It was long and white, but covered with dark stains.

My breath suddenly hitched. That wasn't any cloth. That was Bull's bandage.

Damnit. It was still wet. Unfortunately, the lad was too smart to overlook something like this. Before I knew it, he turned around, clutching his weapon.

He now knew that somebody was hiding here. And that terrified him. I could see that on his face as he glanced around.

"Hallo?", he called, while his voice trembled. He said something else, but I couldn't understand what.

I clenched my fists tightly, letting my fingernails dig into my skin. We were busted.

While my heart was beating faster by the second, I glanced at Bull. However, he didn't look back. He was busy with something else. With an almost silent click, he placed his bayonet on the tip of his rifle.

I swallowed hard again. This wasn't going to end good.

"Hallo?"

Soon after, the concerned German turned his back on us and stared at a corner. That was when Bull slowly got up. With silence that didn't match his size, he got out of our hiding place. The hay barely rustled when he reached the lad's back.

And then he raised his rifle.

However, the German was faster. He moved away, avoiding Bull's knife. A second later, his fist met Bull's jaw, making Bull flinch. Using that chance, the German swung with his own weapon.

Shit... I couldn't let that happen. I jumped to my feet, quickly thinking what to do. But, before I made a single step, a silhouette came out of the shadows.

Mike lunged forward and stabbed the man in the back.

The German whizzed in pain, before his knees buckled under him. And then he collapsed in the hay. My lips parted in shock when Bull thrust his knife down, finishing the man off. Before I knew it, the whole barn went silent again.

I couldn't believe my own eyes. But, not because of Bull, or the man whom he had killed. I had seen things like these many times. What really terrified me was that my best friend had a part in it. The once skinny, cheery boy from Tyneside now had somebody's blood on his hands – just because he wanted to protect me.

All of a sudden, Bull's deep voice brought me back to reality.

"We have to hide him."

Mike looked at him, with an almost ghastly pale face. Swallowing hard, he nodded and helped Bull drag the German away. Grabbing him under each arm, they both pulled him behind a nearby pile of hay. That way, if any one else came, he would remain unseen.

In less than a minute later, Bull was already at the barn door, checking if the town was clear. Mike was right behind him, while his jaw was clenched harder than ever.

"Is there anyone outside?", I asked quietly.

"Nope." Bull shook his head. "Come on. Let's get outta here."

He didn't have to tell me that twice. As soon as he let Mike get out, I dashed after him. Before I knew it, I was already rushing through the town.

As I followed Mike, I tried to make my steps quick and quiet in the same time. But, that wasn't so simple. Especially when all of my senses were on overload. Although I kept moving, I would wince on every unusual sight, scent or sound – because each of them might be a sign of Germans nearby. Trying to keep my fears under a lid, I picked up a bit more speed and tried not to be far from my wingman.

With Bull watching our back, we quickly passed a few houses. After jumping over a ditch and crossing a wide road, we ended up on the edge of a field. Although the moonlight was quite faint, I could see the glimpse of my plane in the distance.

To tell you the truth, I was finding it hard to believe that it was still in one piece. As the three of us approached, I noticed a few scrapes on it. They were probably from this morning, when I had been shot at. With that cast aside, the bird seemed functional. But, was it really functional?

Well, there's only one way to find out, isn't it? Placing one hand on the left wing, I stopped to get my breath back.

"Bull, the back seat is yours", I breathed.

Unlike the other lads, he never argued with me. He just nodded. But, before he went to the back part of the plane, he turned around.

"Sullivan?", he asked.

"Aye, sir?"

"Thank you. And good luck."

Mike just gave him a nod in return. While Bull climbed into his seat, I took another deep breath. And then I looked over my shoulder.

"Don't wander off too far, Wingman. I'll be back as soon as I can. Just trust me."

"I trust you, Jess", he said quietly.

I felt my chest becoming tighter when I got into the cockpit. I couldn't just leave him here, with all the Germans walking around. But there was nothing else I could do – except to be quick and clear-headed.

As soon as I got in the seat and fastened my belt, I gazed at the control stick in front of me. Oh, and I also prayed that this worked. Nibbling on my lip again, I tried to turn on the engine. However, all I heard was silence.

But, then the rumbling came.

Bloody hell! I became almost elated when I heard that sound. Within moments, the propeller in front of me begun spinning, turning into a greyish smudge in the moonlight. As it spun faster and faster, I grabbed the control stick and wrapped my fingers tightly around it.

"Okay, here we go!"

I didn't dare to look back at Mike again. Instead, I carefully led the plane down the field. While I accelerated, the engine begun roaring almost like a beast. Gritting my teeth, I watched the ground swiftly moving underneath my bird. And then I moved the control stick. As the wheels ended up in the air, the field moved away from me, leaving the sky as my only company.

"Nice take off", Bull said behind me.

If I wasn't so worried about everything, I would have probably smiled. However, I had other things on my mind. I had noticed a narrow strip of land, which was a bit lighter than the rest of the field. It was straight for some time, until it begun bending towards the south.

I pursed my lips tightly. That must have been the road out of here. Gently moving the control stick, I made a wide turn to the left and left Nuenen behind.

XXX

Bull and I were still in the air when dawn came. Without any warning, the sun peered behind the horizon and shattered the darkness.

Tilting my Spitfire slightly, I glanced at the road. So far, it had been leading me above countless fields. I only saw a farmhouse here and there, but that was it. I didn't see anything that could tell me where Easy was now. For a moment, I wondered if they had hidden, too. What if I had flown over them and didn't see them?

I swallowed again, when I noticed something strange. I spotted a few ant-like figures in a field below. But, I knew that those weren't ants.

"Bull? Bull, have you seen what's down there?"

Firstly, I didn't hear anything. And then Bull asked:

"You think they're from Easy?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. I'll fly low over them, just in case." Soon after, I tightened my grip on the control stick. "Hold on..."

Sinking my teeth into my lip, I led a plane into a wide curve, until it turned in 180 degrees. And then I begun decreasing the altitude.

As the engine rumbled in response, the ground was becoming closer. And then I saw the figures again. Or, should I say that they saw me? By that time, I was flying so low that all of them hit the ground.

However, I saw two things. First one was that there were four of them. The second one was that they hadn't tried to fire at us. They must have been Allies. If we were lucky, they might be even Yanks.

Please, let them be the Easy lads. I really need to see some of them right now... I let out a quiet sigh as the Spitfire touched the ground. As soon as it rolled to a stop, I turned the engine off. The propeller quickly stopped, letting silence flood the field.

But, that silence lasted for only a couple of minutes. When Bull and I got outside, I saw those lads running towards the plane. To my surprise, they all had OD's, just like the Yanks. However, my surprise turned into shock when they came closer. That was when one of them said:

"Well, I don't know whether to slap ya, kiss ya or salute ya!"

My heart jumped. That thick Philly accent had only one owner.

"Shakespeare!" I waved, in order to grab his attention. "Bill, you have to get Bull to Gene!"

He looked at me in bewilderment. "What about you?"

"Mike is still out there."

All of a sudden, his smile was replaced with a frown. "Who the hell is Mike?"

"Look, I don't have time for chit-chat. Just do it!"

I turned around to climb back into my bird, when Bill grasped my arm.

"Jess, you're crazy!" Although he was still frowning at me, I didn't miss a trace of concern on his face. "Winters is gonna bite your head off for this. And mine, too!"

"Tell him I'll see him soon." That was when I blinked. "By the way... where are the other lads?"

Bill pointed in the distance. It looked like south-west. "Three miles that way."

Three miles? Did he just say that? I had no idea what he was doing that far from Easy. But, I didn't have any more time to spend. The moment Bull moved away from the plane, I found myself in the pilot's seat again.

However, Bill didn't move. He was still standing in the same spot and gazing through the glass of my cockpit. I quickly waved him off.

"Move, Bill! MOVE!"

He ran away before I turned on the engine. As the familiar sound of my bird filled my ears, I set the Spitfire into motion.

A few minutes later, I was up in the air again, climbing towards the sky.

XXX

First field, second field, farmhouse, third field...

As I glided above the ground, I glanced down a few times. I was coming closer with every landmark I saw. It wouldn't be too long before I see Van Gogh's birth place in front of me. While my heart was thumping with all its power, I hoped that nobody had noticed Mike. And I hoped that he had found a safe place to hide.

After some time, I saw smoke on the horizon. A few greyish pillars were slowly climbing towards the clouds. I watched as Nuenen slowly emerged in the distance, along with the first houses. The houses were soon followed by a vast, green and familiar field.

I carefully shifted to a lower altitude when something caught my eye. It was another wisp of smoke. However, this one wasn't grey. It was white and clearly visible in the grass. I also caught a glimpse of a person, who was standing by the smoke and waving at me.

It was Mike.

I didn't have time to lose. As soon as I flew over him, I turned the plane around and begun my descent. A few minutes later, I landed on a part of a field, covered in low grass.

However, when I peered out of the cockpit I knew that something was wrong.

I saw Mike running and I heard gunfire echoing behind him. It didn't last long when I saw more silhouettes, rushing behind him. Whatever they were shouting wasn't English. And it didn't sound good.

"Mike, hurry!", I shouted.

He didn't shout back. But, he picked up even more speed, lifting his knees high. As the Germans ran after him, I thought that they would shoot him. But, he didn't fall. He actually made it to the plane.

"GO!", he hollered, shuffling into the back seat.

Getting back in the cockpit, I led my bird over the grass again.

"You just can't live without trouble, can you?", I shouted over the rumbling.

"That reminds me of someone!", Mike retorted, making my smirk vanish.

With every passing second, the gunfire behind us was becoming more distant... until it suddenly became more than loud.

And then the bullets came.

I jumped in my seat when I heard a few bangs. A small graze suddenly appeared on the glass above me. Swearing under my breath, I prepared for a quick lift off.

The second the Spitfire was away from the ground, I turned the control stick in my hand. The plane tilted to the left, while I struggled to escape the round. That was when I heard a loud yelp, right behind my back.

"Fuck! My leg!"

All of a sudden, I felt my mouth becoming dry. Bloody hell...

"Mike?" I wanted to look over my shoulder. But, that wasn't possible while flying a plane and trying to escape. "Mike, are you hit?"

"No, it's just a graze!", he shouted back, "It just nicked my trousers! I'm okay!"

Jesus... I let out a long sigh. However, that didn't get rid of all the dread I felt. Sweat was sliding down my back and drenching my shirt. As the shots continued behind me, I took a deep breath and tried to calm down my heart.

With a sudden turn to the left, I flew above the road. And then I soared higher into the sky. The only sound that was soon left was coming from the engine.

Okay, Jess... now level this baby and keep going. Recalling Mike's flying lessons, I carefully levelled the plane in the air. When I managed that, I led it in the direction Bill had showed me.

Seconds started trickling into minutes. Minutes passed painfully slow as we flew to the south-west. Fields that never ended kept passing underneath us, which made me bite in my lip again. I almost desperately wanted to see something else except the grass and farmhouses. But, my wish refused to come true. I almost groaned in frustration, when a village emerged below.

A dozen houses were almost huddled together on one side of the road. But, that wasn't the most surprising thing. Among the houses, I noticed dozens and dozens of small rectangular shapes. Those could definitely be trucks.

I kept staring at the shapes below, as a smile grew on my lips again. That must have been Easy Company. The lads must have been down there.

Oh, holy mackerel... After a quiet sigh, I started the descent.

I had done that so many times, that now it seemed almost like clockwork. I chose a flat strip of land, lowered my altitude an approached it. And then I cautiously guided the bird, until its wheels touched the ground. The only thing left was to wait for the plane to slow down and stop. Eventually, it was standing still on the grass.

Well, thank goodness that's over.

Letting a sigh whoosh out of my lips, I somehow shuffled out of the plane. At that moment, I felt a gentle breeze on my face.

I winced a bit when I also felt how sweaty I was. My stomach and back had become surprisingly wet. I could clearly feel my shirt sticking to my skin. However, I didn't mind that now. I just folded my arms across my chest.

That was when I saw Mike standing next to me. Looking down, I noticed a tear in his trousers. But, there was nothing more. Not even a scratch.

Well, it could be worse.

"You lucky git", I muttered.

Mike sniggered and gazed at the village in front of us. "You're lucky yourself."

A corner of my lips curved. And then, after a few moments of hesitating, I pulled him into a quick hug.

Hand on heart, I was still a bit mad at him. However, I was also happy that he was alive, in spite of everything that had happened in Nuenen. Although we were far from the town now, the thought of losing my good friend still terrified me.

"So, you're doing this for a living now?", he asked, slightly surprised.

"Something like that." I glanced at the village houses in the distance. "Hey, we should get to the village, before they assemble a search party for us."

"Well, that would be a perfect beginning of a perfect day", Mike said sarcastically, making me chuckle. That was when his brow furrowed. "Bloody hell, Jess, you're soaking wet! You're gonna catch a damn cold!"

"Hey, I'm not a..."

Before I even begun to protest, he got out of my embrace and begun unzipping his jacket. I really didn't understand what the whole fuss was about. I mean, I wasn't made out of glass! While Mike was as stubborn as usual, I decided to glance down.

That was when my heart skipped a beat.

Holy smoke... I had never seen so much blood in my life. Slowly, but surely, it was spreading over my shirt in a harrowing, crimson shade. I even saw it peering through the olive drab on my trouser leg. Just by looking at all of this made cold chills run up my spine.

I didn't feel any pain. However, horror had already kicked in.

"Mike..."

My hand trembled when I moved it from my shirt. And then I gawked at my palm and fingers, which were also dark red. They seemed as if I had dipped them in paint.

"I... I think I'm hit."

To be continued...

In the meantime, I would really appreciate if you review!