After a hectic few months (and a quite long fight with writer's block), I can finally announce that I'm back in business! :)

But, before we move on to the story (and find out what happened to Gene and Jess), I have two very important things to say. First of all, I want to thank this fantastic five:

FallynAshe ( Hey, welcome to the story! :) I'm sorry for the unpleasant surprise... I guess I've become strangely fond of cliffhangers. ;) Thank you so much for the review! With any luck, I won't be making such long gaps between updates... ), beth-rodrigues.77 (Oh, my goodness... I think this is the biggest review I've received so far! Thank you very much for the compliments! :) I'm more than thrilled to hear that you enjoy following this story. That really made my day. ;) I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, too. :) ), Guest (Thank you and welcome to the story!), Dustori ( The cliffhanger must have been quite a shock... but, I'll make it up to you with a new chapter. Since I might not update again for a few weeks, consider this an early birthday present for you. :) Best wishes from another September baby! ;) ) and AwesomeBlonde89 (Before you condemn your laptop to a terrible fate, please keep reading. You might be surprised... ;) By the way, thank you for the lovely review! I hope you'll have a wonderful, sunny day, too! :) ). Your reviews are even better than chocolate!

As for the second thing... I've been thinking about this for a long time, my dear readers. And, eventually, I had to make a difficult decision. Don't worry, I WON'T give up on the story! But, I will change its name. While I was writing, I realised that the story went in a completely different direction than I had planned at first. In the end, "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down" just doesn't seem to fit anymore.

So, when you see an updated story from me, but with a different name, don't get concerned. It will be the same one that you followed. It will have Jess, Doc, Denham (unfortunately) and the other lads of Easy.

That's all from me... for now. :) Over and out!

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 Thirty-Five: Remnants of Warmth

I closed my eyes as tightly as I could. But, when I opened them, I didn't find myself somewhere else. The pale hospital walls were still there, surrounding me, close enough to make me shudder. However, I couldn't get out. Lying in bed with an IV sticking out of my arm, I just stared at the drip that hung above me.

Randwijk was in shambles. I was temporarily grounded. Gene was fighting for his life. Could things get any worse than this?

Quite possibly.

While I was wasting time here, mulling over what had happened, Gene's fight could be over. He might be already dead. And if he was, it would have been my fault entirely.

You were a goddamn nurse before this!

I flinched in bed, recalling Joe's words. I remembered how he stood beside me and glared daggers at me. But, in the end, he was right. Although I had little knowledge when it came to medicine, it was still more than the other lads had. I should have used that to help Gene. However, I just stared at him, dazed, leaving Lipton to do everything instead of me.

"Hey."

A raspy voice made me snap out of it. Joe Toye had appeared nearby, covered in bruises and leaning on a pair of crutches.

"We must be having a lucky star somewhere", he said, "Attacked twice on the same morning and we're still alive." He weakly smiled and shook his head in disbelief. "Fucking twice… can you believe that?"

However, when he saw the look on my face, his smile faltered. As he became sullen, he hobbled closer to my bed.

"I've heard about Doc", he said.

I just nodded. Really, was there anything I could say?

"Did you get any news?"

This time, I shook my head. I heard nothing since they had stretchered him off, and that was hours ago. A few nurses passed through the ward in the meantime, but none of them knew how Gene was. Before I realised what was happening, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. However, I fought them back.

I couldn't lose it. Not now, not here.

"He's gonna be okay", Toye said quietly, "Doc's tougher than you think."

"Okay?" A corner of my lips bitterly curved. "Have you been in that house when the roof went down? Have you actually seen how he looked like?"

He didn't say anything. We both knew the answer was 'no'.

"Of course you didn't", I said, "Because, if you were there, you wouldn't be saying this." I sighed heavily. "I don't have a bloody clue how he'll make it."

Silence dropped between us like dead weight. I pursed my lips into a line, expecting him to say something. But, judging by his look, that wasn't his intention. For some time, we were motionless, exchanging glances, until he eventually said:

"I'm gonna see the rest of the fellas. I'll be back soon."

Gripping his crutches, he ambled further down the ward and disappeared from sight. And, for one more time, I was alone.

I felt a small pang of guilt. I shouldn't have lashed out at him like that. But, after all I had seen, I was finding it harder and harder to see any hope. In fact, as time trickled, I was only becoming increasingly aware that I was slipping away. In a matter of moments, the events from that morning flashed again in front of my eyes. It didn't last long when Liebgott's voice echoed in my head again:

Jess, for chrissake, it's Doc! You gotta save him!

Biting my lip, I frantically patted down my pockets. Soon after, I fished out a lighter and a pack of smokes I had borrowed. A small part of me told me that I shouldn't be doing this in a hospital. However, I wasn't in the mood for obeying the rules. Sticking the cigarette between my lips, I tried to get the lighter to work.

Yet, it didn't. My hands were shaking so much that it couldn't flare up. And that was the final straw. On top of all the pain, guilt and the fear I was hiding, I just couldn't take it anymore. It was too much. I chucked the lighter to the floor before I dug my face in the bed sheets and broke down into sobs.

The fabric very soon became soaked with my tears, but I didn't move. I couldn't. I curled up and cried until I had no more tears to shed. In the end, I caught myself staring at empty space, more exhausted than I ever was. But, somewhere in the back of my mind, Lieb was shouting on the top of his voice:

Jess, would ya stop staring like that? Do something!

If things had happened the other way around, Gene would have helped me without hesitation. Actually, he had been doing that all the time. When I got hurt, he would sit next to me and patch me up, so that I could fight another day. However, when he needed me the most, I wasn't there to save him. Instead, I froze. I just knelt there and watched him bleed.

What kind of person am I?

All of a sudden, I heard steps behind me. I turned around, half-expecting to see Toye returning from his short walk. Or perhaps another nurse. But, I saw none of them. I blinked in disbelief when Mike stood beside my bed. His jacket was covered in something that looked like caked mud and… was that ash?

"I thought you didn't smoke." He nodded in the direction of my hand. I realised that I was still clutching my cigarette. I threw it away.

"I thought you should be in Randwijk", I said, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, the battle's over. We pushed Jerry back – barely – and I thought I might pay one friend a visit." He smirked. "Don't give me that look of yours! The lads won't notice me missing." He grasped a nearby chair, dragged it closer and sat beside my bed. "At least not for an hour or so."

"How do you know?"

"I've made a deal with sergeant Malarkey."

"Oh. But, why the long face?"

"I had to give him all my smokes."

I smiled… almost. But, there was something a bit odd about him. I wasn't sure how, yet he seemed somehow different. Maybe it had something to do with his eyes. The spark that I usually found there seemed to become dimmer.

Damn it. I had seen that look before, among the replacements. He must have seen something out there. I could only fathom what could have changed his eyes so much.

"Are you okay?", I asked.

"Yeah. I am." He scratched the back of his neck. "By the way, you look…"

I scowled at him. "If you say 'fantastic', I swear I'll…"

"I meant to say 'slightly better'."

That made me scoff. If I hadn't had bandages around my stomach, ribs and left arm, I would have sniggered. On top of that, I had a dressing taped over the cut on my cheek, from the corner of my lips to my left ear. 'Slightly better' weren't the words I was planning to use for the time being.

"But, you still caused me a mild heart-attack", he said.

"When?" I furrowed my brow. And then I remembered the Messerschmidts arriving. I was sprinting through the village soon after that. "Oh. Right."

"Now I know why some of those lads respect you so much." Mike leaned back in his chair. "You just dashed out of cover and ran. I'm not sure if even one of them would pull such a stunt."

I raised an eyebrow. Something in the way he had said that didn't seem right.

"You're not here to praise me, are you?", I asked.

His shoulders became slightly tense. "You didn't have a clue what was waiting for you up there. Should I praise you?"

"Wait a second, Mike. You were next to me when that happened. You saw the same things as I did. I knew exactly what I was getting into."

"If we saw two planes, that didn't have to mean that they were the only ones. What if there was more of them above the village? What would you have done then, eh?"

"Well, I don't have to think about that, since there were two planes, Mike. And then there was zero." When he started sulking, I said: "You don't have to act as my overprotective brother, you know. I've been doing this long before you decided to join."

"But, things have changed."

Another crease found its way on his forehead. I didn't know what was making him so serious. However, I got my answer very soon.

"You're becoming reckless, Jess."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

He quietly sighed. "I don't know how to tell you this, but…"

"But, you're already talking."

"I'm saying that I've seen it. I know that you want to help, but you stopped thinking about the consequences. Recently, you've only been running head-first into the action, with guns blazing."

"I do think about consequences! Just… later."

"And that led you straight here."

"Michael, don't be such a hypocrite. You've joined the paratroopers because of me, remember? You're even more reckless than I am!"

"We're not talking about me now", he snapped, glaring at me. And then, just loud enough for me to hear, he added: "You think that you're lucky. But, one day, even luck won't be enough. You'll be thinking that you're doing everything right, but you'll only end up to your eyebrows in trouble."

I snorted. "I'm already in trouble, Mike. Forgetting about Denham so soon?"

"You can always dig in deeper."

"So, what should've I done?", I asked exasperatedly, "Hide behind you and Heffron while bullets were pelting down on everyone else?"

"Aye! You should have put yourself first and others second."

I stared at him. For a blink of an eye, I thought I had imagined the whole thing. But, I hadn't.

"How can you be so bloody selfish?", I shouted.

"I'm not selfish! I'm asking you to think. So, think a little about this. When the war ends – and it will in time – guess where the Yanks will be going." After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "They won't be staying in England, hinny. They'll go back to America and their old lives. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against them, Jess. But…"

"But, what?"

"That's just it. They can be your acquaintances. They might even be your friends, but they can never be your family. Your family is currently living with my mum, waiting for you to come back." His look became even darker. "Neve won't be happy to hear that you got hurt because you decided to leap to someone's rescue… or mine."

I glowered at him. In the meantime, something changed in his look. I could have almost sworn that I saw fear.

"What do you want?", I asked. Since he didn't answer, I pushed it. "Come on, say it!"

"I want you to promise me that you won't help me – or anyone else – if that means that you might get killed."

Unfortunately, he was serious.

"No."

"Jess."

"If you think I'll just say 'yes', you got another thing…"

I jumped at the sudden sound of clanking. I glanced behind me, just in time to see Joe Toye returning. Judging by the look on his face, he must have heard the whole thing.

Fuck. Frozen to my spot, I waited for the next turn of events. What Mike had just said could have serious repercussions. Toye could have a good reason to whack him on the head with his crutch. However, he wasn't solemn because of that.

"I heard something 'bout Doc", he muttered.

The world seemed to be jerked from under my feet. I could only gawp at him, close to a deer caught in headlights.

"What happened?", I asked.

He didn't say. He seemed a bit dazed, as if he couldn't believe the news – whatever they were. I straightened up, scrutinising the look on his face. Yet, I couldn't read anything from it. With every passing second, my heart was thumping louder and louder. In the end, I was sure that I could feel it in my throat.

"Joseph…" My voice shook so much that I surprised even myself. "Spill it."

And so he did.

XXX

The ward I ambled into was strangely silent. Two nurses were muttering something in a corner, but that was all I heard. After a morning that included plenty of gunfire – and a sudden shelling – this place seemed more than eerie to me. I could already feel the hairs on my neck standing up.

I found him in the fourth bed on my right. He was unconscious and pale, too close to the shade of the bandages wrapped around his chest. I couldn't help but shudder as I looked at him. He would have resembled a ghost if it hadn't been for a dark bruise growing under his left eye.

Jesus Christ, Gene… Swallowing thickly, I made a step closer. And then, still keeping an eye on him, I sank on a crate beside his bed.

They had said that he was lucky. He had broken a few ribs and he lost a lot of blood, but he would live. Recovery would take some time, yet his leg would heal completely, as well as his bones. In the end, the only memory of that horrible morning would be a few scars.

However, in spite of that, I was still ashamed of what I had done. Could I ever get forgiveness for something like that?

I didn't know.

I wasn't sure for how long I had been there. It felt like hours. Maybe because they really were hours. However, I didn't take a chance to look at my watch. I kept sitting and gazing at his motionless form, until my eyelids became strangely heavy. Shifting slightly on the crate, I tried to keep my eyes open. Yet, after I almost dozed off, it dawned on me that this was a losing battle.

Maybe I should rest my eyes. If only for a few minutes. Gene wouldn't wake up that soon. And, hopefully, the Germans wouldn't attack again that fast. Leaning my head and left shoulder against the wall, I sighed and let my eyelids fall down. And then…

"Mornin'…", someone slurred.

I cracked an eye open.

All of a sudden, I realised that it was already morning. I thought at first that I was only dreaming. But, I wasn't. The sun was still there. It was shining behind the window, while its beams were sneaking into the ward. However, that didn't shock me as much as a pair of dark eyes, which was looking straight at me.

Gene was awake.

Oh, God.

In one second, I was happy and relieved. But, in the other, I had a wish to sink in the floor and disappear, so that nobody would see me again. I found it even hard to look Gene in the eye. I wanted to say that I was sorry, that I didn't mean to leave him in the lurch. Yet, all I managed to whisper was:

"Please, don't hate me."

"I… can't hate… you."

I bit my lip hard. He raised his hand towards me, but he didn't have enough strength to reach me. Leaning a bit closer, I grasped it gently and placed his palm against my cheek. In that moment, the only remnants of warmth in this place seemed to be trapped between our hands.

"It's… okay." His voice was so low that I barely heard him. "Jess… it ain't… yo fault."

His index finger brushed against my ear. I tried to keep a straight face, but, with all the relief I felt, I found it impossible. As a smile began to spread over my lips, I asked:

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

He was about to say more. However, I noticed that he was finding it hard to focus. He blinked a few times, obviously trying to fight off the fatigue.

"It's alright." Still holding his hand, I carefully placed it down on the bed. "Eugene, it's okay. Get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

He nodded only once. At that time, his eyes were barely open.

"One… more… thing", he said.

"What?"

"Liar. You said… you weren't hurt."

I frowned a little. "I guess you won't forget that so fast."

"Nope", he muttered under his breath.

As he closed his eyes and drifted back in to sleep, I couldn't help but snigger. I didn't have a doubt that we would have a talk about my little lie. But, I had no worries on my mind. Things could have easily been worse. Much, much worse.

And I was thankful that they hadn't.

XXX

After a long time, I thought that I would finally sleep through the night without any interruptions… until a clap of thunder jolted me awake. I squinted at the nearest window, hoping to find out what was going on.

If it starts raining one more time, I sweat I'll… I winced when another clap resonated through the room. Soon after, the raindrops kicked in, drumming against the cardboard that was replacing the glass in the windows.

However, the rain wasn't the only problem. It had become bitterly cold, the sky received an awful greyish colour and the day couldn't get more depressing. The only good thing about it was that I managed to get my hands on something hot to drink. With a cup of steaming tea in my hands, I ambled back to Gene's ward.

I thought that he was still asleep. But, when I approached his bed, I met with his shy smile. He was still pale, yet not as ghastly as last night. Smiling back, I sat down beside him and took his hand in mine.

I had never been so happy to see someone awake.

"We should stop meeting like this", I said, "It's becoming… well, awkward. Every time we see each other, one of us is seriously injured."

He smirked. However, soon after, he began staring off somewhere. He seemed as if his thoughts had gone a hundred miles from this room.

"Gene?", I asked. "What is it?"

He snapped out of it. "Nothin'. I'm just… glad that we made it out alive."

"Me, too." I focused on the cup of tea in my hands. Swatting off the memories, I tried to lead the conversation in another direction. "How's your leg?"

"It'll get betta. The doctor said I'll be as good as new, jus' not dat fast. So, I'll be stayin' here for a while." He gave me a strange look, almost full of longing. "Guess I won't be going' stateside."

"That's… good."

I quickly trailed off. I was more than glad to hear that he would manage to recover completely. But, on the other hand, staying here and not getting the chance to be shipped to the States must have been hard for him. I knew that feeling. Oh, I definitely knew that. I took a sip of my tea, when something abruptly came to my mind.

"Speaking of home, what do you miss the most about it?"

Gene shrugged. "My family. Friends. My hometown."

"That's the usual answer. Everybody says that. It also includes hot showers, real food and coffee that doesn't taste like an ashtray."

"So, whaddya want then?"

"I wanted to know… is there something special? Really special to you, like your favourite place to spend your time? Or maybe your hobbies?"

He seemed slightly bewildered. "Nobody asked me dat yet."

"Well, now you have."

He stared at a spot somewhere behind my shoulder, thinking about the answer. That was when something brightened up in his gaze.

"Fishin'."

"Oh? Really?"

"Yeah. I've been doin' it befo' da war came and… I gotta say that I like it." A corner of his lips shyly curved. "It… calms, you know? You can forget about all yo worries, even for a short time. It's just you, da water and da fishin' rod in yo hands."

Oh. That utterly took me aback. Meanwhile, he flexed his fingers, so that they interwove with mine.

Although we had been often spending time together, he never opened up in front of me like this. When it came to mentioning life before the war, he would usually become silent. Sometimes, he would just walk away somewhere to be alone. Listening to him talk about his favourite hobby and seeing how much in meant to him reminded me how still distant he was from me. Perhaps there's a lot more I don't know about him.

"How 'bout you?", he asked, "Whadda you miss a lot?"

I thought for a moment. "Hmm. Let's see…"

However, I didn't get the chance to say anything, because someone familiar popped up in our midst. Another medic stopped by, with his arm in a sling and a cheery grin. All of a sudden, Gene moved his hand and it slipped out of mine.

"Well, if this isn't the reunion of the Aid station trio, I don't know what it is!", Ralph said, plonking himself beside me.

I did my best not to roll my eyes at him. "You came up with that joke all the way back in France. Isn't it tacky now?"

"Speak to yourself", he said, "But, I gotta be honest, this is strange. I made the thing up because I thought we'd be working together, not ending up wounded."

"Oh, well. That's life."

"Yeah, the life that has a weird sense of humour."

"Amen to dat", Gene muttered. I chuckled a little.

Ralph shifted slightly on his spot. "Have you heard? We won't be hanging out here much longer."

Gene frowned. "Whaddya mean?"

"You haven't heard? Are you two living under a rock or something?" After I gave him a glare, Ralph explained: "I heard a nurse talking. They've decided to evacuate a number of wounded outta here. Some of them were stretchered off already this morning. I swear to God, I've seen Denham with 'em. They went to another hospital, somewhere in the south."

My hands suddenly shook.

What the…? "What did you say?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"You've seen Denham?"

"Uh… yeah. I saw him with my own eyes. I was standing a few feet away when they got him into a truck."

It took me a couple of seconds to realise it. The same realisation swiftly appeared on Gene's face. When he turned to look at me, his doe eyes were wide and his look solemn. If Denham had been evacuated, that would mean only one thing. Gene and Mike's plan had officially reached stage number two. And that included me running away from the hospital, as well.

The lump in my throat suddenly enlarged.

I was about to go home.

Oh, shit.

I should be happy. That was a normal thing to feel… wasn't it? After the hellish weeks I had spent here, I should be jumping up and down with glee. It was only a matter of time before I got on my way to England, never to face aerial combat again. I would never have to spend sleepless nights, in fear that I might die the next day. Those were quite sufficient reasons to feel elated. However, there was a slight problem.

I didn't feel too happy.

Actually, I couldn't be more petrified.

Everything I had been clinging on to for so long had to be let go. Just like that. I had to get up from the crate and simply bolt off. That felt terribly wrong.

"W… w… when did that happen?", I stuttered.

"Oh, they drove 'em off hours ago", Ralph said, waving off.

"Hours ago?" I fought with the urge to drum my fingers against the tea cup. "Could you be a little more precise?"

"I dunno." He furrowed his brow. "It was seven… eight, maybe?"

I glanced at my watch and froze. It was already half past ten.

Fuck.

In other words, I had to leave this instant.

"Jess?" Ralph glanced at me, while his frown deepened. "Did I miss something?"

I didn't answer. Looking away from him, I realised that Gene was watching me. Once his eyes met mine, I could have sworn that I saw a bit of sadness in them. However, he didn't say a word. He just gave me one slow nod. He knew that this was my only chance of getting away – and that I shouldn't turn my back on it.

Absently, I nodded in return. Placing my cup on the side, I stood up and stepped away. I was on the verge of making a run for it when a thought hit me.

I can't leave… not like this.

My heart skipped a beat. I had to be quick. Making one step closer, I leaned down to Gene and planted a swift kiss on his lips.

And then I moved away. I turned around and darted out of the ward. But, I didn't fail to hear Ralph say:

"Fuck... I've missed a lot, haven't I?"

Resisting the urge to look behind my shoulder, I rushed through a corridor and turned left at the first corner. After a few more steps, I stopped. And then I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I had to have a clear head in order to plan my next move. Yet, with things happening so fast, I doubted if I would come up with anything.

Come on. Think. How can you leave this place without drawing too much attention? First of all, you have to… I quickly trailed off. I couldn't just waltz out in my shredded gear. I have to find something less conspicuous. But, where? Where?

I barely missed recalling the door to the supply room.

It was down the corridor. And it might have had exactly what I was looking for.

Making sure that nobody was looking in my direction took me some time. It took me a bit more time to find something I could use. Fortunately, I managed. I fished out a pale, baggy dress and a pair of worn shoes. I shed off my gear and slipped into the dress as fast as I could, wincing when the fabric brushed against my cuts.

Sorry about this, I muttered into the air as I took a small bundle of bandages and some gauze. I felt a pang of guilt for stealing this. It wasn't mine to take in the first place. But, when I have to change my dressings, I couldn't seek help in another hospital. I couldn't risk being discovered.

However, the hardest part was yet to come. In order to utterly disappear, I also had to get rid of the only things that reminded me of home. That way, nobody would discover my real identity.

My dog tags were the first to go. I took them off with still shaky fingers. I then moved on to my shawl and my dad's watch. However, as I tried to unclip the watch, tears started to blur my vision. One tear slipped over the edge and slowly slid down my cheek. I raised my hand and wiped it away.

I'm crying over a watch. I must be going mad.

I stared at my few belongings with a heavy heart. If I began hesitating now, I might run everything. Blinking the tears away, I hid the items in the corner of the room, along with the rest of my gear. I dragged a large box in front of them and hid them from sight. And that was it. There was nothing left to be done. I dashed outside and headed straight towards the exit, sniffling after every few steps.

But, before I could reach the door, I almost collided with someone. It was a bloke, the one I had least expected to see. When I looked up into his eyes, my hands were already clenched into fists.

"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?", I snapped.

Mike hardly even blinked.

"Look, I'm not taking back what I said."

"Good." I pursed my lips. "Neither do I."

I brushed past him and kept walking through the crowded corridor. However, I didn't expect him to come after me. When I turned around, he had already picked up his pace and matched it with mine.

"Nice dress", he said. I glowered at him. "So, you've got the news about Denham."

"Aye. Is that the reason you're here again?"

Instead of an answer, he handed me a roll of something paper-like. After a moment or so, I realised that I wasn't looking at ordinary paper. And I stopped in my tracks.

"Your wages?"

"You'll need it more than me."

"No." I shook my head. "That's your money. You're out of your mind!"

"But, it's a long road to England."

"I still won't accept it…"

"Do we always have to argue?" Mike sighed, infuriated. He grasped my hand, opened it and placed the money on my palm. "I won't end up penniless, if that's what worries you. Now, take it."

"I'll keep it safe for you. But, I won't spend it."

"You're one stubborn lass. Did anyone told you that?"

"Almost everyone."

I unwillingly tucked his wages in my pocket. But, as I looked at him again, I felt a part of my anger melting away slightly. After all that had happened, perhaps we shouldn't part in terms like this.

"Thanks", I said.

He shrugged. "Eh, any time."

"No! I mean, thank you for…" I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. "…For being there for me, for keeping my back. And for carrying me once on your back. For everything."

"I said you were welcome." That was when a genuine smile appeared on his face. "Anyway, I couldn't just let you wander through Holland alone. Back in school, you barely found that country on the map."

"Hey!" I tried to sound insulted, yet I couldn't resist chuckling a bit with him. However, that didn't last too long. My laughter slowly, but surely, died away.

Meanwhile, his smile petered out, leaving him more than concerned. In fact, I had seen that furrowed brow of his many times before. He would have that look every time I was about to get into deep trouble.

"Be careful out there."

"You be careful", I replied, "Try not to kick the bucket while I'm not here, alright?"

He smirked and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I'll try, Flygirl."

Soon after, his grip loosened with no warning. He released me, letting me slip into the crowd and weave my way to the main doors. In a matter of moments, I was standing on the doorstep and staring into the street outside.

Pulling an AWOL had never felt so good.

As soon as I got outside, I stopped on the grey pavement and took in the scent of the rain. It felt almost like home. No sooner did I think about it than I smiled again.

Wait for me, Neve. I'm coming.

This is not the end of the story. There will be many more chapters to come... and many more surprises in store. ;)

Reviews will be appreciated! :)