3rd December 1930
Elizabeth, who had just been released from hospital for one day, ran happily through the park and jumped over one of Bert's chalk pictures. Her blue eyes sparkled and the orange sunlight shone beautifully on her dark red hair.
Actually Mary and Bert just wanted to go for a walk with her and explore a chalk picture. But they thought that it would be better if they explore the drawing on another day- so they just went out for a walk. But it seemed that so much energy had accumulated in the girl over the last few days that she seemed to burst.
She was much too active for the the grown-ups - after all, just a week before, she had more or less faced death.
"Lizzy! You shouldn't run!", Bert said frustrated. Children could be really exhausting!
Instead of complaining, the little girl walked quickly towards him, arms outstretched. To Bert's surprise, she did not hug him as expected, but jumped! At the last moment he could catch her before she fell to the ground.
"Woah! Slow down, young lady."
"I want t' be on yer shoulders!"
Of course, Bert did not comply with her request without a comment from Mary Poppins: "She is not a princess and you are not a servant, Bert."
"One can make an exception," he said, while he was solicitous to hold the little well. The last thing he wanted was for her to hurt herself or break something when she falls off his shoulders.
"You're always making exceptions. Watch out: at 20 she still wants to get on your shoulders."
"I don't mind. But… I bet Lizzy doesn't want to deal with me anyway, am I right? "
"Yeah!", Liz was happy and she played with Bert's hair. She probably had no idea what he had just said, she was too happy to be outside.
Bert looked up proudly: he was immensely glad that the orphan was getting better. He did not even dare to think what would have happened if they had not taken her to the hospital ... Yet she was already way too active in his opinion. He wished she would be sleeping or drawing or something like that.
His train of thought was interrupted when Elizabeth leaned forward with outstretched arms: "Can ya 'old me, Mary?"
With a nod, Mary opened her arms and accepted the little orphan. Luckily she was so small and didn't weight much - otherwise she would never have taken the orphan.
"I understand. 'She is not a princess and you are not a servant'"
"Never dispute a woman's wish, Bert," Mary said with a wink as she turned with Elizabeth in her arms.
The light of the sunset framed her silhouette and it looked almost heavenly. Like an angel with a halo.
Bert throw a glance after the nanny, with love in his eyes and saved this sight for dark days in his head.
11th July 1941
Bert poked in the ground with a piece of wood and scribbled the last lines of a picture he had been thinking of for years. He vowed in that moment that he would bring the picture of Mary and Lizzy in the sunset almost 11 years ago on a canvas when he's back in London.
If he ever had the opportunity again- because it now seemed that that wish would never come true.
He had been corporal for three hours now. For two hours he sat there and did not say a word. For an hour he had been wondering how he would write the letter to Mary.
But finally he reached for pen and paper:
Mary,
I'm think that this will be a relatively depressing letter from me.
Do you remember the 3rd of December 1930? The day we were in the park with Lizzy after she was released from the hospital?
You picked her up at a certain point and went towards the sunset with her. It was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever had- You looked like an angel when the lightning beams of the sunset flattered your silhouette.
The way you had Liz in your arms... I just can not put it in words. At that time I memorised this sight and swore I would pick it up for bad times.
Either you ask yourself why I am telling you this or you can already guess it.
Today I was promoted from the Brigadier to Corporal. And with the promotion I also got a message that I never wanted to get:
I will officially go to the front by the end of the month.
Believe me, I've tried to retard it as long as possible. But it should not be granted to me.
I can exactly imagine how your facial expressions are when you read these lines. And I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Mary.
However, I will not go alone; many others will also exchange the camp for the actual trenches. Also Johnny.
The poor boy sits terrified on his bed and can not say a word... And he has not even seen the misery.
As I know you, you'll be telling Elizabeth about the news quickly. I also know that you will try to convey it as sensitive as possible, but please promise me one thing: keep an eye on her.
I know you both long enough. I know that you are a strong personality that keeps on going.
But I also know that Lizzy is not. Although she has a hard shell, she also has an extremely soft core. And unfortunately I can not assess her right now. But I feel like she's going to do something stupid...
Take care of yourselves.
I love you,
Bert
After writing the letter, Bert threw the pencil and punched the wall. He did not want to go there... Not again.
The attentive readers may have recognised the date ;D
Because today, on the 3rd of December, "Never Alone" is exactly one year old :3
I still can't believe I'm actually still write this story xD
Much has happened in the past year. Be it in fan fiction, at work or in my privately.
But I want to thank all readers, whether active review writers as well as the silent ones 3