A deep blanket of snow and silence covered the German countryside, broken only by the crunching of snow under the boots of two men trekking through the woods, dragging a sled behind them. Troy was pulling the sled and carrying a saw, while Dietrich kept a lookout for a suitable tree.
"How about that one?" Troy pointed to a snow-covered spruce.
"Too thin," Dietrich said.
"How about the one next to it?"
"Too short. Stop asking. I will point one out when I see it." Dietrich sighed. "Every year."
"And it never gets old."
"Indeed."
"I think we should've brought snowshoes this year."
"Put it on my Christmas list."
"I already have your presents."
"Already? When did you start looking for presents for me?"
"September. I do you first—"
Dietrich laughed. "I am before your own wife?"
"Yeah. Don't tell her. Anyway, you're first, then Shauna, then David, then Moffitt's family, Hitch's family, Tully's family, and this year I've added General Preisner and Luden."
"Why Preisner?"
"Because he's been good to you, and he seems to like us. Did you forget he's been invited to the party?"
"No, I have not forgotten." Dietrich found himself sinking a little more in the snow. "I did not think it snowed that much over the last few days."
"I guess it did."
"Just be careful. There are some steep drop-offs around here that might be obscured by the snow."
"I'll keep an eye out."
Dietrich kept looking, but was distracted by the sight of something black standing out among the white of the snow covering the trees. The head of a magpie. It was perched on a branch, preening its feathers, but stopped to look at him. Dietrich paled. One for sorrow… One for sorrow…
"Hey, Dietrich?" Troy called. "Dietrich? You okay?"
"Yes. I… think so."
"What's wrong?"
Dietrich kept staring up at the singular magpie. "There is a magpie in that branch."
Troy looked up at the bird. "So? Birds live in trees."
"Do you not know the old rhyme? 'One for sorrow, two for joy'—"
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it before. It doesn't actually mean anything."
"It does. Anah confirmed it. A few months ago, there were four of them in a tree in the park near Moffitt's home. She said it is possible that means my child will be a boy. Moffitt said he saw four magpies before Jules was born."
Troy kept looking up at the magpie, which was staring intently at him. "It could be just one magpie in the tree, Dietrich. It doesn't have to mean anything."
"Still. I… I have to go home and check on Esther."
"Dietrich—" Troy took Dietrich's shoulder, "relax. Esther is home, and she's safe. Let's get the Christmas tree first. You're overthinking this."
"It is not nonsense, Troy! This is why Anah picks on you."
"Anah and I have gotten better over the years. Still, I don't think this is something to worry about. It's a bird. A bird that lives in this area. Of course you're going to see them." Troy kept walking.
Dietrich glanced back up at the magpie, noticing its head following Troy. Still wary of the bird, Dietrich kept going as well. He tried to remain focused on finding a tree, but Christmas became the last thing on his mind as he worried about what the single magpie sighting could mean. He kept reciting "one for sorrow," in his head.
"We really should come out here more often," Troy said. "The view's gorgeous."
Something moved in the corner of Dietrich's vision. The magpie had landed in another branch, still staring intently at Troy. They were standing near the edge of a ravine, looking across at another section of evergreen forest. Dietrich hung back a little, anxiously switching his gaze between Troy and the magpie.
Troy took another step forward. Ice and packed snow that jutted out from the edge of the cliff snapped and cracked beneath him, and in the blink of an eye, he was falling into the ravine. Dietrich threw himself forward, futilely trying to grab Troy. Instead, he was grabbing thin air and cursing to himself. He looked down into the snow-filled ravine, and shouted, "Troy! Troy!"
His calls echoing were his only response, and it looked as though the snow had swallowed up his friend. Dietrich cursed again, and hollered, "Troy! Troy!"
More echoes. Not wanting to take the same fall, Dietrich stepped back. He looked at the tree where he had seen the magpie, and found that it was gone. One for sorrow… No, no, no, I cannot have just lost Troy! No, he has been through worse than this. I have to find him.
The sled had been left behind. Dietrich took it, figuring it would make a good stretcher if need be. He had to get down into the ravine somehow. The rope they had brought to tie down the tree wasn't made for rappelling, but he had nothing else. He just hoped it was long enough.
As he tied part of the rope around a tree trunk, he called out for Troy again. Just like before, his response was an echo. Dietrich swore aloud, then threw the rest of the rope down into the ravine. It just barely made it to the bottom. He tugged on the rope to make sure it was secure, then started his descent into the ravine. At about halfway down, Dietrich shouted Troy's name again.
This time, he heard someone grunting, "Dietrich? Quit yelling."
Dietrich climbed down a bit faster. When he got to the bottom, he could see the chunks of ice and snow that buried Troy, and started hauling them off.
"Watch my leg!" Troy snapped.
Dietrich looked at the ice laying on top of the lower half of Troy's right leg. He was slow as he lifted the ice, straining a bit with the effort. "Is it broken?"
"I don't know, but it sure does hurt!"
Guilt crashed down on Dietrich in a manner not unlike the slab of ice had done to Troy's leg. "We have to get you up and to a hospital. I can drag you back on the sled. Do you trust me?"
"Dietrich, what kind of a question is that?"
"I… Reflex. Sorry."
"It's fine."
It was still strange to think that there was once a time where Troy wouldn't have been willing to let Dietrich see he had been injured. It was a sign of weakness. He couldn't have his enemy seeing him weak. Well, we are not enemies anymore. Dietrich helped Troy stand. "Can you put any weight on your leg?"
"No. None at all." Troy winced when he tried.
"Alright. Lean on me. Try not to strain yourself."
"Just get me out of here, Dietrich, okay?" Troy looked at the rope hanging down from the top of the cliff. "Is that the tree rope?"
"Yes."
"I don't know if that'll hold both of us."
"How much do you weigh?"
"One-fifty in pounds. You?"
"About one-sixty."
"Yeah, there's no way that rope will hold both of us."
"The cliff does slope a little. I could haul you up if you can tie the rope around yourself."
"Okay."
Dietrich helped Troy over to the rope, and propped him against the side of the ravine. It was difficult seeing his friend in pain, but he could tell Troy was trying to suppress how much pain he was in. "This is not North Africa, Troy," Dietrich said. "You do not have to hide how much it hurts."
"Dietrich," Troy replied with a grimace, "I am using a lot of strength to not scream my head off right now. Be glad I'm suppressing it. This has nothing to do with anything that happened in North Africa. This is for your sanity."
"If you say so," Dietrich said. He began climbing the rope back up to the edge of the cliff. Once he was back on solid ground, he called down, "Alright, let me know when you are ready!"
As he waited for Troy, Dietrich pondered the sighting of the magpie. If this was supposed to be sorrow, clearly the magpies have not met Troy. He is too stubborn to be governed by fate. Then again, he fulfilled his role in the prophecy. That was different, though. This is entirely random. Dietrich let out a breath. Maybe Troy was right and it was just a magpie.
"Okay, pull me up!" Troy shouted.
Dietrich picked up the rope and started pulling. He grunted with effort, then cursed aloud. "Are you sure that you are one-fifty, Troy?"
"Positive. Why?" Troy asked.
"Because you feel much heavier."
"Well, as I recall, it was your idea to have ice cream cake for breakfast."
"No! Esther wanted it for breakfast."
"And you took advantage of it."
"I did not have two whole slices of it, though!"
"Just keep pulling me up. We can argue about this later."
Dietrich kept hauling Troy up until he could see Troy's hat. He then reached out his hand, and Troy gripped it tightly, trying to pull himself up while dragging his right leg. Once Troy was away from the edge, Dietrich released the rope, breathing a sigh of relief.
The next step was securing Troy to the sled and taking him back to the truck. It was a bit of a challenge actually getting him into the vehicle, which resulted in Troy giving a cry of pain and squeezing Dietrich reflexively.
"Sorry," Dietrich said.
"Don't apologize. Just put me in the truck," Troy hissed.
Once Troy was in, Dietrich ran around to the driver's side, jumping in and starting the vehicle as quickly as possible. He had to drive through several miles of rural Germany before reaching Hammelburg. At one point, he noticed Troy reaching down to examine his leg in the corner of his vision.
"Yep. It's broken." Troy sat back, grimacing.
"The doctors will still take a radiograph," Dietrich said. "I will call the house and let Esther and Shauna know what has happened when we get to the hospital."
Troy stayed quiet for the rest of the ride, occasionally making a pained sound. At a traffic light, Dietrich reached over to gently squeeze Troy's shoulder. "I am sorry this happened," he said.
"Why are you apologizing?" Troy asked.
"Because I feel like this is my fault."
"How the hell is this your fault? You didn't push me off the cliff, did you?"
"No."
"Then stop apologizing. You're fine. I'm the one who didn't listen to you about the damn magpies." Troy sighed. "Now I'm gonna be stuck on crutches for months and can't work."
"And we all know how well you sit still."
"I don't want to drive Shauna crazy."
Dietrich smirked a little. "You mean you do not already drive her crazy?"
"I try."
"I can always come to Wyoming and help you if you need it."
"I'd say 'yes,' but you and Esther have a baby on the way. Taking care of her is your first priority."
"Maybe for a few weeks—"
"No," Troy said firmly. He winced again, then his gaze softened. "No. I'll be fine on my own. I have Shauna, and everyone else."
Dietrich kept quiet for the rest of the drive. When they arrived at the hospital, Dietrich told Troy to stay put, though he was well-aware of the fact that telling Troy to stay put carried the same weight as telling a cat to sit. He dashed into the lobby, and told a nurse in German that he had his friend outside in the car with a broken leg. Within seconds, several doctors and nurses were running outside with a gurney.
While Troy was being taken care of, Dietrich asked if he could use a phone, and was shown where to find one. He hesitated for a moment, but eventually put the phone to his ear, dialing the number of his own house. The sound of Esther's voice provided him with some comfort, and he let it sink in before saying, "Esther? Is Shauna there?"
"She is. Is everything alright, Hans?" Esther asked.
"Troy has had a bit of an accident. We are at the hospital right now."
"Oh, no. Is he going to be alright?"
"Yes. Could I speak to Shauna, please?"
"You may."
Faintly, Dietrich could hear Esther telling Shauna, followed by Shauna taking the phone and saying, "What happened?"
"He fell down a ravine," Dietrich said. "A slab of ice landed on top of his right leg. He thinks it is broken, but the doctors are examining him right now."
"Damn it, Sam!" Shauna sounded like she wanted to hit something. "You're supposed to be looking out for him and keeping him from doing anything stupid! Now look!"
Dietrich felt like he had been punched in the stomach. "I… I apologize, Shauna. I warned him the ice and snow obscured the cliff edges. It is hard to tell, admittedly."
He heard Esther say in the background. "I doubt that is fair to say, Shauna. Hans would never willingly let this happen."
Shauna gave an irritable sigh. "Let's just get to the hospital. Are you coming?"
"I may as well."
"Alright. We'll see you in a few minutes, Hans." Shauna hung up.
Dietrich stared at the phone for a moment before putting it back on its hook. He couldn't blame Shauna for being upset, but he wished she hadn't accused him of not looking out for Troy. He began pacing the waiting room, anxiety building rapidly inside him the longer he went without word about how Troy was faring. His pacing stopped when the doors flew open, and Shauna ran in, Esther close behind her.
"Where is he?" Shauna asked.
"They are still treating him, I presume," Dietrich replied.
Shauna looked unsure of what to say next. She sat in a chair, rubbing her face. "What the hell was he doing?"
"All he was doing was trying to get a better look across the ravine," Dietrich said. "He was not doing anything stupid."
"Of all the things…" Shauna trailed off. "The one time he's not doing something wild is the time he gets hurt."
Dietrich looked at the floor. "I really am sorry. I offered to come help on the ranch, but Troy was adamant that I do not."
"Well, he's not working on crutches. I'll make sure of that."
They were interrupted by a nurse entering the room and saying that Troy was ready for visitors. Shauna was the first out of the room, while Dietrich opened his arms for a hug from Esther. He stayed quiet while she hugged him. "No, we did not find a tree. I apologize for ruining Christmas."
"Oh, Hans, you have not ruined anything."
"Shauna is right, though. I failed to—"
Esther put her index finger to Dietrich's lips. "Stop. You did nothing wrong, alright? Shauna is worried, and I would be, too. She will come around once she sees Troy is okay."
"Hopefully." Dietrich gently took his wife's hand. "We should go see him."
They found Shauna in Troy's room, sitting next to the bed and holding her husband's hand. Troy was sitting upright, his lower right leg bound in a cast and slightly elevated. He looked to be in a lot less pain, and somewhat drowsy, but still appeared uncomfortable.
"Is that Dietrich?" Troy moaned.
"It is," Shauna replied. She glanced over at Dietrich, a guilty expression on her face. "Hans, I'm sorry for getting angry."
"You got angry at him?" Troy asked. "Why?"
"I… blamed him for not keeping a closer eye on you."
"Aw, sweetheart. I just told you Dietrich pulled me out of that ravine. He did his best. I'm proud."
Dietrich gave him a look. "Must you shower me with praise, Troy?"
"Yes, although maybe it's the morphine talking."
Dietrich couldn't decide whether to grin or not. "Shauna, may I talk to your husband alone?"
"What for?" Shauna asked.
"Something personal, relating to our history."
Shauna sighed. "Alright." She and Esther left the room.
"You didn't have to kick them out, you know," Troy said.
"I understand, but… as I have been standing here, I am reminded of when… I was in the hospital in Würzburg, and you spent hours just sitting with me. I still have vague memories of you talking to me." Dietrich sat next to the bed. "It makes me sick to think that there had been a time where I would have been all too thrilled that you are injured."
"I had a feeling that was running through your head this whole time."
"Did you?"
"I've known you for how long at this point? I knew that was going to come back to haunt you when I realized I broke something. I could hear you calling me, and I could tell by your tone that you were concerned and scared that something much worse had happened. Twenty or so years ago, I would've been skeptical. Now—" Troy shook his head, "I had faith in you. Blind faith. The same faith I showed to my men."
"Would you like to know what else is bothering me?" Dietrich asked.
"Sure."
"You have helped me so many times. I feel I should help you for once."
"You've helped me. Hell, you helped me today. You'll have plenty of chances to help."
"I just… do not want to feel like the mangy stray that you all have adopted and must constantly care for all the time."
"I've never thought of you that way. Yes, you needed help—a lot of help—in the beginning, but you're on your own now, and I know you've gone out of your way to help the others when they need it. It was a relief to know you were helping Moffitt when Jules was born while the rest of us were in Korea."
"I suppose that… makes sense. It still does not feel like I have done enough."
"I felt the same way after I left you alone in your new house. I thought I was making a mistake, even though just a few days before that, we finally set our problems aside and I was certain that everything was going to change for the better."
"And it has. It will always feel a bit strange, though, even though we have been friends longer than we were enemies."
"Yeah." Troy looked like he was thinking for a moment, then took on a defeated expression, which, to Dietrich, was quite a rare sight. "Alright. If you want to come help me on the ranch, you can. Just promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
"Don't be a mother hen. I'm already going to have Shauna to deal with, making sure I'm not doing anything."
"I cannot make any promises on that. I probably know you better than Shauna does."
"I still don't need two people hovering over me."
"Then try not to do anything that will require two people to constantly hover over you."
