Hey Guys! Please forgive the lengthy dry-spell of chapters. A whole lot of stuff has been going on lately and even though I've been on holidays for little over 3 weeks, I just have been having a hard time with ... finding time lol. Not to mention a few family issues, getting my room re-done with new furniture and debating whether to re-paint, and the constant tropical storms plaguing Queensland right now and the resulting lack of internet connection.

Now I've been writing this chapter for a few days, because everytime I'd get a bit done the computer would crash, so excuse any serious errors and the sort-of-crappy chapter ending, but by the time I had gotten near the end I lost enthusiasm. Blame the bloody computer!

Anyways, again, forgive the shittyness of this chapter. I did try to make up for it with length though. Try to enjoy....haha!

(PS - Bronte is a referance to the Bronte Hospital in London. This will be a little important later on, so try remember it. Do you guys remember the glass vial of liquid on a necklace Dr. Reed wears? This'll link up later as well.)

"Caparzo! Damnit Caparzo…."
"Wade, give it up." Sam Kilter, Assistant Medical Technician, placed his hand on his fellow medic's shoulder. With the extra weight, Wade's shoulders slumped noticeably, a long breath exhaled from his pursed lips. It was a solemn scene; Wade, Reed and Kilter crouching by Caparzo's body, the rest of the squad forming a loose circle around them. Despite the heavy dollops of rain falling from the grey sky to the equally grey ground, Mellish lit a cigarette with a match, sparking it on the side of his dog tags and began puffing away, his gaze anywhere but his fallen friend. Audrey stared straight ahead at the round, pale face of the crestfallen T/4.
"You can’t win 'em all you know…" She offered meekly to Wade, whose cheeks suddenly flushed in anger.
"Well if they gave us a freakin' chance!" The medic threw the bloodied bandage from his hand, hurling it off towards the murdered Kraut's tower, snatching Caparzo's equally blood stained letter and stomping off. The rest of the unit followed with their eyes, but made no motion to follow him. Sam took the initiative and removed Caparzo's own blanket from his pack, ready to lay it over him as a mark of respect. Everyone seemed to stiffen up as Captain Miller began walking towards them, pushing his way into the gathering.
"That's why we can't take children." Miller's face was blank, his dark yet commanding tone betraying his other wise emotionless shell. The Captain lent forward and quickly ripped the tags from Caparzo's corpse before eyeing each member of his unit with a stony, soul penetrating stare.
"Sergeant Horvath, do an ammo check." Horvath nodded before Miller's gaze fell towards the timid Corporal. "Upham; Canteens" He ordered, throwing his own at the mousey linguist, finishing simply with the phrase, "Fill 'em up."

Miller had turned to another squad's Sergeant and started confirming a new plan for his own unit and as an afterthought, ordering Mellish to scout the tower for any remaining enemies, and Jackson to accompany him. Meanwhile, Sam finally covered Caparzo's body from sight with the harsh woollen, American Army issued blanket. Carefully, he clasped the dead Private's hand with his own, squeezing it in a final goodbye. Audrey sighed heavily, tongue skimming over her teeth in angsty habit, unable to block her mind from picturing the scene she had heard from behind the wall. Though she hadn't exactly seen his death, it haunted her all the same.
"We should probably go see how he is…" Sam caught her attention, giving a simple nod in the direction Wade disappeared to. Dr. Reed found herself agreeing, both separating from the thinning cluster of soldier's in search of the compassionate ranger-medic.

•••••

Jackson kicked open the ramshackle door of the shabby clock tower, instinctually darting his eyes around, gun barrel mimicking the movement. Mellish filed in behind him, seeing the room was barren, aside from a few potato-sacks worth of sawdust and sandbags. Slumped over one of them, was the body of the Kraut; skull hollowed by Jackson's single shot; the insides sprayed out on the dusty wall following. Jackson eyed the town below from the vantage point, lost in his own thoughts. Mellish approached the lifeless man in front of him; the remaining glassy eye staring eerily into his own. Mellish quickly slammed his heavy boot into the crotch of the Kraut; over and over again until Jackson managed to pull him away.
"We best be gettin' back." Jackson shifted the toothpick-like splinter in his mouth, letting his eyes sweep cautiously over Mellish. He turned to walk down the rickety staircase of the tower, not waiting for the Jewish-ranger. Mellish felt Jackson's presence leave the tiny room, and finding he was finally alone, let hot, salty tears spill from his already sore eyes.
"That was for Caparzo you filthy bastard." Mellish sniffed once of twice more before he too, floated away down the dank stairwell.

•••••

"Ted Hamill; Pathfinders 101st"
"John Miller; 2nd Rangers. We're here looking for a Private James Ryan he's part of your outfit. Any chance at all you policed him up?" Captain Miller asked the sudden apparition of Captain Hamill, a man that the unit would hope was key to finding the troublesome Ryan and get all their asses out of Normandy and out of the war.

"How was the road in?" Hamill drawled, not expecting any news of good tidings.
"Scenic. We've lost most of our ammo..." Captain Miller replied, disheartened at his own statement.
"…not to mention one of our men." Mellish jumped in with a growl, mind still seeking vengeance for the death of one of his closer army buddies. Captain Hamill let his eyes flicker to the ranger, communicating a short-lived sliver of understanding. Captain Miller sighed, readying himself as a Lieutenant was called over to aid his search for the illusive James Ryan.

•••••

"You're a good medic Wade, don't ever forget it." Sam clapped his hand on Wade's back in a very-male sign of respect and affection. Dr Reed, ignoring Wade's sudden embarrassment, used her free arm to wrap him in a side-hug. The three trudged over the dust ridden, sloppy ground, thankful for the rays of sunlight that had begun to penetrate the now dry skies.
"A compassionate heart is what makes a compassionate doctor." Audrey offered her own support, letting her arm fall from him again and redistribute the weight of the medical supplies in her arms. The trio were lucky enough to meet a younger medic travelling with another convoy who was overstocked. It had seemed other units had lost their medics; God Help Them. The younger medic was glad to be rid of all the extra weight, and had given the trio his own empathetic phrase as he was relayed the tale of Caparzo's death. There was definitely an all-around mutual understanding when it came to the medical staff employed under the army.

Kilter, Reed and Wade found themselves walking towards the rest of their unit who was squatting on some rubble, revelling in the brief few minutes of downtime. Jackson was sitting on a large chunk of concrete shared with Reiben. The southerner had his face hurried in his hands, taking deep calming breaths. Reiben however, had stolen a cigarette from Mellish, who was sitting on the ground, and both were quietly inhaling and exhaling, mesmerised by the billows of smoke and their own thoughts. As they joined them, Sammy cast his attention towards Miller, Horvath, and some other men, one of which who was on the ground in tears.
"Wha' are they doin' over there?" Kilter's heavy British accent slick with curiosity. Reiben immediately narrowed his eyes, suddenly no longer intrigued by his cigarette.
"We found Ryan. Bloody bastard." Reiben held a dark contempt for the Paratrooper. He had lost his friend, risked his life, for some pansy to get a free ticket home? If it was up to the Brooklyn native, he would've left the prick there to die.
"Ah…." Kilter mused dumbly, not knowing what else to say. The rest of the squad watched on as the scene played itself out, each face glimmering with their own inner turmoil.

"But…that can't be…." Ryan blubbered, his commanding Captain trying to calm him. "My brother's still in grammar school."
What the hell seemed to be the thought as all the other soldiers looked between themselves, bewildered. Audrey found Sam was just as confused, with his left hand coming up to rub the corners of his eyes. Wade, Mellish and Reiben became frozen; arms either halfway between puffs on their cigarettes or leaving the smouldering tobacco stick hanging limply from their lips, listening closely. Upham raised his head from looking at the inconsolable Ryan's feet, brown eyes wide in confusion.

"You're James Ryan…" Captain Miller trailed off, the statement sounding more like a question.
"Yeah…" The soldier wept, his own tear-filled eyes falling on the Captain's for answers.
"James Francis Ryan from Iowa…"
"James Fredrick Ryan, Minnesota."
Miller merely stared at the soldier's quivering features and sighed. This wasn't there guy. From that few feet across, Reiben sat with the rest of his stunned accomplices. Setting his jaw, Richard Reiben found he wasn't sympathetic at all for the real James Ryan, and his 3 K.I.A brothers. In fact, it just made Reiben hate him more.

•••••

"So where the hell's our Ryan?" Lieutenant Horvath's gravely voice asked of his superior, the rest of the group huddling closely together. Upham meekly sidled up between Jackson and Dr. Reed. Miller scanned the faces of his remaining troupe, having to remind himself (painfully) that he was short one member. Adrian Caparzo. That would make this mission only that much harder.
"Well…" Miller cleared his throat, giving a momentary pause as his unit settled themselves, trying to get their footing on the squelchy soil. "We're gonna' head up to a medical base meeting point. Hopefully Ryan'll be there."
"…yeah, and hopefully he'll be dead." Reiben drawled, much to the chagrin of the three medics. However disgusted Audrey was at his commentary, she found now was not the time to start an argument.
"So, the way I figure it…" Miller too, choosing to ignore Reiben's jerkiness, focused on the plan. He pulled a map from his jacket, smoothing it out and holding it in the centre of the circle. After several minutes of quick planning, the troupe had all decided on this leg of their journey. It was then that a commanding voice sounded behind them; Kilter and Reed's faces instantly paling, Miller's unit merely reacted in confused glances and cocks of the head.

"Audrey, how lovely to see you again…despite such terrible circumstance."
"That would be Dr. Reed, Major." Audrey stressed through gritted teeth, turning to face the high ranking officer's wry smile. Major Hughes' dark eyes quickly passed over Samuel, a glint of maliciousness sweeping over the mousey haired medic.
"Ah, Kilter. Should have known you would be close to follow." Major Hughes voice was smooth, although undeniably insulting. The Major was a man in his early forties with a bristly moustache in a square covering his upper lip, and carefully slicked back black hair, only beginning to grey at the roots with age. The man was definitely an imposing figure; dressed in full Major's uniform in khaki green, his lapels decorated with an assortment of medals and patches. Major Hughes stood with an air of both arrogance and importance, which seemed to ooze over the muddy, dirty privates.

Sam's thin features scrunched up; nose pinched in suppressed anger, brow crinkled in hatred. Audrey set her jaw, biting her lip in her own frustration, rolling her eyes and flicking her brown ponytail back over her shoulder as she was addressed again. Everyone observed that while the Major was fairly good looking considering his age, the two young medics looked upon him like a giant toad.
"So Audrey, it has been a while since I saw you. I would've assumed you would have stayed in Bronte …" The Major stared straight at Audrey in an almost predatory way. The others, highly confused at the entire situation seemed to notice Audrey's hatred and Sam's growing anxiousness.
"Captain John Miller." Miller took Audrey's silence as a perfect place to assert himself. The Major turned his attention to Miller, giving him an almost distasteful look, while in his peripherals, the Captain could see Audrey giving him thankful glances.
"Major Horace Hughes…" He replied in a drone, lazily offering his hand to Miller, before snapping his gaze back to Audrey.
"Dr Reed…It would seem that your current unit is…unfitting…to that of a lady's presence." The Major scanned his steely gaze over Mellish, Wade, Jackson, Reiben, Horvath, Kilter and Upham with an indecipherable indifference. The seven men (bar Upham) glared back in menace, although it seemed to have no effect on Major Hughes.
"Major…I would prefer that you not insult my men, let alone in their presence." Captain Miller's voice was grave, a threatening undertone. The Major merely gave a huff, snubbing the well-respected Captain, making the unit even more agitated.
"On that Major…perhaps it would be best if you went to supervise your unit." Sammy finally jumped in; the boy's usually high pitched and happy-go-lucky voice dry and stale in the moist air. The Major snapped his gaze from Dr Reed to the young T/5, an authorative tone slipping in.
"Watch your tongue boy." The Major's eyes narrowed at the Englishmen, before his eyes clouded in another guarded mask. "Captain. Gentlemen. Audrey…" He addressed each of them, finally walking off towards a crowd of men who stood to attention at his arrival. Audrey felt herself shudder at the way he drawled her name, but hid her slight fear under an angry remark.
"That would be Dr Reed." She grumbled when he was far away enough. The men around her simply stared at her; awaiting answers.
"Who the hell was that?" Mellish questioned, Sam and Audrey glancing towards each other as they debated telling them.
"That my friends, was Robbin' Cradles and his band of merry rapists." Sam gestured to the Major and his own unit off down the road. Audrey snorted and stared to pack up her stuff, shoving the extra medical supplies in her bag. Sam gave her an exasperated look.
"You know, we probably should tell them…" Sam began to lecture her, even though the men were still standing around them.
"Shut up Sam. We'll tell them later." Audrey muttered, slinging her bag over her back and heading towards the town church, like Miller had told them too earlier, and leaving a fog of confusion in their wake.