↺ time doesn't wait • p r i v a t e

[SewLongFareWell]

♚xxxxxDays may not be fair alwaysxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That's when I'll be there alwaysxxxxx


"Not...not too soon, more like...unexpected." Midge murmured, and leaned into him as he kissed her temple. She was so content, so terribly happy like this, and to hear the way defeat found it's way into his voice...it broke her heart. Small arms wrapped around him and held herself there, secure and tight. "I didn't think I'd hear that for a long while, or get to say it. It was just unexpected is all, Iain. I honestly do care so, so deeply for you. I do love you."

Of course Allan had crossed her mind, more than once in the few months she had spent with Iain. But, Midge rationalized, Allan was gone. No one had heard from him, and they'd given up hope that he'd return. Despite this, something inside her wouldn't let him go, no matter how close she and Iain had grown. Hell, she and Allan had declared their love in a fraction of the time as with Iain, and Allan had had a similar reaction. But this was Iain she held in her arms, who lavished her with love and affection, spent every waking moment keeping her the happiest he possibly could. Midge did the same for him.

Yes, she did love Iain. There was no further doubt in her mind.

As if to assuage his doubts, Midge shifted her weight to straddle Iain's body, and claimed his mouth as his with hungry, lovely kisses. It was carnal and pure, the way they held onto each other for dear life. They made love that night, which, for Midge, was terrifying and wonderful, uncomfortable and left her seeing stars. The mixture of positive and negative left the pair of them shaking and exhausted, and terribly embarrassing when his mother discovered them the next morning.

But that was the beginning of the end, really. In the next few weeks, Midge was shipped back to the hospital where she'd met both of the Cooper boys, to watch after the orphaned children still. She wrote to Iain constantly, and he'd come to visit once or twice. December fifteenth was a date on which Marjorie wanted nothing to do with anyone or anything; she'd met Allan Cooper one year ago to the day. It was heartbreaking, really; Midge had spent much of the day in her dormitory, crying into her pillow Christmas rolled around, and Marjorie made her way back to Morayshire for the holidays. Christmas Eve was quiet, for the most part.

When the knock came, it was late that evening. Mrs. Cooper and her husband were in bed, and Iain was reading to his sisters, encouraging them to sleep so Santa Claus could come. Seeing as all else were busy, Midge stood to answer the door. She smoothed her dress and opened the door with a smile. "Happy Christm-"

Oh God.

Allan.
♚xxxxxNot for just an hour, not for just a dayxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Not for just a year, but always.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[call me newt]

♚xxxxxxxxxxxxxxiPVT. ALLAN COOPER



AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS

Rapping his knuckles on the front door of the home he so longed to enter was relief to his exertion. After completely being pulled under the radar, Allan set himself up to expect the best and the worst of reactions to his return. Scolding, lectures, tears and everlasting hugs would be a best guess. Compared to his venture home that lacked familiar bearings, that's all he craved: A familiar face behind the door.

Allan dreamt of this moment, allowing himself to play all kinds of scenarios in his mind to keep it at ease through the drastically low temperatures. Sometimes, it would be his mother that would swing open the door and throw her arms around him in a fit of tears. Other times, it was Iain he'd share a much overdue hug with, or having both of his younger sister's latch onto him for dear life. But it really hadn't mattered in the least who would answer his knock. The warmth of home versus the winter weather alone was well worth the trek. The only thing worth more was his plan to reunite just as hastily with Midge as he did his family. He had no doubts of how high her level of concern and distress she must have been through without word from him. Perhaps, unimaginable was a suiting assumption to chain it to. However, any guess he could bound himself to would be far from what he could ever possibly comprehend. Months now Allan had been gone without writing. Absolute guilt had completely engulfed him at this point. She was certainly guaranteed to be much more than simply worried sick. Nothing kept him going more than that inevitable reunion of anger, tears, embraces, a kiss and even those simple gazes.

When the door creaked open, the face that answered was close to giving him reason to drop to the ground in exhaustion.

Marjorie.

A purely surreal moment was held in the palm of his hands, drinking in the face he had last seen before disappearing; the face he pined to see after so long. Allan hadn't known whether to envelop her in an embrace, sob, smile, or simply fall to the ground. The amount of strength he held weakened by the second, but he managed a wide grin as his breathing finally began to catch up with him. "Ya' miss me?"

It may not exactly have been the greatest of ideas, treating the moment as if no time at all passed between their last meeting. It was at minimum bound to exceed the extremes of the opposing emotions she were to display. Albeit, Allan hadn't a care in the world what she would say or how she would greet him; nothing. Her presence alone was pushing away and pressing questions of her initial appearance. Allan now ran on fumes of energy as he stumbled to balance his weight upon his feet. Nothing from his journey had decided to catch up with him until now, leaving him to rest against the frame of the door. "Been s'long... almost forgot yer lovely face..." Allan mumbled wearily, and with a soft grin to match.

Alas, his eyes traveled briefly, catching quick seconds of eye contact with his brother and younger sisters. Like deer caught in headlights, they only continued to stare. Allan hadn't seen Iain for months, or even having written him at all since their separate departures. The thought had forgotten to occur that Iain would have been sent home with Allan's missing status, despite the rules he was clearly aware of. It was safe to conclude no one had much of any idea how to respond to Allan standing on the doorstep. Among all the faces, decorations were fruitful indoors, and Marjorie had most definitely begun with 'Happy Christmas' when she answered the door. It couldn't have been already... could it?

"I-It's... Christmas?"



xxxxxx
IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH & THE MOMENT TO LIE ★ THE MOMENT TO LIVE AND THE MOMENT TO DIE


x

[SewLongFareWell]

I`LL BE LOVING YOU ALWAYS
WITH A LOVE THAT`S TRUE ALWAYS
WHEN THE THINGS YOU`VE PLANNED
NEED A HELPING HAND
I WILL UNDERSTAND ALWAYS
















For a moment, Midge was too entirely sure that she was dreaming, that she'd fallen asleep listen to Iain read his sisters stories and entered the most idyllic dreamland. But this was real. The chill in the air and the sheer shock that struck her core made it all too real, verified everything her brain was telling her. Allan Cooper was standing in the doorway, that ridiculous grin on his face, staring her in the eyes, alive and well. It was snowing and, for Midge, that provided the most movie-worthy backdrop she could imagine. Like in movies, her wonderful, wonderful movies, like the heroine waiting with baited breath for her beloved, Midge found her hands shaking, the air catching in her chest, and there seemed to be only Allan. Was he talking? She wasn't sure. His lips were moving, but she couldn't be sure that there was sound.

Clearing her throat, Midge gave a little toss of her head, to clear her thoughts, and held tight to the door. Her fingers wrapped around the heavy wooden thing, as if it would protect her from this being too good to be true. "Miss you? If it wasn't for your family I wouldn't have survived. I thought I was going to die from sheer heartache, Allan. I missed you so, so much." She wanted to move, wanted to either slap him or throw her arms around him, but her feet weren't on the same page. Midge remained planted to the spot. It was strange. At first, until the romance between herself and Iain blossomed, Marjorie hadn't the slightest clue as to how she'd react to his return. When Iain came into her life, when they'd let Allan drift away, it was the farthest thing from her thoughts. Instantly a thousand questions entered her head: what had happened? Where had he been? Why hadn't he written her, made contact sooner? Most important of all, what happened now?

He leaned against the door, and their deep, thriving connection had her mirroring him, resting her forehead on the door itself, the softest quirk of a smile tracing her lips. God, he hadn't changed a bit, had he? Midge just wanted to look at him, flesh and blood: he was the same blue eyes, the same shaggy, dirty blonde hair, the same charming, strong features. He was hers... "Months, actually. I haven't heard a word from you in months, Allan Cooper. I've spent more time away from the man I love than with him." It amazed her, truly, that she could feel this way about someone she'd spent, collectively, three months with in the year she'd known them.

Though his gaze wandered, Midge's didn't. Forget about Iain. Iain, she reasoned, didn't matter, not now, not anymore. Allan was exhausted, and home. And seemed to have lost track of the time. "Yeah. Christmas Eve. And Allan? I just got what I wished for for Christmas." In true Marjorie fashion, the nurse seized her soldier by the collar and pulled him to her, kissing an exhausted Allan full on the mouth without missing a beat. Nothing had changed, not the way they felt against her, the way her arms so easily slipped around his shoulders, and most certainly the way her heart fluttered in her chest. It was all so familiar, so easy; it came to her litl breathing. They were still sweethearts, she was still madly in love with him, and nothing could change that. Nothing had. Forehead against his, Midge couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes. "I'm so, so happy you're home. C'mon. Let's get you inside. You're freezing."




DAYS MAY NOT BE FAIR ALWAYS
THAT`S WHEN I`LL BE THERE ALWAYS
NOT FOR JUST AN HOUR, NOT FOR
JUST A DAY, NOT JUST FOR A YEAR
BUT ALWAYS

[call me newt]

♚xxxxxxxxxxxxxxiPVT. ALLAN COOPER



AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS

Perhaps it was the days without rest, but Marjorie's words mixed with one hell of a kiss had his world spinning. The girl of his dreams, his sweetheart, greeting him so lovingly after months of capture and travel was definitely the icing on the cake. Allan had his arms tangled around her waist, a content sigh emitting softly from his lips. It seemed pattern began to take place. Each moment they had together had an overbearing emotion secured to it. Either the sorrow of departure, or the joy of reuniting; it was amplified. This, in turn, only strengthened the bond they shared; at least, to Allan's ideals.

"I best skip apologies then," Even after this long, nothing changed. Midge's baby blues still shone as bright as ever under the moonlight, and that bounce in her soft brown curls when she shook her head. It was all how he remembered it. "B'cause I could never wish for anythin' better myself."

Allan could not help but rest a hand upon her cheek, his thumb running so smoothly across it. She was here. She wasn't stationed overseas, not at the hospital, but here; home. His home. The reality of it all came without warning, already giving a struggle to believe that it was indeed real.

Stepping through the threshold gave the soldier peace of mind, as if all the weight from his shoulders was lifted. It may have been the success of arriving at his destination, or even the surprise of Marjorie greeting him, but the knowledge of being safe and sound gave him the security he needed — and not to mention the warmth. Before Allan could blink, his sisters already scurried over with longing hugs. He crouched down to their level to hush their excitement, promising to soon tuck them in their beds so Santa Claus could come. However, they argued that he was all they asked Santa for for Christmas. "Why don' we jus' wrap me up under the tree for mum?" Allan laughed, giving a glance over to Marjorie.

Too quickly, Allan noticed his brother on the other side of the room again. They were both in disbelief. It was almost as if he was an open book, telling the story of how he fell under the radar for so long. Despite what the case may have been, they both met in the middle of the room with a hug. It was ages since they even shared presence in the same room.

The possibilities he dreamed up came true; and he was home just in time for Christmas.



xxxxxx
IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH & THE MOMENT TO LIE ★ THE MOMENT TO LIVE AND THE MOMENT TO DIE


x

[SewLongFareWell]

I`LL BE LOVING YOU ALWAYS
WITH A LOVE THAT`S TRUE ALWAYS
WHEN THE THINGS YOU`VE PLANNED
NEED A HELPING HAND
I WILL UNDERSTAND ALWAYS
















There was something so surreal about Allan’s return and the following reunion with his family. It felt like she was floating through a dream, that at any second she would wake up in Iain’s bed in a cold sweat. No, he was there, he was embracing his older brother, the girls couldn’t wipe the grins from their faces, and Midge’s heart was doing somersaults in her chest. The home was quiet for a moment, before Marjorie cleared her throat and spoke. Breaking such silence felt sacrilegious.


”Girls, I think it’s time for bed. Why don’t the two of you head upstairs and get changed and brush your teeth and such, and I’ll make sure Allan tucks you in, alright?” His sisters responded with a sigh and complied, giggling all the way to their beds. That left the Brothers Cooper and Midge. It was a moment Marjorie was unwilling to ruin with her presence. ”I’ll…I’ll put the kettle on.” A slight nod, as if to assure the pair of them that all was well, and she excused herself to the kitchen.

And proceeded to panic only slightly.


Seeing the brothers together only forced Marjorie to realize her circumstances. Allan was not dead, not in the slightest, and she’d run to Iain’s arms (and bed) under the assumption she’d never see him again. What did this, Allan’s homecoming, mean for the three of them, then? She wasn’t sure. What Marjorie was sure of, above everything else, was that she loved Allan more than anything else in the world. Her dalliances with Iain were the search for comfort, the grasping for something familiar. She’d told Iain she loved him, she rationalized, because it was something said to her, that she’d kept bottled inside for so long. Falling into bed with him? Midge wasn’t sure why that had happened. Maybe she needed something physical; maybe it was just the next logical step in her delusion.


Either way, this affair with Iain could not continue any longer. How it was going to be ended was the larger problem.


Softly, Marjorie cursed under her breath and began to fill the kettle. Allan would be freezing, and tea, she was sure, would make him feel right at home.


Her next concern would be to make sure that Allan never found out about her infidelity.




DAYS MAY NOT BE FAIR ALWAYS
THAT`S WHEN I`LL BE THERE ALWAYS
NOT FOR JUST AN HOUR, NOT FOR
JUST A DAY, NOT JUST FOR A YEAR
BUT ALWAYS

[call me newt]

♚xxxxxxxxxxxxxxiPVT. ALLAN COOPER



AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS

Barely a word was spoken among the brothers. For months, his whole family had presumed him killed in action. There was a definite strain, but the shimmer of tears welling up in Iain's eyes could only be those of overwhelming joy.

Not seconds later did Iain urge Allan to shed his worn and battered uniform, and wash up. Only having the clothes on his back for quite some time, he could not argue. Everything was peacefully familiar, just as he had anticipated. The creek of the floor that resonated no matter how small his steps, the slight chill of air that seeped from the window in his room, and even the refreshing touch of clean clothes on his back. He briefly reveled in the luxury of wearing his own clothes, instead of the military regulation uniforms. But the most refreshing feeling of all? Washing away all the dirt and grime from the battle field. Somewhere along the lines, he felt ensnared within himself, almost as if he were someone else. Now he could truly see himself, unfortunately to discover wounds he never knew he suffered, but they merely scratches compared to the feat he achieved.

Allan entered the front room as Iain dismissed himself to bed. Now, it was only Marjorie and himself.

"I s'ppose ya have a lot of questions," the soldier softly began, as not to startle Midge when he stepped into the kitchen, "An' I'll answer 'em all." Similar to their last meeting, Allan was struggling to think it real. She was here, right before his eyes, and that's was all he could keep reminding himself. She was here. His lips curling up into a smile caught him off guard as he closed the gap between himself and Marjorie, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. "Jus' know, that if I had the chance t'write, I would have."

That's what mattered more than anything at this moment. Where he was and what had happened. All wondrous reuniting aside, there would be a bout of questions he knew - and wanted - to fill with answers. It remained difficult for him to comprehend, even with experiencing things firsthand. Much of it remained a blur, and there was no real beginning, middle, or even much of an end, which persisted more of a reason to skip telling the story and only salvage the specifics. It marked the start of repeatedly describing what he had endured all these months.

Perhaps, having Marjorie be the first to hear would help him make sense of it all. It was all he wanted, besides assuring his sweetheart that she was the only thing that kept him going.



xxxxxx
IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH & THE MOMENT TO LIE ★ THE MOMENT TO LIVE AND THE MOMENT TO DIE


x

[SewLongFareWell]

I`LL BE LOVING YOU ALWAYS
WITH A LOVE THAT`S TRUE ALWAYS
WHEN THE THINGS YOU`VE PLANNED
NEED A HELPING HAND
I WILL UNDERSTAND ALWAYS
















Despite his caution in approaching her, Marjorie jumped when he began to speak. The house was usually so quiet. She’d been so deep in her thoughts that she’d hardly noticed that Iain had gone up to bed (a night without her company, no doubt), and that Allan had changed out of uniform, into real, civilian clothes. It was strange; as she thought back on the year she’d known him, she’d never seen him out of uniform. His words were reassuring, and that alone was one of the things she loved most about him. Marjorie could ask him anything and he’d give it to her wholeheartedly. ”To say I have a lot of questions may be an understatement, Allan. It’s good to see you cleaned up. That’s the face I love.” She smiled, and met him halfway, leaning into the kiss for only a moment. It was love, pure and simple. The kettle began to whistle.


Quietly, the nurse retrieved two cups and saucers from a cabinet and poured the tea. Usually Midge would have sweetened the beverage; she probably wouldn’t touch it tonight. She’d be too entranced in his explanations. ”Last I heard from you it was February and we were trying not to freeze in the middle of the night in Germany. Ten months later and I’m trying to wrap my head around this, trying to figure out where to start.” The beginning was as good a place as any. Marjorie, with a huge sigh, sank into a chair at the dining room table, combing her fingers through her hair. This was going to be complicated and painful, for him to relive these experiences and share them with her. Her voice was precious soft, as if anything louder than this whisper would wake the entire household and break them into chaos.

It probably would.

”So, what exactly did happen? Why couldn’t you write? You have no idea what kind of hell it was waiting to hear if you were alive.” Marjorie was being very presumptuous. He probably knew hell better than anyone else. ”Just…what happened? And are you alright? If I had another ten months I'd sit here and ask you to tell me every moment of every day you were gone...Every day we thought you were dead.”




DAYS MAY NOT BE FAIR ALWAYS
THAT`S WHEN I`LL BE THERE ALWAYS
NOT FOR JUST AN HOUR, NOT FOR
JUST A DAY, NOT JUST FOR A YEAR
BUT ALWAYS

[call me newt]

♚xxxxxxxxxxxxxxiPVT. ALLAN COOPER



AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS

Allan took a seat across from Midge. Nothing had bothered him more than the idea of all his loved ones assuming him dead. Every day he spent running back to them, they thought him long gone - but where was there any chance for them to think otherwise? Marjorie continued to press the duration of his absence being a total of ten months, and those ten months were a flat line for them, while he spent it pursuing what seemed like the impossible on most days. If only he had been given a chance to write.

"I was captured," Allan began with a nerve ridden sigh, "an' taken a prisoner of war by German soldiers. Fortunately, they were not entirely ruthless, the worst thing that could happen was rations dwindlin' more than they already were. After eight days, I made my attempt to escape, but it was almost as if that was a mistake. When I was successful, an' jus' barely, I had no idea where I was. It was nightfall, and my bearings were little to nothin'. I could no longer remember where any troops were stationed, nor did I have any idea where to go. I was lost and alone. I was fearin' more about bein' lost than I was about being caught escapin'. I - I can't quite remember how I managed or what happened, but on some bloody stroke of luck, I was found by some Allied soldiers - Americans, I believe. I had told them my story, and I received medical attention before I was pointed in the right direction back to the platoon I belonged in."

Allan's eye contact with Marjorie faded as his gaze lowered into the cup of tea in front of him. He could not quite face his long string of words, reciting them embedded the reality of it into his mind.

"An' I would be lyin' if I said tha' was it..." he continued as his lips pressed into a thin line. "As soon as I was placed back where I should be, I found myself lost again. It had happened all over again, being a prisoner of war, escaping, and becoming lost. I was always lost."

A definite silence encompassed the couple for a good few minutes. The soldier was at a loss of so many intricate details he knew to be missing from such a short told story that was long lived. Perhaps, he hadn't the time to retain them because his focus laid solely on finding familiarity. Allan lifted his gaze, as if the burden of his guilt had weighed it down, nodding his head subtly.

"But, I found m'way back here alright."



xxxxxx
IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH & THE MOMENT TO LIE ★ THE MOMENT TO LIVE AND THE MOMENT TO DIE


x

[SewLongFareWell]

I`LL BE LOVING YOU ALWAYS
WITH A LOVE THAT`S TRUE ALWAYS
WHEN THE THINGS YOU`VE PLANNED
NEED A HELPING HAND
I WILL UNDERSTAND ALWAYS
















For a long, somber moment, Marjorie remained planted in her seat. All she could do, all she wanted to do, was listen, engulf herself in every syllable, breath, pause. There was so much. There was so much hidden between his words, so much left unsaid about the time he’d spent missing. It turned out to be one of her worst nightmares come to fruition. He’d been taken captive, on more than one occasion. Her fingers curled tighter around her teacup, the brew going untouched. Allan’s desperation, the way the words just poured from him…

Midge thought her heart had already been broken once before. This? This was nothing short of torture.

It wasn’t until Allan finished and returned his gaze to hers did she realize that tears hung in her eyes. She felt nothing while they slid down her cheeks, no wetness, no salt, no nothin’. Marjorie hardly felt her shoulders and lips shake and quiver. The house was quiet, save for the scrape of Midge’s chair against the floor. She rose and moved around the table, and found herself settled in his lap. Still, no words, nothing she could say that would seem to coax him from his guilt, from the sadness, from the ache.

”I…Allan, I am so…so sorry. I wanted to do anything I could to bring you home.” Midge sniffled, pressed her face to his temple, and sat there. It was lovely, more than so, to have her arms around his shoulders, everything warm and familiar about him. A kiss, and then a second, third, fourth to his forehead.

The world was so quiet around them. Nothing but snow and dark and Christmas.

”We’d better get to bed. It’s late, and you promised to tuck the girls in before bed.”




DAYS MAY NOT BE FAIR ALWAYS
THAT`S WHEN I`LL BE THERE ALWAYS
NOT FOR JUST AN HOUR, NOT FOR
JUST A DAY, NOT JUST FOR A YEAR
BUT ALWAYS

[call me newt]

♚xxxxxxxxxxxxxxiPVT. ALLAN COOPER



AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS

Allan seldom thought that his return would cause any heap of sadness. Marjorie's tears glistened as they raced down her cheeks, speaking volumes of the empathy she had toward his pain and hardship. He no longer held the once jubilant thoughts of reunion. His return acted as a weight that dragged him and his loved ones down. Although his sweetheart had garnered most of his company so far, if a tale of sporadic events he endured could pull tears from her eyes, he could not assume any less from the rest.

With Midge enveloped cozily in his arms, a common reoccurring thought bombarded its way through. In some way or another, he had made it. He made it through every waking moment dodging ominous bullets, unknowing of which one had his name engraved on it. Along with every other soldier, he lived within that constant fear, and that fear was just as habitual as breathing. Nothing could shake a man more than seeing a companion fall, wondering why it was them while anticipating their own inevitable demise. Not many could surmount it. Perhaps pretending ignorance was bliss would be a safe haven to acquiesce in. With unpleasant memories, it ultimately boiled down to taking everything in stride, both his own unique setbacks, and the conventional ones.

Marjorie's reassurance clung to him as the linger of the kisses she planted on his forehead had. The soldier had been tipping between his hefty thoughts before he became fully attentive, catching the latter half her statement. His younger sisters were the apple of his eye. Their naïvety allowing an escape from whatever reality he would face. Now, with the reality of war so prevalent, he yearned more than ever to simply tuck them into their beds. They would eventually begin to send him a barrage of questions about where he had been, but Allan could only assume they never fully understood what had adhered to his state. While the rest of the family and Marjorie thought him to have bitten the dust, the girls were still instilled with the knowledge of their older brother fighting for the Allies. Nevertheless, the corners of his lips tugged upward into a grin at Midge's reminder before he pressed a short, sweet peck to her lips.

Allan tiptoed up the stairs, thankful that the girls' room was a few doors down from his mother and stepfather's. He peeked his head in, pressing his index finger over his lips before they could begin bounding in excitement. He reminded them once he had them settled in their beds to fall asleep quickly since Santa Claus would be paying them a visit tonight. After tucking them under their covers, kissing their foreheads, and saying goodnight's and I love you's, Allan carefully closed their door with 'click'.



xxxxxx
IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH & THE MOMENT TO LIE ★ THE MOMENT TO LIVE AND THE MOMENT TO DIE


x

[SewLongFareWell]

♚xxxxxDays may not be fair alwaysxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That's when I'll be there alwaysxxxxx


He left her with a kiss. It was so quiet.

Marjorie was reluctant to part ways for even a moment now that she'd had him back. However, he had promised to tuck his sisters in bed, and she took this as an opportunity to ready herself for bed. The nurse retreated to the bedroom that she assumed they'd be sharing; after all, it was his bedroom, and she'd taken up residence when she was brought here. Now that she thought on it, Midge determined it would be strange to share a bed with him, to find herself sleeping beside him, fingers curled around his. Sleeping beside Iain had been one thing; she didn't feel the same emotional pull towards him that she did towards Allan, not really.

As she dressed down, changed into a pair of pajamas (Allan's, coincidentally. They were oversized and far warmer than her own), and despite his absence for the last year and a half or so, still smelled of him. Then it was about washing her face and brushing out her hair, which she was doing when he finished tucking his sisters in and came to settle in for bed. For a moment, Midge didn't say anything, just combed her fingers through her hair and watched him. It was strange and wonderful for him to be home.

"I...I hope you don't mind that we share. Your...your mother said I could stay in your room while I'm here." She didn't feel herself, not now, not with Allan back from the dead like this; she was overjoyed and emotional and scared all at once. "It's late. We should turn in. You're going to have a big day tomorrow." Marjorie turned down the covers, kicked off her slippers, and climbed beneath the sheets. A bite to her lip...

"I"m sorry, about before. Downstairs. I didn't mean to react like that. I'm just so happy that you're here, that you're alive, and to hear that this entire time you were trying to get back to us just...I don't know." Midge sighed, extended her hand, and found herself smiling. "C'mere, sweetheart."

♚xxxxxNot for just an hour, not for just a dayxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Not for just a year, but always.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[call me newt]

♚xxxxxxxxxxxxxxiPVT. ALLAN COOPER



AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS

Undoubtedly, the grueling trek continued to catch up with Allan. The trance of relief he only just ambulated from initiated the gradual exhaustion as he entered his room. Marjorie was present, making Allan entirely reluctant to ready himself for bed.

"Of course I don't mind," Allan grinned, before it moderately faded from the disconcerting tone Midge spoke in. To say something, however, would be idiotic, as everything had been effecting her as much as himself. The moment he stepped over the threshold, the dynamic of the household altered completely. The longer he remained in familiarity, the more he was able to make sense of things, and retain them with an ease he could not have imagined in the past months. Perhaps this arrival home was granting him a chance to rehabilitate his mind, as it had compiled of an array of emotions so far. Going through them all at once was far from anything he could have expected, but nevertheless, helpful.

"There's no need to apologize, love," Allan reassured Marjorie, complying to her extended hand, pulling himself down to sit on the bedside. "I can't expect my return to be purely joyous." Squeezing her hand gently in reassurance, the soldier planted a tender kiss on his nurse's cheek. She was just as overwhelmed as he was, and it was a sigh of relief. "I hope ya don't mind all this affection," Allan laughed, "I jus' missed ya so dearly."

The room fell silent.

Admittedly, he was taking everything moment by moment, but nothing surpassed the tranquil quiescence. The clatter of bullets, grenades and air raider's bombs punctured the silence of many nights he spent attempting to wander away from being lost. Being able to hear the soft, melodic intonation of Midge's voice added to the surrounding silence with fluidity. At this moment, there was simply nothing to complain about, except the hidden regret he held for not returning sooner. Unfortunately, it was only one of many regrets.

Allan's gaze was fixed on Marjorie. Her eyes still shone the same way they had months ago, and her smile continued to provoke his own.



xxxxxx
IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH & THE MOMENT TO LIE ★ THE MOMENT TO LIVE AND THE MOMENT TO DIE


x

[SewLongFareWell]

I`LL BE LOVING YOU ALWAYS
WITH A LOVE THAT`S TRUE ALWAYS
WHEN THE THINGS YOU`VE PLANNED
NEED A HELPING HAND
I WILL UNDERSTAND ALWAYS
















"Oh, yes, of course I mind. Too many kisses would be absolutely unbearable." Marjorie laughed, squeezing his hand and playfully wrinkling her nose. "And I missed you, Allan. Make no mistake about that."

This was more than welcome, the silence. The last several months had been filled with nothing but talk; talk about Allan, talk about his disappearance, talk about her heartbreak and, eventually, talk about trying to be happy with Iain. It was nice to sit there with him, shoulder to shoulder and fingers interlocked. Hell, any contact made her heart sing. He was sitting here beside her; that was still surreal. It had been a year since their lives had collided, and it was some sort of special reward that she got to sit in the quiet and simply look at him. And he her.

After his face became familiar to her again, she drew her fingertips down his temple, over the crest of his ear and along the line of his jaw. Despite the numerous kisses and embraces they'd shared since his arrival not so long ago, this felt intimate and small. A finger followed the bow of his lips before she pressed a kiss to them and returned her hand to his. It was strange to not have their hands interlocked. to not maintain that connection after so long.

Until now, she'd taken advantage of quiet moments.

Midge sighed softly, shifting to rest her head on his shoulder. Her eyes closed, lulled by the quiet rhythm of their breathing. Her face found itself nuzzled into the crook of his neck where it stifled a yawn. "Goodness...It's so late. I'm so tired I could fall asleep right here."




DAYS MAY NOT BE FAIR ALWAYS
THAT`S WHEN I`LL BE THERE ALWAYS
NOT FOR JUST AN HOUR, NOT FOR
JUST A DAY, NOT JUST FOR A YEAR
BUT ALWAYS

[call me newt]

♚xxxxxxxxxxxxxxiPVT. ALLAN COOPER



AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND THE BATTLE’S JUST BEGUN × THERE’S MANY LOST BUT TELL ME WHO HAS WON × THE TRENCH IS DUG WITHIN OUR HEARTS

Allan fell into a moment of pure repose as Marjorie's fingers cascaded along his skin, as if she were tracing the features of his face to ensure nothing had changed, and a soft kiss punctuated her delicate touch. He held her gently in his arms as she succumbed to the late hours of the night. For a moment, Allan sat, inclined to steal each second with her that he possibly could, gazing ardently. He feared being torn from her again.

Allan slipped under the sheets gingerly, drawing Marjorie against him. With a past of abrupt encounters, he approached each movement as fragile. This was going to be different, and it was going to be the way it should have been, being with her. This time there would be more than just a few short hours together.

Sunlight filled the room, quite bright from reflecting off the snow. The pitter patter of syncopated footsteps echoed, eventually arriving in his room. The girls were filled with excitement, and made a priority of tumbling onto the bed to wake up Allan and Marjorie. It was rewarding to be granted such a wake up call, as was having Midge nestled up next to him. He had the slightest inkling that it was perhaps all a dream, as he had gradually descended into slumber hours prior. He felt damn lucky that he was wrong.

Allan's nearly dropped to the floor when he was greeted at his bedroom door by his mother. Her face was stained in tears and sheer ecstasy, and he embraced her warmly for a good while reassuring her he was here, and she was not having another one of her vivid dreams. She persisted to grab facts of his story almost immediately, but Allan convinced her to wait until Christmas passed. He craved to enjoy being home, and enjoy the normalcy that existed before the war, and being together as a family. Of course, with Marjorie being a part of that family.

It was not long before his step-father entered with his own disbelief, and he was quite overjoyed to know Allan survived. It may not have been anything like reuniting with the rest of the family, but he was a good man, and a great father that he was fortunate to have.

Everyone gathered around the tree after a hot breakfast, soothing the icy effects of winter. Allan was surrounded by his family, and the decorations and tinsel seemed to twinkle much brighter than the night before. Excitedly, the girls tore through their presents, in awe of Santa bringing them exactly what they wanted. Other gifts were exchanged, but reactions were dull to the conversation and Christmas air that filled the household.



xxxxxx
IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH & THE MOMENT TO LIE ★ THE MOMENT TO LIVE AND THE MOMENT TO DIE


x

[SewLongFareWell]

I`LL BE LOVING YOU ALWAYS
WITH A LOVE THAT`S TRUE ALWAYS
WHEN THE THINGS YOU`VE PLANNED
NEED A HELPING HAND
I WILL UNDERSTAND ALWAYS
















Marjorie struggled to stay awake as long as possible. It was hard, however, when she was curled up in Allan’s arms, when she was listening to his heartbeat and breathing. Her sleep was, for the first time in recent memory, calm. Peaceful, even. She was rid of the horrors that had plagued her dreams because the person they revolved around was right there beside her. Iain wasn’t even a thought.

The nurse probably would have slept for hours, her head pillowed on Allan’s shoulder and arms secure around his middle, had the girls not run in. They jumped atop the pair of them all “Christmas!” and giggles. Midge grunted and laughed, rolling over onto her back. She felt a mess; part of her didn’t want Allan to even contemplate looking at her when she wasn’t done up. She sent his sisters on their way, the pair of them tumbling down the stairs to their presents. Marjorie just shot Allan a smile, kissed him on the cheek, and climbed from bed.

Dressed in her robe, Midge just couldn’t interrupt the moment between mother and son with her presence. It was more than heartwarming to see the pair of them reunited; it brought her to tears. If anyone else knew Marjorie’s pain, it was his mother. The nurse thought she’d lost the man of her dreams, the man she loved unconditionally. Mrs. Cooper thought she’d lost her son, her own flesh and blood. The joy on his mother’s face was palpable.

Whilst the happy reunion went on upstairs in Allan’s doorway, Midge joined his sisters and Iain downstairs to begin breakfast. Regardless of the rations, Marjorie and the girls did their best to make something worth eating. Breakfast was eaten, and then, with the entire family in their pajamas, they gathered around the tree for gifts. The nurse sat between the brothers on the sofa. The irony and discomfort, while hidden, was not lost on her. The girls just tore into the brightly colored paper and cards, giggling and gasping and cooing at their presents. There wasn’t much, what with rationing and as many raw materials going to the war effort as possible, but…they were happy.

All of them.

When all had settled down, Marjorie pulled a box no bigger than her hand out of the pocket of her robe.”So…I do have a gift for you…” The nurse kept her voice soft while she fumbled with the ribbon wrapped around the present. “I sent away for it long before you went missing…It arrived a few weeks after I came here. I was going to keep it for myself.” She laughed a little and rested her head on his shoulder. It was so nice to be close to him again. ”Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”




DAYS MAY NOT BE FAIR ALWAYS
THAT`S WHEN I`LL BE THERE ALWAYS
NOT FOR JUST AN HOUR, NOT FOR
JUST A DAY, NOT JUST FOR A YEAR
BUT ALWAYS