In Medvias Res (6) By My Side

[Hitomi Lei]

By My Side





They blazed a trail I dared to run
They built this world and I have come
I need another, like a brother
For a cryin? shoulder

This could be the last time, you will
Stand by my side
I can feel my soul it?s bleeding, will you fly
With me this evening

Sober mind time now is gone, they carved my
Body not of stone
A pretty maze emptiness, I?ve said the hell
With all the rest

This could be the last time, you will
Stand by my side
I can feel my soul it?s bleeding, will you fly
With me tonight

This could be the last time, you will
Stand by my side
I can feel my soul it?s bleeding, will you fly
With me this evening


@>--;---

For the first time in days there was a breeze, but the wind only served to blow the billowing plumes of pungent black smoke from exploding bombs into the faces of those that were trying desperately to make sense of the chaos surrounding the military camp. The fighting at the front lines was heavy now, hundreds of wounded poured into the hospital daily. So many, in fact, that they had finally ran out of space inside the tents, now those newly brought in were laid on the ground around the tents.

The word had come late two days ago that a daring forward thrust from the British had taken Kut. Even though reinforcements had come from Abadan, General Crawford had only been able to muster a little more than thirteen thousand men. It had been a surprising victory against the Turks. The lure of Baghdad, forty miles away, became irresistible.

Within hours the Sixth Division was already advancing up the Tigris. One more battle against the oft-defeated Turks seemed a reasonable risk to the General, even though once captured Baghdad could not be secured. Most here on the front lines were aware of what was happening. Rumors of the inadequacy of the British force, and the fact that it was being concealed form military superiors in India and London, flew around the camp thicker than the mosquitoes. A victory was deemed needful, and the general was willing to push ahead.

The logistical situation was also chaotic. Basra, the only port supporting the British troops, still had no wharves. Ships had to be unloaded at anchor by native boats, causing delays in the port that averaged six weeks. Many critically needed items, like medicine and water purification, were not available.

There was an insufficient amount of riverboat to support Crawford, who required more than two hundred tons of supplies daily. He was only receiving three-fourths of that. But despite these setbacks, Crawford launched his sick, ill-equipped men against an equal number of Turks who were strongly entrenched.

Quatre tried to blink the film out of his eyes. It had been three days since Relena?s departure, two days since the field hospital had moved out with the 6th. All around him chaos reigned, nurses ran about trying to help those that needed it most, placing little flags beside the soldiers who had been looked over. Each color flag represented the patient?s condition, letting the doctors know whom they could help, and which soldiers were hopeless cases. Quatre could see too many black flags.



His vision blurred again and he rubbed at his eyes with his palm to clear them. The continuous thunder of the battle raging less that half a mile away had ceased to bother his ears long hours ago.



?Ho! Captain Winner, I need you over here quick!? A nurse called from a few feet away. He hurried over and kneeled beside the prone figure of the soldier she was treating.



?Cathy?? He glanced down at the young man and had to hide his wince. No mater how many gut shots he saw, the sight still caused bile to raise up in his throat.



?Cathy?? He had to clear his throat before he could call her name again, ?What do you want?? She looked at him with a kind of shocked desperation that made his heart break.



?Quatre, you?ve got to fix him!? She cried out. The patient moaned and twisted in agony.



?Cathy?you...you know that I can?t?he?s?? Quatre was at a loss for words. The young man had caught the bullet square in the stomach; it was a surprise that he was even still alive. Catherine caught his sleeve when he would have turned away. Her hands were shaking and her voice refused t hold steady.



?Y-you don?t understand! I know him?Jack?H-he was in the circus?he h-h-has a w-w-ife and?? She yanked at his sleeve as if by sheer force she could hold him here; make him heal her friend. Quatre looked at her hopelessly and gently tried to remove her hand from his arm. A few rows over he could see Dr. Po waving for him to come over.



?Catherine, I have to??



?NO! HELP HIM!? Her voice was shrill and loud even over the noise of the sick. Quatre watched as she quickly fell into hysteria. Uncontrollable tears ran down her face and she continued to yell at him to do something, any thing, for the man at their feet. At that moment, Quatre wanted nothing more than to do what she bid him do, but he couldn?t. No mater how much he hated it the simple truth was that they couldn?t waste valuable medical supplies on patients that had no hope of surviving. He tried to soothe her with his voice, but she was beyond receiving it now.



?Calm down now!? He reached out and shook her shoulders, trying to bring her back to reality. Dr. Po had now begun yelling at him to leave the hysterical nurse for someone else to handle, but Quatre couldn?t, not yet.



?No, I?ll not calm down! Not until you do?? Her tirade was cut short by the sting of Quatre?s palm against her check. Catherine turned shocked eyes on him. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.



?Now, you have to get a hold of yourself, Cathy! Men are dying because you?re not helping them. You don?t have time to break down, do it later Cathy, later! Right now you need to help these men!? He accented each point with a little shake of her shoulders. Guilt for the rough way he was treating her filled his heart, but he pushed it aside. She nodded her head jerkily and pulled away from him. Quickly he pressed a hard kiss to her forehead then ran off to help Dr. Po who, by now had grabbed another orderly, having given up totally of Quatre.



?We?ll talk about that later Winner.? She growled as he hurried past her to where another Doctor was bent over a soldier that had apparently lost a foot.



?Yes ma?am.? He answered her, but his mind really wasn?t on whatever punishment the stern doctor would lay on him, it was on the way his heart felt, as if it was slowly withering away.







@>--;---





The room was small, dark, overheated, and only weak sunlight shone in through the cracked window. The furnishings were even less impressive than the room itself, if that could be possible. The wooden table had long ago lost one of its legs in some unknown circumstance, and now was propped forlornly against the yellow wall. The only chairs that occupied the room could barely live up to being called that; they were more like low stools. The only other thing in the room was a pallet made of blankets in the corner farthest away from the doorway.

But for all of it?s apparent shabbiness it was clean, and for that Relena was very thankful. Her eyes were red and fever-dulled as she lay on top of the bedding in the corner. Heero had barely shown his face since they had arrived in Abadan after two full days of travel. That had been three days ago, and Relena was beginning to wonder if she had been kidnapped only to be abandoned here in this small room.



?Five days?Why do I feel like a coward for leaving? I had no control over it.



Maybe it?s because you feel relief to be out of that hell?



NO!?I mean?how could I let myself feel that way??


A knock at the door interrupted Relena?s thoughts. It swung open on squeaky hinges. Framed in the doorway stood a short blonde woman who was trying her best to balance a plate of food in one hand and a cup of weak tea in the other.



?Miss Relena, I?ve brought you lunch. The Major says you must eat this time!? She was the wife of the commanding officer stationed here. Relena seemed to recall that her name was Sylvia.



?Tell him if he wants me to eat he can feed me himself.? Relena murmured in a dark tone. She thought she?d said it too low for the other woman to hear, but Sylvia?s shocked gasp proved otherwise.



?M-Miss Relena! You surly don?t mean that!? She sat the plate down and began to ring her hands in vexation. Relena felt guilty at upsetting her, after all Sylvia had been looking after her faithfully for three days.



?I?m sorry Mrs.? For a moment she was at loss over what the woman?s surname had been,? Noventa. You didn?t deserve my unkind words just now.? She offered the smaller woman a slight smile, but it came off more as a grimace of pain. Sylvia pulled one of the stools over and sat beside Relena?s bed before handing the sick girl her tea.



?There now, I understand how it feels to deal with stubborn men, they can be frustrating beyond belief, but you must drink your tea if you want to get over this sickness.? The little woman glared sternly over at Relena.



?I wonder if you truly understand what it?s like to love someone that thinks kidnapping you is an expectable behavior as long as he?s ?saving? you from yourself??


?Okay, I?ll drink the tea, but I?m not very hungry.? Relena looked away so that she wouldn?t see the disappointed look in the other woman?s eyes.



?Miss Peacecraft??



?Please tell Major Yuy that if he has a problem with how I?m eating he can address it himself.? Relena took a sip from the cup and tried not to pull a face at the strong taste of the medicine. She heard the older woman draw in a breath.



?He says to tell you that he?s been very busy trying to contact your brother in Cairo.?



?Milliardo and Lu are in Alexandria by now. She was going to have her baby at the family home.? Relena informed her with little emotion.



?Why didn?t you tell me that earlier?? Relena looked toward the low doorway to see Heero standing there. She hadn?t seen him since their arrival here and she couldn?t help running her eyes over the slim lines of his frame. Her hand automatically rose to smooth down her tangled hair. Heero smirked when he noticed her action. She let her hand fall back into her lap.



?I don?t recall you asking me the whereabouts of my brother.? She raised her eyebrow as he came farther into the room, ?What, the great Heero Yuy can finally spare the time to visit? Are you sure you can afford such a waist of precious time on me?? She threw the words up at him spitefully. Mrs. Noventa cringed and looked over at Heero apologetically.



?It?s the fever talking, she really doesn?t mean to sound so unpleasant.? Relena had to hold in a retort as Heero glanced at the officer?s wife.



?Oh, I?m sure Lady Peacecraft means every scathing word, Madam. Now if you?ll excuse us, the lady and I need to speak in private.? He made a motion to shoo the woman out of the room but she would have none of it.



?You must have a chaperon! I can?t let the two of you be in here alone.? Sylvia stood firm and crossed her arms. Heero lost the look of amusement in his eyes, but Relena was finding the situation a bit to her liking.



?Mrs. Noventa, this is not London. I doubt that my fianc? and I will be doing anything untoward with her in the condition that she?s in.? He managed to push the small woman out the door before Relena could throw anything at his head. He shut the door and readied himself for her verbal, or physical, attack. Nothing came. He turned around and saw that she was calmly sipping her tea as if she hadn?t heard what he?d said to Sylvia Noventa.



?What, your not even going to hurl your tea cup at me for turning us into an engaged couple?? He mockingly asked her, ?Or your shoe perhaps? Surly the thought of being linked with me in such a manner causes you distress.?



?I would throw the cup, but I?d hate to destroy Mrs. Noventa?s pretty china on your hard head.? She handed the empty cup over to him and leaned back in her bed, ?As for my shoe, I?d gladly send one flying your way, but you took them away from me, or don?t you remember??



?I seem to remember you throwing them at me while I was trying to drive, if that?s what you mean.? He reached over and picked up the plate that Noventa has left. He swirled the spoon around in the thick stew then lifted it up to have a bite.



?You know, after living off swill for months, I?d think you?d want to eat the food here. It might not be much to look at, but it?s good.? He turned to spoon toward her but she waved it away.



?I?m really not hungry.? She insisted.



?Relena, don?t play the martyr. No one will know it if you die for them.? He took another bite of the stew before sitting it aside.



?I?m not playing the martyr as you suggest. I just don?t feel like eating.? She repeated herself with more force.



?He had no right to suggest that, and of course he?s not right!?



?Relena, why don?t you at least try to swallow a few bites? I?m leaving in the morning and I don?t want a starving nurse on my conscience.? He handed her the plate.



?Like you have a con-wait your leaving?? she sat up straighter but she didn?t hand the plate back.



He nodded solemnly, ?I told Duo I?d be back in seven days. From what I?ve been able to gather the British took Kut and are now headed for Baghdad. I?ll be needed to help clean up this mess.? He watched as she absently took a small bite of the stew.



?I didn?t know you were planning on leaving.? Relena replied neutrally. ?He?s going back? He?s leaving me here? How could he!?


?I?ve contacted a woman by the name of Lady Ann Une,? He met her eyes, ?I think you?ve heard of her? She left Cairo yesterday for Abadan. She should be here in under a week to take you back. Once there you?re to stay with her until your brother can come and retrieve you.?



?Retrieve me? Heero, you make me sound like the prized hunting dog! Don?t I get a say in this?? then she answered her own question, ?Of course I don?t get a say! If I did, I wouldn?t be here in this dank little room!? Relena seethed. She tried to stand, but found she lacked the strength. Suddenly she was too tired to even hold the plate in her lap anymore. It slipped to the floor with a soft clatter, sending pieces of limp vegetables over on Heero?s shiny black boots.



?Relena?? He asked in concern when he saw her hands go limp.



?I?m so very tired Heero, so tired that I just don?t care anymore.? He moved over to the pallet and hunkered down beside her.



?Hey, I never wanted you to totally give up. I?m just trying to take care of you, okay?? He smoothed her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She found that she didn?t care whether or not his actions were uncharacteristic; Relena leaned into his touch.



?Promise me you?ll come back this time?? She whispered.



?I promise.? He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her thin frame. Relena knew that his promise was really only to make her happy, but she didn?t care.



?I?m going to fall asleep soon. You?d better go before Mrs. Noventa has a coronary behind that door.? She smiled against he chest. This closeness felt just like old times for them.



?Ah, so you knew she was behind there too?? She liked the sound of the amused rumbled in his chest. ?I think I?ll just stay here until you drift off.?



So Relena fell asleep in the arms of a man she had despised just hours earlier, and Heero got to hold the only woman he?d ever loved. As he left the small room he ignored the glare Sylvia sent him. When she tried to scurry into the room he grabbed her arm to stop her.



?Miss Peacecraft is asleep now. I managed to talk her into eating a little bit and she finished her tea. Tomorrow I?ll be leaving. In a few days a Lady Ann Une will show up and pay you for taking care of Relena as I promised.? He then left her standing in the hallway.







@>--;---





The British had managed to penetrate the first and second lines of the trenches, but they lacked the strength to turn opportunity into victory. Nur-ud-Din successfully counterattacked every move the British made past that point. The battle cost Crawford over four thousand men.



The wounded kept arriving at the already overflowing hospitals. Soon even blankets to lie on the ground ran out, but still the wounded kept pouring in. As soon as one was bandaged, there was another hollow-faced patient waiting to take his place. All around, severely wounded soldiers were laid out, inert, on stretchers.



The day after the most disastrous fighting had taken place, Crawford collected his wounded from the battlefield while Nur-ud-Din received reinforcements. The British began withdrawing, with the Turks in aggressive pursuit.



On that wretched and bleak afternoon of the lost battle, Hilde?along with every available nurse and medic that hadn?t been sent to the trenches to treat the wounded there--- was ministering to the injured who had managed to get to the hospital. The sun beat down without mercy, yet nothing could be done to bring the relief of shade since there wasn?t a canvas big enough around to cover the rows and rows of wounded. The medical corps strung fly netting at intervals, but still there were gaps between those in the shade and the soldiers forced to endure the sun. The workers spent hours rotating the men and bringing water by the barrel to try to quench their patients? fevered thirsts.



A dozen ambulances were taking the less gravely wounded men to the rear, but however many were taken away, more were brought in. The wounds that Hilde was seeing made her turn away often and wonder how a man could be so mutilated and live. It twisted her heart to turn away without giving the poor souls any aid, but there were so many soldiers needing help that the nurses had been commanded not to waste time or medicine on the hopeless cases. Even though she knew those in command were right in giving that order, obeying the command weighed heavy on her raw heart.



From across the way a well-known figure was making his way toward her. Hilde continued to fan the flies away from a patient while she waited for him to come to her.



?I never knew it could get this bad.? She commented dully when as he knelt and helped her smear foul smelling camphor salve on the face and neck of the man lying prone of the ground.



?I thought you were the pessimistic one. You should have expected it to get much worse.? He helped her pull her medical bag over to the next moaning patient.



?Never in all my dour thoughts did I imagine this.? The distant sound of artillery fire punctuated her words. Duo turned and looked toward the horizon. The 6th was withdrawing and they were hoping to escape ahead of the Turkish army to Kut.



?Hilde, Heero just got back, and it?s not good. This hospital should have been evacuated hours ago. I?m getting out of here as soon as I can find Quatre, and I want you to come with us.? He pulled her to her feet but she resisted.



?But Duo? What about the wounded? And Quatre is in the trenches with Dr. Po and Catherine?or at least that?s where they were all headed yesterday.? Duo swore loudly and looked around.



?Hilde, I have to go find Quatre. You needed to find Heero. He was in the north of camp last I saw.? He turned and would have hurried away, but she called out to him slightly panicked.



?But what about the soldiers!? He turned around but didn?t answer, because he didn?t have one to give. He left her then, running toward the incoming ambulance, shouting questions at them about the last known whereabouts of Dr. Po.



The soldier who had been leading the ambulance camel left it to his fellow and started running down the lines shouting, ?This is the order to evacuate! Check all flags! Only the red ones can be taken, the rest will be left behind!?



All around Hilde soldiers stated to cry out in pain and distress. She covered her ears. No. This wasn?t happening. This couldn?t be happening. Command would never desert the wounded. No. Of course not. She turned in a daze and walked back to the men in the field. She did the only thing she could for them.



?There you go, soldier, that will make you feel better.? Hilde handed him one of her last pain pills.



?Thank you angel.? He chocked, looking at her through bleary eyes.



?It?s going to be alright.? She kept repeating that phrase over and over until it became her own personal anthem.



?Nurse are they leaving us??



?It?s going to be okay.?



?God, please don?t leave us here!?



?It?s going to be okay!?



?Bloody cowards! You at least leave us guns so we can fight!?



?It?s going to be okay!!?



The dreadful cycle came to a stop when Duo appeared out of nowhere beside her.



?I thought I told you to go find Yuy!? he was angry, seething, and she broke down.



?I can?t leave them here! I just can?t!?



?You have no choice! In two hours the bloody Turks are going to be here. Now if you?re such a bleeding heart then you can by all means stay in this damn hell hole!? But he didn?t give her the chance to do that. Duo grabbed her arm and started running through the rows of men toward the place he?d last seen Heero. Hilde felt the hands of the soldiers as they reached out toward her in supplication, but Duo didn?t slow down.



They rounded a corner and ahead or them was Heero. He was helping to load wounded into one of the few transport truck that where available.



?It took you long enough Maxwell.? He yelled at the couple that was fast approaching.



?I can?t find Winner! I?m going back!? He grabbed Hilde around the waist and swung her up into the truck. She was too shocked to protest being shoved amidst a crowded truck.



?You can?t go back in there!? Heero told his partner before turning to the woman that was sitting dazed on the edge of the truck bed.



?If you make it to Abadan look for Relena, she?s there.? He then waved the truck driver on.



?I have to look for him, Heero, he?s my brother.? Duo?s voice was quiet but Heero heard him.



?Okay, then lets go find him.? Heero drew his gun from the shoulder hoister he wore. He checked the rounds in the gun and ruefully shook his head. Duo just stared after him as the older man began to walk away.



?Well, are you coming or not?? Heero raised an eyebrow at his partner?s hesitation.



?But you told me that you told Relena you?d come back!?



?And I plan to.?







@>--;---





AN: This chapter was hard to write. When I started writing this fic I had no idea that the location I?d picked for the setting would become such a talked about place. Well?I knew that Baghdad was always in the news?I guess what I mean to say is that I didn?t even consider that a war would be going on over there soon.



I thought, when the war first started, that I would put this fic on hiatus, but after careful consideration I desided to keep on writing. This is the bloody history of a land steeped in bloodshed. I can?t change that, so why not write about it?



In other, lighter, topics, I don?t own G-Wing!!! Now isn?t that just the funniest thing you?ve ever heard? Oh and the song ? By My Side? is by Three Doors Down. I don?t own them either?



Oh and for all you super history buffs out there?you?ll notice historical discrepancies in his fic if you look heard enough?so my advice is?DON?T LOOK!!


And in closing, I?d like to thank all of you who have reviewed?and as a lazy reader myself, I?d like to thank all of you who read and never review?if your coming back, I take it that you like.

Smoochies,



The Purple Ghost AKA Hitomi Lei

[blackrose]

That's all? *pokes Hitomi* GAH! Slacker...

*whines*

How can he just leave her there? IDIOT!

*goes off to smack Yuy around some more*

~Rose

PS - More soon!!!!

[Ailuj]

ooh. This story is so great. Please update soon!

[Sai Hikaru]

soooooo wuts gonna happen nxt?!?!!? is there anymore?!?!!??! can't wait to find out!!!!! is Heero gonna go bck to Relena soon!?!?!?!?! plz hurri wif da nxt chpt!!!!!

[shadowcat]

I can see into the future...hmm...ha..you are going to write more and make us very happy!!Thank you!!

PLease Keep writting
**Cat

[kmf]

Im delighted that you are still writing this story ^^ Poor Relena is just so ill she cant even fight Heero anymore; I wonder what she will have to say when she feels better, LOL. Keep writing!