"So, how's William?" Mary looked up from her washing to Sophia, who was smiling as she hung up the linens.
"He's fine. He's in pain, but he'll be alright. I wish he would just accept our help, though, he's so stubborn at the fact he shouldn't be needing any help since he made it home." Mary sighed, passing Sophia the linen. "It seems that he believes that he should be alright."
"And you believe the opposite?"
"I believe that William is a broken soul that puts far too much responsibility on himself and he'll eventually break. I've seen it in his letters, Sophia, he's not as alright as he claims to be."
"Don't push him too far, Mary or he may push you away for good." Mary frowned. "I know that you love him and want to help him, but let him come to you for help. It's the same for Jack. He feels awfully guilty for being home while some of his friends are still in France. He's also been quieter than usual with me which makes me believe that he's feeling a lot more than he-" A nurse, definitely newer than either Mary or Sophia, can almost running out, stopping when she got to the two girls.
"Nurse Blake?"
"Yes?"
"There's a soldier who's making a right fuss asking for Lance Corporal Blake. Doctor Anderson told me to-" Mary didn't let the nurse finish. She looked to Sophia, who nodded and took the linen from Mary before Mary pushed past the young nurse towards the patient room. "Nurse Blake!" Mary ran down the hallway into the room, seeing a crowd of doctors and nurses trying to make William sit back down.
"Let me go! I need to get to Blake. I promised him he'd be okay, get off me." William pushed a doctor back, making the doctor go flying backward and into a tray.
"Make him sit! Get him down!" The doctors grabbed William's shoulder, forcing him down, which only made him fight more. Every soldier and nurse had stopped what they were doing to watch William and the doctors. Mary ran forward, taking it her cue to move towards the crowd.
"I've got him," She butt in, not letting the doctors tell her that it was too dangerous before she knelt down and lay her hand on William's hand. She looked at the doctors whose hands were still on Will and they let go, stepping back, but were still close enough to lunge if William went for Mary. "Will, hey it's Mary. Mary Blake." He stopped thrashing, looking at Mary, but his eyes were still distant, almost like he wasn't all there. Tom's dead, Will, do you remember? He died on the mission with you. A German pilot stabbed him before you could do anything. Do you remember? You put him by the cherry trees because you wanted him to be closer to home -to me." William blinked, shaking his head subtly before he looked back at Mary, this time he looked focused. "Hey, William."
"What happened?" He looked around, seeing the doctors and nurses looking, no they were watching him. "Did I hurt you?" Mary smiled.
"No, it's okay. I'm okay. You thought you were back in France. You were back with Tommy." William sighed, looking around.
"Sorry. I'm so sorry. Oh my god." His hands went to Mary's face, holding it gently. "Did I hurt you? Or anyone?" He looked at the doctor who was still against the tray, frowning.
"Just startled everyone, but no, you didn't hurt anyone. Gave the doctors a fight, but they're fine, right?" The doctors mumbled in agreement, knowing better than to argue with Mary. "Are you alright?"
"I closed my eyes and I was back-"
"I just want to know how you are, you don't have to talk about it." This time she turned towards the crowd of medical workers that were still around them. "I've got him, we'll be okay. You can help other soldiers if you need." The doctors and nurses all grumbled, hesitating, but left Mary and William alone. Mary knew William would never talk to her when they had a crowd, he barely talked about how he was feeling when they were alone. "Now, are you okay?"
