We'll Meet Again - USUK

Chapter 8

Arthur had never run so fast in his life. His feet pounded against the hard pavement and he wasn't sure if his head was spinning from the exertion, the alcohol that buzzed through his veins, or the earlier revelation that still had him staggered. But even though sweat ran down his face and his lungs screamed at him for air, he didn't slow until he reached the entrance of the war hospital several blocks away. His mind whirled with confusion and disbelief. His heart pounded so fast he felt it would burst. He couldn't believe it... he wouldn't believe it... it was too incredible, too wonderful. It couldn't be true. But oh, what if it was?

Arthur raced through the hospital entrance and straight past the reception. The strong chemical smell hit him like a fist, his eyes struggling to adjust to the dim light after running through the sunlit streets. It took all his strength to slow to a respectable speed as he rushed through the endless white hallways.

"Excuse me! Sir! You aren't supposed to be here!" A man in an officer's uniform tried to stop him in the hallway. Arthur simply stepped around him and kept walking.

"Important business, I'm... from the War Office."

The officer turned and looked after him suspiciously. "What is your clearance code?"

Arthur replied without thinking. "B 51 19." He rushed past and, thankfully, the officer didn't press the matter. Arthur did not know where he was going. He had no idea whether to ask someone, or even what he would ask... Excuse me, is there an incredibly loud, annoying, handsome American around here somewhere? Arthur looked frantically in every room he passed, growing increasingly desperate. Why the hell hadn't he asked Francis for more information instead of bolting immediately out the door and into the street?

enormous crash from a room down the hall suddenly broke the relative silence of the place. A nurse immediately appeared in the doorway and called out loudly. "Will someone bring me another shot for room 105?"

Arthur stopped still, felt the hall spin around him, then headed for the commotion in a dreamlike daze. Another nurse dashed past him and disappeared into the room, leaving the door open. As he drew closer he started to make out the words of the voices that sounded loudly from the room.

"We simply cannot keep injecting him with this sedative," came the voice of a young woman.

"We have no choice, it's becoming more and more difficult to restrain him!" said the nurse who had called out in the doorway.

A male voice spoke next. "Lieutenant, calm down or we will have to inject you again!"

"As I have told you a hundred times!" The shock hit Arthur so intensely his entire body froze. He couldn't move; he almost felt he would faint. He would know that voice anywhere. He'd heard it laughing, heard it sighing, heard it singing... "I will calm down if you let me out of here for just one hour... One damned hour! You don't understand, I need to see someone!"

"You can write this person a letter," said the young woman soothingly.

"They keep confiscating my letters!"

"Please lie down. You are injured!"

"It's just a few bruises..."

Arthur told himself to move; forced himself to follow the voices. Cautious joy swelled in his chest.

The male voice spoke again. "It's internal bleeding and serious burn damage and you are jeopardising your chance of recovery..."

"You can't keep me here against my will. Someone call the American Embassy!"

"Now listen here, Lieutenant Jones." This second male voice was loud and aggressive. "You are going to lie down and you are going to shut up."

"You can just try and make me."