Hope at Dunkirk

11.

Harry shook himself awake after sleeping for longer than he'd hoped, nearly having a panic attack when he didn't see Olivia's face first thing. He relaxed considerably when he saw her gentle face appear above him, her face cleaned slightly from the oil with a rag that was in her hand. He noticed that she had been wiping his own face, possibly being the reason for his jutted awakening.

They were still in the same room, and he still had his head comfortably laid on her lap. His skin was now visible, but still dirty and sweaty. Soldiers still weren't talking, but a more relaxed feeling was held over the room. They couldn't be far now, but Harry couldn't tell how long he'd been asleep.

"Can we go see the cliffs?", Harry asked in a quiet voice, knowing that the start of English land were cliffs that would remind him he was home. Olivia nodded with the smallest of smiles on her lips, but none the less a smile. The two got up from their spots and they saw Tommy was already ahead of them on the deck.

Looking out of the boat, he had the sea air fly back his near stale hair. His eyes only leaving it for a second to look at Olivia and Harry who stood beside him to look. Olivia felt a belonging feeling fill her heart when she saw the jaggedly surface of green on top of huge cliffs. It had been so long since she saw healthy green land, bringing tears to her eyes of finally being home.

Harry stood close to her as he stared out to the land he thought at one stage, he'd never see again. But he was here, and he was with a very special person who he couldn't wait to bring home. He turned his head slightly to look at the beautiful girl next to him, seeing a rush of tears fall down her cheeks. Her self-control hadn't lasted very long, but she felt like she earned it. Harry admired her short hair being blown back from the English wind, and her bright blue eyes finally looking safe and protected from harm. 

"We're home Harry....", she stated, her voice cracking in the slightest from happiness.

"Yeah.... we are", he replied as he took hold of her hand, intertwining it with his and squeezing it tightly. She turned and looked at him, for the first time seeing a genuine smile on his face. Maybe it wasn't yet the time to smile, but God did it feel good. She admired the new dimples that were in his cheeks, only seeing them for the first time and adding to list of things she loved about him.

"We're docking in now, hold on", the man steering the boat announced, pulling into a dock as night started to creep in quicker than they'd expected.

Climbing off the boat and on to a port jetty, the soldiers were ushered along towards a train that would take them into the nearest dispatch station. From there, they'd be sent home with all their belongings retrieved from their bases. After thanking the man who drove the sailing boat, Olivia walked beside Harry with their hands held tightly together. The mass of soldiers would easily make them lose each other, and neither one of them wanted that.

"Excuse me Miss, you may come this way to be taken home", a General came from the side and tapped on Olivia's shoulder. This made the couple stop in their tracks and look at each other, almost in panic from being separated.

"C-Can't I stay with them?", she asked, her grip tightening around Harry's hand in fear. Harry surely didn't want Olivia away from him, but didn't want to be selfish enough to keep her from seeing her family who were probably worried sick. He wasn't sure if they'd be able to meet again, but he would work his heart out in order to increase the odds of maybe seeing each other in a cafe or something.

"Well you can, but don't you want to go home? These Men are being transported to a dispatch station where they'll go to their own homes", the General explained, obviously not expecting her to want to stay longer with the soldiers.

"I-I'll find a way, I'll stay with them", she said before Harry and her continued walking with the rest of the army. They both felt relieved that they weren't separated, and kept closely together once again.

On the side of the jetty, stood tables with food, water and blankets on top being supervised by volunteers. Olivia grabbed a bottle of water for the two of them and some fruit, while Harry grabbed a blanket from an old man who had his head down saying 'well done' to any soldier who took a blanket.

"For what? All we did was survive", Harry grumbled with a straight face, expecting the man to at least lift his head.

"That's enough", the man said before continuing to hand out blankets. Olivia ushered Harry along, pulling his hand with her towards the train.

Sitting down next to the window, Harry threw the blanket down on the table in front of him as Olivia sat next to him. Tommy placed himself opposite the two, shuffling into the corner and leaning his head against the side of the train behind him.

"That man didn't even look us in the eye....", Harry trailed off, feeling almost hurt and betrayed. Tommy and Olivia said nothing, as the train began moving with piles of soldiers occupying the seats. It was quiet as Olivia ate her fruit and drank some water, before forcing Harry to do the same. He listened to her as he drank some of the much needed water, knowing full well that he'd feel better in Olivia's care.

"Do you want to sleep?", Harry asked, making Olivia nod slowly with her eye lids dropping. Harry turned to face her and leaned his back against the small part of wall next to the window of the train. He put his legs up on the seat but let Olivia settle herself on top of him, laying her head in the crook of his neck and wrapping her arms around his torso. It didn't take long for her to sleep, feeling secure in Harry's embrace.

"When we get home, will you go out with me?", Harry questioned in hope and in the spur of the moment, making Olivia smile into his neck.

"Yes".

They wouldn't have to wait too long to be back home.