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Mary and Tommy sat on the ground, it was the only free space left on the small boat. His head rested on her shoulder and he slowly breathed in and out, drifting off into a deep sleep. Mary stroke with her finger through his hairs, shorter than she was used to. The soft curls were cut off in the beginning of his time in the war, to prevent the locks from falling in front of his eyes. Mary liked this hairstyle, but preferred it before he left, it was as if this hair was just another reminder of their time apart. She looked at him with her light brown eyes, relieved that he was there with her. He wasn't just the picture anymore, she could touch his cheeks and feel his freckled skin against her fingertips. She could talk to him and he would talk back, with his soft and friendly voice. It was really him that was sleeping against her, not just a dream she had.
Collins handed her a spare blanket, it was the last one he could find. Soldiers were sharing one blanket with two or three, mister Dawson didn't expect that he would be able to rescue so many men. He wished for it, he wished that he could save many more, but he didn't believe that his wishes would become reality. The blonde haired pilot sat down next to the young girl and fidgeted with his fingers. He felt tired, but wasn't planning on sleeping since he wanted to have a small chat with the person on his left.
"I haven't thanked you yet for the help."
Mary's eyes darted from the boy on her shoulder to the man. Her lips parted in a smile, her white teeth slightly revealed between her lips.
"You don't have to," she simply answered.
"No, I do. You, your brother, your father, you all saved my life."
"And you saved theirs."
"Not all of them," Collins said.
"That's right, but a lot. Without us or any of the other civilians on their boats, these men wouldn't have survived. Without you or the other pilot's, we all wouldn't be alive. You have to give yourself more credit for what you've done."
Mary rested her hand on his shoulder and slapped his arm one time, very softly. Her body language radiated friendliness and trust. She was a very wise girl, who knew a lot about the world and the people living on it. She stayed kind through the trauma's and now with all these terrified soldiers, her soft voice and nice words she used in a conversation, was very helpful for their thorn hearts.
"I've heard you have another brother."
"He was a pilot as well, got himself in a very dangerous situation he couldn't escape from. The moment we saw the expressions on my parents' faces, Peter and I knew what must have happened. Mother was too scared and sad to tell us, we had to figure it out on our own," Mary explained the situation to him, but didn't look away from the person on her shoulder. Tommy snuggled his face more in her neck and mumbled in his deep sleep.
