Under the surface [Peaky blinders]

The base

As soon as her face broke out from the surface, she got a glimpse of the most striking blue eyes she has ever seen. As her mouth opened to finally get a big gulp of fresh air, tingles ran along her entire body and the light from the sun blinded her.

When she finally got her sight back she was in her bed, back at the base. Its the third one this week, atleast this time she managed to get a glimpse of the person her mind is picturing as her savior.

A serie of knocks resonated in her room and then the familiar tingles began again. The gunshots from her dream resonated in her mind, maybe something happened. She took a minute to collect herself and went to open the door, it was a young nurse, well they were probably the same age, if she remembers correctly, shes called Léa.

"- What is it Léa? Did something happened ?" She asked.

The young nurse looked surprised and slightly proud that someone called her by her name, it was her first day after all.

" - No, nothing happened, its just, I heard screaming and I thought maybe you might need some help, I mean I dont want to overstep or anything but yeah, Nothing to worry about

- Oh that, it's.. dont worry, it' s just night terrors, I have them when its my time of the month dont worry, I know its weird, but its like that anyway" She said, urging for the young woman to drop the subject.

"- Oh right ok, well Ill leave to it then, oh I almost forgot, the cafeteria is almost closing, do you want me to grab you something,I know you didnt have anything all day and Ill be going there now so

- Oh no worries, Ill just freshen up and I will go right after before its closed. Have a good diner then bye !"

She closed her door not waiting for her answer, she didnt want to have to dodge another proposal to eat with a bunch of them. She definitely wasnt comfortable with the most of the female staff in here. Primarily because she was younger then most of them and secondly because she still has a higher rank because of her studies, she couldnt take the risk to befriend them and then later on, them not taking her seriously at work. It was quite similar, for the male staff , she was only comfortable with a few persons and that was enough She trusted them and they trusted her, thats all she needed. She doesn't give her trust easily and the few that have it, are more than enough for her.

Things were harsh but she had her team, they became her family. Young lieutenant Blanchard and Major Frachon were a doctor and a nurse at the base. They were here before her and were older than her by 5 years.

She was aware, that in her line of work, she would have to face a lot of sceptism. First of all she was really young for this kind of job and second of all she was a woman. Even if morals changed, the army was something else , she had to make herself clear, not let herself being called "darling" by her men and gain respect from her squad. Once everything was clear and everyone knew that she was here to do her job and be professional while doing it, the pestering stopped.

Of course at the beginning she had to get used to the major's crude jokes about women but he became family along with the lieutenant. They would reunite at diner in the cafeteria of the base, asking themselves advices about different medical cases they encountered during the day or just speaking about other things.

She had a passion for plants, and botanic in general.

Aside from french, Barbara learnt english at a young age because of her native irish aunt and got into german and italian through school. The lieutenant had polish roots but could speak english as well, and then there was the major who came from a rumanian gypsy family who travelled through Spain and then settled in France. He was fluent in french, rumanian and spanish.