The War Far From Home... - WW2 AU sequel

Chapter 20: Crippling Condition

Rasazy was not getting any better, her coughing was getting out of hand, the fever she had would not break, and her throat was very sore. As for the worry of Sarv that would have to be guessed. Ruv lay on his bed that night as Sarv cared for Rasazy, but for him worry for his daughter was much worse. He knew she was so close to her dreams, and he knew that if she was ripped away from it, from life. His family would not be the only loss, but her dreams. Somehow under these conditions, he managed to sleep.

A dream pierced his sleep, it was familiar, the smell, the sounds, and the place. A church, it was long ago, and the place was familiar. He had been there before, but when? He got his answer hearing the sounds of a plane, suddenly he was outside, and he looked up. A BF-109, the situation was too similiar, he ran, and it strafed him. The church appeared on the hill as it did, the sounds started to tense up, and voices yelled quietly at him. "What's happening?!" The Bf-109 came back around, a Tiger 1 joined the chase against him, crashing through the houses around him. The church grew closer and closer, "This can't be happening!" He yelled, German yelling of what appeared to be infantry followed close behind. "Shit!" Eventually after, an agonizing run he reached the door, and it slammed open right in front of him crashing him into someone. It was Sarv, she had a rose blooming from her eye, but before he could say anything he was falling into a dark void that was inside the church, the noises of war faded, and he crashed to the ground unhurt. "What is this?? Where am I??" The silence was broken by the sound of his wife, "How could you Ruv?" His confusion grew, "What?" She spoke again, "Why did you do it? Why did you do this to me?" Ruv started to panic, "Sarv?" She appeared, rose growing from her eye, vines wrapping around her dress, crooked horns grew from her. "Sarv!?" Whispering voices of mourning, pain, and hate started to assault his ears, "You broke us. You broke our family!" A voice boomer over the rest, "Sarv!" He yelled out reaching, "Please Sarv! I'm sorry!" The voices grew louder, his legs started to numb, he looked down to see vines wrapping around him, "You broke our curse!" They reached his neck and started to choke him out, he yelled one final time, "Sarv no!!!" Darkness.

He awoke in a cold sweat, his breathing was heavy and panicked. He wiped his head off, and tried to process what happened. Eventually he calmed down realizing it was all a dream. His wife was next to him, in her normal sleeping wear, he was glad not to have woken her up. He looked around, the sun creeped around their curtains, he whispered to himself, "What was that about?" He was confused, although it was a dream he felt weird about it. To make sure he checked on his wife, she seemed fine, and he got up. This was an early time to be up, but he didn't care. He moved to the kitchen looking at that olden stove, he could make food, but instead he took an apple from the fridge. "What a dream..." he heard creaks from the stairs, his attention turned quickly, but it was just Selever, "Oh, hey father. What are you doing up this early?" Ruv not wanting to answer truthfully, talked out a smaller lie. "I just woke up, and couldn't fall asleep again..." Selever joked, "Mom making yah uncomfortable?" It was a little rude, but he'd expect nothing less from a former soldier. "Very funny Sel. You are about to go to work right?" Sel answered silently with a nod, it was obvious, he was in his uniform ready to leave. "I won't keep you then..." Sel grabbed a fruit from the fridge, "Alright father, keep an eye on sis will you? I'm worried about her." Ruv had never known of Sel's worry, and Sel was never one to ask him favors at least back then. "Will do Selever..." Sel now left the house giving Ruv a mini salute on his way out. Now Ruv, reminded of his daughter, decided he needed to check on her, he headed upstairs, and quietly cracked open the door and looked in. She was asleep seemingly alright and breathing so he closed the door. With nothing more he quickly went down the stairs and sat down on the couch.

Work was just another thing for Selever, and constantly cleaning was always his way of going around. Since there were new employees the kitchen was always messy, and now his job required he go and clean the dining area too. It would have been fine for the time being, but his boss walked into the room, and called him out, "Selever... I have news for you. Meet me in my office." Sel's anxiety roared, was he being fired, maybe worse! However he reached the office, and his boss sat in front of him, "Sel, your mother wanted me to tell you this..." that's odd, usually this doesn't happen unless.. it's important!! He thought, "Your sister has been accepted into the ER, as she is fatally sick." His emotions dropped, "Rasazy!? Oh no no no..."  the boss felt his fear, "For this I'm gonna allow you off work for as long as you need, it's the best I can do, but I need you back before next week." He was glad that he got a chance, "Thank you, Thank you sir!" He rushed out quickly, and got to his car. He was now on his way to the hospital.

Sarv was sat by her lone child's bed. Rasazy, sweats, and shivers. A lonely fever, but it was much worse than that. She coughed violently and it wrenched at Sarv's heart, as her maternal instincts pushed her. Rasazy was vaccinated full through, but now she had caught the very thing that Sarv was trying to help, and Sarv couldn't help but feel responsible. However she felt that she had to continue her other work as for right now, "Rasazy, I have to tend to other patients. Do you think you'll be ok until your father, and brother visits?" Rasazy looked up and nodded, her eyebrows pierced upwards pulling on her face, which showed the pain she felt. It gave more for Sarv to feel guilty about, "Alright, I'll be back soon..." she looked back with the corner of her eyes once as she left the room. Her heart ached, and her mind raced, her face matched her emotions, showing the sadness, guilt, and worry she felt. She entered to Ms Wilson's room, the old woman was always nice to her, and although she was sick she looked to Sarv. Sarv tried to hide her emotions, but it seemed nothing got past that wise old woman, in a scraggly voice she spoke, "Ah, Mrs Sarvente, is it? You seem worried, upset. What is bothering you?" Sarv now felt shy, and scared, "Oh uh... nothing! I'm fine miss!" The old woman stayed calm seeming, seeing through her little lie, "It's not very kind to lie young one, you seem like you are emotionally pained. Tell me, who is it that you worry about?" Sarv sighed, and looked down defeated, this time she spoke the truth, "It's my daughter. She's really sick, and I'm really worried about her!" The old woman made a noise in thought, and spoke again, "Ah, and perhaps you feel somewhat responsible for it?" Sarv was surprised, as her eyebrows rose, "How do you know what?" The old woman though with a small cough spoke wise, and clear, "I also felt that way... for my son, and his father. My husband really was the type to put others before himself..." Sarv's curiosity hit her, she really wanted to know more, "What happened to him?" The old woman spoke, "Ah, curious I see. It all goes back since before 39. I had met that man, his name was John, and I knew he was the one for me, he was a kind hearted gentleman, and always took others before himself. Soon we had a son, he back then was young, and never knew his father. When he was only 2 years old, his father was sent to war." Sarv pryed more, "what happened to him?" The old woman spoke again stopping her, "I'm getting there young one... now, I wrote him letters, telling him to continue thinking of us, and being the kind man he always was... he wrote back. One day in 44 I got a letter, but it wasn't from him... at the doorstep lay an American flag with a note... as I can remember the note he died helping his men fall back, holding off several tanks, and troops... while my family was awarded the Medal of Honor, it didn't feel right... I felt like those letters caused his doom, encouraging him to help others at his own cost, I had felt guilt, and felt like my son couldn't see his father because of me. However this was an immature guilt..." the woman coughed interrupting the story, this time was especially violent, and the woman held her chest. Sarv jumped up, "Oh my! Ms Wilson are you alright!?" The old woman held her hand in a stop motion, "I'm fine young one... now where was I? Oh yeah! The guilt I felt was out of how I felt for him, and not for the well being of others... and we'll only now I have realized that. His death may have been years ago, but now I realize he did it for other... so others could see their family, so others could continue their lives, and maybe there I nothing I can do to make my son feel better about it. I know he will soon understand, as I do now. So young one... your daughter is sick... however that doesn't mean you should feel responsible. She wanted the better for her family when she studied hard like you had told me she did... that guilt you have will hold you down..." the old woman coughed again, and the heart monitor nearby started to escalate, "Ms Wilson!! You are starting to burn up!" The old woman cleared her throat, "I'll be fine... don't let that guilt hold you down... let it help you be the person you are, go help your daughter, and make sure she lives..." the heart monitor raced faster as the woman coughed again. Sarv went forward and propped the back of the woman's head with her hand, like a pillow "Ms Wilson! You're weak! Stay with me miss! Please stay with me!" The old woman grabbed her wrist gently, "No... I'll be ok. I will soon join John in eternal paradise..." Sarv started to panic, "No ma'am! Stay with me please!" She spoke her final words weakly, and almost breathlessly, "You are the only one that can... thank you, my new and final friend. May Hos be with you..." The heart monitor went to a continuous beep, "Ms Wilson! Stay with us!" Sarv tried to speak, but she realized what had happened, and hit the emergency button. She tried all she could to save her, but the doctors soon pronounced her dead. Sarv watched as the body was transported to the morgue, she felt a rush of emotions, a lot of which she couldn't control. Never had she had a patient die as such, especially with her in the room, she was closer with Ms Wilson than any other of her patients. However her last words pulled a new hope into her. She was going to do all she could to save Rasazy's life. Even if it meant she had to fall for it...