Timeless

Chapter 17

The song, Kathryn could admit, did calm her nerves a little bit. She had been drinking up in her room a bit before all of this and something about the tune just made her a little nostalgic for home. She couldn't quite help it as she slipped into a chair, tucking her knees up to her chest. She realized, almost laughing at herself, that she was still fully in her day-clothes. A testament to the fact that she really didn't want to be here.

They were only a few moments into the song when Rosie walked in, a confused look on his face. Doctor Huston didn't seem all that surprised though, and gave a smile. "Still sleeping well, I take it?"

"You said it takes a day or two to adjust. What's your excuse?"

"Doctors can't have nightmares?" Doctor Huston challenged.

"Nurses can't, apparently." Kathryn couldn't help the words from tumbling out of her mouth—and both men spared her a glance that she couldn't quite decipher.

"I guess we're all having them then," Rosie said dryly, crossing over to the records. "These are...good choices. You mind if I put something on?"

"I don't know much about music. I'm just working my way through the collection," Doctor Huston answered, gaze falling back on his newspaper.

Rosie's gaze drifted over to Kathryn and she just gave a shrug. "Just choose something good, okay?"

He nearly laughed. He didn't know what she qualified as good music. "Well this is what you're missing," Rosie said, holding up a record.

"Do you play?" Doctor Huston questioned.

"Nah, can't play a note. Mother and sister got all the musical talent. I know what sounds good, though." Rosie carefully placed the record and aligned it—

Then music began to drift through. It was something that Kathryn hadn't heard in a while, and something she missed listening to. "I guess you do."

Rosie turned and faced Doctor Huston. "Where are you stationed, doc?"

"Norfolk. I'm a flight surgeon with the 96th."

"Your group was on the Bremen Raid with us," Rosie murmured.

Huston just gave a nod. "We lost three forts. That was your first mission," he added, gaze searing into Rosie.

Kathryn thought for a moment. "Helen said you lost a friend."

Rosie nearly blanched at the thought of Helen on top of everything else. "One of my best friends. It was his first mission, too."

"This war is a damn nightmare," Kathryn murmured.

"Human beings weren't meant to behave this way." Doctor Huston pointed out. Noting the silence that fell, he frowned. "Either of you disagree?"

"No," Rosie was quick to murmur. "But when you see people being persecuted and subjugated, you have to do something. They can't fight for themselves, can they?"

"Men do evil and men make war. Men are the ones who can stop it." Kathryn said quietly. "But all we do is just...ruin the damn place. God doesn't do anything to stop it."

"Are you a religious woman, Kathryn?"

"It's not God who scares me, doc." Kathryn said, eyes falling on the fireplace and unable to tear them away from the flickering lights. "It's mankind."

"So we do something about it and here we are."

"No," Rosie said, shaking his head. "This right here is exactly what you don't do. Croquet, riding with hounds—whatever that is—"