An Undecided Fate

Chapter 24

June 25, 1862

General McClellan shot his gun into the air and the Union soldiers began to fire down at the Confederates. 

A few minutes into the battle, both sides sent some soldiers on horses to attack, while the others remained in their spots shooting. 

So far, the Unions seemed to be getting their way towards victory, using their discussed tactics.

"George! Where are you?!" Alexander yelled to him, noticing that George hasn't shot anyone yet.

"I'm trying! I don't know what's wrong with me!"

"Well focus! Only think here!" Fernando shouted.

"No!" Henry said with frustration, "I ran out of bullets!" 

"So did I!" Fernando realized.

"I'll go fetch us some real quick," Henry mentioned before jogging his way towards their tent.

***

"Lilly!" Meredith panicked.

"What's wrong!" Lilly ran worriedly towards her sister.

"George's cap! He left it here in our tent!"

"Oh for heaven's sake, Meredith," Lilly complained, "Why would you worry if he left it here?!"

"He always believed that it was his lucky cap! What is something happens to him now that it's not with him?"

Lilly rolled her eyes.

"After all, you believe in luck as well, don't you Lilly?" 

"Meredith!" Cassandra called to her.

"He's beginning to bleed like waterfalls!" She said as she pointed to a soldier with a bleeding leg, "I need your help, Meredith!"

Meredith quickly turned to Lilly.

"Lilly, please, take this to George if you can! If it looks to dangerous, then come back. But please try!"

"Fine," Lilly mumbled and began to run towards the battle field, "I was curious to see what was happening up there anyway!"

It didn't take her that long to get there and thankfully it didn't look like a bloodbath. 

When she reached the top of the hill where the soldiers were, she turned back and gave a thumbs up to Jenny, who Meredith sent to go outside the tent. 

Suddenly Lilly felt two strong hands on her upper arms. She was turned around forcefully and came face to face with Henry. 

"What on earth are you doing here?!" he exclaimed.

"I came here to give George his cap!"

"What?! You came all this way just to give him his cap? Why would you take such a risk?!"

"Meredith told me that it was his lucky cap! You should know, since you're his friend!"

"Just give me that!" he snatched it from her and she jogged her way back to the army nurses' tent."

"George! Here's your cap! And I brought more bullets," Henry said as he quickly loaded his and Fernando's guns. 

George gratefully took the cap, feeling very satisfied. 

"Crazy woman," Henry mumbled to himself.

He took a quick glance at her as she ran down the hill and saw that a bullet rushed straight through her shoulder. She let a piercing scream of agony. 

"Lilly!" He dropped the guns and ran down the hill towards her. She was lying on the ground and tears were streaming down here terrified-looking face. 

Henry scooped her up in the blink of an eye and made his way towards the army tent. 

Cassandra and Jenny ran towards them with panic.

"Lilly! What happened to her?" Cassandra asked Henry with tears.

"She was shot, but just in the shoulder," He replied as he laid her down on one of the beds, "I've got to back up there," and with that he ran back. 

A crying and regretting Meredith ran to Lilly and went to her knees, "I'm so sorry, Lilly! It was all my fault."

"What are you talking about?" Jenny asked.

"I sent her to go up there to give George his cap. But I also told her to come back if it looked too dangerous!"

"What kind of battle field wouldn't look dangerous, Meredith?" Cassandra chided as she was healing Lilly's wound, "Thankfully it's just a flesh wound."

***

A couple hours later, the soldiers returned to their tents from the battle. 

Henry made a quick stop at the army nurses' tent and walked over to Lilly's bed.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked her softy as he placed his gun on a table nearby.

"Much better, but it still hurts a bit."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you back there."

"Why would you apologize for that? Anyone would have yelled at me for doing something so foolish."

"Things that people do aren't necessarily foolish if there's a good reason behind it."

"What do you mean?" She asked perplexed. 

"You did it because you respect your sister," then he grinned, "and you wanted to look after your future brother-in-law."

"Future brother-in-law? You mean...George?" she asked with amusement.

"I could be wrong, but Isn't that what's going on?" he chuckled.

"As much as they deny it, I'm sure there's a little fairy tale happening between them," she giggled. 

"Anyways, I hope you feel better tomorrow," he was about to walk off but Lilly stopped him.

"You almost forgot your gun!"

"Oh, well thank you for reminding me," he grinned

"Would you risk bringing it back to me tomorrow during the battle, if I happened to forget it?" he casually asked chuckling as he fetched the gun from the table. 

She gave it some thought and smiled, "I would."