Wartime Romance (Snowbarry)

June 9th, 1944

Now that Caitlin was alone she had a lot of time to think about her life. More importantly, what she wanted to do with it? She had been inspired by the war to join up and become a nurse. And in a matter of weeks, she was a qualified nurse and was shipped out of town to a war hospital on the coast of France where she cared for many Allied soldiers.

This new opportunity allowed her to satisfy her need to help people and the war effort, as well as, distract herself from missing Barry too much. 

A week after he had left, a letter arrived at their home addressed to her in his handwriting. She had read the letter so many times that she had memorised it perfectly and would often lay awake at night reciting it in her mind while drifting off to sleep. 

This particular letter described everything that was going on where he was and how he missed her so, as well as, how he couldn't wait to see her again. And as soon as she had read it enough times to let the feeling of him being okay sink in, she began to write back and posting it to her husband, detailing her nursing endeavours and how happy she was to hear from him.

And it was upon receiving this letter he realised that they weren't as far apart as they had thought.

And over the course of the many weeks that followed, they would write to each other, filling their love letters with hope and enamoured words.

And when it was announced on the radio that on June 6th a huge invasion of Normandy would take place as a finial push against the Germans, it seemed that the war could soon come to a close. But everyone, especially the staff at the hospital, knew that the risks were high and it certainly would not be an easy battle to win.

And in the back of her mind, Caitlin knew that her beloved would be involved and concern hit in between the eyes and she tried to numb the pain with the many letters that he had sent and that she had memorised with a hopeful mindset.

And it was there on that fateful day when she had been overloaded with momentous new intakes of patients that all staff and patients heard the wondrous news. They had won. The day was theirs. And there was much to celebrate. However, that would have to wait as still more patients were being admitted by the dozen who desperately needed medical attention.

And three days later, Caitlin was doing her morning rounds. Administering medication and performing checkups on her patients when she came to the bed of a man who she wasn't expecting to see.

"Good morning, I'm Cait-" her jaw dropped with shock when she saw the man's identity. "Barry?" she questioned. She knew it was ludicrous but she blinked several times to check that she was dreaming or hallucinating her beloved's presence.

"Cait?" he replied in shock. He knew that she was here but after being admitted he had completely forgotten that this was the very war hospital that his beloved wife had been working at. No matter how many times he had written the address or thought about her bustling around a busy ward tending to patients with her own dedicated flare.

Without saying anything at all, she immediately dropped her clipboard and everything else she was holding in her shaky hands to the floor and ran into his arms and pressed her lips firmly against his. She knew how completely unprofessional she'd seem but right now that was the last thing she could think about. The only thing on her mind was their lips colliding and reuniting once again.

After a few minutes of their blissful rendezvous, they broke apart and gazed deep into each other's eyes and remembering what it felt like to see them again after all this time. Abruptly, the moment was paused as it hit her. Barry would not be here if he was not hurt.

"Are you alright? Why are you here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, of course, I am! But, are you okay?" she fussed, her hand going to his cheek.

"I'm fine. Just some minor injuries. Nothing for you to go all doctor on me about," he chuckled, placing his left hand on hers and his right taking her hand and reassuringly squeezing it and smiling up at her in a way which made her heart melt and her eyes go into the dreamy state which he had always adored. "I was one of the lucky ones," he trailed off slightly, averting his gaze to the other men in the ward who seemed to be in a much worse condition than he was but they were still smiling at the sight of the couple together.

It seemed that the husband and wife reuniting in front of them reminded them of their own wives or sweethearts back in their homes and the sight of the young couple brought hope to their tired and sore eyes and numbed their pain.

"Well, I should have a look at you at least. I am a nurse and I am supposed to be on my round and you are my patient," she teased with an innocent laugh before pulling the curtain so they could have some privacy.

"Right you are, doc," he replied, making her roll her eyes at him with an angelic giggle. It had been the first time she'd laughed in a long time or at least a genuine laugh. And the widest smile that had drawn itself onto her features. No one could make her smile or laugh the way Barry did. And no one ever would. And although the letters had made her smile, the two of them being together in person felt so much more fulfilling.

"You said minor injuries. You've managed to break your leg, your arm and tear ligaments in your ankle. That it not minor injuries, Barry," she shook her head disapprovingly with a teasing flare.

"You can tell all of that by just looking at me?" he asked, feeling quite impressed and even a little proud that his wife was the best nurse in this whole facility.

"Yes, you need a lot of rest for that to heal. You'll be here for a while so you better get comfortable. And if you need anything just ask for me. I'll be here in a flash," she replied with a wink. "Anyway, I must go. I have other patients to attend to," she continued.

"I shouldn't be worried should I?" he teased.

She sighed and rolled her eyes with a chuckle then began to leave.

"Wait! Can't I have one more kiss before you go?" he pleaded with puppy dog eyes and a sweet smile that made her instantly give in. Caitlin was pretty much helpless in front of her cute, puppy-eyed Barry. They exchanged one last kiss before she left to see her other patients.

Later in the evening, the head nurse Elizabeth Taylor approached Caitlin as dinner was almost served.

"Caitlin, may I borrow you for a moment?" she asked with a smile. The two women had become great friends ever since they had met. They had quickly bonded over the pain of their husband's away at war and shared the burden of their pain with each other.

"Of course. What can I do for you?" Caitlin smiled happily, she'd truly been on cloud nine all day and everyone in the hospital knew why.

"I wanted to speak to you about your husband," she started and Caitlin nodded slowly, worried about what Elizabeth was about to say. "Obviously, you two seeing each other is a rare event in these desperate times and as you know the demands of being a nurse here are particularly gruelling and busy and there is no time nor room for distractions of any sort," she continued.

"Elizabeth, you have to-" Caitlin began but was quickly interrupted.

 "Please, let me finish. But I also know the pain of being away from your beloved and I to share that pain. Myself and my superiors have been monitoring your work ever since you arrived here and we can all unanimously agree that the work you do here is beyond satisfactory. You are one of the brightest and best nurses we have here. Hence why we have agreed that until your husband is discharged from the facility you are relieved of your duties and you can spend the next few weeks with him," she explained with a wide smile.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Elizabeth. You are truly an amazing friend. Barry and I are forever in your debt!" Caitlin bubbled with joy and hugged her friend tightly and quickly ran off to reveal the news to Barry.

And for the first time in what seemed like forever, it seemed like everything was clicking back into place. Caitlin and Barry had found their ways back to each other and they were home. Right where they belonged.