The Golden Soldier (Call of Duty: WW2 Fanfiction)

Chapter 26

Three weeks was an eternity to someone trapped in a war zone. I hated using the word "trapped" but it truly did fit my situation. I had been internally forced to learn the ways to fight or risk being killed or sent back to a place I didn't know. I had been shot through time to World War Two and now I was unexplainably trapped in the time period. I was trapped by my mind with things I didn't need to worry about, but happened to be.
The temperature was beginning to drop consistently now, leading to chilly nights, and it made me worry about winter. Being November, the snow was right around the corner. So was suffering and sickness and death. Winter for these soldiers would be deadly--I knew that from research. It would mean I would have to watch myself and care for others.
I was also concerned for my central being. It was more natural and common to shoot before thinking; I was truly turning into a soldier, a person fighting for survival. If I ever happened to return back to my actual time period I wondered how it would affect me. I had changed. I knew from experiences with my father that you could never be the same after war.
Outside of myself, I was way too concerned for those around me. The boys seemed stable enough, yet Pierson and Turner...they were shifting like the weather was. Their relationship was becoming more and more strained, especially ever since the comment about Kasserine weeks ago. I wanted to know what all that was about and it killed me to not know; literally...it kept me up at night.
Now in Hürtgen forest, we were moving like a spearhead towards The Rhine. From studying history I knew the following months would be the make-it-or-lose-it part to the war. Though I knew myself, as one singular person, couldn't change the fate of the war, I found myself nervous.
I knew the war would end September second of 1945. It was November of '44. The surrender of Germany would occur May eighth of '45, if history stayed true. This meant I had six months to survive and attempt to not affect the future. It meant six more months of hell and trying to figure out how to get home before I was launched out into an American society of the 1940s with not a clue of what to do.
Sitting on the boulder by a cliff outside of camp, I tried to plan out possible ways to try and get home. I'd tried touching the stick of a Jeep, hoping it would send me back to my time period, but to no avail. Touching other small things were hopes of being transferred back as well. At the point I was, I was beginning to think dying would get me home.
"Avaline...what are you doing out here?"
Turner.
"Just thinking."
"Alone?" he came up in front of me--now between me and the view of more of Hürtgen.
I sucked on my lower lip, tightening my hold on my wrist, arms wrapped around my bent legs. "I'm trying to get home, but I don't know how."
Turner carefully sat on the wide boulder next to me, keeping a polite distance between our hips. "What are your ideas so far?"
"I've tried touching objects that might connect to a museum in my time, but none have worked...clearly," I blinked, not removing my gaze from the view. "My next thoughts are to go to the location of the museum that brought me here or..."
"Or?"
"Find a way to get killed."
"Ava!"
"Do you have a better idea?" I demanded, looking at him for the first time. "Lieutenant, time is against me. I have to find a way to return before I never can. Before this war ends and--fuck...I just don't know!" I ran my hands over my face in frustration.
Turner was quiet for a moment until I released my face. "How do you know time isn't frozen? That the people who know you don't? What if you don't exist?"
"I exist here," I blurted. "They know I exist. They might even be looking for me for all I know."
"You exist here," Turner repeated. "There's only one of you and you can only be present in one place at a time."
I released along breath, chin sinking down onto my knees. Turner kept his legs off the edge of the boulder, supporting himself with his arms. His eyes traced over me and then the forest in front of us.
"Do you think that if I'm transported forward through time," I paused, gaining Turner's chocolaty gaze again, "that you all will remember me?"
"There's no way of knowing that."
I breathed out again.
"I just ask you don't try to get killed," Turner forced a firm glare my direction. "Try to embrace this time period once this thing ends. The forties aren't terrible, ya know."
Oh, but I've read most everything about them.
"I won't," I promised, lifting my chin. "It's just something I thought of."
Turner dipped his head once and then looked back out to the quiet scenery--likely to change in hours or days if it needed to. I straightened my legs, examining my worn pants. They were stained and marked up compared to when I'd first received them, also a sign that even the things I used had grown accustomed to war like me.
"I don't want you to do this anymore," Turner spoke slowly. "When you are alone, you get distracted by your thoughts. I need focused and prepared soldiers from here on out. You got that?"
I knew he was just trying to protect me from more thoughts of my situation. He didn't want me to worry about finding a way home, especially if it made me think of dying or getting hurt. I appreciated him for that.
"Yes sir."
"Go find the boys," Turner stayed still as I shifted to get up, my haunches sore from sitting for so long. "Enjoy the short break we have while we have it."
I stepped back towards camp, pausing. With Turner alone, more open to discussion, I could bring up Kasserine. He would tell me, I was positive. But I also knew that bringing up past situations with people you had problems with currently could make attitudes worse. He wasn't in the mental state for me to question him.
"Yes sir."
I headed back to camp, looking out for signs of my four favorite boys. They were likely to be together, either working on something or relaxing with a short break Turner had spoken about. I chose the tent as a general guess.
"If it's over, we're here for you pal."
To Zussman's voice, I sped up and reached the propped open tent flap. Stiles and Aiello were each splayed out on their cots--Aiello holding drumsticks, Stiles fiddling with his camera. Zussman stood across from Daniels who was resting on his cot as well. My arrival gained a smile from Aiello.
"There you are."
"What's going on here?" I sat by Aiello's feet, him giving me space to do so.
"I'm looking at Hazel's letter," Daniels shot the two boys a look. "Or trying to."
"I tried to warn ya," Stiles shrugged.
"College," Aiello bumped Stiles with his drumsticks, "let the man speak."
I placed my hands on my knees, giving a small smile towards Daniels. He glanced around once more, sending a calm glare towards the two nearest me.
"She's pregnant."
"Whoa!" Zussman smiled, holding his cup of Joe and stepping towards his best friend. "Hey, that's huge!" Zuss clasped Daniels' shoulder supportively.
Aiello piped, sitting up. "All right! Daniels is gonna be a daddy!"
I watched Daniels' face, not exactly smiling nor frowning. I could tell by his personal reaction that there was something negative about the news. The boys' being cheerful about it hadn't changed the negativity either.
"She was tryin' to let me know but," Daniels looked up from the letter, "I wasn't ready to hear it."
And there it is.
Zussman's smile fell and he froze, watching his best bud carefully. "All right."
I frowned, my eyebrows coming inwards in concern. Stiles and Aiello tensed up in an awkward way. Daniels looked back to his letter, face faltering.
"I could use another cup of Joe," Zussman announced, slowly stepping towards the exit. "Come on you mooks, let's give him some space."
I shot Zuss a small glare and he winked at me, trying to say he was only calling the other two mooks, but I still gave him 'tude as he left the tent. Aiello immediately got up, slipping past me to join Zussman. Stiles stayed where he was, looking towards the entrance.
"But I don't want coffee."
I reached forwards and smacked his knee. Zussman leaned back in the entrance, shooting him a glare with a blink. Aiello also gave a warning glance.
"Sure you do," Zuss forced.
Stiles got up without another word, moving to join them for coffee as well. I stood up more slowly, stepping across to Daniels. He glanced up at me, face slightly somber. I squeezed his shoulder supportively, giving a small smile. As I released him, he shot me a tiny smile of gratefulness.
I turned, heading out after Zussman. They were walking slowly, waiting for me to catch up. Upon me reaching them, Zussman shot me a playful smile; I smacked the back of his head.
"Call me a mook again," I threatened.
"I wasn't meaning it towards you," he rubbed the back of his head.
"I can't believe he's having a baby," Stiles spoke as he got himself a cup of coffee.
"He's going to have a lot of processing with it," I replied, watching Aiello pour me some coffee as well. "Thank you."
Aiello nodded, handing me the steamy mug and then got himself some while Zussman refilled his. I looked across the smaller camp, noticing less traffic for the afternoon.
"I'm headin' to get some chow, who wants to join?" Aiello offered.
Stiles nodded his approval while I shook my head. Zussman waved a hand of dismissal as well. Aiello started off with Stiles in silence, leaving Zuss and I standing by the Joe.
"Hey Zussman," he looked at me, "think you could do me a favor?"
"Uh," he swallowed. "Depends on what it is?"
I smiled. "Oh you'll be fine, trust me."
He shrugged. "All right...don't get me in trouble."
"You can only get yourself in trouble," I spoke as I headed to get the supplies needed from the medical tent, "with me."
"Huh?"
I couldn't help but chuckle as I entered the tent, grabbing scissors and the comb I'd managed to salvage. As I led him to a more secluded spot in the camp, my hands clutched a bucket and tipped it over. I sat and held out the two tools to a confused Zussman.
    "Can you please help me cut my hair?"
    He looked offended, as if I'd asked him to not breathe around me instead. It was almost something to laugh at...something cute. I grinned and held the scissors out further.
    "Please?"
    Zussman sighed and clutched the two supplies, moving around behind me. He knelt to be more level, waiting for me to strip my head of my helmet. Upon doing so, the hair I'd messily tucked underneath it flowed out. It came to my mid-back now and I wanted it just below the top of my shoulders.
    "Cut it right about here," I reached around, motioning with my fingers.
    "It's so long," I felt Zuss' fingers gently comb through my dark locks.
    I knew he'd rather touch it in other ways. Despite me telling him off multiple times in a friendly way and proving myself to be a soldier like him, Zussman persistently hit on me. He was crushing, hard, and it was adorable, but it would never work. I could change the future with any further actions with the men.
    But you've already fallen for Pierson, haven't you Avaline?
    I told my mind to shut it. My temporary crush on Pierson the night after The Liberation had barely lasted considering the following morning and how it had gone. I'd shoved those emotions far away and sealed them tighter than a Ziploc bag.
    "And annoying to keep up with," I responded, shifting. "Please try and keep it straight."
    "I have a good eye for straightness," Zussman promised as he combed through the locks to smooth out the hair. "So...any plans for after all this?"
    I had tried to plan out my way home, not my way into the 40s. "No."
    "Well you have a place to go right? Family you're missing?"
    "Not really," I was slow to explain. "I miss them, but I'm scared to return as I've changed."
    "They haven't helped you get home? Letters?"
    I lowered my gaze. "Nothing. They probably don't know where I am exactly or how to contact me."
    "Did you run away?"
    Once. When I was seventeen and feeling spunky. Returned two days later with a slightly amused mother.
    "I've said many times I have no memory of how I got here," I spoke stiffly.
    "Right," Zussman began to cut the inches off and I inwardly flinched. "It's just...hard to believe sometimes."
    "For me as well."
    It hurt not telling him the truth, especially because it would've been so easy to. I could have blurted everything out and have it be known. But explaining to the other boys would be too much, too many people. No one besides Turner could ever know.
    "What's goin' on over here?" Aiello popped around the corner of the med tent.
    "He's cutting my hair," I spoke at the same time Zussman muttered something about "secluded."
    "Aw, where's Stiles with his camera? This is a new step in the relationship," Aiello cooed.
    I picked up a small dirt clump with my fingers and chucked it at him, successfully hitting his shoulder as he flinched. He had let go of hitting on me long ago, but consistently threw jokes at the idea of "Zussman and Avaline k-i-s-s-i-n-g..."
    I wanted to kill him for all of it, but it kept things light.
    "Aiello," I gained his dark gaze, "I'm curious of something and have been for a while..."
    He leaned against the pole of the tent, crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows.
    "What happened between Pierson and Turner during Kasserine?"
    Aiello drew in a breath, his eyebrows coming inwards with a narrow-eyed gaze. "I don't know much about it."
   "You're lying," I countered. "You were there."
   Aiello swallowed and then shook his head. "I won't tell you about it."
   "Please Aiello," my quiet voice kept him from moving as he tensed to do so.
   He inhaled, held it for a second, and then exhaled. It was just after that he started.

--•--•--•--

I am the WORST person for not updating two Saturdays in a row and I'm so so sorry! Trying to finish up this trimester and it's been hell. Going to get another chapter up before next Saturday to make up for it!
Following the campaign for a wee bit, but there will be twists, I promise you! Get ready for some action and revelations!
Hope you're all enjoying! Thank you for 2K! ❤️
Song: Far From Home by Tommee Profitt (ft Sam Tinnesz) [trailer version]
~MS~