Remedy

09

"No, see both my brother and I signed up for this because we had nothing else. I know that sounds like a stupid ultimatum but it's the truth."

"You have no other family apart from him?" James questioned and tilted his head to the side to look at the woman laying beside him.

"Frog," Dorothy said while lifting up her arm and pointing to the cloud.

"That isn't a frog." James laughed, they had taken to trying to find images within the fluffy white shapes which glided above them in the sky. It was childish, yes. But it was also entertaining and simple, and simplicity seemed hard to come by nowadays.

Dorothy looked a little disheartened and looked at him. "What is it then?"

James looked at her and then back up at the sky. "A frog perhaps with two heads?" This caused her to laugh and shake her head. It was peaceful out here, regardless of the fact that he knew he should be training with Joey, James was enjoying this moment. It was a little slice of normality amongst a time and a place which was so abnormal.

"But yes, Arthur is my only family." Dorothy answered his earlier question quietly.

"Why did you sign up for this?"

"Because I want to help." She smiled and looked at him again. "I'm a nurse, James. What use am I if I don't help people who are hurt?"

"But why go over there? You could very well stay here." Which was a very valid point, Margaret had said something similar, but it just didn't seem right to Dorothy.

"And await to receive a letter saying that my brother may have died and I'd be so far away from him? No." Dorothy frowned deeply. "I am going over there so if the inevitable does happen Arthur knows I am near, not directly but I am in the same country." She let out a quiet sigh and crossed her arms. "I already know how ridiculous that sounds. But you also have to keep in mind most walking wounded will not survive a long journey back over here. I don't really take pride in things, but I take pride in the one fact that I am a very good nurse."

It was silent amongst them again, "I think Arthur is lucky to have you as a sister." James said breaking the silence and then lifting up his arm. "Dragon."

"That's not a dragon."

"I'm sorry, Nurse Blake, this one time we are going to have to agree to disagree. That is a dragon." He said lightheartedly and lifted his arms up and put them behind his head. Admittedly using his jacket to cushion the ground wasn't working very well. All it was doing however was keeping them from getting dew on their clothes and hair.

"Well, Captain Nicholls I am concerned about your eyesight if you think that is a dragon. It clearly looks more like some sort of crocodile."

"They're both reptilian though, correct? You're a nurse, if there is something wrong with my eyes I'm sure you could tell."

"Ah yes, they're reptilian if one existed. I am a nurse you are right, but perhaps you need an optician instead?" Dorothy said seriously, or as seriously as she could before laughing.

"I'm just going to reassure you that my eyes are fine." James said, wide smile on his face as he nodded his head slowly.

"Are you just saying that to reassure yourself?" Dorothy asked while still letting out the odd giggle now and again.

Rolling his eyes, James looked at her. This just caused her to start laughing again. Sitting up slowly and turning to look at her, he frowned. Even his blank expression caused her to laugh again, if anything it made her laugh even more. "Oh, be quiet you," he said while shaking his head, he jumped when there was a yelp from the woman beside him. James quickly turned to see what had made her let out such a startled noise. He in turn laughed at her. Joey had taken to trying to nudge her out of the way of an apparently appetising patch of grass.

Dorothy, who was still in minor hysterics and startled from Joey's innocent attack, sat up and fidgeted slightly to lift up the jacket so he could get to the grass. After she had she looked at him sidewards.

"Have you recovered from your moment?" James asked, a slow smile appeared on her face and she slowly nodded. "I'm not too sure you are telling the truth."

"I'm sorry but...you are funny."

James looked confused by her words and leaned back on his hands. "How?"

"You just are."

"That's not really an answer or a reason."

Laying back down Dorothy looked up at the sky and let out a quiet yawn. "You just are, I can't pin a reason down." She raised her arm and wagged her finger in the direction of a cloud. "Fish."

"That's a bit vague."

"Well I'm not going to name it a specific fish am I?" She sat back up and looked from him to the sky. "That'd be strange to see." Pausing she dramatically waved her arm in the air again. "Look, James there's a barracuda!" She said in a dramatic tone to match her dramatic waving.

"I was actually saying it's vague that you cannot give a solid reason to something as simple as me being apparently funny. But all the same thank you for pointing out the barracuda." James smiled and watched as Dorothy fidgeted from embarrassment and crossed her arms loosely over her stomach.

"I take it back! You are not funny, you're annoying." She said abruptly while taking to playing with her white sleeve cuffs. "Annoying and sarcastic."

"Now that's not very polite is it?"

"I call it revenge for teasing me earlier on." Dorothy nodded surely and looked back up at the sky.

"I apologise for teasing you earlier then." James spoke kindly and lightly nudged his shoulder against hers, she looked away from the mass of blue above and then to him.

"I apologise for calling you names then." Dorothy smiled and nudged him lightly back. "I suppose we should return shouldn't we?"

"Yes," standing up and brushing himself down James turned and held out a hand. Dorothy smiled and reached up and put her hand in his. Getting pulled to a slow stand the two of them got caught in another staring moment.

"Come on then," James smiled and broke his gaze away from hers. Entwining his fingers with hers he walked slowly over towards Joey.

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(Edited: 29/August/2019)