War Bird

37. Questions in The Eyes

I've never seen Grace look so frightened, so out of control, as she does now, staring at Ed's unconscious form on the bed. We're in the Medical Bay, me and Asher hovering over our friend as we wait for word from Grace on what to do. On the next bed, Fuller is having some stinky ointment rubbed into his face and neck. He's awake, but barely able to speak, despite Esme’s cajoling. Finlay has been hauled straight to Kull’s quarters to give a full report.

"Is Ed going to be okay?" I ask Grace.

"This- can’t be..." She can’t take her eyes off Ed's face. "What happened to him?"

"We'll tell you later!" Asher’s booming voice makes her jump. "Is he going to be alright?"

Grace swallows and stretches her arms out over Ed's body. Her fingers wobble as she screws up her face in concentration. I stare at her. Please, please let him be alright. I’ll do anything. I’ll be a better person. I’ll stop hating on Susan, I’ll even leave Finlay alone if it means Ed’s alright. Grace’s lips tremble as her hands move through Ed’s aura. A finger plucks the air over his forehead once, twice. Then she relaxes and slumps against the side of the bed.

“He’s fine,” she says, barely a whisper. “He’ll wake up any minute now. Probably with a very sore head!” 

“Yes bruv!” Asher fist bumps the air.

“I think he just got knocked out.” Grace smiles shakily.

“Good job he’s got all that stupid hair!” I laugh, just as Ed stirs, eyes opening sleepily.

“Shut...it...Princess.” His voice is painfully hoarse, and Grace hands him a glass of water.

“Here,” she says tenderly.

“Let’s give her some room to work.” I elbow Asher in the ribs and we shuffle away to the kitchenette where just a few days ago I was working, sterilising equipment and mangling linen. It feels like years since. I fetch us glasses of water. 

“How are you?” Asher asks me as I greedily drink. I hadn’t realised how thirsty I was.

“I don’t even know.” I smack my lips and walk back out into the Bay, looking over to where Ed lies. Grace is sat by his side, helping him drink with one hand, the other hand smoothing back his hair. The gentle set of her face makes my heart ache. “Look at them,” I say.

“Yeah,” Asher says, moving to my side. “Who’d have thought? Ed in love.” 

I nod silently, and I help myself to more water. We take a moment, staring out at the Bay. Almost every bed has a man in it, and the Nightingales look beyond frazzled. “Man, do you think Alice hurt all these guys?” I ask, shuddering.

“No doubt. Her or one of her little helpers,” Asher says.

“This is what I don’t get,” I say, moving closer to the fallen Hawks. I’m thinking of a point Grace raised in that meeting I crashed. “Alice is able to rip a man apart without breaking a sweat. So’s her army.” I stop and close my eyes as the image of Captain Drummond falling to the ground in pieces flashes across my memory. “Yet these guys are all alive still. Injured, but alive. Why do you think that is?”

“Maybe killing everyone’s too much like hard work,” Asher suggests.

“But wiping out Hitler’s enemies is her job. I mean, he can’t be too happy that she’s not killing every single one of 'em?” I look around me. “She wants Birdie, we know that, but why has she allowed these men to come back alive instead of making them work for her or ripping their innards out?”

“I dunno.” Asher shrugs. “I think you might be thinking about it too much, yeah? We’re safe. Birdie too.” He yawns. “I’m done in, Sis. I’m gonna crash for a bit.” He drops a bumpy kiss on my head and walks off without looking back. I watch him leave, wondering if I should go too. My eyes burn with tiredness and my muscles are crying out for a hot shower. Plus, I still reek of William’s blood. I drain my glass, and return it to the sink. I should at least see how Ed’s feeling before I get out of here.