Fic: BB/EW "Somewhere in France" (AU set in WWII)

[fox_confessor]

Title: Somewhere in France
Pairing: Billy and Elijah
Notes: For msilverstar for her birthday. AU set in WWII. Not what I set out to write at all.

Dear Mom.

Billy, my CO, says they’ll make movies about us--about this--after the war is over. Maybe we’ll even star in them. He told me I should write it all down or at least the parts I want to. He doesn't read and write so good but he's the best captain there is. I'm reading the rest of this out loud to him but not that part. He'd tell me to cross it out.

Anyway. I hope you don't get this. I hope I'm home soon so I can tell you myself. Right now, we’re somewhere in France…

***

When we got hit, Sean said they'd just clipped us. I looked over at Dom sitting in the tail gunner's section and saw his face. After that everything is blurry. Sean yelled mayday into the radio and then the plane shuddered again, harder this time.

Billy saved my life. Later, I was real mad about it. Why he didn't save everybody? He just stood there. I didn't understand.

It's been a week now and I'm remembering things differently. Dom. Sean's voice. They were dying. He couldn't save them because everyone else was dying, but not us. I still don’t understand…

***

I asked Billy if they felt anything. He said he didn't think so but that I shouldn’t think about it. I can't help it though. He told me to think about Iowa—home—but all I can think about is how you’ve probably got a telegram saying that I’m missing in action or dead. I know you cried for days after I told you I enlisted and this will be worse. I couldn't make you understand why it was so important. I know you're still angry or something. Hannah says it’s because you're afraid, especially with Zack being gone too…

***

Remember when I was little and I stole that Hershey's bar from Whitaker’s grocery store and you made me take it back? I was thinking about that last night. Billy has three bars. Well, one of them is gone now. He'd bought them right before we had to scramble and we're lucky he did, though they won’t last long.

Before this, the war was easy for me. Our squadron would fly out, drop our load, and be back home in time for chow. Sometimes one of the planes wouldn't come back, but I felt pretty lucky. It wasn't so bad…


***

We think we’re near Oradour-sur-Glane because we were flying to Vichy and we’ve been walking east. We’re avoiding the villages though because we both knew what will happen if the Germans find us. Billy pinned his captain's bars to my uniform because it’s better for officers. I want to give them back but he won't take them. I think he feels guilty for choosing me over some of the other guys but he says that isn't true. It doesn't matter anyway because he didn't really choose. He just did it. I won’t ask him anymore now because it doesn’t matter…

***

I hope this letter finds its way to you even if I don't. We're hiding in a cave because there's Germans nearby. Billy says France is loaded with caves and I guess he knows. I told him all about Tom Sawyer. He'd never heard of it and thought it was pretty good. He's hurt bad but trying not to let on.

I don't want to scare you but I have to tell you. We were almost caught last night. Billy said it was just a scout and probably alone, but he killed him. I’ve never seen a man die before. Not like that. Billy took his coat and boots. We found some food in his pack and took that, too. I guess God will understand.

I have to stop writing. Tell Hannah I love her. Zack, too, if he gets back. I wish I hadn't been so keen on coming to war but I'm here and doing the best I can. Billy asked me to write the message below. It's to his sister and that's her address if you could get it to her. I love you mom and I'm real sorry. I hope I get to see you soon.

Your son,
Elijah

Comments

[msilverstar]

I so adore this and I don't even like angst. But oh my, that last bit, makes me cry every time. thank you again, sweetie.