When We Were Soldiers, chapter 2
December 15th, 1943
New York
The train came to an abrupt halt, rousing Gerard out of his dreams. Damn, he thought, as he roused the soundly sleeping Olivia to a somewhat concious state. It seems like only seconds ago that I finally got some shuteye.
He grabbed his luggage out of the top compartment, and handed Olivia her things as well, receiving a kiss and a whispered 'thank-you' as his reward. Michael was helping Sally with her things, both yawning at random opportunities.
"C'mon, Mike, let's find our company. We'll be shipping out early, I presume."
His brother nodded and exited the compartment, turning to the right whereas Sally turned to the left. They gave eachother knowing glances, then Michael blushed and Sally giggled, walking off, a wave to him as her goodbye.
When Gerard and Olivia had to part, she looked into his eyes deeply. "Don't forget to come back to me," she said, before he wrapped her up in a long embrace, topped with a kiss. He placed a finger on her nose and smiled. "I'll never do that," he said, and they broke away. She walked down the hallway, following Sally, never breaking eye contact with Gerard even though she was starting to cry. She eventually was lost from sight, and Gerard freely wiped a tear from his eye.
The adjacent compartment opened and Frances stepped out, accompanied by a red-headed individual and a blonde. Upon sighting him, Frances gave a salute, and Gerard returned it. With Olivia gone, he could focus on his company.
"Frances Iero. Are these two also in my company?"
"Yes sir."
Gerard looked them in the eyes. Only the blonde flinched.
"Your name, soldier," he said, turning to the redhead.
"First Lieutenant Ray Toro, sir." He gave a salute firmly. Gerard nodded.
"And yours," he added, turning to the blonde.
"Sergeant Robert Bryar, sir, also a Medic."
"We've got one," Gerard said indifferently, gesturing to Frances. Ray and Robert turned to eachother, then laughed.
"Sir, it would be wise to let Robert be a medic. Frances is very useful with the sniper rifle."
Gerard turned on Ray, his eyes blazing.
"Are you questiong my authority, soldier?!"
"N-no! I mean, no sir!"
They locked eyes, and eventually Gerard turned away.
"I appreciate your feedback. We shall see who is who soon enough."
***
On board the U.S.S Nevada
Michael was on the top deck, watching some sailors that were laughing and drinking. A couple of pretty nurses were accompanying them, including Sally. She was perched on the lap of a particularly muscular one, and was laughing wildly and throwing her head back every time he said something.
Sally. Michael smiled softly, then fished a paper out of his jacket pocket. It was worn, and looked like it had been folded so many times that it was in danger of falling apart. He opened it gingerly, and read the letter, a smile dancing in his eyes as he did so.
My dearest Michael,
I am so proud of your for your promotion to Corporal! Congratulations! And I understand you are to be shipped off overseas to Europe. Your brother must be so proud of you. At long last you two will be together in this war. I understand how hard it was when you were in California and he was in Haiwaii. Perhaps you will have time to bond some.
Please take care of your brother. I know he is eight years your senior, but he is still in need of guidance. The war has hardened him. I have heard about Olivia, how is she? All I have seen of her is a picture he keeps of her. She is beautiful. Write me and tell me if we have a wedding on the way or not.
Don't break too many of the girls' hearts, you rascal.
With love,
Elena
Michael had to wipe a tear away from his eye.
Elena. His grandmother.
She had passed away merely days before he had received his orders to be transported to the frontlines in Germany.
Michael placed the letter in his jacket, over his heart like he always did. He shivered once, then turned to go back inside, leaving Sally and her neutical crew to enjoy their laughter.
***
"So...Second Lieutenant Gerard Way..."
Gerard was in the captain's quarters, receiving briefings from a superior. This certain superior had slicked black hair just as Gerard did, and piercing green eyes that struck fear into the hearts of those who knew his name.
"Yes sir, General Armstrong?"
At mention of his title, William Armstrong's expression softened. He was pacing around, but now he stopped, sitting in a chair just like Gerard was doing. Pulling out a manila folder, he handed it to Gerard. The infamous red letters spelled out 'CONFIDENTIAL' on the cover. After merely peering into the folder and nodding, Gerard looked at the general.
"I understand, sir. I will perform these duties along with my company as best as I can."
"Good. Your mission will start as soon as we make landfall. We will deploy you at Rheims."
The general got up again, and strode over to a cabinet, pulling out some fabric bars.
"In this case, you must be promoted to Captain in order to carry out your mission."
Gerard's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"What? I mean, yes sir."
The general laughed. "You are allowed to be suprised, Lieutenant. I will allow it to you just this once." He handed over the appropriate amount of bars to Gerard, who held them in his hands like it was a treasured item. After gazing at them in wonder, Gerard stood up, saluted the general who returned the salute, and exited.
***
"What do you think?"
It was in the soldier's quarters on the ship, and Frances and Ray were cabin buddies. Ray was laying on the top bunk, while Frank was at the small table in the room, tipped back in the chair and smoking a cigarette.
Frances grinned. He was not as nervous as he had appeared on the train. In fact, with only a tank top and his battle dress pants on, he looked quite at ease.
The subject of the matter was a photo Ray had handed him of his sweetheart. The photo consisted of a girl on the beach, laughing as the waves swept over her feet. In a red pen it was signed at the corner, "To Ray. With Love, Sab."
"Sab?"
"Sabrina. The wildest redhead to grace this earth."
"She sure is a looker."
Frances dodged the pillow that Ray had thrown. "She's mine, you hear?" Ray had said, laughing as Frances pretended to smooch the picture. "Hey!" Ray jumped down and tackled Frances out of the chair. They were both wrestling when the door opened.
"Did I interrupt something, girls?" The voice was firm, yet sweetened with innocence. Gerard appeared in the doorway, his eyes question of the scene that lay before him.
"No sir."
"No sir, Lieutenant sir."
Gerard shrugged, then stepped into the room while Frances and Ray got to their feet, dusting themselves off and Frank retrieving the cigarette that had fallen from his mouth in the scuffle.
"What am I supposed to think, ladies? Two young impressionable men found on top of eachother? It gets lonely when you're at war, but don't take such drastic measures on me now." The two blushed while Gerard held a hand to his heart in comic pain and shock.
"Now then, here are your instructions, boys." Gerard whipped out two sets of papers, and handed one to Ray and the other to Frances. They both read them slowly and carefully. Then a flurry of questions rained down upon Gerard.
"Wha? I've been promoted to Second Lieutenant--"
"You've classified me as a sniper, sir--"
"--Wow! Second Lieutenant!--"
"--I guess Rob gets to be Medic, then? Why him?--"
"STOP!" Holding his hand in the air, he silenced the two boys immediately.
"All will be answered in due time. And it's Captain from now on, got it?" he added, looking at Ray, his eyes narrowing. He made to leave, then stopped, and whirled around. All of a sudden, in a blur, Frances' cigarette was gone and was now inbetween two of Gerard's fingers.
"No smoking in the soldier's quarters. Got it?" Frances nodded and gulped. Gerard took a drag off of the cigarette, then threw it to the floor, extinguishing it with his boot and striding away.
New York
The train came to an abrupt halt, rousing Gerard out of his dreams. Damn, he thought, as he roused the soundly sleeping Olivia to a somewhat concious state. It seems like only seconds ago that I finally got some shuteye.
He grabbed his luggage out of the top compartment, and handed Olivia her things as well, receiving a kiss and a whispered 'thank-you' as his reward. Michael was helping Sally with her things, both yawning at random opportunities.
"C'mon, Mike, let's find our company. We'll be shipping out early, I presume."
His brother nodded and exited the compartment, turning to the right whereas Sally turned to the left. They gave eachother knowing glances, then Michael blushed and Sally giggled, walking off, a wave to him as her goodbye.
When Gerard and Olivia had to part, she looked into his eyes deeply. "Don't forget to come back to me," she said, before he wrapped her up in a long embrace, topped with a kiss. He placed a finger on her nose and smiled. "I'll never do that," he said, and they broke away. She walked down the hallway, following Sally, never breaking eye contact with Gerard even though she was starting to cry. She eventually was lost from sight, and Gerard freely wiped a tear from his eye.
The adjacent compartment opened and Frances stepped out, accompanied by a red-headed individual and a blonde. Upon sighting him, Frances gave a salute, and Gerard returned it. With Olivia gone, he could focus on his company.
"Frances Iero. Are these two also in my company?"
"Yes sir."
Gerard looked them in the eyes. Only the blonde flinched.
"Your name, soldier," he said, turning to the redhead.
"First Lieutenant Ray Toro, sir." He gave a salute firmly. Gerard nodded.
"And yours," he added, turning to the blonde.
"Sergeant Robert Bryar, sir, also a Medic."
"We've got one," Gerard said indifferently, gesturing to Frances. Ray and Robert turned to eachother, then laughed.
"Sir, it would be wise to let Robert be a medic. Frances is very useful with the sniper rifle."
Gerard turned on Ray, his eyes blazing.
"Are you questiong my authority, soldier?!"
"N-no! I mean, no sir!"
They locked eyes, and eventually Gerard turned away.
"I appreciate your feedback. We shall see who is who soon enough."
***
On board the U.S.S Nevada
Michael was on the top deck, watching some sailors that were laughing and drinking. A couple of pretty nurses were accompanying them, including Sally. She was perched on the lap of a particularly muscular one, and was laughing wildly and throwing her head back every time he said something.
Sally. Michael smiled softly, then fished a paper out of his jacket pocket. It was worn, and looked like it had been folded so many times that it was in danger of falling apart. He opened it gingerly, and read the letter, a smile dancing in his eyes as he did so.
My dearest Michael,
I am so proud of your for your promotion to Corporal! Congratulations! And I understand you are to be shipped off overseas to Europe. Your brother must be so proud of you. At long last you two will be together in this war. I understand how hard it was when you were in California and he was in Haiwaii. Perhaps you will have time to bond some.
Please take care of your brother. I know he is eight years your senior, but he is still in need of guidance. The war has hardened him. I have heard about Olivia, how is she? All I have seen of her is a picture he keeps of her. She is beautiful. Write me and tell me if we have a wedding on the way or not.
Don't break too many of the girls' hearts, you rascal.
With love,
Elena
Michael had to wipe a tear away from his eye.
Elena. His grandmother.
She had passed away merely days before he had received his orders to be transported to the frontlines in Germany.
Michael placed the letter in his jacket, over his heart like he always did. He shivered once, then turned to go back inside, leaving Sally and her neutical crew to enjoy their laughter.
***
"So...Second Lieutenant Gerard Way..."
Gerard was in the captain's quarters, receiving briefings from a superior. This certain superior had slicked black hair just as Gerard did, and piercing green eyes that struck fear into the hearts of those who knew his name.
"Yes sir, General Armstrong?"
At mention of his title, William Armstrong's expression softened. He was pacing around, but now he stopped, sitting in a chair just like Gerard was doing. Pulling out a manila folder, he handed it to Gerard. The infamous red letters spelled out 'CONFIDENTIAL' on the cover. After merely peering into the folder and nodding, Gerard looked at the general.
"I understand, sir. I will perform these duties along with my company as best as I can."
"Good. Your mission will start as soon as we make landfall. We will deploy you at Rheims."
The general got up again, and strode over to a cabinet, pulling out some fabric bars.
"In this case, you must be promoted to Captain in order to carry out your mission."
Gerard's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"What? I mean, yes sir."
The general laughed. "You are allowed to be suprised, Lieutenant. I will allow it to you just this once." He handed over the appropriate amount of bars to Gerard, who held them in his hands like it was a treasured item. After gazing at them in wonder, Gerard stood up, saluted the general who returned the salute, and exited.
***
"What do you think?"
It was in the soldier's quarters on the ship, and Frances and Ray were cabin buddies. Ray was laying on the top bunk, while Frank was at the small table in the room, tipped back in the chair and smoking a cigarette.
Frances grinned. He was not as nervous as he had appeared on the train. In fact, with only a tank top and his battle dress pants on, he looked quite at ease.
The subject of the matter was a photo Ray had handed him of his sweetheart. The photo consisted of a girl on the beach, laughing as the waves swept over her feet. In a red pen it was signed at the corner, "To Ray. With Love, Sab."
"Sab?"
"Sabrina. The wildest redhead to grace this earth."
"She sure is a looker."
Frances dodged the pillow that Ray had thrown. "She's mine, you hear?" Ray had said, laughing as Frances pretended to smooch the picture. "Hey!" Ray jumped down and tackled Frances out of the chair. They were both wrestling when the door opened.
"Did I interrupt something, girls?" The voice was firm, yet sweetened with innocence. Gerard appeared in the doorway, his eyes question of the scene that lay before him.
"No sir."
"No sir, Lieutenant sir."
Gerard shrugged, then stepped into the room while Frances and Ray got to their feet, dusting themselves off and Frank retrieving the cigarette that had fallen from his mouth in the scuffle.
"What am I supposed to think, ladies? Two young impressionable men found on top of eachother? It gets lonely when you're at war, but don't take such drastic measures on me now." The two blushed while Gerard held a hand to his heart in comic pain and shock.
"Now then, here are your instructions, boys." Gerard whipped out two sets of papers, and handed one to Ray and the other to Frances. They both read them slowly and carefully. Then a flurry of questions rained down upon Gerard.
"Wha? I've been promoted to Second Lieutenant--"
"You've classified me as a sniper, sir--"
"--Wow! Second Lieutenant!--"
"--I guess Rob gets to be Medic, then? Why him?--"
"STOP!" Holding his hand in the air, he silenced the two boys immediately.
"All will be answered in due time. And it's Captain from now on, got it?" he added, looking at Ray, his eyes narrowing. He made to leave, then stopped, and whirled around. All of a sudden, in a blur, Frances' cigarette was gone and was now inbetween two of Gerard's fingers.
"No smoking in the soldier's quarters. Got it?" Frances nodded and gulped. Gerard took a drag off of the cigarette, then threw it to the floor, extinguishing it with his boot and striding away.
