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ONCE LOUISE had managed to find a spare seat on the train, she closed her eyes and sighed. Out of relief. Out of stress. Out of happiness. She was glad to be alive and even happier to have found love in a handsome pilot. She had a feeling that her family would think she was reckless and naive for falling in love so quickly. She had known Jack for less than two days yet here she was, completely head over heels for the blond man.
"Louise?!" A voice called out through the train causing Louise's brown eyes to snap open. She jerked up and searched her area as she immediately recognised the voice.
Her gaze landed on the dark-skinned nurse with black curls. Her hair was at its natural fizziness instead of its stylised curls and the dark bags under her eyes were prominent to Louise, along with the wrinkled and stained uniform that hung onto her frame.
"Viola!" Louise cried, rushing from her seat and clutching her sister-in-law into a bone-crushing hug. The two girls cried into each other's shoulders.
"What happened to your neck? And your arms?!," Viola hastily questioned, caressing her sister's bandages careful not to hurt her.
"A tea incident," she brushed the situation off quickly before she mumbled into Viola's hair. "I thought I lost you,"
"We thought you were gone too,"
"We?" Louise questioned, her blood bubbling with hope.
"Lou!" A voice cried out. The young blonde woman ran up to Louise, crushing her into a suffocating hug.
Louise could've cried at the state of her. She looked worse than Viola of herself. Her blonde curls were crinkled and her dress was covered in blood and vomit - no doubt from the soldiers that she was on a boat with. Not to mention the few bruises that scattered her arms, most likely from trying to escape the hospital shipwreck.
"Carey! Thank god, you're alive," Louise spoke into her ear as she noticed the aggravated looks being shot their way from the tired soldiers around them. Louise direct them towards the empty booth she found.
"What happened to your neck?"
"A tea incident," Both Viola and Louise spoke in unison, resulting in a surprised nod from Carey.
She sat by the window, Carey by the side and Viola opposite her. Louise turned to the window once more to see Jack looking through all the windows until he finally found her. A grin spread over his face once they locked eyes. He waved at her, and she waved back. Both girls saw the interaction and looked to each other with knowing glances. The train conductor for the train to Scotland blew his whistle and Jack quickly blew a kiss towards her before walking over to his train and stepping on. Soon their own train began to move on its track, on its way to the north of England.
Carey and Viola's jaw hung open at the man that showed such affection towards their sister then proceeded to bombard her with questions. Before Louise could answer any of them, a voice interrupted them.
"Mind if I sit here?" The low voice mumbled out, his Gordie accent thick with exhaustion and excitement. Louise, Carey and Viola's heads all snapped up at the recognisable voice and their gaze settle of the tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired man who stood over the table in their booth.
"Andy!" The three girls exclaimed. The Davies brother sat beside his wife, Viola, and the two shared a much deserved and awaited embrace before kissing. Carey leaned over the table to hug Andrew once he and Viola had embraced, and then Louise did the same.
Andrew's gaze fell to her wrapped neck and arms with furrowed and concerned eyes. "What happened-"
"Tea," All three girls spoke together, taking Andrew off guard but he chuckled nonetheless.
"Alright. What were we talking about then?" Andy chuckled. He had always been one for gossip, especially growing up around Carey and Louise and their mother, considering their father was constantly away on business.
Carey grinned, eyeing a blushing Louise beside her. "Louise was just about to tell us about the dashing, young, handsome, blonde pilot that just waved at her and blew her a kiss through the window," Carey teased, nudging the brunette beside her.
"Oh, shove off, Caz," Louise muttered, her grin hurting her cheeks yet she couldn't find in her to stop.
"A pilot, aye?" Andrew commented whilst rubbing a hand over his jaw. Andrew was always overprotective of his sisters and mother - their father had made him promise to look after them when he wasn't around. But once he found Viola, his protectiveness had been worn away but was not gone totally. "We've got to him before he proposes, ya know?"
Viola, Carey and Andrew chuckled at his comment, but Louise blushed and groaned. She loved feeling loved, but she didn't like the constant teasing she would endure from her sisters and brother. Or her mother, for that matter. "Shut it!" She laughed.
"When'd you meet him then? Was he one of ya patients or something?" Andrew asked, leaning on the table to gaze at his sister.
That was the question she was dreading. She knew when the truth would escape her mouth, that a gentle scolding from her brother would follow.
"I - uh, we meet on this boat that saved us both. Two days ago," she mumbled quietly yet all three heard.
"You only met two days ago and you're already acting like you're engaged," Viola exclaimed quietly but she held a smile on her face, similar to Carey's. Yet Andrew's expression was sore.
"You love him?" He asked, rubbing his chin in thought. Louise nodded with a lovestruck smile. "Don't you think you're moving a bit quickly, Lou?"
Carey scoffed and rolled her eyes, brushing off her brother. "Oh, shut up, Andy. You had barely known Vi for three months and you were already engaged, so leave Lou alone," Carey easily defended her sister. Andrew nodded reluctantly with a sigh.
"Only protecting my little sister, is all," he raised his hands.
The small family reunion soon grew large as Louise spotted Alex and his friend, Tommy, from the boat, walk up and sit in the booth next to them. Carey, Andy and Viola all hugged Alex in relief that their only cousin was alive. Lousie stood and hugged him and his friend, telling them both that they should rest before they get to their stops.
By afternoon the next day rolled around, Tommy had already departed the train in Manchester and Alex in Chesire, leaving the four Davies to travel all the way up to Newcastle for another two hours.
They had finally arrived back home, the Davies mother happily welcoming them back home, with tears and open arms.
As much closure as the familiar faces gave Louise, a part of her heart remained empty as it had hopped on the train to Scotland, right where it belonged, in the hands of a blonde Scottish pilot.
