Timeless

Chapter 1

    Blue dress sashaying as she entered the room, Kathryn's eyes immediately fell upon the full room of pilots, civilians, and nurses—all there to party as if they were saying goodbye.  And for some of them, like her brother—who was leaving tomorrow—they were. 

    Becky caught hold of Kathryn's arm as her eyes landed on John Egan, having a drink at the bar.  "Introduce me, please?"

    Kathryn just let out a sigh.  "Really?"

    "Yes, really!  Please?" Becky begged. 

    It took another minute of wheedling before Kathryn let herself get tugged over to her brother by Becky.  Almost immediately, amusement popped up on the elder Egan's features.  "You brought me a friend?" He questioned, hand going over his heart. "You are my favorite sister!" He decided. 

    "A friend to behave with, please," Kathryn hissed under her breath.  "John Egan, Becky.  Becky, John Egan."

    "Thank you," Becky whispered as Kathryn rolled her eyes with a grin and walked off.  She had no sooner found a place to sit down when she found someone nudging her foot.  She glanced up and her features lit up at the sight of Buck.  "Good to see my brother hasn't totally corrupted every person in the vicinity."

    "Me?  Never." Gale promised, grinning at her.  "I see Becky finally got the introduction."

    "Last week it was Poppy, the week before it was Annika.  I'm starting to think the only reason the nurses like me is because of him," she admitted.

    "Now that just can't be true."

    "No, I know I'm plenty likable.  He's just the one that they like." Kathryn said, eyes falling on her brother and Becky dancing.  "Maybe I should've introduced those two sooner, though."

    "He's not really the pen-pal type."

    "No, but she'll be on base. Which is probably worse." Kathryn stated dryly. "He just needs a girl worth writing to that actually has standards."

Gale couldn't help the smile on his face.  "You know, you're just as protective of him as he is of you. And to be fair, a girl worth writing to is hard to find."

"Oh?" Kathryn leaned back in her chair, a concentrated expression on her face.  "Are you trying to tell me that you're really not going to write any girls?  There's no girl from back home that's just pining away after you?"

He rolled his eyes.  Sometimes, the sibling resemblance just seemed to jump out at him.  They shared the same sense of humor at times and it was almost unnerving—because Bucky was loud and exuberant and took up all the space in the room.  And Kat was something else—she was quiet but when she talked, you tended to listen.

"Not from home, no.  But I am writing to my family."

"Everyone writes to their family, Buck," Kathryn said pointedly.  "I guess you should be glad it's me that's hearing this information and not my brother.  He might try to find you some fianceé before he leaves tomorrow."

At that, Gale gave a laugh.  "I'd like to see him try."

"Oh don't give him a challenge.  He'll do it with a grin on his face and a drink in hand."

Speaking of which—Charles held up a drink.  "Hey, how about a toast for Major Egan? To our new air exec, Bucky!"

"Of all the drunks in the 100th!" Everett finished. 

"Well someone's gotta make a nest for the rest of you dodos!" With that, Bucky grabbed his drink and took a seat across from his sister and Buck.  Becky had already taken a seat and she just grabbed at Kathryn's hand.

"He won't tell me what's up with all the nicknames!" Becky exclaimed. 

Kathryn rolled her eyes, giving Becky's hand a squeeze.  "They met in basic training before the war started.  John has always been Bucky since he's been a kid—although why, I could not tell you."

"Because it's better than John, sis!" Bucky insisted.

"And Gale, well he's always been Gale until he met my brother."

Buck gave a grin.  "First day of basic training, this fella walks up to me and says that I remind him of a guy back home in Wisconsin, goes by the name of Buck.  I tell him my name is Gale, Gale Cleven, and Bucky here, he's not deterred.  No sir, it's Buck this, Buck that—Buck can you help me tie my shoes, Buck can you help me fly this plane.  Before I know it, the whole damn Eighth Air Force is calling me Buck."

"What kind of a name is Gale anyways?" Bucky leaned over to Becky and grinned.  "You should actually be thanking me!  I did you a favor!"

"You just gave me the same name as you."

"It's not the exact same name!  It's not my fault you look exactly like Buck from Manitowoc, Wisconsin."

"No he doesn't!" Kathryn just threw her hands up.  "You've just got an ego, Johnny."

"Hey!" He gave her an offended look.  "Bucky!" He emphasized the name and she just grinned at him. 

"Can we choose some music?  It's died down a bit!" Becky grabbed onto Kathryn's hand and tugged her up before she could even get a word out.

Bucky just grinned and leaned back in his seat.  "She's gonna get mauled by those nurses."

"I think she can handle herself."

"Yeah, I do too.  How the hell did we end up as best friends? You don't like to dance, you ignore beautiful women, you don't drink, you don't gamble, you don't even like sports!"

"We are one of life's great mysteries." Gale just smiled and glanced over at where Kathryn and Becky were choosing the music.

"Or..." Bucky glanced over at his sister for a moment.  "Maybe you don't ignore everyone."

"I—"

"I didn't say you couldn't." Bucky let out a breath.  "So this is it."

"This is it." Buck echoed.  "I'll see you in a few weeks."

"If I don't die first."

"Hate to break it to you, but you are the Hundredths Air Executor now and you're not going over there to fly missions.  Besides—I think we both know Kat would kill you if you died." Buck crossed his arms.

Bucky just gave a slight wince and leaned forward.  "Listen, I uh, I had a conversation with the CO of the 349th and I'm flying with those boys until you show up.  I'll be an observation pilot."

"Well shit."

"Well someone's gotta get a taste of real combat," Bucky grinned.  "Tell you what it's really like up there."

"Don't you die on me before I get over there."

"Don't count on it."

"I won't.  But you're gonna have to tell Kat before you go."

"Yeah...I know."

~

    Journal Entry:

This morning, Bucky shipped out.  It's strange—for the first time in my life, I'm not close to where my brother is.  Outside of Basic Training and those five years I wasn't born, it's never happened.  I guess I'll see him in a week anyway since us nurses are getting over to base sooner than the other pilots.  But either way, it's still strange without him.

Last night was nice though.  Even though Becky just had to dance with Bucky and had to have her moment, I found myself enjoying the conversations and the night that I did have.  Gale is always willing to listen, he's a good listener.  He also told me that he's not writing to any girls from back home.  Maybe—

Anyways, I think I'll sign off here for now since it's already early morning and I still have so much to do.  Until next time!