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CHAPTER ONE | you don't find you fight, the fight finds you. |
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LUCKY SAT IN THE B-17 bomber awaiting her landing orders from the command tower at Thorpe Abbots. After several gruelling hours, battling the weather in the cockpit they had finally arrived at their destination, the aircraft base for the 100th task force.
After what felt like a lifetime she would finally be able to see her brother again. In reality it had been around a year, maybe longer, since she had seen him but that was far too long. She was already smiling under her oxygen mask at the thought of finally reuniting the family again, or at least some of the family.
"Looks like we're coming in hot, Lucky." Richy, the co-pilot said as he battled with the controls and various switches.
"It's fine I'm bringing her in steady." Lucky replied, still awaiting landing instructions from the tower.
aircraft 87193 you are clear to land on lane six, bring her down.
The commanders orders were clear and so they began for landing. Lucky gave out the instructions for when to put the landing wheels down and they came down smoothly.
When the plane hit runway for landing there was a small jolt that shocked the aircraft and then they had finally landed safely.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Richy cheered before ripping of his oxygen mask and giving Lucky a light slap on her shoulder.
"Another happy landing." Lucky smiled before doing the same as her co-pilot and preparing to leave the air craft.
The rest of the crew consisted of their navigator, gunmen positioned at various points on the bomber, the bombardier, co pilot and pilot. That made up a total of 10.
Ten fresh new crew members for the dwindling 100th bomb group.
As they all exited the plane several men on jeeps drove up to them. They were the mechanics.
"The CO wants you all to go straight to briefing." One mechanic with curly hair and overalls said. He looked rather young to be so advanced.
"Alright thanks." Lucky said before jumping onto the back of the truck they had awaiting for them.
Slowly everyone filtered on before the chatter arose.
"I wonder if they'll like us." Andy, the shyest of the squadron pondered.
"Of course they will." Richy snorted back, he was rather cocky.
The trick dawned on one of the large metal blocks. This was the briefing room, where they would finally meet their other colleagues and fellow air pilots.
Where Lucky would finally see her brother again. She was bursting with excitement. After all she had kept it a secret from him, her being her was a complete surprise, a gift you might say.
When they all entered there were multiple men sat around different tables just talking.
The CO which they had all known to be, Chic Harding quickly came to greet them.
"Hello boys." He said and started to shake all of their hands.
Lucky face winced when he said hello boys. He stopped when shaking her hand and looked up to her face.
"Well your no boy." He laughed before he continued the shake.
"She's the best pilot I've ever seen." Richy interjected to clear up any sexist things that to CO may have said, but didn't.
"We'll have to see about that. You've got some pretty good competition." The CO responded.
And Lucky already knew the people he was talking about from her brother's letters. Let's see there was Curtis Biddick, her brother himself, and a small mention could go to his best friend, John Egan.
"Names?" Corporal Harding asked them.
"Richard Davis but I go by Richy."
"Andy Stewart."
The rest of the squadron spoke their names before it became Luckys time.
"Lucy Cleven."
The corporal nodded for a moment before taking her words in. He turned to face her with a raised brow.
"Wait did you say Cleven?" He asked, seemingly shocked.
"Yeah." She hummed. "Gale's my brother."
The corporal laughed out loud. "Buck get your arse over here." He then shouted.
Lucy watched as her brother arose from one of the tables. He hadn't quite finished his conversations yet because another man arose with him.
This man was gorgeous. A sharp jawline sat below his smile which spread to his eyes leaving small crinkled lines, dimples. He had black hair combed back but some of it fell forward messily.
However her eyes left the handsome man when her brother finally looked up and his eyes widened.
"Lucy?" He said before his pace fastened leaving the man at his side confused with furrowed brows.
"Hey, Gale." Lucky said before the pair embraced.
It was a simply hug but it was one that both of them had needed for a while. After all your family are the first people you ever know, and usually are the ones who are always there.
"I don't believe it." Gale whispered out as their hug broke. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm a pilot." Lucky said quickly. She had wanted to get that off her chest for a while now. Keeping it from her brother was almost killing her.
"What?" He said his smile falling.
She thought his reaction would be something like this when she told him, but she thought he would be at least a little exited.
"Don't worry, she's the best." Richy repeated his words from earlier.
The handsome gentleman from before suddenly came to Gales side.
"Who's this?" He asked eyeing Lucy up and down before landing on her own irises.
"My sister." Gale replied and sent the man a look.
"Lucy." The man said. "I've heard a lot about you." He smirked and held his hand out like a proper gentleman.
"All good things I hope?"
"Well..." he trialed off before finally introducing himself. "I'm Bucky."
For some reason the nickname rung round her head as familiar but she couldn't quite remeber where she had heard that name before.
"You already know how I am." Lucy smiled to him and he nodded, a smile still etched onto his features.
"Lucy. What are you doing here." Gale asked yet again.
She sighed.
"I already told you, I'm a pilot."
"For the 100th?" Gale said.
"Yes, for the 100th."
Gale shook his head for a moment almost as if he was contemplating something but he didn't say anything else on the matter.
"But your a woman?" A new voice entered the conversation.
Lucky closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew somone like this would roll around eventually.
"Yes, and?" Lucy said practically glaring at the much shorter boy with bright blue eyes.
"Yeah Biddick, what about it." Bucky said through a smile before he wrapped his arm around Gales shoulders, considering Gale still looked rather shocked. Like he'd seen a ghost.
"N-no I'm sorry it's just I've never seen a female pilot before." He gulped and cleared his throat before shooting me a weak grin.
"Well you're looking at one right now." Lucky informed him and he nodded.
This was going to be a long few months.