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A few weeks later...



Elizabeth was out of bed and dressed before the sun had even risen. Wringing her hands in her skirts, she hurried to the hospital tent, ducking her head in hopes of traveling through the camp without notice. She hadn't spoken to William since the night by the river. She'd only seen him briefly in between the increasingly more frequent training exercises he worked on with his men. Perhaps he was avoiding her. Maybe she was avoiding him.

Her back and neck were stiff from all the sleepless tossing and turning she had done over the last few nights, which only added to the already irritable mood she was in. When she arrived in the hospital tent, it was to a flurry of activity. The doctor was moving from patient to patient, while men who had previously been lying in makeshift beds were now up and stumbling about. Elizabeth, recovering from her initial surprise, asked the nearest soldier what was going on.

"Seems everyone has received their marching orders ma'am. We have several platoons departing early tomorrow morning, and many of those able to walk will be going with. Excuse me ma'am" he inclined his head politely, and went on his way.

"Miss, would you mind just tying this a bit tighter for me? I can't quite manage..." came a voice from beside her. Elizabeth turned to see a middle-aged soldier struggling to single-handedly tie a bandage on his injured right wrist. She began to secure the tie, but remembering that she had only stitched up the gash a few days beforehand, she tried to guide the man to take a seat.

"I really should have a look to see how this is healing" she began, reaching to untie the bandage once more. The soldier gently pried his wounded hand from her grip.

"I thank you for your help ma'am, but I must be going"

"No really, I do insist. I must check for signs of infection." She said, setting her jaw stubbornly and reaching for the man's arm. He continued to move away from her.

"'Tis fine. Doc already looked it over. We train in one hour's time, so if you don't mind, I really do need to be moving." He said kindly, recognizing the girl's concern for his injury but also trying to avoid further delay.

A sharp voice from behind the man startled the both of them.

"Young lady, if you do not unhand that soldier I will have you forcibly removed from the tent." Burbank said coolly. Elizabeth cheeks turned pink, and she shot a murderous glare in his direction. She nearly took a step backwards when she met his steely gaze.

"Forgive me for my concern of the well-being of your soldiers, Lieutenant" she ground out through clenched teeth.

"Do not overstep your boundaries here. We have physicians to serve that purpose." He looked Elizabeth over head to toe, his cold eyes sending shivers down her spine, and infuriating the young woman further.

"Even physicians can do little once infection sets in. However, it does not even take a trained hand to clean a wound." Elizabeth snapped back, her back rigid and her hands stiff at her sides. The leer he gave her had them forming fists.

"Despite your intentions, whatever they may be, I suggest you keep your 'trained' hands away from me and my soldiers. Save your touch for the whorehouses, there should be many of them left by the end of this war" his voice was cruel, his words like daggers. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, her temper took over.

"Lucky for you that no amount of money could ever convince me to place my 'trained' hands on you" she practically spat. Hoping that the rumors she had been hearing were true, she continued. "Then again, that hardly seems to matter. I hear they trust you so little that while others move to the frontlines to fight for their cause, you are being sent home to play nursemaid to the mobs. Retirement, perhaps?"

His reaction confirmed the hospital tent gossip. Burbank's face turned a violent shade of red, and his fists clenched.

"You know nothing, you little confederate whore" he raged, taking a threatening step towards her. Elizabeth , fueled by her intense dislike of the man in front of her, and feeling much like a cornered wildcat, lashed out.

"Save your insults for someone who gives a damn. Follow your orders and go home, old man" she said icily. Before she could even react though, Burbank struck out, catching her square on the side of her face. With a soft cry, Elizabeth was thrown to the ground, and laid there, unmoving.

Eli called out, and struggled to try to sit up on his cot, but was silenced by the murderous look in the older officer's face. Everything went silent in the tent as the Lieutenant stood over the young woman's motionless form. After a moment of awkward silence, Burbank spoke up.

"Leave this rebel garbage on the ground where she belongs. When she wakes up, I want her brought to me, understand?" He said, his voice low, and still hoarse with rage. Soldiers watched wide-eyed, nodding their head mutely as he met their gazes before storming out.

"Elizabeth!" Eli called out, grabbing a hold of the makeshift crutch left next to his bed, and pulled himself into a standing position.

"You heard what he said, leave her be!" hissed a soldier on the cot next to his. The boy shot him a withering glance.

"The Lieutenant's gone. He's not coming back anytime soon" Eli gritted out as he hopped along using his crutch as a second leg, as he had been practicing. He reached the prone woman at the same time as the Doctor, who knelt beside her. As Eli watched, the Doctor reached beneath Elizabeth's back and slowly lifted her into a sitting position. Sure enough, the movement roused her.

Her eyelids slowly, painfully fluttered open, and for a moment, she sat quietly, testing the movement of her jaw. She could feel a knot forming, and was sure that a bruise was already blooming on her cheek.

"Elizabeth, are you ok? Please say something." Eli said, his voice, although bordering on the low timbres of manhood, suddenly sounded quite young.

"Hell and damnation, that hurt" she said, her voice still tight with pain. The doctor merely laughed softly at the shocked look on the boy's face, and helped Elizabeth climb shakily to her feet.

"Has the world stopped spinning yet?" the Doctor asked, gently examining the spot where she had been hit. Tilting her head to give him better access, Elizabeth nodded.

"Startin' to." She winced as his fingers probed a particularly tender spot. "I guess I kind of deserved that one." she grimaced, standing up straighter and waving the Doctor's hand away. Although the older gentleman only gave her a wizened smile, Eli shook his head vehemently.

"My father always told me there was never any excuse to hit a lady, never." he said firmly, leaning heavily on the crutch to stay upright. Elizabeth attempted a weak smile and helped the young man to sit on the nearest cot, recognizing the effort that it was taking his still weakened body to remain standing.

"Well then, it's a good thing for us all that I am hardly a lady," Elizabeth mused, attempting to change the subject. The young man wasn't swayed though.

"Every woman is to be treated like a lady," he stated adamantly. Elizabeth smiled, this time for real.

"And here I thought that only southern gentleman knew that. Perhaps there is hope for this god-forsaken country after all."

Realizing that the young woman was fine if she was able to find humor in the situation, the Doctor gathered up some fresh bandages in his arm and prepared to make another round.

"If all of my patients were as resilient after a hit like that, I wouldn't have nearly so much work to do. Unfortunately, these soldiers demand my constant attention and so I must beg your leave, my lady" he said, inclining his head with a teasing wink before going. Elizabeth laughed lightly, but found her humor short lived at a male voice from behind her.

"Who got hit?" came Bryant's voice. Elizabeth stiffened, and busied herself with checking Eli's bandages.

"Elizabeth did. That cranky Lieutenant was picking on her, but she gave him a regular tongue lashing." Eliexplained quickly. She quickly looked up at Eli, glaring at him. Because her back was turned to him, Bryant didn't see the look she gave the younger man.

"He struck you?" Elizabeth nodded in reply, but kept her head down, pretending to be immensely interested in the knot she had just tied.

"Knocked her out cold." Came Eli's quick reply, earning him another glare from the young woman standing in front of him. He only shrugged his shoulders and grinned sheepishly.

"Where did he hit you?" Bryant asked, trying to take a look at Elizabeth's face. She kept her head down though, and turned the injured side of her face away.

"He didn't really knock me out, it wasn't much of a hit. There really isn't anything to see," she mumbled quickly. Eli shook his head though.

"That's not- ouch!" Eli cried out slightly as Elizabeth pinched his good knee.

"Damnit Elias, why don't you tell the whole damn world my business?" She ground out softly, loud enough for only the boy to hear, still tinkering with the bandage.

"It's tied just fine. And I'm not telling the whole world, just my brother. He won't say anything." Eli said quickly, brushing Elizabeth's hands away.

"Your brother?!" Elizabeth quickly spun to look at Bryant, surprised that she had never before noticed any family resemblance. Although Eli smiled at her abrupt reaction, Bryant's eyes widened in shock.

"Good Lord, look at your face!" He said, reaching out a hand to brush her hair away from the bruise that was already darkening her delicate features. Elizabeth tried to push his hand away, but the man was not to be deterred. He hissed as he saw the extent of the injury.

"That must hurt something fierce!"

"It's not as bad as it looks, really." She said, finally allowing him to examine her face. "I've been hit harder before," she lied, knowing that her entire face would be black and blue by the next morning.

"Has William seen this yet?" Bryant asked, dreading the reaction of his commanding officer. Although it seemed to onlookers that William had been avoiding the young woman over the past few weeks, he suspected that the woman had come to mean more to the Major than he was comfortable admitting. Despite William Chapman's attempts to seem totally disinterested, Bryant knew that the sight of her injury would likely ignite his explosive temper. The fact that her attacker had been the Major's senior officer made the situation even more tenuous.

"No, and I thank you not to go runnin' your mouth either. It's none of his business. I am a big girl and can handle my own problems." Elizabeth snapped a towel into the side of the cot on which Eli sat, causing him to jump slightly. Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth strode off, muttering to herself.

"That one has a strong backbone. I hope that Lieutenant leaves her alone, she's likely to take his head off if he comes around again." Eli said, watching Elizabeth as she bustled around some other patients, sending them looks that made it quite clear they were not to even so much as comment about the bruise on her face.

"Do me a favor and keep your distance from 'that Lieutenant'. Burbank is not someone to be taken lightly, and I fear Elizabeth has managed to push him too far." Bryant warned his younger brother, who looked back at him with concern.

"Will he hurt Elizabeth?" Bryant could only shrug.

"I know not, but since he is leaving in a few days she will hopefully have the sense to steer clear. It seems that girl is more trouble than she's worth" he said, shaking his head.

"Speaking of which, the Major has informed me that we will be marching out in three

day's time." Bryant said, resting a gentle hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"I figured as much, with you all training so hard over these last two weeks." Eli answered, his shoulders slumping. Bryant felt a pang of guilt, knowing that his brother was still struggling to cope with his disfigurement. Without physical activity to keep him busy, the boy had come to rely on his visits from the Doctor, Elizabeth, and his brother. Although Bryant had watched Eli slip into a depression after the amputation of his leg, he couldn't help but notice that the boy's naturally sunny demeanor was slowly returning. After having seen his brother's protective tendency with the young nurse, Bryant attributed much of his recovery to her company, and felt relieved that she would be remaining here at the encampment with him.

"Well, we knew that orders would be coming at some point. Can wait around here all winter." Bryant said carelessly, hoping his brother would adopt the same nonchalance. Although by now he was painfully aware of the risks involved in battle, Eli took a deep breath and forced the fear from his voice.

"Yes, well, I suppose you should try to put that West Point Education to use at some time or another." He began fidgeting with the hem of his cutoff shorts, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with the situation. Equally as uncomfortable with the silence, Bryant spoke up.

"Well, I better be on my way. I've still got a lot of work to do before the afternoon is through. You take care Elias." He nodded his goodbye to Eli, who did the same, and then exited the tent.

Eli sat there for a moment, watching the doorway through which his older brother had just exited, before taking a deep breath and sliding off the cot until he stood upright. As he began practicing keeping his balance while walking with the crutsh, he couldn't help feeling phantom pains from where his leg should have been.





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