Author Note: This is currently still a first draft and hasn't been through an edit yet so there may be a few errors and it's not perfect yet. Please vote and comment if you enjoy this story. 

Charlie's Cottage- Present Day

February brought his brother home; Charlie's eyes had been glazed, almost transfixed since they left the hospital.

Nothing seemed to get through or to penetrate what was going on in his mind let alone his heart. When February opened the cottage door something seemed to register in Charlie, a murmur of consciousness perhaps February didn't know he just kept his eyes firmly transfixed on Charlie as they walked over the thresh hold.

February had ideas of putting Charlie to bed, he hoped he would sleep, sleep away everything that had happened on that beach, everything that had happened between him and that, that girl.

Photos of Alice were dotted around the cottage and they didn't make February feel sad but angry you started this he wanted to say but somehow you can't blame the dead for the problems of the living.

When he looked up and away from the smiling photo of Alice he saw his brother frozen, staring at the kitchen beam where Alice had ended her own life and he knew Charlie wouldn't be doing any sleeping.

Charlie's eyes moved from the beam to the kitchen floor where Lavinia had had her drowning episode and felt his stomach constrict.

How was this happening to him? How was he surrounded by ghosts? Charlie closed his eyes he knew Feb was watching him, assessing his every move, his every motion but he didn't care.

He was drowning in thoughts and memories and stories of a girl. He remembered being in the hospital bed and Anna and George dragging Lavinia away from him, a tear fell through his long dark lashes and down his cheek. February thought he said something under his breath, it sounded like "Dolly,".

Marxby Manor-1915

It's funny how tragedy can strike on the most ordinary of days. Sarah was writing a letter to Neville in her room and Fay, Percy and their mother were in the drawing room taking tea.

Nothing exceptional was going on, nothing except the bike cycling, up the road, he had come to deliver a telegram.

Everyone in the Manor had someone to lose, Fay, Percy and Mother saw him first, it seemed like he would cycle right into the drawing room window.

He had come for them, to tell them one of their beloveds was hurt, injured, let alone anything else. It was Sarah who was the last to see him; she ran downstairs and flew to the door.

How could they have stopped her? How could they have known what that telegram would say?

But it may have well of said Sarah, your love is gone; you will be alone in the world. No matter what Dolly promised.

Her family came to the door when they heard Sarah's terrible heartbroken shrieking. "It's Neville,"

"It's Neville," said over and over again.

Percy smirked, she almost laughed,

"Oh, I was worried it was somebody important,"

Sarah hadn't heard her spiteful sister, instead, she collapsed on the door- steps of Marxby Manor and lay there with Fay watching over her until she woke.

She had been desperate to speak her husband one last time, desperate to tell him they were to have a child.

Dear Charlie,

It seems like we have been separated but just because we are separated does not mean I will stop telling you my story. This is how all this started and I fear Charlie I will not be done with it until I say all there is to say. I hope you are well, my Charlie, my friend, do not be sad, just be well.

Your Friend,

Dolly.

Hospital- France - October- 1915

The terrible day that Neville died was the first time since arriving in France Will and I had spoken to each other.

To be in his arms again, to remember what it was like to be close to him, well it couldn't be.

The next day we went back to how it had been before, the silence, the nothingness.

Sometimes I would see his lips go to move and I'd catch my breath thinking he's going to speak, but no, just a continuation of the nothingness, it's for the best I would say, yes it's what's right.

One afternoon I was making the fresh empty beds ready to be filled with new patients and Matron came to me, ordered be to leave what I was doing and fetch Captain Gilbert, a patient of his couldn't breathe.

"Well hurry then Nurse Marxby," she called after me. I ran straight to where I knew Will would be, looking after a soldier he had recently operated on. I pushed past the tent and walked.

"What do you think you are doing?" He cried.

"Matron asked me to fetch you, your patient..."

"Get out!" Will Cried.

"Out, out, out!" he shouted until I left the tent.

I stood dumbfounded, how dare he shout at me, I had come to him to do a job and do it I would. I pulled the curtain back and walked into the tent again.

"Your patient, that young private is having trouble breathing, Matron sent me," I stormed out of the tent; I had done my job after all.

I was walking swiftly away from Will's tent and back to my own tasks when I heard him running after me.

"Dolly, Dolly," he called.

I didn't turn round, why should I? If he was going to be a brute.

"Will you just listen to me?"

I spun around and faced him.

"No, I don't think I will Captain Gilbert, after all, I don't want to talk to you very much right now and remember there's patient that can't breathe.

Will ran from me and to his poor gasping patient although he did look back several times.

Mama always told us children, you should never look back, but sometimes I fear it can't be helped especially when the past is standing right under your nose.

Sometime later that day

I could see will marching toward me, it was dusk and it was although he though he thought the blanket of darkness could cover him, cover us and all he had to say.

He strode towards me with such force, such purpose, it's not as though I was doing anything of real importance just rolling bandages.

But when he came towards me I continued to roll and roll and roll.

"Will you put those down for a moment and look at me?" Said Will

I continued to roll.

"I can't look at you," I said.

Will went to reach out and touch me.

"I can't do this," I said moving my hand away from him.

"What Doll? What is it you can't do? Talk to me? Look at me even?"

Will raised his voice and his big blue eyes were blazing, the pressure of us being in such close proximity these last weeks was now upon us.

"I don't look at you because I can't..." I started.

Will took a step forward.

"Why?" He said still angry.

"I can't," I cried quietly.

"Why?" He said again taking another step forward.

I just shook my head; I couldn't say anything, not a word. Finally, Will couldn't take anymore and he pulled me towards him by my hips, I had to look at him then.

His blue eyes raging and dark like the ocean at night. I knew he wanted to kiss me, that he would have me right there in his angry passionate embrace, if I hadn't slid down the boxes of bandages and to the ground.

I didn't know what else to do, everything we were we could never be again so I daren't revel in it. I sat on the floor and watched as he looked down at me with raging eyes.

"I won't let you do this to me again Dolly, I won't let you tie me up in knots and then just walk away,"

That's all he said before walking off into the night, leaving me on the floor with a rolled up bandage at my feet.

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