World War II

Summary: World War II starts early for the people of England, and they're fighting to keep their homes up and their family members alive during the Blitzkrieg and attacks by the Germans who are trying to conquer the Isle.

Rating: R

E-mail: [email protected] feedback appreciated!

Disclaimer: Evelyn Alex and Jonathan and Izzy aren't mine! The others are! If you would like to borrow a character from this story for another story, e-mail me and I'll prolly have no problem with it!

Authors note: Expect an unexpected ending, and prepare to get your cheeks wet!! In other words, have a hanky close by.

 

 

 

"Dad, I know how to use a gun!" thirteen year old Alex groaned as Rick helped him hold the gun properly.

"Son, I want you to be prepared. The only army we have here in England is the RAF, and they can't be on the ground and in the air at the same time." He growled at the mention of the Nazi party. His perfect life with Evelyn was becoming less and less perfect. World War II had hit England hard, and being allies with foreign countries didn't help the small island at all.

It was 1938, and all England was in chaos. Living in the outer parts of London, the O'Connell family rarely had problems with air raids, but they had a safe place in the bottom of the house in case the planes got too close. The drills were run three times a week, and Alex was tired of it.

"Dad, why won't the American's step in and help us?" he asked, breaking the silence at the dinner table that night as the family sat quietly eating.

"I don't know son. I suppose they don't want to be in the war any more than we do." He said lightly as Evelyn smiled.

"How old do you have to be to fight in the war?"

Rick shook his head, thinking to himself. "I would say older than thirty."

"Are you older than thirty?"

Rick nodded, not really wanting to bring up the subject. He'd gotten a letter last week saying that Captain Richard O'Connell was due to headquarters April 3, 1938, and that was yesterday. He'd expected to get another letter any day now, but refrained from answering or telling his family.

"Doesn't that mean you could be asked to go to war? You were in the foreign Legion for a while, and you're a captain." He asked and Evelyn frowned.

"Alex, this isn't an investigation. Eat your dinner." She grumbled and he set to the task of finishing his potatoes.

Rick got up from the table and tensely walked into the parlor. He lifted the note into his hands, and got a strange look from Jonathan.

"Rick, you seem troubled. What's wrong?" he questioned, looked up from his book and glass of bourbon.

"I got a letter last week." He announced and poured himself a glass. "They want me to go fight for a war I don't even know anything about. They want me to go to a foreign land and fight for soil that I've never even set foot on." He growled, and stalked over to the fireplace, looking down at the RAF seal on the front of the envelope underneath his name.

Jonathan sat speechless, unable to say anything. "Well...have you told Evie?"

"No." he spat. "I can't tell her that Jonathan, I don't want to go fight. I've been there, and I've done things that I've never told anyone, and this would be another. I'm not going to do it." He made up his mind and tossed the letter into the flames. "I'm not going to die on some distant battlefield for those Nazi bastards." He snarled and walked briskly from the room, almost knocking Alex over. "Sorry son." He tossed over his shoulder and walked up to his room.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked and Jon shook his head as Evie walked into the room. Alex sat down to play with his chess set, and Evelyn sat with her book.

They rested in companionable silence as they heard a faint buzzing noise. They looked back and forth as Rick walked into the room lightly. The ground shook as bombs hit, making pictures fall off the walls.

"Everyone downstairs." Rick ordered pulling Evie up and grabbing Alex shirt as he pulled them behind him into the shelter. Evie lit a lantern and they huddled together as the air raid sounded and the planes went over head. Soon it was over, and they walked out slowly. The power was out, which was not a big surprise and Evie kept the lantern with her. They began to set things back in order, picking up paintings that had fallen and setting things right.

"Mum, my lamp fell over and broke." Alex called from his room and Evelyn sent Rick upstairs to clean up the glass.

"I don't like war." Alex grumbled as he helped Rick lift the larger glass shards into his hands. The smaller ones were swept up and placed into a bin with other broken objects, and they finally finished.

 

 

Later that night Evelyn and Rick lay in bed and she cuddled closer to him.

"Rick, do you think that they'll ask you to fight?" she questioned with a shudder, and looked up at him from his chest.

"I'm not sure love, I hope not." He smiled and pulled her closer to him, the lie bubbling up inside his stomach.

"Me too. I couldn't bear losing you." she kissed him lightly and Rick pulled away from her slightly, making her frown.

"Evie, I can't lie to you anymore." He sighed and looked sadly up into her deep chocolate eyes. "I've already been selected. I'm supposed to lead the first English infantry offensive against Germany in France, and I've already gotten a letter. I didn't want you to know, and I didn't want to go, so I burned it and forgot about it. I just...I just can't lie to you all anymore." He looked up at her, and saw concern on her face.

"Rick, it's not up to us. The government will make you go, and you could be arrested for not answering."

"You sound like you're on they're side!" he growled getting out of bed and crossing to the door, closing it lightly.

"I'm not on their side darling, I'm just saying. If you've been asked, they will make sure you go." She stood up to him, not backing down.

"Evie, it's like you want me to go." He snarled and grabbed his suitcase. "Fine. If you want me gone, I'll go get my ass shot off over France." He began systematically throwing things into it smoldering with anger. A gentle hand on his arm brought him back as he looked over at Evie.

"Please Rick, I don't want you to be angry at me, I just want you to be careful." She stated, tears leaking from her eyes as she sobbed, walking into his arms.

"Evie, there's nothing I can do." He murmured into her hair, his fingers running through it's soft brown tresses.

 

 

The next morning as the couple walked down for breakfast, an officer sat at the table.

"Good morning sir, madam." He grinned, tapping his hat. He had scars all over his face, and most were fresh. "I believe you are aware that we are in a state of war Mr. O'Connell. May I speak to you a moment?" Rick nodded and led him into the parlor, setting him down on a comfy chair as he sat at his desk across from him.

"We need you Captain O'Connell, and you've gotten a letter from us. You must come with me." He ordered in a soft voice, making Rick's blood boil.

"I don't need to fight in a war that doesn't concern me! The land that I'll be fighting for, that we're fighting for, doesn't have anything to do with England." He snarled at the other officer, making the elderly man shake his head.

"We're fighting for a people. The Jews, mostly. The Nazi's are against them, and have been putting them into concentration camps, and have already killed more than 100 thousand people. Innocent people, like your wife and son. You have until tomorrow, then we will be sent here to get you forcefully." He took his leave and Rick walked back into the kitchen, seeing everyone staring at him.

"Don't stop on my account." He tried a smile, but sat down next to Evie and Alex.

"Dad, are they going to send you to fight?" he inquired quietly, seeing a tear go down his mothers cheek.

"Yes son, I have to go to war."

 

 

 

War was everything that Rick remembered, but most of all, it was the smell. The smell of rotting flesh, and the corpses that floated down the streams next to the road.

After getting to base camp, he got his assignment, and was due to lead the first RAF ground force into France. Sitting inside the truck as it sped down the deserted dirt road, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.

He opened it gingerly, and looked at the smiling faces of Evelyn and Alex. Shaking his head they continued on, stopping at the dock to drop him off at the boat that would take him the rest of the way to France.

 

It was a long boat ride, but when they landed all the men were listening to O'Connell. "I am the captain! You will do as I say unless you feel like getting your head blown off!" Rick shouted as explosions began to fill the air about the ship as it neared the beach of France.

Smoke billowed from the lush ground behind the bunkers that were being occupied by the Nazis.

"Keep your head low to the ground, and try to clear the beach. The small opening to the left is hole one, the guns can't get you there. Get to that area as fast as possible." He ordered and the men poured out onto the beach.

It was a proverbial slaughterhouse, and the Germans had the upper hand. Sitting on the high ground with machine guns, they merely waved them back and forth, taking several men down in from of Rick. He dropped to the ground and slunk the rest of the way to a deep trench were other men were sitting and waiting.

Large guns fired, and the building above them blew, debris and bodies flying down into the trench. The ships were backing them up, and the small party continued the ground assault up the hill and to a wide open area.

The Nazi's didn't have a choice but to go against the RAF on the ground.

Crawling from crater to crater, what was left of the ground movement was depleted to a little under twenty men. They made it a good fight, and more ships landed with more men.

 

 

The forty-mile hike to the nearest Ally base camp was hazardous. Well into the trek, several men were too injured to continue.

"Pick him up." Rick ordered to a large muscular man standing next to his fallen comrade.

"I ain't waisten' my life 'cuz he don't want to walk."

"I said, pick him up private. You are under my command, therefore will do as I say." O'Connell stalked up to the man and he reluctantly lifted the injured soldier over his shoulder, and the party resumed their journey.

"Wait..." Rick held up his hand, and the troops fell silent as they gathered their weapons.

Shouts came from all around them as Germans jumped from behind bushes.

"Put your weapons down!" they ordered as the groups translator made out what they were yelling.

All twenty men were taken as POW, chained and taken the opposite direction from headquarters. Rick O'Connell included.

 

 

"Here you go sir, the dog-tags from the last encounter. This one here it quite hard to read though sir, you may need the enrollment list to figure it out."

The elderly man pressed his glasses up his crooked nose and read the name.

"Captian Richard O'Conne...Major, how do you expect me to write a letter to his family if the name's been sot off?" he growled and filed through the directory, his finger stopping on a name.

"Captain Richard O'Connell. From London." He read aloud, and nodded. "I'll prepare the letter, and I'm going to need another large English flag."

 

 

"You're it Danny!" Alex cried as he tagged his best friend on the shoulder.

It was a warm day in England, and despite the increase in bombing raids the city of London was flourishing with life. A large black car drove into the driveway of O'Connell Manor, stopping in front of the two children.

"Good day son, are you by chance an O'Connell?" he asked and Danny pointed over to Alex. "Is your mother home young man?"

"Nope. She's working at the museum, but I can take the telegram from you." he grinned walking over, and saw the large flag in the officers hand.

"Well, I'm not delivering a telegram. Is your father named Richard O'Connell?"

Alex stepped back, his lip beginning to twitch as tears formed in his eye. He shook his head from side to side as Jonathan came out of the house.

"Uncle Jon!" he cried and flew into his arms as Danny waved and walked home.

"He's dead Uncle Jon, they killed him!"

Jonathan merely held back his own tears and accepted the flag from the officer as he took his leave. "Come on Alex, your mum will be home soon and we should have dinner ready for her."

 

 

It was another hard day at the museum for Evelyn, and she finally called it a day. She knew Jonathan would want to leave early for his night on the town, but without Rick home his job was to watch Alex during the day.

"Good-bye Mr. Jordan, I'll see you again tomorrow." She smiled and lifted her purse onto her shoulder as he grabbed her jacket from the coat hanger.

She stepped outside and saw the lights of downtown London shining in half of the city. The other half was black except for the occasional fire. Without a thought she drove home.

 

 

Rick woke up with a tremendous headache, and silently cursed the war. Laying on a cold stone bunker, he remembered where he was. He looked around the damp place and sighed. "Well it sure isn't O'Connell Manor." He grumbled as a German officer walked into the solitary room.

"I see you are awake Captain. You will follow me." He ordered in broken English, and Rick grabbed his hat, following the officer into a makeshift interrogation room.

"Have a seat." A large man snarled and shoved him into a chair. "State your name." He growled in German, and the young officer translated for Rick.

"Captain Richard O'Connell."

"Rank."

"Captain." He repeated.

"Age."

"36."

"Where is the headquarters of the English in France?"

"I can't say."

"Where are the English located Mr. O'Connell?" The young English speaking man asked, anger in his voice.

"I'm not at the liberty to mention." Rick growled, looking straight ahead. They grabbed his arms roughly and yanked them behind the chair, tying them tight.

"We will make you tell us then." He began the torturing process.

 

 

"Alex, I'm home." Evie called into the somewhat silent house and smelled dinner ready and prepared.

For once, Alex didn't bound down the steps and greet her with a hug.

"We're in the kitchen Evie." Jonathan called and she hung her coat up, setting her purse on the sofa. She grabbed the mail and began sifting through it as she walked into the kitchen, looking up. She dropped the mail and saw Alex and Jonathan sitting silently, staring at her with pain-filled eyes. On her place-mat was a large folded flag of England, and she lightly walked over to it.

Running her fingers over the blue red and white cloth as tears fell. She lightly lifted it into her arms and carried it upstairs, and Jonathan heard her bedroom door close with a click.

 

 

"You okay captain?" the gruff gentleman who, in the field, had refused to help his fellow man, asked Rick lightly as he used a wet cloth to wipe the blood off of Rick's cheeks.

"I'm fine soldier." Rick pushed him away and sat up, his head spinning. "Damn torture, all it did was give me a headache." He ground out and looked over at a tray of food. Dry bread and a watery soup met his eye, and he sighed grabbing it and taking a bite.

"This sure isn't the Ritz is it Captain?" he joked and leaned against the far wall, looked at his torn shirt.

"Nope." He added and finished the soup. "Well, now all we have to do is wait for the damn English to get us out of here." He announced and looked around the two man cell. A large piece of smooth stone jutted from the wall making a makeshift bed, and a bucket was used as the bathroom. He shrugged and laid back down on the bed.

"We'll be here for a while. They released some of the men and sent them back to camp to make it look like that was all that was left of the troops, and the rest were killed. For being idiots, these Krauts do smart things." He laughed, and Rick sighed.

"We can just hope that one of the men blows it and tells where we are."

 

 

"Mum? It's time for breakfast." Alex lightly tapped on the door to Evie's room the next morning, sniffing. He hadn't gotten any sleep, and when he did he dreamt about how his father might have died, and he forced himself to stay awake all night.

"I'm not hungry right now Alex, go ahead and eat without me." She mumbled and he stepped away from the door.

"Hey there partner, ready for school?" At Alex's weak nod, Jonathan yelled up to Evie that he was taking Alex to school. "I'll be home soon."

 

 

~Three months later~

"That's the plan. We move at nightfal." Rick spoke into the small hole in the wall to the other English and French soldiers in the other cell Due to recent movements against the German's by the English and the Russian's, the guards were few and far between. An underground alliance had been formed, and led by Rick O'Connell against the German keeping them as POW's.

"Look. If we manage to get everyone out of here, we might be able to go home. No one would have ever thought us to stay alive this long. It's about time we went home." Rick smiled and pat Colnel Chamberlain on the back. Sharing a cell together, they had become good friends, and perfect allies.

 

~Later that night~

 

"Here we go Captain." Chamberlain grinned and popped out the three loose bars of their holding cell. Silently crawling over to the sleeping guard, Rick reached for the keys. He grabbed them and jingled them in the German's face, rousing him from sleep as Chamberlain's fist collided with his jaw, and the man was out

cold. Systematically unlocking the doors, the troops split and went two different way. Since there was only one guard per hallway, they were easy to dispose of. Taking the well armed guns and ammunition, the small group headed out of the camp and into the open night.

Making their way around the back of the building, there was a dense forest about three miles wide that led directly to England's headquarters, yet the German's knew nothing.

 

~The following Morning~

All hell broke loose at the campsite, and all the men who had been captured were awarded their freedom from the war.

"May I have your name please?" The general with the crooked nose asked Rick as he wrote out the release form.

"Captain Richard O'Connell." He announced making the General stop.

"You're alive Captain O'Connell? We have your tags here saying that you were KIA." He handed the dog tags over to Rick, and he shook his head.

"Those aren't mine. That's not my address. Even though the last half was shot off."

"We sent word to your wife three months ago that you were killed, I'm terribly sorry Captain. We'll get you a boat to England immediately.

 

 

Evelyn and Alex were playing a slow game of chess in the living room as the air raid sirens sounded.

"Come on you two, into the shelter." Jonathan ordered and Alex huffed.

"I don't know why we have to, the bombs never hit the house anyway." He growled as the bombs hit outside, out back, and smashed into the left side of the manor.

The impact send shockwaves through the home knocking the three inhabitants over.

A loud crack was heard as the ceiling cracked, and finally collapsed.

 

 

"Mum!" Alex screamed as he and Jonathan found Evelyn's prone form lying under some rubble. Clearing it off, Jonathan sent Alex to get a medic, hoping one would be close by.

Hours passed before Alex was able to locate a doctor and bring him to the house.

Checking Evie's wounds, the family was moved to Jonathan's summer apartment in a neighboring city. He used his apartment when Rick forbade him from bringing women into the Manor.

"Thank you doctor." Jonathan winced as the iodine was put on the large gash on his back.

"That's going to need stitches, but for now tape will hold it together. Alex's arm is already in a soft case since I don't have the materials here to make a hard one, but it should heal nicely."

"What about my sister?"

"Well, that's the tough part Mr. Carnahan. She's got severe internal injuries.

There is too much to have something done, and I won't be able to save her. She has a little under three days. I'll leave it up to you tell Alex, but it doesn't look promising." He sighed and walked from the house, leaving a syringe with plenty of morphine behind for Jonathan to use at his disposal.

"Alex, come on. Let's let her sleep a little while." Jonathan pulled Alex into his living room and grabbed himself a shot of bourbon.

"What did the doctor say?" he asked, laying down on the couch as Jonathan knelt next to him.

"Alex, no matter what happens, you'll always have me around."

"No! She can't die! She's all I have left!" Alex sobbed and ran back into Evie's room, laying across her with his head on her chest as he cried.

"Alex?" Evie questioned as she struggled to stay awake. "Alex, I need you to be big and strong, and I need you to take care of your uncle for me." She ran her fingers through his hair, noticing how much he looked like Rick.

"Mum, you can't leave me. Dad left, and he isn't going to come back from war, and you have to stay here. Who's going to make sure I do my homework? Who's going to see me off to school each morning?"

She smiled lightly and kissed his head. "Alex, you know that I'll always be with you, no matter what."

"But I want you here, where you can take care of me."

"You're growing up, and pretty soon you'd get tired of me anyway." She sighed and laid back, the medicine kicking in as she fell asleep.

 

 

"A letter for you sir." A postman handed Jonathan the folded piece of paper, and he recognized the handwriting instantly.

'Coming home tomorrow, need to see you all so badly! Meet me at the docks tomorrow, the 23rd, at 1:40pm. Love, Rick.'

"Evie! Alex, he's alive! He's coming home tomorrow!" Jonathan screamed as he walked back into the apartment.

"What? Dad isn't gone?" Alex helped his mother sit up and looked over the letter. "We'll go pick him up tomorrow." He smiled, but then frowned, looking over at Evelyn. "What about you mom? You can't come with us."

"I'll wait here love." She smiled and took a deep breath. Alex grinned and began to get everything ready for his father.

"Uncle Jon, what if she dies while we're picking dad up from the ship?"

"Well, I don't think that will happen Alex, she's been hanging on so far." He helped get things ready for their departure in the morning.

 

 

Rick stepped off the ship into the sunlight and looked around frantically for his family. He spotted Alex the same time his son found him, and then he was holding him.

"God Alex, I missed you so much." Rick ground out, lifting Alex up and hugging him tight.

"Welcome back Rick." Jonathan smiled and shook his brother-in-laws hand.

"Where's Evie?" he questioned with a beaming face as he held Alex's hand.

"She's real sick dad, real sick. The doctor says that she wont live past tomorrow. We should probabley get home now, she can't wait to see you." Rick's face dropped.

"What happened?" he questioned with a choked voice, and stunned expression.

"Air raid." Jonathan announced and Rick shook his head, getting into the car.