Trivial Matters [For Splendid_Roman]

[first_in_time]

"I've never been to an army base before," Rose told Barbara as they pulled up outside the community hall, "do you think we'd be able to drop the boys home and have a look?"

"We don't have clearance. We wouldn't be allowed in." Barbara smiled at her friend.

"But you snuck in."

"That was different."

Dressed as nicely as they thought necessary for a fund raising trivia night, Barbara and Rosie locked the car and disappeared inside to find their table. Rosie looped her arm around Barbara's, as she often did, and grinned when she saw all the men in uniform. Barbara was having a little more trouble locating Ian - a great number of them looked the same from behind - then she saw him turn to laugh at something Stephen had said.

"Come on!" she said brightly to Rosie and the two women picked up their pace to meet their group.

"Gentlemen, this is my friend Rosie," Barbara told him once they'd joined up and she could reach for Ian's hand with her own. "Is there any reason uniform is being worn this evening?"

Comments

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"I will tell you," she promised, running her hands through her hair so it sat just a little more pleasingly. "I suppose we should go back out and see how manly they've been with the sports round."

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

Barbara grinned at her friend. "Yes, I suppose we should."

She let Rosie lead the way and rolled her eyes when both Stephen and Alan got up and, for the second time that evening, tried to hold out her chair for her. Barbara sat next to Ian and tried her best to ignore them.

"How did you go with that round?" she asked Ian.

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"I think we got them all right," Ian said confidently, putting a hand on Barbara's knee.

"It was easy," Stephen agreed, smiling at Rosie.

"Would anyone like another drink?" Alan asked, standing up. "We've got a little while before the next round."

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

Barbara, Rosie and Stephen nodded in agreement, barbara asking for water since she was driving home, and Alan went to the bar. Since Stephen was doing nothing more than trying to draw in all of Rosie's attention, barbara turned to Ian and asked: "would you like to go for a walk?"

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"All right," Ian agreed, since it would be good to get some time alone with Barbara. "We only have ten minutes though."

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

"That's a shame but I'm sure we'll be alright," she said with a smile and took hold of his hand at her knee then stood from the table. Barbara might have told Rosie and Stephen where they were off to but she suspected that they wouldn't have cared, or wanted to know.

Outside it was a lovely night, and a few other couples had the same idea as Barbara and Ian. As they walk around to the (hopefully) less occupied side of the building, Barbara pulled Ian's hand around her waist.

"You look quite dishy in your uniform," Barbara told him with a smile, "it has been difficult to not pull you away sooner."

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

He smiled back. "I'm sure there'll be other occasions you'll get to see me in it. You look lovely, as always." He judged that they were alone - or at least as alone as they were going to get and stopped to kiss her, something he'd been longing to do all evening.

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

Barbara relaxed into the kiss and let her arms slide around Ian's back, pulling him closer to her. She smiled between kisses, happy to see him again and happy that they'd managed to snatch some alone time since she had to take Rosie home.

A sound broke her thoughts, however. Barbara broke off the kiss and frowned, listening. It sounded like someone whimpering. A woman, perhaps? Then there was a dull crack and a scream. Barbara's hands clenched Ian's jacket for a moment, fearful for what might be happening but they couldn't stand there.

Barbara let go of Ian and ran for where the scream came from. Behind a row of hedging she found Brown and his girlfriend, whose arm was bent at the wrong place. He had he pinned to the ground beneath his massive frame.

"Get off!" Barbara shouted and ran forward without a second thought to try and do something

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"Barbara!" As much as Ian was worried about the woman, for the moment he was much more worried about Barbara and what Brown might do to her and ran after her.

Brown just grabbed her arm and held tightly to it, saying, "Leave us alone."

"Let go of her." Either her would do.

Brown just snarled at him, so Ian hit him.

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

Brown tumbled backwards, dragging Barbara and the other woman with him for part oft he way. She screamed again and Barbara feared that Brown might put another sore, red mark on her other cheek. Barbara curled around the woman protectively.

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

Since Brown let go of Barbara and ignored both women, Ian was happy to ignore them too, trusting Barbara to look after the other woman. Ian concentrated on Brown, who was himself looking to give Ian a good kicking.

Ian had just broken Brown's nose, who in return had kicked Ian in the kidneys, nearly bringing tears to Ian's eyes, when they had company.

Evidently other people around had heard what was going on and soon enough there were other soldiers and officers from the pub holding Ian and Brown apart.

Ian shook off Stephen and Alan's hold on his arms. "He was hurting his girlfriend," he explained to them. "I wouldn't have put it past him to have hit Barbara too, if I hadn't hit him first."

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

"Stephen, call a hospital," Barbara told him, "she has a broken arm and may go into shock soon. Alan, we might need police, too. They can charge Brown if nothing else."

"Chesterton, you tell that piss of a girlfriend of yours to shut her mouth," Brown shouted. Barbara was suddenly very glad to have a group of trained men around her. In her arms, the woman was sobbing and Barbara realised that she hadn't even aske her name.

"I'm sorry, what's your name? I don't really want to refer to you as his girlfriend."

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"Don't you speak about her like that!" Ian took a step forward, and Stephen and Alan took his arms again. Some other officers went back to the pub to call the police and ambulance.

"June," the woman said, sobbing. "My arm..." She was cradling her broken arm.

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

"It's alright," Barbara said soothingly, "the ambulance are on their way. I can stayed with you until they come if you'd like."

June looked over at a Brown who was positively seething. "You're safe now," Barbara added, trying to comfort her and calm her down.

Brown made another tug at his restraints butt he men held fast.

"Maybe we should isolate him," Alan said, still with a good grip on Ian's arm, "other side of the hedge?" he suggested and the men holding Brown back agreed, dragging him back toward the hall.

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

June nodded, but it didn't stop her tears and she held tight to Barbara's hand.

"You can let go of me," Ian said calmly, once Brown was out of sight and free to rage at whoever had to hold onto him. "I'm not going anywhere."

Stephen and Alan merely loosened their grip. "You don't have the best record when it comes to Brown," Stephen pointed out.

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

"It's not like Brown has the best record, either. Although that goes for everything. Not just punching people," Alan said.

Barbara looked between Stephen and Alan. "Where's Rosie?"

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"I told her to stay inside," Alan replied.

"I couldn't just sit there, waiting." Rosie came out from behind some other people. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

Barbara sighed at her. At least Rosie didn't see the fight, she supposed. "Um, we'll need someone to direct the ambulance once it's here. Did you want to take one of the men to stand not he driveway with you?"

Rosie nodded and dragged Steven away. He looked as though he had afew. Mixed feelings about what was happening but Barbara wasn't in the mood to speculate.

"How are you feeling?" she asked Ian after a moment.

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"I'm fine." He hurt and he was going to have some horrible bruises later, but that was something to worry about later. "Are you all right? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

"No, I'm fine." She was a little shaken but none of her bones were broken and she didn't have any bruises.

"Do you have any parents we could call?" Barbara asked June, "or a sister or brother? Just to let them know where you are."

June looked alarmed at the idea. "No, please! I'll call them in the morning from the hospital I just...no. They can't know this was what happened."

Barbara looked a little shocked wtth at response and was about to ask why when two police officers came around to their side.

"We're looking for a 'Chesterton'." one asked, then frowned at Jume and Barbara. "Which one was Corporal Brown's victim?"

Barbara looked down at June who had started to silently cry. "Do you know where the ambulance is?" Barbara asked the officer, "she is in a lot of pain."

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"It's on its way," one of the policemen promised Barbara, while the other turned to Ian to take his details and a brief description of what happened.

"So you're an army man," he said to Ian. "Going to have to speak to your commander. He'll want to know about this."

Ian nodded. There wasn't much he could say to that. He had a good reason to be fighting this time, but he was pretty sure they'd consider breaking Brown's nose to be using more force than necessary.

The policeman went on to speak to Brown.

Meanwhile, the other one bent down beside June and Barbara. "Can you tell me your name?" he softly asked June.

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

"June," she eventually managed, "June Prestons."

"We're going to need a full report from you as well, June," one of the officers said, "but we can visit you tomorrow if you would prefer."

June nodded and squeezed Barbara's hand. Barbara was tempted to put an arm around her but thought it might hurt her arm somemore.

A moment later, more men came to their side of the hedge but this time they were dressed like paramedics. Barbara could have breathed a sigh of relief. The officer stepped back and let the men through.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to step back ma'am," one said to Barbara.

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

The trouble was, June was still clinging onto Barbara's hand, and showed no sign of letting go. One of the paramedics managed to coax her to let go, and then one of the policemen asked Barbara for her details and what had happened this evening.

The other policeman was inside the pub, calling the base.

Re: Trivial Matters

[first_in_time]

Barbara slipped away from the officer when she could and stood next to Ian while June clung to the paramedic. They had to get her to the ambulance but the motion upset her arm and made her scream until it was too much and she fainted.

The situation was simply awful. Barbara huddled next to Ian, pulling one of his arms around her.

"How dreadful," she said to Ian and Alan quietly.

"Ian!" Another soldier ran for them, looking worried. He always took Ian's side in the ongoing battle between Ian and Brown but looked unsure of something now. "You're wanted on base. Immediately. I'll bet you can guess where you're meant to go. The police are taking Brown and they're offering you a lift."

Re: Trivial Matters

[splendid_roman]

"I don't think it's a good idea for me and Brown to be in the same car." Maybe the police thought that their presence would be enough, but Ian wouldn't put it past Brown to carry on winding him up. Or complain the whole way, which would be nearly as annoying. "I'll walk." When the soldier made a face at that idea, Ian added, "You can come with me, if you like. Just give me a minute first."

The soldier nodded and stepped back a bit, but keeping Ian in his sight.

Ian turned to Barbara, looking apologetic at how the night had turned out, and then didn't know what to say. He got as far as "Barbara..." and took her hands.