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Three weeks, three fething weeks since Gaunt had last seen Leta, before the madness started, when he’d briefed his men on the plans, she’d caught him on her way to the truck, quickly kissing his cheek and saying
“I’ll see you on the other side”
Gaunt paced his office, he was exhausted, he was amazed he was still standing, he’d asked for someone to be sent to his aid straight away, five minutes ago, fear clawed its way up his throat, threatening to escape his mouth in a scream, three weeks, three fucking weeks, he didn’t even know if Leta was still alive, he hadn’t read her name on any casualty reports but that didn’t mean anything, people went missing in action, bodies were hidden in rubble and not found till the cleanup began, she could have been carried off by the enemy, to Throne knows what horrible fate..
There was a knock at his door and he stopped, and took a breath.
“Enter.”
“You wished to see someone Colonel-Commissar?”
A man opened, wearing the uniform of the Imperium clerk,
“Yes..I wish to find someone..”
The clerk entered the room, looking confused
“Trooper Middenlocke, of the Tanith Ghosts..” He paused, “She was assigned to be under Major Rawne’s command..”
“And this trooper is needed because…?”
Gaunt frowned, “I simply need to see her.”
“Of course sir, I will have her brought here immediately..”
***
Leta drank from her water flask, she was caked in blood and mud, but she didn’t have the energy to care, as soon as the order to stop firing was called, she’d slipped away to a quiet corner and sat down, she supposed at one point this was a building, now only a small wall remained, she was somehow unharmed aside from superficial wounds, a bruise under her left eye, a gash on her cheek that was already a week old but was taking its damned time to heal, she supposed the mud wasn’t exactly helping that process, no doubt under her clothes she was bruised more, but she was alive and had all her limbs, so she couldn’t complain.
“Middenlocke!?”
Major Rawne’s voice broke through the almost silence and Leta rose to her feet, cursing the damn man, she’d been stuck with the bastard for three weeks, she needed to get away from him before she stabbed him.
The Major, as dirty and exhausted as her, was talking to someone in a pristine uniform, looked like someone from high command, and for a second, an almost terrifying second, she feared the worst, something had happened to Gaunt.
But no, the Major didn’t look happy, a scowl was still on his face, half hidden behind the swelling from a bruise that covered his carved features.
“You called, sir?” She approached
“Our glorious leader has summoned you.” Rawne replied “Lucky you.”
“Gaunt?”
“You are Leta Middenlocke, yes?” The clerk asked
“Yes.”
“Then yes, Colonel-Commissar Gaunt has requested you to be brought to high command.”
Rawne spat into the mud at their feet, but didn’t comment.
“Then..uhh…after you.”
The clerk nodded and walked away, Leta followed behind, the clerk was a young man, around Leta’s age, with fair hair and flawless skin, skin which was tanned and complimented the dark blue of his uniform.
They walked to a car, shiny black metal, with no roof.
The Clerk hesitated, then opened the passenger side door to her.
“Thank you.”
“Of course..Uhh..Madam.”
She laughed and got into the car, she knew she’d leave a muddy arse print on the smooth black leather of the seat.
The Clerk seemed most annoyed by her laughter, but kept any remarks to himself, then got in the car.
The drive back to high command was short, passing through ruins, but the main road had somehow remained undamaged, but bodies littered the sides, and Leta saw the Clerk trying his best not to look at them.
The sky was dark, threatening rain again, rain that would wash away the blood and stains of the battle, It was as if the heavens mourned the dead.
High Command was in a huge castle made of white stone, protected by an energy shield, beneath which you would never even know there was a war going on.
She felt a jab of envy, the clerk was well rested, well fed, she hadn’t had such a luxury in twenty one days.
As they entered the castle, she became very aware just how tired, dirty and..common she looked, guards clad in dark red body suits took her laspistol and knives, and gave her cold looks as she followed the clerk to a large staircase, leaving muddy boot prints on the priceless carpet.
On the second floor, and through six doors, the clerk stopped in front of one, he knocked the wood lightly.
“Enter.”
Leta hid a smile when hearing Gaunt’s voice.
The clerk opened the door and walked in, Leta followed.
“Trooper Middenlocke, Sir.”
Gaunt smiled, he looked almost as bad as her, dark bags under his eyes, stubble on his cheeks and chin, but he still wore his uniform, which showed that he definitely was not at ease in this castle.
“Yes..Thank you.”
“Anything else, Commissar?”
“No, that’ll be all.”
The clerk nodded and walked back out the door, as soon as it closed, Leta started moving towards Gaunt.
They met halfway, he pulled her into his chest, and as soon as her face hit the familiar comfort of his coat and smelt him, she was crying.
She’d missed him, so, so much, she hated not hearing his voice, she hated not seeing him smile.
“Are you hurt?”
His voice was soft
“A few bruises..I’m fine..somehow.”
He kissed her, not caring for the mud that clung to her skin, she was alive, she was in one piece, she was here.
“I shouldn’t have brought you here..” He muttered, pressing a kiss to her forehead, then her temple “It was a stupid idea..”
He kissed her cheek, then the other, then the tip of her nose.
“I was so worried, I hadn’t heard that you were dead but th-”
“You don’t think Rawne would have happily delivered the news personally if I had?”
He smiled, his features relaxing.
“Letty..”
He cupped her face, gently, as to not hurt the gash on her cheek
“Barely moved out of the way from a knife..” She answered his unasked question “You should see the other guy, Las-shot to the gut.”
She smiled up at him
“And then he fell on a landmine..” She gestured to a blood stain on the front of her jacket “I think that's some of him there.”
She paused
“Actually, if not for him I would’ve stepped on that mine…so..”
“This isn’t helping my anxiety.”
“Dearest..I am fine.”
She went on tip toes and kissed him
“You don’t need to worry about me, ever.”
“I worry about you constantly…even when we’re not fighting I worry about if your eating or getting enough sleep…And as for the sm-”
“Darling, you’re rambling.”
She took his hand, he was tired, he got like this, all jittery limbs and jumbled thoughts, of course when it came to his job, he was fine, but he’d forget to eat and sleep, anyone who cared could tell.
The office had a couch, she took off his coat and cap, his hair was unwashed, fitting that the uniform hides the man beneath.
“Ibby, when was the last time you slept?”
“I caught an hour or two just before the ceasefire..”
He sat on the couch and lay down, she lay on top of him, once again leaving mud behind her.
“You?”
“Uhh..I think…two nights ago, I got in like an hour..” She yawned, and put the coat over both of them, she removed her camo cloak and covered their feet.
She rested her head on his chest, she could hear his heartbeat, slow and even, waves on the shore, peaceful.
“I was about to sleep when that clerk arrived..”
Now, with his warm body beneath her and his heart in her ears, her eyelids felt very, very heavy.
“Also…never leave me alone with Rawne for that amount of time, ever again.”
He laughed, she was already asleep when he put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, her hair had grown back a few inches.
“I won’t, I promise.”