Convalescent

Happy Thursday!! I'm headed out of town, but wanted to go ahead and get this chapter pushed out to you guys! It's considerably shorter than ones I've recently put out, but it is a necessary filler! Let me know what you guys think and, as always, thank you so much for reading! <3

"You're just in time," Annie smiled, a glint of excitement flashing in her eyes as they met Katherine's.

"For what?" Sitting her tray down on the table, Katherine took up her usual seat across from Annie and Captain Banks.

"Oh please don't get her started again," Captain Hughes let out an exasperated sigh from the bench beside her.

"There's going to be a dance," Annie said, the small smile she'd worn spreading into a full grin.

"A dance?" She quirked a brow, glancing to Captain Banks - who was eyeing Annie with an amused smirk - and then to Captain Hughes. "What is she on about?"

"The USO's coming to town," Captain Banks explained. "They're saying it'll be a good morale boost before Christmas." Raising his hands, he made a gesture that mimicked quotation marks with his fingers.

"Well I'm calling it a perfectly good excuse for a party," Annie smirked.

"Of course you are," Captain Hughes chuckled.

"You're going." Annie's gaze fell back on her, "I mean, we all are," She waved a hand in the Captains' general direction. "But you have to ... when else are we going to get to dance around in fancy dresses and drink champagne?" She added with a wild grin.

"I'm afraid I left all my fancy dresses at home," Katherine replied, her lips curving up into a bemused smile.

"That's fine," Annie shrugged. "You can borrow one of mine."

"You're the only person I know who would pack formal wear for the front line," Captain Banks interjected, glancing across the table at Captain Hughes, who was doing his best to suppress a laugh.

"You can never be too prepared," She gave another shrug, leveling them both with a look of utter indifference before casting her gaze back to Katherine. "Boys have it so easy..." She rolled her eyes. "They can just wear their uniform and look as dashing as ever."

"Awe, thanks An," Captain Banks threw her a lopsided grin.

"Except you two of course," She shot back. "So, what do you say?" She asked, flicking her eyes back to Katherine.

"It doesn't sound like you'd let me say no even if I tried." She arched a brow.

"You're catching on." Annie's lips curved up into a small smirk, and Katherine laughed.

"Well in that case," Katherine returned her smirk with one of her own. "I would love to."

"Yes!" Annie exclaimed, beaming at her as if she'd thought she might actually say no. Reaching across the table, she grasped Katherine's hands and gave them a squeeze. "Ugh, we're going to have the best time!"

"You women and your parties..." Captain Banks shook his head, and Captain Hughes chuckled.

"You know who else has a party dress I'm sure they're dying to wear?" Annie asked, letting go of her hands and leaning back. "Colette," She continued, her lips curling into a feline smirk once again as she turned towards Captain Banks. "You should ask her to go Ronald."

"Who's Colette?" Katherine asked, her eyes flicking from Captain Banks - who was now stone faced as a statue, and the color of a tomato - to Captain Hughes.

"Sofia's daughter," Captain Hughes replied, a ghost of a smirk on his lips.

"From the pub?" She furrowed her brows.

"That's the one." His smirk widened. "Ron's sweet on her."

"I am not," Captain Banks shot back, the red in his cheeks splotching down his neck now.

"So that's why you were so insistent we go there for lunch." She arched a brow at him.

"She wasn't even there that day." He gave a stiff shrug in a halfhearted attempt at indifference.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have known she wouldn't be there," Captain Hughes pointed out, his lips still curved into a knowing smirk.

"You lot are insufferable, you know that, right?" Captain Banks glanced between the three of them, the table erupting into laughter second later.

"Well I say ask her," Katherine began once the laughter had ceased. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"She could say no," Captain Hughes shrugged.

"Stop it," She leveled him with a disapproving look, batting his arm with the back of her hand. "She'd be crazy to say no," She added, her lips turning up into a small, reassuring smile as her eyes settled back on Captain Banks.

"You hear that Will?" Captain Banks asked, his own lips curving up into a subtle smile. "She'd be crazy to say no." Sliding his gaze over to Captain Hughes, the two men exchanged a look - a look she'd seen them exchange before, but had never been able to catch the meaning of.

"Speaking of," Annie chimed in. If she'd noticed the exchange, she didn't let on. "Who will you be taking?" Katherine followed her gaze to where it rested on Captain Hughes.

"I don't know," He shook his head. "I haven't given it much thought."

"Well since Annie's sworn you off nurses, I suppose it'll have to be number three," Katherine interjected, her mouth tilting up into a sly smile as Captain Hughes met her eyes. "That was the..." She paused, tapping her chin in mock question. "Blonde from the town over if I'm not mistaken?" She added, quirking a brow at him.

"Look at the memory on you," Captain Banks laughed. "So who's it going to be Will?" He continued on, the smirk plastered across his face evident in his voice. "The blonde from the town over, or-,"

"Maybe," Captain Hughes cut in before Captain Banks could finish whatever he'd been about to say. "Maybe not," He shrugged. She watched as the men exchanged another look - this time one of warning.

"Well whoever it is," She began, glancing between the pair before continuing. "Try not to step on her toes too many times."

Flicking his gaze back to her, he scanned her face - his own a mask of cool calm as his eyes left hers, dipping down to her cheeks ... her nose ... her mouth. Drawing his gaze back up, his lips curved into a ghostly smirk as their eyes met.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that."

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Hope you enjoyed it! Be on the lookout for another update soon :)