𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙄𝙓
—𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵—

𝙒𝙃𝙀𝙉 𝘽𝙍𝙔𝘾𝙀 𝙒𝘼𝙎 told she would be working with the pilots for procedures of abandonment and overall first aid, she wasn't sure how to take it. Candice and Evelyn were assigned at the hospital nearby, both of them disappointed that Bryce would no longer get to work alongside them. Danny, however, was ecstatic that she would be seeing a lot more of him.

Bryce steps onto the pilot sight, a head commander walking to her right while explaining what she'd be doing for the day. Rose wasn't too far behind with a head commander of her own, taking down notes of everything she would be doing for the next two months. It was clear they were on a tight schedule, so the women appointed to the field had grabbed notebooks and pencils to copy down anything they were told.

"Teach them the basics of resuscitation and how to work under pressure," Carter, the commander, tells her. "Focus on self care, too. Most of the pilots don't know how to treat a wound on themselves, let alone on someone else. And make sure you instruct the different medications and their uses‒ otherwise they'll be fighting blind."

The brunette nods along with his words, adding those to the never-ending list that he suggested coaching with. "Anything else, Commander?"

"Yes," he rolls his eyes, leading her over to a green jeep. "Don't call me commander, my name is Carter. You aren't a pilot here, therefore there's no need for the technical terms."

"Got it," she chuckles, following in his lead as she gets into the passenger seat of the vehicle. Bryce tucks her pencil between her teeth, taking a moment to flip through her notes as Carter proceeded to revv the engine.

"Bryce!" A familiar voice called out in the distance, catching both of them off guard. The woman stops skimming the pages, turning to find a uniformed Danny running towards them.

Since their dispersal this morning, Bryce hadn't gotten to speak with Danny. Fortunately, it came to her understanding that she'd get to see him every day for the rest of her time on the grounds. And although she didn't have much time to react before she got to work, a smile etched itself on Bryce's face, and was sure to not go away anytime soon.

"Walker, what are you doing here?" Carter demands sternly, adjusting the cap on his head. "You should be preparing the ships for the takeout crew tomorrow."

"Sorry, sir," Danny bites his lip, looking over to Bryce. "I was just hoping to speak with Bryce, if it's not a problem."

"It'll only be a moment," Bryce tells Carter, placing her pencil and paper in her seat as she follows Danny to a clearing before the forest. "What's wrong, Danny?"

"I just wanted to ask how you're liking the job so far," he explains, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "But now that I'm here, it seems like a pretty stupid question."

"It's not stupid at all," Bryce gives him a small smile. "I like it so far, although there's a lot I have to work on in so little time. I hope I can help as much as everyone else, but it seems like a huge load to carry."

Danny felt for her, knowing how hard she would be pushing for the next bit of time. But he had something planned that was sure to cheer her up, and yank her away from the already piling up assignments.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to manage," Danny's lips curl upwards into a smile. "And besides, if you need anything, I'll always be here. Not as a distraction, but as a mean of help."

"I'm glad to know you're here for me."

"How would you like to go out tonight?" Danny suggests, glancing around them for no apparent reason. "I'd like to show you something‒ and hopefully you'll enjoy it."

"I'd love to," Bryce says, placing a kiss on his cheek before heading back over to an impatient Carter.

---

When standing in front of a crowd of pilots in uniform, Bryce felt so jittery that she could barely stand up. But when Danny stood at the front, giving her a million dollar grin the entire time, she felt as though everything was fine. He held her to the earth in those few minutes that she introduced herself, and his mere presence assured her that everything was going to be fine.

"I'll be teaching you how to survive on the battlefield," Bryce states, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. "Even in certain cases, such as times when you can't reach proper food or water. I'll also introduce you to different means of treating a wound, and the basics of a first aid kit and medication."

As she finishes her speech, the brunette leads them over to a set of three plastic dummies, placing her clipboard down on one of the hospital beds they rest on. She looks up to the pilots, her eyes lingering on Danny for just a second longer, before winking. Danny notices, his cheeks flushing pink as he smiles, his attention averting to the floor.

"Do any of you know what CPR stands for?" Bryce raises an eyebrow, looking to them expectantly.

"I do, ma'am," Danny raises his hand slightly, his eyes soft with pride. "It's an abbreviation for cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

Bryce almost giggled as he attempted the words with his country accent, stumbling over the words. After he was finished though, he grinned, as if to show off. "And do you know why it's used?"

"To restore oxygenated blood flow to the vital organs of the body in an emergency situation," he replies smoothly, a couple of the pilots whistling and clapping him on the back.

"Well, it seems you did your research," Bryce says. "Because that's exactly right. And since you're pretty confident, I'm sure you know how to perform the procedure . . . correct?"

"Uh‒" the man rubs the back of his neck, giving her a chuckle. "I'm not too sure about that part, so‒"

"Nonsense, come here," Bryce gestures to the dummy on the table. "It's easy as long as you know the major steps. Go on."

"I'm only a little informed on the chest compressions," Danny frets, wiping his sweaty palms on his coat. "I don't really know what to do."

"I was only kidding, Danny," Bryce laughs under her breath, patting his hand for comfort. "I'm here to teach, not pressure."

Once again, Danny blushes; he returns to his spot among the others, straightening his hat as a wave of silence floods over them. "Since I don't have much time today, I'll assign that all of you study on what to do during resuscitation. And tomorrow, we'll begin practicing the simulation. Got it?"

There was a simultaneous reply of formal agreements. Bryce nodded, before giving them a smile. "You can go now. I'll see you all in the morning."

The group filed out of the room, all of them leaving‒ with the exception of Danny, of course. He sighs as he walks over to her, faking a frown. "You were picking on me."

"And you were showing off," Bryce points out, poking his nose. "Don't poke the bull unless you want the horns. Besides, if you actually read into it that much, you should probably know the basics by now."

"Learning hasn't always been my tough suit," he shrugs, sitting down on the bed, and handing her clipboard over. "Stuff like that just goes in one ear, and comes out the other. That's why I'm a pilot."

"You're a pilot because you're good at it," Bryce corrects him, taking the clipboard and tucking it to her chest. "You worked hard to get here Danny, and you deserve it. I'm sure if you focus hard enough, you'd easily pick it up."

"Could you, by any chance, help me out with it?" He hesitates, biting his bottom lip. "You don't have to, I know we have a date planned for tonight."

"On dates, you normally spend time together," she points out. "So technically, it would still be considered a date. A study date, I guess. Of course, Danny. I'd love to teach you the ways of nursing."

Danny's face fills with happiness. "Really?"

As Bryce nods, she is pulled into his tight embrace. Danny spins her around, thanking her a million times over. The brunette chuckles as she's finally placed back on the ground, giving him a smile.

"You know, you look beautiful in uniform," Danny says, straightening up her tie. "I'm positive you could make a chicken sack look like gold."

"That's always been on my bucket list!" Bryce gasps, clutching onto his shoulders.

"Wait, really? You're being serious?" He raises a questioning eyebrow.

"Of course not!"

_______