Too Many Bloody Days Later

A/N: nothing much to report.

SUMMARY: Clifton and Jim set the record straight.

DISCLAIMER: see first chapter.

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TOO MANY BLOODY DAYS LATER

Chapter 5: "The Understanding"


In the following days, Clifton brought Jim dinner at 6 o clock each evening. It wasn't much, but it was all that he managed to put together from the dinner and breakfast leftovers. "Fuck it," he thought. "The boy's so skimpy, he probably doesn't need more than an apple a day anyway." Nobody seemed to mind or wonder about Clifton always wanting to clear off the table after they'd had a meal. To West's annoyance, Jones always made more dinner than necessary, and some of the soldiers couldn't eat their entire portions. After all, it's not like they were needing the strength - as there were hardly any infected left to shoot down, all the soldiers had done the last few months was to muck about, bored out of their minds.
But Jim was always hungry. He'd sit all alone in his room every day, not having a chance to eat breakfast and dinner with the others, and when Clifton finally came with the meal, he was thrilled. Not only because his stomach had been rumbling all day, but also because it was the only thing that kept him from lying in bed all day, feeling sorry for himself.

Clifton used to sit quietly at the opposite side of the table, watching Jim as he greedily ate the little food that was served to him only once every 24 hours. Even though Jim had been grateful for Clifton sparing him - and, of course, the food - he had in the last few days been a lot more cautious around the private than he had been when they parted on that strange day. He hardly ever spoke a word, despite Clifton's attempts of reaching out to him, usually in form of "Does the food taste all right?" or "It's not gone cold, is it?" Jim didn't want to let his guard down; he'd done that once before, and it ended in misery.

At these inquiries Jim usually just shrugged and said nothing, never making eye contact because he didn't want Clifton to know what he was thinking. He didn't really know what kept Clifton around for those short minutes while he was eating, and Jim was uncomfortable about acknowledging to himself the presence of the private. This was, after all, one of the men who was holding two of his dearest friends, his only friends, captive... He dared not think about what other things they did to them, but in a dark place in his mind he knew the truth all too well.

He preferred to think of other things while he was eating, and a couple of questions he was wondering (and worrying) about was still left unanswered. He was forced to break the silence.

"It's amazing." Jim said, in between chews.

Clifton, who was staring at a big fat half-dead fly squirming on the table, jumped a little at his unexpected outburst. "..I'm sorry, what?"

"It's amazing." Jim repeated.

"Well, that's the first time I've heard that about Jones's cooking."

"No, I mean... he hasn't kicked me out yet." Jim finally looked up at the private, still chewing the tough meat.
Clifton caught his eye. They stared at each other down for a few seconds. Jim stopped chewing and swallowed the piece of meat even though it was large enough to choke him - if it were not for his determination to get it down. Clifton finally broke the eye contact as he glanced down onto the table again. Jim came back to himself and continued eating.


Clifton took off his hat, and revealed his dark brown, untidy hair. He sat back in his chair, smiling a bit to himself as his fingers fiddled with the hat.

"West isn't the only one who has a bit of power around here." he said, looking down at his hat all the while.

Jim's look was of nothing but disbelief. "..How do you mean?"

Clifton's attention was now on the man at the other side of the table, and his face had adopted a more sincere frown.
"Do you believe the world is going to go back to normal, Jim?"

Jim was puzzled by this question, and merely shrugged at it. Clifton's look made it obvious to him that he was unsatisfied with the lack of response. The private continued: "There are hardly any infected left now, and for all we know the Queen could be sitting in Buckingham Palace, sipping her tea and reading the Sunday's, you know?"

Jim was NOT following.

"We have no idea just what the hell is going on around us because we've isolated us so from the rest of the world, and if the country was being rebuilt and everything was starting to turn back to normal - or whatever's as close to 'normal' as possible - we wouldn't know..!" He laughed half-heartedly, and Jim did not join him in doing so.

"Where exactly are you going with this?"

"What I'm trying to say here is.. Life might be going on as usual i other parts of the country, and we don't even know it!"

"And just what does this have to do with West..??" Jim was getting impatient.

"Oh, I guess I trailed off a bit there... Well, I was just thinking that when the country gets back on its feet - cos I know it will - West will have to answer for the things he did in here. If the government is restored, then the military institution will be restored as well, to avoid any similar crises... And if West is tried in military court, I'll tell them everything about what he's done. I've told him that, and he's agreed to do anything I ask of him as long as I keep my mouth shut. But if he doesn't... I'll tell the judge all the juicy details, everything he did to you and those two girls."

Jim's look grew even harsher at that last comment. Without realizing it, Clifton had hit a nerve.

"Well," Jim said through clenched teeth. "What happened to Selena and Hannah wasn't West's doing. You and your mates saw to that part."

"On the major's command," the private answered.

When he got no response, Clifton understood that this wasn't enough to explain or justify it, not by a long shot. He cut the eye contact once again, staring at the table.


"I never touched them." he said quietly.

"Oh yeah, real fucking convincing."

Clifton's eyes were fast on Jim's. His eyes were stern, but his voice calm. "I never did."

Jim wasn't buying into it, but preferred to jump to another subject. "Why are you here, private? Why are you protecting me? Are you just playing games with me, is that it?"

"It's a dog eat dog world, Jim. One has to keep a straight face if you want to survive... Especially in a place like this, with these kind of people around,"
As Clifton was saying this, Jim had gotten up, pacing the floor and biting nails.

"I just don't understand why you're keeping me here, why you're trying to convince me that you've never.." Jim stopped in his tracks, and Clifton saw his chance to defend himself.

"If you were one of us, you'd see where I'm coming from," the private said calmly with his eyes on the table. "I have an understanding with Selena and Hannah, as I have an understanding with you." Jim stopped pacing at this, looking back at him in puzzlement. Did they have 'an understanding'??

"What do you mean 'understanding'?"

"Do you know why I'm staying with you right now?"

"You bring me food...?"

Clifton sighed, and threw his head back slightly. "Whenever I bring you food, the others think I'm off for a quickie."

This was like a punch in the stomach for Jim. "...What?"

"I know, I'm not proud of it... But it's what I have to do to keep the both of us alive."

"You tell them you fuck me?!!" Jim was raging now, and he felt used - but in a different way this time. Now he knew what some of the girls he went to secondary school with felt like.

"No, not directly, but they assume I do... West assumes me wanting to keep you here is merely for sexual interest. And he accepts it, because he thinks he's punishing you this way."

Jim had calmed down now, staring at the man by the table.

"But he doesn't like it, though. Either way he'll just have to cope with it... The only reason he didn't throw you out is he thinks I want you, and I've got him wrapped around my finger."

"What then, is your pupose with me - if not for fucking, I mean." Jim was shaking.

"Well, as I told you, I have an understanding with Selena and Hannah.."
Jim sneered at this, making his disbelief obvious. Regardless, the private continued: "..And I have told you that I think Britain is being restored." He stopped, clearly wanting Jim to figure out the rest on his own - unsuccessfully.

"And..??"

"We're planning an escape."

Jim was completely still. He was quiet for several seconds before managing to speak again. "Excuse me, what's that you said..?"

Clifton didn't like repeating himself. "I've kept you alive so that you can take off with Selena and Hannah. I want them to have a future, and I think you're the one to give it to them..."

"Bollocks."

The private ignored the comment, and continued: "..I've calculated, by the rapidly decreasing number of infected showing up at the house, that in a couple of weeks it should be safe to venture out, so right now we're working on an escape plan. Mitchell is in on it, too..."

"No, no... you know what?? This is complete bollocks! It's just so obviously a load of shite! You're just trying to trap me again, trying to make me put my guard down and then you're going to fuck me over!"

"Jim, please.."

"I'm not buying your crap, Clifton."

"I have a note from Selena," the private said, holding out a tiny piece of paper. Jim snatched it out of his hands as if it was candy offered to a child.


The note said, in a beautiful corsiva handwriting:


"Jim,

this is what we've been waiting for"


"..Is this it??" Jim asked holding out the paper, clearly disappointed. He'd expected an "I love you", at the least...

"Well, she said she didn't know what to write, so.."

"Can I see her?"

"...Er, well, I don't know if that's..."

"- Please." Jim gave the private a pleading look with his brilliant blue, sad eyes, because he knew that usually worked with him.

Clifton smiled. "I'll see what I can do."

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will they get away??? oooh, what will happen??? (damned if I know, I'm as stumped as you are, actually..!)