Blaine sprinted between obstacles, ducking them behind posts and into doorways of buildings as they made their way across the base, bullets from the enemy planes spraying all around them.
A loud whine from nearby, then a choking sputter, and Kurt could see one – or maybe three or four – smaller planes taxiing to the runway.
Blaine glanced up as they took off. “Good. Joe's up. George, Tommy – good, that's good,” he muttered.
He took another deep breath, squeezed Kurt's hand in encouragement, and ran to the next building.
Kurt would never forget the zing and pop of the bullets – the feeling of the gravel spray up from the shots that missed them, stinging his skin.
As soon as the strafing run began, Blaine would run, seeming to chase the bullets. Kurt hesitated a fraction of a second before Blaine grabbed his hand and pulled.“these planes can't fire behind them. It's safer to go now.”
Kurt tried to stop thinking, instead just following Blaine. Follow Blaine stay with Blaine stay with him.
“One more, baby, one more,” Blaine promised as they reached the safety of the next doorway. The door behind them suddenly opened – Charlie, the bombardier of Blaine's plane was just about to spring out. He grabbed Blaine around the waist with one arm, ready to drag him out towards their plane.
“We gotta go, Cap’n. We gotta go!” Charlie's voice was high with panic.
“I'll be right there, Charlie. I'm gonna get him inside, then I'll be there. Get everybody ready to go up.”
“Yes sir” Charlie spun around, his boots crunching in the gravel and sprinted off towards the field.
One last dash, past the sandbags, Blaine pushing Kurt in front of him.
The body-shaking drone increased as the first bombers came into sight. Blaine shoved Kurt through the last door, into safety, as the first bomb exploded behind him.

*****
When the shooting started, Gwen and her crew were hastily escorted to headquarters, where they sat huddled against the wall, trying to keep out of everyone else's way as the world exploded around them. Tense radio operators began rapidly giving out orders, relaying information from soldiers and pilots and planes not quite ready. The air raid siren was sounded, boots pounding outside during the lulls.
Gwen and her pilot were standing with the base commander, mulling over options.
“I don't think we have enough time to get your plane safely away before the rest of this flight wing arrives,” the commander said shortly. “I know you've got a red cross on your plane, but we can't ever guarantee that they're gonna honor that.”
“Then we stay.” Gwen decided. “Thank you, sir, and we'll do our best to stay out of your way.”
“Thank you, Miss Andrews.”
Gwen turned smartly, planning how best to tell her entourage of band members and showgirls they were about to experience their very first air raid. Hopefully, this would be nothing like the newsreels of London.
Ginger pushed her way through the door, helping the other nurses move patients from one side of the large building to the more heavily fortified end.
“Red,” Gwen called. “Give my girls something to do.”
Ginger pointed out several patients. “Just hold their hands, talk to them. Keep them with you.”
Gwen sat down between two soldiers looking stunned – already in treatment for shock. She took their hands in hers – theirs were cold and clammy, and she wasn't sure that hers were much better. Still, it felt better to hold on to someone.
“Keep them warm, and go overboard on the light chit-chat,” Ginger whispered to her, “just try to keep their minds from what's going on outside.”
Ginger sped off to help the rest of the medical crew prepare for more soldiers – the wounded that would inevitably come.
From where she sat, Gwen could hear the radio operators speaking in low monotones to the planes and pilots outside. Most of it sounded like gibberish to her, but she did hear a voice advising that the Teenage Dream still did not have a full crew and were waiting on Anderson.
Oh god, Blaine and Kurt are still out there. She went cold at the thought. There were no windows, but Gwen could feel the percussion of the bombs through the wall at her back.
The door burst open again, two figures silhouetted against the firestorm outside.
One figure shoved the other inside – Kurt, who nearly stumbled and fell over the threshold.
Blaine's attention was drawn immediately outside, back to something Gwen – and Kurt – couldn't see.
He spun to look inside once more, and caught sight of Gwen.
“GWEN! PLEASE!” Blaine screamed over the thunderous bursts outside. “KEEP HIM SAFE!”
He turned to launch himself towards the flightline, slamming the door shut behind him.
Kurt's legs finally gave out from under him and he slumped to the floor.

*****
It seemed to go on forever.
Over the din of so many voices over the radio, the operators on the ground in low monotones, the pilots and crews screaming, Kurt could pick out Blaine's voice. Mostly calm, sometimes rising in pitch as he detailed their movements – evasive maneouvers, flat spin, stall, restart –
Kurt sat with his back against the wall, near Gwen and her patients. They started one of their scripted show banters, managing to distract the men around them, at least for a short time. Gwen told a funny story of growing up in Savannah, drawling out her words theatrically and winking.
Kurt could see her nerves underneath the polished shell, how quickly her eyes darted over the room when she thought no one was looking. The room they were in was piled high with sandbags, the windows completely blocked and only lit by a few bare light bulbs – tense and very claustrophobic.
The soldiers clutched her hands tightly, and she smiled to reassure them.
They noticed when the explosions seemed to slow. No more gunfire. Just one final loud percussion, then nothing.
“I think it's over,” Gwen smiled broadly, patting at the soldier's legs near her. “See, boys? Nothing to worry about.”
She stood to check everyone else was okay.
Kurt's ears were ringing with the absence of sound. He couldn't hear the loud ticking until it abruptly stopped.
“Kurt?” Gwen turned back to face him, a smile on her face, as the wall behind her exploded in shards of white and flame.