NOT WHAT HE SAID

SUMMARY= What Joe said about delivering the bottles of black market whisky to the judge when Mainwaring was accused wasn't actually the truth. None of them ever imagined that the consequences would ever be this bad.

A/N: was watching a clip from the accused where Walker was testifying that Mainwaring didn't leave the church light on and this just popped into my head. Also sorry for any historical inaccuracy :s

~0~

When Captain Mainwaring ordered the soldiers to fall in the day after he had been cleared of leaving the light on during the blackout he noticed that everyone was present except for Walker.

"Anyone know where Walker is?" he asked the troops. Just then the phone rang, "Go answer the phone Pike. And remove your scarf!" Pike went, grumbling about how his mum said he should never remove his precious scarf.

"Very well men," Mainwaring said, "you will be pleased to hear that HQ are sending us more supplies of bullets," he stopped while the men let out a cheer, "so fortunately we will not have to rely on Walker to supply us with ammunition for the foreseeable future."

"Och, he only coerced HQ into sending us more ammo because he was fed up of paying Joe five bob for every 20 rounds he got." Fraser muttered under his breath but fortunately Captain Mainwaring didn't hear him or chose to ignore his comment.

Just as the captain was about to continue speaking, Pike rushed in from the office with his face pale and anxious. "Captain Mainwaring, Captain Mainwaring! Joe's been in an accident come quick!" he cried fearfully.

"Pike calm down!" Mainwaring ordered, unable to understand a word the baby-faced soldier was telling him. "What's this about Private Walker?"

"He's been in an accident or something sir! The hospital was the one on the phone and they said that he was in a bad way and we got to go see him Captain Mainwaring, he doesn't have any family!" Pike pleaded.

"Did they say how he was?" Mainwaring fought to keep his calm as anxious mutterings broke out among the men.

"No sir, but we got to go Mr Mainwaring, he doesn't have any other family!" Pike repeated desperately.

"The boy's right sir, we cannae leave Walker all alone in a hospital bed!" Fraser spoke up.

"Mr Fraser is right you know sir," Jones told Mainwaring, "why I remember in the Sudan sir, lots of soldiers got killed in the Sudan sir and a lot of them got injured too, and me and the soldiers when we could we always used to go to the medical tent whenever we had a bit of time sir and make sure they were alright sir, it really lifted their spirits right back up sir."

"Yes, you're right," Mainwaring considered what to do next, "very well, Private Sponge you and your section shall do parade tonight, the rest of us shall go and see what is going on with Walker at the hospital."

~0~

"Hey Uncle Arthur," Pike whispered.

"Yes, what is it Frank?"

"Do you think Joe's OK?" Frank whispered, "The lady on the phone sounded really sincere like in that movie The Dead of Night with Michael Smith and Gwyneth Lynn when the nurse telephone Lynn to tell her that her husband was dead."

"Don't be silly Frank," Arthur chided him, "If Walker was dead he would be in the morgue wouldn't he, not the hospital."

"But what if he dies?"

"Everyone dies Frank, but Walker isn't going to be meeting his maker for a long while yet." Wilson reassured the boy, "Now shush, we're here."

~0~

Platoon A of Walmington-on-Sea's home guard stood silently around the bed where Joe Walker lay unconscious, the only indication he was still alive being the faint rising and falling motion of the thin bed sheet that was covering him, its stark whiteness only making him seem even paler than he already was.

"What happened to him Captain Mainwaring?" Fraser asked for the rest of them, his voice hoarse and eyes suspiciously bright.

The captain let out a sigh from where he was sitting next to the bed, "No-one really knows I'm afraid, the doctor explained that Walker was walking to the church hall when he was brutally set upon by a group of unidentified men, the attack continued for several minuites before anybody came to Walker's aid and brought him here. According to the doctor he's sustained several broken ribs, two severe blows to the head- either from kicks or being banged against the ground- along with other cuts, lacerations, bruises and what look like some stab wounds."

The men said nothing, all of them feeling slightly sick.

"He's going to be alright though isn't he?" Pike asked.

"Don't be stupid Pike; this is Joe we're on about! He's a fighter is our Joe, he'll be absolutely fine and dandy in no time!" Jones cried out, although it sounded as though he was trying to convince himself as well. It didn't fail to escape Pike that Mainwaring hadn't answered his question but he let it go.

"He has no family you say?" Wilson spoke aloud for the first time since entering the room.

"No," Pike replied.

"None at all?" Mainwaring asked incredulous. Pike shook his head from side to sir.

"No Mr Mainwaring, he told me so. His mum died shortly after he was born and his grandparents died before he was born. His dad had another child but she died on Joe's tenth birthday."

"And his father died as well did he?" the captain asked.

"No sir, he's still alive but…" Pike trailed off and bit his lip.

"Well carry on then boy!" Mainwaring told him.

"I'm not sure I should sir, he never told me I could tell anyone else."

"Did he ever say that you shouldn't?"

"No sir."

"Then continue!"

Pike looked across at Joe who was still unconscious in the bed and bit his lip once more. "Well Joe's dad sir, he was a drinker from even before he was born. He used to hit Joe a lot, especially with his belt but… he didn't have to be drunk to be harsh."

"Are you saying that Walker's father was abusive?" Mainwaring asked the younger soldier. Pike nodded.

"Betty, that was Joe's sister sir, Joe used to look after her and get her food and to school on time except that they didn't have hardly any money because his dad would spend a lot of it on alcohol and that's how Joe got into… certain things sir and he used to give Betty his food so she wouldn't be hungry sir. Then one day sir, she and some friends were playing in the fields near the station and some girls who went to the same school who were quite mean to the younger kids started to chase them and Betty and her friends ran all the way to the train station and down but Betty tripped on a loose brick and fell on the track and twisted her ankle and couldn't get up. Then a train came and…" Pike stopped and Mainwaring felt sick.

"Och, how do you know all this?" Fraser asked him.

"Joe told me, when we had to go to that training thing and we were put in the same tent he woke me up because we had to share a sleeping bag because mine was so thin and he had this most awful nightmare, tossing and turning and shouting. I asked him what he was dreaming about and he told me while we played cards."

"Permission to speak sir?" Jones asked the captain.

"Yes corporal?"

"Well sir, it seems to me like we've all been wrong about Walker, I apologise for any incorrect assumptions sir but we never thought that there was anything underneath the face he showed to the world and we did him a great injustice and I for one would like to apologise to you sir as clearly we haven't been as close a platoon and team as we all like to think."

"It's not just you that has to apologise Jones," Mainwaring sighed, "it seems to me that with the exception of Pike, none of us bothered to get to know Walker and let it also be said that nothing goes outside these four walls understand? And we certainly don't tell Walker we know about his childhood. Are we agreed men?"

There was a collective murmuring from the small group as they nodded affirmatives.

"Then I suggest we all go home for the night, I'll arrange for the hospital to call if there's any change."

"I'm staying here." Pike told him, "It doesn't seem right to leave Joe all alone, what if he has a nightmare? I might have to wake him up again and the hospital people will wake him up all wrong."

Mainwaring said nothing about the naivety of Pike's gesture but nodded his consent, "Technically Pike we're off duty and you're a consenting adult, I have no power over what you do in your spare time."

"I'll tell your mother where you are." Wilson told Frank who nodded and settled himself down in the chair previously occupied by the captain.

~0~

Mavis placed a plate of food in front of Arthur before settling behind her own and tucking in. "What's got you so miserable then?" she asked as she cut her sausage into two. "And where is Frank?"

"Walker was attacked on his way to parade and Frank insisted on staying with him." Arthur explained, rubbing a weary hand across his face before tucking in himself.

Mavis' mood suddenly changed to anxious and was mirrored by her expression, "Arthur." She began suddenly.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Well you know what you told me about Joe bailing Mr Mainwaring out on the lights charge yesterday because he had evidence that could incriminate the judge?"

"Yes. I remember what about it?"

"Well Joe wasn't at the judge's house that night." Mavis told him with tears welling up.

"What?" Arthur demanded bewildered, "How do you know?"

"Because he was here!" the woman cried out, now on the definite verge of tears, "he was bringing me some more elastic."

"So what he said about the whisky in court was a lie?" she could only nod. "I have to tell Mr Mainwaring, I'll see you later." He picked up his coat and left.

~0~

The home guard were gathered in the church hall for the second time that night and were silent as they listened to what Mr Mainwaring had to say.

"So, it is quite clear," Mainwaring finished, "That Walker made up what he said about delivering black market whisky to the judge to exonerate me."

"He cares about us more than we thought." Fraser said glumly, with no hint of his ever present Scottish pronunciations.

"Indeed." Mainwaring nodded, "And because of his loyalty Walker is currently lying in a hospital bed and when he wakes up will be in a lot of pain."

"I'll quite happily use my bayonet on that Yateman!" Corporal Jones fumed, "they don't like it up 'em sir! They don't like it up 'em! If he hadn't gotten you arrested Captain Mainwaring then Joe would never have been pit in a position where he needed to lie and that judge would never have got people to attack Joe!"

"I'm sure you are feeling what I don't doubt the rest of us are feeling too Jones." The captain told him sincerely, "But we must simply support Walker not only as a colleague but a trusted and important friend. Are we in agreement?"

Everyone on the platoon nodded while Jones and Fraser plotted their revenge on the clergyman, they would support their friend that much was for sure.