Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ４６ － Ｔｒｕｃｅ】

Chapter 46 - Truce

Whenever she was feeling alright, Margaret could always count on Cobb to ruin her day. He wasn't even being a dick to her this time. He was just a colossal arsehole. And today his victim was Miller. Sweet Private James Miller, who was bright eyed and had a shy, bright smile to match. She liked him. He was so polite too. He'd seen her helping Bull with Patience and wanted to learn. Of course, being the darling he was, he waited until they were done to ask, and she'd obliged, offering him a seat on her bed. How he'd blushed at that. Cute. They ended up crossed legged, boots off of course, facing each other as she played upside down to show him how to play and then coaching him through a game. It took a long time, but his face lit up when he managed to sort the suits.

Ah James Miller, much too young to be this far from home. Much too young for all of this.

She'd been his age once too.

Anyways. Cobb.

He'd challenged Miller about his unit citation.

"That's right, for what the Regiment did. You weren't there."

She frowned at him, and Tab felt her tense from where he still had his arm around her shoulders. Hoobler tried to diffuse the situation. Bless him, he tried.

"Hey. Hey, ease up Cobb. It's just a unit citation."

Miller made to start taking the pin off.

"You don't have to do that, Miller. But if you're gonna, at least take Cobb's with you. He's a hypocritical bastard, who, might I add, wasn't there either. No. Don't you dare, put that back on and be proud of your unit. There ain't nothing wrong with being proud to be a part of this, with us."

But still he laid it on the table, and smiled a sad smile at her as he stood to leave. Why was no one reprimanding Cobb? He'd...what he'd done was unacceptable.

Margaret couldn't take her eyes off the citation pin on the table. It was blue. Dark blue, like the sky before dawn. It was identical to hers.

"Shit, Cobb. You didn't fight in Normandy neither."

At least someone had said something! But it was so weak, and watered down. Bull picked up the pin, and her eyes followed it. Sergeant Randleman would see it returned. Then she heard Cobb trying to defend himself, and her gaze snapped to him, morphing into a glare.

"I got hit in the plane before I got a chance to jump."

"Oh boohoo. How sad, you got to be in a hospital with a bed and food. Woe is you, you got hit in the plane. By your standards, you shouldn't be wearing that. And you certainly shouldn't have done that to M-"

"You shouldn't be wearing it either, you ain't part of this company!"

And she was leaving the safety of Tab, of her friends to march over there. In fact she stepped onto and went over the table instead of going round. Jumping down right in front of him. Her boots made a loud thud.

"What is it with you, and making everything about me? I know you must crave my attention but give it a rest. Isn't it exhausting being a dick day in, day out?"

"An' besides, she's every bit a part of this company as you are."

There was a resounding fuck yeah from behind her, though she wasn't sure who spoke first. Cobb looked ready to punch the sickly sweet smile off her face, but Margaret didn't care and continued to smirk at him.

Now being the idiot she was, she decided to go back over the table instead of going round, but things started kicking off so she stayed up there to see.

"Hey, y'all! Listen up!" Smokey was trying to get everyone's attention, "I got us an announcement to make! This here is Carwood Lipton-"

"He's already married, Smokey!" heckled Malarkey, but at the same time Margaret let out a shrill wolf whistle, drawing all eyes to her. Everyone was surprised but they laughed anyway, not expecting Margaret to be the culprit. Lipton shook his head, but smiled fondly at her and she beamed back at him.

"This, here, is Carwood Lipton: the new Easy Company 1st Sergeant!" Margaret whooped and hollered along with the others, taking the time to step down, putting her hand on Guarnere's shoulder for support as Bull offered a hand down.

"As befitting his position, he says he has an announcement to make."

Everyone was quiet now, waiting with bated breath for whatever news the beloved Lipton had for them. He smiled, but then his face fell.

Oh no.

"Well, hate to break the mood here, boys, but...we're moving out again. Carry on."

The bar lost its jovial air, and was quieter than before.

Margaret sat heavily, and put her head in her hands.

She'd jinxed them.

She'd done it.

But she didn't even want to go to war. She didn't want this new norm to just become a memory. It was the happiest she'd been...in like a decade. Wow, her life was sad.

A hand on her shoulder brought her head up and she squinted at...Guarnere as her eyes adjusted. He held a glass with a small amount of dark alcohol.

"Ya look like ya needed somethin' strong."

Placing the glass in front of her, he sat opposite her. Many had vacated their seats in search of more booze in light of the heavy news.

Thanking him, she went to down whatever it was, but ended up coughing because it was strong. He told her to go slow, and she agreed as she wheezed and coughed.

The pair clinked their glasses, and Margaret smiled at the pleasant noise.

"This some sort of truce? You gonna stop being such a child, and put your grown up trousers on?"

He snorted and she had to wait for a response because he couldn't talk through the laughter that started.

"What about you? Ever considered not bein' a bitch?"

"Only for you. Only for you."