Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ７１ － Ｍｏｖｉｅ】

Chapter 71 - Movie

The 16th began as all the previous days had, with breakfast. It was warm and the coffee was shit, but the air about Easy Company's mess hall was anything but. There was excitement in the air. Because it was Friday.

And Friday meant movie night, and then weekend passes.

Alex, Don and Skip planned to take Peggy out to Reims that weekend because they believed she needed to get out of the camp, out of the house she stayed in with second platoon.

The 16th continued as if it were just another day in that week. That week there had been light drills and more marching around what Peggy was sure to be a glorified carpark.

The company ate lunch in that same mess hall, and Peggy sat with them, though try as they might, she would not eat. She ate at breakfast and was not hungry.

Instead Luz vowed to drag her out to watch whatever film was going to be shown.

And he did just that after their evening meal.

Luz pushed her in front of him so she sat on his right, and they watched and waited as others filed in. Lip and Toye were sat in front of them and they groaned when they saw Luz. He grinned right back at them.

Peggy was left confused by the whole interaction.

Muck tapped her on the shoulder when he came and sat behind her, and she smiled a small smile at him and Perconte as they sat.

Not long after that, the lights were dimmed and the film began.

Never in her life had Peggy imagined a worse person to watch films with. Dear God, George was terrible.

"Look at me, I'm John Wayne. The costume department set me up with these great navy whites, whadya think?"

Though she had to admit, half the stuff Luz said was funny. She just couldn't bring herself to laugh.

An angry Lip and Toye turned round and shushed him.

"Luz, shut up! I'm trying to watch this-"

"I've seen this movie 13 times ok?"

What?! 13?! That seemed more than a little excessive.

"Well I haven't, so shut up!"

After Toye hissed that, Peggy decided that she'd try and keep Luz quiet. She wasn't that invested in the film anyway. The only one she'd watched was The Wizard of Oz, she'd treated herself to a ticket on one of the rare days off back in London and gone to see it. It was stunning.

"Fine, fine. Watch the movie."

It was quiet for a time, and Peggy felt herself settle and relax a bit, especially when Luz put his arm around her shoulder. He was safe too. He was safe. He'd keep her safe. She snuggled into his side a bit, to let him know she was ok with what he'd just done and he smiled down at her before turning back to the silver screen.

"Hey Skip! Skip!"

Really?

"Oh come on!"

Ok but Luz didn't really have the right to complain. She could tell he was just taking the piss. But even though she wasn't that invested in the film, she found herself annoyed at Malarkey for disturbing the peace.

The disturber of peace sat directly behind Peggy.

"Where you been, Skip?"

What Skip replied with, nothing could've prepared her for it. She had to slap a hand over her mouth to stop her laughing too loudly.

It wasn't even really that funny.

Maybe it was hysterics setting in?

"Well Don, I was at home in Tonawanda, but then Hitler started this whole thing, so now I'm here." Luz poked Peggy, and watched as she tried to breathe through whatever had just struck her. "How'd you do in the craps?"

Peggy didn't turn around as she removed her hand from her mouth, but heard what sounded like moving paper behind her.

"Here's the $60 I borrowed-"

"You're paying me back!?"

"And, to say thank you – thank you," there was more moving paper, "a tip!"

When Perconte swore, Peggy decided to turn around and ask them to at least be quieter. As she did, Lipton and Toye turned back around to tell them to be quiet – and rightly so. Malarkey then quietly explained that he had had six grand, but paused when he saw Peggy watching. He counted out some money and handed it to her – saying it was for their trip to Reims tomorrow.

"But I don't think you can spend American money in Fr-"

Donald Malarkey had the cheek to shush her.

She turned back around to sulk, and cuddled back up to Luz. She listened to Malark explain to Perco that he planned to spend what he had left in Paris as soon as possible as she laid her head on Luz's shoulder. He started mumbling about his favourite part coming up, even poked Lipton to tell him. She was sure Luz was doing it for a rise now and she poked his cheek.

"Got a penny?"

Peggy told him to be quiet, but he said it again, and again, each time more emphatic than the last until she was trying to beat him into being quiet. That smug smile on his face when the line was said in the film made her flick his ear as hard as possible. His soft ow made her smile a little smile when he turned to frown at her.

But not long after that the lights flicked on and men came marching in, ordering them to be quiet. That didn't happen, everyone was complaining, Peggy included.

"Quiet! I said quiet! Elements of the 1st and the 6th SS Panzer Divisions have broken through in Ardennes Forest. They've overrun the 28th Infantry and elements of the 4th. All officers, report to respective HQs. All passes are canceled." Oh she could've sobbed at that. Despite everything that had happened and dulled her senses, numbed her to the world, Peggy was really looking forward to her trip to Reims with her favourite chaotic three. They were going to go to little restaurants, and the guys had promised to take her to as many little bookshops as they could find to see if they could find copies of the books that made her smile. "Enlisted men, report to barracks and your platoon leaders."

And as quickly as they came, they left.

And soon paratroopers began filing out, and Peggy drifted along with them. She stopped in the aisle between chairs when she saw Buck sat, as if still watching, with Dick sat behind him looking at him. Dick met her eye, and told her he'd meet her outside in a moment as she walked towards and then passed him. She nodded, and turned back in the doorway once she reached it. She worried about Buck. But a final nod from Dick sent her on her way.

He'd deal with it.

He always did.

It was just like him.

Reliable.

A good man.

_

Sorry I've been so shit at updating this week, I'll try to get back to a regular schedule next week xx