Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ７６ － Ｃｈｒｉｓｔｍａｓ】

Chapter 76 - Christmas

This was not where she imagined spending Christmas Eve a few weeks ago, in a frozen hole, staring out across a clearing, waiting for whatever was coming at them to come at them.

The silence erupted into chaos, but she must've blacked out. Peggy didn't remember any of what happened. The next thing she knew was someone passing her food and a scarf around her neck. It was warm. Looking around, a little dazed, she noticed red initials at one end of the scarf. Alex Penkala.

"What happened?"

Penk stood beside her.

"Oh, you're back. It was like you switched off earlier, you were firin' but just not there."

"Have your sc-"

Peggy started to unwrap it from her neck, only for Penkala to pull her hand away.

"Oh no you don't, you're so pale you look dead. Now eat up."

Mindlessly she nodded and slowly started to eat.

"We lose anyone?"

She started eating again, only blinking when he said Smokey was hit, paralysed.

It was as if she hadn't heard. But she had. She liked Smokey, made her smile. Now, she'd never see him again. A jeep drew her from it, from all of it. Oh, him.

"I was sitting down to a Christmas Eve dinner of turkey and hooch back at Division CP. I'll be damned if I don't like Old Joe Domingus' rancid-ass beans better." Was that what she was eating? "Hello, Easy Company." Everyone greeted Colonel Sink, even Peggy. She just parroted back like everyone else. She was towards the back, so didn't hear what Dick had said, but it didn't really matter. "Men! General McAuliffe wishes us all a Merry Christmas. What's merry about all this, you ask? Just this: we've stopped cold everything that's been thrown at us – from the North, East, South and West." That was true. Despite all the gaps in their line, nothing significant had gotten through. Nothing had beaten them. "Now, two days ago, the German commander demanded our honorable surrender to save the U.S.A. encircled troops from total annihilation. The German commander received the following reply. 'To the German commander: Nuts!" This made everyone laugh. Quite a response. "We're giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms we are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to y'all and God bless you."

It brought some much needed cheer. A warmth to their hearts that was so desperately needed.

Alex Penkala made it better.

"Keep it. Merry Christmas, Peggy."

When was the last time she really celebrated Christmas? The last Christmas with Ripley. Ten years ago.

"Merry Christmas Alex."

Their shared smiles drew Bill to them, and he sat beside Peggy, bringing her to his side.

"What's got ya all lit up like a Christmas tree?"

Her small smile grew, and she turned in his hold to show the end of the scarf.

"Penk won't take his scarf back."

"Doll, ya can't go giving back your presents."

She smiled as she reached into her pocket and guys began to drift to sit with them. Pulling out Skip's lighter, Peggy smirked.

"So I can't give this back?"

He scowled at her and snatched it from her hands to read what was written. After that, he chucked it at Skip, ignoring her protests.