Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ７８ － １９４５ （Ｉ ｌｏｖｅ ｙｏｕ， Ｉ ｄｏ）】

Chapter 78 - 1945 (I love you, I do)

She never did stray far from Bill that day, especially when Toye got sent to the Aid Station. They helped each other along, each missing Joe as much as the other did.

Peggy spent New Year's Eve tucked up with Bill. She wanted to go into the New Year feeling safe and warm...she wanted to spend it with him. Though she couldn't explain why. He was just special. Always had been. Even when he was a massive bitch back in Aldbourne, she still remembered dancing with him was like dancing with no other - and E Company was home to some cracking dancers.

As the sun set and others headed to their own foxholes, Bill Guarnere and Peggy Watkins continued to talk. With their heads bowed in towards the other, their words were nothing but murmurs to anyone passing by. He had his arm around her, and she felt a peace she never thought she'd find amongst those trees.

They talked about a lot of things, about homes they wished to go back to, lives long past, the people their life wasn't the same without.

Peggy knew that, just like every other member of the company, her life would forever be changed by Easy Company and its members.

"You guys are my family now. Nothing's gonna change that. Ain't no getting away from me now," she laughed a little, and Bill hurriedly shushed her. But it was all good natured.

"Oh god, what're we gonna do? I bet ya a pack of smokes that you'll stowaway on the ship back."

Peggy looked to the sky, staring into the haunting dark.

"I don't know. I think you'd lose those cigarettes. I'm thinking I'll just go home after this, for a bit. See Ripley again, get the girls back." When he didn't respond, Peggy turned to look at him. In the dark she saw confusion etched all over his face. "With Ripley back we'll be able to get the farm back to what it was. We'll have cows again, and can go back to providing the village with milk and cheese again. The house will smell beautiful again, especially at Christmas."

She sighed, and watched how her breath clouded in the chill air. He could see she was sad. And he figured it had something to do with returning the farm to its former glory without her dad. So he decided to tell her something he'd begun to think about in Eindhoven, and then promised himself back in Mourmelon-le-Grand.

"I'm gonna make it all right, someday. I don't know when Peg, but I'm tellin' ya, I'm gonna make everything okay for ya. I'll do it. I'll do whatever I have to do, I'll keep ya safe, I'll punch your ma if you'd like - after you've got a few good hits in there first of course, ladies first. I'll even help ya weed your damn garden before I go home. Whatever ya want, I'll do it."

She leaned into his side a bit more as they looked out over the clearing. It was snowing again, but despite everything, it looked so beautiful and serene.

"You don't have to do anything. Just take me dancing when this is over. In fact we should all go. It could be me versus all of Easy Company, see who tires first. I'll happily accept bets. If you get me pissed enough I bet I could go all night. You'd get to see me in a dress! Looking like an actual woman-"

"I've seen ya in a dress, doll. Looked stunnin', had half the guys, includin' me, swoonin'."

Squirming at the compliment, Peggy could do nothing as Bill pulled her closer to his side. But she didn't want to do anything.

"Oh, speaking of being a woman, I have to ask, you haven't noticed me bleeding have you?" He spluttered a little bit, and looked thoroughly confused. However, after a while he gave up trying to speak and shook his head no. "Oh thank god, it means my uterus has been kind this month."