Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ８２ － Ｃｈｕｒｃｈ】

Chapter 82 - Church

She didn't know what the plan was.

In fact, Peggy wasn't sure anyone knew the plan.

Unfortunately, Dike didn't seem to know the plan.

So Easy Company was exposed, and scattered, pinned down by a sniper, finding whatever cover they could because there was no fucking plan!

Webb fucking died because there was no plan! Everyone man that died that day, their blood was on Dike's hands because he was incompetent.

Then someone, probably Dike, was shouting about falling back. Perconte got shot in the arse, and Peggy was pissed off.

Not scared.

No.

She didn't care enough about herself to be scared at the moment. But she could see how shit this assault was going.

And then finally something was happening, a Captain she didn't recognise was leading them into Foy, the sniper had grenades and mortars thrown at him until he wasn't shooting anymore. She'd follow him over Dike any day.

But that wasn't even the good bit.

No.

The good bit was when he fucking sprinted across the town to hook up with I company.

She openly gaped.

But the best bit, the most extraordinary bit...

He came back!

He ran through enemy fire, twice.

It was so good to have finally made it into Foy. They'd been sitting staring at it for a month. People were singing, there might've even been a camera. Over a hundred prisoners too!

Of course a fucking sniper had to ruin it.

But Darrell "Shifty" Powers, Guardian Angel, dealt with him before anyone else could die. Honestly, Peggy had never seen him miss. It made her think Lipton's don't miss Shifty was unnecessary.

Perconte was already bragging about his wound because he was a twat, but she loved him all the same. Everyone did.

"Perco, you better head back at the earliest opportunity, or so help me I will find you-"

"And you'll kill me."

"No. No, I'll drag you back myself."

He grinned, and said that might just've been the scariest threat she'd made. A comment which led to much indignation.

Men started to relax, and there was a great hope that they'd be taken off the line, to finish their R&R. Everyone was assuming they'd head back to Mourmelon-le-grande, but Peggy wasn't sure she wanted to go back there, not just yet, she wasn't ready. But rest didn't come to them that day. They moved through and took Noville, and then a few days later, Rachamps.

When night came, Easy Company finally got their respite.

Then men filed into the Convent, whilst Peggy found a way to slip to the back of the line. She didn't want to go in there.

She'd never been in a church. And she didn't think she deserved it anyway. Besides, someone had to watch.

Wandering away from the door, Peggy lit herself a cigarette, taking a minute to stare at the flame from Skip's lighter. It was cold in her hands, which meant they were no longer numb. That was good, she supposed. After running her thumb over the engravings, she clicked it shut and tucked it back into her pocket. She decided to find a high point, where she could see the trees from whence they had come. Because someone had to watch.