Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ８６ － Ｋｉｐ】

Chapter 86 - Kip

Peggy followed Dick into the briefing at 1700, choosing to lean on the doorframe rather than actually enter the room. It left her standing beside Lieutenant Jones. He said nothing but she felt him staring. But she did not look at him, no, she gave her full attention to the briefing.

Prisoner snatch. 0100. 4 boats to get across in, rifle grenades, time delay explosives to destroy the outpost, whistles to let Battalion know they were back in the boats. Lieutenant Jones was the officer going, but only to observe. Johnny Martin was leading in place of Malark.

The guys kept looking at her throughout.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not going, just nosy."

Everyone knew what that meant. Everyone knew what that meant except Jones. She was worried and wanted to know exactly what was going to happen. Peggy was highly protective of her family, and if she thought something was going wrong she'd probably swim the river to get to them. In fact, she would definitely swim the river.

Their smiles told her everything.

The assault team was McClung, Sisk, Cobb, Garcia and Webster, as well as Martin of course. Everyone else was with Grant.

And then it was over. Dick left, and Jones was still staring.

"Peggy ya need t' eat. Ya haven't eaten yet today."

"And what makes you think that Babe?"

She hadn't meant to get so defensive.

"No one's seen you eat Princess, and you've still got the half of the Hershey Bar in your pocket from this morning."

Liebgott too? Maybe she wasn't as good at hiding this as she thought.

"Y'know, if Bill thought even for one second that we weren't looking after you, he'd walk out of that hospital, swim the channel and get himself here to kick our asses. So eat something tonight, and take advantage of the beds."

Her hands shook as she lit a cigarette, it was better than trying to speak. Her voice would surely wobble. After a few drags she felt steady enough to talk.

"C'mon. We should all get a couple hours kip, you boys got an early start tomorrow." They stared at her blankly. "Kip? Sleep? How have you never heard Kip before?"

Everyone was laughing and shaking their heads as they filed out and swept her with them. It was a nice atmosphere. Yeah, they'd look after her. They'd keep her safe. They were safe.

Once outside, she left the group to go straight to OP-2. Peggy was so tired. As she practically scurried down the road she pulled out the chocolate and smelled it. It did smell good, and her stomach growled in agreement. Liebgott caught up to her just as she reached her destination. He was off the patrol, instead he was supervising the street squads.

Sat on her bed, she pulled off her boots before curling up onto it with the half bar. Joe watched from the corner of his eye as she broke off a square and ate it. He couldn't help but laugh at her groan.

"That's what you've been missing out on Princess." Her cheeks flushed, and went to put the chocolate away. "Oh no, you're gonna eat all of that, and then you're gonna eat my half, then you and I are gonna sleep for a few hours." He grinned when she nodded shyly and started eating her chocolate. From across the room he threw his half at her and she caught it. And ate it and then slept.

She needed it.

When the guys came in talking, they were all shushed immediately by Joe, who then pointed at the quietly curled up form of Peggy. She looked more human than she had for months. Some colour had returned to her face and she was smiling softly in her sleep, all snuggled up in the thin blankets. Everyone quietly climbed into their bunks for a few hours of sleep.

She woke up with a start, gasping for air, not knowing where she was. It was dark. There were voices downstairs. So she crept from her bunk, boots in hand, towards the noise.

The patrol group were downstairs getting ready for the patrol. They still had a few hours by Peggy's watch. All conversation stopped when they saw her in the doorway, boots dangling by her laces.

"Hey Peg, you reckon you could eat?"

She saw Malarkey with what looked to be a saucepan. And she found she didn't mind him calling her Peg. It was a surprise, but not a bad one.

To answer his question, she nodded and came into the room.

_

A short one because Peggy is asleep, next chapter is about what happens when she was asleep.