Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ８７ － Ｐａｔｒｏｌ】

Chapter 87 - Patrol

Those going on the patrol prepared in what probably used to be the kitchen of OP-2. The men of Second Platoon had left Peggy to sleep. She needed it.

Though Malarkey wasn't on the patrol, he was there too, serving food. The men needed to eat.

"Nothing rattles, nothing shines, and no helmets."

Everyone knew that. It was the way it had to be. They could not be seen or heard approaching.

"You set for tonight?"

Malarkey was very grateful for the night off, it meant he could be there for Peggy.

"I'm ready."

"Those Krauts are gonna catch some hell."

There was a dull chatter about the room, it meant the room wasn't silent. It was only dull chatter as the men were aware of Peggy sleeping upstairs. They were all glad she was getting rest, and that she'd at least eaten something.

"So I hear. I'm not personally going in."

Malarkey hummed.

"It's Martin, right?"

"Martin and McClung," he nodded, "I'm supposed to stay at the rear, give them cover."

"It's the best place to be."

Malarkey went around the room, pouring cups of coffee for those that wanted it. It was already shaping up to be a long night.

"How long's the woman been with you, Peggy was it?"

"Just after D-Day."

Jones wasn't expecting Martin's clipped response. But he was glad for it. He wanted to know more about her.

"Why's she here?"

The men started exchanging looks, debating what to say and who would say it without a word. It was Shifty who piped up this time.

"Same as us. Just she's been at it a lot longer."

"But why not be with other Brits?"

Someone snorted, but Jones didn't know who. A few chuckles were added in too.

"It'd be too simple like that. Too easy to catch her. Like this the Gestapo wouldn't find her. She's headed to Germany. We're a safe and easy route in."

That didn't make sense to Jones. But he didn't think he'd get anymore. He could order them to tell him, though not only was he already unpopular but he figured that even if he ordered them they wouldn't say.

"What's she like?"

"The greatest-"

"Don't let Bill hear ya say that!"

Quiet laughter went round the room, and Jones was left more confused. Grant made no attempt to finish.

"Why isn't she eating?"

Ah, another question that made them all uncomfortable to share. Everyone seemed to just go back to preparing. Eventually Sergeant Malarkey answered.

"Guilt, I think, mostly. It got worse after the shellings on the 3rd and 10th of last month. We lost a lot of good guys. She was getting better in the run up to that though," a lot of the guys had stopped what they were doing, but everyone was listening. They'd all seen her improving when they would've expected her to decline. "Something we hadn't expected when we realised the anniversary of her dad's death was coming up. Babe, that's why she tried to smother you when you were sick, and why she's fussing over Lip." Babe nodded, when he'd heard she'd been fussing over Lip he had started joining the dots. "December was hard for all of us, but hardest on her."