Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ８９ － Ｓｕｎｎｙ／Ｓｉｎｉｓｔｅｒ】

Chapter 89 - Sunny/Sinister

When Peggy left after the briefing, Dick went to ask what happened. Only for Captain Speirs to beat him to the punch.

"What happened?"

Dick decided to take a step back on this one, let Ron handle it.

No one answered. Everyone looked uncomfortable.

"Sir...in all fairness she was provoked."

"Somebody tell me what happened!"

Martin didn't make to talk again, so Speirs turned to Lieutenant Jones. Speirs didn't need to demand a report, the look in his eye was enough.

"Private Cobb was drunk and provoked her."

"It was more than that sir," Grant decided to spill it, because he and Martin were the only two who really could. "Cobb deliberately antagonized her, implied she was whoring herself out to anyone who'd take her – basically taking a dig at Bill – and to top it all off, called her a Nazi Whore."

It was more to Captain Winters than Captain Speirs, because Dick would know exactly what it all meant.

Dick was looking over Cobb in an instant.

"You did what?!"

Cobb didn't speak. Just looked straight ahead, would not meet the Captain's eye.

"What on earth made you think you had the right?! I'm disgusted that one of my men, a member of Easy Company would even think of talking to a woman like that! Especially one such as Peggy, who has seen more war than you ever will and has suffered and sacrificed more than anyone in this room!"

Dick took a step back, only for Ronald Speirs to step right into where he'd been.

"She has done more for this company than you ever will. I will not have a member of my company talk to anyone like that. Expect disciplinary action in the morning, Private. You're dismissed."

Speirs glared as Cobb saluted and left.

"What did she do to him? Beat him with a table leg?"

Under normal circumstances, a comment like that would be light hearted and ellicit many laughs. But not today. And Dick wasn't expecting it to make the men laugh. Because this wasn't funny.

"No. She flew at him, sir. All of that damage was of her own hand. She managed to get him on the ground with her knee pressed to his throat, hence the light bruising there." Lieutenant Jones looked a little shaken just remembering. "If I may, sir, who is Bill?"

Dick decided he'd best take that one.

"Second's last Platoon Sergeant. Peggy was very close with him-"

"With all due respect sir that ain't the half of it. Peggy and Bill had it bad for each other, like real bad, I've never seen either of 'em so sweet on anyone before." Martin smacked Babe, who protested loudly. "What?! It's true ain't it, only took a few months o' moonin' after eachother."

Martin put a hand over his eyes and groaned.

"Heffron, we're trying to keep Peggy out of hot water not dunk her in it!"

Babe went white, but he couldn't very well take back what he said. However, Captain Ron Speirs finally understood something Peggy had said back in Rachamps. He'd found love too, having married a woman he'd met whilst stationed in Wiltshire, England. And he was glad that Peggy had found love, for he got the impression that she truly deserved it.

Apparently someone saw Cobb being dragged off by MPs. And apparently it was because he assaulted an officer. But that's the thing with those stories. Everyone says they heard it from someone who was there, so you can and ask them. But it turns out they weren't actually there and say they heard it from someone was there.

Peggy never did find out if any of it was true, if he really was dragged off, if he really did assault an officer or was that code for what he said to her?

But she didn't care enough to really pursue the rumours and whispers.

Instead she focussed on the fact that they were moving out. And she greeted Dick with a smile when she bumped into him. Then she frowned and he frowned not knowing why she was looking at him like that.

Something was different. What was it?

"What are those?" She pointed at his Oak Leaves.

"Oak Leaves. Just been promoted to Major," he smiled as she oooo-ed, "and Lipton is no longer an enlisted, he's a Lieutenant now, Ha-"

"Really?! Where is he? I need see him!"

Dick pouted playfully.

"Why didn't I get that reaction?"

"Yes yes well done you, you deserve it. Now where's Lip?"

He rolled his eyes but started guiding her over to where the officers were gathered waiting to leave. Dick couldn't help but smile as she skipped along.

"Welshy!"

Oh Welshy's smile, Peggy was almost certain if he smiled at the right people he held the power to end wars, or at the very least get away with anything. She broke out into a run when she saw Harry Welsh back from the hospital and practically threw herself at the officer.

"Hey now Peggy, I'm a married man-"

"Oh fuck off! I'm so glad you're okay," then she pulled away from him to get a good look at him. "Now don't you ever do something so stupid again! Don't think I won't find dear Kitty Grogan and tell her if you do!"

Hugging Harry one last time, Peggy whirled round to face Carwood Lipton.

"I s'pose I really should start calling you sir now, shouldn't I?"

"Oh no, I'm only a Lieutenant, don't go calling me sir yet."

He looked much better, sounded a lot less ill. Lip wasn't out of the woods yet, but it was a great relief to see him okay again.

Then Nixon asked how she was doing, and Peggy turned her beam to him.

"Wonderful Lewis. I made the mistake of going into the mess hall this morning, got trapped in there until I'd eaten. Floyd and George were threatenin' to pin me down...I guess they're really worried about me huh?" She started fidgeting then. Everyone seemed to be watching her. "I am trying, just eating is hard. But yeah, and Gene's been naggin' at me makin' sure my knuckles stay clean and dry. He didn't appreciate my joke about only reserving my punches for the arseholes. Just wonderful, Lewis. Lookin' forward to getting the fuck out of France. Oh! Lieutenant Jones! Where'd you think you're goin'? Second is back that away."

Jones froze for a minute, not expecting her whirlwind of verbal diarrhoea to become focussed on him.

"Uh, I got promoted to Regiment."

"Oh you did? That's wonderful, congratulations, you'll be great there! Thanks for lookin' after Second then, however brief it was. Heaven knows we needed it."

She waved as he left and everyone just wondered how the hell she was so happy today. They'd never seen her so joyous.

"Right, I'd better head back or I'll never get a seat! Lovely to see everyone this morning."

No one wanted the thought that she wouldn't have trouble finding a seat right now with so few...

"Peggy, if you have any more trouble, you let one of us know right away, okay?"

Hands clasped behind her back she stopped and turned back to face them.

"Oh Dick, I don't think anyone's ever gonna bother me again."

They shuddered at the chill and sinister tone her voice took on. But still her sunny smile did not falter and they began to worry.

And then she left.