Pitschen ma en gamba - Small, but powerful [A Band of Brothers Story]

Jump or no jump

They didn't make the jump. Or the next. Or the one after that.

Each time they were geared up and almost in the plane, Patton or one of the other Allies overran their drop zone, accomplishing the mission. On one hand, everybody was glad. On the other, they were starting to get annoyed by this constant back and forth between getting ready for the drop and going back to training.

Ella was one of the few people who didn't seem bothered by the strange sort of limbo they lived in. She continued to work with the new medics, improving their ability to function under pressure.

She and her colleagues trained with the rest of the men and helped at the aid-station. Most of the injuries they tended to there came from bar fights or accidents. They patched up the men's scrapes, chided them for being reckless, careless, stupid or all three, and sent them on their way.

In their free time, Ella and Gene still liked to go to the library, but they had also taken to going on leisurely strolls through the fields around Aldbourne. Sometimes, the girl went on her own, sometimes her friend joined her. They would enjoy the peace and silence of nature, dwell on their thoughts or talk about everybody and his dog.

The brunette somehow found time to talk to everyone in the company, getting to know the replacements and strengthening her bonds with the original Toccoa men. She gathered gossip, joked and laughed with them, listened to them complaining, calmed them down and cheered them up when they were frustrated.

The men, replacements and veterans, enlisted and officers alike appreciated the young medic, her unwavering altruism and her cheerful, genuine personality.

***

Her friends, especially Luz, Guarnere and Toye, dragged their girl to the pub with them. Not that she put up much of a fight. Ella loved spending time with the boys and so she found herself walking down the street with Toye one night, wearing her dress greens and laughing at the story he was telling.

While she still had the female version of her uniform, she hadn't worn it at all. Every time dress uniforms were required, the girl showed up in pants and jump boots just like the guys.

She had told Lt Col Strayer point-blank that she wouldn't wear a skirt just because she was a woman when he had inquired about it. She would decide for herself when and if she dressed in the women's uniform.
The good colonel had graciously accepted it and simply cautioned her that the higher-ups might have more conservative views on that topic. Ella had assured him she would take it into consideration if they ever got high-ranking visitors.

"Hey, Shorty, you made it!", Luz cried as she entered the pub with Toye.

She smiled and let him throw an arm around her neck. Chattering animatedly, the man steered her towards the bar, ordering a beer for himself and a club soda for Ella.

"Still don't know why you don't drink", he commented, handing her the glass.

The small medic shrugged. "Guess I just don't like the taste of alcohol", she said, taking a sip of her drink. Some of the soldiers saw it as a sign of weakness when somebody didn't drink.

"Eh, who cares anyway?", Luz stated, knowing what was going through her head, "you don't drink, so what? We still love you, Shorty." That earned him a bashful grin. He clapped her on the shoulder and they went to see where Toye had gone off to.

Ella stopped at several tables, exchanging greetings with the boys, sometimes lingering for a quick chat. She yet again marvelled at how happy and excited the men were to see her, still not entirely used to having so many friends.