Women of War - A Band of Brothers Story

Regrouping and Heading Out

A/N: Hello everybody! So, I survived the last exam of the semester. French grammar, brrr... I wonder what possessed me to pick that course. Well, the exam went okayish, I guess? My reactions to the questions ranged from "easy, no problem" to "fuuuuck", so it's hard to say...

On another note: There won't be an update next week because I'll be on holiday :) But I can post another chapter this Sunday if you like.

Lieutenant Winters sighed as he read through the updated company roster. Nixon was reading over his shoulder while Welsh was peering at the document from the side. Across from them, officers from Dog and Fox Company were mirroring them, going over their own lists of names.

Throughout D-Day plus one, soldiers had made their way to HQ and their companies, all of them glad to be back among friends. Unfortunately, they also brought reports of casualties. And there were many of them. To everyone's worry and consternation, the whereabouts of Lt Meehan, Easy's CO, were still unknown.

A sudden dull roar of cheers and hollers made the officers look up. It seemed as if another group of 'prodigal sons' had returned.

"Who is it?", Welsh wondered.

They didn't have to wait long to find out. Eventually, the crowd of soldiers that had gathered to greet the newcomers parted to reveal a group of four. Their faces were smudged with dirt and the remnants of camouflage paint and they looked exhausted, but there were smiles on their faces as the four headed towards the officers.

"That's Leelan and MacDowell in the back", said First Lieutenant John Kelly from Dog Company, recognising two of the figures as men from his platoon.

First Lieutenant Thomas Rhodes allowed himself a small smile as he recognised one of them as a member of Fox Company. "I'll be damned", he muttered, sounding utterly pleased. "Audrey Maynard."

"And Frances Shea", Nixon identified the last member of the little unit, happy to see another of Easy's women alive and well.

***

The four came to a stop in front of the officers and saluted, reporting for duty before dropping the formality and exchanging greetings.

"Good to see you, sirs", Frances said with a tired, but sincere grin as she shook Welsh's hand.

"And you, Shea", Winters replied.

She nodded. "Thanks." Then, she turned serious, the smile fading from her eyes. Addressing Winters, she spoke: "Sir, Irene, uh, Sergeant McKinsey was killed. She...was shot down on the jump."

Frances shuddered unconsciously as the memory rose before her inner eye. She hadn't seen it clearly – and was actually quite glad about it – but the sounds were still echoing in her ears. It was almost as if somebody had turned down the volume on the noise of the battle because she had heard it so clearly.

The first bullet hitting Irene's body. Her cry of pain. A volley shredding her chute. The aborted scream when she tried to keep quiet. And then the horrible, horrible silence after she'd disappeared from view.

"Thank you, Frances." The kind, sombre voice of her platoon leader pulled her from her thoughts. "Go join your squad", he added.

She nodded, offering a small smile. "Yes sir."

Watching her go, Nixon muttered: "So...that leaves four unaccounted for." He tallied them up on his fingers. "Arricante, Griffith, Preston and Vaughn."