We Happy Few/// Band of Brothers fanfiction

Chapter 16: Going AWOL to Hagenau

-

At the Hospital

-

"What's got you up so early?" Joe asked the girl standing nervously in the window. She held her smoke loosely between her two fingers while the rest of her hand was clenching so tightly, it felt like her cracked, dry skin was about to tear away from her hand any second now.

"Nothing." she mumbled before bringing the half burnt out cigarette to her lips for another inhale.

"Really, because you've been standing in that window since the moment you rolled out of bed." he said, shuffling the cards in front of him before looking up the girl fondly. "You wanna tell me what's going on or do I have to get the nurse to tell me once you disappear." His final statement had cut through her like a sword. She hadn't told him she was going AWOL. Every time she thought about it, she felt more compelled to stay in the hospital with him until both of them could go AWOL, but knowing the difference in their conditions, she was bound to get released sooner than he was. It was just her shoulder after all.

"I'm bound to get released before you, Joe." she said, letting the smoke out of her lungs before turning to the man in the cot. "It's better to go now before the company gets too far away and I can't catch up. " she told him, snuffing out her smoke and setting it in the small ash tray on the window sill.

"Yeah, I know." he said sadly, looking down at the cards in his hands. "I know how much you want to go back because you know I'll be safe here and you won't have to worry about me." he stated. Gabriella had spoken with the nurse a couple times when she thought Joe was sleeping. In reality, he heard everything. "You're more willing to die fighting than most of the men in that company." he told her with a grin. "I don't know if I should adore that about you or call you crazy." he chuckled, shoving the cards back into the paper box they came in.

"Why not both." she joked before sitting down on the side of the cot, careful to move his bandaged leg.

"Yeah, both is good." he chuckled as he leaned over to set the pack of cards on he dresser before sitting back up and facing the woman in front of him. "You know, I'm gonna miss you when you leave me here, all on my lonesome." he told her, but not in a quilt tripping kind of way.

"You won't be alone for very long." she told him, knowing he was unaware of the plan she made. "I made a plan with the nurse. When Skip and Penk get out of critical care, they'll be wheeled up here and you three get some good ol' Toccoa company." she told him proudly. "I would never go AWOL if it meant I was leaving you behind completely alone." she added, taking his hand in hers. "If Skip and Penk weren't here, I would no doubt stay until they kicked me out of here." When she finished talking, she couldn't help but crack a small grin, to which Joe had matched.

"You really do spoil us don't you." he said, mocking Bill's words from the hotel in Paris and causing her to laugh a bit.

"Just looking out for my own." she stated. She didn't think many of the things that had happened would actually happen when she first accept the offer to join the Airborne. But one thing that stood out the most was she didn't think she would end up with a family like this, or end up knowing someone as amazing as Joe. She trusted him with her life and she was sure he felt the same, at least about trusting her with his life. Without thinking, Joe brought his hand up to move a piece of loose hair out of her face. She has had mud, blood and so many other things covering her face that a piece of hair fallen out of place hardly fazed her anymore. And in a brief moment, his hand held the side of her face, similar to how her late husband had the night he proposed they get married as soon as they could. Gabriella hadn't hesitated to make the first move. Similar to the feelings, her kiss with Joe had been nothing like any kiss she had with her previous beau. And when they parted, Gabriella noticed Joe was more upset than he was before the kiss.