A Soldier of No Importance [ Band of Brothers ] 1

THIRTEEN

Malarkey and Muck came back from breakfast first. They slipped into the barracks quietly. Both of them looked at George in surprise where he sat reading one of his letters, Alice asleep at his side. Gene got up and walked over.

"How is she?" Muck asked.

Gene shrugged. "She talked a little. Not about what spooked her though." Crossing his arms over his chest, he sighed. "The morphine's still in her system. That's why she fell asleep again."

"Lieutenants Nixon and Winters wanted to know how she's doing," said Malarkey.

"What'd you say?"

Muck scoffed. "Oh, you know, that she had a complete break down and woke us all up?"

Giving a tiny laugh, Malarkey shook his head. "We told them to talk to you."

"Right." Glancing back over his shoulder, he frowned. Then he just shook his head. "Her cut is healin' well. I have a feelin' that was part of the problem."

The door opened. Guarnere and Toye came in. The former laughed when he saw George with Alice. But they joined Gene, Malarkey, and Muck near the door quietly.

"Lieutenant Nixon was getting on my ass about her," Guarnere said. 

With a nod, Gene said he'd talk to them. They stood in silence. Then Gene had an idea. He smiled.

"You all want to help?"

"With what?"

"Bringing her spirits up." Gene glanced back over to George who smiled. Then he turned to the small group. "We all get letters. She doesn't. It's been months and the only thing she's got told her her family'd all been killed."

"You want us to write her letters?" Toye looked skeptical. He shuffled his feet.

The others matched his expression. But Gene folded his arms. He gestured to her. "It ain't that hard. Pretend she's your sister. Would you want your sister to suffer alone like this."

Joe groaned. "Fucking hell." But he nodded. "Where you gonna get us enough paper?"

"Leave that to me. You just go find anyone else who is willin' to do this." He pushed the men out the door, leaving Muck behind with George.

Gene strode across the grounds. Mostly deserted, he easily caught sight of the lieutenants he looked for. They were sitting at a picnic table. Nixon cracked up over something, and he had his trusty flask in his hands.

Gene saluted when he came to their table. "Lieutenants."

"Private, how's Lieutenant Klein?" Dick returned the salute.

"She's doin' ok sir. The cut's healing nicely." He hesitated.

Nixon stopped his chuckling. "But?"

"Sirs, she's missin' her family. I, uh, assume you know what happened with them?" When they both nodded, he shuffled his feet again. Then he continued. "Sirs, some of the guys are goin' to write her letters, since she doesn't get them. If you'd like to, I'm sure she'd appreciate it from you. Sirs."

Dick nodded slowly. "That's a good idea."

With a nod, Nixon got up. He told Dick he'd be right back. "Come on. The PX has paper. I gotta buy some anyways."

Eugene followed Nixon through camp. The PX store sat on the far end. They passed a few Easy Company officers, and some from Able Company who'd lost their weekend passes as well. As they walked, Nixon turned to Gene.

"Someone told me you were all up this morning way before you were supposed to be." He took a drink of his flask. "What happened?"

"Sir?"