Can't fall even harder (Band of brothers/Richard Winters)

IV. You're not as bad as I thought

Camp Toccoa, Geogia, first week of March 1944

"How are you?" She couldn't stop herself, she started crying non-stop, he looked at her and said: "Let's go talk somewhere more private okay?" Unable to talk she just looked him in the eyes and nodded.
He found a perfect spot where they could sit down and talk, he let her sit down first then he took her in his arms and started rocking back and forth to calm her. She was crying her eyes out, she couldn't stop, but when she felt his arm around her and his heartbeat, she started calming.

After a while, as she was able to talk she told him everything, the letters of her parents, the rage that overcame her and the sadness that she was feeling. Hearing her words He felt sorrowful, he hated to see her like that, so hurt by people surrounding her. He wanted to take away all her pain and make her happy.
"Isabelle" he whispered catching the girl's attention, she was still in his embrace but she lifts up her eyes to look at him: "Listen, honey, there's nothing to worry about, Bill eventually will stop mocking you, remember that you are his medic, he as to. Your parents can't force you to go back home if you don't want to, I won't let that happen, I'll help you write the letter if you want, I just want you to be happy", she felt a surge of love rising from her stomach, her heart was beating faster, her eyes were drowning in his, he was holding his breath, unable to was thinking.

Her mind was running a mile per minute, trying to stop her heart from jumping out of his chest, she didn't notice that she started crying. He felt really scared, did he make her cry? "Isabelle is everything alright?". Hearing his voice she woke up from her trance, she dried her tears and answered: "Yeah, Yeah, it's all fine, thank you, I would love if you could to help me; but if you don't want to..." she looked at the floor, preoccupied for a no. "Don't worry, I was the one proposing the idea."

He helped her writing a strong letter to his parents, she said all the things that she had never said to them. He was happy, happy that she let him help her doing something so private, happy that she had trusted him, happy because has she was writing her feelings down she was starting to feel better and as they finish it was time to go to lectures.
"Thank you, Dick, I really appreciated your help. It was nice of you to help me through this", she said. Then she did something that neither of them would ever forget, standing on her tip-toes she put her hands on his shoulders and she kissed him on the cheek. Richard's heartbeat was so fast that he feared that Isabelle heard it, he was shocked, it was like he had imagined it. She was happy, but she knew she had to go so she saluted him and went away, leaving him speechless.

The week went away fast, this was the first of three weekends she had her pass revoked, Richard asked her if he wanted him to stay with her, but Sobel said that she and Bill were doing exercise so she had to decline his offer. They woke up at 7 a.m. and they did a total of four hours of exercise between Currahees, run, and push-ups. They were wasted, she couldn't move her legs nor her arms. After lunch, they had to clean all the barracks they could. That day was dreadfull, but she didn't have to speak to Bill so she couldn't complain. At 9 p.m she crashed on her bed and fell asleep, knowing well that from tomorrow till next week she will have to clean the bathrooms.

When Isabelle told Richard and Lewis what she had to do they were shocked that she and Bill were still alive and happy that they didn't have to do it. "From today I'll have to clean the bathrooms" she started "And you know what is the problem?" she asked rhetorically, "No Isabelle we don't know, enlight us," Lew said ironically, "That I'll have to stay in the same room as Bill! For more than five seconds, alone an entire like an hour or more... ug,h I hate it". "But you started the fight remember?" "Richard Winters do you want to have children? If yes then shut up or you won't be able". Lew started laughing at the red face that his friend made, he was so embarrassed, but Isabelle didn't seem to notice.
"Anyways, How was your weekend?", like that they started talking, then the day rolled on so fast that before she knew it she had to go cleaning.

She was outside the warehouse, taking all the stuff she needed. "Cooper, I assume that you are a really good housewife, why don't you clean and I go to sleep?" she sighed, she was trying to stay calm and don't punch him but he made it so difficult "Listen Gonhorea, come here and take your things or I'll castrate you". he went over to her, took all the supplies and went to the bathroom.

After thirty minutes they were cleaning Bill cut his hand with a piece of glass that fell out from a broken window. "Goddamn, Why the fuck there is a broken window, Fuck I'm bleeding" Having heard him, she ran as fast as she could from the toilets to the showers, she saw him kneeled on the ground, he was trying to stop the bleeding, he was visibly I pain. She went near him, "Stop, if you do this it will get worst, come with me" She took his hand and she put pressure on the wound while trying to arrive at the aid station. When they arrived she medicate the cut. "Ah, it hurts" "I know but you have to clean the wound so you won't get infections". He started looking at her, so observant on his cut like it was mater of life. He felt sorry, remembering all the times that he mocked her or let her feel insignificant, he felt bad, really bad. In the silence of the room, the only noise was Isabelle cutting the gauze he spoke:

"I'm sorry"

She looked up at him trying to catch his glance

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you this past year, I should've never done that, if I could I would stop myself from saying all the hurtful things I've said to you. I know that my apologies are nothing like the hell that I put you through, but please forgive me I'm really sorry."
He looked up at her, waiting for her answer sure ht she will never forgive him.
She finished his medication, She looked up t him and said

"I forgive you Bill Ghonorrea, I forgive you."

He was shaken, "How can you forgive me after all the bad things I did to you?"
"You know with all the bad things that are happening out there, I think that is better if we try to be kinder and more generous, I've never hated you nor before nor now. Don't worry I got your back"
He laughed, a laugh that expressed all his regret. She hugged him, he hugged her back.

"See in the end you're not as bad as I thought" she said still hugging his new friend.

Yes my readers, because that is going to be the start of a damn good friendship