Humanity of the Broken [ Band of Brothers ] 2

THIRTY-EIGHT

Alice could not sleep. No matter how hard she tried to tell herself to just lay in the bed, close her eyes, and drift off, she couldn't. The bottle of champagne completely out of her system, now all Alice could do was feel the buzz of excitement remembering kissing Nix. And as much as she hated feeling like a lovesick adolescent, she did.

After a huge yawn, she threw the covers off and swung her legs off the bed. They'd quickly had to stifle any sort of further romantic actions when Dick had joined them with Talbert. Not that Dick couldn't handle the sight of his two friends kissing, but he did not need that added stress. The less he knew the better. And while they were sure he'd suspect it before long, he wouldn't be required to report suspected behavior to Sink.

She leaned over to the side table and flipped on the lamp. Her eyes squeezed shut against the sudden light. Figuring it would be poor form to walk around the entrance level of the hotel in just her shorts that were as short as the ones from PT in Toccoa, she begrudgingly pulled on her pants. Throwing her tan shirt on, she didn't bother to button it over her tank top.

Her boots made her footfalls louder than she'd have liked as she snuck out into the hall of the second level. Pulling the door closed as quietly as he could, Alice pocketed the key and moved to the stairs. When she reached the lounge, it didn't surprise her to find a couple of the men on guard at the front door. It did surprise her, though, to find it was Perco and Malarkey, with George standing between them smoking a cigarette.

"You guys took an early shift," she said. When they all turned to her in surprise, she just smiled and joined them. "Figured you'd stick the replacements with the bad shifts."

Perco snorted. "Yeah, we did. Until Lip got word of it and told Tab he had to spread it equally."

The laughter escaped from her before she could suppress it. Malarkey and Perconte both glared at her. But George just looked at her more closely and shook his head. "You look happy."

"We just captured the Kehlsteinhaus, of course I'm happy," she pointed out. "Why, are you sad?"

George scoffed. He passed her a cigarette which she took gladly. "It's only that? Nothing else?"

"Like what?" Alice forced herself to remain neutral, unaffected. But based on the smirk growing on George's face, he saw right through her.

"I don't know, you and Cap'n Nixon been spending a lot of time together."

Alice rolled her eyes and huffed. She ignored the snickering of Perco and Malark and instead just shook her head. "Ok, even if there was something going on which is entirely hypothetical, why would I tell you, George?"

"Cause I'm your best friend," he quipped.

"Really?" She smirked as well. "I don't know." Alice threw her arm around Perconte's shoulders. With a win smile, she looked between him and George. "I think I like Frank more."

"Thanks," Perco said. "It'd mean more if ya meant it, though."

Malarkey and George started cracking up as he shoved her off. With a huff, she removed her arm. She rolled her eyes. "I'm going to take a walk."

"Hey! Not by yourself," protested George.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't walk with me to pester me."

But Malarkey jumped in. "You can't go by yourself."

"Yeah, I'll come." George saw her ready to object, but he cut her off. The look he sent her was devoid of any humor. "Listen, lot 'a the guys have been drinking. You're not walkin' around by yourself."

For a moment she just looked at him, and then between Perconte and Malarkey. They looked just as serious. It touched her, their concern. So she just nodded. "Right. Ok."