Women of War - A Band of Brothers Story

Keep Moving

A/N: Hello everyone! Jeesh, I am so sorry for just dropping off the face of the Earth for a month. I wanted to update this story two weeks ago, but then I blinked and suddenly, it's July. At least I'm no longer working from home (Hallelujah!).

Please let me know how you liked the chapter. I jump back and forth between perspectives quite a bit, so I apologise in advance if that is confusing.

The barrage in the night of 9 – 10 January hit everyone hard. Especially Malarkey. Within the span of a week, he'd lost 5 of his best friends. Two of them were dead. Muck and Penkala had been killed by a direct hit to their foxhole, the only recognisable thing left being half of Skip's rosary.

Malarkey was devastated and though he declined the offer to go and work as Winters' runner for a few days back at battalion, he openly expressed his gratitude and relief when Maxine told him a day later that Lipton would act as platoon sergeant for 2nd platoon, at least for a little while.

"Hell, Max, between you and Lip, we might actually stand a chance when we go into Foy", he said. It was the first time he'd made a joke since hearing the news of Skip and Alex's deaths and while it fell somewhat flat, Maxine chuckled.

"Well", she responded with the intimation of a curtsy, "I aim to please."

The smile he gave her was small and dim and didn't quite reach his eyes, but she was glad to see it nonetheless.

***

Two days later, Dog Company welcomed back its only female member. After getting shot in the leg by a lone, lost German soldier, Esther had spent two weeks in hospital before deciding that she'd done enough lying around and being pampered while her friends were dying in the snow.

A stern nurse had intercepted her when she'd tried to sneak out in the middle of the night, but faced with one determined Esther Bowman, she soon let the still limping paratrooper have her way. Esther had argued her way out of the hospital and onto a transport. When the transport reached regimental headquarters of the 506 PIR, she once more argued her way onto a jeep going out to the front lines and at the battalion CP, she argued a runner into pointing her towards her company.

"Afternoon, gents", she greeted her friends with a grin, ignoring how many familiar faces weren't there anymore. "Miss me?"

"The fuck are you doing here, Bowman?", Lipinski hollered, clambering from his foxhole to shake her hand.

Kapopoulos clapped her on the back and told the replacements that were looking on in confusion: "She got shot in the leg before Christmas. Jessup from F Company had to haul her all the way to Easy's CP."

"Aw, thanks for making me sound like the laziest piece of dead weight, Steve."

"Anything for you, Esther."

She smirked. "Except help me with my webbing before a drop."

Those that had jumped into Holland during Market Garden laughed and Kapopoulos shrugged in a 'what's a guy to do?' sort of way, snickering over what had by now become a running joke between the two of them.

Sergeant Caracea eventually broke up the welcoming party, shooing the cheered-up soldiers back to their positions. "Good to have you back."

"Thanks, Sarge."

"Are you sure you should be back, though?", he asked, eyeing the way she favoured her left leg.

Esther nodded resolutely. "Yes sir. It won't be a problem. I swear."

He accepted it after a moment of scrutinising her, sending her to share a foxhole with Gnazzo. "Don't get too comfortable, though", he advised. "We're moving against Foy in a day or so."