Catch Her If You Can | Band of Brothers

XI. May 6th, 1943. Kentucky.

May 6th, 1943. Kentucky.

Captain Sobel's foul mood hadn't tempered in the months since the 506th had been at Camp Mackall. In fact, it had only worsened.

Every mistake that was made, everything that went wrong - none of it was ever his fault. He always pushed the blame back onto his men, punishing them for things they didn't do. Footlockers were upturned, barracks ransacked, and attitudes ruined for weeks at a time. Georgia, of course, stood and watched from the sidelines. She'd signed up for the long game, after all.

However, there were no barracks to upend in the Kentucky mountains where the regiment was currently participating in a two-month-long combat exercise. With a sigh, Georgia tried her best to fluff up her greasy hair. These damned hills were not preferential to her sense of style and personal hygiene, that was for sure. She'd been spending the past week with 2nd Battalion, after being with 1st Battalion upon their arrival in the Kentucky foothills. Her main job was to ensure that battalion and company level intelligence officers knew what they were doing and that they could handle taking orders from her.

Georgia heard movement in the bushes behind her, and she whirled around with her .45 at the ready.

"Hey!" exclaimed Dick, "It's only me."

Lowering her pistol, Georgia rolled her eyes. "Jesus Christ, you scared me. You need to announce yourself, give a girl a minute or so to make herself presentable."

With a sarcastic nod, Dick jumped down into Georgia's foxhole. Hey looked around the small space, then back out at the southern countryside.

"Nice place you've got here," he said.

"I think she'd prefer the Ritz Carlton, Dick," Lew said as he walked up to them.

He crouched down at the edge of the foxhole and looked to Georgia. His hair was greasy as well, and he had only slightly less dirt on his face than Dick.

"Any news from you, Miss Fenley?"

"Nothing as of yet, I'll let you know as soon as Sink tells me anything," said Georgia.

Lew nodded, then took a look at Dick. His eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy as his head leaned back against the earthen wall of the foxhole. Smirking, Lew began to inch forward. He stretched out his hand.

"Knock it off," Georgia said, slapping his hand away. Dick stirred slightly, and Lew huffed before turning back towards 2nd Battalion's CP and walking off.

"Hey, Dick?"

Dick's eyes were still closed, and his breathing was slow. Georgia hoped she wasn't waking him up.

"What?" he asked groggily.

"What are you going to do about Sobel? In combat, I mean."

"Georgia," he said, "I haven't gotten that far yet. I've still got to get the men through training before I deal with that."

"Fair enough."

Georgia turned and looked back out across the mountains. The stars were bright and pretty, and she remembered some story a governess had read her during her childhood. It was nonsense, something about wishing on stars. First off, you could never see stars in Norfolk. Second off, wishing never solved anyone's problems.

Georgia slumped back against the wall of her foxhole. Dick would have to leave soon to get back to his platoon. She stuck her foot out and kicked him, and he jerked awake.

"Go back to your men," Georgia muttered.

Dick rose and did as he was asked. Georgia could feel his eyes on her before she heard him turn and walk away. She felt her mind growing foggy, and she was asleep before his footfalls were out of earshot.