The Spirit of the Corps » Band of Brothers

81: The People Who Love You

Charlie found Floyd in the company CP. He had his back turned, his head ducked toward Don as the two of them spoke, and though Charlie couldn't make out what they were saying she could tell by the tones of their voices that it was serious. Her stomach turned when she wondered whether they were talking about her.

"Floyd?" she called softly from the doorway, in spite of the fact that no one else was around. Probably the men had been told to sleep later after the patrol last night. But here Floyd was, still awake when he could have been resting, because of her.

"Charlie," Floyd said, his head snapping up. He looked at her with wide eyes, either taking in her dishevelled appearance or trying to make sure she was real, before he crossed the room to her in a mere few strides.

Before she really knew what was happening Charlie was crushed to his chest. His arms were tight around her as he held her against him.

"You're gonna get all dirty," she told him quietly.

"You scared me so fucking bad, Charlie," he said.

She relaxed into his arms, leaned closer into his touch. Her arms came up to loop around his waist and hold onto the back of his fatigues, not letting him leave even though he was far from trying, and she tucked her nose into his neck. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

He held her tighter. "Don't ever do that again."

"I won't."

"God, you scared me half to death," he said. His breathing was becoming heavier but steadier, less erratic, and he made to pull back.

"No," Charlie whined, pressing herself closer to him. She squeezed her eyes tight shut and wrapped her arms tighter around him, willing him to hold onto her, too.

Floyd heaved a loud breath. She felt him shake his head where it had been resting on top of her own. "No, Charlie," he said, and his arms fell away from her, "you don't get to disappear for a whole night then show up and be clingy." He stepped away and levelled her with a steely glare. "You owe me an explanation."

Though the words stung, Charlie knew he was right. She had been out of line in running off by herself like that. So she locked the word 'clingy' away in her brain to pull back up and analyse later, when she was in a fit state to lick her wounds, and said, "I'm sorry."

"Where did you go?"

"I'm not sure." He opened his mouth to retort but she rushed to explain, "It was a backyard somewhere further into town. I don't know where exactly - I don't think I could find it again even if I was trying."

Floyd huffed a laugh. He tugged on his bottom lip before shaking his head. "Why'd you run off by yourself, huh?"

"Because Jackson -"

"No, I know what happened to Jackson. But you didn't really know him, so why'd you run off?"

Charlie's jaw fell open. "Do you have any idea how dismissive that is, Floyd? He died under my care, while I was trying to save him. Is that not enough reason to lose it for you?"

"You've done this hundreds of times -"

"That doesn't make it okay!"

"If you ran away every time you lost a patient you'd have been arrested for desertion by now!"

Whatever words Charlie had been about to say vanished before they could ever emerge from her throat. Instead, she simply stared at him in shock.

As soon as he heard what he'd said, Floyd took a step towards her. "Charlie -"

"You think it's my fault," she said, not a question but a statement.

"What? No, I didn't -"

"No, you did," she cut him off. "Because that's what everyone thinks."