The Spirit of the Corps » Band of Brothers

86: Lost in the Snow

"So, Charlie Chaplin, you gonna let me take you on a date anytime soon?"

Charlie rolled her eyes at the replacement as he slid into the seat beside her in the mess hall while she was eating breakfast.

"He's determined, you gotta give him that," Mabs said, pointing at him with her spoon before returning to her oatmeal.

He grinned at her words. "My mom always told me to fight hard for the things I want - the important ones, that is."

His wink made Charlie laugh. "Where could you possibly take me on a date, Janovec?" she asked, humouring him. She turned to him, resting her arm on the back of her chair, and raised her eyebrows as she awaited his answer.

"Well, it'd have to be somewhere fancy," he said. "Smart, beautiful girl like you - well, I'd pay an arm and a leg to make sure you thought it was a good enough place."

Charlie shook her head at him, grinning.

"I could score us two passes in Paris?" he suggested.

From across the table, Autumn scoffed.

"I've already used my pass to Paris," Charlie said. "And since you only just got here I don't think anyone's going to be falling over themselves to get you one."

"Then I'll get us a nice private table in here," he said, gesturing to the mess hall at large in all its grey, drab glory. "I'll get a candle and a tablecloth - hell, even a goddamn flower if I can find one! - and we'll have dinner right here."

"I thought you were going to pay an arm and a leg," Autumn said with a challenging lift of her brow.

Janovec gave her a charming grin. "And just as soon as I have access to somewhere I can spend any money then I certainly will pay an arm and a leg to please Lieutenant Lancaster. But until then, I'll have to get creative." He turned back to Charlie with his signature toothy grin. "So, what do you say?" He leaned in close to Charlie, his smile never faltering, and Charlie let him get away with it up to a point, wherein she placed her hand over his face and, laughing, pushed him away.

"Why don't you go ask your first sergeant whether you can ask her out, huh?" Autumn said with a wry smirk as Janovec prepared a different strategy. "See what he says."

Though it was said in good humour, Charlie scowled. "Floyd doesn't get a say on who I do or don't get involved with." But he'd made it perfectly clear when he'd first found out about her romantic involvement with James that he didn't approve of her fraternising with a replacement. So maybe...

No. Charlie couldn't even entertain the thought of it. Janovec was hilarious and handsome enough and they got along well, but her heart rebelled, recoiled at the thought. It belonged to someone else and it wasn't willing to be handed over just yet.

Her heart betrayed her in how much it liked its home in Floyd Talbert's hands, even when he didn't take care of it, even when he didn't want it there. But there was nothing she could do. Her own hands were tied.

"What about Alton More, then?" Autumn went on, still wearing that smirk. "Janovec, why don't you go ask Alton how he feels about you trying to cut in line?"

"There's a line?" Janovec asked, looking at Charlie.

She shook her head, giving Autumn a look. "No, there isn't. But Alton did ask me first."

Janovec deflated and shut his eyes in what was sure to be only temporary resignation. "When?"

"Back in Haguenau," Charlie confessed.

"When you were just a twinkle in your mommy and daddy's eyes," Mabs teased, which made Autumn snort a laugh.

"If I have to get in line then I'll do it," Janovec declared, opening his eyes and sitting up straight. "What number am I?"