All Things Nice » Band of Brothers

59: Reunions

"I won't tell anyone," he replied eventually, a clear promise in his words.

"Really?"

"You're a good soldier, Duckie," Bull answered, nodding as though to reassure himself. "If I didn't know it before I sure do now. Ain't got any reason to worry about you. Bein' a girl don't change anythin'."

Posey smiled softly at him through the low light of the morning. "Thank you."

Bull returned her smile. "S'alright."

"I suppose a lot of things make sense now," she ventured, trying to lighten the mood.

Bull laughed, nodding. "Why Guarnere became so protective of you sure does."

"He's been great about it, really," Posey replied, smiling slightly to herself. "I complain but he's really been there for me. They all have."

"You earned your place in this company, Duckie. Bein' a girl don't change anythin' about that."

Posey appreciated those words more than she could even begin to articulate. She hoped the smile she gave him would suffice.

A little while later, when the outside world had been quiet for so long they were confident the Germans had moved out, Posey pushed the door to the barn open a crack, scanning the town through her scope for any stray krauts. Once she was certain they'd all left, she lowered her rifle and sent a nod back to Bull. "Clear," she told him, and pushed the door open wider.

As the pair of them navigated through the now-war-torn town together, the scope of the carnage of the battle bore down on Posey's shoulders. Bodies were crushed under collapsed buildings and walls, the skeletons of tanks half-destroyed. They kept to the outskirts, avoiding having to walk through the blood-filled streets, but the surrounding ditches were only just slightly better.

Bull, who had taken to leading the way, paused in his step, his eyes focused downwards. Posey followed his gaze to find Miller, his face covered in blood and part of his head caved in. Her breath caught, staring down at such a young face devoid of life. 'Just as dead if your luck runs out,' she'd said to him once upon a time, trying to reassure him of his place in the company. She couldn't have imagined his luck would have run out so soon.

Posey's heart thumped in her ears as Bull bent down to retrieve Miller's dog tags, lingering there a moment to mourn or pay his respects, Posey didn't know. Miller had been one of his replacements, though, and she knew Bull must have felt responsible. Tentatively, she placed a hand on his good shoulder. When he didn't shrug it off, she gave it a reassuring squeeze. There was nothing he could have done.

She wanted to cry but the tears never came. Instead, an aching, hollow feeling settled into her chest, squeezing at her lungs and tightening her throat. She had to look away. It was too much just now. It was all just a bit too much.

When she looked up, she caught sight of a jeep, an American jeep, driving along the road that had led them to Nuenen yesterday. Slowly, the tiniest of smiles spread across her face. Whether they'd come back for them specifically or whether it was just luck, she'd take what she could get and it seemed Bull felt the same. He stood to his full height and held his gun up horizontally in the air, letting the driver know they were friendlies. The jeep made its way towards them directly.

Posey spared Miller one final look, her smile fading as she took in the sight of him once more. She offered him a tiny nod before turning away and leading the way to the jeep, which was stopped and waiting for them at the side of the road. She knew that Bull was right behind her without having to look; after the events of last night, she felt they'd always be bonded in a way unexplainable in words.