The Spirit of the Corps » Band of Brothers

108: When You'll Know

"Oh, you're gonna regret that, Lancaster," he warned.

Charlie laughed and made to splash him again but he beat her to it, and thus war was declared. The pair of them went back and forth, throwing water at each other until their arms ached and their eyes burned with the amount of lake water in them. They only reached a truce when Henry demanded it of them after being caught in the crossfire, but as Don turned to her he shot a meaningful look back at Charlie. 

"Don't think this is over," he warned mock-seriously.

Charlie narrowed her eyes at him. "You'd better sleep with one eye open from now on."

"Charlie, if you try anything while I'm in the bed with him I will murder you, you do know that?" Henry interjected.

Laughing, Charlie shrugged. "I can't make any promises."

Charlie went to bed that night with a wide smile on her face, feeling overwhelmed by both love and sorrow. Everyone around her had done everything they could to make her birthday a happy one, and it had been, but she couldn't help but be reminded of how much she'd lost since her last birthday. Skip and Alex were at the forefront of her mind as she recalled how they'd cheered her up after Floyd had upset her back then, and she missed both of them so sorely she felt empty with it, like there was a gaping hole in her chest where her heart should have been. It wasn't fair that they were gone while so many other, lesser people had been allowed to live. It wasn't fair that they would never go home again, celebrate another birthday again, see another sunset. None of it was fair.

Floyd, perhaps sensing that something was wrong, tightened his arms around her and she leaned further back into him. "I love you," he mumbled sleepily, giving her a clumsy kiss on the shoulder.

Charlie couldn't help but smile. "I love you, too," she answered him, reaching back to touch his hair.

The next morning began like any other and, while Charlie was sad the magic of her birthday was over, she was glad to see it had brightened something in Floyd. While it was true that his smiles had been wider and easier yesterday than they were today, it was a huge improvement from last week to see him smiling at all. Something loosened in her chest as she watched him hum quietly as he got dressed ready for training, not realising she was watching him.

It was during Charlie's shift at the local hospital, while she was sitting with Chuck, that she received the news that he was being transferred to a hospital in France which was better equipped to work with him through his physiotherapy. He was due to leave that evening, Doctor Kneissl informed her, and she sighed as she heard the news. It was for the best, of course, but that didn't make it any easier to say goodbye. Day by day she seemed to be losing more of her friends and the ache never eased.

Charlie interrupted training to inform Floyd and it was agreed that he'd be there to see Chuck off. Then she informed Henry, and it was agreed that all of the nurses would have the hour off work to say goodbye and make sure Chuck was loaded into the transport vehicle properly.

When the time came, it was with a heavy heart that Charlie helped him into the jeep which would take him to the train which would take him to France.

"They'll take better care of you there than we can here," she whispered to him when she caught sight of the anxiety in his eyes. "And you'll be closer to home. As soon as you're ready to make the crossing they'll have you back in the States."

Chuck nodded weakly, unconvinced by her reassurances, but there was little else for Charlie to say.

"Thank you for everything," she told him once he was settled inside the car. She'd already said her proper goodbye but it seemed wrong to leave him looking so worried. "I'm so very glad we met."