𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬; band of brothers ✔

PART TWENTY NINE

This is more of a filler if anything; like in all my books when I reach the late twenty chapters, I really have no clue what to make of it.

Word count; 1,714

Frances

Liebgott was back by the doorway of the tent, taking a drag from a cigarette.

"And?" I indicated to my hair, the bun I just finished.

"Perfect." He smiled, letting his burn sit between his lips as he crossed his arms.

I picked up my clothes from the table, stuffing them into my arms. "Ready?"

He nodded simply, and we ventured out into the rain. Like almost every time we walked beside each other, our knuckles brushed, craving to intertwine our fingers.

"You're going to need to get rid of that, Frances." He tapped the ash out of his cigarette.

"Rid of what?" I beamed.

"Your cheeks are red."

"I wonder why."

He prompted his brows, "I wonder why."

When we reached 1st Platoon's billets, we both loitered by the door, minds flickering through the moments previous. He looked passed my shoulder and I pivoted, Eugene having approached us. We never really decided on secrecy, yet he was the only one who truly knew of Joe and I.

Liebgott soon dismissed himself; the medic and I watched him return to 2nd Platoon's building.

"His limp is getting better." Eugene narrated.

I nodded, "He struggles to stand on his own."  

I made the comment absent-mindedly, but could only think of the way he leant on my shoulder in the shower, how he had to grab onto the wooden beam.

The night patrol was a success, according to Battalion. Because of it, the entirety of Haguenau was almost asleep, reveille set for 10 o'clock. Nevertheless, the rain still poured, morphing into hail every once in a while.

I entered the Company OP, buckets plaguing the floor in order to control the raindrops seeping through the ceiling. Where Lipton once lounged, now Spiers did, arm thrown over his eyes to protect them from the light. Footsteps neared behind me and I turned, a finger pressed to my lips. When I realised who it was, I simpered.

"Why are we quiet?" Welsh raised.

Throughout the early morning, I strolled the OP, on duty for any incoming soldiers or messages. It took up until an hour ago to get Ron to go to sleep.

"He's asleep." I said, indicating for us to head in the direction he came from.

Once outside: "It's good to see you."

"You too, Harry." I said. "There's been a few changes."

"I can tell." He glanced at my new rank slides. "What else?"

"Spiers is C.O., Winters was promoted to Battalion. Nix is the same. We have a west-pointer Lieutenant with 2nd Platoon..." I explained briefly. "How are you?"

"Been better." He grimaced slightly. "It was good to see Kitty, though."

I grinned; it was only a matter of time before he mentioned his wife. More footsteps approached, and we both looked to our left; Luz and Skinny strolled forward, crates in hand.