Love Like Ghosts - Band of Brothers

Chapter 9 - It's All Over, It's All Over

ALDBOURNE, ENGLAND
September, 1944

It was unfathomable that Jo would be jumping out of a plane. She believed that all she had to do was follow through the European lands after the paratroopers pushed their way through, but they would be going directly into Holland, which was surrounded by enemy forces.

There the young medic was, putting on her supplies for the big jump. Her hands apprehensively fumbled with the strap of her bag, trying to tighten it.

"Here, lemme help you." A voice offered.

Jo looked behind her to see Joe Liebgott, in the flesh. He placed his helmet on the ground beside him then helped the girl with her things.

"Thank you." She said gratefully.

"No problem, Jo." Liebgott put his helmet back on his head.

"It's all so new." Jo revealed, looking around at the men as they waited to load on to the planes.

The private looked at the girl with a solemn look but then switched it to a cheeky grin.

"You know you're glad that you get to spend more time with us." Liebgott teased, patting her oversized helmet, causing it to tilt and cover her eyes.

Her hands pushed the helmet back up and her eyes shot playful daggers at him.

"That's just what-" She began.

The honk of a car interrupted her train of thought and Jo looked to her left to see none other than-

"Sobel." Liebgott grumbled under his breath. "Fuck, man."

She trained her eyes on the man with unwavering courage, albeit her surprise, he looked back at her. Sobel's gaze was anything but warm.

"We wouldn't still be here if he was running Easy." Liebgott chuckled as the army car drove off, the only thing left was a cloud of dirt from the tires.

"Yeah." Josephine shook her head as if there was bad mojo all over her.

Jo heard lively chatter and looked beside her to see Lipton, Bull, and Popeye.

"You're back!" Jo exclaimed hugging Popeye.

"Thanks to you, Jo." He grinned. Then he pointed to his rear end with an even bigger grin. "I may not be able to sit, but I can definitely jump!"

The men around him hooted and patted his shoulder.

"That's it, Popeye!" Bull belowed, his cigar hung between his lips. "Goin' AWOL before the jump!"

-

"Why are you sweating so much? It's not a good look!" Luz yelled over the loud noises of the plane.

Josephine Lambert sat there with her leg bouncing up and down repeatedly in anticipation.

"You'll be fine, Jo." He assured her.

The girl nodded at his words but didn't register them as anything else but futile. In a few moments, she would be jumping gung-ho out of an airplane.

"Alright, everybody up! Check equipment and stand ready!" Winters shouted orders, standing beside the open door of the plane.

It had been a quick flight to Holland, yet Jo couldn't think of anything else at the moment as her anxieties ran rampant.

"Eight okay!" Luz yelled behind her after patting and checking her gear.

Jo did the same to the soldier in front of her.

"Seven okay!" She stated.

There were more shouts that Jo didn't keep track of. Her palms grew increasingly clammy as she neared the entrance of the plane. It took everything for the medic to not look down at the earth.