Band of Brothers - Sunshine Solider

chapter 62: the fever

" Charlotte, I need you to eat." Speirs said to her. She slowly got to her feet, blanket wrapped around her, the beanie on her head and fingerless gloves on her hands, as she followed the officers into a warmer room, where she saw Winters and Lipton eating as well. No matter how terrible she felt right now, she did eat the food that the officers gave to her, before going back to her spot, alone. She had thanked them, and now as she sat staring up through the bombed out window, out to the night sky that was illuminated by the moon and the gusty wind, she saw the stars for the first time in a while. In all the darkness she finally saw a light. It was February 9th, and they knew Haguenau was close. Charlotte's fever had worsened dramatically the pneumonia settling right into her lungs and making the cough mucus filled again. She was snuggled against Liebgott again, Babe to her other side, and Private Jackson, whom she remembered from training before Holland across from her with Chuck and Malarkey.

" You got a good temp, sunshine." she heard Liebgott whisper, waking her gently from her sleep.

" Damnit." she whispered, placing a hand to her forehead and shivering, as another blanket was laid on top of her. " Thanks."

" Are you feeling any better?" Jackson asked the young medic. He was about her age as well, so they got along great, and his worry was just as high for the medic as the rest of the company.

" I guess, I hope I really don't know." she said, coughing a wet cough again, and hacking into her dirty sleeve. She thought back to the newspapers at one of their stops where they were called the " Battered Bastards of Bastogne" and she practically almost died of a cough attack from laughing so hard. Haguenau she knew would be an easier cake walk with actual roofs and a town, and a place to sleep at night and not the ground. Chuck walked over to the girl, swaddled in the only blanket on the truck, and crouched in front of her.

" You gonna be ok, Charlotte?" he asked her patting her knee. She nodded against Liebgott's shoulder.

" Hopefully, Chuck." she said softly, letting out another wet cough to follow.

" Hey guys!" came an actual joyful voice. She sat up slowly from Liebgott's shoulder through half closed eyes, and made out a face she hadn't seen for a while. It was David Webster. He'd been injured in what? The Island at the crossroads?

" Some Lieutenant told me to report to 2nd." he said, with a smile.

" Your name's Jackson, right?" Webster asked the small Private.

" That's right." Jackson answered.

" Who's the leading the platoon?" Webster asked, the questions sounding more dumb, and stupid with each one and it was beginning to get old by this point.

" Sergeant Malarkey is." Jackson answered.

" What, no officers?"

" I guess you didn't hear." Liebgott answered.

" No, what's that?" Webster asked.

" They're making Malarkey a Lieutenant." Liebgott said, and she almost snorted into Liebgott's overcoat, but she played it off with a sniffle and a disgusting cough, earning a confused look from Webster. " He's on the fast track now."

" Really, that's great." Webster agreed.

" Yeah, isn't it?" Liebgott said solemnly.

" Yeah." Webster said nodding before turning to Jackson.

" Jackson, help me up, will you?" he asked the young Private. Jackson grabbed his bag and shifted over as Webster climbed up next to him and scooted roughly into place, as the truck jolted forward.