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"Find a foxhole!" You heard First Sergeant Lipton yell as the German mortars fell over the Ardennes. You were running through the snow, hands over your head, trying to find cover.
You felt two hands reach up from the soil and pull you down into a foxhole. It was Buck Compton and Donald Malarkey.
Instinctively you ducked down in between them, arms covering your head.
"Thank you!" You yelled over to your comrades over the deafening artillery above you.
"Always a pleasure having to save your ass!" Malarkey yelled jokingly.
"Pipe down Malark!" Buck yelled as you all moved closer together.
As the shelling worsened Buck pulled you into his chest. His arms were wrapped tightly around you. You felt safe in his comfort, and hoped the shelling would let up.
Three minutes later the shelling finally came to a stop.
You slowly pulled yourself out of Comptons chest. He looked at you, catching his breath.
"Why the hell were you out of your foxhole anyway (y/n)?" He asked sternly.
"I was looking for you Buck...I found you didn't I?" You grinned.
Buck gave you a smirk. "Don't do anything stupid like that again. You know the mortars could come down anytime. I mean it!"
"Ok ok you're right I'm sorry. From now on I'll stay right here with you and Malark." You knocked on Malarkey's helmet. You loved messing with the men. It lightened the tension.
"Hey hey as long as you two don't do any canoodling I'll be fine." He pointed his fingers at you both.
You and Compton turned to each other smiling. It was true, you two did a lot of "canoodling" since getting to know each other back in France. You were head over heels, and so was he.
"No promises." Buck looked at Malarkey as he placed his arm around your shoulder bringing your bodies close together.
"I'm gonna be sick." Malarkey said as he lit a cigarette.
You heard footsteps approaching the foxhole.
"Everything good over here?" Lipton said as he crouched down next to you.
"We're fine Sargeant. Are the men ok?" Buck asked.
"I think so. I'm making my rounds just to make sure." Lipton said catching his breath. "I think it's best we all stay in our foxholes until we're certain."
"What about you Lip?" You were concerned for Lipton, after all; one could argue he was the leader of Easy Company at this point. All of the men would agree.
"Don't worry about me I'll be fine. Looks like you're in good hands too huh Sergeant (L/n)?" Lipton gave you a smirk as he eyed you and Buck.
The men had caught wind of the way you and Buck fancied each other. You remembered the first time you laid eyes on him. He was wearing his dress uniform playing poker with the men. You thought he was the most handsome man in the world. You reminisced on that moment...
"Deal me in." You said as you approached the table, sitting down across from Buck. You gazed into his ocean blue eyes.
"Who is that?" He said elbowing Joe Toye who was sitting next to him.
"That's Sergeant (L/n)." Toye replied.
"She's gorgeous..." He whispered.
"Well make your move hot shot." Toye joked.
You looked down and smiled to yourself. He may have thought he was whispering, but you heard every word.
You beat him in poker that night.
"Good game." He stood up and shook your hand.
"Same to you Lieutenant." You shook his hand and looked up at him through your lashes.
"Mind if I buy you a drink?" He looked at you longingly.
"So I win and I still get a free drink? Count me in." You grinned, biting your lip.
You talked for hours that night, walking around France, gazing at the stars. The two of you had become inseparable ever since. Especially in combat. You knew each other well enough to know your strategies in the midst of battle. He always had your back, and you had his.
"I'll help you Lip." Buck said as he stuck his M1 in the snow to guide him out of the foxhole. "I'll be right back. No funny business." He looked at you.
You shook your head in agreement. You weren't worried about him. Buck knew what he was doing. His capability to lead the men was your favorite thing about him. Besides the German shelling had a pattern of coming in once every 3-4 hours. He'd be back in no time.
You pressed your back against the earth and rubbed your hands together trying to gain an ounce of warmth. "I'm freezing." You said blowing into your hands.
"Freezing? Really? In the -20 degree weather?" Malarkey said sarcastically as he sat across from you.
"Shut up Don." Your eyes darted at him. "I'm just saying if I had nuts right now, they'd be freezing off."
"Yea well I do have nuts, and they froze off the day we got here." Malarkey shoved his hands under his armpits to control his shaking.
"Thank you for that disturbing image Don."
"You're welco-" his words were interrupted by kraut artillery.
"Shit!" You exclaimed as you both ducked down next to each other.
"Where's Buck?" You yelled to Malarkey.
"I don't know!" Malarkey responded.
"Im gonna go look for him!" You yelled as you began to get up.
"Don't be stupid (y/n) you're gonna get yourself killed!" Malarkey insisted as he pulled you back down next to him.
He was right. You'd have to wait it out until leaving the foxhole. It would be suicide to step out now, you just hoped Buck found cover in time.
The shelling went on for another 6 minutes, though it felt like 6 hours.
You immediately ran out of your foxhole to find Compton.
"Buck!" You yelled speeding through the forest with your rifle in hand.
You quickly came upon a sight that would haunt you for the rest of your life. Doc Roe was tending to Joe Toyes injuries, as Bill Guarnere was being pulled on a stretcher. Their blood stained a trail through the white snow. You felt defeated at the sheer sight of it all.
You felt a cold hand on your shoulder as you turned around. It was George Luz.
"Hey (y/n), I just tried to talk to Compton." He pointed over to Buck who looked utterly broken. "He's not doing too hot. You might want to go talk to him. I know he'll listen to you." Luz sounded exhausted.
"Thank you George." You patted his hand on your shoulder as you walked towards Compton, who was sitting on a tree stump, palming his face.
"Buck..." you crouched down in front of him and placed your hands on his knees, trying to console him. Your touch made him wince.
"Are you ok sweetheart?" You tried to find his face behind his shaking palms.
He slowly removed his hands, avoiding eye contact with you. He was trembling.
You tried to find the words to say. "Buck I saw what happened to Toye and Guarnere...I'm so sorry you had to see that too." You choked back the tears.
He started to cry, still looking away from you.
You sat on the tree stump next to him and embraced him in your arms. He held onto you tightly. You felt his tears fall along your shoulder as he placed his head in your neck.
"Why are these things happening?" He managed to let the words escape.
"I don't know Buck...I really don't know. I just pray it's for a greater purpose." You said, trying to believe your own words.
Major Winters ended up commissioning Compton with a pass into town to rest. You weren't sure if Buck was cracking up, or he had just seen too much, but for this first time since you've known him, he couldn't find the words to communicate his feelings with you.
You went to visit him at the Aide Station in town. You sat at his bedside as he gripped your hand, staring into the abyss. Though the next day he finally rolled over and looked into your eyes.
"I should've stayed with you in that foxhole (y/n)." He said lifeless.
You tried to hold back the tears. You hated the hurt you saw in his eyes. You wish you could take his pain away.
Ultimately, Buck was sent back home to the states. You missed him dearly, but you knew he was better off there than in God forsaken Europe. He did his part in the war, now you had to continue the fight for him.
Once the war had ended you immediately went to visit him in California.
You remember your return home vividly. You rekindled with your family, and two days later you were on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles. You wore a floral dress, brown wedge heels, and let your curls fall flawlessly on your shoulders. You could hardly contain your excitement. You tried to read a worn down copy of "Gone With The Wind" which your comrade Frank Perconte lended you as a parting gift, but you couldn't focus on a word. You fidgeted with the pearls around your neck for the whole ride there, fantasizing about your reunion.
As you arrived to his beautiful hillside home with your suitcase in hand, you knocked on the door three times. As he opened it his eyes widened at the sight of your beautiful face, and the wind blowing through your long brunette hair. He began to tear up almost instantly, as a smile formed on his face.
You could see it in his eyes, he was the Buck Compton you fell in love with, not the war torn man you departed with in Bastogne.
He eagerly picked you up and spun you around. You gripped the back of his neck as you laughed.
He put his arms around your waist and kissed you deeply. Feeling the heat between your bodies that you craved since he left.
"I missed your beautiful face peanut." He gazed into your eyes as he placed his hands on your cheeks.
"I missed you more." You hugged him tightly.