" The best place in the world is inside a hug."
- J. Quest
***
The too big helmet wobbled around on her head, and the medic satchel bounced against her waist as she arrived in the small area where Gene was organizing supplies, just like Luz. Gene had showered and he looked so clean and his hair healthy again. He looked more awake and alive, unlike Bastogne and it made Charlotte feel a bit better about her friend. He looked up when she arrived, and a small smile appeared on his face when he noticed the young medic's newest battle field commission to Sergeant.
" Hey Charlie, how's it feel with the new chevron?" he asked her, placing a few more bandages into a box.
" I feel like me, Gene." she answered back with a small smile. He knew she'd say that, but didn't push.
" You still going on patrol?" he asked the girl. She nodded. Even though she was sure that medicine didn't help the fever at all, and that the fever was now back at a bigger risk, she let that roll off her shoulders a bit more. She tried to ignore it, but the achenes in her bones and her pounding head combined with the sweat didn't help that much either.
" Malarkey's leading." she whispered. Gene looked at her.
" Really? After what he's been through?" he asked her with a raised brow. Charlotte nodded.
" But it still seems like the new Lieutenant, Jones, wants to be the one leading it." she explained. She sighed to herself and sat down in a chair. Gene looked up from his supplies and looked over at her.
" You ok, cherie?" he asked her softly, walking over to her. She nodded, biting her lip.
" Can you just hug me, please?" she whispered looking up at him with watery eyes.
" Yeah, come here." Gene said as she stood and slowly walked into Gene's arms. She wrapped her arms around her center, lacing her fingers together behind his back, as she shoved her head into his chest, hiding from the world. Gene wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and pulled her closer, as she began crying.
" It's ok, cherie, it's ok." Gene whispered, as she shook in his arms.
" I just feel like I can't do enough, Gene." she whispered through her soft cries.
" You're doing what you can, we all are, and we can't do anything more than what we're already doing." Gene whispered. Gene pulled away and wiped at the girl's tears.
" Go get some rest." Gene said softly, and she nodded to him. She immediately went back to the CP. She took the steps slowly, each more painful than the last and by the time she'd reached the main room her head was pounding and she was shivering. Lipton had moved from his spot on the couch, and she turned right, heading back to the beds Speirs had mentioned earlier. She turned into the room with two beds and was glad to see Lipton, fast asleep in the bed, boots by the side along with his helmet and bag and weapon. The cover was up to his chin and he was propped gently with a few pillows, as well as a cup of water and coffee by his bedside and a few used tissues he'd scrounged up. Charlotte went over to him quietly and placed her hand on his forehead. It was warm, but the fever had definitely gone down a bit more. She turned then and sighed at the sight of a bed she could cuddle up under. She walked to the opposite side, and lazily sat on the edge of the bed. She pulled her helmet off and placed it to the ground, her medic satchel following. Her fingers fumbled with the laces on her boots, and by the time she got them off she was exhausted. She moved, her entire body aching, positioning herself in a lying down position on the bed. Her hair was rather a long, mess, that needed braiding and trimming, but that was the last thing on her mind. She pulled the blanket up and over her entire body, and as she did so she sighed at the warmth it brought. She curled into a ball, curled on her side until the covers, her head shoved on top and between various pillows, as she yawned, and snuggled closer. The shivers took over her body, gently sending her to sleep. Speirs walked into the room having followed the girl and saw her with her exhausted movements as she finally went to sleep. Speirs felt a tiny weight lift from his shoulders as one of Easy's best medics finally got the rest she deserved. Speirs slowly walked over to the girl, cuddled with the blankets and pillows and sat on the edge of the bed. The dark rings under her eyes were reflected over her entire persona being given off, and he felt better now that she was asleep. He leaned forward and brushed the stray hairs from her face, a small smile set on his lips. He went to stand, but stopped when a tiny voice mumbled after him.
" Thank you, sir." she whispered so faintly, he swore he didn't hear a thing. He smiled, clutching his helmet and walked softly out of the room to leave two of the most respected Easy members to sleep. She felt a hand gently touch her, most likely resting her temperature of her fever. She fluttered her eyes open slightly. The person took back their hand and began rummaging in a bag. She opened her eyes fully, still somewhat dazed and half open and noticed that Gene was sitting on the edge of her bed.
" Hi Gene." She mumbled moving around in the bed to sitting position. She groaned at her aching muscles as she did so, and felt the heading still pounding her forehead. She realized how cold she was, and immediately snatched up the blanket around herself a bit. Gene gave her a pointed look, but she only looked away with a sigh.
" Let's take your temp." He Said, pulling a thermometer from his bag and handing it to the girl. She stuck it under her tongue and waited for the temperature to show. She looked over at Lipton and a small smile appeared on the girl's face as she saw that he was still fast asleep, locked out of the world and finally resting. Gene noticed the girl's smile his way. She turned back to Gene. She pulled the thermometer from her mouth and frowned.
" What is it?" Gene Asked the girl.
" 102.9, it barely moved." She said softly.
" That's because you're running around like a madwoman and need to rest." Gene said, and she knew he was right in every way. But she had to do it.
" I'll be fine." She whispered and slowly pulled herself from under the blanket. She glanced at her watch. It was 1650 and she needed to be at CP at 1700. She turned and slowly bent down, a wave of dizziness crashing over her body as she did so. Gene noticed her sway and placed a hand on her shoulder to balance the small girl. She couldn't even bend down for more than a second and gave up tying her shoes. She stared at Gene, frustrated tears welling in her eyes as she tried to tie them but got dizzy again. Gene sighed and got down on the ground tying the girl's boots up quickly for her. She ran a hand through her dried, fairly long hair, and watched Gene carefully tie her shoes with gentle fingers. He finished and picked up her medic satchel and helmet, handing the top objects to the girl. She gave a small smile, and with some help from Gene stood to her feet. She placed the beanie on her head, to which Gene smirked slightly, as how cute she looked, before she coughed again. She placed her helmet on her head, adjusting the rather large object, and then threw her satchel over her shoulder, grimacing at her aching shoulder pain that followed.
" Thanks, Gene." she said softly, side stepping the current ranking medic.
" Don't worry about Lip, his fever's lower than it was this morning." he explained gently to the quiet girl. She nodded in thanks, glancing at the 1st Sergeant laying still like a brick in the bed, and then crossed her arms over her chest and hurried towards the CP. She slowly walked up the steps, the agonizing ache in her body completely controlling her. She turned the corner, surprised to see that more than half the men were already here, and that Lieutenant Jones was leaned up against the entrance to the room, idle as the rest of the men were lazily sat back in chairs, their feet propped up on the table. Liebgott met her eyes, and she knew he stilled disapproved of her going because of her illness. Charlotte walked further into the room, removing her helmet and the beanie underneath, and the braids as well poking out. Liebgott's nerves settled at the fact she hadn't lost the childlike way of her personality, as she looked youthful and cute again in her braids and beanie. She glanced around the room and met Shifty's eyes. They widened a bit at the sight of the girl, confused on why she was here when she was sick. She just sighed. She met Chuck's eyes, and she saw sympathy fill his eyes. babe's looked the same way, guilty possibly, that young girl had to venture over there in the middle of the night in the freezing cold, sick as a dog. She walked slowly into the room and saw the spare chair next to Jackson. She tried to fake it, that she felt fine, but once she collapsed in the chair she felt she couldn't move or it'd hurt too much. She sighed at the comfort, and slowly propped her feet up against the table like the rest of the men. Jackson looked over at her with soft doe eyes.
" How are you feeling?" he asked the girl. The entire company now knew of their young medic's illness, and their concern had only grown in the past few hours, until they heard she was resting.
" Ok." she answered, but in reality she felt like she'd been run over by a tank, told to jump out of a plane 5 times, and had to run Currahee with Sobel on her tail.
" Come on, he can't be leading." Ramirez mumbled under his breath. She felt bad for the Lieutenant, who only sighed from his corner of the room, observing the rest of the group.
" I'm not sure what they decided." Jackson said quietly from next to her.
" No way." Chuck said from his spot next to Liebgott. " Not on his first day." A silence fell over the room.
" Well, do you see any other officer here?" Liebgott muttered sarcastically, rubbing a hand over his chin. She met eyes with Jones again, and she gave him a small, sympathetic smile. A group of footsteps came from where Charlotte had previously entered and she saw it was Cobb, Skinny, Garcia and Alley, all looking rather disgruntled and displeased with having to report for a patrol. Skinny saw Charlotte immediately, looking paler than ever, slumped in a chair. She offered him a small smile, and a nod that was unconvincing. Popeye looked to Cobb, and Cobb answered with a dry, " What?"
" They call you guys, too?" Popeye asked the group of four men. A few of the men noticed that Alley's gaze had drifted over to the sick medic in the chair, and gave a unreadable look to the rest of the men. He clearly wasn't happy either the ill medic was going on this trip.
" So, who's in charge of this bullshit?" he asked, looking at the men and then back slightly at Jones.
" No, he ain't." Grant answered, as Jones looked at the group again.
" Well if he ain't, it's you, Chuck. Or Shifty or Mo." Babe said speaking up his town rather monotone.
" Well, that'd be better." Liebgott answered.
" Someone want to tell me what Sunshine's doing here?" Alley asked the group, and then looking to the girl.
" I took the spot on patrol, they needed a medic, and I opted for myself. I'll be fine." she said hoarsely in her voice. She still looked exhausted, and once she had finished speaking, she went back into a daze, far off somewhere they didn't know. She had sacrificed a lot, so much more than them to still be alive here right now, and she was in pain, and was hurting - big time. She didn't need this added pressure, but at this point she was doing anything to distract herself from the illness she was now consumed by. Alley was not at all convinced by the young medic's words, but footsteps interrupted that.
" 10, hutt." Jones called. Charlotte attempted to move as the rest of the men went to stand, and by the time she had managed to push herself from the chair, Winter's was walking in, with a rather downcast look, and a quick, " At ease." Johnny Martin was right behind him. Charlotte collapsed in a pile back on her chair, and let a small groan escape her mouth as she adjusted her feet back up on the table.
" Gentlemen." Winters said, glancing around the room and finding the girl, " Charlotte." She gave a small nod back to him. He even saw the daze and glazed fever girl still not really focused on the entire situation.
" Sir."
" Sir."
" Sir." came all the responses quite similar back to the leader.
" As you can see, we've assembled 16 of you here for this prisoner snatch tonight, 0100." Winters started, his calm demeanor settling some of the men's nerves.
" Just a couple of points. We've secured four rubber boats to get you across the river. Lieutenant Jones here is the ranking officer. And he'll be along as an observer." the young medic didn't miss the look Jones and Webster shared.
" Sergeant Martin here will lead the patrol, in Sergeant Malarkey's place." Winters explained, and she saw Webster's mood shift. She saw Martin give a snide glare toward Webster.
" The whole battalion will be covering your withdrawal. We've identified targets, we've planned fire for 'em. We hear these whistles, we open up." Winters said, holding up the small objects in front of them, in his hands. " So don't blow 'em 'till you're back in the boats with your prisoners."
" And if the house turns out to be empty, sir?" Martin asked, taking the whistles from Winters.
" It won't," Winters confirmed, " but in any case, we know it's an outpost and want it destroyed. So, you have to lay some demo on a time delay. You have to move fast, but carefully. Put a perimeter around the house. Once that's in place, get your rifle grenades in the first floor window. Get your assault team in quick." Martin nodded along to Winters and Winters looked relieved that Martin understood the rest normally.
" Okay, good, understood?" Winters asked the group. " Remember, it's about prisoners. Don't pop the first thing that moves. Clear?"
" Yes, sir." the group answered to the former CO.
" Good." Winters said, silence falling over the room, as Winters turned to Martin." Picked your assault team?"
" McClung, Sisk, Cobb, Garcia. " Martin started, " And Webster as translator. The rest of you guys, a base of fire with Sergeant Grant." Martin threw one of the whistles at Grant who caught it casually.
" You speak German, right, Webster?" Martin asked, a little agitation behind his voice.
" Yeah, a little bit." Webster said, not really making eye contact with the Sergeant, opting to look downwards toward the table. Mr. Harvard was suddenly embarrassed? Had the Earth tilted on its axis? He spoke German just like Liebgott, just as well, too, she'd heard it, and he was what? Embarrassed?
" Good." answered Martin," That's my team, sir."
" Questions?" Winters asked the group, looking towards Charlotte slightly.
" No, sir." came the feeble response.
" Good." Winters said, with a small forced smile, meeting all the men's and Charlotte's eyes.
" Good luck."
" Thank you, sir." came the response from the men back.
" Charlotte, I need to speak with you, something's come up." he said to the girl. Her heart jumped. In the military, ' something's come up' could mean just about a million different things. She received concerned faces from the men, but she could only let her curiosity grow. She stood, slowly, and grabbed her gear and followed Winters out with Martin, leaving the room to rise at Jone's "ten-hut" and to be told by Winters, " as you were, carry on." She followed Winters and Johnny out, and they descended the steps before heading over to the awaiting Captain Speirs. He noticed the exhausted girl, and his heart dropped. Something, something had happened and it was him and Winters who had to break the news to her. Jones was right behind them.
" Ok, I want four men on each block. Four men to go in." Winters said.
" Four men on the left flank, four men on the right." Martin answered back with a nod.
" Sir?" came a voice, and the group of five turned to see it was Webster. Charlotte sniffled, and gave him a tiny glare.
" Yes?" Winters asked somewhat exhaustedly looking up at him.
" Liebgott and I, we both speak German." Webster said.
" Yeah?" Speirs asked.
" You said 16 men...and woman." Webster mentioned glancing at the small girl, " there are 17 of us. Including two translators."
" Well, fine." Speirs muttered, " Hey Liebgott." he called out to him and Grant passing by.
" You wanna sit this one out?" he asked the man.
" Yes, sir." Liebgott said, a small smile overtaking his features as he saw Webster and let the smile grow. Liebgott winked at Webster, and Grant chuckled before the two turned and walked away. " Martin, you wanna supervise 3 squads or the two fives?" Winters asked.
" Thank you, sir." Webster said and turned away in a rather odd dismay he beheld.
" Yeah, anyway, about that." Martin said. " I might take the 3 squads over the two fives."
" Good." answered Winters, " Boats will be set for 0100, get your men briefed and ready." Martin nodded. Martin and Jones walked away, and Charlotte was left with Speirs and Winters and her heart was pounding rather wildly in her chest.
" Um, sir, why do you need to talk to me?" she asked softly. Speirs looked at Winters.
" Let's go sit down." Winters said, and the three of them walked toward the other side of the CP, and up inside, taking a seat in a few chairs. Winters' held a letter in his hand. She removed her helmet, beanie and satchel and slowly took a seat in the remaining chair facing the two higher ups.
" I received a letter from the War Department, it's about your brother." Winters said, and her heart missed a beat. A few tears sprang to her eyes. She sat up straighter and stared at Winters with wide eyes.
" Sergeant Leroy Tarvers, was killed on January 13th, due to fragments of a bullet and shrapnel to his skull."
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thanks for reading!