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You had been kidnapped.
Dragged to London against your will.
Held hostage as those around you drank and lived it up.
Well, almost all. You shared your misery with one person.
Leaning over, you spoke into his ear to make sure you were heard over the noise. “I feel like we should be plotting how to make sure they suffer come morning.”
Your fellow medic chuckled, then replied in his soothing Cajun accent. “I'll leave the plottin’ to ya.”
“Roe…” you whined.
“Never said I wouldn't help.”
You laughed as he flashed a conspiratorial wink at you.
The both of you had been dragged practically kicking and screaming from Aldbourne for a twenty-four hour pass. Well, you were the one more vocal about how you were very much looking forward to sitting quietly and reading in the nearby garden and doing absolutely nothing. Bill Guarnere refused to allow you to weasel your way out of this pass. Meanwhile Buck Compton happily offered to throw you over his shoulder and carry you to the train station. Eugene Roe just watched on, clearly resigned to his own fate, for you knew he had been looking forward to some peace and quiet also.
Now you sat beside him in your dress greens, absorbing the revelry of those trying to enjoy a night of freedom in the loud, British pub.
“Hey! C'mere!” George Luz stumbled to the table, grinning ear to ear, as he haphazardly maneuvered around the others in the crowded pub.
“What now?” Guarnere drawled from the other side of the table.
Luz started tugging on Compton, who smacked his hand away. “I found some pilots that's gonna buy our next round while we wait for darts to open! Come on!”
“Why are we wasting time on pilots? These seats are fine right here.” Johnny Martin waved a hand at the table you all had just managed to secure from a handful of privates.
“The Major made a bet! I figured we'd play a round, Buck and I do alright, we up the bet and bam! Buck smokes ‘em!”
“Someone's gonna catch on to this scam eventually.” Joe Toye rolled his eyes at Easy's active mischief-maker.
“Yeah,” Luz winked, “but not today. Come on!”
With varying degrees of groans and snarky comments, your table begrudgingly rose to follow Luz, who bounced like a kid hyped up on sugar. You shared a long-suffering look with Roe before sighing, grabbing your pint and following the group. Luz led the way towards the back of the pub, followed by Guarnere, Toye, Compton, you in the middle, and Roe, Martin and Randleman.
As you passed the other tables, your eyes scanned for others in your company, but there were so many locals, RAF and other companies, it was hard to distinguish amongst the sea of uniforms.
“There he is! Bring your whole damn company with ya?” A loud voice called out.
“No, sir!” Luz laughed, “Intimidated?”
“Not at all! The more, the merrier!” The voice called back jovially. “Hey, Brady, grab those chairs!”
Your group outnumbered the five pilots, so more chairs and an extra table were commandeered from a couple of airmen who took one look at the large group and intimidating scowls of Guarnere, Toye and Martin and quickly surrendered their spots.
Once seated, the two groups were introduced to one another by one Major John Egan, gleefully naming his fellow pilots and talking them up like some kind of hype-man, while George Luz introduced those of Easy, happily matching the energy and announcing each like some kind of carnival game host. You laughed at their antics until you met a pair of sky blue eyes focused on you, a toothpick stuck in the corner of his mouth.
Then all you could do was stare back.
Suddenly your mind was transported back to high school, to the summer after your graduation, and the last time you saw Gale Cleven. To the tears you had tried to keep hidden from him, but failed when he wrapped you in an even tighter hug. To the feeling of a piece of your heart fracturing off as you watched him get on that bus and drive away, even as your mind knew this was for the best. That you two had talked about this and knew he needed to leave. Yet knowledge and understanding could never soothe the pain.
Seeing him now, your past and present collided to create this unexpected moment.
Distantly, you heard the men talk about where each other was stationed and how England was treating them. Easy complained about the troop ship while the other group talked about having to stop in Greenland and its hazards. Everyone agreed about their disdain for the continual rain and fog.
It was not until a question was directed towards you that you seemed to reawaken to your surroundings, jolted back from your memories.
“Are you a nurse?”
“A combat medic.” You replied, already dreading how this conversation was going to go.
“Really?” The one who asked the initial question, Biddick, you thought his name might be, leaned forward on the table, eyes wide. You could easily hear the shock and see the confusion on the rest of their faces.
“They're letting women…fight?” A different Major sitting with them, whose name you already forgot, said. “Doesn't seem right.”
Tension and offense swooped down like a hawk, passing through your fellow Easy paratroopers, for the slight towards you. The air around the table thickened. All you could do was sigh and take a sip of your pint. You had spent the past almost two years proving you were an asset to Easy Company, a respect gained through blood and sweat. Yet anyone outside of your company scoffed at your involvement. You should be used to this by now, yet it still stung.
“Wildcat ‘ere has proved herself, a'right? Anyone who says she ain't apart of Easy gets my fist to the fuckin’ face.” Guarnere practically growled, glaring at the five men across the table.
The one with the boyish face, Biddick, lifted his hands in surrender. “Jesus, sorry. We just never seen a woman in combat.”
“Curt's right. We never meant to offend.” The Major Egan placaded, then turned towards you. “Besides, she doesn't need bullets to kill those Nazis, all she's gotta do is smile and they'll be falling at her feet.”
It was a cheesy line but it made you smile, especially with his cheeky wink. Oh he was a charmer. You made a mental note to not find yourself sitting next to him. You were unsure you would be able to handle his flirting without becoming a blubbering mess of awkwardness.
“She survived fucking Sobel and all that bastard threw at her, she can handle war.” Toye said confidently.
“Thanks, Joe.” Warmth filled you as you smiled at him, earning a brief smile and nod from him. Toye had been one of those who had taken longer to adjust to you being apart of the company, and it warmed your heart to hear him defending you so.
“Do medics get a weapon?” Biddick asked, slightly changing the topic.
This time Roe answered, if to take the attention off you or because he was the lead medic, you were unsure. “No, our resources are on helpin’ those injured.”
Couple of the pilots whistled before the fifth man, whose name you forgot and insulted you, commented. “Jesus Christ, can't imagine going into combat without a weapon.”
“Well…I can't imagine flying over Nazi territory in a giant, flying target.” Luz leaned forward, grinning like a loony. “I'd rather jump outta the plane than stay in it, ya know.”
“See! That's crazy!” Biddick pointed a finger at Luz. “What kinda person jumps outta a perfectly good airplane?”
“Obviously the toughest, bravest sons of bitches…and Wildcat there. She's just as crazy.” Guarnere cheered, raising his pint. “Currahee!”
You tapped your pint against Roe's, who was next to you again. “Pretty sure Easy has crazy in spades.”
Roe chuckled lowly. “‘ere's to us bein’ the only sane ones then.”
You laughed and knocked your shoulder against his, watching that small smile slip onto his face, both enjoying the running joke between the Easy medics.
Randleman, who was sitting on your other side, leaned over. “Don't forget Dog Company has Speirs. That puts ‘em in the running for the lead in crazy.”
Even Roe snorted at that, making you laugh again, because, well, Randleman was not wrong there.
“Hey! That dartboard open yet? Christ, I thought we were coming over to play?” Compton asked, looking towards the solitary dartboard with a small crowd around it.
The noise of the paratroopers and pilots making their bets drifted around you like a breeze you were aware of but paid no attention to. Gale Cleven claimed your sole attention once again, who himself seemed to be assessing you anew.
You knew after high school he was attending flight school, he had told you of his plans late one autumn night as you laid under the stars. It yanked at your heart but you understood and could not begrudge him for wanting to leave your small town where his father's name and reputation haunted his every step. And now he sat in his dress uniform with pins and cap on, looking like the confident, handsome man you knew was in there but just needed the space to blossom. Silently, you were so proud of him, how far he had come and the seemingly close friends he now had.
And damn, did he look good. You were not ashamed to admit to yourself that the past years had only enhanced his attractiveness somehow.
Seeing your face, you wondered what he thought. His instinctive reactions had not passed unnoticed by you- the flash of wide eyes that crossed his face when you mentioned you were a combat medic nor the wince when it was stated you would not be carrying a weapon. Your presence must be a shock for him. Never once had you mentioned wanting to join the military during all those hours you spent together both in school and outside of it.
With that thought, something sparked alive within your chest. A sudden need to explain, to tell him why you were here…And if you were feeling bold, perhaps finally admit how much you missed him.
After taking another sip of your warm beer, you stood up from your chair. You could sense Roe start to rise but you pushed lightly on his shoulder to stay down, that brotherly, protective streak you adored about him never letting up. Before nerves or potential embarrassment could deter your actions, you moved around the table, closer to where Cleven sat, those blue eyes never wavering from you, tracking your every step.
“Dance with me, Major Cleven?” You asked lightly, meanwhile internally, an army of butterflies assaulted your stomach.
“Sorry, beautiful, Buck doesn't dance.” The dark-haired Major Egan stated factually, before pushing his chair back, “I'll happily dance with you, though.”
Before you could protest, Cleven rose like a swift wind and roughly shoved Egan back in his seat. “I'll dance with her.”
“What??” Egan sputtered as Cleven made his way around the table, with accompanying wide eyes from his men following his movement. “You didn't even dance with Marge!”
“She's the only one I dance with.” He said in that drawl, eyes fixated on you. Those words carried the weight of an announcement, a declaration.
Then your world narrowed, those butterflies ceased their assault, as he extended his hand towards you. With a smile on your face, you took his hand, fingers slotting together in a way that felt familiar and nostalgic, like a warm cup of coffee after a cold morning or a sip of your grandfather's whiskey after months away.
Pinpricks dotted along your back as you walked away, that feeling of being watched never wavering, as you followed Cleven to the makeshift dance floor. In all the time you had been with Easy, never once had you allowed any of them to drag you to the dance floor, even when Luz and Malarkey were at their most persistent or Talbert at his most flirtatious.
“So, ‘Wildcat’, huh?” He spoke first, his mouth just over your ear to be heard over the noise and music, one calloused hand on your lower back and the other holding your hand gently like a piece of long-lost treasure.
“Yeah, and what about you?” You teased, squeezing his shoulder where you hand rested. “Where did ‘Buck' come from?”
He chuckled. “That's a long story.”
“I fully expect to hear it. You never allowed us to give you a nickname in high school and now you've got one!”
“Yeah, well, didn't have much of a choice. But it's alright, I don't fully mind it…but don't tell Bucky that. He'll be insufferable.”
“Cross my heart.” You shook your head, smiling as he spun you out and pulled you back in. “Now, tell me everything. It's been what, four years? Congrats on being a major!”
He blushed beautifully. “Then you gotta tell me how you came to be a paratrooper.”
“All this sounds like it'll take longer than one song.” You commented, heart hammering away in your chest as you stared up at him.
“I've got time.” He drawled, eyes crinkling in the corners as he smiled at you.
The two of you easily fell into a natural rhythm that bespoke of years of practice and a comfortability with one another. He shared about his time in the air force, becoming a major and meeting John ‘Bucky’ Egan and how he gave Gale his nickname.
You talked about your hometown, how you joined the WAC after Pearl Harbor but somehow were chosen for an experimental position as a combat medic for the paratroopers.
It should have shocked you how easily you and Gale fell into step, not just in movement but in conversation. It felt like you picked up right where the two of you had left off years ago, like no time at all had passed. That chemistry still bubbled beneath the surface. That bond still tethered, as if distance and years had no effect. With the way his hand on your lower back held you close to him, your fingers still entwined unlike what the dance called for…you thought he might still feel it all too.
During your second dance, you noticed Compton and Luz were playing darts with Egan and Biddick, finally having secured the board. You chuckled to yourself seeing Compton throw left-handed.
“What?”
You shook your head as Gale glanced over towards the group. “Nothing.” With your heart in your throat, you yanked up the courage dancing about your ankles. “I'm proud of you…I mean, it was hard after you left but…but I'm happy for you. It feels like…like you're where you should be.”
“I missed you too.” He murmured in reply, hearing the words you did not say.
With the confirmation, you melted against him unconsciously, a hidden part of your soul settled.
After the third dance, you and Gale mutually decided to head back to your table, both parched from the dancing and not wanting to completely abandon your companions.
“Buckkkkk!!!” Egan greeted as you drew close and threw his arm around Cleven, “we're winning!”
“You guys cleaned us out. Good game.” Compton shook his head with a smile on his face.
“Hey, can't be the best at everything, right?” Biddick japed.
“Breaking my heart,” Luz placed a hand over his chest, “good thing we aren't going all in for that last round like we talked about, eh, Buck?”
Compton shook his head in commiseration. “Not looking good for us, Georgie.”
“Hey! One more! Let's do it!” Egan raised a single finger proudly. “All in! It's our last night in London, let's paint the town red!”
Biddick took up the cheer before downing his beer and going to retrieve the darts before someone else lingering in the wings could snatch them.
“Nah, I don't know.” Compton said.
“We'll go easy on ya.” Egan hedged, leaving his friend to approach the gameboard again.
“Well….” Compton looked at Luz.
Luz shrugged innocently. “First to hit the bullseye?”
“First one!” Egan agreed, nodding jovially. “Since we're all gentlemen here, and a lovely lady, we'll let the losers go first.”
Still standing next to Cleven, you pressed a hand over your mouth, hoping it came off as looking nervous instead of trying to smother your knowing smile.
“If you insist…” Compton grabbed the dart and stood, lining up his shot, before Luz interrupted him.
“Lieutenant, are you gonna shoot lefty all night? Cause he's right handed, you know.”
“George! George! What would I do without George Luz?” Compton threw the dart, immediately hitting the bullseye dead center. “Oh! Pay up, fellas!”
With the ruse up, you no longer needed to hide and allowed your laughter to break free at the shocked faces of Egan and Biddick.
“Did you know?” Cleven leaned over and whispered in your ear.
“Perhaps.” You smirked.
He chuckled, nudging your shoulder before heading back to his seat.
Warmth filling your chest like a shot of whiskey and a smile turning your lips up, you followed his example to fall into your own seat. “What?
“Nothin’.” Roe said, watching you as he slid a fresh pint over. “It's nice to see ya smile is all.”
Finally, the dart players return to their seats, Compton and Luz ignoring subtlety and blatantly enjoying their spoils.
“Hey!” You looked over at Guarnere, leaning around Toye and Roe to meet your gaze. “Why ya dance with the major and not me, huh? How many times a fella gotta ask and get turned down? I get it now.” He tapped his nose. “You just like ‘em pretty boys.”
“You caught me.” You teased back. “Can't say ‘no’ to a pretty face.”
“What's that mean for Tab? He ain't pretty enough?” Toye softly asked, amusement clear on his face.
“Oh no. That just means I've got standards.”
The men around you hooted and further ribbed you about why you did not dance with them. You deflected as much as you could, even as a flush warmed your face with all the unnecessary attention. It did not help that you could see Cleven staring from across the table, a lovely smile making him look beyond handsome.
Egan smacked the table with an open palm, his other arm on the back of Cleven's chair. “Okay, okay. Buck says you two know each other. That true?”
“Yeah,” you floundered for a minute before deciding to keep it vague. “We grew up together…small town and all that.”
“Alright but that doesn't explain all of–” Egan gestured vaguely towards the dance floor. “Hell, I didn't know Buck could even dance.”
Egan loudly laughed as Cleven rolled his eyes and elbowed him in the ribs. Even some of the other pilots chimed in with their own shock, much to your amusement.
“Hey, hey, come on.” Biddick interrupted, sitting on Cleven's other side. “You say you grew up together but I don't believe that's all. You seemed…friendly over there dancing. I'm not the only one seein’ it, right?”
“Hmmm…well, there was a rumor in high-school that we were secretly sweethearts.” Cleven drawled, watching you carefully, those blue eyes both soothing and heating your blood at the memories it was conjuring.
This time Compton took up the mantle of questioning, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Is that so?”
You smiled coyishly, batting your eyelashes for the added effect. “We don't kiss and tell. Right, Gale?”
“Yes, ma'am.” He winked, a quick, fleeting thing but it sent a thrill down your spine and made your smile widen.
A few groans of annoyance and teasing comments flew around the table, demands for more information and for stories scattered about but both you and Cleven kept mute. Eventually the conversation diverted, led by Egan and Luz arguing about the Yankees or something involving baseball.
The truth was no one needed to know that you and Gale were each other's firsts in more ways than one. Even in high school, that bond cemented your affections but neither of you felt the need to showcase it. There was something about keeping it private that felt sacred, that once it was exposed to others and their opinions, it would become a battlefield with others throwing their opinions like grenades. Plus you both knew he was not meant to stay in your small town, that undercurrent ran through your connection all those years, whatever was shared between the two of you was not permanent. Yet here you were years later, past and present blurring like a smudged picture.
A slight nudge to your side dragged your attention to Roe. “Hmm?”
“We gotta get goin’ if we wanna get to the train station early.”
“Ah, shit. Thanks, Roe.”
He nodded, before getting up and moving towards Compton, whispering into his ear.
“Time to head out.” You said to Randleman beside you, earning a nod of understanding .
“Sorry, boys, we need to head out.” Compton announced, rising from his seat.
“What? What time is it?” Egan said, eyebrows furrowed as if just now realizing how much time had passed.
“We should head out ourselves, we can't miss our train.” Brady stated, also standing up.
Somehow the group of paratroopers and pilots forced their way through the crowded pub, like a slithering serpent through the sea of uniforms. Your eyes continuously scanned the crowds, head swiveling to spot any Easy paratroopers, all to no avail. You wondered how many would forget about the timeline and show up late tomorrow back in Aldbourne.
The large group poured out onto the dark street, spilling like oil on the floor that is impossible to clean up. Thankfully it was already far from quiet with other soldiers and locals wandering around the street for your group to add to the rowdy disturbance.
“Nice meeting you fellas! Thanks for the game!” Luz called out.
“Next time we'll get ya!” Biddick hollered back. “We know your tricks now!”
“Good luck, gentlemen!” Compton said before leading the paratroopers away.
With your heart in your throat, you stole a glance at Cleven before there was too much space, before the night's darkness distorts his image. His appearance was a shooting star across the sky, a bright light heralding joy and nostalgia, but you worried as it passed, this would be the last you saw of it…the last time you saw him. You both had your roles to play in this war, and neither of you were guaranteed to live through it.
To your surprise, he stood frozen, those sky blue eyes locked on you. Egan stood at his side, arm lazily thrown over his shoulder as he waved his other arm and animatedly explained something that had the others laughing and shaking their heads.
“Don't fall behind, Wildcat.” Toye stated, walking by you.
“Eh, she just wants one more look of her pretty boy.”
You swiped a hand out, smacking Guarnere's arm and making him laugh. Yet you took Toye's advice. You fell into step with Roe at the rear of the group, idly listening to the mock argument between Luz and Compton.
Suddenly, the call of your name pierced through the night air.
Startled, you whipped around, your feet stumbling on the uneven cobblestones beneath you. To your shock, Cleven walked towards you, crossing that growing no man's land separating your two groups.
Without hesitation, you followed his lead. The feeling of eyes on you barely registered as you found yourself standing before the blond-haired major once again.
“I wanted– it was good to see you.”
“Yeah, it was good seeing you too, Gale.” You softly replied. “You seem like you've got some good men. Not sure about that Bucky though. Seems like trouble.”
“You've no idea, goddamn stone in my shoe.” He chuckled as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “I didn't say it earlier, but for what it's worth, I'm proud of you. I think what you're doing is courageous.”
“Oh, thank you. And you…you know. It– it can't be easy up there.”
“Yeah… stay safe, alright?”
“I'll try. I mean, I will be jumping outta an airplane…”
“I'm not sure who decided that's a good idea.” He shook his head, lips turning upward.
You laughed, watching his smile widen, before you got serious. “You stay safe too, okay?” You bit your lip for a moment before realizing you might never get this opportunity again. “If I wrote to you…would you write back?”
“Already looking forward to it.”
“Hey! Romeo and Juliet! You two done yet?”
“Shut up, Luz!” You turned and shouted towards your group. After an embarrassed huff, you took a step back. “If you're ever around Aldbourne, I'll be there for at least a while longer.”
“I'll find you.” He promised, sending a shiver down your spine at the promise in his tone.
With his words washing over you and the sweet taste of nostalgia still coating your tongue, you swept closer and wrapped your arms around him, dragging him into a hug that he readily reciprocated. It was quick, both of you knowing that you were on borrowed time. You pecked a kiss to his cheek before pulling away and hurrying back to your paratroopers, emotions stirring and roiling that you did not have time to face at the moment.
“Should we be hearing wedding bells?” Compton greeted you with.
“Shut up!” You laughed, face flushed from the teasing and your actions.
“Can't tell a superior office to ‘shut up’.” Randleman drawled, cigar in his mouth now.
“Woulda used that on Sobel long ago if we could.” Martin agreed.
You slipped back into your spot beside Roe, smiling as you listened to the men spout out what they would have liked to do to Sobel if he was not a superior officer. Punching his big mouth seemed to be a favorite.
“A pilot, huh?” Roe whispered, loud enough for your ears alone.
“No…not you too.” You groaned but still slipped your arm through his, loving how he immediately held it like you were some fancy couple on a promenade at the park instead of paratroopers wandering a dark London street.
“Just lookin’ out for my little sister.”
Your heart clenched and you squeezed his arm in gratitude.
Although the idea of reconnecting with Cleven made your heart flutter, it was these men around you that were your foundation, your strength and resilience in the face of unknown combat. You were lucky to have found such friends, such brothers amidst war.
And you knew that past, present and future, you would always have them. That neither life nor war could ever truly tear apart the unity created between this band of brothers.