Troy awoke to the sound of panicked whimpering. Turning over, he saw that his bedpartner had also heard the noise. They got up and quickly went over to the other side of the tent where the privates had bunked down for the night.
"Shh, it's ok Hitch, I'm here. You're safe, we're all safe." The sergeants heard Tully's attempts to comfort the Rat Patrol's youngest member as they neared the bed.
"No, it's my fault. I wasn't fast enough," Hitch had tears streaming down his face as he replied. "I want Sarge."
"I'm right here, sweetheart," Troy kneeled down next to Hitch and began to run his fingers through the younger man's hair. "What's wrong?"
"Nightmare," Hitch sniffled, "we were sneaking in somewhere, but a guard saw me and he… he… he started shooting. We ran but I was too slow, so you had to come back for me." By this point, Hitch was crying too hard to finish his story, but Troy could tell where it was headed. He quickly pulled Hitch into his arms and began to rock slowly.
"I do believe that we'd more comfortable in our bed, Troy. Or least, we'd fit better," Moffitt said as he looked over at Troy.
"Good idea. What do you think about that?" he asked Hitch.
"I wanna stay with you, Sarge," Hitch replied as he clung to his sergeant.
"Well, I guess that decides it." Troy shifted slightly so he could stand and carried Hitch to the other bed.
Moffitt also stood up and began to walk across the tent but stopped when he realized that Tully hadn't moved. "Aren't you coming Tully?"
"I didn't know I was invited," the blonde didn't look up from his lap.
At this Moffitt sat down next to his driver, "Tully, look at me." When he didn't the sergeant gently lifted his chin, "of course you are. Our bed is always open to you, darling, for any reason, even if you just want to lay together for a few minutes."
"But what about Hitch. He's real upset, and I'd just get in the way."
"You could never be in the way, love. And from the way I see it, it looks like you are as upset as Hitchcock. Come on." Moffitt stood and held a hand out to his private. Finally, Tully stood, and Moffitt led him over to the other half of their team. Troy was still slowly rocking Hitch who simply clung to his sergeant and buried his head in Troy's shoulder.
"So you two finally made it, huh," Troy teased quietly. His smile faded when he saw the tears in the Kentuckians' eyes. "C'mere."
Once Tully climbed into the bed behind Hitch, Troy used the arm not holding Hitch to run his fingers through Tully's hair. Moffitt grabbed the blanket from where It has fallen earlier and covered the three men.
"You're laying down to, right Sarge?" Tully asked as he turned to the Englander.
"Yes," Moffitt softly replied, "there is nothing that I would rather do." Moffitt leaned over to kiss his fellow sergeant's lips and Hitch's temple. Then he laid down behind Tully and pulled the younger man into his arms.
"There," he whispered, "all better."
"Not yet." Tully turned to look at him, "you forgot my goodnight kiss."
"I could never forget such an important part of our routine, now could I?" With this, Moffitt propped himself up on an elbow, so he could ensure that his driver got a proper kiss goodnight.
"You know," Troy said, "I don't know why we even bother using two beds. We always wind up in this one anyway."
"Because then you wouldn't get to carry Hitch over here while he clings to you," his partner replied.
"Besides, then it wouldn't be the same," Tully added.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, whenever we sleep over here, it's cause y'all come and get us or pull us into this bed before we fall asleep. If this was our normal bed, then you wouldn't need to want us here," Tully explained.
"We will always want you here, both of you," Troy replied, "but I think I know what you mean."
Glancing back at Moffitt, who nodded his agreement, Tully snuggled down next to Hitch, who tangled his legs with Tully's.
"Goodnight Sarge," the privates said in tandem.
"Goodnight Hitch. Goodnight Tully. Sweet dreams," Troy responded.
"Goodnight you two. We love you both very much," Moffitt echoed.