Hi, all! To those who have been waiting, sorry for the long wait - was doing my final exams and stuff. Pretty good results, topped for English and Maths, third for Lit, fourth for Science...anyway. I wrote this chapter in a hurry and I gotta say I'm not proud of it. It isn't good at all. In fact, it sucks. I don't even know how I topped English. Big mystery. But, just read and DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! EVEN IF IT'S A HORRIBLE, SCATHING REVIEW, I DON'T CARE! Just review and make my day, eh?

Disclaimer: The day I own BoB would be the day that Adolf Hitler is resurrected and takes over the world with fluffy bunnies. All I own are Christine and Harry Campbell one of which doesn't even appear in this chapter.

Chapter 10

Forgive and Forget…please?

If we really want to love
we must learn how to forgive

- Mother Teresa

Christine Campbell

When you watch a movie, the part where the heroine or hero gets heartbroken always has that typical scene where it rains and music plays. Slowly she (or he) would walk away, hands in pockets, while the rain soaks her (or him) to the bone and slow, sad music plays. It didn't happen to me, though. Bill sought me out in the morning and told me about his conversation with Don. I raced to the green, gentle hillside and saw him, cutting a lonely figure against the picturesque scenery, staring into space. He turned, saw me and I held my breath, trying to think of something witty, or funny to say. He held my gaze for a long time, then finally shouted, "Leave me alone!" and walked in the opposite direction.

Those three words sent the world crashing down around me.

I slouched away miserably, hands in pockets, half expecting that rain and music to appear magically. But Aldbourne was as sunny as ever – sunnier than usual, in fact – and no music played. In fact, not a sound could be heard except for some faraway Sergeant shouting orders to his men.

Aldbourne was pleasant, but somehow I couldn't wait to get back into battle. It was so exhilarating, yet pretty scary, seeing as it was pretty dangerous (I do believe that's the understatement of the year). But when the adrenalin courses through you, it isn't that scary after all. Besides, it'd help me take my mind off Don. So I wanted to go and fight.

I had the feeling Bill wanted to as well. Every time we were briefed for another assignment his face lit up. But when Patton and his tanks overran the drop zones, while others were blessing George Patton and the Third Army, Bill's face fell comically. I should've expected it, anyway. We're really two of a kind in terms of character. But that's getting out of point.

All day I tried to get closer to Don, to explain myself, to explain what happened, to tell him I'm sorry for whatever I did wrong. But every time I tried to get nearer to him he seemed to disappear, just like that. It was inexplicable and maddeningly frustrating.

Donald Malarkey

If she doesn't like me anymore, why is she still chasing me? I hate people like that. Trying to pretend they didn't do anything wrong but cheating on you at the same time. I'll never forget that dark alley. Jeez, why did I have to become so infatuated with her in the first place? She's a British girl, in the American airborne, found in a French house, with the ability to speak German, French and Russian. A weirder girl I've never seen.

And yet…

Christine Campbell

I had tried to put Don out of my mind with the prospect of more fighting in the form of Operation Market Garden that was coming up, but something kept nagging me. Day after day I returned to that dark alley, gazing into its depths, wishing that whatever had occurred in there had never happened in the first place.

And then one day, Don came along. He didn't look where he was going – or maybe I was the one that wasn't looking – and we crashed into each other, right in front of the alley. While he was still dazed and disoriented I seized the opportunity. "Now look, Don," I said in my best, apologetic manner, which wasn't very apologetic at all. "I'm sorry for what happened over here–" I made an attempt to vaguely gesture at the dark alley – "but it wasn't my fault. Harry just…just forced himself upon me," I mumbled, feeling rather embarrassed at my choice of words. "I didn't do anything, I wasn't, well, cheating on you or anything, honest!"

Don regarded me for one long moment. Then finally a ghost of a smile flitted across his face and he remarked, "You know, you sound like some whiny, guilty, spoilt kid."

I blushed. "Only one out of four, I'm afraid," I told him in my best impersonation of a teacher. "I'm not whiny, not spoilt, and I'm not a kid…I just feel a bit guilty for what I didn't do," I put particular emphasis on the last four words. Then I tried to get back to the subject. "Don…can you forgive me?" I tried my hardest to inject a helluva lot of sincerity into my words. Needless to say, I could see I was failing dismally.

He stopped. "No…" he said slowly, then he added, "But I can try."

Donald Malarkey

16th September.

One day before Operation Market Garden, as Christine said, an all out operation involving most of our resources…that is doomed to fail. And what's more we, the 101st Airborne which has never lost a battle yet, are going to be in the middle of it all. On Hell's Highway.

Gee, it sure is confusing, knowing the future. And the worst thing is that you can't do anything about it. I for one know that if I tried to convince anyone that we're all going to be doomed, everyone's just going to assume I'm mad and lock me up in the asylum. So Operation Market Garden has to go ahead. Thousands of British Paratroopers will have to sacrifice their lives for an ultimately futile effort, for a road to nowhere. Bit stupid, if you ask me.

I can't decide if I've forgiven Christine yet. I picked a fight with Campbell the other day, and the sight of him with a boot print on the side of his face made me laugh, but, well, I don't know, Christine's just so…difficult. Plus, she's from the future, and I'm from the past. How am I to get along with her well?

September 17th.

Sunday.

With a slight sense of foreboding we load up on the planes, checking and rechecking our equipment. It feels like D-Day all over again, just that this jump will be in broad daylight. Which makes us easier targets for the Krauts.

Surprisingly enough, though, all goes well. Not much ack ack encountered on the way there, and the drop goes perfectly. The moment I hit the ground I'm getting rid of the harness, shouldering my mortar and making for the drop zone. A few Easy troopers are already there, getting themselves in order. Christine's one of them and I make a deliberate detour so that she doesn't see me. After most of the regiment is assembled we make for Son Bridge, the bridge we are supposed to capture. Coincidentally, also known as the bridge that is due to blow up in our faces.