Disclaimer: I don't own Band of Brothers; this is based on the miniseries and meant for entertainment.
It was dark when Danica opened her eyes. Momentarily disoriented, she blinked in confusion as she racked her brain to remember her location. The soft snoring next to her brought the events of the late afternoon crashing back. She was inside the dilapidated English cottage; wrapped up in the arms of a sleeping Ron on an old couch. Disentangling herself from his arms was difficult, but she managed to do so without waking him up. Danica watched the slow rise and fall of his chest as she dressed, smiling into the darkness at each memory that replayed itself in her head. No matter what the consequences, she wouldn't regret sleeping with him.
"Running away?" Even though his voice was low and groggy, it's suddenness made Danica jump.
"No," She replied as she finished buttoning up her shirt, "I planned on waking you up. But I do have to leave." Danica returned to the couch and ran a hand through his hair.
"Your hair's a mess." She commented.
"I wonder why." Was Ron's dry reply. Danica smiled and leaned down to press her lips to his. Ron wrapped his hand in her hair, keeping her in place for several seconds longer then she had planned.
"I have to go." She reminded him.
"I know." He released his hold on her. "You still owe me a lunch." Danica sighed, running a hand through her own messy hair.
"Ron, we can't be involved like this." Ron stood; began to get dressed.
"Unless you're going to give me the real reason why not, we aren't having this conversation again." He shot her a look. "It's getting old."
"You need to talk to Jacqueline." Danica explained. "And I mean really talk. She isn't going to just let it out." She could make out his frown even in the darkness.
"Should I be worried?"
"Just talk to her." Danica repeated. "It isn't my place to say." She closed the distance between them and kissed him softly. "I hope we can still be friends." Ron chose not to reply as he watched her leave. He didn't think he could ever be "just friends" with Danica Graham; just like he knew that whatever Jacqueline had to say would keep him away from Danica.
He just hoped it wasn't forever.
"Oh there you are!" Jacqueline exclaimed as soon as Danica walked through the door. "Thank God!" The hug was sudden and tight. "I was worried." Danica frowned.
"Why?" She asked as she extracted herself from Jacqueline's arms.
"Lieutenant Mercer came by to see how you were doing. When I said that you were doing fine he seemed surprised. So, naturally, I asked him why he was surprised." She fixed Danica with a look. "Why didn't you tell me about your father?" There was hurt in Jacqueline's voice which angered Danica. The death of her father was her business and if she didn't want to share it, she didn't have to.
"I'm just not ready to talk about it." She replied.
"I'm sorry."
"Thank you." She tried to go upstairs, but Jacqueline grabbed her hand.
"Is there anything you need?"
"No thank you. Right now I just want to sleep." Jacqueline dropped her hand.
"Oh, of course. Would you like me to bring you up some dinner later? It's potato soup." Danica offered her a smile as she shook her head.
"No I'm not hungry. Besides you should get some rest."
"I will." Jacqueline promised. "Soon."
"Good. Night Jacqueline."
"Good night Danica." Danica was halfway up the stairs when she turned and called Jacqueline's name. "Yes?"
"You need to tell Ron you're pregnant." Jacqueline instantly began to wring her hands together.
"He'll be angry."
"He won't be angry." Danica assured her. "But he'd want to know." Jacqueline sighed.
"You're right."
"Of course I am." Reissuing their good nights, Danica completed her trek upstairs and fell gratefully into her awaiting bed.
Ron stared up at the house Jacqueline and Danica shared. It'd been two days since he'd last seen Danica at the abandoned house and while he wanted to see her, he was actually at the house to see Jacqueline. He was about to begin up the walk when someone came to a loud and abrupt halt near him. Ron turned and had to bite back a scowl. It was the same soldier who'd been with Danica that night at the bar.
"Evening sir." The soldier-George Luz, Ron suddenly remembered-saluted.
"Evening." Ron grumbled back. Luz hesitated only a second before nodding a grin and bolting up to the house. Ron followed him reluctantly though at a distance. The door was open by the time he made it to the threshold and Jacqueline was speaking with Luz.
"I don't know who you are." She said as Ron came to a stop next to Luz.
"George Luz ma'am; I'm here to—″
"He's here for me." Danica interrupted as she came bounding down the stairs. Ron was surprised to see that she was in a rather fancy black dress; he couldn't help the flare of jealously when he heard Luz whistle in appreciation.
"You look great doll." Luz commented. Danica rolled her eyes but smiled. Ron clenched his hands into fists.
"This isn't a date George." She tapped his forehead. "You'd do well to remember that."
"Yeah, yeah." Luz muttered as Danica turned her face towards Ron.
"Hello Ron." She greeted politely.
"Hello Danica." He greeted back in the same tone. "You look beautiful." He tried to pull all the emotion from his voice, but he failed to do so. There was a tense moment that had both Luz and Jacqueline shifting awkwardly.
"We should go if we wanna see the newsreel." Luz suggested, finally breaking the stressed silence. Danica nodded and briefly disappeared before returning with her coat.
"I'm ready." She glanced at Jacqueline. "I won't be home too late." She promised. "And don't worry about dinner." Luz offered her his hand and as Danica accepted it Ron had to avert his eyes. He'd never considered himself a jealous man, but he hated the idea of any man's skin touching Danica's save for his. "It's not what you think Ron." Danica said softly as she passed him, but she was halfway down the walk before he'd turned around.
"You should come in Ron." Jacqueline suggested, pulling his attention away from the retreating figures of Danica and Luz. He wordlessly agreed and entered the house, squaring his shoulders for whatever was about to happen.
"Speirs isn't gunna kill me is he?" Danica frowned.
"Why would he?"
"Uh because he's obviously sweet on you and I'm taking you out."
"It's not a da—″
"Date," Luz interrupted, "I know. And I don't think he cares what we're calling it." Danica looked at her feet.
"It's not like that." She said softly. Luz glanced at her.
"Are you sure?" He asked. "'Cause I think you like him too."
"It's complicated." Luz rolled his eyes.
"Of course it is. Fine, I won't badger you." Danica sent him a grateful smile.
"Thank you." He nodded.
"You know if I'd known you were so complicated when I first saw you I'd kept on walkin'."
"Luz that isn't how you charm a lady." Another arm slipped through Danica's free one, wrenching her gently away from Luz. "So we meet again Ms. Danica." Danica couldn't stop a rin from coming onto her face as she recognized Don Malarkey.
"Hello Sergeant Malarkey."
"Please," Malarkey countered with a charming smile, "Call me Don."
"Or bullshit. He answers to both." Luz snapped as he grabbed Danica back from his comrade. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were going to the pub."
"Changed my mind; figured I'd join Skip and Penkala at the movies." Luz rolled his eyes.
"That's a surprise."
"Are you going to sit with us?" Danica asked innocently.
"No." Luz interjected before Malarkey could answer. "He and his buddies will be sitting in their own seats-far away from us."
"George prefers working along." Malarkey teasingly explained. Danica smiled.
"What can I say?" Luz asked as he lit a cigarette. "I'm a one man show." As Danica lit a cigarette of her own, a look passed between Luz and Malarkey. The latter knew the look meant that it was time for him to get lost.
"Alright kids." Malarkey announced loudly as Danica raised her head. "I see Skip. Enjoy the movie." Danica called a 'good bye' after him as he disappeared into the surprisingly large crowd of movie goers.
"I hope we can find two seats next to each other."
"Worse comes to worse you could always sit on my lap." Luz offered with a leer. Danica smacked his chest.
"George it's—″
"Not a date. I know."
The awkward silence pervading through the kitchen was deafening. After Jacqueline had placed refreshments on the table not a word had been spoken. As she reached for a cracker so too did Ron; their hands met and both pulled away abruptly.
"What's going on that I need to know about?" Ron asked, wanting the silence to be over. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know how to tell you." Jacqueline replied. "I don't want you to be angry. Danica says you won't be and that I need to tell you, but—″
"Well then you should oblige Danica," Ron muttered sarcastically, "And tell me." Jacqueline sent him a glare.
"If you'd rather argue, please leave. This is difficult enough without your temper." Ron sighed.
"I'm sorry." He apologized. "It's been a long day." The day hadn't been long, but he couldn't tell Jacqueline that his anger was about the fact that Danica was out with another man. "So what is it that I need to know about?" Jacqueline bit at her lower lip and averted her eyes from his. Another sigh left Ron's lips. "Jacqueline…"
"I'm pregnant."
"How can you not like John Wayne?" Luz asked incredulously as he and Danica left the theatre. The movie wasn't over, but Danica had taken all that she could of John Wayne.
"Because in every movie he's in he acts exactly the same. He's not acting-he's being himself." Luz chuckled even as he shook his head.
"That's what makes John Wayne John Wayne." Danica rolled her eyes.
"Fine, but he's still not acting."
"I promise not to take you to anymore John Wayne movies."
"That would be appreciated." She giggled.
"You up for a trip to the pub for a late pint?" Danica shook her head.
"No, I should get back."
"Alright, I'll get ya home." He offered her his arm which Danica accepted with a smile. "Can I ask you a question Ms. Graham?" Danica bobber her head once.
"Of course you may Mr. Luz." Luz glanced sideways at her.
"Are you gunna be honest with me?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Luz shrugged. "What's the question?"
"Are you dating Speirs?" The question caught Danica off-guard.
"I thought we already covered that."
"I want a straight answer." Danica used her free arm to run a hand through her hair before answering his question.
"We were involved briefly, but I-I think it's over."
"That isn't a straight answer." Danica shrugged.
"That's all I can give you." Luz nodded slowly.
"Fair enough." They walked in silence for a couple minutes; each lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't until they reached Jacqueline's house that Luz spoke again. "I wanna ask you on a date." He declared, sounding nervous for the first time since Danica had met him. "An actual date."
"Oh George…" Danica sighed as she removed her arm from his. "I don't know if that's a good idea…"
"Don't say no." Luz cut in quickly. "Just think about it. I mean I'm a pretty good catch." He sent her a wink which, despite her discomfort, made Danica chuckle. "See? I'm even funny. Just think about it, alright?" Danica nodded.
"Alright I'll think about it."
"Great." He made a dramatic show of kissing her hand before wishing her good night and watching her walk into the house. Seeing a light on in the kitchen she headed in that direction. She was surprised to see that Ron was still there; both he and Jacqueline looked up guiltily.
"Am I interrupting?" She asked, unsettled by their matching look of culpability.
"No, but there is something we need to tell you." Jacqueline stood up, Ron mirroring her action seconds later. "Ron asked me to marry him—so that the baby will have a proper set of parents." Danica felt like she had just been punched in the gut. She didn't know what she'd been expecting to happen when the two finally talked, but it hadn't been a marriage proposal.
"Oh…well…" Danica forced a smile. "That's a…that's great." She forced another smile. "I'm happy for you." It didn't sound at all convincing. The fake smile on her face grew more strained. "Congratulations." She started baking towards the door. Ron took a step forward, clearly wanting to explain, but Danica nipped that quickly in the bud. "I'll let you two celebrate together. Congratulations again. You'll make a wonderful couple." Unable to keep the smile on her face any loner, Danica retreated up the stairs.
A/N: Hey look, more drama! But there was some Luz-love in there too so….yeah.