I would like to state that I do not own HBO's Band of Brothers nor do I intend any disrespect. I am basing this story on the HBO mini TV series.
Please keep reviewing, I love hearing what you think about the story. Good OR bad. Suggestions are always welcome!
Big thankyous to all my readers but especially to the wonderful reviewers: immortalrmy, FireIsLove, Scousernic, Orchid121, and the everchanging.
This chapter was definitely a challenge to get out…I had to go back and work out my plan for the story and it was just hard to have them separate again. I love George and Rose together and I really don't know why I keep doing this to myself by separating them. So please ignore the crappiness…I really struggled with this one.
Previously on 'Angels with Dirty Faces'
'What the hell's happening out there Joe?' Bill asked quietly, staring down at Rose's pale form on the bed.
Joe Toye looked down at his hands which had been twisting his bed sheets in anxiety. It was killing him not being out there with the other men, but with his leg gone, he wasn't going anywhere in a hurry. When they had seen Rose being carried in after her surgery, it had given the two soldiers one hell of a shock and Bill had demanded that she be placed in the hospital bed between them, explaining that the sight of familiar faces would help with her recovery. But from Rose's reaction at the sight of Bill, Joe wondered if maybe it had been too much of a shock for her, a shock that her damaged body couldn't handle.
'I dunno Bill..' he murmured, 'I dunno.'
Turn around - look at what you see.
In her face the mirror of your dreams.
Make believe on everywhere
get it in the line.
Hidden on the pages is the answer
To a never ending story.
The Never-Ending Story by Limahl
Chapter Forty-Nine
'Rosie..' she could hear his voice from above her, a voice that she had missed so much. Her heart stilled…waiting…
'Rosie girl, open your eyes.'
Her head was foggy, but she could still hear him calling to her and she slowly opened her eyes to see Bill staring down at her.
'There you go' he said, sitting back with a satisfied look on his face as Rose's eyes focused on the surroundings around her. The pain that she had felt before was dull and there was only a slight aching with every breath she took.
'Bill' she croaked out, and tried to reach her hand out to touch him. She couldn't believe he was here.
Bill just smiled sadly at her and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in his warm hold. His eyes were warm and familiar; they looked tired and frightened which brought a slight frown to her face.
'Its good to see you Rosie girl.' He said softly and Rose could feel tears well in her eyes.
'What the hell did you do to yourself?' He continued, quirking his eyebrow at her. 'I'm gonna kill the boys for this.'
Rose tried to speak but her mouth was too dry to force the words out. Bill, seeing this, leaned forward so that his face was close to hers.
'Not their fault' she finally managed to rasp out and Bill sat back with an unconvinced look on his face.
'You're falling apart Rosie girl' he said, taking in the colourful bruises dotting the skin around her throat and the vast white bandages covering her chest. But Rose barely heard him as she felt herself slipping back into sleep, exhausted by the effort of talking.
'Bill' she whispered in a slight panic, afraid that he would disappear but the hold around her hand tightened reassuringly.
'I'll be right here when you wake up.'
George was woken from his sleep by someone shaking his shoulder gently. His eyes flew open and he sat up immediately, bumping heads with the soldier leaning over him.
'Whaaa- Gahdammit my head' he groaned, immediately shutting his eyes again at the onslaught of pain shooting through his skull.
'Jeezuz Luz,' he heard a Cajun drawl next to him, 'you got a daham hard head.'
George squinted at Doc Roe and rubbed his forehead tenderly.
'I could say the same about you Doc' he muttered as he swung his legs around to rest on the dusty floor. Men were bustling around him, lifting boxes and emptying the basement which he had been sleeping in. He had forgotten that Easy was being moved out of Hagenau today…they were being trucked out to Mourmelon, a French city that was a safer distance from the enemy line.
'I wanted tah see how you were doin' Luz' Eugene spoke quietly but there was no missing the question in his voice.
'I'm fine Doc..' he tried to twist his mouth into a smile but he thought it was unconvincing. And judging by Doc Roe's expression, he thought so too.
'Well, I've jus' gotten back from dah aid station…they patched up Heffron okay, he came back with me.'
George remembered the red haired soldier and the bad shape he'd been in when he'd found them tied up in the German barn. No one knew what exactly had happened in the hours that Rose and Babe had been held by the enemy but George wanted to find out. He'd have to go see Babe after he'd finished briefing Winters on his ordeal.
'Have you had any word on Rose?' his voice became strained at the thought of her and he felt the Doc next to him tense slightly.
'She got shipped outta the aid station pretty quick.' Eugene spoke quietly, shooting a glance at the man next to him. 'they took her to a hospital in Paris'
At George's silence, Eugene placed a tentative hand on the man's shoulder.
'It was close tah the heart, but they reckon she's gotta good chance.' He spoke softly, trying to reassure him.
'There was so much blood Doc' George's voice cracked, staring down into his hands.
'Hearts are the most fragile an' toughest of muscles, able tah pump for a lifetime, seventy times ah minute, and barely falter along dah way.' Eugene spoke quietly, his soft accent soothing the distraught man next to him.'Even hearts…the most delicate of things, can be difficult tah kill.'
George breathed out heavily and brushed a hand over his eyes quickly before getting to his feet. Turning to survey the Doc who was still sitting on his cot, George nodded at the Cajun.
'Thanks Doc' he said quietly before heading outside. He had to get to Battalion CP.
'Well, Joe's been here for a lot longer than I have.' Bill spoke, lifting himself back into his bed. Rose couldn't take her eyes off the empty air where his leg was supposed to be. She still had trouble believing that it was gone...that Bill didn't have a leg. He was always such a larger than life character and it was unsettling to see him without one of his limbs.
'Lucky bastard didn't have as many operations as I did' Bill barked out a laugh, shooting Joe a dirty look. 'But they say we can go home in a month or two.' He continued quieter, a smile spreading over his face at the thought of home.
'That's great Bill, and for you too Joe' she said smiling at them as she shifted slightly in the hospital bed. The boys heard the change in her breathing as she swallowed a gasp of pain but didn't say anything. She never complained about the pain and they figured that it was her way of dealing with it…silence meant control.
'Have they said what's gonna happen to you?' Joe asked quietly and Bill glanced at Rose quickly, trying to gauge her reaction. She just looked at her hands and shrugged lightly.
'They say that I'm making a full recovery…they reckon they can put me back on the line soon.'
Joe grinned and pulled out a pack of cards from where he was sitting in the chair next to her cot.
'You better give them Krauts hell for us Rosie' he said as he started to shuffle and he smiled at the sound of her weak laugh. 'they won't know what's hit 'em'.
'Babe! Heffron, hey Heffron' George called at the soldier who was trudging away from him slowly. He had just been heading into Battalion CP when the soldier had caught his eye. Babe could tell him what had happened when they were across the river.
As he heard his name, Babe swung around and George flinched in sympathy at the bruises that coloured his face and at the sight of his arm in a sling.
'Hey Luz' Babe spoke tiredly and George was shocked at how old and defeated the young soldier looked, ' I figured you'd wanna talk to me'
'I gotta know Babe..I gotta know.' George spoke desperately as the two of them made their way to a large truck and stood leaning against it. This wasn't a conversation that they wanted to be overheard and George waited until some Dog Company soldiers filed past before turning to Babe.
'Wha..what happened?' he asked, his voice stumbling over the words.
Babe sighed and ran a distracted hand through his hair..'it wasn't good Luz..they knew she was a woman straight away and they went for her.'
George swallowed thickly…he remembered Webster screaming that she was a woman to try to save her…but by the sounds of it, the knowledge caused her more harm.
'I was in a pretty bad way…I tried to help her..but that's when they pinged me in the shoulder.' Babe spat on the ground in disgust.
'I think they knew we weren't important enough to interrogate but I think they just wanted to have some fun with us.' At this, Babe's eyes darkened in anger and his fist clenched.
'The mongrels nearly killed her…she fought back but he got his hands around her throat.'
Babe looked up at him slowly and George could see the pain in his eyes at the memory.
'Jeesus Luz..I thought they'd killed her..i thought the bastard had strangled her.'
'Fuck..' George swore and shoved his trembling hands deep into his pockets. He wished he'd killed the Kraut that he'd left unconscious after Tab had carried Rose away. He wished he'd killed him with his bare hands.
'But she survived..and then to get shot like that..' Babe shook his head in disbelief, still in shock at watching her bleeding, gasping and reaching helplessly for her friends. He could still feel the terror and futility at their attempts to save her. It made him think about Julian and the trauma that he'd experienced of watching his friend slowly bleed out in terror on the white snow of Bastogne, dying in agony, only mere feet away from him. The disappearance of both Julian and Rose haunted Babe because there was no closure…just the painful, lingering loss and sense of failure… failure to help his friends in their moments of need.
Seeing George struggling with the information that he had given him, Babe sighed and clapped him on the shoulder. George shook his head, a strange detached look on his face.
'I gotta get to Battalion CP...supplies need to be organised for the mobilisation' he said automatically and Babe peered closer at his friend.
'Hey Luz, you gonna be okay?' he asked and George just nodded before heading back to where he needed to be.
'First Sergeant Lipton' Winters spoke proudly and Lip straightened his back as Winters started to read from the piece of paper in front of him.
'Your honourable discharge as an enlisted man.' George's eyes were transfixed on the scene in front of him. All the officers were gathered around Lip, congratulating him on his promotion. Skinny glanced up and rolled his eyes at him from where he was trying to scrounge supplies.
'Just keep em coming Luz' he ordered wryly and George snapped to attention, flinging small boxes of k-rations at the man in front of him.
'And your battlefield commission as a Second Lieutenant.' George could still hear Winters talking from the next room and he looked up to see Lip glance over him and give him a quick nod. George nodded back gave the new officer a small salute.
'What do we have here boys?' Webster drawled, strolling into the room blocking his view. George leaned his body sideways trying to see into the room. He could see Harry Welsh smiling from ear to ear and even Spiers had a rare smile.
'Hey pal' he muttered at Webster, not feeling the animosity towards him that he had felt before the two patrols. 'get a load of Lieutenant Jones.'
He nodded towards where Winters who had finished with Lip was promoting the Lieutenant and informing him of his transfer.
'I guess you lost another platoon leader, hey Web.' He called, stacking the small boxes in front of Skinny who was trying to cram as many as he could under his arm.
'Guess so' Webster said with a thoughtful look on his face and George threw the last box at Skinny before following him out to the trucks. They had spent the last three weeks in Haguenau and now they were being trucked out.
As he jumped up onto the truck next to Perco, the two figures of Winters and Nixon caught his eye. Nixon had tossed Winters a small box and George could see the gold oak leaves from where he was sitting. A wry smile crossed his face…Major Winters…he couldn't think of anyone who deserved it more. The truck started with a jolt and George put a hand out automatically to catch Rose but his arm caught thin air. She wasn't there…he had forgotten for a moment. Because she was so small, she usually got bounced around like a sack of potatoes, much to the amusement to the rest of the men. He smiled to himself, remembering how she had vowed to never get on another truck again.
'Hey Luz..' came Perco's voice from beside him and George turned to his friend.
'What Frank?' he asked tiredly, running a hand through his hair.
'Where we going?'
George raised an eyebrow at the question and found a grin spreading across his face.
'We're heading back to Mourmelon my friend.'
Rose hated the hospital…she hated the doctors and the nurses and the medication they kept her on. She hated how weak her body felt…like it was made of tissue paper and it had taken her nearly a week to gather the strength to take a small walk around the ward. It felt good that her body was rebuilding itself, but she was frustrated by how slowly her body was healing.
Bill and Joe had been a constant source of support for her. They kept her spirits up when she was having a bad day and they both made sure that one of them was awake with her at all times. She worried about the two of them, battling their own wounds both physical and psychological. The two of them had to go through rehabilitation every day to learn how to walk…how to live with only one leg each. It was a long process that Rose knew challenged both men in every way.
After nearly two weeks in the hospital, Rose had a visitor. Unfortunately, they had chosen to visit during the hour that Joe and Bill had their physio therapy sessions. As soon as the well-dressed woman sat down next to her hospital bed, Rose felt uneasy. She had never seen the woman before and it made her nervous that she wanted to speak to her.
'Miss Barker' the woman spoke in a clipped British accent, smiling at her in a way that made Rose's skin crawl.
'Sergeant Barker' Rose corrected and the woman's grin widened.
'Oh yes…Sergeant Barker' her voice drew out her name mockingly and Rose could see a glint in her eyes.
'My mistake..let me introduce myself.' Rose glanced around the room quickly; the boys should have been back by now.
'My name is Alyssa Clarkson and I am a reporter affiliated with the Allied newspapers.' Alyssa leaned forward and looked at Rose eagerly. 'now I'd like to ask you a couple of questions…the public is very curious about you..being the first woman in the American paratroopers.' She let out a tinkering laugh, 'hell, the first woman in active combat.'
Rose laughed weakly with her, not really sure what was happening. She didn't know how to handle this, she was protected from the press while in combat…but it seemed like that would not be the case while she was in Paris.
'Now, this isn't your first time being injured is it not?' The reporter asked and Rose furrowed her brow.
'it's wounded Miss Clarkson' she retorted 'and no, I have been wounded before.'
'If my facts serve me...this is your third time that you've been treated for injuries sustained on the line. Am I wrong?'
Rose's mouth clenched at the woman blatantly ignoring her correction of referring to being wounded as injured.
'No, you are not' she gritted out, already disliking the woman.
'And what do you say to the public opinion that it is a waste of military resources to train a woman for combat?' The woman pressed and Rose sat up in indignation ignoring the pain that shot through her chest at the sudden movement.
'I think that they're wrong…women can fight just as well as the men can.' She shot back at the woman who just scribbled something down on her notepad before looking back at Rose and smiling.
'But you have been wounded three times already Miss Barker and the war's not even over yet.' Rose was silenced by a seed of doubt that was placed in her mind. 'how many men have you got protecting you?' Alyssa asked and Rose's head shot up in shock.
'What the hell's going on in here.' Bill's voice cut across the room loudly and the two women swung around to see him and Joe being wheeled back to their beds. Rose could have cried in relief but the emotion was stopped cold as the reporter turned and smirked at her.
'I rest my case…thank you for your time Miss Barker' and with a snap of her purse, Alyssa Clarkson was gone and Rose was left feeling like she'd been punched in the gut.
'It's Sergeant Barker' Bill called after her gruffly.
'Who was that?' Joe asked as Bill looked at her in concern. Rose ignored his question and pushed off of the bed and made her way out of the ward…she needed some space, to think.
Rose didn't know where she was going. But she knew that she couldn't go far. Her chest was heaving painfully as she tried to draw in her breaths and she felt strangely off balanced. Reaching an arm out, Rose pressed a hand against the wall and used it to keep her upright. She finally found a quiet corner and she slowly slid to sit on the clean tiled floor, bringing her knees up to rest her head against them. This was all too much…she needed to get out of here...she needed to get back to George and her men.
A tapping noise broke her out of her thoughts and Rose lifted her face to see Bill trying to use his new crutches as he made his way towards her, his face tight with concentration and the effort.
Rose felt heat rise to her face in shame as she realised that he had followed her out of the ward and she flinched as he struggled to stay upright. Finally reaching her, he slid down to sit next to her so that both of their backs were against the wall and without saying anything, together they sat in silence.
Perhaps this was what the stories meant when they called somebody heartsick. Rose felt like her heart and stomach and all of her insides felt empty and hollow and aching. She would never forget the look of utter desolation on George's face as he looked at her before they took her away. It had nearly broken her bleeding body in half, for it was a look riddled with guilt, love and sorrow mingled with regret. Rose felt inexplicably angry…she was so sick of war and death being separated from the ones she loved…her brothers.
'Please stop looking at me like that' she snapped at Bill who winced at her tone.
'Are you okay Rosie?' he asked hesitantly, his tone uncharacteristically timid and the anger that she felt immediately disappeared, only to be replaced with an overwhelming tiredness.
'I'm sorry Bill' she said quietly
'You can't change what's already happened.' He spoke, turning to her seriously.
'I feel like I shouldn't even be there anymore.' She whispered, 'Maybe she was right..I don't belong in combat…I got that replacement Penascola killed…Babe got a bullet through his shoulder….and George…' her voice trailed off at the sound of her lips forming his name. It had been unspoken between them until now and the absence of her best friend left a hole in her. She missed him to such a degree that she was a little frightened at how much.
'You can't blame yourself Rosie girl, it was instinct.' Bill spoke seriously, his dark eyes coming up to meet hers, 'you know how protective he is of you. How protective we all are.'
'That's my point exactly…you shouldn't have to. I've had exactly the same training as you Bill Guarnere and you're the toughest sonnofabitch Easy's ever had.' Rose smiled weakly at him as Bill's face dropped and a flash of emotion crossed his eyes, so quick that Rose nearly missed it.
'What is it Bill?' she asked, ignoring the curious glances that they were getting from the passing medical personnel.
'Look at me Rose..I'm missing a gahdamn leg.' Bill voice was bitter and he almost spat the words, 'what the hell am I meant to do? How the hell am I gonna live?'
Rose chose her words carefully, she knew that this was one of those moments that would impact on Bill and how he would proceed.
'You are a paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Infantry. A staff sergeant of Easy Company whose fought in France, Holland and Belgium. You survived that bastard Sobel on pure will and you survived being wounded not once, but twice…and you will survive this.'
Bill started to shake his head in denial but Rose stopped him.
'You Bill Guarnere will be amazing at anything that you try to accomplish. I know that you can do it.' And they lapsed into silence again, thinking about what she had just said.
After a moment, Rose sighed softly and leaned her head wearily on Bill's shoulder.
'Where's your head at Rosie girl?' he asked quietly and Rose took some time to answer him.
'I miss George.' She finally stated, almost shocked at herself for vocalising something that had been nagging at her ever since she'd woken up in this god forsaken hospital. 'Without him, I feel lost and weird.' She admitted, her fingers twisting together anxiously.
'I guess when you're around someone so much for so long, they become a part of you.' She listened to Bill's words with rapt attention. 'and when they change or go away, you don't really know who you are anymore.'
Rose remembered that night so long ago, in the snow of the Ardennes Forest. They had never really talked about the kiss that they had shared. Bill had gotten hit too soon afterwards…there hadn't been time for conversations like these.
'Why him?' came the question and Rose was engulfed by memories of the same words asked by George in the woods overlooking Foy. She remembered the nights that he had kept her warm, kept her sane with his jokes and his pointless stories. As much as she hated to admit it, she even missed that stupid nickname he gave her and all the jokes that came with it. She'd give anything to hear him call her 'flower' again.
'He makes me laugh.' She answered simply.
'You love him.' It was a statement and Rose jerked away and looked around at him.
'Nonesense Bill, he's my best friend.'
Bill laughed and put a warm hand over hers. 'Oh Rosie girl you gotta stop thinking so damn hard…listen to your heart, not your brain…you know what you want…what you need.' He spoke quietly 'don't let anyone tell you otherwise.'
'I think the meds they're giving yah Bill are too damn strong.' Rose tried to laugh, but his words had unsettled her. 'You're talking crazy talk now.'
And with that, their conversation was over and Rose got to her feet carefully, feeling her slowly healing skin around the bullet wound tug slightly. Reaching down to help Bill up, she winced as she strained to lift him. When he finally got his balance on his only leg, Bill peered down at her face.
'You gotta hurry up and heal Rose,' he spoke quietly, his eyes serious, 'you gotta get back to the fellas.'
'I think the wars over for me Bill. They'll never let me stay after this.' She tried to laugh but it came out more like a bark but Bill just looked thoughtful.
'I don't think so, somehow.'
Easy Company reached the French town of Mourmelon in early March and they were immediately billeted in tents on the outskirts of the town. But the men were provided with hot showers and hot food which was something that they still couldn't get used to after all that time in the woods of Bastogne. They spent most of their days training with the new boys, replacements who had just shipped in from the states. George and most of the other men were shocked at how young these boys looked and many thought back to all the good men that they had lost in the past…the men that these new boys were replacing.
On the 15th of March, orders came through for Easy to dress in their dress uniforms because Major Dwight Eisenhower would be visiting Mourmelon to present the 101st Airborne with an award. The Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation was awarded to each man for its outstanding defence of Bastogne. It was the first time in the history of the army that an entire division had been so cited. George felt cold as the commemorative medal in the shape of a cloverleaf was pinned onto his lapel and as Major Eisenhower finished his speech with
'…there is no glory in battle worth the blood it costs,' George could see the Toccoa men around him start to nod slightly. All the victories that they had achieved came at a high price and George was beginning to wonder if that price came at too high a cost.
Later that night, the Toccoa men gathered in a small pub on the edge of town. They were separate from the other replacements, it was like the newer men realised that these soldiers were not to be approached that night. A line of small shot glasses were lined up along the bar, empty and placed upside down. One glass per Toccoa man who wasn't with them anymore. They deserved the unit citation as much as any other man. George let his eyes travel down the line of glasses, seeing faces where the glass should have been. Muck, Penkala, Dukeman, Toye, Wild Bill Guarnere, Hoobler, and Rosie.
The soldier next to him, Malarkey, raised his beer glass as if giving a toast and the rest of the men followed suit.
'Currahee' Malarkey called and George found himself murmuring it back as he downed the cold beer in his hand, honouring the soldiers before him.
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