AN: Happy Monday everyone! :)
Leaving Camp Croft, the 506th was soon boarding a train, heading to their next destination. Trouble was, no one knew where that destination was. Getting themselves comfortable, they took off their jackets and hung them up, where they swayed from side to side from the movement of the train rocking against the tracks. It was hot and stuffy inside the train. Robin almost drank all of her water. For hours, they busied themselves with gambling and card games. Her three closest friends tended to stay away from gambling. Bob was always saving his money to buy a girl he liked presents. Dukeman was always up for betting but Hoobler claimed that he was unlucky and would likely lose everything. Robin just didn't care.
"Another round?" Bob asked while shuffling the cards.
Bob and Dukeman were sitting opposite Robin and Hoobler, they had a table between them. It was good for card games. And made the perfect ashtray for her smoking friends. Robin's left knee bumped up against the table. Shaking her head, she sighed and muttered;
"nah, no more".
Hoobler looked at her;
"the fucks wrong with you?"
"I need a fucking piss". She groaned, "fuck sake…we've been here ages".
Dukeman grinned;
"you've drunk half your canteen".
"Aye, 'cause it's roasting like an oven in here, Buddy".
Picking up her canteen, Bob gave it a little shake;
"Jesus, Robin". He chuckled, "thought you'd be used to the heat by now".
Hoobler laughed;
"she'd be fucked in the jungle".
"I would, aye". Robin agreed, "fucking snakes and that…nah, not for me".
Dukeman shrugged;
"they might send us there".
"Well, we ain't 'gonna know until we stop". Bob said, "whenever that is".
"Why is it you've always 'gotta piss on a train?" Hoobler smirked, "you've got some bad luck when it comes to transport, pal".
"It's 'cause we're always on a train for hours". Robin said while placing her forehead on the table, "and I'm daft for drinking too much".
"You never learn, huh?"
When Bob finished shuffling the cards, he handed each of his friends a pair and placed the rest in the centre of the table;
"come on, keep playing. Take your mind off it".
Rubbing his nose, Dukeman then picked up his pair;
"I'm 'gonna stick".
Hoobler looked at him;
"what? Already?"
Keeping a blank face, Dukeman nodded;
"yeah, already, Hoob".
"I'll hit". Bob said as he picked up a card from the deck.
Hoobler sighed;
"right…guess I'll hit too".
The three friends looked at Robin.
Dukeman gave her leg a tap with his boot;
"come on, your turn".
Hoobler smirked;
"switch on, Robin".
She sighed and raised her head;
"sake…right, what've we got?"
Picking up her cards, she rubbed her lips together and told them;
"stick".
"You sure?" Bob asked.
"Aye, I'm sticking".
"Bob?" Dukeman asked.
"Sticking. Hoob?"
"I'll hit". Picking up another card, Hoobler cursed, "shit – I'm bust".
Grinning, Dukeman put his two cards down;
"twenty-one…I got lucky".
"I got twenty". Bob said, "Robin, what'd you get?"
She put her pair down. Hoobler looked at her cards and pulled a face;
"you've only got eleven, Robin".
Running a hand down her face, she mumbled;
"I don't give a shit, mate".
Dukeman grinned;
"yeah, clearly".
Gathering up the cards, Bob said;
"just trying to help, pal".
"Aye, I know". Robin mumbled, "sorry, I'm alright".
"Listen up!" Sergeant Harris announced to the Platoon, "I just got word we're heading for Camp Shanks, New York. Prepare yourself, fellas, this is it. We're heading for Europe".
A spell of silence overtook the carriage.
Until someone exclaimed;
"ha! I won the bet, pay up!"
Snorting, Harris smirked and told them;
"alright, as you were".
Europe. They were facing the German army. Rubbing the back of her neck, Robin took in her friend's faces. She could see the seriousness cross their eyes. Until Hoobler cracked a grin;
"bring it on".
Bob smiled and reached over the table, clapping Hoobler's arm;
"glad you're on our side, pal".
"That's it, huh?" Dukeman mused, "the Krauts".
As training went on, it got more serious, but Robin never allowed it to fully sink in. She had great friends around her, who always had her laughing and enjoying herself. Now, Easy Company would be going somewhere hostile on a map in Europe, and that frightened Robin. Not because she was scared of dying. But because she was scared of letting people down and getting them killed. Robin felt incredibly lucky to have made three of the closest friends she'd ever had in her life. And the thought of losing them terrified her.
…
In Camp Shanks, they weren't allowed to leave to explore the city. Locked inside, men were mostly ordered for drills, rifle training, and inspections. Robin tried to keep her nerves hidden. She didn't want her friends seeing her that way, worried they'd see her as weak. But she found herself not being able to sleep most nights. Often, she'd stare up at the dark ceiling, thinking morbid thoughts and working herself up. It was clear to her close friends that she was beginning to panic. And soon, it came to the attention of the officers.
Welsh pulled her aside one morning and led her away from the Company;
"why are you choosing now to crumble, Bowie?" He questioned, "you've trained for this. I'm finding it hard to understand".
Robin shook her head firmly;
"I'm not crumbling, sir".
Welsh sighed quietly;
"it's obvious, Bowie". He said, "you look tired, worn out. You've got my attention, for all the wrong reasons now".
Licking her bottom lip, Robin rubbed the back of her neck and mumbled;
"'am alright, sir".
Welsh stood in front of her;
"it's not a good idea to lie to me, Bowie". He said lowly, "you've 'gotta sort yourself out. Men depend on you. Their lives, depend on you".
Biting her lower lip, Robin nodded and whispered;
"yes, sir".
"So…you're 'gonna buck up now?"
"Yes, sir".
"You can't afford to get stressed now". Welsh warned her, "we're heading for combat. I need you mentally strong".
Nodding slowly, she mumbled;
"I'm trying, sir".
"Don't try". He said, "just do it, Bowie".
"Yes, sir".
"Good job".
When Welsh walked off, Robin let out a shaky breath. Running a hand down her face, she then spotted Bob approaching her. With a smile, he said;
"Buddy took some hell from Sobel".
"Why?"
Smirking, Bob told her;
"his ears were dirty".
Huffing, Robin shook her head;
"Sobel's a wanker".
"Yeah, he is".
With a small frown, Bob asked;
"what did Welsh say?"
Robin sighed;
"that I've got to buck up".
"He's got a point, bub".
"How can 'a fucking buck up, mate?" Robin whispered, "we're all going to combat, eh? Why's everyone acting so calm 'bout it?"
"It's just a front". Bob said, "we're all 'sorta crapping ourselves right now. But it's different for you, pal. You never wanted to be a soldier".
"Wasn't meant to be one". She said, "I'm just – fucked in the head, cause I just…".
Taking in a deep breath, Robin finished;
"I just don't 'wanna let yous all down".
"You've never let us down before". Bob told her, "and you're not 'gonna start letting us down now".
She looked up at him;
"what if I just freeze when the bullets start flying?"
"You won't". He said softly, "cause you didn't freeze when Rosie died".
Robin swallowed down the sudden lump in her throat.
Smiling small, Bob said;
"you'll never believe me, Robin. But you've done me and everyone else, so fucking proud. And let's just say you do freeze, alright? You've got us, to pull you back in. We ain't 'gonna let you crumble out there, pal. Cause you wouldn't let us go to shit".
Shaking her head, she mumbled;
"just don't trust myself sometimes, eh? I'm not brave like yous".
"Come on, bub…you're so fucking brave. You're the bravest girl I've met. You're braver than some of the fellas".
Robin shrugged;
"I 'dunno…never seen it, eh?"
"No, you never do". Bob said softly, "but we do, you know".
Slowly raising his hand, he then gently clapped her shoulder and smiled;
"one thing at the time, alright? We're heading to England first. Think about London, huh? The four of us are 'gonna raise fucking hell, pal".
That brought a tiny smile to her lips;
"aye, we will, eh?"
"Damn straight". His smile widened, "watch out, Limeys. Here we fucking come".