Ohhhh, I loved writing this one, too ! I hoped I portrayed Eugene Roe as he deserves to; I really appreciate the way he doesn't care about the rank when it comes to his ''patients'' ' health. Some Bea and Dick's tension is coming in this chapter... but I won't tell you more. Here it is ! :)
When she got back to the aid station Eugène had just woken up and welcomed her with a loud yawn.
''Bea, where did you go by this hour of the morning?'' he asked all concerned.
''Just taken a walk, doc, don't worry''
''Bea, you've got to be careful, you can't just go out by your own and…''
''Please, Roe'' she interrupted him ''I'm not a child, I can take care of myself. And I'm feeling good, trust me'' she gave him a reassuring smile before taking the conversation up again ''and, you know I'm going to take some 'walks by my own'', since I'm the Intelligence officer.''
''Maybe you can avoid that…''
''Roe, I'm fine'' she grumbled.
''Ok'' he simply answered, knowing that going too far was just effortless. Meanwhile, Renee was reaching for them carrying a big basket full of bread with her.
''Here it is'' she said, and gave Eugène the basket, which seemed very heavy ''that is all I found. Next time you come I hope to get some more.''
''Thank you Renee'' Bea said ''you're so sweet.''
''Oh, you're welcome. You're so brave, I really admire what you're doing. You have all my support. For everything'' the young Belgian said, wearing a sweet smile on her face.
''So, I guess it' getting late. We should go.''
Eugène and Bea headed outside, where a jeep was already waiting for them. Eugène put the basket in and then tried to help Bea to get on the jeep, but he noticed she had already done it by herself.
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''Here'' Bea told to the driver ''Thank you.''
Bea got down from the jeep quickly and put her helmet on. The show must go on, she thought. With Eugène behind her, she made her way to what was supposed to be the Battalian Headquarter just to find Dick, Lewis and Colonel Sink in, all around a table.
''Alright Nix, what's the situation like?'' she heard Colonel Sink asking.
''Dog has the right flank of Foy, Easy stands right in…''
''Nix, I guess the Colonel already knows where they are'' Bea said, just to catch the others's attention.
''Bea!'' Lewis exclaimed, visibly glad to see her back ''how are you doing? We were all so worried'' he said, going towards her to give her a long hug.
''I'm fine Nix, it's all ok now. And I'm ready to be back at work.''
Colonel Sink approached the two grabbing his can with one hand and shaking Bea's hand with the other ''I hope you've recovered completely this time, Captain. The Battalion has missed your performances. Actually, the one picked by Winters to replace you didn't really fit the role. Too rough on the prisoners.''
''Liebgott?''
''Yes, him.'' Dick said from behind the Colonel.
''Oh, I hope you sent him back to the men !''
''He asked for it. I guess he missed them.''
''Cool…'' Bea just said, clearly astonished by how Dick was being cold to her. Maybe it was because Sink was around. She hoped it was so.
''So, if you're ready, there's an attack to be planned'' the Colonel said, pointing to the map on the table.
''Yes, of course sir'' Bea said, clearly glad the good Colonel thought she was highly necessary to set up a plan. Meanwhile, Eugène joined the group, still carrying the heavy basket.
''Eugène'' Dick said ''where in the world did you find all that bread?'' he asked, clearly eluted that the young doctor had brought so much food he hadn't seen for a while.
''Uhmm…Back in Bastogne, sir. Actually, this is all for the Captain.''
''Darn it, that's even too much! What is she supposed to do with all that?'' Lewis asked, his eyes shone bright at the thought of sharing all that bread with Bea.
''Uhm… Captain Laurenti is still recovering and… the doctor back at the aid station told her to eat genuinely.''
''Oh…if it's so…That's ok'' Lewis answered, giving a smile to the Doc. He didn't mind eating the same poison that made him throw up even his soul for days, he just cared his friend was alright. On the other hand, he noticed Dick turning his nose, and Lew knew that he'd rather share the food with the men, since it was too much for Bea only. Obviously, he did not say a thing. The four gathered around the table, and together tried to devise a plan for the next mission.
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One day off the line and Bea forgot how cold it was there and how the wet fabric made sleeping impossible. Eugène had managed to find some blankets in more, but they just weren't enough. Still, she could feel her skin burning. René told her that her temperature was going to be higher than the normal. Eugène told her he would've made a check on her regularly, and so did he: every two hours, he reached for her foxhole, asked her if everything was alright and then slipped for some minutes next to her, in order to exchange body warmth. That's why when she felt someone slipping in her foxhole during that night, she guessed it was Eugène, and found herself surprised when she noticed it was Dick instead.
''Hey''
''Hey…''
''Where did you get these blankets?'' he asked.
''Eugène gave them to me. I don't know where he found them.''
''It seems like our Doc has incredible abilities in finding useful things.''
''Yeah…I guess so.''
''How are you doing, then?''
''I'm fine Dick'' she answered curtly, visibly annoyed at the fact that Dick was probably wondering why Eugène gave her those blankets and found all that bread just for her.
''It's good to hear'' he said, almost forcedly. Bea could literally feel the distance between them, but she could not explain why. He had been so cold with her the day before, when she had just got back.
''So…Eugène is taking good care of you'' he stated, clearly pointing to something.
''that he is, Dick'' she glared at him, trying to see his game through his eyes. After all that time, she guessed she could see it right through.
''But you're ok, aren't you?''
''Yes, Dick, I told you I'm fine'' she answered roughly, starting to be irritated by his insistence.
''So why does he check you so often?''
''I'm still recovering, Dick, it's his job to make a check to the men, and to me'' she said, now clearly annoyed since she understood Dick was thinking they had something going on.
''Well, it's quite weird since you spend most of your time together and…''
'' Are you serious, Dick?'' she almost yelled at him ''He's a medic, and I was sick, and he's just taking care of me! At least, someone does it!''
''Hey, what d'you mean? That I don't take care of you?''
''No, you don't!'' she now literally yelled, and betted someone would've come soon ''since I got back you hadn't even asked how I was, and if you hadn't noticed Eugène around me you would've never asked!''
''You're being unfair, Bea'' Dick said defensively, deeply knowing she was right. He had had so many things running through his head that he hadn't even asked her how she was before.
''Am I? Look: I know you'd even want me to give the blankets and all that bread to the men, oh because I know you want me to, and you're telling me you care about me? Or about my health?''
''I care about you!'' Dick roughly said, being pissed off by her unfair statements ''it's just that you stay here all the time, while our men are out there in the front line in the cold and starving…I didn't want to…''
''Do you want me to give them to the men? So I will do it!'' she interrupted, and quickly got on her feet, taking the blankets and heading back the Battalion Headquarters to take the bread.
''Bea, come here! We haven't finished yet!''
Bea was already just a figure disappearing in the night and fog, and Dick could not help but think he was just an asshole.
''Shit.''
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Blazing in anger, Bea used all the forces she had in her body to take the heavy basket around the men's foxhole.
''Hey, you there'' she said roughly, as the two soldiers woke up and looked up at her ''that's for you. Enjoy'' and she threw them up some bread. The same procedure was repeated for the next foxholes she jumped in. When she reached for Bill Guarnere and Joe Toy's one, she was eluted to see Toy back.
''Hey, Toy, it's good to see you back, buddy!'' she greeted him warmly.
''It's good to see you too, Captain. I heard you hadn't been doing fine.''
''Oh, it's all ok now. Hey, take some bread. I have two blankets here, too. That's all for you'' she hand out all that stuff to the two soldiers and gave them a warm smile.
''Oh, thank you a lot Captain!''
''You're welcome, buddies!''
It was nice to notice that someone was actually glad to have her back. As she got off their foxhole, she felt someone grabbing her by her wrist.
''what the hell are you doing?!'' Eugène asked.
''I was ordered to give all the bread and the blankets to the men since they need them much more than me'' she curtly answered.
''You need them too, Bea! Who the hell told you to do so?''
''Captain Winters.''
''What?'' Eugène said, astonished, since he could not imagined Winters could've ordered to do so ''Look, I'm going to have a word with Captain Winters'' Eugène said, and was already on his way when Bea reached for him, grabbing him from his arm.
''No no no no no! And what do you want to tell him, uh?''
''That he behaved like a total dickhead! How could he do that? He knows you're…recovering! ''
''What's wrong here?'' Bea and Eugène turned to see that Captain Winters was already there, giving them a questioning look.
''Captain Winters, sir'' Eugène said, approaching to the Captain ''I don't want to question your orders sir, but why in the hell you ordered Captain Laurenti to give away her blankets and food, sir? Do you know she's still recovering? What the hell were you fucking thinking! Do you want her to feel sick again?!'' Eugène yelled with all the air he had in his lungs. That was not the first time Captain Winters did something stupid, like he did the night Moose Heyliger was shot. Even though he was a good Captain, he was capable to fall on very important things, like that one.
On the other side, there was a Dick Winters, paralyzed by the doc's reaction, who was not afraid to talk in such a way to a superior.
''I did not order her to do so'' Dick replied, trying to save the situation '' I just thought she could…share them…''
''Share?'' Eugène interrupted '' You lack of manners, sir! Every man in Easy Company, and in this fucking Battalion, would've never asked a woman to give away her proprieties, especially a woman who…'' Eugène stopped, since the words that he could not say were just about to be spilled out ''who got ill'', he only added.
''I…I'm sorry, Gène'' Winteres replied, lowering his head.
''It's not to me you have to apologize, it's to Captain Laurenti'' Eugène said, trying to calm himself down.
''It's alright, Eugène'' Bea said, putting her hand on his shoulder.
''Bea…Captain, I'm sorry, I' m very, very sorry.''
Bea could not believe her eyes, or she didn't want to. The man in front of her was apologizing for depriving her of food, and that was the father of the child she was carrying, even though he didn't know. Bea just accepted his excuses, deciding that she had enough for the day, and that she was too tired to tell him how disappointed she was about him or to even explain why she was so mad at him. She made her way back to her foxhole, and hoped she could use some sleep before the sun to rise.
Some hours later, she heard a voice calling her name. she opened her eyes and managed to see a Dick Winters with a basket in his hands, full of bread again, and the blankets on his shoulders.
''I told the men there was mistake. They understood. I feel…so ashamed, Bea. I behaved like an asshole. I'm sorry, I'm very sorry.'' Seeing he would not get any reply, he put the basket down and reached her to cover her with the blankets. Then, he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.
''I…''
''Don't dare to say it, Captain Winters'' she said, putting her hand on his mouth to stop him. Dick gave her a sad look and got away. A tear fell from Bea's eye, that she dried quickly.
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Bea woke up at 5 a.m. to make her morning check, and then reported to the Battalion where, obviously, there was the last man in the world she wanted to see.
''So, I made my way through the first line and tried to see what's going on among the Krauts. I could not see their tanks, but I bet they're here. It seems like…Captain Winters, are you listening to me or am I just wasting my time?'' she asked, clearly upset since he was gazing into space and probably was not even paying attention to her morning report.
''Oh, no, I'm listening. Please, carry on.'' He answered.
After spending two hours trying to catch Dick's attention on what she was saying, she finally got some free time. Damn, she needed it so much. She could've betted she had done those things so many times and never got tired so easily, but everything was quickly started to be so… hard to do.
She heavily slipped in her foxhole, where Eugène was already waiting for her.
''Hey Doc, what is it? You ran out of patients so I'm the only one you've to take care of?'' she asked wryly.
''I see you're in a good mood today, that's good.''
''Good mood? Ah, I would not say. I'm tired as hell and I haven't done anything to be so. Then, I spent the last two hours communicating my report to a wall, so…''
''You started talking to walls? You know, if you need a friend, I'm here…''
''Oh, shut up! It's just that Captain Winters didn't seem to be so interested in what I was telling him…''
''Uh, I see…'' Eugène paused, remembering the latest events happened between the two ''I see you got back your stuff.''
''Yeah…Actually, he brought them back to me.''
''Uh, well, that was nice of him.''
Bea didn't answer and just gave him a knowing look and then ran both her hands over her face.
''I can't do this, Gène.''
''Do what?''
''Being…a mother. And all alone! It's just… It's just not me. I'll be a bad mother. And… what if this baby is out when the war is still on? Should I take him with me during my night or morning checks? This is crazy… I can't.''
Eugène saw her struggling, and hugged close ''oh, Bea, don't even say that. You're a wonderful woman, and I'm sure you're going to be a wonderful mother as well. And…just take it one day at a time, ok? You don't know what the future holds.''
Bea seemed to be relieved by his words, but still she had that sad look in her eyes.
''And… you're not alone. I mean, maybe you should try to contact the father, don't you think? Obviously, I'll take care of you till I can, but you may need someone else when this whole thing will be over.''
Bea just could not avoid but give him a short snort of mockery ''yeah, right, the father'' she said, lightly ironically, something that Gène noticed.
''So…where does he come from?''
''Pennsylvania.''
''Oh, so he's American. And…I suppose you met here in Europe, since you are sixteen days pregnant.''
''Yeah, let's say so'' she said, showing no interest in talking about that topic.
''I'm sorry, maybe you don't want to talk about it… It's just that maybe talking to this man could do you some good, don't you think?''
''Yeah, I think I'll be constricted to do it, someday.''
''Yes, someday. Now, let's just not think about it. He's faraway, and we're here freezing our butts in the snow'' Eugène tried to come out from that topic, but Bea seemed to get even sadder at the thought.
''Hey…what's wrong?'' he said tenderly, taking her chin in his hand.
Bea tried to keep her eyes wide open, in order to not let the tears fall just right in front of Eugène.
''Bea, just tell me. Don't you ever think I may tell someone, or that I may judge you. I'm here to help, even just listening'' he tried to reassure her.
''It's that… He's here, Gène. The fathere, he's here'' she sighed, already on the edge of the tears.
''He's…here? Here in Bastogne?''
''He's here, that means is something like one hundred meters from me.''
''Is…Is he in the Army?''
''Yes'' she answered, forcing herself to not burst in tears, not even knowing why. Maybe because she was still hurt for what happened the night before, or maybe because she didn't want to betray Dick, but she could not keep the secret any longer: she was alone in this adventure, and Eugène was trying to help and he was the only one who knew. The young doctor, who had now his helmet fully covered by the snow, had his eyes lost and mouth opened.
''And…is he a paratrooper?''
''Ok, Gène, let's cut it off. The father is Dick, Captain Winters'' she just spilled it out, and she felt suddenly relieved. Oh ! that was not so bad ! But… Eugène was now completely in disbelief. Of course he was: how could he imagine that his perfect Captain had something so big to hide? Eugène was not even sure that women were something Captain Winters cared about; all focused on his duties, Gène could've betted he hadn't never heard him talking about women as, for example, his friend Nixon did. He just seemed to have most important things to care about; and, nobody thought he had something going on with Captain Laurenti, since he always behaved professionally around her and never showed to be involved in other ways. But he was, damned if he was !
''Bea…'' Eugène finally managed to say ''I guess you hadn't told him.''
''Of course not! And what is he supposed to say? ''Go away''? Or ''I'll take care of you''? ''I've just built a love nest for us''? C'mon, Gène. I want him to be focused on this whole thing so that it could end very soon. Then, I'll tell him.''
''Sorry for asking…'' Gène said, sheepishly as it was really none of his business ''but, the thing between you and Captain Winters…is it serious?'' he managed to ask, afraid he would've touched a painful topic.
Bea seemed to really meditate on such question.
''He told me he loves me. Twice. Or once: when he came to bring me back the blankets and the bread, he tried to, but I stopped him.''
''Oh…And do you love him?''
''Yes, Gène, of course I do !'' she said, almost in disbelief that he didn't know, since it seemed like the most obvious and normal thing to her.
''and does he know that?''
''Well…'' Bea told him she loved him back, but she stopped him when he tried to say it again to her, so maybe he was thinking that she had changed her mind.
''Listen, you may not want to tell him that you're carrying his baby, but I think that for your own sake you two should get on. ''
''I guess you're right.''