Ok something happened last time I uploaded this
Thank you guest for your review it kicked me back into writing mode
Upon arriving in England I decided, while the people were friendly and forthcoming, the weather sucked, the damp, wet weather sucked. I felt wet or damp all day.
What did bother me was the fact that the men drank too much. Talbert and Grant spend more time chasing tail and not enough time focusing on the mission.
Sobel were meaner than ever after the cutting of the fence incident and it was becoming clear to everyone, but the brass that Sobel was incompetent and unable to lead the men into the combat.
I was walking towards the aid station to visit Perconte who had injured his foot running thru a field. I noticed Winters and Nixon stepping out of the HQ. I also noticed the two men were talking they looked like they were trying to solve a problem. Nixon looked upset and Winters had a decisive look on his face.
This was bad, very bad, and I knew whatever was going on it would affect the whole company. In addition, who would tell Harry?
I drew in a deep breath and changed my direction. I slowed my pace as I approached the two officers. I saluted them and waited for Nixon to tell me what was going on. I waited and waited but Nixon just stood there.
Fed up with the silence I spoke up "So what happened?"
Nixon looked at Winters for confirmation; Winters nodded and Nixon looked over my head "Dick…Sobel decided to court martial our friend here" Nixon pulled out his flask and took a big swig.
"So what does that mean… you're gonna be scrambling eggs while we make the big jump with Sobel?" I looked between the two men.
"Don't worry, we'll figure something out" Nixon told me.
I looked down at my newly shined Cochrane's and kicked the dirt, who was going to tell Harry. He would absolutely shit bricks and Harry being the scrapper he was, well who knew.
"Chris…sergeant Christenson" Winters called out. "Chris I was wondering if you could talk to Harry for me, I' need to talk to the JAG officer" Winters looked at me and noticed I was a little pale
"I…I don't know…I haven't talked to him in a while"
…
The Dance in Swindon
The first week in England, some organized a dance, at a dance hall in Swindon. Most of Easy Company was there and so was I.
The men and I had a few beers and I decided to drink whiskey with Nixon and Speirs, I also decided it was a good idea to flirt shamelessly with the two officers.
Harry, Guarnere and Malarkey arrived late, since they had to finish guard duty before they could leave camp. Harry was tired, the only reason he decided to go to the dance, was the fact Chris was there, and he wanted to talk to her. The fact Chris was a light drinker and needed some protection from time to time was a small part of it.
The sight that met Harry when he stepped into the dance hall was the sight of Chris slinging her arms around Speirs neck and laying a big one on him. Harry clenched his fist and pushed through the crowd. When he reached the small group, Harry pushed Chris behind him and was ready to punch Speirs.
"Harry…Harry, don't do anything stupid" Nixon really did not want Harry to punch Speirs. Speirs would more than likely kill Harry if he did.
"Harry" I whispered behind him, desperate for Welsh to stop what ever he was doing. Suddenly I felt sick ran out of the dance hall. Just out of the door, I tossed my cookies, sat down, and leaned up against the brick wall behind me.
"Why do you always do that?" Harry crouched down in front of me.
"I don't know" I sighed and closed my eyes. I really didn't know, it seemed like thing just happened.
Harry looked at me, he looked away and then said "you look so young..That I just want to protect you, but you need to figure shit out" Harry said and waited for me to open my eyes and answer him.
I stumbled to my feet "Well you know what? You are not my, dad, brother, husband or my boyfriend, so as long as you don't have a say in my life back off" I told him, why did he always do that he was sweet and then he turned around and was all douchy.
Harry looked at me clenched his fist and walked away. Harry hadn't talked to me since.
…
"I don't know" I said again.
Winters knew Harry and I had a fall out. Winters was sick and tired of having to live with a mumbling pissed off Harry "well too bad because it's an order sergeant"
"Yes sir" I saluted the two lieutenants and walked away.
Nixon looked at Winters "Guess you told her" Nixon smirked
"I sure did" Winters said and held back a small smile, with some luck things would soon be back to normal.
I found Welsh by the motor pool, Welsh was shooting the breeze with a friend from back home, while he waited for said friend to finish the work on a jeep Welsh need for a field exercise.
"Lieutenant" I waited for Harry to acknowledge my presence.
"Lieutenant…For Pete sake…Harry" I felt my stomach drop
Harry turned and saw me standing there looking all fidgety and nervous, Harry held back a smile and waited for me to tell him what I wanted.
"Can we take a walk?" I bit her lower lip
"Yeah follow me sergeant" Welsh walked toward the out perimeter of the camp.
The two of us walked in silence for a while.I had let my hair grow to shoulder length; I pulled out my elastic band. After a little while I stopped, turned, and looked at Harry. I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. Here we go, I thought.
"Look Harry, I know I was being harsh and obnoxious, the day at the dance and I know you were just looking out for me and I am sorry for being a brat" I waited for Harry to say something.
"Chris what do you want? Do you want us to be friends, more or what…?" Harry asked me.
"Friends…More than friends" I held her breath and waited for Harry to do something.
"Good…good" Harry sighed and pulled me in big hug. I sighed and relaxed into the warm embrace.
Harry pulled back a little "So dinner tonight?" Harry asked me.
"Yeah about that" Is let go of Harry, "You might want to talk to Winters. Sobel decided to court martial him for an offense he didn't commit, so Sink transferred Winters to battalion mass"
Harry ran his hand thru his hair and swore under his breath. This was absolutely the worst thing, which could happen. Not a chance in hell would Harry make the big jump with that sob.
"Chris… hey Chris" I heard my brother call out to me. I kissed Harry on the cheek and ran toward my brother. I had a big goofy smile on my face and Pat smiled when he saw that I was happy, he just hoped it lasted.
"So I guess you and Welsh are ok" Pat asked his sister and slung an arm around my shoulders
"Yeah we are good" I smiled, I felt like a heavy weight had been lifted of my shoulders.
Pat walked me over to the barn Easy company had occupied since arriving in Aldbourne. I snuck in and sat down next to Grant.
Grant leaned in over the table "So we are going thru with this right?" he asked and looked around at the face at the table, it was all the NCO from Easy Company except Evans who had been invited, but was a no show.
"We gotta do something," I said and all the other NCO's agreed
"All right good, but we all better be clear about the consequences," Lipton told the men
"I don't care about the consequences," Johnny Martin said.
"John…We can be lined up against the wall and shot, now I am ready to face that, and every one of us better be too" Lipton looked around the table for confirmation
Guarnere looked at Lipton "I will not follow that man into combat"
"Me neither" Bull told Lipton
"All right…then let's do it" Lipton looked at the NCO's
Grant looked Chris "Don't Chris…don't you don't have to do this"
I raised an eyebrows "I am going to do it, don't worry about me" But I was more scared than I let on.
Guarnere dictated, "I hereby, no longer, wish to serve as a noncommissioned officer in Easy Company"
They each signed the letters and Lipton gathered them and wished them each good luck.
Ten minutes later Sink summoned them to his office "I ought to have you all shot, this is nothing less than an act of mutiny while prepare for the god damn invasion of Europe, sergeant Harris turn in your stripes, collect your gear you are hereby transferred out of my regiment. Sergeant Ranney consider yourself lucky I am only busting you to private. All of you NCO have disgraced the 101st Air Borne. You can consider yourself lucky that we are on the eve of the largest action of warfare. Which leave me no choice but to spare your lives. Now get out of my office and out of my sight….get"
"Sergeant Christenson a moment" Sink said
I closed her eyes "Yes sir"
"Now I expected more from you Sergeant, while I appreciate your loyalty to the men. Know this was your last chance, one more screw up and you will be transferred to a field hospital," Sink said in a stern voice
"Yes sir" I saluted Sink and walked out of the HQ, the other NCO's was waiting for me-
"What he want" Grant asked
"He told me not to fuck up again" I smiled.
…
Sobel of course punished the entire company by putting them through some grueling night maneuvers. The upside to the many hours spend outside in the cold, was the fact that the company knew each other's silhouettes against the evening sky.
