Catch Her If You Can | Band of Brothers

XXV. September 18th, 1944. Eindhoven, Holland.

***TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains descriptions and depictions of domestic violence. It is significant to the plot but still proceed with caution.***

September 17th, 1944. Eindhoven, Holland.

Georgia stood with her back to the forest, and her eyes set on the city ahead. The road to Eindhoven appeared open and empty, and a soft breeze stirred the tall grass.

Footsteps crunched behind her, and Georgia glanced over her shoulder to meet Dick's gaze.

"It looks all clear to me," he said.

"Yeah," said Georgia, "it does."

"It reminds me of the farms outside Lancaster. All the grass and open land."

"It must be lovely there this time of year."

"It always is," said Dick.

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they stood shoulder to shoulder. A bird would chirp occasionally, and the light filtering through the trees was warm on their backs.

"Alright, we'd better get moving," Georgia said after a while.

Dick nodded and picked up his rifle, giving Georgia a smile before walking off. Georgia followed suit and decided to ignore the fact that she missed standing beside Dick.

The bulk of the 506th was still buried back within the woods, talking quietly as they gathered their gear. The rooftops of Eindhoven were just barely visible, and the town seemed eerily quiet and empty.

The eerie feeling didn't go away as Georgia watched Easy Company cross the open fields. She jumped as a bird flew up from the tall grass and squawked. When Georgia let her gaze fall back to Easy, she saw orange.

It was bright, and fluttering in the breeze. Georgia stepped forward into the tall, pale green grass, and let the sun beat down on her neck as she stared ahead. It was a strip of fabric, all bright and flowy. It hung from a window, out of which a middle-aged couple was looking down.

Georgia looked back over her shoulder at Hester. He shrugged and tipped his head forward. Georgia sighed and began walking through the field, hearing everyone else clunk along behind her.

When they finally entered Eindhoven, it definitely wasn't what Georgia had expected. The streets were flooded with cheering crowds, and orange flags were everywhere. She turned around to find Hester, only to see him receiving a deep kiss from a lovely brunette.

"Having fun yet?" Georgia asked.

Hester gave a dazed smile as the brunette walked away.

"I think we're gonna have one hell of a time here, Fenley," he said.

Georgia cackled and tipped her helmet back so that the sun could reach more of her face. She let it warm her skin and even closed her eyes for a moment before continuing on.

She and Hester continued pushing through the crowd, attempting to refuse all the gifts and affections they were offered. Any men of ill intent seemed to steer clear of Georgia, most likely since she had Hester at her side. Together, they plowed through the throngs of people until they reached Dick, Lew, and other members of Easy Company.

"You go back to Sink," Georgia shouted over the din, "I'll stay up here and see the sights."

"Alright," Hester said before turning away and disappearing back into the crowd.

Georgia's eyes caught a flash of ginger hair up ahead, so she pushed onward.

The streets remained crowded as Georgia pushed her way forward. The city had come alive again with liberation. Even the people, who Georgia hadn't seen until she'd reached the city, somehow seemed renewed and refreshed.

As Georgia continued forward towards Dick, she found herself at the forefront of a crowd. The mob was chanting in Dutch, and women were being dragged into the center of the crowd. Georgia's stomach rolled at the sight, and she pulled her helmet further down over her face.

Several Dutchmen suddenly stormed up to Georgia and grabbed a woman standing behind her. Georgia clenched her fists and watched.

The woman cried out as she was shoved to the ground.

The men with her - members of the Resistance, given the orange armbands they wore - dragged the woman upwards by her hair, and then pulled out a barber's razor. The woman began to sob hysterically as her hair was shaved off, and her cries only intensified as another man started to draw swastikas on her forehead.

So, she'd collaborated. Georgia wanted to say something, to react, to do anything, but all she could think about was that horrid Christmas in New York, before the war.

Georgia's father kicked open the door to his New York study and shoved her in. He'd been dragging her down the hall via a death grip on her hair.

"You are not marrying that Nixon boy," Andrew Fenley said. He stalked over to his desk and poured himself a glass of whisky from the decanter.

"Why not? He's rich, you know his father! He's everything you want!" Georgia shouted, red in the face.

"Georgia, I will decide who you marry. Not you!"

"And what if I force your hand, hm? What if I elope with someone, or -"

Georgia's words were cut short as her father downed his whisky in one gulp and threw the glass at her head. It struck her temple and she fell to the ground. Her father looked at her, then went back to his desk. He left the room several minutes later with another glass of whisky and his daughter still lying unconscious on the floor.

A hand fell upon Georgia's shoulder. Quick as lightning she unholstered her pistol and whirled around to confront her attacker.

"Woah, easy," said Dick, "it's only me." He spoke slowly and far too calmly as one would to a spooked animal.

"Don't sneak up on me," Georgia said sharply. She slipped her .45 back into its holster and crossed her arms over her chest. "You need something?"

He shook his head. "Just saw you and figured I'd come over." He frowned. "I'm sorry I startled you."

"It's over and done with, no use dwelling on it. Now, what's Easy's next more?"

The change of subject seemed to ease Dick's mind.

"We'll be in the lead as we move south towards the Dommel River," he said. "As long as we're fast, then we should be able to capture the bridge there."

"Excellent."

Dick smiled at her, and the sunlight glinted off his hair. It also glinted off his collar, and Georgia frowned.

"Your insignia's showing," she said as she stepped forward. Her hands rose up to Dick's shoulders, and she carefully pushed up the collar of his jump jacket until you couldn't see his captain's bars anymore. She stepped back on opened her mouth to speak, but Dick grabbed her arms and pulled her back in. Georgia froze.

His hands gently brushed over her neck as he tucked her insignia beneath her jacket. Georgia didn't take a breath until Dick's hand fell away from her collar and settled on her shoulders.

"There," he said softly, "all better."

Georgia swallowed and nodded. "We'd better get going," she said, "so we can get to the river."

Dick nodded and stepped back. Georgia strode away first, and Dick was two steps behind her. He always waited for her to be ready, and she so adored that. The pair walked through the town together until they reconnected with Easy Company, at which point Georgia took her leave and returned to Regiment.