All Things Nice » Band of Brothers

76: Winter

Posey squeaked in surprise against his lips, her eyes open wide staring at his closed ones. He was kissing her. Really, actually kissing her.

In a moment of clarity she remembered herself. She closed her eyes and promptly melted into him, letting him lead her through the kiss, letting him show her what to do.

When he pulled back her eyes remained closed, her lips still parted exactly where he'd left them. Forcing her eyes open, she found him already looking at her, still close but not nearly close enough.

"Oh, Bill," she whispered, starting to frown. "What did you do that for?" Her life was going to be so much more difficult now. Both of their lives were going to be so much more difficult now.

Bill's face fell. "I -" he began, and was cut off by her hand snaking around the back of his neck and drawing him back in. She pressed her lips to his and couldn't help but grin when he started to kiss her again. He drew her closer by the waist and she giggled into his mouth.

"Posey," he said, pulling back and quirking an eyebrow at her.

She grinned. "Bill."

"Why're you laughin'?" he asked, beginning to smile himself.

Because I'm happy, she thought. Because I'm loved. Because you've granted both of my wishes in one go.

"Because I think you're wonderful," was what she said, fiddling with the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"Wonderful, ay?" he said, starting to laugh. "C'mere, doll."

When he kissed her again she sighed happily. Yes, she thought, he's the one for me. Let him be mine for the rest of my life. Was it too late for New Year's wishes now that the clock had struck twelve, or was she right on time?

So 1945 was off to a good start - a better start, even, than she'd hoped for. She fell asleep tucked up snugly in Bill's arms, feeling the cold a little bit less tonight than she had in the days previous.

When she woke up again she was disoriented, forgetting, for just a moment, where she was. It all came crashing back to her after a moment - last night, the New Year's wishes, the kisses, the warmth - and she thought she might never stop smiling.

As always, she woke up before Bill, but she decided to stay put for a little while today. She needed to go the toilet incredibly badly but she couldn't bring herself to move, for his embrace was warm and comforting and the world outside of their foxhole was a little bit scary at the moment.

Eventually, she couldn't hold it any longer and had to pry Bill's arms off of her so that she could get out. The sun was just beginning to rise when her boots first hit the fresh snow on the ground. The first sunrise of the year. It was dead silent out, the rest of the men still sleeping or, otherwise, not much in the mood for conversation so early. Posey's eyes drooped as she picked her way through the foxholes to somewhere private where she could relieve herself in peace and were all but shut by the time she'd finished and begun making her way back.

On her way she was stopped by the sound of her name being called. She turned, squinting, as she tried to locate the source of the voice.

"Sergeant Wells," called the voice again, and she recognised it as Nixon's. Her eyes skidded over to the CP and fell right on the man in question where he was sat with Winters, the pair of them shivering vigorously.

"Sirs," she greeted as she approached, her hands tucked up under her arms and her shoulders hunched up by her ears.

"How are you doing, Wells? You alright?" Nixon asked, nodding his encouragement for her to reply honestly.