Work Text:
Title: "Lipton's Choice"
Author: TheQueenly1, a.k.a. Darkover
Rating: FRC
Disclaimer: I do not own "Band of Brothers," the miniseries. I certainly do not own any rights to the men themselves; no one can, since they were and are real people, and very admirable ones. Please understand that this story is pure fiction. No offense is intended, and I fervently hope that none is taken. Nor am I making any money off of this, so please do not sue.
Summary: First Sergeant Lipton does something for Easy Company. Please read and review!
"Hey, Sarge?"
"Yeah."
"Is it true what I heard about Dike?"
"Yeah."
"Thank God for small mercies, huh?"
"Yeah," Lipton said again.
Perconte and Randleman turned away, Bull stolidly bearing his wounded friend back to the aid station. Carwood Lipton also turned away, minutes later walking past the subject of their brief conversation.
Norman Dike. The lieutenant's body lay on the snowy ground, eyes closed. It appeared almost pristine save for the small trickle of blood at the corner of its mouth and the right leg that was twisted underneath the body in a way that surely would have been uncomfortable if this were still a human being and not a corpse.
Lipton gazed down at it dispassionately. Except for the throbbing of his wounded face, which still hurt even though it was crusted over with blood, he felt nothing much at all. He felt no exultation at Dike's death, no happiness, no satisfaction, not even much in the way of relief, although it was surely the best thing for Easy to have him gone.
Maybe that would be enough, he thought as he turned away from the dead body and moved on. Maybe the fact that he didn't feel glad about what he had done would be enough to absolve him, plus the fact that he had done what he did only to protect the men of Easy Company. For First Sergeant Lipton was the only man living who knew that the life of Norman Dike had been ended not by a German bullet, but by a shot from Lipton's own rifle.