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Kinch had drawn night duty again.
It wasn't that he really minded, but having nobody around to watch the radio if he needed to run up to the barracks for something, like a blanket or food, was a bit inconvenient.
Tonight, it was harder than usual to keep his eyes open. Colonel Hogan had taken Carter to go blow something else up - he wasn't even sure what it was, just that it needed to go up with a bang and a boom - and they weren't due back for another hour or so. Newkirk and LeBeau should have been asleep by now; it had been an exhausting few days, and they had both earned the rest. But that didn't stop Kinch from wishing for a coffee.
As if summoned by his thoughts, LeBeau appeared at the entrance to the radio room. "Kinch? Would you mind some company?"
"Of course not," he replied. They spoke French when it was just the two of them. It was a comfort for LeBeau to hear his native tongue, since the camp was full of English- and German-speakers. "You should be asleep, Louis."
"I know. But I'm worried about le Colonel and Andre."
"They'll be fine, LeBeau. We've done more dangerous things than this." Kinch sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. "Any chance of some coffee? I think I might fall asleep."
"Sure. I'll be right back," LeBeau told him.
Kinch closed his eyes, just for a moment. He was trying not to let the pent-up worry of the past few days flood him all at once, but was definitely not succeeding. Having the others go out on harrowing missions while he could do nothing but wait was taking its toll on him, both physically and emotionally.
When LeBeau returned with the coffee - an entire pot, thick with sugar, just the way Kinch liked it, despite the difficulty of obtaining the stuff in wartime Germany - Kinch had nearly fallen asleep.
"Kinch? Mon ami, are you awake?"
"Hmm? Yeah, LeBeau. I'm awake. Did you bring the liquid gold?"
LeBeau grinned. Coffee was, at least for the radiomen, the elixir of life. Without it, they probably wouldn't have been able to pull off as many missions as they had. "Oui. I brought you the whole pot."
"Thanks, Louis. You're the best." Kinch poured himself a full mug, then settled back. "So. Tell me again about Suzanne?"