" If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun."

- Katherine Hepburn

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As Hazel went home that night, she thought a lot about what Joe had told her. He just wanted his mom to be proud of him, for doing something for himself for once, but he couldn't help but look past on all his mistakes from long ago.

It seems the war was good at doing that.

Making you reflect and regret.

But Hazel just wasn't making friends with Joe, even though she felt closest with him, there was George Luz, Don and Skip, Chuck and Floyd, and especially Shifty. And of course Bill and Joe, who were like those tough, but soft uncles you had on your mom's side.

The days were getting longer again as winter was beginning to pass. And that could only mean one thing. There would be a drop soon, somewhere. And that meant death and despair and a slow tension that crept up among everyone.

Hazel found herself writing more letters to her mother each and every night, even if they all came at once. She hated to think the way she did, but she thought that if she didn't make it home, her mother would have things to remember her. She hated that thought. But she pushed it from her head most of the time and tried to stay a bit more positive.

Running maneuvers were a part of Easy's normal routine when training, and Sobel also was involved in that, but that wasn't exactly exciting at the same time.

2nd platoon had been placed into the hands of Winters and needless to say, Hazel and Catherine were relieved to know they were with him. Winters was reliable and when given an order he knew what to do with it, and the women could trust him.

The platoon moved across a field, surrounded by bushes in the English countryside. Hazel moved next to Chuck and watched as Winters gave him the signal to crouch behind the bushes ahead, before moving over to the closer hedge, next to Lipton.

Lipton had been another favorite of the girls. Like Winters, he cared for their wellbeing, and he respected each and everyone of them for what they all brought to the table. Just the other day, he found Lizzie working late at night alone in the cold medical station, and made sure she got home ok that evening.

Catherine looked over her shoulder towards Winters and Lipton as she crouched behind Hazel and narrowed her eyes as she watched WInters glance at his watch and Lipton's eyes begrudgingly follow.

" Sobel's late." she heard Winters say through panting breaths. Catherine forced a scream down her throat before turning and tapping Hazel on the shoulder. Hazel turned with bright blue eyes, her sniper gear making her blend more into the bush than show she was a paratrooper.

" Sobel's late." Catherine said with a grievance in her voice.

" Are we surprised?" Hazel asked with a sigh, and Catherine shook her head. This always happened, so she knew why Winters was not freaking out too much at the moment.

1st platoon, lead by Sobel, ran down a hill in the southern valley of the English countryside.

Lizzie was beyond annoyed with their current leader, lugging the heavy-ass bag filled with medical supplies in the complete wrong direction. She'd ran beside Tipper as they crossed the field and quickly asked him, and he said how they were going in the wrong direction, but Sobel wouldn't change his path. Perconte held up his hand to stop the moving platoon and Lizzie came to a stop, moisture and condensation developing on her helmet in the dewy morning air, making it drip off her helmet as if it were rain. She watched as Sobel walked toward Tipper, Evans right behind him, and immediately beginning to question why a fence happened to be in his presence.

" Why is there a fence here?" he said through panting breaths, as the rest of the platoon kneeled to one knee. Lizzie watched as Tipper pulled the map from his OD pocket as Sobel's eyes trailed the length of the fence earnestly. Tipper easily could get Sobel confused with the maps.

" There should be no fence here." Sobel said before looking towards the platoon, " Tipper!"

" Yes, sir," said Tipper from right beside him. Lizzie suppressed a laugh. She never had seen Sobel whip around faster in her life to face the man with the map.

" Give me the - map." Sobel said with a stammer taking the folded leather in his hands. Sobel looked at the map, seemingly got frustrated and turned to the platoon.

" Perconte, Luz," he informed, and Lizzie glanced at him with a raised brow, " Get the men, get 'em b-. Take cover behind those trees." Sobel said pointing towards the big bunch of trees a few meters away.

" You heard the word." Luz said.

" Yes, sir." Perconte answered, " You heard him move out, up, up." The two stood and made the other remains of 1st platoon stand and follow them toward the tree line.

" Perconte?" Skinny asked the man. " Sobel's lost again, right?"

" Yeah, he's lost." Perconte answered with a grimace in his voice.

" Fucking christ." muttered Skinny as Lizzie came to stand beside him as her eyes made narrow bullet paths toward the back of his head.

" Hey, Luz, Luz." Perconte said whipping around as Luz moved behind the 3.

" Hey can you do Major Horton?" Frank asked with a slight chuckle, and a smile lit up LIzzie's face. She looked at George with shining eyes. George Luz was infamous in Easy Company for his spot on impressions of anyone. He impersonated Catherine not too long ago and Lizzie had been doubled over laughing by that point. Skinny let out a chuckle from next to her as George smirked.

" Does a wild bear crap in the woods, son?" George said in a John Wayne-esc voice, making the people in the tiny group laugh, and Lizzie giggled.

" Shh, shh, shh." Frank said through laughter, " Maybe the good major can goose this schmuck. Get us moving?"

" No way-"

" Oh yeah, yes,"

" You gotta, you gotta."

" Come on, Luz."

" All right, just this once." Luz said with a smile and Lizzie could practically feel her heart exploding. She was too excited to hear this. Excitement erupted in the tiny group still standing, but Luz shushed them jokingly as they all crouched down. George cleared his throat, and glanced at Lizzie who was giggling beside a chuckling Skinny.

" Is there a problem, Captain Sobel?" George called out, in his Major Horton voice, making Lizzie snort.

" Who said that? Who broke silence?" Sobel yelled back immediately. The group let out strained laughs again in an attempt to hold back the tears of laughter.

" What is the god-damn holdup, Mr. Sobel?" Luz yelled again, making the group buckle over with laughter, as Lizzie shoved her head into Skinny's shoulder to prevent a louder, cackling laugh from escaping and being heard. What made it even better was that Luz managed the dorkiest, yet most serious expression on his face as the group cackled.

" A fence, sir. Um, god....a barbed wire fence." Sobel hollered back.

" Oh, that dog just ain't gonna hunt." Luz called back and Lizzie's chuckles reached their ears. Skinny's laugh caused Lizzie to laugh harder and she had to contain them even more as her face turned red.

" Shut up." Luz whispered as he suppressed his own laughter, " Now you cut that fence and get this goddamn platoon on the move!"

" Yes, sir!" Sobel yelled back. Lizzie's face remained red from laughter the entire jog back the right way through that barbed wire fence.

Catherine glanced at Winters again as Winters looked at his watch.

" We have to move." she heard Winters say.

" Sir, without Captain Sobel and 1st Platoon?" Lipton asked him quietly.

" It's a 'T' intersection. We improvise." Winters said, " Double envelopment laid on a base of fire to cut the road in all directions. Hook right with 1st squad. Tell Guarnere to move left with 2nd. I'll be right up the middle with 3rd. Go."

" Yes, sir." Lipton said before turning and moving towards 1st squad where Catherine and Hazel both were. Guarnere sat with 2nd squad back a ways, as Winters gave him hand signals and directions. Lipton came up to 1st squad and quickly delivered instructions for them to exhibit. 1st moved over the hedge, and Catherine glanced at an old man on a bike going down the road. 2nd and 3rd squad experienced the same. Hazel questioningly glanced at the old man and uttered a sort of sorry his way even though she knew he wouldn't hear it. Just as 3rd squad settled with 1st and 2nd, the sound of Sobel's voice came from down the road.

" Hi-ho Silver!" he called, and Catherine and Hazel stood up together side by side seeing Sobel running, 1st platoon in tow and Lizzie, bright red in the face, laughing down the entire stretch.

" Good work 2nd platoon, we took the objective." Winters said coming up to stand with the group, as he watched Sobel make way. Lizzie was still laughing; Hazel and Catherine glanced at each other, and watched as Lizzie nearly choked on her own air while suppressing laughter.

Oh how they knew there was going to be a funny story tonight at mess hall.

" What the hell were you laughing about the entire time you run up that road?" Catherine asked Lizzie as she sat down at dinner, with Tipper beside her, grinning as well. Bill looked up from his meal next to Hazel.

" What the hell you talking about?" he asked the two. Lizzie and Tipper looked at each other and then broke out in laughs.

" Lizzie was bright red faced, laughing the entire time she was running behind Sobel." Catherine said, and Hazel nodded from next to her.

" We've been waiting all day to hear this." Hazel said.

" What are we talking about?" a new voice asked as Liebgott shoved in next to Hazel.

" Shhh, Quiet Lieb." Catherine snapped. Hazel looked at him with a finger held up to her lips telling him to be quiet. He raised a brow at her and she winked, rather cheekily and turned back away. Liebgott smirked.

" The hell was that, Tiny?" he muttered in her ear.

" Shut up." she muttered.

" Sobel led us towards this barbed wire fence, and Tip, who had the map, knew Sobel was going in the wrong direction, but Sobel wouldn't listen. Sobel tells us to go behind the hedge of trees, because he's so lost and confused and clearly aimlessly wandering at this point, that it looks hopeless." Lizzie said, as Tip smirked, suppressing a laugh. Joe Toye then arrived and slid in next to Bill.

" What are we talking about?" he asked.

" Shut up." Catherine spat, and turned back to Lizzie nodding her on to continue.

" So we're behind the hedge and Frank asks if George can do a Major Horton impersonation, so of course he does it." Lizzie said and she broke down into a fit of giggles, which sent the rest of the group laughing. " Sobel starts thinking that Major Horton is moving between platoons and commanding the platoons now, and Sobel gets all scared and frantic and terrified because he thinks it is Horton when it's Luz." By now the entire table was laughing at how poor Sobel's leadership and confidence levels were at the moment.

" That's what I was laughing the entire time up the road, because he was acting like Horton had just told him to get moving and it was Luz. I couldn't stop laughing, I'm surprised he didn't court-martial me for all the laughing." Lizzie said and the group was in chuckles by now.

" I'm surprised Sobel didn't go after you, Tip." Catherine said looking at the 'map-man' with a smirk.

" Oh he did," Tip said and Lizzie looked at Tipper.

" He did?" she asked him.

" Yeah, silly, but you were too busy laughing." Tip said through a laugh that made Lizzie break into a fit of uncontrollable giggles again.

" I'm sorry, Tip." Lizzie said, as she let out a laugh again, " It was too funny."

" Sobel stops me once we get back and goes to look at the maps again and can't figure it out. Then he starts telling me the angle in which the map was held to his face was wrong." Tip said. Catherine snorted as Hazel giggled.

" The angle of the map to his face?" Catherine laughed out as Bill snickered.

" What'd he have to drink before this?" Joe Toye said with a growing smirk as Lizzie laughed shaking her head.

" Please tell me that's why there is all those cows near HQ?" Catherine said through a laugh. Lizzie let out a wheeze, nodding trying to hold her breath back from her laughter, but soon the whole table was laughing again. Sobel couldn't lead that was for sure.

By the end of March, 'big unit-oriented' jumps were becoming the usual, as members of the 101st. It was rumored to be a rehearsal attack for whenever the initial attack would be, where they would be attacking. It was a rumored inspection visit for Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, US First Army commander Omar Bradley, General Maxwell Taylor who commanded the 101st, plus a multitude of other highly notable leaders. Hazel's heart raced the entire time the plane ascended up into the sky, but once she had jumped, flying like a bird, she was happy again, with a calmed heart rate.

But with the training that the paratroopers were accustomed to by that point, Hazel rolled right out of the parachute and started running towards the DZ just like her fellow paratroopers and it seemed to impress each and everyone of those notable commanders that overlooked them. General Taylor invited both Eisenhower and Churchill to inspect the mighty group of paratroopers and they went through the rows, stopping at a few soldiers every once and a while. He surprisingly stopped in front of Hazel.

" Where are you from?" Eisenhower asked as he looked down towards her with wise eyes.

" Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, sir." Hazel said with a small smile.

" And what did you do before the war?"

" I worked with my mother in different grocery stores, I had just graduated high school and was planning to go to college in the fall, but instead I signed up for the WAC, sir, before being accepted into Virago Company." Hazel explained and Eisenhower smiled.

" I picked you to become a sniper didn't I?" Eisenhower asked her.

" Winston, this is the woman I picked for the sniping position that I was talking about." Eisenhower said turning to Churchill.

" What is your name?" Churchill asked her.

" Hazel Parker, sir." Hazel said to him with a smile.

" I have confidence in you, young lady." Churchill told her and Hazel smiled beautifully at him.

" Thank you, sir." she said, accepting the compliment. As they then moved on down the line, Hazel's heart racing, Hazel couldn't help but glance back towards Catherine and Lizzie who were smiling at Hazel with such pride and love.

They looked proud.

Large maneuvers continued throughout the rest of March, as the group continued flying the same route each day over and over, with their accuracy becoming even better and their confidence soaring by this point in time. It was a good feeling to finally have.

It became warm again, spring hitting Aldbourne with sunshine and blooms. But somehow it also meant that Sobel became more impending and annoying as ever. News spread quickly that Sobel had punished Winters simply because he had wanted Winters to inspect the latrines at 0945, but Winters had inspected it at 1000. Sobel had changed it, and not directly alerted Winters, so now Sobel blamed Winters for not performing the duties given to him. Winters had no phone connection and said no runner had found him. Winters had then requested trial by court-martial after that, but it certainly didn't mean the enlisted were to let it go. Many people had many opinions and the hatred for Sobel and his implications increased.

The NCOs were the main ones angered by Sobel's approach to certain situations.

Catherine sat with the rest of the NCOs in a barn with rain pouring outside heavily, a cool mist streaming in. Her feet were kicked up as she stared out at the rain, and her raven colored hair was pulled back away from her face into a low messy bun. It was quiet for the most part, the rain the only part being heard, but the rest of the NCOs and herself were waiting for Ranney to return from Battalion with the news on Winters.

" We lost Winters to Battalion mess." Ranney said marching in straight past Tab who stood at the door, previously waiting for him earnestly.

" You're shitting me." Tab called out in disgust, as Ranney pulled his cap from his head, a disgruntled feature on his own face.

" Nah, Strayer did it while they try to figure out the procedures for his court-martial." Ranney said as Harris walked over to the two others and watched as they, rather angrily poured themselves coffee if Catherine thought so herself.

" Well, Nixon better find a loophole and get him out," Tab said with a grimace. Talbert was a close comrade of Winters, one of Winters favorites, and Catherine knew at the moment that he was not having it.

" And if he doesn't?" Harris asked. " Winters scrambles eggs while the rest of us make the big jump with Sobel."

" I'm not doing that." Catherine said as she sipped her coffee, " There's no way I'll make that jump with him and die in his hands." Tab slid in next to her with his steaming cup of coffee.

" It's bullshit is what it is." Tab muttered.

" Couldn't agree more." Catherine muttered out. Tab sighed, as Bill came and sat down next to Lip and so did Chuck. Bull and Martin wandered over again with their coffee and sat down, both with disgruntled faces, they knew where their conversation was going to lead and what decision they'd have to make especially as NCOs.

" Not me." Bill said, glancing towards Frances.

" So we're going through with this, right?" Chuck asked leaning forward, and Catherine bit her lip.

" We gotta do something." Ranney said shaking his head. Agreements rang around the table at that statement.

" All right. Good." Lip said, and looked around the table with his gentle eyes. " But we'd all better be clear of the consequences."

" I don't care about the consequences." Martin said from the end of the table making the rest of the NCOs glance toward him.

" John," Lip said gently, " We could be lined up against a wall and shot. Now, I'm ready to face that. And every one of us had better be too." Lipton met the eyes of each man and woman at the table. He hovered on Catherine's knowing eyes a bit longer. The girl was smart and extremely intelligent, she knew right from wrong, and she knew what they had to do in this situation.

" I will not follow that man into combat." Bill said matter-of-factly. Lip nodded.

" Me neither." Bull said. The men looked toward Catherine.

" I will not drop into enemy territory with that man as my leader." Catherine said.

" All right." Lipton said nodding seriously. " Then let's do it." Catherine sighed and pulled a piece of paper from her breast pocket and a pencil as well and placed it on the table as the rest of the NCOs begrudgingly did the same.

" I hereby," Bill started, as everyone else began writing, " no longer wish to serve as a non commissioned officer in Easy Company." Catherine sighed as she signed her name with a hint of pride.

" All right, boys and lady. Good luck." Lipton said looking at the group, as he collected the papers. Just as Catherine sat back, she heard echoing footsteps enter the barn and the entire group looked up to see it was Hazel soaked to the bone in rain water, her hair dripping wet, breathing heavy. It was visible that there were tears in her eyes and that they were mixing with the rain water on her cheeks.

" Hazel?" Tab asked looking at her worriedly. Hazel opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again to suck down the evident cry. Catherine slowly stood and walked over to the girl and wrapped an arm over her shoulder comfortingly.

" Let's go sit down." Catherine said softly and Hazel nodded as the two women walked further into the barn and left the men behind. Catherine gently sat down next to Hazel on a ledge in the barn and glanced at the girl.

" What happened?" Catherine asked softly, reaching up to brush some of Hazel's wet hair from her face. Hazel sniffled, and let a few tears squeeze out.

" It was Sergeant Jenkins," Hazel whispered, " I let him get to me."

" Oh, Hazel." Catherine said, wrapping her arm over Hazel's shoulder and bringing her close. Hazel put a hand to her face and let out a weak sigh, wiping tears from her cheeks.

" Why am I even crying?' Hazel said in a weak sob attempt.

" What did he say to you?" Catherine asked softly.

" I don't wanna say, I should've just told him off." Hazel whispered. Catherine looked down at Hazel.

" I'm just doubting everything." Hazel whispered, as she sucked up a quiet cry.

" Does that have something to do with what he said to you?" Catherine asked her. Hazel nodded against her.

" I'm not good enough, even with all this training. I just, I don't know if I can do it." Hazel whispered, as her voice broke at the end of it.

" Hazel look at me." Catherine said and Hazel looked up at her with tear filled eyes.

" You are good enough," Catherine said, looking at Hazel with gentle, honest eyes, " and you are good enough for everyone in this company. These people, in other divisions and regiments and companies, they don't know how amazing and talented you are at what you do." Hazel looked up at Catherine. The words from Sergeant Jenkins felt imprinted on her heart and a newfound fear and doubt sweltered her system; she didn't have to the heart to repeat what Sergeant Jenkins had said, slithering over from the 82nd Airborne's positions, just to taunt her endlessly for no apparent reason and rile her up. Hazel was already worried, about everything and about everyone. What he had said, had hurt her, and it was all her combined fears into one.

" Thank you, Catherine," Hazel said softly, " I might just sit here for a little bit."

" How about you go sit out with the boys, just to have some company. I'll make sure they don't start questioning you." Catherine said rubbing her shoulder. Hazel looked up at Catherine and nodded softly.

" Let me help you wipe those tears away," Catherine said bringing up her hand to wipe at Hazel's cheeks, " I know you're strong, but it is ok to cry." Hazel nodded, she knew that was true.

" C'mon," Catherine said, helping the girl stand to her feet, and looking at her.

" It's ok," Catherine whispered, " don't let someone like him get to you." Hazel nodded. And that was the truth. Don't let someone belittle you to feeling worthless, it wasn't worth it. Catherine and Hazel eventually reappeared to where the rest of the men were, drinking coffee and many of the men in the room looked over seeing the cold and soaked Hazel shivering and the 'brow-raised' Catherine.

" You ok, kid?" Bill called out to her coming over worriedly seeing the girl soaked to the bone.

" I'm ok." she said.

" Are you sure?" Bill asked her, " Someone give me a blanket."

" How about you make her a coffee?" Catherine suggested with a nod.

" Shut up." muttered Bill, " You want sugar?" Hazel nodded. Bill turned away as Bull stood.

" Here, take my chair." he said, as Talbert came over with a blanket. Hazel slowly sat down in the chair, soaked, and let Talbert wrap the blanket around her shoulders.

" Thanks Tab." Hazel said as she shivered and pulled the blanket closer around herself. Talbert patted her back gently and sat down by her side, wrapping an arm over her shoulder comfortingly.

" What happened?" Bill asked coming over with her coffee and taking a seat on her other side from Tab, as Martin came over with his own coffee. Hazel looked hesitantly toward Catherine who let out a puff of smoke and walked over to the men.

" You guys don't have to worry about it." Catherine said standing next to Hazel who was quiet. The men glanced at each other.

" She's part of the company though." Johnny argued, " If there's something bothering her, we should try to help her."

" I'm fine, guys, promise." Hazel said, but many of the men didn't buy it. They figured though that if she said that, they should let it go. Hazel didn't miss the looks each man gave her of concern and worry for one of the youngest members.

" You sure, Tiny?" Talbert asked her. Hazel nodded.

" Yeah, thanks guys." she said with a small smile sipping the coffee.

" This is good coffee, Bill." she said quietly and Bill smiled, looking to the rest of the men who chuckled at her comment.

" Told ya," Bill said smiling.

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hey! i'm back with a few chapters today that i hope you all enjoy as we are slowly approaching the invasion. i had to say this portion of the book was one of the biggest rewrites and edits i had to do but i am happy with how it finally turned out in the end for the context of this story!

thank you all!