" Courage; the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently."

- Maya Angelou

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" So, how'd it go?" Lizzie asked Chuck who was helping her with some boxes for the medical personnel that had been delivered.

" Well, for starters, we weren't lined up and shot." Chuck said with a hint of a laugh. Lizzie smirked at the comment before hefting the box she held up onto a counter. Chuck placed his right next to hers and the two went back to the truck outside.

" What happened? What did he say?" she asked him, brushing a lock of golden hair behind her ear and biting her lip to look up at him.

" Sink said he needed us for the 'goddamn invasion of Europe'." Chuck said and then he smirked looking over at the girl, and she sent him a tiny smile. " Guess this whole thing must be pretty important."

" Yes, I guess." she said with a sad smile, thinking about the entire thing in her head. Lizzie bit her lip as she grabbed the next box.

" You ever think about the invasion, Chuck? What it's going to be like?" Lizzie asked him as Chuck pulled a box into his arms and the two started walking again.

" Yeah," Chuck said quietly as Lizzie met his eyes. The invasion and the talks of it and the growing tension that was quickly approaching consumed them all, with thoughts swirling in their head and visions and different fairly frightening images of exactly what could happen out there.

" It's just the thought of it all," Lizzie said with a nod.

" It's why you're having trouble not becoming too attached." Chuck said as he looked at her. Chuck had pinpointed it. Lizzie glanced up at him and nodded, with a sad frown.

" It's hard being a medic sometimes." Lizzie said. She'd told the women that before, but telling Chuck, one of her NCOs that, was something she didn't just give on easily to people. A medic was not supposed to grow attached to any member of the company in various ways. But Lizzie struggled with that. She hated that she did. Attachment and combat medic never went hand in hand. Lizzie admired Gene, he didn't become emotionally attached like she had.

" Yeah, but, they're some of the best soldiers of the company." Chuck said, affectionately bumping her shoulder. Lizzie shyly grinned with a smile. She had to go with it and believe it.

Within the following few days, word broke to the entirety of Easy Company. CO Herbert Sobel was not longer the CO of Easy Company, nor was he in Easy Company. He was reassigned to Chilton Foliat to train others. But there was also the news of Catherine being promoted to Lieutenant as well.

At the mess hall, Lizzie had been the one running into the break the news to the group, and a few people almost choked on all their food or spit out their drinks at the news. A few groups went out to the pub, a few others didn't really celebrate, they just took it as it came with now CO Lieutenant Thomas Meehan coming into play, to take control.

Thomas Meehan had come from Baker Company, and he integrated himself quickly with the men and women of Easy. He was very humble, smart, and knew how to work with the company, but he was also a powerful figure in the presence of Easy Company. But something that mattered the most to the men of Easy Company about him was that he respected the 3 female members that were part of the company. He had talked to Winters in depth about how he loved that Hazel was a sniper, the only one in the entirety of the Army. He heard about Catherine and her warrior-like spirit and already enjoyed her presence in the company and Lizzie's name and the word joy and smiles and combat medic had also been a part of the conversation, and Meehan had already enjoyed the discussion of a female combat-medic.

Lieutenant Buck Compton had also been introduced to the company as their time in Aldbourne was finishing up. He got along great with the men, and unlike Sobel, everyone liked him, especially for his outstanding leaderships, but his easy-going and quick-witted humor. Things were starting to look up for the members of Easy Company, especially with the new sets of leaders added to their company.

Spring turned to summer, and the air became warmer, but the rain became heavier. Hazel's sniping skills visibly improved, her shots accurate and quick, and the silencer made her shots that much deadlier. She had received the final variation of the M1903A4, courtesy of Sink who had delivered it to her during a lecture during a rainy day. She practiced with Sergeant Coleman more, noticing that some of the past flaws of the weapon had been fixed to the best of her ability. But she still managed a Remington variation and was happy about that. She loved that type.

The last few practice sessions with Sergeant Coleman were eventually her last as they were preparing for the invasion that was very much hush-hush. She had given him a tight hug in thanks before she left, and he promised that after the mission they'd hopefully see each other again.

She took him up on that promise.

Catherine's scheduled briefing was two weeks after her promotion as promised, and at 1100 as talked about. Catherine approached the building, with a scribble of notes in her pocket. She stepped inside the building, the open air hanger and quickly moved up the stage.

" Good morning, everyone." Catherine said as she stood up in front of the group. She was lucky she got to stay, especially from the act of mutiny and the fact that promoted officers were usually switched from regiments. She had gotten to stay despite it all because of the approaching invasion.

" I have been informed that I needed to give you all a basic briefing about the land of Europe which is highly different than the land of America." Catherine explained as she turned to the map of central Europe that was behind her head.

" In college, I studied physical geography of the continents of the world, and how they impact people when they come in and create civilizations presently and through history, so that is why I've been assigned to this task." Catherine explained with a small smile and a nod looking out to the group.

" For a bit of background regarding Europe, is is the second-smallest continent out of the 7 continents of the world. Europe runs from the island Iceland to the Ural Mountains in Russia, the Svalbard archipelago in Norway and into the islands of Greece and Malta. Europe is regarded as a peninsula of the Euroasian supercontinent. It's main peninsulas are the Iberian, Italian and Balkan in southern Europe and the Scandinavian and Jutland in the North. This creates 4 major physical geographical regions of the European land, with the Western Uplands, North European Plain, Central Uplands and the Alpine Mountains." Catherine explained, looking out to the group as she pocketed the note cards she had brought with herself.

" Those 4 major physical parts of the landscape are things that you have to internal depending on whenever we will make our jump." Catherine explained, pointing to where the western edge of Europe, " This is considered the Scandinavia region of the Western Uplands, with areas such as France, Ireland, and Holland. Something very popular among the coasts of this Scandinavian landscape is the hard, 'ancient' if you choose to call it that, rock that was shaped by the movement of glaciers many years ago. This action caused the jagged edges of the coasts of these countries."

" The North European plain," Catherine stated, pointing to an area just below the Western Uplands," extends from south of Britain to the Soviet Union, and includes other such parts of France, Belgium, Poland and into the Soviet Union. The North European Plain houses a multitude of rivers, such as the Rhine, the Weser, the Elbe, the Oder and the Vistula, but it also remains the most heavily populated region of Europe in current times."

" The Central Uplands," Catherine said, facing the group with her hands set behind her back, " they extend along central Europe and the Western parts of France and Belgium, through Southern Germany, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Austria and a bit of Poland. They are lower in altitude, and the less rugged region of the Alpine region with heavy woods. Important areas of this region are the Massif Central and the Vosges in France, the Ardennes of Belgium, the Black Forest and the Taunus in Germany, and the Ore and Sudeten in Czechoslovakia, and are not heavily populated, except in areas where the Rhine, the Elbe and the Danube river valleys are located."

" The last major area of Europe to focus on is the Alpine Mountains, or as you've all heard it, the Alps." Catherine explained, pointing up towards where southern Germany, Northern Austria and Northern Italy all were located, " The mountain ranges included within this region, including the Alps are the Pyrenees, Apennines, Dinaric Alps, Balkans and Carpathians. Most of these mountain ranges of descent of names from Ancient Rome. This region remains the area with some of the most rugged plateaus with high elevations and steep slopping lands. There are a few active volcanoes like Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius which are in Italy."

" All 4 of these locations are within Europe, but are all vastly different from each other because of the natural geography that comes from the land being formed. Depending on where we will ultimately make the jump, these will be considerations, of how to use that land to your advantage. As a paratrooper the land will always be your friend, whether you can build a foxhole within it, or use it to break your fall from death with your chute." Catherine explained.

" Ma'am?" someone called and Catherine turned to the source, and nodded to them.

" Go on, Private." she said, noticing the single strip.

" Ma'am um, how are we supposed to really get to know the land if we aren't on it now?" he asked her. Catherine offered a smile his way.

" Well, Private, that's the thing about war. You virtually don't know anything; where you'll drop, what the land will be like, what obstacles you'll face. You won't know anything, you won't even know your initial first reaction when dropping in on the land, none of us will," Catherine said as the Private looked at her, " but, what you can remember is the land will always be your friend and you will always be able to use that to your advantage in any way you can. A paratrooper's best friend is the land." And the Private was quiet after that, everyone was. Catherine slowly pushed up to her feet again and walked back to the center of the stage.

" The land will not be your worry at first, of course it would be making sure you still have your weapon and equipment needed, and then that you can get to your assembly point, and then the land will become your next thought." Catherine explained, " But it is something to always have in the back of your mind."

" Yes, ma'am." the group chorused. Catherine nodded.

" You're all dismissed," Catherine said with a nod, as the group slowly began to shuffle out. Nixon came up to her, smoking a cigarette, with a smirk on his face.

" Sure silenced them." Nixon said, and Catherine smirked, " I figured it's better to tell the truth than lie."

" Oh I know you're right, McCown, impressed all of them." Nixon said nodding to some of the higher ups. Catherine smiled.

" I try." Catherine answered and Nixon smirked.

A few days before their move to Uppottery, England, Hazel was sitting out in the fresh grass, the sun shining down brightly on her, as the breeze ruffled her hair. She had some time to finally think, just to really think about everything from her start at Athene, to her time now. She had been so much more quiet, and reserved, but she'd let the men and women take her in with open arms. She was still quiet, but she was more willing to open up to others, emotionally and spiritually. Hazel felt she was truly one with her emotions as well. When she looked up at the bright, blue sky and felt the way the sun hit her eyes and the raybands that covered them, as well as the way the breeze that called through the air and through her hair, truly made her happy and content with herself.

A year ago, she wouldn't have said the same at all. If she hadn't gone through this training that was physically and mentally challenging, she might've not felt the way she did right now. She was happy, in so many ways. She wasn't sure really what the future had in store for her, but she was happy, something she hadn't felt in such a long time it seemed.

It was sad, however, leaving the Burnett's who had been like parents to the two soldiers over the past 9 months. Hazel slowly stepped out of the room she had been in for over 9 months, and sighed as she shut the door behind her. As Hazel slowly went down the steps, looking at photographs and pictures, she hoped she'd make it back here and be able to see that room again. Hazel slowly stepped into the quiet foyer where both Harry and Grace stood looking at Hazel like they were proud parents.

" Oh, just come here." Grace said as she hurried forward, wrapping Hazel in a tight hug, holding her close. Hazel wrapped her arms around Grace, squeezing her eyes shut, as she forced herself not to cry. She didn't realize the toll that would be taken upon her when she had to finally leave the Burnett's who had been almost like a set of parents to her.

" Thank you for everything," Hazel said as she leaned back and wiped her eye a bit, before hugging Harry.

" Oh, honey, it was our pleasure. You were like a daughter to us." Harry said as the two pulled back and Hazel looked up at him with a smile.

" Now, you go and show those men and the world who you are and what you fight for." Grace said as Hazel smiled with a nod.

" I will see you again." Hazel said with a nod, as she grabbed the door handle and turned it slightly.

" We know you will." Grace said and Hazel grinned.

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hey! last chapter today but the invasion of normandy is happening within the next few chapters and i figured that needed to be within chapters and portions of its own!

thank you all again!