" You can't force people to respect you, but you can refuse to tolerate their disrespect."

- Unknown

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On her birthday, she woke up to a note by her bedside from the Burnett's. It simply said Happy Birthday our Hazel! We love you so much, like you were our own daughter and your birthday, especially your 20th is such a big occasion, come downstairs when you are ready, we have a few gifts for you!! Hazel smiled as she stood up and slowly headed downstairs. The air smelled like waffles and there had to be ham roasting somewhere. And she heard laughter in the kitchen. When Hazel walked in, a smile spread on her face when she saw Lizzie sitting at the table, sipping a mug of coffee, eyes relaxed, smile wide.

" Hazel!" Lizzie called noticing the girl, and racing over to her to pull her into a warm hug.

" Happy Birthday!" Hazel hugged Lizzie close after only seeing her a few times at the pubs. Lizzie gave the warmest hugs.

" Thank you, Lizzie." Hazel said as Lizzie pulled back with a wide smile on her face.

" Come along now dear, we have breakfast all ready." Grace said as she pulled the chair open. Hazel walked over with a smile and slowly sat down in between her and Lizzie and across from Harry who was working his way through his 2nd cup of tea usually.

" This means so much, guys, really." Hazel said as she looked at the food and the Burnett's and Lizzie there. Lizzie smiled.

" We have a few little gifts for you," Harry said leaning down beside his chair and pulling out 4 packages.

" Oh! Thank you!" Hazel said, taking the gifts, " You guys didn't have to do this." Her eyes were watery.

" Of course we did." Grace said as Lizzie grinned.

" You're turning 20, Hazel, that's pretty important." Lizzie said and Hazel smiled at her, " Open them!" Hazel looked down at the packages and slowly opened the first one. It was the tiny package of chocolates from the Barnes that the Burnetts always had. Hazel's eyes went wide.

" Thank you!! You know these are my favorite." Hazel said and the Burnetts smiled at her warmly. The 2nd package was a painting of a sunflower field. Hazel's eyes went soft.

" Grace this is beautiful." Hazel said looking at her.

" I know you just adore sunflowers, love and of course the open fields around the home, I figured it was perfect." Grace said and Hazel grinned.the third package was Pride and Prejudice, a book she had been wanting to read for a while now but never got the time to, she'd talk about it for ages now. The fourth package was the cutest scarf, that paratroopers usually wore around their neck for dust and heat. It was yellow with white flowers like the dress.

" We figured you'd like this color and style, especially if you head back out again." Grace said and Hazel smiled. She never felt so loved, away from home, as she did now.

" Thank you guys, really, thank you so much." Hazel said and the Burnetts and Lizzie smiled.

" Now," Lizzie said as she placed down her coffee and pulled out a small gift, " if Catherine were here, she would've signed, but she couldn't, but we've always wanted you to have this." Hazel looked at Lizzie softly before glancing at the package.

Hazel slowly unwrapped it and pulled out a picture frame. And the picture was of the 3 of them, in their first week at Camp Athene, bright smiles on their faces, arms hanging over each other, standing in their PT gear, eyes scrunched in the corner's as they smiled. Tears spiked Hazel's eyes, and she put a hand to her mouth. They all looked so fresh and so young, compared to now. War-torn women who were drug through battle. They'd come so far. When Hazel looked up at Lizzie, Lizzie was smiling, tears in her eyes as well. Hazel reached her hand forward as the one of her mouth took the painting and gently grasped Lizzie's hand.

" Thank you, Lizzie." Hazel said softly, holding back the tears that wanted to crawl down her face. Lizzie nodded, as she bit back her lip with a smile. Then Lizzie was the first to break, letting out something between a cry and a laugh. Hazel moved forward and wrapped her arms around Lizzie as Lizzie brought Hazel closer in her grasp.

" Thank you," Hazel whispered as she blinked away her tears and the heavy feeling her throat. They both wanted Catherine here right now, but knowing she was safe was enough.

" She's been making me cry since day one," Lizzie joked as hazel pulled back and the table erupted in laughter. They spent breakfast in a happy mood and Lizzie stayed a bit after until brunch time, sipping on coffee, chilled out, laughing and cracking jokes with the Burnetts as Hazel laughed and laughed, feeling her heart full for the first time in ages. That's when there was a knock on the door.

" Blasted, who could that be at this time?" Harry said throwing his kitchen towel over his shoulder and heading up the step towards the door. Harry opened the door as the three women watched and saw Harry's face light up.

" I knew it was you!" Harry called, stepping out to hug the person on the other side, " C'mon in ya blood Yank, gave me half a scare." Hazel raised a brow watching as Lizzie sipped her tea softly. That's when it was non-other than Joe Liebgott who stepped through the door, a smirk upon his features, hair a bit fluffier than normal, and a bouquet of flowers in his grasp. She watched Lizzie smirk and lean over to Hazel and Grace.

" And supposedly he's just a best friend." Lizzie murmured. Hazel shoved Lizzie's shoulder as Lizzie chuckled. Grace smiled at the blush that bloomed on Hazel's face.

" There she is!" called Joe as he entered the kitchen and went over to Hazel first, grabbing her in a hug from behind.

" These are for you." Joe said as he handed her the flowers.

" Aw thank you, Joe," Hazel said, fighting down more of a blush than she ever had.

" Where'd you get them, Joe?" grace asked as Joe gave her a quick hug.

" Down at the market, they have the best flowers there." Joe said, before giving Lizzie a quick hug and resuming standing next to the little island a smile on his features as he watched Hazel gently sniff the flowers and smile at them.

" Thank you, Joe, really." Hazel said.

" What can I say? You're turning 20, I say yellow flowers are pretty important for that." Joe said and Hazel grinned.

" Harry, get Joe some coffee." Grace said as Harry bustled about the kitchen.

" You have anything planned for the day?" Grace asked to the 3 paratroopers, but no one in particular.

" Well, I know George is down at the pub setting up for a rather big party." Joe said glancing at Hazel.

" Really?" Hazel asked him.

" Oh yeah, he was the one with the idea and everyone was on board. Plus, we have some free time, so why not?" Joe said as he took the coffee from Harry and took a gleeful sip from it.

The morning was spent very cheerful, talking and laughing, and that night truth be told, there was a party at the pub set up by the very own George Luz and Hazel had never had more fun at a party. There were a few friends missing, but Hazel knew they were always there in spirit. Hazel had never been more grateful for the men; they had the ability to distract her from the war, this world and show her what friendship truly was and what pure joy was. She had never loved a group of guys more.

Then the replacements stepped in.

They were all fresh and clean and bright-eyed and their smiles were joyous and they had a set of mouths of each of them. Talking about everything under the sun, their voices loud and immature. They were not of Toccoa descent and they were not respectful of the Virago women that were part of the company. But the Toccoa men had accepted the women of Virago descendent as if they were members of Toccoa because of how difficult their training had been and how strong they were as women, as soldiers and paratroopers.

The replacements had about 8 months of training compared to long 2 and 1/2 years many of the war-veterans had experienced and it showed. Not just in ability and strength level, but in respect and maturity and ability to hold a conversation even. The ability to simply respect the Viragos. They were cocky and rude and confident. Some were nicer than others and more willing to take advice and guidance from the veterans but others were against it and attempted everything mostly by themselves.

The first time people really saw the side of replacements that had been undermined was during Lizzie's medical lesson where people were slowly falling back into a routine and the swing of everything and getting the replacements truly adjusted. Hazel had been sitting and working with Shifty, her usual partner on such things when a commotion was heard from the general area near the front. Lizzie was on the ground in front of a 2 replacements.

" How'd you even qualify for this? I mean shouldn't you be popping out babies instead?" the replacement asked as the other replacement cowered in his shoes, face pale, wanting nothing more than to not be partnered with the man.

" How about you just focus on what you're supposed to be doing alright, Private?" Lizzie said, narrowing her eyes, " I'm trying to help you so you don't bleed out on the field."

" Go back to the kitchens already, doll, we got plenty of men already, we don't need a woman screwing things up." the Private said and Lizzie's eyes narrowed. But just then Gene appeared.

" What's going on here?" he asked as Lizzie slowly stood up and crossed her arms, stepping back.

" He doesn't want instructions from me clearly." Lizzie answered as Gene glanced at her and then the Private. Gene narrowed his eyes.

" What's the issue?" Gene asked the Private.

" Oh come on, Doc, ya serious? She should be in the kitchen, cooking pies, stuff like that." the Private said.

" Now, Private, you don't talk to women that way do you?' Gene asked him.

" No, I need a wife sooner or later." the Private said. Gene gave him a look.

" Telling them that, won't get you one at all then." Gene said, " And you're in war for Christ-sake, I think if God were kneeling in front of you you wouldn't say that." The Private stared at Gene.

" She's the only way you'll make it out alive if you get hit on that battlefield, do you understand me, Private?" Gene said, " If you can't handle a woman, a strong one at that treating you, you won't last a day in the field when the bullets start flying." And that was the cold hard truth that no one ever accepted until they got into war.

" Now," Gene said as he stood up next to Lizzie again, " I shouldn't have to come back over here again." And that was final. Gene had almost lost his temper on the Private, but Lizzie had just wished she had the courage to say something. It was demeaning and words like that hadn't been thrown at the Virago women for quite some time, so she just reverted back a bit. What scared her was that it had sounded like the man she had just cut herself off from before going to Camp Athene. It's why she had frozen up. Because her ex-boyfriend had sounded the same way. Lizzie walked past them later and slowly crouched in front of them.

" You know, Private," Lizzie said as the angry Private looked at her, his partner terrified out of his mind and not wanting a single piece of it, " you're momma brought you into this world and she can take you right out, but she's not here right now, right?" The Private stared.

" All she wanted was a bit of fun, and she managed to get stuck with you 9 months later." Lizzie said, " What a damn shame." The Private grumbled.

" Don't disrespect the person that brought you into this world and don't disrespect the one that can bring more people into it as well." Lizzie said quietly. The Private watched her. Lizzie then stood and brushed off her hands, walking down the center of the isle again and met Hazel's eyes. She smiled proudly in a way.

But that wasn't the end of it.

The flirting was well, obnoxious, but what can you expect from a bunch of fresh-out-of-highschool sorta guys. Sure, Tab and George their flirting was playful and they knew boundaries, but these guys just went for it and were convinced they'd get something out of it in the end. It especially got old when either of the two girls would walk to mess with a few others and they'd get cat-called.

You couldn't get everyone to respect you, no matter how hard you tried.

But they'd rather be even the slightly bit respected than be nothing.

It was near dinner, and slowly getting darker out as the Hazel walked side by side in the warm night air with Liebgott, when they heard voices.

The replacements.

" Hey, darlin', meet me outside after?" a voice called, and Joe and Hazel stopped their conversation. Hazel glanced towards them.

" Don't give them the time of day," muttered Joe to her as she bit her lip and turned her head away.

" Oh, come on, have a little fun!" his friend called out as she could feel the tension radiating from Joe.

" Hey, sweetheart who's your friend?" Joe and Hazel kept walking, but Hazel couldn't keep her mind from listening to their conversation.

" Forget her guys, maybe she doesn't want to talk to us." one guy said sarcastically with a laugh.

" There's another girl here, we can ask her." one said and the group laughed. Hazel glanced up at Joe who's eyes were narrowed, hands shoved in his pockets angrily, an expression of disgust across his features. Hazel wanted to say something, she wanted to, but the insults reminded her of her schooling years and she just wished she had an ounce of power to say something, to stop the voices, but her mind stayed frozen. She hated it was that way.

" What's your name, good looking!" one of the guys called to her.

" You gotta have a good name!"

" Shut the fuck up." Joe snapped as he turned around and looked at them, pulling the cigarette from his lip. The group of replacements all stopped in their tracks as Joe took a few steps towards them.

" Who are you?" one guy pipped up from the front.

" Your worst fucking nightmare," Joe said, as he placed the cigarette on his lips again and puffed out a smoke," I don't want to hear your mouths saying a word to her again. You understand me?"

" We'll still do it," one guy said.

" Free country," another said. Joe stared coldly at him, his icy gaze penetrating that young replacement's.

" Hey, man what's your issue?" one replacement snapped.

" My issue is, you're not treating her right, and I don't like that. Either grow up or go home. There's a reason you're here." Joe snapped. The replacements stared at him.

" Disrespecting her or any women, is never the reason." Joe snapped again, " you're here to fight a war. And that war's a scary thing, so open your damn eyes and get that through your brains." Joe then put the cigarette back on his lips, and turned away from them and walked back over to Hazel who stared with wide eyes at him. He just placed an arm over her shoulder and turned her around.

" I promise you right now that I'm fuming inside." Joe said to her through the cigarette on his lips. Hazel smiled softly.

Joe always had her back, even when she felt she couldn't say anything. Because words like that were demeaning and she wanted to say something, but a woman's place, right now, Hazel had felt a bit powerless, even though Viragos virtually were highly respected and thought of as strong. Sometimes, there were moments where Hazel wasn't strong and that was okay. That's why friends were a nice thing to have, they backed you up when you couldn't.

The rest of the walk there, the two didn't hear the voices from the replacements at all. Many didn't believe it when they heard that Hazel was the only sniper and a female and would remain the only sniper. They talked down on the girl who had war experience, and experience of killing a man, and laughed when they got no response from her.

Bill Guarnere flipped on a few replacements afterwards. It was quite the sight to see.

When news broke that Catherine, Lip, and Tab were returning from the hospital, Hazel couldn't have been more excited to finally see them and in better circumstances. Hazel had dressed in her beige skirt and she had her Class A top, but it was undone in the front, and her tie was loose around her neck, as she went racing through the streets, brunette hair whipping behind her, a smile on her face. Hazel had found most of the company hurrying into the main center of town where the returnees were, and a smile found its way onto her face. Hazel slowly approached and managed to wriggle her way through people until she found Catherine, standing there with a smile on her face and not a bruise or scar to be seen. She looked happy and healthy and there wasn't a sign of any tears like on D-Day.

" Tiny!" cried Catherine as she noticed the girl making her way through the crowd. Catherine immediately ran up and wrapped her arms around Hazel in a tight hugged as Hazel wrapped her arms around Catherine.

" Mack!" cried Hazel, as tears spiked her eyes. She heard Catherine's gentle laugh in her ear, as Hazel rubbed her back excitedly. Catherine pulled back and looked at Hazel's eyes. They were dull, but there was a bit of brightness in them. Hazel had never been happier to see Catherine and see Catherine looking genuinely happy. It made Hazel happy.

" How are you doing?" Catherine asked.

" I should be asking you that." Hazel said with a smile, as a stray tear leaked out. Catherine couldn't help but hug the girl again gratefully. Hazel relished the hug with Catherine, she had missed her so much out there, but she had made it and she knew she could.

" How's your shoulder?" Hazel asked as Catherine rolled it around a bit and shrugged.

" Getting better everyday, mobility's a bit rough. But I'm not letting that stop me." she said with a brave smile.

" You never would." Hazel said with a smile.

" Mack!" a voice cried and the two girls turned to see Lizzie come full speed toward Catherine. Catherine hugged Lizzie tightly in her arms the widest smile upon her lips as Lizzie pulled back with the widest smile on her own. Hazel turned and saw Tab there hugging Liebgott excitedly. Tab then caught Hazel's eye and a smile broke out on his face. He was dressed in his uniform, and his smile was bright and his eyes wide.

" Tiny!" he called as he came over to her. Hazel felt a smile light up her face as he wrapped her in a tight hug. Hazel wrapped her arms around his neck as he hugged her tighter, giving her an extra tight squeeze. He pulled back and looked down at her.

" How are you feeling?" she asked him.

" Ok I guess," he said shrugging, " not everyday I get a spear through my chest." Hazel snorted. All the sudden Hazel spotted Lip in the corner of her eye.

" Lip!" Lipton wandered over in his uniform walking up to Tab and Hazel and giving Hazel a warm hug.

" How are you doing?" she asked him.

" I'm doing ok, thanks to you two for getting me to the aid station back there." Lip said smiling at the two. Tab glanced at Hazel and smiled.

" That was all Hazel, she was quick thinking." Tab said.

" Oh no, I was just..." Tab and Lip looked at her, " I was just helping, trying my best."

" Well it saved my life, now I have to go find Winters, but I'll see you two later." Lip said and walked away. Tab looked back at Hazel.

" I call it luck that I made it there or time." Hazel said, and Tab raised a brow.

" Nah, I'm pretty sure you saw me running to help and figured you just had to be in my presence." Tab argued back."

My life does not revolve around you, Tab." Hazel said with a small smile, and Tab feigned being wounded.

" You wound me, Hazel." he said, and Hazel smirked.

" Hey Tab, go to the mess hall, Smokey's got something for you." someone called out.

" Be right there!" Tab called and turned to Hazel.

" I'll see ya around Tiny." he said and turned with a smile and followed the group of rowdy boys to the mess hall. Hazel turned and noticed Liebgott walking over to her with a smoke hanging on his lips, in his Class A beige uniform without the coat, his cap hanging from his belt around his waist.

" Hey," she said as he sauntered over in front of her.

" Wanna head over to the mess hall and get something to eat?" he asked.

" Yeah, that sounds good." she said as Liebgott wrapped an arm over her shoulder and the two talked as they walked towards the mess hall.

" Hey! Pst..Lizzie!" a voice called and Lizzie turned from the happy group as Catherine hugged Johnny to see Malarkey calling to her from behind a wall. Lizzie raised a brow but hurried forward slipping behind the wall to find Alton More there, Malarkey and an Army-issued motorcycle.

" What are you doing?" Lizzie asked.

" Wanna join in?" More asked her, as he sipped the beer. Lizzie weighed her options and a smirk grew on her face.

" Hell yeah." she said as gleefully jumped on behind More as Malarkey took the side seat. That's when they took off. Malarkey had beers from a pretty woman in town and a smile on his face as Lizzie held on tight to More's waist praying she wouldn't fall off.

It had never been more freeing.

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hey! another chapter!! and hazel is 20, our lil bean :) i liked this chapter, not the replacements as much but being the way they are, it would probably go down that way if they came in and found out there were 3 women in the ranks. :( i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and once again thank you for reading and enjoying! you are all so lovely!!