" The truly brave are soft of heart and eyes, and feel for what their duty bids them do."

- Lord Bryon

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In the middle of September, the company began to see the weather change and the nights started becoming chillier, but that didn't mean the pubs were closed. Almost every free night, they were at the pub, hanging out and talking and drinking. Most people were trying to forget the events of Normandy. Hazel and Joe had arrived at the pub on a brisk night in September as they came from the barracks, where they had started a rather hectic game of footsie before annoying basically everyone. There might've been a broken bunk or two.

" You broke it." scoffed Hazel as she received the coke from the bartender.

" Oh, I broke it. Who launched herself straight into it?" Joe asked with a smirk. Hazel frowned at him.

" I had to or you'd win." Hazel countered. Joe smirked.

" But it's my fault?" Joe said.

" If I hadn't done that, you would've won." Hazel said. Joe snickered as Hazel smirked shaking her head.

" So, are we just going to let Bill sleep on that bunk and have it break in the middle of the night?" Hazel asked glancing at Joe. Joe felt a smirk crawl up on his face.

" Hell yeah." Joe said holding out his hand to shake. Hazel grinned shaking his hand. A few harmless jokes never hurt anyone. Lizzie was currently in what felt like a yelling match with Smokey, Tab and Shifty, just listening to Tab try to explain the plot of Casablanca to Smokey who asked a question just about every 5 seconds. Shifty seemed to be drinking more, trying to lessen the yelling in his ears.

" Tab you've explained it 5 times, it's ok if he doesn't get it. You usually have to watch movies to understand them better." Lizzie said, putting a hand to her head.

" I'm visual Tab." Smokey countered.

" He's visual." Lizzie said.

" Sorry Elizabeth I didn't know." Tab muttered as Lizzie shook her head with a smirk.

" Maybe you just didn't explain it right." Lizzie told him.

" I think I'd know if I explained-" Tab froze and the trio watched as his eyes caught on a pretty nurse.

" If you'd excuse me one moment, hi how are you?" Tab standing and taking the woman's hand and kissing the back of it gently. Tab gently led her away as the group looked at each other and snickered.

" Did Tab seriously just do that?" a voice asked and the three looked up to see Alton walking over with two drinks and a smoke on his lips.

" Are you surprised?" Lizzie asked with a raised brow.

" Surprised? No." Alton said, " You all up for some cards?"

" Why not." Smokey said leaning forward, " Anything to help me stop trying to figure out what Casablanca is."

" Did Tab try explaining it again?" Alton asked as he passed around the cards.

" That and then he went off with a nurse, leaving me on the whole 'Here's looking at you, kid.' thing." Smokey complained.

" Just watch the goddamn movie and don't waste your time." Alton said.

" Hey he was good at it the one time," Smokey said.

" Huh?" Lizzie asked.

" He explained Snow White and the 7 Dwarves to me." Smokey said. Alton and Lizzie gave each other and look and then looked at Smokey.

" And what is it?" Shifty asked leaning forward.

" Some chick hooks up-"

" No! Please, oh god, don't ruin it for me." Lizzie said putting her head in her hands.

" This boy does not pay attention does he?" Alton muttered.

" He really thought that's what it was about." Lizzie said shaking her head in her hands, " I need more wine."

" Well, don't be asking me what he told me Frankenstein was about." Smokey said." I don't even wanna know." Lizzie said, before sipping down the rest of her wine.

" Alright, now, Lieutenant, nice and easy. We've still got a shot." George said as Catherine, sat nearby sipping a beer, watching intently. Buck threw the dart and Catherine watched it sail through and hit the dart board. Cheers and groans left the groups mouths.

" Low blow, Buck." called Catherine, sitting on the side line.

" Well, McCown, I don't see you up here throwing darts." Buck said giving her a look.

" I have a mighty fine beer, awaiting me right here." Catherine said, " What more could a girl want?" Buck smirked.

" Tough break, you're having a tough night." George said, glancing at the Lieutenant who was upping the betting game now.

" People have tough nights." George consoled the man and Catherine snickered at the look Joe Toye offered.

" I'm sorry, George." Buck said.

" It's alright." George said in a sulking manner as Babe smirked in front of Toye.

" Nice shot, sir." Bull said handing the darts to Bull, as Bill appeared next to Babe.

" Thank you, Bull." Buck said, handing the darts to Babe.

" Thank you, Lieutenant." Babe said as Toye massaged his shoulders.

" Come Hef, show em what you got." Toye said.

" Here we go." Babe said.

" Double seven." Babe said as he lined up the dar, and then took aim and threw the dart, as it soared and hit the board, receiving cheers from the group.

" You're embarrassing the Lieutenant, here." Bill said as he turned Babe away and offered him a drink.

" Oh, don't mind if I do, Sarge." Babe said sipping the beer.

" Better start winning money soon, I think your buddies are starting to miss you." Bill said as Catherine glanced toward his group of Miller, Hashey and Garcia.

" Yeah, they do look kind of sad, don't they?" Babe said.

" They're just serious fighting men, that's all." Bull said and Catherine giggled a bit.

" If you call it that, Bull." Catherine called to the group as Bill laughed.

" Well, I think I'm gonna go introduce myself." Bill said leaning toward the rest of the men.

" Careful what you say now." Bull said, " Don't take much to set my guys off."

" Yeah, and you got some wild-eyed killers right there, Bull." Catherine heard Martin say.

" You know, it's a good thing we weren't gambling." Buck said.

" Oh, boy, we would've gotten killed." George said.

" Wanna bet?" Babe asked, and Catherine held back a laugh. George and Buck were already doing well with their well thought out plan. George had 'briefed' her on the entire thing, but he always did.

" You wanna bet?" Babe asked again as George and Buck looked at each other.

" No, I'm not much of a gambling man." Buck sighed.

" Pack of smokes." Joe called.

" First one to hit the bull's-eye?" Buck asked.

" Yeah, one shot, one shot." Babe said.

" Yeah?" Buck asked looking to George, " Make it two?" Catherine watched in pure amusement as George winked at her.

" Two packs, two packs." came the agreement between the group.

" Alright, two packs, here we go, one shot, here we go." said Buck, lining it up perfectly.

" Lieutenant, are you gonna shoot lefty all night?" George asked him as Catherine smirked.

" Hey c'mon." Toye said, as Babe looked over innocently.

" Just curious 'cause he's right-handed." George argued back. Toye looked to Catherine who sat innocently nearby, sipping her beer.

" George, what would I do without, George Luz?" Buck called as he took aim on his right side and shot the dart straight to the board.

" Boop!" George called.

" Ooh!" called the trio as they turned to Toye and Babe who looked angry and defeated.

" Goodness gracious, two packs, gentlemen." George said.

" I know you got 'em, pay up." George said, as Buck chuckled. Just then Hazel walked over with her Coke in hand.

" Hey Tiny!" Joe Toye called excitedly, forgetting about what had just happened to him and Babe.

" Hey!" she said as Toye pulled her into a tight side hug, " How was the game?"

" The Lieutenant here and that asshole won." Joe murmured and Hazel glanced to George and Buck who were splitting their earnings.

" Luck," Hazel said and Toye smiled at her.

" Let me have a go." Hazel said, looking at the darts in his hands.

" Go ahead." he told her as he placed them in her hands. Hazel gave her drink to him and then lined up in the spot where Buck had been. Hazel looked at the dart board and narrowed her eyes. Hazel positioned her hand in the right area, where Lieb had showed her, and then launched it forward. It landed close to the center.

" Holy shit, Tiny." George called.

" Whoa, hey, Tiny you're on my team next time." Buck called as Hazel smiled up at him.

" What can I say? Practice makes perfect." Hazel said with a smile. Truth be told, her and Johnny had been down here plenty of times practicing and it had helped her.

" I think she deserves to be on my team." Joe Toye said wrapping an arm around Hazel's shoulder.

" Fine. We get Catherine." George said as Catherine glanced between the two of them.

" No you don't, I ain't playing this stupid thing." Catherine said as George grumbled.

" Well then, to next time George." Joe Toye said and George just shook his head with a smirk. Then Smokey's voice echoed over the entirety of the pub.

" Hey, y'all, listen up!" he called over the group and everyone's attention turned to him, " I got us an announcement to make." Everyone slowly stood up and looked towards the entrance where Smokey stood right behind Lipton.

" This here is Carwood Lipton." Smokey said.

" He's already married, Smokey." Malarkey called, and laughs rang out around the pub.

" This here is Carwood Lipton, the new Easy Company 1st Sergeant." Smokey said with a smile and automatically cheers rose up around the room for the man. Hazel couldn't stop smiling as she clapped for Lip.

" As befitting this position, he says he has to make an announcement." Smokey said. Lip looked toward the group walking in front of the group.

" Well, hate to break the mood here, boys and ladies, but uh, we're moving out again. " Lip said before turning and then quickly leaving. Hazel felt her shoulders sag suddenly and the mood shift entirely. Hazel looked at the Coke in her hand and sighed to herself as she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Catherine. Hazel offered a tiny, sad smile her way. Everyone started to then filter out of the bar after that, the mood having turned rather sour.

Moving out, again - nothing new.

" As you can see this is called Operation Market Garden. In terms of Airborne Divisions involved, this one's even bigger than Normandy. We're dropping deep into occupied Holland. The Allied Objective is to take this road here, between Eindhoven and Arnhem, so that two British armored divisions can move up it toward Arnhem. Our job is gonna be to liberate Eindhoven. Stay there, wait for the tanks." Winters stated. Catherine looked out toward the group of paratroopers from where she stood up with the rest of the leaders of Easy Company, with Nixon, Lip, Peacock, Buck and Harry.

" The entire European advance has been put on hold to allocate resources for this operation. It's Montgomery's personal plan and we'll be under British Command," Nixon stated, which received some groans at the realization that they were now under British Command and not American.

" The good news is, if this works, these tanks will be over the Rhine and into Germany. It could end the war and get us home by Christmas." Nixon stated and there were a few scattered words of agreement.

" It'll be a day time jump. Intelligence doesn't expect much opposition." Nixon stated, as Catherine stood up next to him and nodded.

" They think the Krauts that over there in Holland, are mostly just and old men as well." Catherine said with a nod to the group.

" And we should take 'em by surprise. In any case, say goodbye to England. I don't think they're gonna call this one off." Nixon stated as Catherine looked back out to the group, knowing many would be upset by this.

" Hey! Hey, Lizzie!" a voice called as the group left the tent and she turned to see Malarkey approaching her.

" Hey, what's up?" she asked him, but he just took her shoulder and lead her from the retreating group. She followed beside him curiously.

" You think they're gonna find out we stole that motorcycle?" Malarkey asked her once he turned to her. Lizzie raised a confused brow.

" Stolen?" Lizzie whispered, " You didn't tell me it was stolen, Don." Malarkey smirked and put his hands on his shoulders.

" I promise it's not a big deal at all, ok?" Malarkey said, " I'm probably overreacting anyway."

" Don!" Lizzie said, " You didn't tell me you stole it!"

" Ok, ok, I should've let you know, but they can't know it's us right? I mean, it could've been anyone, I mean they could throw the target on Hazel-"

" You think Hazel would be the first viable option to steal a motorcycle?" Lizzie asked him nonchalantly. Malarkey stared at her.

" I mean, you never know."

" The girl took an extra serving of corn back in Benning and gave them the entire tray back because she felt bad." Lizzie told him. Malarkey looked at her.

" Right," Malarkey said, " whatever, all I know is, if any of them start questioning, it's not us. We'll blame that Sergeant Jenkins jackass right? He's switched to the 101st?" Malarkey asked her.

" Yeah, just recently." she said. Malarkey nodded with a smile leaning back from Lizzie, crossing his arms.

" Perfect." he said and Lizzie gave him a small smirk.

" Are you sure though?" Malarkey asked her and Lizzie raised a brow.

" It'll be fine, I mean look at you, a Sergeant now, they won't suspect a thing." Lizzie said.

" That makes it worse if I'm caught." Malarkey said, and placed a hand on his chin, " Alright, ok what's he look like. Jenkins?"

" You've never seen him?" Lizzie asked him, " For starters, like the idiot he is."

" You'll have to narrow that down, Elizabeth." Malarkey told her and Lizzie smirked.

" Fine, tall, brown hair, blue eyes, just as basic as any other." Lizzie offered.

" Clearly." Malarkey muttered. Lizzie smirked.

" Why?" Lizzie asked him, " Like the description?"

" Just to have." Malarkey said with a shrug.

" Ok," Lizzie said, " you know if they have any coffee?" Malarkey raised a brow.

" It's 4 in the afternoon, you'll be awake all night." Malarkey said with a laugh.

" Um, yeah, it usually calms me down." Lizzie said and Malarkey gave her another odd look.

" Please, Don, don't worry." Lizzie affirmed, " Nixon droned me to sleep back there."

" Right," Malarkey said, " probably in the mess hall."

" Ok, thanks," Lizzie said as she adjusted her collar, " and don't worry about that motorcycle it'll be ok. What's life without a little fun?" she called over her shoulder as she turned and hurried towards the mess hall, her coat flying out behind her.

Malarkey made an attempt not to.

" Now who's more foolish? The fool or the fool who follows?" Catherine asked Lizzie as the two stood in the mess hall grabbing their coffees.

" It's not as bad as it looks does it? I mean sure maybe Malarkey, More and I together are rather chaotic, but it's fine right. I mean it was just for fun." Lizzie said, " He should've at least told me it was a stolen vehicle first." Catherine smirked.

" Sounds like Malarkey." she said and Lizzie groaned.

" You won't tell them right? I mean we just wanted to have fun." Lizzie said to Catherine. Catherine grinned.

" I won't, promise. We need a little fun once and a while." Catherine said, and Lizzie grinned, noticing Lizzie tapping her foot and her eye twitching a bit.

" You sure you need that coffee, Lizzie?" Catherine asked her.

" Huh?" Lizzie asked turning to Catherine as she took a sip.

" The coffee. Are you sure you need it? You're...twitching?" Catherine said in a questioning tone.

" I'm fine promise," Lizzie said, hell everyone pointed it out now, " I'm fine." Catherine watched her curiously.

" You doing ok?" Catherine asked her.

" Yeah, haven't been sleeping, so I'm trying to stay awake." Lizzie said, " My mind just runs a lot, but it's fine." Catherine eyed her, but Lizzie didn't react her gaze caught on something else as she picked up creamer.

" You sure?"

" Yeah, of course," Lizzie said, " I gotta catch up with Gene, we have a bit more practice with the rest of Easy's medics today."

" Right, ok, well, enjoy your coffee." Catherine said as the blonde medic retreated out of the door. Catherine watched her disappear and watched where she had gone curiously.

Was she okay?

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hey!! i hoped you like this cute little chapter, i sure did, we got to see everyone a bit more relaxed which i always love to write :) thank you for all the love and support, you all mean so much to me!