" Health is not valued till sickness comes."

- Thomas Fuller

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That night, as the rain continued to pour Easy arrived at their positions which was a muddy looking, open field, surrounded by trees. Hazel, in the past week had been assigned partners with Shifty for when they did patrols or the two had a duo patrol to do and so they became foxhole partners. And Shifty was one of her closest friends, here, and the two respected and thought of each other highly. Joe had been partnered up with Alley from that time on, because of the patrols they were being sent on.

It was just like a big buddy system. So Shifty and Hazel dug out their foxhole that night as the rain continued to pour and then bedded out that night, trying to make the most of sleeping at that point, if it were in a downpour in the middle of Holland.

By the following morning when Hazel and Shifty had been awoken from a dead sleep, snoring and just completely exhausted, they were practically yanked out of their foxholes and sent on the first patrol at 0700. Leading the patrol was Bill Guarnere and it seemed that random groups of people were pulled from each platoon. As Hazel and Shifty arrived where Bill and about 8 other people stood Bill gave the two a nod.

" Alright, Battalion wants us to head out early, scope out the town a bit, see what's living in there, stuff like that. Supposedly, there's an attack planned for later today to try and get through the town so we can push towards Arnhem again, or so they say." Bill explained and a few nods and sighs echoed around the group.

" They're not expecting many people, if so just civilians, but it's Holland we were promised old men and kids and that ain't what we got, so just keep those eyes peeled." Bill explained and the group nodded.

" Now, Joe," Bill said pointing to Joe Toye who stood with a rather exhausted looking face. Joe gave a sarcastic smile.

" Don't go running through this town like you did Aldbourne and scare the shit out of these guys, alrigh? That was Aldbourne and you had half of them shaking on their knees from fear. We don't do that here." Bill said a slight smirk on his face.

" Yeah, yeah, I gotcha, no scaring the civilians." Joe said as Bill smirked at him with a nod.

" Alright, we're moving." Bill said and turned, heading through the trees towards the town which sat on an upwards slope. They had the high ground. The group moved through the trees of the forest, their footsteps attempting to be as quiet as they could be, as the clouded sky barely showed semblance of a rising sun.

" You think there's gonna be Germans in this town?" Hazel asked softly to Shifty who crouched by her side as they moved behind the rest of the group, where Hazel saw a dew soaked machine gun resting on Smokey's shoulder, as he exchanged cigarettes with Alton. She watched Shifty's gentle doe eyes glance her way and through the trees.

" Well," he said softly, his voice gentle in the morning, " I'm hoping if there are there's not a lot." Hazel smiled softly at Shifty who's eyes were soft.

" Yeah," Hazel said, " I hope." Hazel had woken up a bit foggy in the head if that's what you call it, woozy on the feet. She didn't know how to describe it, but she felt she wasn't actually there in the patrol at the moment.

" How are you holding up?" Shifty asked her. Hazel glanced over at Shifty and sighed softly.

" Best as I can Shifty," she said, and Shifty, couldn't help but take notice of the sadness in her eyes.

" Something bothering you? Your mom okay?" Shifty asked, stepping closer to her. Hazel blew out the air in her cheeks and sighed.

" Mom's fine, it's just," Hazel dropped off, her mind stumbling over words, " you ever think about what might've happened if you hadn't joined up?" Shifty glanced her way and then nodded softly.

" I just, I don't sleep well at night anymore, because I see the faces of the men I killed." Hazel said. As a sniper, it was designated that your job and your position was to kill men and she had now raked up over 50 kills by this point and the dissatisfying taste that settled into the pit of her chest, was enough to unnerve her.

" Don't give me that look, Shifty," Hazel said, a small sad frown on her face as Shifty watched her worriedly. He raised his brow up in the air at her.

" I know," Hazel said softly, " it just is a struggle sometimes." Her soft smile didn't diminish the fact that she wasn't sleeping and it didn't lower Shifty's worry for his friend.

" You wanna talk about it? Mom would always have me talk out my night terrors as a kid." Shifty said gently as Hazel looked towards him.

" You'd listen?" she asked.

" Yeah, of course, I mean I think everyone gets night terrors like that." Shifty said with a soft smile, " They suck." Hazel giggled softly.

" Yeah, they do." Hazel said as Shifty gently placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded.

" It's just always the same sequence of things, you know?" Hazel said as she began to tremble, her mind knocking around, from side to side, " And it's always the same images, the same ones over and over, and it plays as if it were a movie." Shifty watched her eyes. Her eyes, he found, said more than what her lips could ever say. Eyes always did that.

" It just, I hate the way I feel when I wake up after it," she said with a sad smile, " I've grown used to it though. And I know you're there when I wake up, so it's comforting." A small grin grew on Shifty's face as he gently squeezed her shoulder, something his father always did back home, to comfort Shifty as a small child.

" I'll always be there, and you know that, I'm your friend." Shifty said and Hazel felt a genuine smile pull up on her face.

" Thank you, Shifty." Hazel said. She knew she didn't tell him details about the dream, for the realism of it all was enough to send her spiraling, but for him to just simply tell her he was there, was comfort enough for her and for him as well it seemed.

" Hey!" a voice called from the front and the duo saw Bill waving at the group to crouch, before he held his hand up in a fist, holding the group. They had walked to the edge of the forest, which ran along the outskirts of the town with enough coverage so if someone were watching them, they wouldn't notice.

" Shift, Tiny." Bill's quick, firm voice hissed as the two slowly moved up to Bill's side as he crouched.

" I want you two, scoped, alright?" Bill said, " Tiny you'll head left about 100 feet and Shift to my right, okay? We're only moving as close as we can to the town and then we'll be heading back." Shifty and Hazel nodded before they were sent off in their opposite directions. Hazel trekked off to the left, counting to 100 in her head. She could still see the rest of the awaiting patrol among the trees, but it was far enough away that it wasn't entirely noticeable that she were here. Hazel gently laid down in the wet ground of the forest and scoped out the town in front of them, adjusting her scope, and gently curling herself up, as her cheek rested on the pad of the rifle.

Usually when she did solo patrols or patrols that involved small groups like this, she did a lot of thinking, something she tried not to do on the regular. But now she thought about Lizzie, who had been quickly whisked away by Gene, assuming he tried his best to convince himself she wasn't being pulled from the line, before Lizzie was carted away. But Hazel knew Lizzie and Lizzie risked her life for others. She didn't know how the injury had occurred, why it had occurred, but she figured deep down it was because Lizzie was risking her life for others. It was something Lizzie did daily, giving even some of the officers quite the scare.

Hazel silently lay in wait, watching the patrol move across the field which was filled with high grass, as Bill commanded with ease to the members of the group. Hazel watched the road that lead into the trees though, as Shifty kept an eye most likely on the outskirts of the town. Hazel's ears strained for the noise of some truck or horse feet or even the clicking of a German company moving into their own new position. Which she wasn't exactly excited for, as the company were probably involved in the attacks they had made on the ports to Eindhoven all last week with the smallest bit of thought for other humans. But no one in war ever thought as that. The patrol stayed in their positions, but the town, oddly enough, seemed weirdly silent.

So, they pulled back by 0900 and headed back towards where Easy was camped out. Hazel never failed to glance over her shoulder every so often, as if a German were following them. But she was just surprised. As the Germans had made attacks all week, it wasn't like them to just leave a city of Holland as dead as that seemed. Bill dismissed them and then went on the search for Catherine.

Hazel and Shifty went back to their foxhole and decided to start eating some food because Hazel wasn't feeling right. Maybe it was just the rain that made her head ache and her shoulders sore or the stuffed up nose. Maybe it were the stress and lack of sleep.

Yeah, that had to be it.

Hazel took a bit of the K-ration and felt sick to her stomach after, so she decided to try and just sleep. Shifty had made sure that she at least got about an hour while they weren't doing anything else.

News spread; they weren't attacking, not yet.

They wouldn't waste mens' lives or ammo until it seemed the city was alive. And so, that night, Hazel bedded down next to Shifty, with the shakes, and shivers and a running nose that was persistent. She felt miserable as she curled into Shifty's side, with the feeble blankets that had been passed out that afternoon.

Shifty was worried about Hazel, shaking horribly under her arm, but equally burning up at the exact same time. So, he just held her closer, knowing that if Joe heard she were sick, he'd probably lose it and be doing everything to make sure she got better. So, Shifty did his best, to keep her warm and to hopefully work off the bit of heat that sweltered her.

" Berlin by Christmas my ass." muttered Catherine as her own runny nose was rather persistent in its duty. Sickness was spreading like a disease through the 101st, and Catherine figured she a tinge of something, but it didn't slow her. Boy, she took it as one of those hurdles on the track and formally blasted it away.

" Commands pretty fucking luny if they thought Berlin by Christmas was an option, wouldn't ya think?" Bill said and the two snickered together.

" Hey, I meant to ask you, how's your ma doing?" Catherine asked him. Her and Bill had spent many nights out late, talking about their home lives and their families, hoping they could be home soon and they discussed the death of his brother Henry and the impact it had on his family.

Bill and Catherine trusted and respected one another, and Bill had told her plenty of times that she was worthy of that Lieutenant position and her control of the NCOs from Battalion, simply because of her undying strength, love and support that swarmed the NCOs. She cared for each one of them and every once of them followed her like a puppy, noble and loyal.

" Doing ok, sent her a letter before we left, so I'm hoping she writes back soon." Bill said and Catherine smiled, " She asked how the company was." Catherine grinned.

" Really?"

" Yeah, I told her I have a crazy Lieutenant checking up on me almost daily, making sure my platoon's in line and his name happened to be Cooper McCown." Bill said and Catherine snickered.

" Ah, the fake name I've been asserted." Catherine said and Bill chuckled.

" Yeah, you like?" Bill said and Catherine laughed.

" Yeah, yeah, if anything she knows someone crazy from Battalion's making sure her baby boy is safe." Catherine said and Bill chuckled.

" Does she suspect a thing?" Catherine asked. Supposedly there had been rumors that there were females involved in the military ranks, but they'd been shut down by reporters quicker than a rock being thrown into water. It was called ridiculous for such a thought to be touched upon.

" Nope," Bill said and Catherine nodded.

" Good, thank god." Catherine said and Bill smirked.

" I promise, Mack, I would never say a word about you three, we love ya too much." Bill said and Catherine grinned.

" So if you only liked us, we'd probably be dead." Catherine said and Bill smirked at her.

" Crazy Lieutenant." Bill murmured and Catherine gave his shoulder a shove.

" At least I'm not Sobel." Catherine said and Bill actually laughed.

" You got a point there Mack." Bill said, " I heard about Thermes though, crazy sonofabitch."

" Try getting woken up at 0300 by a fucking alarm going off and then having to run in the pitch dark for 5 miles." Catherine said, " He was nuts." Bill chuckled.

" Mud pits in the cold were fun." Catherine said.

" So ice pits."

" Basically." Catherine said and Bill chuckled.

" Sounds nuts, I like it." Bill said.

" You like anything crazy Bill." Catherine said and Bill smirked proudly.

" I tend to attract it." Bill said.

" Oh I know." Catherine said and Bill gave her shoulder a shove as she laughed.

" You suck." Catherine said and Bill just chuckled as they approached Hazel and Shifty's foxhole which was on the edges of the field.

" Hey," Catherine called as they crouched by the edge of the foxhole only to see Hazel shivering in Shifty's grip, pale and attempting to sleep.

" She ok?" Bill asked crouching down next to the foxhole.

" She said she wasn't feeling good earlier, and she didn't eat. She went to sleep, but she's cold, really cold, hence the blankets, but she feels feverish." Shifty said. Bill glanced up at Catherine.

" We should probably take her to the aid station, she's probably sick." Bill said, looking back at Shifty.

" What will they do for her?" Catherine asked.

" One of the medics can check her out, see if she has a fever and how serious it is, we can go from there." Bill said.

" Hazel?" Catherine called as Hazel's eyes blinked open slowly and she glanced up towards the two girls, letting out an unpleasant cough.

" Hey," Hazel croaked out; poor girl couldn't catch a break. Her voice sounded anything but existent.

" Shifty says you're not feeling well, wanna head over to the aid station? Take your temp?" Catherine asked her.

" Yeah," Hazel said as she shifted away from Shifty and grabbed her helmet to adjust on her head. She gave Shifty the top blanket before standing up slowly. Her muscles ached as she struggled to get out of the foxhole. Bill heard the groan leave Hazel's lips. Catherine helped her out as she regained her footing and slowly stood. Hazel wrapped the blanket around her body before walking between Bill and Catherine towards the aid station.

" I feel terrible." Hazel muttered, as she sniffled a few times with a stuffed up nose.

" We'll get you feeling better soon, it's been getting colder each night." Bill said, as he glanced at his watch.

" No wonder." Hazel said as she shivered. The two girls and Bill arrived at the aid station and walked inside as a medic came up to them.

" What's up?" he asked.

" She's not feeling well, we think she's got a fever, if you could just take her temp." Catherine said.

" What are your symptoms?" the medic asked Hazel.

" My throat hurts, and my nose is stuffed and running. My head hurts and feels stuffed up, and even though I'm freezing, I'm sweating and my face feels warm." Hazel explained.

" Come with me, we'll get you checked out." the medic said with a smile and he led Hazel away.

" I hope she feels better, she looks pale." Catherine said as she lit a cigarette outside of the aid station.

" Me too, she's been through a lot. Poor kid. " Bill said with a sigh. The medic tested Hazel for a fever, and it came back 102.3. Hazel had sighed to herself. The medic had diagnosed her with the flu, which she wasn't entirely surprised with herself. He had given her a shot of penicillin, hopefully to start helping her feel better. She fell asleep quickly that night next to Shifty.

Winters took Hazel off night duty, and assigned Catherine in her place after Catherine reported to Winters that night, which Catherine took in stride with a smile. She was good at her job, attempting to keep morale up, even if it was at the lowest it had ever been with Hazel sick and Lizzie still gone, and still injured, yet hopefully healing up the best she could be. Catherine effectively moved between company and Battalion and managed to not bat an eye at the stress that consumed her. It's why she had people rally behind her and why she could be such an effective leader. People felt better simply just in her presence.

It was a good feeling to have, a trustworthy person; in a way she was like Winters. The company could trust Catherine with their lives.

By the next morning, Hazel figured it was September 29th at least, by the bitter chill in the air. Christmas was just around the corner. Shifty gently helped her out of the foxhole and let her sit, wrapped in a blanket by his side as she slowly forced food into her system to keep her going. Hazel's eyes had changed overnight.

Yesterday, she had just looked a bit faint, but now her eyes were filled with the fever, with just the way her eyes never truly focused. It was clear she felt horrible. When Joe found out Hazel was sick, he was already moving towards Shifty and Hazel's foxhole, quicker than light it seemed.

" Hey!" Joe called as he approached the two and Hazel slowly looked up in her woozy state to see Joe coming forward towards her.

" Joe," Hazel said and she attempted a tiny smile as her best friend was quick to crouch by her side and meet her eyes.

" I heard you're sick." Joe said, as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder and could feel the heat radiating from her face.

" I'm fine." Hazel said and her voice sounded like gravel. Joe met Shifty's eyes which were filled with stress and worry. Joe bit back his lip.

" You being pulled from the line?" Joe asked her.

" No," Hazel said, " I'm not hurt, I'm not bleeding, I'm fine. I can fight." Joe watched Hazel as she spoke. She looked like she needed to be pulled from the line. But Joe, deep down knew why she was sick. She had been out on those stupid solo night patrols, and she'd also been unable to sleep normally, and between the rain and her inability to keep completely warm in it, sickness had swallowed her whole.

Joe had never felt worse for Hazel.

Halfway across the world and she was sick as a dog. She couldn't even go and sleep in a warm bed and that's what truly upset Joe about the whole situation.

" I'm sorry you're sick, Parker." Joe said, and he watched Hazel smile despite it all.

" I just wished I could eat something better than the K-ration, like bread." she said and Joe smiled before glancing at Shifty noticing a smile on his own face.

So, Hazel was sick and the sickness was relentless for her, which pained many of the men to see. George passed by the foxhole where Hazel attempted to rest and watched as the girl seemed to be in a fit as she slept, coughing and sneezing, unable to lay still for 5 minutes. It was sad to see. But Hazel's attitude towards it was one to reckon with. She still told Catherine she'd be on patrols, she'd be engaged in the defense of roads, battles of towns, anything.

She wasn't about to let the flu stop her from fighting.

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hello! another lovely chapter, and with another to follow! and yes, poor hazel the lil bean is sick, she's been too stressed :(( and plus this part of the campaign in holland was particularly rough on soldiers given the conditions, so getting ill was not entirely unheard of during the period of time.

thanks for readings, i appreciate you all!