" Some memories never leave your bones. Like salt in the sea; they become part of you. And you carry them."

- Unknown

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Hazel awoke at about 3 in the morning, groggy and aching against a body form. She glanced up and saw Luz, fast asleep, next to her, and sighed a bit to herself. She sucked in the air to fast and exploded in a coughing attack, waking Luz up from his sleep. He looked over at the girl, hacking and gently patted her back as she came out of her, her lungs pleading for reprieve.

" I'm sorry George." she moaned out, before tiredly falling down again covered in blankets against him for warmth, letting out a rough sigh, that crackled in her lungs.

" It's alright, kid, you're not feeling good." he said rubbing her back.

" This sucks." she muttered, rubbing her eyes and sighing. She still felt feverish; as she moved around she could most definitely tell because her head swam as she looked around, her head hurt, and so did her eyes. Hazel could tell from her spot that it was Catherine and Tab still doing rounds even at this early in the morning.

Along with Bill Guarnere and Joe Toye, Tab and Catherine always were looking out for every person in the company, no matter if they were a vet or some replacement, they always were putting the men and women before themselves even if it meant their sleep, health or their life were at risk. Hazel respected them a lot. That's when all the sudden, she saw a figure coming towards her, crouched low with his helmet side ways and a bandage visible around his neck. It was Liebgott. He slowly came to Hazel's other side and collapsed next to her as she glanced towards him.

" Hey, Lieb." she said as he shot her a smile in the dark, " What's up?"

" Wanted to check on you, see how you were feeling with that fucking cold. I figured you were asleep." Liebgott said.

" Well, I can't fall asleep, and I'm hacking up a lung." Hazel said, before letting out a sneeze.

" Bless you." Liebgott said as he dug into his pocket for something. Hazel watched curiously, saying quick thank you as she watched.

" I know it may not help with the whole sickness thing, but I think it may brighten your mood," Liebgott said as he pulled out a Hershey's chocolate bar. Hazel's eyes widened as she stared at the chocolate in his hands. She hadn't had chocolate, much less Hershey's chocolate in what felt like forever. Liebgott smirked at her expression as he tore open the wrapper for her.

" Lieb, you're giving me a Hershey bar?" she whispered as he gave her the chocolate bar, with a nod.

" You're my best friend, of course I'd give you my Hershey bar, now taste it." he said and she smiled as she slowly bit into it.

Suddenly, she was transported back to times when she would eat this with her mother as they sat on the porch out the back of their tiny home, overlooking the mountains and sunset, with their tea in one hand, Hershey's chocolate bars in the other. Or when she would be leaving school, and the one boy that was a year younger and had shyly handed her the Hershey bar after leaving their Biology class one day, saying a quick phrase she couldn't quite remember as she did so. She had eaten the whole thing. Now, sitting here with the Hershey bar, she knew she'd remember it for years to come whenever she bit into one. She savored the bite before glancing at Liebgott who was smiling at her. She quickly went to hand it back but Liebgott shook his head.

" Keep it, Tiny," Liebgott said with a nod.

" Are you sure? I mean it's yours." she said, and Liebgott nodded.

" You need it more than me." he said gently. Hazel smiled slightly and nodded, as she laid back against the cool ground and slowly ate away at it, gently nibbling at the edges and savoring the chocolatey taste. She managed to catch a few more hours of rest after that.

The next time she awoke, she felt a little bit of warmth on her face, and she opened her eyes to slightly grey, pale skies, where a bit of sunshine was coming through, down onto the soldiers. She moved around a bit and saw that next to her, George was up, and drinking and attempting to eat a K-ration, and she noticed Liebgott was talking, but she couldn't hear a thing. She yawned, and suddenly her ear crackled, and a bit of noise came through. When she got sick, her ears would get stuffed up and crackle for a week afterwards, simply because the sickness was trying to get out.

" Hey, Tiny, you're awake." George said as she sat up and yawned again, her sniper shifting against her as she did so.

" Don't feel it." she mumbled out, as she blinked a few times to get her bearings. The two men laughed at her comment, as she saw a figure making their way over to her. She opened her eyes and shot awake when she saw it was Gene.

" What are you doing here?" she asked immediately, sitting up and staring at her surprised. Gene crouched down with a tiny smile.

" Winters wanted the balance of first platoon to come up, I insisted on going for medicinal reasons, so I joined with Peacock and now I'm here." Gene said with a smile. " And to make sure you are alright."

" I'm fine." Hazel countered with a nod, and Gene raised his brow at her, his face dirty and smudged and a bit sweaty.

" Let me at least take your temp." Gene said as he pulled out a thermometer and gently stuck it under Hazel's tongue. Hazel stared coldly at the thermometer hoping that it would keep it under 100 degrees. The thermometer beeped and Gene pulled it out and sighed.

" 102.1, Hazel." Gene said and Hazel slumped back with a sigh.

" I hate being sick." Hazel groaned out, as Gene slowly stood and wiped off the thermometer before pulling out a canteen.

" Try drinking more water, you're flushed, and plus if you drink more water it'll help get that virus out of your system faster." Gene said as Hazel took the canteen and took big gulps from it.

" Where's Mack?" Hazel asked.

" Her and Tab are heading over to Winters right now to get the plan of attack." Gene said, as Hazel slowly shifted up and a bit to look towards Winters who was laying on his stomach, writing things down, observing quietly, as two figures approaching him with an army crawl. Catherine army crawled beside Tab up to Winters.

" Sir, the balance of 1st platoon are here. Gordon and More brought another 30 cal." Tab said. Winter stayed quiet.

" Sir." Tab said, as Winters continued to remain quiet, still surveying the land it seemed. Tab and Catherine glanced at each other as Winters finally spoke.

" They're behind a solid roadway embankment. We're in a ditch. They can outflank us along the dike, and catch us out here as soon as they figure that out." Winters stated.

" So, how many Krauts are we talking about?" Tab asked Winters.

" Well, there's a ferry crossing here," Winters said as Tab and Catherine looked to the map," So it could be a whole battalion as far as I know." Tab and Catherine nodded.

" Sir," Catherine said and Winters glanced at her.

" Did you want to send Hazel up, towards the dike on look out? You know she can take out at least 6 in a row, rapid fire." Catherine said. Winters looked to Catherine, who he knew was thinking hard about the entire situation and for the well being of the company.

" Yeah, we'll send her up, so she's not exactly up front with the action." Winters said with a nod. Catherine nodded.

" Okay, what are your orders?" Tab asked. Winters folded up his map and glanced towards the dike again, putting away his map.

" We got no choice." Winters said, before looking at the two and nodded. Tab and Catherine immediately scrunched back away and turned army crawling back towards the company. Winters got Peacock, Tab, and Catherine all situated near Luz and his radio as he gave out orders.

" Ok, here it is, Talbert you'll take 10 men along the dike, just a little bit past Hazel." Winters explained as Tab passed the canteen to Catherine, who took a sip, before handing it to Peacock.

" McCown, you'll move the remainder of first squad up the inner right flank, closest to the dike." Catherine nodded.

" Peacock, you'll take 10 men along the left flank." Winters told the man who sipped the canteen and nodded.

" I'll take 10 up the middle, so follow me." Winters stated, as the leaders all nodded in confirmation to each other.

" Questions?" Winters asked. No one answered.

" Go." Winters said, and Catherine turned and hurried off toward the balance of 1st squads remains. Tab followed after to her to get to his 10 men near the dike.

" Hazel!" Winters called out in a quiet whisper, that was not disruptive but could be heard. Hazel stood at the call of her name and went bounding toward Winters, gracefully sitting in across from him in the hedgerow.

" Yes, sir?" she asked.

" I'm sending you with your sniper up onto the dike, you'll be near Tab's side, but I know that if they try to outflank us, that you can shoot off some rounds." Winters explained to her. She nodded.

" Yes, sir." she said.

" Move out now, when you start hearing shots fire, you're free to open up." Winters explained and she nodded, before turning and moving back to the hedgerow quickly.

Hazel kept a good pace as she moved perpendicular to the solders in the opposite hedgerow, knowing eyes were on her. She carefully made her way up the decent of the hedgerow, before moving onto the dike, just a bit, with her weapon and setting it up, as she lay on her stomach. Her sniper sat situated in a covert position, hidden by grass and shrubs, peaking through leaves and some dirt, ready for the kill. Her sniper was dirty, covered in grease, dirt, grass, rain and sweat, and the trigger was a bit sticky she felt, but she knew it still worked.

Hazel adjusted herself and her slightly swimming, feverish head, and adjusted her scope a few times before she felt it was set in place. She glanced over her shoulder toward the group of soldiers down in the hedgerow waiting to go on a signal. She watched though, as the slight movement she did see was the soldiers putting bayonets on their weapons. She glanced back towards her position and where she was aimed, getting a clear shot, before looking back over her shoulder. She watched Winters stand and throw what seemed to be some sort of smoke grenade out in front of him before grabbing his weapon and running forward, with no other men moving. She raised a brow confused, what part of the plan was this? She watched Winters continue to run forward, as smoke exploded and shot out of the grenade behind him. She continued to watch as Winters sprinted forward, the only man still out there, sprinting.

" What are they waiting for?" she whispered to herself in the dirt pit. Suddenly the smoke turned red, and the paratroopers quickly stood and began racing full force forward following Winters over 100 yards behind him at least.

The red smoke covered the oncoming soldiers, as Winters remained in the lead, and she noticed the first few paratroopers appearing out of the red smoke. Hazel quickly turned herself away and toward her weapon, waiting for the shot she was supposed to hear. She waited for the sound that could let her open up on anyone she saw. Suddenly, she did. She heard the loud, singular shot echo out, and she adjusted her scope, setting her weapon straight, and ready to fire. She continued to hear Winters' shot after shot echo from her weapon and she was waited to shoot at retreating Germans.

Shots fired back, she could hear it, from the Germans side, back at Winters, and her heart began racing. She glanced over worriedly, but in that moment she watched as the men from Easy, came up the side of the dike, moving in next to Winters and began firing back, along side him. It was chaos from both sides as she began to hear Easy's shot shooting at the Germans. She watched in horror through her scope for retreating Germans as she saw a whole other Germany company coming over the dike from the other side. Hazel immediately adjusted and cranked at her sniper.

" Guard me through war, God, guide me towards light and lead me forward." she whispered, as her finger danced on the trigger, before opening up and firing a shot forward. Her first shot killed two people as it went through one person and out the other side. She could see through her scope the confusion on the Germans side as to they couldn't figure out where the shot had initially come from.

So she cranked her sniper again, and, a small prayer leaving her lips, then took another shot at someone who was directing people forward and over the dike. They fell and more chaos broke out through the ranks of the German platoon. She heard in her left ear as the machine gun began firing off. Hazel remained focus, in her own mind, as she continually took quiet, deathly shots, whispered prayers leaving her lips with each death she ultimately created. This time when her sniper bucked back at bit at how many shots, she didn't freeze up and cause her self to go unfocused or injured. She readjusted quickly and continued her quiet, deadly shots and her gentle prayers, that surprised the most unsuspecting.

Hazel watched as the mass of the company that had come over the dike disappeared and went backwards or ran down into the valley. Hazel quickly moved backwards, and moved up onto the road on the dike and quickly hurried up the road a bit, almost like a flanking maneuver as the men from Easy were perpendicular to her, and she was visible in everyone's line of sight in the way she could shoot Germans and they'd be unsuspecting. Hazel was able to get shots on the Germans who were out of the range for the M-1s or the carbines, and she was easily able to kill more with rapid fire and quick death shots. Her mind went some place else, and it scared her because the only thing she thought was that she had to kill these people, as many as she could.

Hazel sucked down that fear though as she continued to fire off shot after shot, over and over again, doing mini reloads in between each. She moved the end of her sniper towards the general direction of that of the closer Germans who were injured but still trying to get away. She watched a few Germans become captured, and yelling ensue. Hazel continued shots on the Germans, stopping to reload.

Then suddenly the whole ground shock and she stopped, pushing her helmet from her eyes to look towards where she had previously been firing.

Artillery opened up along the entire line where Germans had previously been. Hazel watched with wide horrified eyes, as the explosions of massive fire power came closer with each explosion. The artillery continued on her right, and then suddenly rounds fell to her left and her head immediately whipped to the side quickly as she watched that happen. Debris sprinkled her from both sides as she curled into a ball, holding her helmet to her head, praying that the artillery rounds wound stop so she could stand up and move.

" Easy Company, take cover!" Winters voice could be heard, as Hazel couldn't move, surrounded by the onslaught that was called artillery. She couldn't move as the barrage happened, surrounded by exploding artillery shells, and the sounds of explosions as well as debris and dirt, the ground shaking with each tremor that hit it.

They were loud and terrifying, and all Hazel could remember was the explosions on D-Day, when she'd been along, up against a tree, praying for the loud sounds to stop. Each explosion struck somewhere in her core, as her body laid against her sniper, curled for protection, going into its natural instinct of curling into a ball, cowering in fear. The barrage slowly ended with little spitfires of artillery ending the shower of the shells. Hazel didn't move; she lay absolutely frozen still up on the dike. She didn't want to move, but suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped, eyes flying open looking toward the person. It was Winters.

" Hazel, are you alright?" he asked her. Hazel couldn't speak as she looked up at Winters with wide, frozen and fearful eyes.

" Hazel." he asked gently shaking her to make her come out of it. Hazel blinked a few times and looked towards Winters again.

" Sir." she said quietly, looking around for her weapon which was hidden against her.

" Let me help you stand." he said, slowly getting to his feet and holding out a hand to her. Hazel gently took it, and Winters helped her tiny figure to her feet. She took in a shuddering breath as she gripped her weapon tightly in her hands.

" You alright?" Winters asked her and she nodded.

" Yes, sir." she said, as Winters nodded and the two began walking back down the short bit of perpendicular road to where the rest of Easy awaited.

" Sir, it was like D-Day," Hazel said, shaking her head and letting out a sigh. Winters looked over at her.

" I didn't want to move." Hazel said, moving her helmet up from her eyes. She sighed to herself and rubbed a hand on her face. Winters nodded, listening to her, before Peacock came running up to the two.

" Sir," Peacock said, and Winters nodded going to follow.

" Check with Doc, Hazel, make sure you don't have shrapnel in you." Winters said and Hazel nodded. Hazel slowly walked forward and sucked in a shaky breath. Then there was a few rounds of singular gun shots that rang out, round after round.

She saw it was Liebgott.

Hazel stopped up along the dike as she watched Joe continue to shoot out at downed Germans, or injured ones over and over. She stopped, watching helplessly up along the dike, as Winters made his way over to him. Winters started talking to him, their voices fairly loud, but not loud enough that she could hear them. Winters looked at Joe's neck wound, and Joe shoved it off.

Hazel watched Joe come up the dike, her eyes softly resting on him. Joe met her eyes from across the large area. Hazel bit her lip and then slowly approached Joe who stood, seemingly waiting to rip off someone's head. Joe didn't scare Hazel, whether he was happy, whether he was sad, whether he was upset. She never feared a friend. She never feared someone she trusted, but sometimes they broke your heart in the end.

And that's where Hazel was careful.

But Joe, Joe she trusted deeply.

Hazel looked up at him, as he tried to contain himself, contain the anger that seemed to want to spill past every inch of him. Hazel slowly reached forward and gently pushed up the brim of his helmet from his eyes. Joe felt his eyes close at the soft touch. When he opened his eyes next, Hazel's soft eyes were watching his. Her eyes then went to his neck. She slowly reached to his wound and gently touched the skin on his neck. He flinched.

" Make sure you get that checked out, Joe." Hazel whispered softly. Joe looked at her and forcefully nodded. He was angry, so angry. Hazel knew that physical touch calmed Joe more than anything; it was something his mother had always done from what he had told her about Mrs. Liebgott. Liebgott had told Hazel that his mother would always try to hug him, brush her hands through his hair or scuff it up to annoy him, gently pat his shoulder, give him a rub on the back.

So Hazel slowly reached forward and adjusted his collar and the part of his ODs which buttoned up on the front. Joe watched his friend, her gentle eyes remaining so focused even after the chaos of the battle they'd just gone through, the little bit of her tongue poking out from her lips as she remained focused on adjusting the front of his ODs, her freckles more prominent from the constant sun she had been getting, the way her blue eyes flitted about. Joe slowly reached up and wrapped his hands around Hazel's, causing her to look up towards him slowly. Joe let out a shaky breath, attempting to calm himself.

Hazel always calmed him down, even if she didn't know it.

Joe then didn't hesitate to slowly wrap his arms in a trembling hug around her neck and pull her into his arms. Hazel slowly hugged him back, pulling him close, holding him there. Sometimes the boys needed to be held, it was human nature.

" Take these to Battalion." Nixon said as he arrived. " Split 'em up."

" Yes, sir." came the response. Nixon slowly came upon the wounded, searching for Winters or Catherine.

" We had 'em on the run." he heard a voice say and turned to hear it was Peacock, with Catherine looking weary by his side.

" How's that?" Nixon asked.

" The Germans were flooding back towards the ferry crossing when we hit 'em with artillery. It was like a turkey shoot." Peacock said, as Nixon walked around past Peacock.

" Then they hit us with their 88s, zeroed in on this crossroad." Peacock explained following after Nixon as Catherine followed quietly after.

" Now we were lucky, though." Peacock said as Nixon looked back, " Only 22 wounded." Catherine raised a brow. Nixon smirked sarcastically.

" Lucky?" he asked.

" Captain Winters?" Nixon asked Peacock.

" He's right down there, sir." Peacock said pointing down the dike toward another road.

" Alright, carry on. I'll be back Catherine, then we'll go over some things." Nixon said and Catherine nodded quietly. Catherine turned to Peacock.

" Have you seen, Hazel?" she asked him. Peacock looked past her shoulder and pointed.

" She was over with Tab, supposedly a bit of shrapnel sliced her nothing major. It was in her shoulder that Doc Roe was wrapping." Peacock explained.

" Thanks." Catherine said before turning and making her way over to the woman.

" Hazel," Catherine called as she approached the girl who was looking rather pissy at the moment. Between being sick and having shrapnel in her she was just a ball of sunshine.

" Tab, I'm fine." Hazel said, shoving the man from her tied up shoulder.

" Hazel," Catherine said as she approached the duo.

" Oh, hey, Catherine." Hazel said, glaring at Tab who smirked shaking his head.

" I heard you were hit with shrapnel, you ok?" Catherine asked her, crouching down. Hazel smiled, a tiny smile and nodded.

" Yeah, I'm fine, I'll be fine. It was the smallest thing and it was a tiny scratch that Doc wanted to look at." she said with a nod again. Catherine nodded and glanced towards a pit of coffee that seemed to be brewing.

" That coffee?" Catherine asked Hazel, and Hazel smiled.

" Yeah." she answered, " It's good, Gene brought me some."

" Fuck yeah." Catherine said as she stood and removed her helmet as she walked over to the coffee. She watched as Gene scooped in a cup and filled it with warm coffee. Gene looked up and saw the Lieutenant making her way over, looking exhausted. He slowly stood and met her half-way.

" Coffee, Catherine?" he asked with a small smile. Catherine felt a smile blossom on her face and she nodded.

" Yes, please, thanks, Gene." she said, taking the coffee from him, and sipping it gleefully.

" This tastes great, thank you." she said with a nod. And Gene smiled.

" You enjoy that." he said and squeezed her shoulder gently before turning and heading back over. Catherine smiled. Medics never failed to make sure others needs were in front of their own.

" Hey, Catherine." she heard a voice call and Catherine turned to see it was Nixon making his way towards her.

" What's up?" she asked.

" Major Horton's dead." Nixon said once he came close to her. Catherine spit her coffee out of her mouth, and started coughing. Nixon gently patted her back as she came out of it and looked at him.

" Major Horton? He's dead?" she asked. Nixon nodded, and Catherine sighed to herself.

" It means Dick's moving up to lead 2nd Battalion." Nixon said and Catherine stared at him with wide eyes.

" Who's leading Easy?" she asked him quickly.

" Dick said Moose would." Nixon stated and she knew he meant Moose Heyliger, another Lieutenant. Catherine blew some air from her cheeks and nodded.

" Man," she said, shaking her head as she sipped more coffee.

" Sink wants that report," Nixon said as he took out a cigarette and started smoking.

" Once I get back to CP, I can start on it." Catherine said. Her report was a simple one, about the geography of the land, stuff like that, which she didn't mind at all doing, she just took a while on things like that, editing and rewriting. They filled up her time more than actual coherent thoughts did and she never failed to complain about it to Nixon or Winters when the opportunity presented itself.

It gave them quite the laugh though.

And Catherine was glad for that.

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hey friends!! thanks for reading :) these chapters are heavily based on the battles, but i hope i've written them so they are easy to understand!! thank you so much, i appreciate it so much!