" It's amazing how one little conversation can change everything."

- Unknown

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They ate dinner at a restaurant where a large mass of other soldiers also were. It seemed designated for soldiers in that moment. Hazel and Joe had a spot inside, in the corner, where they could hear the Christmas music, being played over the speakers in French, and they could smell the wonderful food that had a wonderful scent that wafted throughout the entire building. Joe looked at Hazel from over the table as she looked out the window and out towards the stars. Tiny candles were lit on the table, with a clean white cloth underneath it and tiny little flecks of pine tree sprinkled amongst it, giving off a Christmas feel.

" I see Cassiopeia." Hazel said, leaning against the table, and glancing toward Joe with wide, blue eyes. Joe smirked from behind his hands which held up his head.

" You and your stars." Joe said as Hazel smirked at him before looking out at the sky filled with stars.

" How's your mom been?" Joe asked Hazel. Mail call had come yesterday and Hazel had supposedly written back plenty of times talking about her friends, including Joe himself, from what she had said.

" She's been doing pretty well. She said for Christmas that she's hoping to invite some friends over of ours, that have sons in the military and are overseas. I just feel bad, it's my 3rd Christmas from home." Hazel said, " And my mom's been through a lot, she's one of the strongest women I know. This pains her because she knows I could die any day out here." Joe watched Hazel bit back her lip and sigh softly.

" I'm sure she's proud though, knowing what her daughter is doing." Joe said, and then Hazel watched a tiny smile quirk on his face again, " I mean you were apart of the WAC, and then you became part of Virago Company and now you're a paratrooper in Easy. If anything that's badass." Hazel grinned.

" What's she like?" Joe asked her.

" Well, ok," Hazel said, sitting up straighter and holding her hands out in front of her, " imagine me, ok? And close your eyes."

" I could've just kept them open because you're right in front of me-"

" Joseph."

" Right, carry on." Joe shut his eyes.

" So, me, but older, with some wrinkles around the eyes. Around the corners of the mouth, from smiling mostly. And her hair's blonde, sort of a dirty-blonde, more golden color, and bright blue eyes, that hold so much joy in them, you would never suspect they had gone through as much pain as they did, and a jolly laugh, kinda like Santa Claus, it can get a full room laughing. A slight accent, mainly from Polish speaking, but such a beautiful smile, and a powerful stature, a commanding one, one you don't want to mess with. And she's tough too, complete opposite of me. I've never seen her get really emotional, even when I left home." Hazel said, " Bravest woman I know." Joe smiled, eyes still closed.

" What about you, Joe?" Hazel asked as Joe slowly fluttered his eyes open to look at her.

" Mama Liebgott?" Joe asked her and Hazel laughed, nodding.

" Your family really," Hazel said and Joe smiled.

" Well, moms the best, but you already know that," Joe said and Hazel smiled, leaning her head against the palm of her hand which was propped up by her elbow.

" Skinny guys like me weren't exactly the ones who became friends with everyone, and I was picked on a bit, I'd get a bit roughed up too, you know, fights and stuff. But I stood my ground, it's the Liebgott way, I guess," Joe said and Hazel smiled, " but I'd go home, the angry tears would start. But Mom was there. She was always there, you know her hugs and stuff, the chocolate."

" It's like a comfort food." Hazel said with a tiny smile. Joe smiled at her as he ran a hand through his fluffy hair. He nodded.

" She always took care of me well, I hate that I disappointed her the way I did." Joe said. Hazel frowned a bit.

" I wouldn't say that." Hazel said, " You joined to fight a war, I'd say that's anything but a disappointment." Joe felt a smile fall over his face.

" You always know the right words to say, Parker." Joe told her. Hazel smiled softly.

" It's because I had to tell myself those things when no one else could." Hazel said. Joe met her eye. He raised a brow.

" Your food?" a voice said and the two looked up to see the waiter delivering their plates of food.

" Oh, merci!" Hazel said as the hot food was placed in front of them. The waiter nodded and then walked away.

" What do you mean?" Joe asked her.

" Just, stuff from my past, I guess." Hazel said, " It made me stronger. So now I guess I just have that stuff in my brain." Joe smiled.

" I wouldn't say I was the most admired quiet girl in school either. I cried a lot," Hazel said nodding as she tapped her fingers against her coke can, " I got over it though. I tried making friends. I wasn't too good at it."

" I'd say you're pretty good at it." Joe said, with a lazy smirk and Hazel smiled.

" I guess, I mean it wasn't like I was adored or anything, I was just quiet and reserved and people didn't like those types of people in school." Hazel said shyly. She'd never told anyone that.

" I adore you." Joe said, and Hazel glanced towards him. He smirked at the blush on her cheeks.

" Ah, every time." Joe said sipping his beer.

" You just do that to make me blush and you know it." Hazel said as she narrowed her eyes. Joe just laughed as Hazel shook her head.

" What are your sisters like though? Mary, Elizabeth, Anna and Barbara, right?" Hazel asked him and Joe smiled.

" Me in girl form, basically." Joe said and Hazel smiled, " But the nicest, probably like you, is Mary. She's a bit younger than me and she's like a mother. Kind, supportive, she actually listened to me at the dinner table." Hazel laughed.

" But if you want a carbon copy of me, Elizabeth would be it." Joe said and Hazel smiled with a nod.

" Brought home a boy once, said one wrong thing and she sent him out the door. She didn't even shed a tear. She's crazy." Joe said and Hazel laughed.

" I wish I had siblings, they seem fun." Hazel said. Joe snickered.

" Not until they're all teenagers and well..." the tops of Joe's cheeks turned pink and Hazel laughed.

" I know what you mean." she said giggling.

" What about Anna?" Hazel asked.

" Intelligent, like really smart, but she swears like a sailor, christ, I mean my mom whooped her more than the rest of us." Joe said and Hazel giggled, making Joe smirked.

" And Barbara?" Hazel asked.

" When she was a kid, all she wanted were the fanciest clothes, she always was telling my ma about some boy she liked in elementary school, or she was always hanging around with her gaggle of girlfriends." Joe said, " You know, drama and stuff." Hazel nodded.

" But Dad, man, he rarely allowed a boy in the house. There was one guy Josie brought home, complete asshole." Joe said, " And you know me, no poker face, so dinner was a mess." Hazel giggled though. Joe was right, he had absolutely no poker face.

" And Stephen? Isn't he your little brother?" Hazel asked him. Joe smirked.

" Picture me as a kid." Joe said and Hazel smiled softly.

" No, no, no you're making the 'oh it's cute' face, not that thing is evil." Joe said as Hazel laughed, " Carbon copy, but like, evil." Hazel laughed again.

" Well, your family still sounds so nice." Hazel said with a grin and Joe smirked at her.

" It's ok, you can call them crazy." Joe said, smirking at her. Hazel's eyes softened and she scoffed.

" I would never say that." she said, giving Joe's shoulder a shove from across the table and shaking her head.

" You ever think about what you want to do after the war?" Joe asked her and Hazel glanced his way, biting her lip.

" Sometimes." she said with a nod, placing down her fork, " But usually I just try to forget about it, ya know? There's no guarantee I'll make it back."

" Aw c'mon now, don't say that. What do you got in mind?" Joe asked her. Hazel glanced at him.

" I'm all ears." he said with a smile.

" Well," Hazel said, nibbling on her lip, " I guess, when I got back home, I'd go to college, because I've always wanted to go and for math, but you know that. And then I'd get a job somewhere afterwards, where I can put those strengths to use, maybe teacher, I don't know. Then I'll settle down, have a family, live in a beautiful house like my mother's. Live my life, try to forget the war." Hazel looked at him and smiled afterwards.

" What about you Joe?" Hazel asked him as he smirked at her.

" Similar, but I'll head back to Frisco, do cabbing again, cut people's hair again, then I'll find someone, ya know, and settle down, in a nice house, of course, and have a bunch of little Liebgotts." Joe said and Hazel giggled.

" Is that what you're calling them?" Hazel said through a laugh as Joe began to chuckle.

" Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Joe said, as even the tops of his cheeks dusted pink a bit.

" It was funny." Hazel said, as she giggled to herself, before picking up another piece of food on her fork. Joe smirked at her. He watched as she ate, she was so delicate. But he'd seen her on the field, it was like a light switch would turn on, and she became the most fierce person out there.

" Hey, I uh, I forgot to thank you for what you did back on the Island." Joe said leaning forward. Hazel glanced his way, a tiny smile on her face.

" You know, hugging me. It made me feel better." Joe said, answering the confused look on her face. She then smiled.

" Of course, don't worry about it. Hugging actually lets out 'happy-juice' if you call it that. Hugs are a good thing and everyone deserves them." Hazel said and Joe's eyes softened, she smiled.

" My mom gives pretty good hugs and she'd always call it 'happy-juice' it made me feel better." Hazel said with a tiny smile.

" So that's where you get it from." Joe said as he leaned back in his chair with a proud smirk. Hazel smiled and nodded.

" If you want to call it that." Hazel said, and Joe smirked wider, as he finished off his plate of food, Hazel still slowly making her way through the plate. She was a slow eater.

" You remind me a lot of my dziadek." Hazel told Joe and he glanced at her gently.

" He used to tell me stories all the time of his youth in Poland, in Warsaw specifically," Hazel said, " he was the skinny guy, the 'loud-mouth' as he called it, and he was a loyal friend. Like someone I know." Hazel glanced at Joe who smiled softly.

" It's probably why I trusted you as much as I did in the first place, you're a lot like him." Hazel said, her smile innocent.

" You said he was Jewish?" Joe asked her. Hazel nodded.

" He met my grandmother who was also from Poland at this one night club where a bunch of polish immigrants would meet up on the weekends and just hang out. He said he always wore the Star of David, the one that I have now, and he wore it proudly. He told me he specifically remembers seeing my grandmother from across the dance floor, probably talking to someone else and going up and asking her to dance. And she did. Then of course, they fell in love, but my dziadek adored by babcia so much that he switched to Catholic, for her. After the war broke out, it saddened him what was happening to his Jewish Community." Hazel said softly and glanced at Joe, who let it all sink in. Joe knew how important her family was to her, and in how many different ways it was important.

" He always let me dance with him in church and sometimes even when he and babcia would come over. He put something on the radio and we'd just dance," Hazel said, as she looked at the table cloth.

" I miss that." Hazel said softly. Joe smiled softly at her, watching Hazel zone out for a second.

" Is that why you don't like dancing?" Joe asked her. Hazel looked up at him quickly, and swallowed. He deserved to know the truth after telling her so much about him.

" No actually, I loved dancing with my dziadek." Hazel said with a small smile, " The reason I haven't danced yet is because, um..." Hazel looked off into the restaurant of loud people talking and laughing. Joe watched her, he knew this was hard for her, just by the strain that was evident across her entire face.

" Hey," Joe said leaning forward, " if you don't want to tel me, you don't have to."

" It's ok, you've told me so much about yourself, that you deserve to know." Hazel promised him, and Joe softly nodded.

" I told you my dad left when I was 8, but you don't know the whole story. When I was 8, it was Christmas Eve. And Christmas for me was always fun, because the food was good there was family, a Christmas tree, I loved it all. Even during the Depression, I learned to love the little things, I guess you can say that's why I appreciate the stars the way I do, " Hazel said and Joe smiled at her, looking at her eyes, " but my father didn't appreciate the little things." Joe frowned.

" He was the one who would always dance with me in church when my dziadek didn't and it was always some of the best times of my life. But, I guess, the Depression got to be too much for him. He started drinking around, waisting money, so some nights there was no dinner on the table, he started sleeping around," Hazel whispered, shaking her head, and Joe's eyes narrowed, " he just wasn't in a good spot I guess. So on Christmas Eve, he came home, started yelling at my mom about the finances. I was only 8, confused and naive, so when he started yelling at me, I could only cry. Then he stormed out, taking beer with him, leaving Christmas Eve ruined. It forced me to really grow up at that age." Joe was watching her, his heart racing.

" It's why I was never a huge Christmas fan because it just brought back all those memories, and it was also the reason I didn't like to dance." Hazel said, and put a strand of hair behind her ear, nervously.

" He sent me a letter, back in June before the jump, asking for correspondence." Hazel said and shook her head, biting her lip, " I sent him one back, but I never want to talk to him again. He started a new family, seemingly without a care in the world. I can't, I can't associate myself with someone who leaves their family who just tried to love him." Joe looked at Hazel and saw her forcing down the emotions that overwhelmed her system.

Joe felt bad for bringing it up, even in the middle of a restaurant. But Joe, he was also tense and angry. A man, Hazel's blood-related father left his family during the Depression, on Christmas Eve when she was just a kid, because he couldn't take it all. He left people who loved him, who cared about him and cherished him. He left because he couldn't handle it and he was selfish. How could someone have a child and then leave her behind, leave his family, leave someone like Hazel behind? Joe looked back at Hazel.

" Hazel," Joe said, reaching across the table, to grasp her hand in his. Hazel looked at their hands before glancing at Joe, with a small sad smile. Joe looked down at their hands and gently brushed his thumb across her hand.

" I can never understand, the pain you went through, but I promise you that Catherine and Lizzie? The guys? Me? I, we, won't ever leave you behind, you're too important. I'm sorry that all that happened to you at the age it did, you were just a kid." Joe said, watching her. Hazel softly smiled, and nodded.

" You don't have to apologize for it, Joe, it just happened, and I grew used to it." Hazel admitted. Joe's eyes were gentle in her gaze.

" You know, you're one of the strongest women I know?" Joe said, and Hazel's cheeks turned a bit pink as he said that. She never would've thought of herself as strong in anyway, she was just Hazel.

" Thanks, Joe." Hazel said, as she glanced up at him shyly. Joe didn't want her to go to bed that night, feeling like she should've not told him that, because he had listened to each and every word that had left her lips.

" I want you to know that I appreciate each word you said, " Joe said quietly, " because I know it was hard for you, and I want to make sure you knew that." Hazel smiled, and she forced down the tears that wanted to well in her eyes as Joe said that. No one had ever said they appreciated her words. It did get her emotional if she thought about it for a while.

" Thank you, Joe." Hazel said, " No one's ever told me that before." Joe smiled.

" I'm glad I could be the first." Joe said and Hazel smiled, wider.

" Excuse me?" a voice said and Joe brought back his hand as the waiter stood there, " Would you like desert?" Hazel's eyes widened as she glanced at Joe. He nodded.

" Yes, please." Hazel said and the waiter smiled and nodded.

" Here is the menu." he said and handed it to her, letting her look at it.

" The chocolate cake? Is it good?" Hazel asked him.

" Yes, madam." the waiter said and Hazel grinned.

" That will be fine." Hazel said and then glanced at Joe.

" I'm fine, stuffed myself with chocolate, I'll probably steal some bites from you." Joe said and Hazel giggled as the waiter nodded and walked away.

" You are not stealing any from me, Mr." Hazel said with a smirk.

" Nah, I'm just kidding," Joe said as Hazel smiled, " maybe."

" You suck." Hazel said, kicking his foot under the table. Joe raised a brow and smirked at her, as she laughed.

" You challenging me, Parker?" Joe said as Hazel giggled.

" Your cake." the waiter said, placing down the plate in front of her.

" Merci." Hazel said, looking again at the cake with wide eyes.

" And, this is also for you." the waiter said, placing a chocolate macaron in front of her.

" What?" Hazel asked, looking at it, " I didn't order that."

" He wanted you to have it." the waiter said pointing over to a table of American soldiers. He was pointing to a brown-haired, blue eyed man smiling at her. Hazel blushed furiously.

" Oh, thank you." she managed out. The waiter then turned to Joe, who had been looking towards the other soldier, with slightly narrowed eyes.

" Would you like to pay now, monsieur?"

" Uh, yeah." Joe said, and pulled out the wallet in his pocket, where some American money was. Hazel watched as Joe paid, but she stared at the macaron in front of her before glancing at the American soldier who supposedly had wanted to give the macaron to her. It was her favorite flavor. She knew she wouldn't finish all this though. The waiter brought a box just in case, as Hazel took a bite of the cake.

" Whoa." Hazel said, her eyes wide.

" Is it good?" Joe asked her and she nodded. Joe leaned forward, to take a bite with his own fork. His eyes widened.

" Whoa." he said and Hazel smiled at nodding.

" It's really good." Joe said and Hazel giggled.

" I might save the macaron. I can't finish all this." Hazel said. Hazel watched Joe glance over his shoulder a bit before glancing back at her. He didn't saying anything. Hazel guessed, that there was possibly a bit of jealousy for Joe. He was loyal to his friends and protective, he usually was always keeping an eye out even if it was the tiniest, nice thing. Hazel appreciated that though.

The two ended up saving the cake as well for later, and eventually left the restaurant. When they got outside, Joe placed the bag of chocolate and the box down and turned and wrapped Hazel in a hug. It was warm and comforting and it felt so safe.

" I just, I needed to hug you." Joe said and Hazel smiled.

" I wasn't lying when I said you are one of the strongest women I know." Joe said to her and Hazel grinned softly, hugging him close, resting her head against his chest, relishing the comfort the hug offered. Joe pulled back and looked at her.

" We should go somewhere." Joe said and Hazel quirked a raised brow at him.

" Where?" Hazel asked him curiously.

" Follow me." Joe said, picking up the cake and the chocolate, and hurrying forward. Hazel laughed and followed after him into the dark streets of Paris. The two ran through the fairly empty streets of Paris, the bag of chocolates in one hand as they did so, running under the darkness of the night, until they came upon the Effiel Tower. They stopped, slightly breathless as Hazel looked up at the mighty symbol of Paris. Her eyes were wide as the lights of the Effiel Tower reflected into her eyes. She met Joe's eyes and he smirked at her.

The two hurried up the steps, up to the level above the city, but not to the top. That was far. Hazel walked towards the edge, and leaned against the railing with wide eyes. Her eyes couldn't take it all in she felt. She looked out and all she could see were the lights of Paris. The city of lights. Hazel's eyes were so wide, full of light and love and warmth. She felt comforted looking out from the top of the Effiel Tower, just seeing all the lights, and the hope that filled the sky. Her heart felt full and she felt herself as she looked out on all the beauty. She wished she could just stand up here, staring out at the city forever, getting to take it all in.

Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her waist and warm breath on her neck.

" It's beautiful isn't it?" Joe said in her ear.

" Very." Hazel said. Then she looked up, she could see all the stars, shining down, their bright twinkling lights never fading from sight.

" Why'd you bring me up here?" Hazel asked, as her eyes stayed on the bright shimmers of the stars.

" You can see the stars better, I know you like the stars." Joe said, and she smiled as she glanced towards him with shimmering eyes. She loved the stars.

" You can see so many." Hazel said her eyes wide with wonder. She always could find the stars where ever she was.

" Why do you like the stars so much? You always look at them." Joe asked her. Hazel looked over at him and then up at the stars again.

" Stars are always there, even when light isn't." Hazel said with a small smile his way. Joe smiled at her.

" You're cold." he said, as his warm breath sent goosebumps over her skin.

" It's cold." she said softly as Joe pulled her closer to him in his arms in the bear hug.

" Does San Francisco look like this at night?" she asked quietly, as Joe glanced toward her, a hair flying in her face.

" Yeah, exactly like this." he said, and watched as her eyes widened and shined brightly. A small smile grew on her face.

" It's so beautiful, all of it." Hazel whispered.

" Yeah, yeah it is." Joe said. Hazel couldn't stop her cheeks from turning red as she continued to look out at the city and it's lights, with Joe's arms tightly wrapped around her waist, his head sitting right near her shoulder. She felt she couldn't have been happier in this moment, and she had no clue why. She could hear the faint Christmas music playing from the speaker at the area they were at. The last time she'd heard Christmas music had been in London in 1943, with George Luz as they looked out at Big Ben and talked about their first Christmas not in America.

Have yourself, a merry little Christmas

Let your heart be light

Next year all our troubles will be out of sight

Hazel swallowed thickly, as she listened to the soft Christmas song playing. She missed her home, where she would sit under the glowing Christmas tree, watching all the lights twinkle, the little presents hidden in every nook and cranny around it, the crackling fireplace which exuded heat and the campfire smell, and the gentle radio of Christmas music in the background as her mother started on Christmas breakfast. Hazel missed that so much. Instead, she was in a war, that she'd be stuck in until it was over. The thing she did manage to enjoy was that Joe was here and he was here with her, standing right there.

" I miss Christmas, Joe." Hazel whispered, her voice broken as she spoke. Hazel looked over at him to find him already watching her.

" I know you do." Joe said, with a small smile. Joe watched as Hazel sighed and then looked back out at Paris and the stars, looking sadder than when they first came up.

" Did you wanna dance?" Joe asked her, gently giving her a squeeze around the waist. Hazel turned and glanced at Joe. She really wanted to and Joe knew that. And Hazel knew she could trust Joe. She nodded.

Leading her away from the railing, Joe gently grasped her hand, while placing the other on her hip. Hazel glanced up at him nervously, before placing a hand on his shoulder and then meeting his eyes. It was like there were a thousand stars in his own eyes. Hers widened. Then they just started swaying to the music, as Joe lead. Hazel couldn't continue to hold his gaze, so she just rested her head against his chest, and shut her eyes for a moment, as her and Joe gently swayed to the music. She hadn't dance in 12 years. She had refused to, but now, Joe had awoken the beast inside of her who had always loved the art of dancing. She wished she could dance forever.

" Thank you, Joe." Hazel whispered, " For tonight." She knew Joe was smiling.

" Of course, anything." Joe said and she smiled.

Her smile could light up a room.

In that moment, right then and there, Joe knew he was screwed.

He had screwed himself over big time. He thought back to the moment he had first met Hazel, the girl who didn't even seem to care that he had put up a cold and shut off face when he introduced himself. She had just simply shaken his hand and let the world's wisdom fall from her mouth.

He never admitted it to anyone, but he had been the one to develop a tiny crush, the teeniest, tiniest, crush.

Yes a crush. There he had said it. Well thought it.

A small crush on a girl who seemed to make sunflowers grow in her presence, or who could make all the children looks towards her with shining eyes, or even make the tiniest baby laugh.

And he was so hopelessly in love.

He didn't know what he had deserved to be standing here with Hazel Parker, and those freckles that sprinkled across her face, or the way her eyes lit up as she talked about the stars, the passion that was there, or maybe it was even the way she smiled so shyly, making it so genuine, and the little dimples that appeared, one in each cheek.

Joe bashed himself constantly for loving a girl like her, for going as far as having a thought like that.

As a boy, a teenager really, girls were the last thing he thought about, even though he never seemed to get them off his back. And he kinda went along with it, and admittedly just went around with them for fun.

It was cliche, he knew it, like those old Hollywood movies, but Hazel was just different. She'd always been. And he constantly said it. She liked the little things in life, and even the smallest things made her laugh and when she cared she truly cared and she was truly such a fascinating person to just be with because she would talk about the wildest things. Joe never had a boring moment with her.

But now, with this new found feeling, he had to hide it, bury it, dig it six feet down into a grave and bury it, patting it down up until the point nothing could escape. He couldn't let on a thing to anyone.

She was more than just a dream.

He didn't want to say anything because he was sure the other guys would start pulling jokes and embarrassing him. Best friends for now was fine. But the crush had stayed at a low boil, it was just a simple crush. He told himself he'd get over - he had to. But now, standing here with the woman in his arms, his best friend, he suddenly thought that maybe, just maybe she wasn't just his best friend anymore.

Joe's eyes widened, and his heart skipped a beat.

He hoped Hazel hadn't felt it.

Joe felt a bead of sweat along his brow even in the cold night.

He was falling harder for Hazel Parker than he had ever fallen for anyone in his life.

Oh.

Oh no.

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can you all hear me SCREAMING!! i've been waiting to unveil this moment for so long because i know many of you ship hazel and liebgott a whole lot. and here it is. joe liebgott, our favorite hot-headed boy has confessed his feelings and it is honestly so adorable. usually it's always the girl in the stories confessing first so having joe confess it first was perfect and adorable and just something i really wanted to put out there, to show how he fell for her. i just LOVE it!! :)