" I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

- Martin Luther King Jr.

✰✰✰

" Hazel," Catherine whispered, her voice trembling as she spoke, " Hazel!" Catherine didn't hesitate to race forward, tears forcing their way into her eyes, as she reached the woman and wrapped her arms around Hazel, pulling her close and holding her. Holding her as close as she could, and not wanting to let go. She didn't want to ever see Hazel like that again, ever again in her lifetime. Catherine let out a tiny cry.

" Hazel." cried out Catherine, squeezing her eyes shut as a tear streaked down her cheek. It had all happened so fast, Hazel just appearing like some sort of God from the light.

And then when Catherine felt Hazel's tiny arms wrap around her and pull her close, Catherine broke in Hazel's arm.

And Catherine wasn't sure why she was crying, Hazel was fine.

Perfectly and beautifully fine.

But seeing Hazel, like that, so hurt, so innocent, so pure, so just out there with a wound brandishing her side like a hot iron torch, made Catherine's heart ache. It had ached for a month, for too long. Catherine slowly pulled back and placed her hands on Hazel's shoulders.

" Is it really you?" Catherine whispered watching Hazel's eyes meet hers, that tiny giggle leaving her mouth. Hazel smiled.

" Of course it's me." Hazel said softly and Catherine laughed, a mixed one between a laugh and cry.

" I thought you would be gone for so long," Catherine whispered, as a tear trickled down her cheek and Hazel gently wiped it away with a brush of her finger. Catherine smiled.

" Hazel!" Lizzie called and came flying into Hazel's arm. Hazel let out the most joyous laughs as she hugged Lizzie close. Then Lizzie was crying as she pulled back.

" You make me too damn emotional, Hazel." Lizzie managed through a voice that broke by that end. Hazel laughed lightly.

" Aw come on you guys can't have missed me too much." she said.

" You wouldn't believe it." Catherine said, swallowing back a slight cry. Hazel's eyes were shining.

" We missed you so much." Lizzie whispered and Hazel felt those tears skyrocket as well. Hazel nodded, biting back her trembling lip, trying to stay strong.

" I missed you guys, too." Hazel managed out, wiping a tear that trailed down her cheek.

" So much." Hazel whispered, " I realized a lot of things in that hospital and I really love you both, so much. I really do." Catherine bit back her trembling lip.

The three of them had seen each other all the way through training, the boat ride to England, their training with their Special Op members, and their training with the boys, until the war arrived. Lows and highs, good and bad. They'd been there for each other. Hazel couldn't help but bring both girls into a hug, as the three women wrapped their arms around one another, holding each other, just there for each other, arms laced like bows.

" I went AWOL." Hazel said softly and both Lizzie and Catherine pulled back with wide eyes.

" You, Hazel Parker, who refused to take a second helping on your tray in Bragg, went AWOL?" Catherine said and Hazel laughed.

" I know how crazy is sounds, but Frank and my friend Jem busted out." Hazel said, " I needed to come back to the company. I really needed to." Catherine felt her heart warm.

" Who's Jem?" Lizzie asked and Hazel smiled fondly.

" A dear little friend." Hazel said softly, " A really good friend." Catherine and Lizzie smiled, soft gentle, admirable smiles that made Hazel grin.

" I would've come in with Frank, but I started talking to Lip and I feel horrible, so I stayed a bit just to see him." Hazel said innocently.

" Man, you would've missed all the guys hoarding the chocolates, that would've been a sight." Catherine said and Hazel laughed.

" It was pretty hard, being there, not knowing where any of you were, my mind just a reck," Hazel said shaking her head, " I'm glad I'm back."

" We're so glad you're back," Catherine said softly, " really glad."

" How's Don been?" Hazel asked softly and Catherine and Lizzie met eyes. Hazel had worried for him the entire ride over, but she figured everyone was worried for him. He'd been through so much and was still fighting.

" Okay I'd say, he's a platoon leader, so he's stressed, and I know he doesn't say it, but he's still dealing with the losses." Catherine said softly, " He's strong." Hazel let out a soft breath.

" I felt a lot of grief, in the hospital, about all of it, about Malarkey losing his 5 best friends." Hazel whispered, " I felt horrible. Too much guilt." Lizzie gently wrapped an arm over Hazel's shoulder, rubbing it softly.

" Being back, even though we're still like this, I feel a lot better," she said, " and I had friends there that helped me a lot."

" Frank and...Jem?" Catherine asked her. Hazel nodded with a smile.

" When I was there, Jem was brought it on a stretcher and I didn't see him move for days, he wouldn't eat or drink or take medicine, he was so skinny. But he said I was the one that helped him back onto his feet, and I don't know, I just started thinking, if it was God's path for me, to get hit and go there and make sure Jem didn't die?" Hazel said softly. Catherine smiled, a tender smile.

" Jem was lucky to have you, Hazel," Catherine whispered and Hazel smiled.

" I missed you two so much," Hazel said with a slight laugh.

" C'mon," Lizzie said, looping her arm through Hazel's," let's head back to OP 2, I'm pretty sure the boys are gonna be pretty happy when they realize you're back for good." Hazel softly blushed and giggled.

" I missed them, I missed you all so much." Hazel said softly and Catherine grinned.

" C'mon," Catherine said and Hazel grinned as the happy trio of Viragos moved off towards OP 2 with a bit more happiness than ever before.

" Hey!' Catherine called as they stepped into the basement, " You'll never believe who washed up!" And as Hazel stepped inside, all eyes turned to the doorway. You could hear a pin drop. Then there was voices everywhere.

" Hazel!"

" Tiny!"

" Hazel!"

There were just voices everywhere and before Hazel could even think she was scooped up int a warm hug courtesy of Chuck. There were hugs from everyone; Don, Bull, Martin, Babe, Popeye, Skinny, Alley, Jackson and surprisingly David Webster, back from the hospital. Hugs went to everyone and there was a lot of laughs and warm smiles. Each and every interaction brightened her day. She loved each one of them. Her entire heart was full. And this was just a handful of them.

" Shifty!" Hazel called, once she noticed the man coming through the crowd.

" Hazel!" he called, dropping his tin cup to the ground to hurry forward and wrap the girl in a soft hug. Hazel wrapped her arms around him a soft smile on her face as she knew he was grinning. The two pulled back and Shifty watched her.

" How are you?" he asked holding her gently.

" I'm okay, Shifty," she said softly, " a little sore, but I'm just glad to be back."

" I heard you went AWOL." he said to her and she broke into laughs, nodding as Shifty laughed.

" Man, I missed you," Shifty said, " I had to go and be foxhole partners with Cobb."

" Aw, Shifty, really?" she said, placing a hand on his arm.

" No, no, I'm just kidding," Shifty said and Hazel laughed lightly, " Catherine took me in." Hazel smiled.

" I'm glad," Hazel said, " and I'm glad you're okay, all in one piece." Shifty laughed lightly, and it seemed to be one of those real genuine ones, like you haven't laughed in a while.

" I'm just glad you're back." Shifty said, " Real glad, all the guys are." Hazel grinned.

Besides Joe and the girls, Shifty had to be one of her closest friends in the company, the just understood each other, very deeply.

Through all the festivities Hazel's eyes searched for Joe, her mind traveling to him.

Where was he?

" Hey, uh, Cath?" Hazel asked, moving towards her, " Where's Joe?" Catherine raised a brow and then looked around.

" He's not here?" Catherine asked her. Hazel's eyes saddened.

" No, is he okay? He's not injured right?" Hazel asked softly.

" No! No, he's okay, I just thought he'd be down here. Maybe he's upstairs." Catherine suggested.

" Can I go look?" Hazel asked her softly. Catherine smiled.

" Of course, the door over there, head up, if any place he's there." Catherine said and Hazel smiled. Hazel slowly headed up the stairs, looking around the stairwell and then stepping up into the top room. Hazel slowly removed her helmet and stepped forward, looking around at the bunks, which held some of the mens' things. Hazel smiled softly, and gently touched the bunks, they were warm. She smiled softly. Hazel then slowly stepped forward and stopped.

There sat on a bunk, with a tiny gold chain reflecting in his hand was Joe Liebgott. Her heart hammered in her chest. Joe's back was to her for the most part, and he kept gently running his thumb over the chain as he held it in his grasp, she even heard a small chuckle escape from his lips. Hazel bit back her lip.

The scene was so out of the ordinary.

To see Joe alone and away from everyone, so detached, so surrounded by emotions. Hazel didn't know what to say, or how to approach him. She softly smiled and then stepped forward.

" Didn't think you still had that thing," she said softly, her voice breaking slightly at the end of it. In that moment, Joe's thumb froze on the chain and his body went rigid. Then he slowly looked over his shoulder and his beautiful eyes met hers.

" Hazel?" he whispered, his voice shaking, as he slowly started to take in it was real - all of it. Hazel stood with soft eyes, watching Joe look at her with his own big eyes.

With each step he took, Hazel watched his facade crumble, and when he reached her, his arms didn't fly around her in a rushed frenzy; they came around her so softly, so gently, so lovingly, and he pressed a soft kiss to the side of her head and held it there for a few minutes, before placing a hand on the back of her head to just hold her there.

" Are you really here?" he managed out.

" I'm here, I'm right here." she whispered, as she squeezed him tighter, tears flooding into her eyes. It was so quiet, but for a moment, it was just the two of them, holding each other. It didn't need to be a glorious hug in the face of everyone, it just needed to be them, and that's all that mattered. Hazel shoved her head into his neck, holding her eyes closed so that she didn't cry right then and there like she did with women. But standing there in Joe's arm, made her realize how much she had missed him, everything about him.

" I missed you more than you can ever imagine Hazel, believe me." he whispered softly in her ear and her heart skipped a beat. She hoped Joe didn't feel it. Hazel felt the tears flood her eyes again and she bit back her trembling lip as she pressed a hand to her mouth.

When had she last seen just Joe? It must've been the night they talked about the stars, curled in each other's sides, in a cold foxhole, one with the world. Hazel slowly pulled back and finally met Joe's eyes. A small smirk was on his face.

" Hey, hey, don't cry, I'm right here," he said reaching up to gently brush the tear that trailed down her cheek. Hazel gave a weak laugh.

" I missed you, too, Joe." she managed to say softly, sniffling, as more tears brimmed in her eyes.

And then Joe just stared at her and took her in, everything about her.

And those eyes.

Those beautiful blue eyes.

" What?" Hazel whispered, another sniffle leaving her nose. Joe gave a small smile, his eyes meeting hers.

" You're as beautiful as the day you got hit." he whispered to her. Hazel's eyes widened a bit as she watched him. Hazel's heart was beating rapidly inside her chest, it was so fast, like it was knocking against the doors of her rib cage waiting to explode. But suddenly she crumbled again, and more tears just streamed down her cheeks like a waterfall.

" Aw Parker, it's okay," Joe said and his soft voice, made her blink away those tears. She nodded, biting back her lip. The hospital had been such a life changing and spiritual experience to her, and now being back, her emotions were everywhere.

" I'm just glad to be back, really." she whispered.

" We're glad you're back," Joe said, " I'm really glad you're back." Hazel smiled softly, sniffling again.

" How is it?" Joe asked, his eyes averting down to her side, " Your side?" Hazel softly pressed a hand to it and then met his eyes.

" It's okay, it's healing, it's healing well," she said, " we actually went AWOL to be here." Joe's eyes widened and a smirk grew on his face as he looked at her shaking his head.

" I told you the sneaky ones were the best." he whispered softly and she slapped his arm with a small smile. Joe laughed.

" Clearly didn't take away any power in that slap, Parker." he said and Hazel laughed lightly, her cheeks even dusting pink at the tops.

" I heard Speirs made CO." Hazel said looking at him, a smile on her face," You got rid of Dike."

" I wish you'd been there to see it, it was like a movie." Joe said, " C'mere sit down, I'll tell you everything." Joe gently wrapped an arm over her shoulder and lead her towards little chairs that looked out of the main door across the river. Hazel slowly sat herself down and then curled up before looking over at Joe.

" What was it like? This movie scene?" she asked with a tiny giggle. Joe smirked.

" Supposedly, Dike was up against this hail bale, George's words not mine, and he was giving these orders and we were getting killed out there, it was a mess." Joe said, " But then, this guy comes running down from where HQ is and is Speirs! I couldn't believe it. And he got us moving quickly, all through the rest of the town. And you wanna know something even crazier?" Hazel leaned forward nodding excitedly like a small child.

" He ran through the town to get I Company, all the way on the other side and then that fucking lunatic came back." Joe said and Hazel let out a gleeful laugh, and Joe laughed, " I'm serious, Parker, came running back, like there was a bubble around him, no bullets hitting him." Hazel laughed again and Joe just smiled leaning back.

" I'm not laughing at Speirs I'm laughing at you." Hazel said, and Joe smirked, " You would be a funny storyteller."

" I think you're the only one that thinks that, Parker." Joe said and Hazel smiled softly, " But that's the only thing that matters." Hazel laughed lightly, even if her heart flipped again inside her chest and was pounding rapidly.

" How about you? The hospital? How was it?" Joe asked her leaning forward.

" I helped someone survive." she said softly, meeting his eyes, " They thought they'd come there to die, he told me he wished he had died out there. I told him I wasn't going to allow that to happen."

" Reality Joe, I never realized how much it sucked until I got into that hospital. I mean with the war and all, it already sucked." she whispered shaking her head, " I saw so much death, and I'm not even a medic. I saw things there that I'd never want a child to see, like the ones I'd see playing in the snow. I hoped that they'd never see what horror the war brought."

Hazel's head traveled to someplace dark. She stared at her hands suddenly, which had held the blood of her own, watching as it pooled from the wound that had nearly sliced her open in Bastogne. No, no, no this wasn't happening, not here, not now. Hazel shut her eyes, as her heart rate increased and she suddenly felt encapsulated by an undesirable fear that was too overwhelming to even comprehend.

" Hazel." a voice said and Hazel almost immediately snapped out of it, staring at Joe with wide eyes, her heart rats slowly lowering, as trembling breaths left her lips. Hazel bit back her lip.

" I get flashbacks, a lot," she said nodding, and shutting her eyes, " I hate it." Joe squeezed her hands tighter in his as he watched her struggle.

" Hey, let me help, what do you want me to do?" he asked softly. He did anything for his friends; anything. Anyone he loved. He'd drive through hell for them.

" Can you just sit here with me?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

" Always," Joe whispered, his thumb soft on her hands as they held hers in his, " all the time."

" One night, Joe," she whispered, " I had a dream where I held a baby. The most adorable baby, with blue eyes, and the widest grin, a little tooth poking through her gum, her little fists balled up, as she giggled. And she didn't want to be held by me, by my hands, because my hands have touched too much blood." Hazel met Joe's eyes, her voice shaking.

" I-..." Hazel's voice cut off as she squeezed her eyes shut, " will this pain go away, these fears?"

" I can't promise you they'll go away," Joe whispered softly, " but I promise you won't fight those fears alone, alright?" Hazel nodded. " Don't listen to those dreams, alright?" Joe whispered, " They're just dreams, I think any baby would love to be held by you." Hazel smiled softly.

" A baby, a child it's just, it's so innocent, for a war like this that just the image, in my mind of that baby, it hurts a lot to just see that in my mind." she said. Then she looked at Joe who sat watching her so intently.

" I missed you, Joe." she whispered, her voice breaking. She missed him and even if there was a lot of grey area around the word best friend, for now, she was grateful for just a best friend, someone who supported her no matter what and would listen to her pour her heart out and not get judged and then probably find a way to make her laugh.

Joe was all of that and more. He softly squeezed her hands as she bit back her lip.

" I missed you, too, Parker." he said softly and she smiled the best she could.

" The hospital..." Joe said, " what was it like otherwise?" Hazel watched him.

" A hospital," she whispered, " but to me it was more. It was a mental battle that I thought I'd never engage in when I already had this war going on around me." Joe watched her and squeezed her hand tighter, sitting right by her feet, which failed to touch the ground even in her chair.

" Just everything, wishing I had made a different decision or had been smarter, I don't know, I can't describe it." she said. Joe softly watched her, titling his head like a puppy.

" It's more of a feeling you know? One that's hard to describe, like too many different emotions fighting for the top spot. I just don't have one feeling about it all, but I know in the end it was good for me, even if it sucked going into it." she said. Joe watched this girl. She spoke so eloquently, and was wise beyond her years, it amazed him.

" I wish I could tell you more about the feeling, I know you'd listen." she whispered. Joe smiled.

" Well, if you do find that feeling, you come and find me because I'll sit down, kick up my feet and listen to every word you say, promise." he said and Hazel smiled.

" Thanks, Joe." she said.

" I don't think you'll be thanking me anymore when I tell you Malark's cooking tonight." Joe said with a slight smirk and Hazel laughed, a real genuine laugh.

" He's not that bad, Joe," Hazel said softly, rubbing his warm hand.

" I know," Joe said, " c'mon, you'll love it."

The two left the room, the two sturdy chairs, sitting in the lonely wind, staring out towards the the German side of the Rhine, a silent whisper of a long lost conversation being picked up by the soft glance of the wind that rushed by.

A mere moment in time.

When they got downstairs though, Speirs was in the basement. And he was talking quietly to Catherine who nodded, exhaustion on her entire face.

" Hazel," Speirs said noticing her enter the basement. Hazel smiled softly.

" Hello, sir," she said stepping forward from Joe's comforting arm.

" It's glad to see you back," he said, " I hope you're feeling better." Hazel grinned. She nodded.

" Can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked her.

" Of course," she said and glanced at the group before following Speirs out of the room. Speirs opened the door for her and she slowly placed her helmet on her head as she walked up the stairs into the outside world turning to see Speirs coming up the stairs putting his helmet comfortably on his head. It was cold out, Hazel could feel it seeping into her bones but she was curious as to what Speirs had to tell her. Speirs walked out towards the edge of the river, in a shielded area where you could still see the clouded skies of Germany.

" Have you heard about the patrol set for tonight?" Speirs asked her. Hazel cautiously looked up at him from under the brim of her helmet and let out a soft sigh.

" No, sir." she said. Speirs glanced her way.

" I've only heard that you're CO and made a run back in Foy," she said with a small smile. Speirs actually smiled, a real smile and nodded.

" And I heard that you would be someone to do the same," he said back to her and Hazel felt a tiny smile prickle at the corners of her lips.

" Lieutenant McCown?" Hazel asked him and Speirs nodded.

" Back when I first heard about the Viragos, the first person I heard about was a young woman they were training on sniper and by that point I was still in OCS, so I didn't think I would earn a full company, but I always wished I'd somehow manage to work with the sniper." Speirs said.

" And look at us now." Hazel said softly and Speirs smiled and nodded.

" I want to use you to your full potential," Speirs told her and Hazel met his steady gaze with her own steady gaze. Like it were a challenge.

" Consider my interest peaked." she said and Speirs grinned. He liked this woman.

" How about you're on this patrol, but you don't even have to cross a river?" Speirs suggested, " And you're way up high, up in the eves and peaks of a sturdy roof, with your scope instead aimed on the entire battlefield?" Speirs asked her. She liked the devious look that was evident in his eye, the want for war and a thirst for a bit of revenge it seemed. For what happened to their company in Bastogne. A cruel way to look at it, but possibly their last stand against the enemy.

" I like the sound of that," she said with a nod. Maybe she was more ruthless that she thought. Speirs smiled at her.

" Good," he said.

She smiled.

She smiled wide.

✰✰✰

hello!! i am back with 2 or 3 chapters today, whatever i'm feeling, for you all!! :) i loved this chapter with all my heart, you get the emotion from being back and then you finish with speirs and hazel finally meeting. i loved putting these two together as a duo mainly because are the same people just different versions. they both have a thirst for war, and in battle don't portray the slightest bit of emotion and i just LOVE that! i've really enjoyed writing them :) but we can't forget joe and hazel, the lil beans. idk any ships names, but if you guys have any feel free to drop them, i know you guys all seem to love them! <3 thanks for reading!!