" Life should not only be lived, it should be celebrated."

- Osho

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The next morning, there was no real schedule to what was currently happening, just soldiers wandering around Berchtesgaden, searching for more wine and beer, hungover, scrounging for food, or pleading to the medics for pain meds. They wandered through the town or they'd head up to the Eagle's Nest and pass out in an upstairs bed with a bottle of gin in their hand. It was quite the sight. Lizzie by that morning had administered more medicine for headaches than she ever had. She glanced at Gene as a replacement finally walked out with water and the pain meds.

" Don't be getting drunk on me too." she said pointing at Gene with a raised brow.

" Don't worry, I won't have time with all these guys coming in." Gene said with a smirk, as he hauled up another box and pulled out more pain meds.

What a coincidence.

" Oh thank God." the two heard a voice say and they looked over to see Catherine coming in, holding a hand to her head. Lizzie slowly stepped past the box she had and met Catherine.

" You ok, Cath?" Lizzie asked her.

" I have the worst hangover, Lizzie, and guess what sorta bullshit I went through when I woke up? My period came back." Catherine said. Lizzie raised a brow and then glanced at Gene who had been listening.

" Oh, hey, sorry Gene." Catherine said before putting her hands in her face.

" I'm so miserable." Catherine sighed.

" Well, this is why when we drink, there's something called doing it responsibly." Lizzie offered, wrapping an arm over Catherine's shoulder and leading her to a bed.

" I know, but Lizzie....." Catherine sighed.

" I know but Lizzie what?" Lizzie asked as she dug in for pain meds.

" It tasted good." Catherine sighed. Lizzie raised a brow.

" Right, well take some of these now, and start drinking water, you're dehydrated." Lizzie said as Catherine took them.

" And still slightly drunk." Gene offered as he walked up with a glass of water. Catherine sighed.

" Alright, you two, give me the pep talk." Catherine said. Lizzie glanced at Gene.

" I think we've both already done that." Lizzie offered. Catherine sighed.

" Right, back at-"

" Aldbourne, correct." Lizzie said.

" Damn you medics." Catherine grumbled, as she rubbed her aching head. Lizzie and Gene laughed.

" Go get some rest, half the guys came in tipsy in all sorts." Lizzie said.

" You're right." Catherine said, " I mean I'm a fucking Lieutenant. I need to get some sense of self worth." The two medics smirked.

" And Vest said he had a letter for you." Lizzie said. Catherine froze and looked at her.

" From who?" Catherine asked quickly.

" Bill and Joe." Gene said with a smile. Catherine's eyes widened.

" Where? Where is it?" Catherine asked urgently.

" Vest has it, he thought you'd be here, but you weren't." Gene said.

" Well, where's Vest?' Catherine asked.

" CP probably," Lizzie offered.

" Right," Catherine said, " oh and you see Peacock?"

" No," Gene offered, " but he probably didn't get drunk." Catherine smirked at him.

" Shut it, Gene." she said before turning and heading out into the streets. When she arrived at CP and had forced the letter from Vest's hands she slowly slid down the wall outside the CP and opened the letter.

Catherine,

I hope this letter finds you well, where ever you happen to be. Joe and I have been thinking about you lately, as well as Lizzie and Hazel and the rest of the guys. We've been hoping everyone's ok, we've heard a few things, but by now, word has it that those Krauts are almost all pushed out and done for. Joe and I are hoping that's the truth. We've both been worried, but what else can you expect from two guys that trained with a group for almost 3 years, am I right?

The hospitals have been nice, the nurses have been great, especially for guys like me and Joe, but it's just not the same as being with Easy. You know I woke up on day to expect Doc Roe or Doc Elliot coming to me and checking on my leg. It's weird. You stay with these guys for so long, that when you're taken away from them you start seeing things.

I've been glad that Joe's been with me this whole time. We've been supporting each other a lot, making sure we eat, get up in the morning, get moving a bit, try to read the paper and get some war updates. Lot of stuff like that. We actually met one of the women that were apart of Operation Virago. She was part of the 82nd Airborne Division, and she was there with another woman. Her name's Carol LaFayette, she was a Sergeant, but she took a hit in the Rhur Pocket. She said she's most likely being sent home. She jumped into Normandy just like us with another woman, Veronica Weber, who worked as a radioman. We told her that we had 3 women with us as well, and she remembered you three so distinctly. She raved about you 3; you're a special group.

We talked a lot after that, but she was finally able to be sent back to America, and Joe and I are close to being sent back until the doctors feel we are ready enough for the trip over again. Joe and I both think we're ready, but you know those doctors, all I can think of are Gene and Lizzie, they were always on someone's case when they were sick, but that's what made them so good at their job.

How've you been? Joe and I miss being able to talk with you all the time, it gets a little boring knowing all our friends are probably having more fun than we are right now. I hope you had a great birthday, I know this year we couldn't be there for it, but we know it must've been good with these boys. Tell Hazel and Lizzie that we hope our little girls are doing well, we know they weren't their happiest when we left. Stay safe out there, hopefully when this is all over we can all hang out like old times without a war up our rear ends.

Love,

Bill Guarnere and Joe Toye

PS Hey Mack, it's Joe Toye, Bill says ' Joe and I ' too many times throughout, I was over his shoulder as he wrote, just so you know. He hogged the only paper we could get our hands on. Stay safe out there and tell everyone we said hi.

Catherine looked up from the letter, and blew out her cheeks. She missed both Bill and Joe horribly and she just wished that they could've made it this far to where they were now, to get a chance to experience this, the beauty, the hopeful end of the war that was looming just around the corner, the chance to drink Hitler's wine. All of it. And they didn't know about the injury that had almost taken Hazel's life. Catherine sighed. She slowly folded up the letter, and stuck it into her breast pocket with a quiet sigh.

" Cath." a voice called and Catherine looked over to see it was Peacock coming toward her.

" Hey, Tom," she said as he came towards her.

" Here," he said and she took his hand to stand up, " someone said you needed me." " Right," Catherine said, attempting to clear her head from the letter which had riled up a whole new set of emotions she was hoping to pack away for a bit, " I have to do a report, geography of the land and stuff, Winters told me Sink wants it, do you have the reports of who was where at their posts?"

" Yeah, 'course, they're up in the officers post." Peacock said looking at her.

" Think you could run up and grab those for me?" Catherine asked him, the report would get her mind off the letter and the swirl of sadness that happened to be associated with it. But she had never been happier, deep down inside, to be able to hear from Bill and Joe, she missed them so much.

On May 7th, the air was warm and the sky was so bright, it had been so beautiful the past few days. Hazel had been crouched against a little flower garden beside the main street of Berchtesgaden, picking through where there was a few pieces of garbage and a few dead flowers. Her hair was hanging in her face from how long it was, even in the messy bun she wore.

Then she heard footsteps, racing down the street. When she glanced over, she saw it was Talbert, with wide eyes. Hazel slowly stood up, slightly confused as he raced past her, and straight into the building where the rest of the NCOs and some of the Lieutenants were currently staying. Hazel quirked a brow up. She sighed and went back to tending to the little garden that had been neglected since the Germans had left.

" Yahoo!" a voice yelled suddenly, making Hazel jump as she turned and watched people spill out from the nearby building, shouting and yelling and jumping up and down, hugging and high-fiving people.

What was going on?

That's when Johnny spotted her.

" Hazel!" he called as he ran over, " It's over!" Hazel froze her eyes wide as she stared at him. What was he talking about?

" It's over! It's over, the war, all of it, the Germans surrendered!" Johnny yelled as he reached her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She stared at him.

This couldn't be real, standing in the middle of Berchtesgaden being told by Johnny the war was over.

" It's over?" Hazel asked softly. Johnny nodded. She didn't hesitate to hug Johnny right then and there, her eyes wide with shock. It had been so many years, since 1939, that they'd been fighting; they'd been training since 1942, long and tiresome training filled with strain and uncertainty. They dropped behind enemy lines on June 6th,1944 with fear and adrenaline riled up in their systems, ready to fight in a war they virtually knew nothing about. Now they were veterans, torn up by war and dragged around in death's grasp to lay barely alive, barely human. But they'd made it.

That's when Hazel broke down in Johnny's arms, putting her hand over her eyes as she began crying on his shoulder. Johnny held her tighter and gently rubbed her back as cries, painful, yet relief filled cries bubbled past her mouth in choking gasps.

" Hazel!" a voice yelled and Hazel pulled from Johnny's arms to see Catherine coming toward her, looking overwhelmed and worried.

" What's wrong?" Catherine asked arriving at her side looking between her and Johnny.

" It's over, Cath." Johnny whispered. Catherine stared at him, her eyes trained on both of them.

" The war?" she whispered softly.

" The war in Europe." Hazel whispered, as she smiled, but another cry escaped her lips. She was too happy and too overwhelmed. Catherine stood there for a moment, staring at the ground. Hazel just turned to Catherine and walked up and hugged her, holding the woman close in her arms.

Catherine froze for a second, standing there with the tiny girl's arms around her, before she sunk into Hazel's arms, wrapping her arms around her and shutting her eyes, letting it suddenly all sink in. She teared up a bit even.

Neither of the girls that now held each other in their arms, would've ever expected to get to this point, to be standing here now with the news of the war they were fighting with the Nazis was over.

But Catherine's mind went to her brothers, out in the Pacific. They were alive, barely, they're letters short, barely turning the page anymore, but they were there; she knew that had to end soon as well. News started spreading like wildfire, through 2nd Battalion. There were hugs and cheers and celebrations and drunk festivities all day long, so long that many people forgot what food was.

Catherine had stumbled out of a building, sipping on her 3rd bottle of schnapps, drunk out of her mind, the bottle of liquid swishing around in her hand, as she stumbled through the darkened streets her eyes unfocused. Her eyes caught a figure coming towards her.

" George!" she called, throwing a hand up in the air to wave at the radioman.

" Catherine!" George called from down the street, drunkly stumbling as he moved towards her.

Catherine tried to stop in front of him, but she tripped and fell into him, as he caught her and the two stumbled down onto the grass. Catherine let out a drunk sigh leaning against George's chest.

" I am a mess, George." she said, and then laughed as she laid her head on top of his chest.

" Yes, you are." he said and then drunkly laughed, resulting in the two of them laughing together.

" How about I get you settled in your room?" George asked her. Catherine gently lifted her head and pouted at him.

" But then I can't get more schnapps." she complained staring at him with sad eyes. George smirked.

" I'll find a way to get that for you, but you look like you need to rest." George said just a bit more sober than she currently was. Catherine grinned like a child and nodded.

" Here, c'mon." George said sitting up to get to his feet and help the drunk Lieutenant to her feet. Catherine gently grasped his arm with her one hand and walked with the bottle of schnapps sloshing around in her other hand. She slumped over, a pout on her face.

" Why you slumped over like that?" George asked her and she could just hear the smirk playing on his face. Catherine pouted.

" I'm sad." she whined out.

" Why are you sad?" George asked her.

" 'Cause some radioman isn't allowing me to finish my drink." she said and looked up at him with shining eyes. She heard George chuckle as she stumbled over her two feet.

" Let's get you upstairs," he said, as George carefully led her upstairs and to her room where all the other Lieutenants had rooms.

" Where's yours?"

" Here," Catherine said pointing to the door that was on the right, closest to the staircase. George helped her open the door as she stumbled inside. George gently closed the door behind him and turned watching as Catherine took another sip of the schnapps in her hand.

" Hey, hey, no more," George said coming closer, and pulling the bottle from her hands.

" What? No! George....." Catherine said pouting as she went to reach for it and George pulled it back and out of her grasp. Catherine looked at him with a pout on her face.

" Just one more sip." she pleaded to him. George smirked at her, a soft smirk on his yet to fully be drunk lips.

" No," he said shaking his head, a few inches from her face. Catherine pouted again as she went to reach for it, but George turned and placed it on the nearby table.

" Aw, George." whined Catherine as George turned back to her.

" I promise, it's for your own good," he said watching as she smirked.

" You just don't want me to drink anymore." she said as if she were sneaky. George smirked at her.

" Yeah, that's exactly why." he said and Catherine leaned closer to him, biting back her lip.

" Give me the bottle, George." she said as George's eyes went to her lips.

" No," George said as the smirk grew on his face, his eyes glinting.

" What happens if I do get it then?" she asked, staring up at him. George stared at her, stared at Catherine and those big eyes watching him, with a playful motive in them, as she stared at George.

Catherine's smirk slowly fell as George grew quiet.

She didn't even realize George's hand had slowly cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing against her cheek, making her heart beat faster and faster with each pump. And suddenly her face was hot, and she felt herself melting into him.

" You're heart's racing," George whispered as Catherine drew closer.

" You're making it race." Catherine whispered as her eyes went to his lips.

Catherine was suddenly more sober than a judge, the drunkness that had filled her brain, gone. She met his eyes, that were longing to look into hers. His eyes were so warm, they were so bright, they were so beautiful. Catherine nearly felt her heart pounding within her throat, louder and louder. her eyes were on his lips again, which remained slightly parted, gently.

Catherine then sucked in a breath and slowly closed the tense gap between them and pressed her lips to George's.

But she had surprised even herself and pulled back, watching him, as if shocked. She watched him, the two watching each other, surprised that her lips had so softly touched his.

But then George's lips hungrily, pressed back on hers, as he pulled her as close as he possibly could to his body. Her lips tasted like schnapps, and they were warm. Catherine's hands only took a few moments to push up into his fluffy hair as she wrapped her arms further around his neck, pulling him closer. For a brief moment his lips pulled back a mere centimetre from her own.

" Lieutenant...." George whispered, his voice raspy.

" Just kiss me." she whispered and George didn't hesitate to press his lips back against hers, holding her close and never wanting to let go.

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OKAYYYYYY i really don't think anyone has suspected this to happen on first read if i'm being honest with a more undermined relationship, but as i wrote these two, i found myself loving them together, loving that the saw each other's vulnerabilities and still made the other smile, i feel they just work :) i could go on. thank you for reading!! i hope you enjoyed this update!! <3