" She found the colors to paint him when the world had left him gray."

- Atticus

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Hazel and Joe eventually retreated outside, sitting on the dock, their legs swinging above the water, Joe's arm wrapped around her shoulder, occasionally pressing affectionate kisses to her head or to her temple, whispering soft words to her, as she cuddled against him, remembering the way his lips had been against her own, how full of love they had been, full of life, a future of possibilities.

They didn't need to talk, just to be by the lake water, lapping against the poles of the dock, soft crickets twittering, a light breeze hitting them. As long as they were together, side by side, everything seemed absolutely wonderful. Nothing could change it.

Hazel's thoughts were ever present though on Easy Company.

From Normandy to Zell Am See and what the experience had brought her. She felt sad when each and every word that had flooded into her brain were negative words, filled with bad memories.

But was war just that?

Hazel felt she'd never know. She thought a lot about many of the men they had lost, all the way back to D-Day, like John Hall who had been nothing but kind and youthful but had lost his life for the war - just a boy. She also thought of Tipper. Tipper had been an original Toccoa member, he'd been there since the beginning for the men of Easy - they'd lost him to.

But her mind stayed focused on Bill and Joe and she never thought she'd miss them as much as she did now. She wanted them to be here with her, here with the men of Easy Company, celebrating their anniversary - they had made it! They'd made it this far!

But no, the world was cruel sometimes, so cruel.

Then she thought of Buck, the Lieutenant who had managed to have a conversation with her, without a single mention of this horrid war - a normal conversation. He had been so shell-shocked seeing his buddies the way they were, that it hurt too much for him to even continue. Hazel had heard about how George had tried to plead with Buck and beg him to stay on the line, but had left George on his knees.

Hazel thought about Skip and Penkala, two men who were original Toccoa members who would never go back to America.

They had seen Lady Liberty for the last time.

And those two men were always so kind to Hazel, even when they were at their lowest at times - they never failed to make her smile, or give her a laugh, make her feel better. Hazel laughed lightly to herself - they'd want her to keep laughing, keep smiling, keep being herself. She'd always remember them.

The stars were shining brightly, on one of the clearest nights Hazel had ever seen them. She remembered on D-Day, looking out that plane window, as the scared, naive, young girl she was, looking at the stars, praying for an ounce of safety for the men and women of Easy Company and for her.

The war had changed her, it had changed her more than she could ever imagine. Her mindset, her views on the world, on war, on emotions, on love and hatred. Her views she felt were forever changed. D-Day one year ago had changed her life forever, her life would never go back to June 4th, 1944, to whatever she had been before that day, she would forever be changed by June 6th, 1944, forever and ever.

And most of the time, war changed people a lot, just to simply be that way - they'd sometimes be forever changed because of it. Hazel let out a quiet sigh, as she watched the stars quietly moving across the Earth.

Her heart was filled with so many different emotions. They were being redeployed to the Pacific.

They'd have to go through this terror all over again.

She didn't want to.

She didn't want to go through all of this again because it sucked.

She thought with this war over, they'd be going home, they'd be going back to America, she could see her family again.

She thought maybe she could be with Joe, be with him in San Francisco.

Have the life she saw in her head with him.

But with the war?

With the Pacific theater quickly approaching their set time, love was hard to get by with. It scared her. She was scared for what might happen to the men who had already been through so much turmoil. She didn't want any of them to have to go through the war again. She wanted them to be able to go home, away from all of this and try to get back to their lives which were stopped by war.

But those sad thoughts disappeared when she looked at Joe, sitting so contently quiet, a soft smile on his face, with glowing eyes, his entire face glowing. He brought her happiness in so many forms.

Like this very moment.

Hazel softly placed a hand on his knee and gently squeezed it. Joe looked at her and couldn't help but softly kiss her forehead as she giggled.

Everything would be okay, all of it.

It would all be okay.

The stars watched her, they watched Hazel finally feel a sense of happiness, sense of trust and love and peace with herself.

The stars cried that night.

On June 7th, Hazel was lying on her side in bed, with a sad heart. Last night with Joe, had been everything she ever wanted, but sometimes happiness didn't always last through for the following days. Shifty was leaving today. One of her best friends was leaving. And she knew she should be happy for him, happy for him to be able to leave the company and go home, but she couldn't help but feel sad that one of the people her understood her the most was leaving. But he deserved to see home again, he deserved it so much.

Hazel felt an odd swirl of emotions within the pool of her stomach. A year ago she had been praying with Gene in Normandy for Catherine's safety and Lizzie's safety and every single Easy Company man's safety. Now she was watching Shifty leave, the first of many she assumed in the upcoming months. Hazel forced herself up and out of bed and to the mess hall, her feet quiet on the ground as she walked in and found Shifty in his normal spot, sipping coffee, dressed in his beige uniform, cover and newspaper sitting beside him, scooping oatmeal into his mouth. Hazel smiled softly and approached him.

" Hey, Shifty," she said and Shifty turned at the sound of her voice.

" Hazel!" he said, his eyes lighting up, " Wanna sit down?"

" Of course," she said and slowly lowered herself in her seat next to him, softly letting herself sit by his side. Shifty noticed that she wasn't completely herself. She wasn't completely Hazel Parker.

" Hey," Shifty said, placing a hand on her shoulder, " you okay?" Hazel met his eyes and nodded, telling herself not to cry.

" Yeah," she whispered softly, " I'm okay." Shifty watched her.

" I'm going to miss you," Hazel whispered, as tears welled in her eyes.

" Aw, hey, Hazel, it's okay," Shifty said, as Hazel immediately held him in a hug as the two sharpshooters held on another. Hazel squeezed her eyes shut as they held each other.

Shifty had been one of her closest friends through the war, and she had told him so many of her fears, so many joys, so many different things in her life and he had always listened and vice versa. They told each other everything, and they always understood each other, with simple motions even.

" I'm glad you're going home though, Shifty," she sniffled, " you deserve it more than anyone."

" You deserve it too," Shifty whispered back and Hazel squeezed her eyes shut. Every man deserved it, they all deserved to go home, but they knew they couldn't. Shifty could escape the Pacific, this horrid war, this fear. He could finally get away from it all with his pure soul.

" Hey, but we don't have to say good bye, yet I still have a few hours here," Shifty said as Hazel pulled back and met his eyes as she let out a tiny laugh with tears trailing down her cheeks.

" Only a few hours," she whispered softly and Shifty smiled at her, " you're one of my best friends, Shifty. Seeing you go, I know I have to be happy for you, but since the beginning, you've been my friend, you've always been there. I'm going to miss you a lot." Shifty smiled at her, watching the tears on her slightly tanned face. He smiled at her.

" I'll miss you more, Hazel, I knew I could tell you everything and you wouldn't judge who I was," Shifty said and Hazel gently touched his arm, " I knew I could trust you with my life." Hazel wiped at her cheeks and sniffled with a sad smile. She watched Shifty's eyes fill with tears.

" Please don't cry, Shifty," she said with a laugh reaching up to brush tears that crawled down his cheek, " you'll make me cry more." Shifty laughed weakly, and met her eyes again.

" I'm going to miss you, Hazel," Shifty said, " you showed me that I can be comfortable with my emotions, you know? If I feel sad, it's okay to cry, to be upset, and still be strong. You showed me that." Hazel sniffled, she never thought she was strong with her emotions, but watching Shifty now made her believe that maybe she was strong, even with all her emotions.

Hazel and Shifty went and stood by the lake, staring out at the water, having one of the deeper conversations of their friendship about the struggle of the human mind once it was put back into society. He had just said his goodbye to Winters. And now Shifty was growing closer to his leaving time. They were quiet, with low spoken voices as they squinted in the sun, looking out towards the lake, watching the little waves lap along the shoreline, leaving the tiny pebbles shiny from the water.

It was a meaningful conversation, a conversation like this which she would miss having with someone like Shifty.

A bunch of people were there to see Shifty off, giving him hugs, pats on the bags, encouraging words and wishes of farewell. Hazel didn't fail to give him an extra long hug as the two held each other, holding back their tears. They'd been through a large majority of the war together and had experienced such similar things they felt only both of them could talk about with each other, like God telling you to love your enemies and how Hazel told Shifty she felt she never could truly love her enemy in that moment.

Shifty had understood.

Hazel backed away from Shifty giving him a small wave as he climbed up into the Army Jeep, sitting down and looking towards the group before waving and being hastily whisked away. Hazel watched Shifty pulling away with soft, sad eyes, her hands shaking.

Shifty Powers, her fellow sharpshooter, gone like that.

But her heart told her that him going home, was the only was to save him in this war and he deserved to be going home. Hazel sat in Catherine's room that night, staring out towards the darkened night and darkened lake, as the little lights that lit up the edges of the lake, flamed lightly.

" Here," Catherine said placing a cup of coffee into Hazel's grasp slowly as Hazel watched with sad eyes. Hazel took it and looked down at the cup that sat between her fingers.

" Thanks, Cath," Hazel said softly, eyes failing to even recognize a human in front of her.

" I forgot how much it hurts when people who are like family leave." Hazel said softly, with a small smile towards Catherine. Catherine watched Hazel softly, and gently brushed her hair behind her ear.

" It's okay to miss people, Hazel." Catherine whispered.

" He was like my brother," Hazel whispered softly, tapping her fingers against the coffee cup," A lot like a brother." Catherine watched Hazel and smiled.

" When he gets home, you can write him," Catherine said gently, " I know he's going to miss you too." Hazel smiled softly.

" And maybe when this war's over, I can visit him, he lives close by to Pigeon Forge, in Clincho." Hazel said, " He's a good person." Catherine nodded. She gently wrapped an arm over Hazel's shoulder and pulled her into a warm side hug.

Leaving these men would be hard when the time eventually came.

Harder than many things.

They'd become a true family, a found family, a family you'd never suspect.

But when you go through bad situation, after bad situation, you grew more bonded than ever.

" Hey, sorry, Gene just let me off for the night," Lizzie said as she came in shutting the door behind her with a sigh. Catherine and Hazel glanced towards the medic as she slowly pulled the satchel from her shoulder with a sigh.

" Mother of God," she sighed, swinging around her medic satchel from her shoulder, " and then Floyd comes up and starts making jokes about the moon, I swear I don't ever need to hear about any more crescent moon jokes." Both Catherine and Hazel laughed lightly as Lizzie shuffled forward with a smile, before sitting down on Hazel's other side.

" You okay, Tiny?" Lizzie asked.

" She misses Shifty," Catherine said for Hazel who have a soft, sad smile.

" I miss Shifty too," Lizzie said taking Hazel's hand, " we all do." Hazel smiled softly and looked at either of them.

" Thanks guys," she said softly as the three women sat together.

" How about," Catherine said, " I run down, grab some of the food that's in the officers quarters and we put on some music and we just chill out for the night?" Hazel and Lizzie smiled watching Catherine; they nodded.

Then there was a knock on the door.

" Cath?" a voice called. Catherine froze.

George.

Oh no.

Hazel and Lizzie looked at the door with confused raised brows as Catherine, feigning surprise stood and wandered over to the door. Catherine slowly opened the door and watched as George appeared on the other side with a wide smile on his face.

" George!" she said, clearing her throat, and nodding, trying to make it obvious that there were in fact Hazel and Lizzie in the room, " What's up?" George met her eyes and then saw Hazel and Lizzie in the room, watching George and Catherine confused, as they talked in hushed voices together. They eventually watched as Catherine pushed him back out of the room, slamming the door behind her into the hallway.

" George," she whispered, crossing her arms, " you can't make it obvious." George smirked at her and chuckled quietly.

" You think those two will really care?" George said. Catherine gave him a look, biting back her lip.

" I think if we start kissing each other, they'll care." Catherine whispered and George smirked at her.

" Hazel's sad about Shifty going, so we're just having a girl's night in, to make her feel better, she needs this." Catherine whispered to him, " She's like my little sister, George, she needs some time." George smiled at her.

" Of course," he said, " now's not a good time to mention I snuck in past Winters, Nixon and Welsh all sitting in the main foyer." Catherine watched him with wide eyes, playful eyes.

" George Luz, you snuck in?" she whispered, " You'd be kicked out faster than ever before if you were caught."

" To see you, I'd risk it," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer, nuzzling his nose against hers. She blushed. Catherine watched his eyes and gently cupped his cheek.

" I love you, George," she whispered softly, watching his eyes register her words. George then smiled so gently, so softly in the dim moonlight, and gently brushed his thumb across her cheek. " I love you more, Catherine," George whispered as Catherine watched him, his warm embrace encasing her entire being, so intoxicating, so warm, so soft and gentle, so much like a home. Catherine watched his eyes and smiled softly. Her heart fluttered at the look he was giving her, the love in his eyes, the look of complete trust and loyalty and devotion. A love she had never experienced in her entire life. She pressed a tender kiss to his lips, holding it there for a few moments, a soft and gentle moment between the two. Catherine softly pulled back and watched his eyes again.

" I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered softly against her lips.

" Don't get caught just for me, George," she whispered back and George smirked at her, pecking her lips again before slowly backing away down the hall, smirking at her with a malicious wink.

" You know I'd get caught for you," he called softly back to her, before disappearing down the hall and around the corner, dashing out again. Her heart was racing, cheeks aflame and suddenly she realized she had to face Hazel and Lizzie. Catherine slowly turned and found Hazel and Lizzie still sitting on the bed, now looking towards Catherine with soft smiles.

" Sorry, he was just..." Catherine's mind went blank," never mind." And suddenly, all she wanted to do was tell the two women of the love she had with George, this pure, happy, healthy love that finally made her feel something like it were real and it could last.

" Can I tell you two something?" she whispered. Hazel and Lizzie watched her.

" Of course, what's going on?" Lizzie asked her as Catherine slowly laid down against the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Lizzie slowly turned and moved towards her head, wrapping an arm around her as Catherine sighed cuddling up like a kid. Hazel sat criss cross beside her, watching her innocently.

" I love George," Catherine whispered, her voice gentle in the room. Hazel and Lizzie's eyes widened to the size of golfballs as they looked towards each other and to Catherine who was smiling. She was smiling so wide.

" AW! Catherine!!" Lizzie squealed, putting her hands to her cheeks and squealing like a teenager again. Catherine blushed hiding her face as Hazel let out an excited squeal falling back onto the bed.

" What happened? When did it happen? Have you kissed?" Lizzie asked her watching with wide eyes. Catherine sat up, looking so genuinely happy for the first time since the women were in New York with their paratrooper wings.

" Catherine, please I want to know!!" Hazel squealed, scooting forward and watching Catherine.

" Alright, alright," Catherine said with a soft laugh," so do you guys remember VE Day?"

" Of course," Lizzie said with a grin.

" Well, George offered to take my drunk ass up to my room, and well things led to things and he ended up kissing me, maybe a little drunk himself, and I woke up with him beside me in bed." Catherine said. Both Hazel and Lizzie's eyes widened.

" Did you-"

" NO!" Catherine yelled throwing her hands up, blushing furiously, " No, no, no, we must've made out and then ended up falling asleep, neither of us remember much." Catherine slowly brushed hair behind her ear and smiled softly.

" And I think in that moment, I realized what love could be, I mean we were just friends really, and we knew each other's vulnerabilities, I've only ever cried in front of him and you two, if I'm being honest." Catherine said and both the women sighed, their hearts soft.

" You two are adorable," Hazel whispered softly, her eyes shining as Catherine blushed.

" I finally feel that maybe love isn't something I should be scared of," Catherine said softly, kneading her fingers together, " George makes me believe in love, a good love, a pure love. He makes me happier, and I feel that even though I know I'm a good person, he makes me an even better one." Catherine smiled to herself as Hazel let out a soft 'awwww'.

Hazel felt that seeing Catherine happy, and with someone who made her feel happy, and made her feel like herself, made Hazel happy. Because Catherine deserved happiness, it's all she wants at the end of this.

" Out there," Catherine whispered softly, looking towards the door, " I told him I loved him." The girls squealed, sitting closer watching Catherine's eyes shine.

" And he told me he loved me too," Catherine whispered and both Hazel and Lizzie let out even louder squeals.

" This is so cute, Catherine!!" Hazel said with shining eyes, putting her hands on her cheeks as she watched Catherine smile and blush all at once.

" Wait, wait, wait, can you imagine their kids!" Lizzie said, before rolling off the bed and standing in front of them.

" Between your looks, George's eyes, both your smiles, your nose, his eyelashes, his hair, your children are going to be adorable!" Lizzie called, putting her hands on her cheeks and squealing.

" Aw guys," Catherine whispered, " we haven't talked about that yet at least."

" YET!" Lizzie called jumping onto the bed, " You two are truly so adorable, I knew it in the way he started looking at you over the past two months, even back in Mourmelon, I saw the looks he gave you at meal time." Catherine met her eyes.

" What looks?" Catherine whispered.

" Oh you know, the one's where you were obliviously laughing at something Babe said, and he'd be watching, that fork almost to his mouth." Lizzie said and Catherine blushed further.

" He was crushing on you," Hazel said softly with wide eyes, a soft gaze her way. Catherine looked at them and then blushed further.

" He just makes my heart race," she whispered, " and the looks, I never even noticed, I was too caught up in this war. It's why I'm glad, that he was there for me, when I wasn't there for myself." Lizzie and Hazel watched with soft eyes.

" You two truly are adorable, really," Lizzie said and Catherine smiled.

" Knock knock," a voice whispered and the women looked at each other. Catherine slowly stood and walked over to the door before opening it up. George was back, treats from the officers in his arms, and that stupid smirk on his face.

" Sorry, figured I'd grab it since I was sneaking around." he said with a grin as Lizzie and Hazel giggled behind Catherine. Catherine watched him. Her heart was warm.

" I love you," she whispered softly and George smirked, handing over the things to her arms, and gently pressing a proud kiss to her cheek in front of the two other woman, who held back their squeals.

" Lizzie, Hazel, hello, ladies," he said with a wave and they grinned with waves," I gotta actually go now, before Winters beats my ass for being here." Catherine giggled softly. George proudly smiled, before gently squeezing her arm and giving her a wink before moving out down the hall. Catherine slowly shut the door with her feet and then turned to the 2 women.

" You better keep him around that little finger of yours." Lizzie said with a smile, " He loves you, Catherine, I can see it in his eyes, he loves you so much."

And Catherine smiled, she smiled wide.

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AHHHHH yes i am posting pure fluff and adorable, soft scenes just because after all that sadness, you all deserve some soft scenes with these lil beans!! thank you all so much for your endless love and support and be on the lookout for more updates. and keep reading, i have a few announcements!!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

-> i am working on an ao3 account, still seeing if i can get and invitation, so hopefully i can post my stories on there as well!! :)

-> i am planning something on tumblr, where i post some of my readers' favorite scenes, so if you don't mind, leave a few of your favorites scenes here just because i'm thinking this would be cute to do!!!

thank you all!! <3