AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey this is my first BoB fanfic! I am hoping to continue writing more of it if any of you love it! This is out of the respects of the real paratroopers in BoB and this was purely fictional; based of the mini-series. I don't own anything except my characters and the sub-plots.
Chapter One:
The Wind that Chills
'Cold… Too Cold…' Annalise thought as she huddled in her big black winter coat. She was in an American jeep on her way to Easy Company. She wasn't alone on this cold rocky ride, Col. Sink and Gen. McAuliffe were with her.
"Does it get this cold in Limburg, Nurse?", Sink asked as the jeep drove through the woods of Belgium. Annalise popped her head out of her big coat shivering, "N-No Sir… Limburg doesn't get harsh winters like this…" She said with her light Dutch accent. The snow was blowing threw her locks and her face wasn't protected from the harsh wind that picked up when the jeep drove through Belgium.
Annalise wasn't very fond of the cold, she loved the warmth of the sun and the breeze of summer. She missed home, the Netherlands… The Dutch don't like to travel, which was true to Annalise, and it was understandable that she would be homesick. But Annalise had a duty; she must help the men in combat by healing them with her medical skills. It's kinda cheesy to think about it, being a nurse to a company of soldiers who must be look after . But she was passionate to the duty of nursing. Since her mother was a nurse, she was inspired by her occupation of healing people.
Sink nodded at the shivering young Dutch woman, "I hope you can handle the cold Miss Van Der..Uh.."
"Van Der Willigen, Sir…", Annalise said correcting the colonel. She knew her last name would be very confusing to some people, it was long and forgetful.
"Right… "Van Der Willigen"…" Sink muttered as the jeep arrived at Easy Company's camp.
Annalise saw soldiers gathered around a German soldier being captive. The captain she could recognize, it was Richard Winters. She recognized him from profile pictures during the process of transfer. He wasn't fully shaved, with his shaving cream half on his face. She also saw a medic beside Captain Winters, which caught her eye. She was relived that there were medics around the camp. At first she though she was gonna be the only nurse or medic due to the transfer to a company of soldiers.
When the jeep stopped, Annalise, Sink, and McAuliffe, got out of the automobile and made their to Captain Winters, "Gents, you all know General McAuliffe, acting division commander." Sink said introducing to the men around them.
A soldier, a lieutenant then spoke, "We've been taking ground in one position, general, losing it in another."
Annalise got easily bored, military plans and reports never really interest her. She really wanted to meet the soldiers and get to know them before she had the chance to preform medical procedures on them. She blocked the sound and studied the area… It was cold… Not physical but metaphorically… She could tell that the mens' hearts were somewhat low on hope… The only courage that they had was to protect and defend each other…
"Your first battalion just pulled out of Foy, Krauts on their tail. Tanks, artillery. Got no backup. There's a lot of shit head this way." McAuliffe said as he got in the jeep.
"Before we go, we wanted to drop off a new recruit for Easy Company." Sink then turned to Annelise and introduced her to the leaders of Easy Company, "Gents, this is Nurse Van Der Willigen. She is the finest nurse and first female combat medic that U.S. Army has ever seen."
This made Annalise pop her head out of the clouds of thought and back into reality. As the men noticed her, she awkwardly waved her hand for greeting. The medic in the background stopped and gave a good look at her. She had blonde hair that was braided on one side, she was slender yet strong, and had the biggest round eyes that he'd had ever seen. He was intrigued by her, not by her appearance obviously, but intrigued of why she came here or joined the army.
Captain Winters furrowed his brows, unsure about this "combat" nurse, "Sir, you think it's wise to bring a nurse to the battlefield?"
Sink answered as he got in the jeep, "Nurse Van Der Willigen patched up thirty-five soldiers in Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands in a command of combat. She is the far most finest nurse no army has ever seen."
It was true, eighteen year old Annalise healed thirty five, if not more, American soldiers in Maastricht. The battle in Maastricht lasted for five days, which was torture to Annalise. She never wanted to brag about the actions she did to save the soldiers. But she was proud that she healed those soldiers that almost lost their lives. Being eighteen was very uncommon to go in action to save the lives of men. The only reason why she did it was the sake of saving God's children and not leave them to die.
Winters was impressed and nodded back at the colonel, "All right, I'll have her get a tour around the camp, Sir."
The jeep started up and Sink spoke, "Nurse, take care." Annalise nodded back at Sink and the jeep was gone.
"Nurse, I'm Captain Winters and this is Captain Nixon.", Winters said introducing himself and Nixon who was next to Winters. "Ma'am", Nixon nodded with a kind smile. "Hallo…" Annalise said with a small smile. She then remembered the paper fill out that she was suppose to give to Captain Winters, she search in her pockets, "I have my papers for you to look at, Sir" She said calmly yet shyly.
Annalise gave them to Winters nervous, which Winters noted to himself. He read through the papers and looked at her, "Your name is Annalise?"
She nodded, huddling in her jacket collar, "Yes, Sir… I was named after my grandmother who'd work as a nurse in the Great War back thirty years ago."
Winters chuckled when Annalise answered him, "Well, it's a nice name… It fit's you…" When Winters went back to read more of the papers, Annalise started to blush at Winter's complement which made Nixon the medic chuckle.
After Winters read the papers, he gave it to Nixon and turned to Annalise, "You'll be with the medics in the company and I'll have you assigned to a medic named Eugene Roe who will watch over your duties."
The medic behind Winters' head popped and payed attention to Annalise and Winters. Winters waved over the medic from behind him to come over, the medic came and listened to Winters, "Eugene, this is Nurse Van Der Willigen, you'll watch over her duties during this time in Belgium, understood."
Eugene, the medic that was introduced to Annalise answered back, "Yes, Sir…"
"Good… Carry on…"
But Eugene called out to Winters, "Sir?"
Winters turned to Eugene before he went back to his fox hole, "Doc?"
"Can I scrounge a bandage from your aid kit, sir?"
"How are you fixed?" Winters asked while giving Eugene medical supplies.
"No plasma, couple of bandages, practically no morphine" Eugene continued putting his hands in his pockets, " In fact, I tried to find my way to third Battalion looking for supplies, but I lost my way."
"If you can't get over to third, hook up with Doc Ryan. He'll fix you up what he has to spare." Winters answered shivering in the cold winter breeze.
"Thanks, captain."
"Eugene? Get everything you can; you're gonna need it."
Eugene nodded and nodded to Annalise to follow him. This was Annalise's beginning to a bloody yet cruel battle… And she wasn't thrilled by the thought of men dying…
As Annalise followed Eugene through the woods, silence was between them. It felt really awkward to follow around a medic but she had to. She studied him closely and noticed the dried blood on his army outfit. It made Annalise curious about how men Eugene healed. Eugene noticed Annalise studying him and spoke, "I'm guess you've never met a medic have you?"
"Actually I knew one… He was my fiancé back in the Netherlands…", Annalise replied as she walked with Eugene. 'Was?..' Eugene thought to himself about why Annalise said 'was' and not 'is'.
"What do you mean 'was'?… Did something happened?", Eugene asked being concern about Annalise, if he offended her in anyway about her personal life.
"He… Um…He died during the attack in Maastricht… He was shot by a German…" She said frowning, having her hands in her pockets. "His name was Blaise… He was from Saint-Quirin, France… He taught me French while we trained in the medical field in Luxembourg."
When Eugene heard Annalise saying that she learned french, he gave her a shy smile, "Vous appris Français?"
Annalise looked at Eugene and smiled, "Oui… Vous savoir français? Comment?"
Eugene chuckled and spoke back in English, "I'm Cajun…"
Annalise was confused, "Cajun?…"
"Oh… Cajuns are people from southern Louisiana… Part of America… And are descendants from French Canadians…" Eugene explained as the wind picked up, " So French is my second language…"
"Ah…" Annalise understood and noticed that Eugene had a very unique American accent that she had ever heard. She noted that his accent was most likely from his Cajun background.
"French is my forth language…" Annalise said as she rubbed her hands, trying to get warm. "German is third, English is second, and Dutch is my first…"
Eugene smiled a little, "You had a lot of time learning those languages…" Annalise nodded, "Besides French, I learned English and German when I was a child…"
Eugene nodded and continued to walk, "I gotta meet Spina… He's another medic…"
Annalise nodded and followed Eugene through the cold winter wind. Eugene then found the medic named 'Spina' and approached to him, "Spina…"
Spina then stopped making his foxhole and turned to Eugene and Annalise, "Doc…"
"What's happening?"
Spina answered, "We're digging in right along the line…" Spina then turned to Annalise, "And uh… Who are you?"
"I'm Van Der Willigen, but you can call me Annalise." Annalise answered as she shivered.
"She's the new medic…", Eugene said clearing the confusion.
"What? A female medic? You gotta be shitting me!…" Spina paused, "Sorry… That was rude…"
The young Dutch lady chuckled, "It's all right…"
Spina then gave Annalise a shy smile and continued to speak with Eugene, "Did you get anything, Doc?"
"I got- Uh, I got this, and I got myself a Kraut bandage." Eugene said getting into the foxhole along with Annalise and Spina.
"What? This is it?", Spina asked.
"Yeah… That's it… That's all we got…"
Spina then looked at Annalise, "Do you have anything to spare? Like bandages, plasma, or anything?"
Annalise then looked in her bag, "All I got is chocolate, morphine, and… I have six pairs of socks-"
"Six?! Your full of surprises nurse." Spina exclaimed shockingly.
Annalise chuckled and got out two pairs of socks and gave them to the medics, "Here, you need it more than I…"
When Annalise gave the medics socks, Spina was very curious about her, "Where you from?"
"I'm from Maastricht… Part of Netherlands…"
Spina nodded, "You look like a Dutch girl…"
Annalise huffed a chuckle, "I'm not fully Dutch though… I'm one forth French and one forth Swiss…"
"Swiss? That's interesting…"
"My grandparents met before the Great War… They were part of the medical program in Luxembourg…"
"Wow… I'm guessing the medical field runs in your family…"
After Spina spoke, Lieutenant Dike came up to them in disbelief, "What's this? Two medics and a nurse in a fox hole?"
Spina turned to Dike, "Yes, sir."
"What's gonna happen to us, if you take a hit?"
Annalise then spoke out, "That's unlikely sir.. We're going to spread out once we exchange our supplies."
Then a sergeant came up to Dike, "Sir…"
Dike turned to the sergeant, "First Sergeant, where's my foxhole?"
"It's back here, sir… Maybe you missed it?… I'll walk you back, sir. You're a bit too close to the line."
Dike was still in disbelief and walked with the sergeant, "Goddamn it…"
When they were gone, far out of the medics sight, Annalise sighed in stress, "He sounds like he's full of shit…"
Spina and Eugene's eyes widen and laughed, "I never thought those words would come out of your mouth!"
"What? I was raised on a farm that was full of men! I basically grew up with cussing sons of bitches…"
Eugene shook it off and got out of the foxhole, "Van Der Willigen, can you help me scavenge for some supplies?"
Annalise nodded, "Yeah…" She got up from her spot and followed Eugene once more.
Eugene and Annalise reached to the other men in the camp. Most of them looked at Annalise with disbelief that a female was on the front line with them. Annalise felt uncomfortable and kept close with Eugene.
Eugene then approached a soldier, "Sargent Guarnere, did you keep any morphine from Holland?"
"No… Hey Doc, I gotta talk to ya."
"How's that leg?", Eugene asked.
"Hell with the leg! I'm pissing needles!"
"Later…" Eugene then ran off to see soldiers for more supplies.
Annalise then turned to the soldier named 'Guarnere'. She then grabbed the extra paired of socks and gave it to him, "Here take theses… When you need to take a piss, hold it on your crouch and piss on it… It'll make it more comfortable."
Guarnere looked at Annalise like if she was crazy, it made Annalise laugh, "I know it sounds crazy, but my brother had the same thing and did the 'sock crouch' a couple of winters ago."
Guarnere laughed, "All right, I'll do it.. What's your name nurse?"
"Annalise, your Guarnere right?"
"Bill Guarnere…"
Eugene then called out from the cold wind, "Annalise!"
Annalise and Bill turned their heads and the Dutch nurse spoke, "I better go, take care Bill."
As Annalise ran back, Bill waved and hoped that he'll see her again.
When Eugene waited for Annalise, he started getting much more colder in his hands. Annalise approached Eugene and Eugene spoke in a serious tone, "Please stay with me… I don't wanna have you get killed just because we got separated for a couple of seconds… You don't know when a bomb is gonna hit you."
Annalise nodded and continued to follow Eugene. Eugene approved another soldier who was on the line, "You seen them?"
"No, but they're out there. Depend on it…"
After the soldier answered him was making coffee from his helmet and asked the Cajun medic, "Cup of joe, Doc?"
Eugene shook his head, "No… Gordon, I need scissors. You got scissors? Sharp scissors?"
As Eugene talked to the soldier named "Gordon", Annalise thought of the times she'd asked for medical supplies. She thought the times when she was with Blaise during the battle of Maastricht. She'd closed her eyes and flashed back to the past:
"Blaise, you got bandages? Clean ones?" Annalise asked as she sat on the chair in a half destroyed bakery.
Blaise, a very handsome auburn haired young medic smiled at Annalise and walked up to her with clean bandages, "Here… They're my last ones."
Annalise looked up at Blaise with disbelief, "What? They can't be your last ones…"
Blaise sighed and sat next to her, "Well, they are… But you need them more than I do…"
Blaise gave them to the young Dutch nurse and she chuckled, "You're too kind…"
Blaise smiled again and kissed her cheek.
"Hide your morphine, guys-" then a bomb exploded in the camp which made everyone, even Annalise fall to the ground.
Annalise felt a strong arm around her waist, it protected her from the dangerous explosives. She couldn't make out who was protecting her, due to the fact her was planted in the snow. The arms went away and Annalise rose up from the snow.
"Much you all right?", A soldier asked the soldier named 'Muck'.
"I'm good."
"Muck! Malarkey! Penkala!" Eugene called out.
"We're okay."
When Eugene and Annalise arrived where Muck and Malarkey were at, Eugene realized that Penkala was missing.
"Will you look at this shit! They peppered my helmet!" Much exclaimed and turned to Eugene, "Hey Doc! Morphine! Here take it!"
Much through the morphine to Eugene. When Eugene received the morphine, he grabbed Annalise's hand and gave the morphine to her, "Here… You need it more than I do!"
Annalise blinked a couple time, it felt like a 'Deja Vu' for her. She shook it off and heard a cry, "Medic! Doc! Medic!"
Eugene and Annalise raced to the cry, but another bomb hit the camp. Eugene fell into another foxhole, while Annalise dodged it and kept running to the cry of a soldier.
She found the soldier who'd cried. He was holding his wrist, which was bleeding, "You're not Doc!"
"Well, I'm a nurse!", Annalise yelled back, "What happened?!"
"I got hit on the wrist! It's the artery! I can feel it!"
Annalise grabbed his wrist with no hesitation. She found out it wasn't the artery, she shook her head, "It's not the artery!" She grabbed a clean bandage and started to wrap the soldiers wrist.
"I'm not going to an aid station nurse!"
After the soldier spoke, Eugene came up with stress, "Annalise! What the hell were you doing?! You could have been killed!"
Annalise didn't respond, she's finished patching up the soldier.
"Doc, I ain't going to no aid station." The soldier spoke to the black haired medic.
Eugene rolled his eyes, "Penkala, we don't got no aid station."
As Annalise got out of the foxhole, Eugene grabbed her forearm and dragged her away from the men, "Nurse, I don't know what the hell you did back in Maastricht. But now you have to be at my side, I don't want you getting killed by Krauts just because you weren't at my side!"
Annalise was quiet, she knew Eugene was uncomfortable watching over Annalise. She knew that he didn't want her getting killed, but this was war… And war changes for everyone and everything through out the course of time…
"Look…" Eugene calmed down, "Sorry for yellin' at ya… But I need you alive…The men defiantly need you… Just don't jump into danger when-"
Eugene sighed again, "Uh… I gotta look for Spina…" Eugene looked at Annalise in the eye, he could see the innocence in the nurses eyes… But the most interesting thing he saw in her eyes was that one of the eyes were a different color than the other one. One was a pale blue and the other was a grassy green.
"Uh… What happened to your eye there?", Eugene said with concern.
"Oh… I have heterochromia iridum… I got it when I was born…" Annalise said being little quiet than usually.
Eugene blinked a couple of times, still looking at Annalise's eyes, "Are you blind on one of your eyes or?…"
Annalise laughed, "No… You can say it was a long term magic trick?… "
Eugene chuckled, "Well it looks very unusual but very pretty…"
Eugene lightly blushed, which followed Annalise. Eugene then cleared his throat, "I uh… I can bring you to a fire pit for you to warm up if that's fine?"
Annalise nodded and Eugene led her to a group of soldiers huddling over a fire pit.
"Here I hope that works for you", Eugene said to Annalise, "I have to go… I'll see you soon."
Eugene took off, leaving Annalise to a group of soldiers huddling over a fire pit.
"Hey! Nurse!", Bill called out to Annalise who was in the group, "Sit! Here!"
Annalise smiled and ran over to Bill, "Hi Bill…"
Bill nodded, "Nice to see you again- Oh! Hey, that trick you told me! It worked!"
Annalise laughed, "I'm happy that it worked for you."
When Annalise huddled over the fire, even though the wind chilled the darken battle in Belgium, she felt worth from the soldiers in Easy Company.