Sinks Daughter
"They depended on each other. And the world depended on them."- Tom Hanks and Steve Spielberg, Band of Brothers
-Bastogne, France-
She shivered as the cold wind blew against her and the snow crunching against her boots. She would do about anything to be back in her P.T gear and running up Currahee with the sun beating down on her, at least she would be able to feel her fingers as sweat rolled down her back and replaced the shivers of ice.
She pushed herself harder towards the top of the hill and the men. It was a relief when she caught sight of them, she hoped this plan wouldn't backfire on her, Mathew was always the thinker between them though she was getting better at her planning. She could hear Sobel eggingthe men on even from the distance, she knew it was now or never to get her chance to be a part of her dream. She picked up speed and slowly but surely started getting closer, she could hear the heavy breathing of the men in front of her.
She smiled to herself, she was proving to be a thinker like her brother Mathew. She jumped into her fox hole and rubbed her hands together, Harry Welsh was nowhere to be seen as her partner was probably messing around with the boys.
She closed her eyes and could almost imagine the sound of her father's voice at his argument with her about joining the army.
The comfortable chair pressing against her sweaty back didn't seem as inviting as it usually did, it may have been the stare her father was giving her. "Don't push your luck."
"I'm going after what I want." The Colonel's advice slipped from her lips as a response. His advice was to never let anything get in your way when you really wanted something. "A compose." It sounded like a question coming from her lips.
"And what are your terms?"
"To join the army, the paratroopers and be treated like every other solider." She sat straighter as her father, the Colonel did a full scan over her as if it was the first time he had ever seen her.
"You would have to pass the tests of every other solider."
"I know."
"And also match the standards of every other man, no slack given."
"Yes Sir."
"Very well, you're already acting like a soldier." She couldn't help the smile spread across her face.
"Great, when do I start?"
"After I've had a word with the Broad." Her smile fluttered a bit at the edges.
She did make it to her dream and get approved from the Broad though she wasn't sure what kind of dream this really was. Her father may be Colonel Sink but she hadnt seen him for the longest of times since their last meeting, it was only a brief moment here and there before he was called back to work and she was to join the Company again.
"Gosh Liv, I don't know how you can stay responsible with all these men about 24-7." Olivia looked over Martha's shoulder at her friend shameless checking out the men around her.
"Stacy, honey, they are out of bounds."
"Until they step off the base." She gave Olivia a catty smile.
Responsible wouldn't be the word she would describe herself, she had fallen hard for a soldier. She knew a relationship was out of bounds, they were in war and the Broad wouldn't take the situation into count, she would have her wings taken and sent home.
Home didn't seem like a bad idea at the moment.
She sat down in the leather loveseat and pulled her legs underneath her. It was a déjà vu experience, the lamp shining on the desk with paperwork and the man leaning back behind it watching her. Different room on a different seat but that's how it always was, never in one place for too long. There was one difference though, the man at the desk looked older with wrinkles setting on his face though there was no sign of grey hairs in his brown. She leaned back settling her head on the arm chair, she watched him start to scribble down on the notes again.
She pulled her legs underneath her as it she really was in the Office watching her father. She hummed a song to herself as she picked up a stubby twig from outside her fox hole and leaned against the dirt wall drawing figures. She draw a circle and placed an oval underneath it making a plate, than draw candles on top. She let go of the twig and tried to make friction between her fingers to warm them up as the blood drained from them. "Happy Birthday Mathew." She almost wished that Mathew was breathing next to her that they could have experienced it together.
"Olivia, you still awake?" The hush whisper came from outside her hole where she could see someone climbing into it.
"How could I be asleep Welsh?" They were both thankful for the warmth that spread between them as they sat huddled together. "Thanks for letting me stay." She knew it was a stupid thing to say but she had talked Alton More to swap with her as she didn't think been stuck in a fox hole with Liebgott would be a good idea after the almost kiss a couple of days ago. Their relationship was going through another rough patch, it was as if he was mad at her again for committing herself to the army.
The man sitting on the end of the bench spoke. "George Luz." He held his hand out, and she went to shake it only for him to bring her hand to his lips for a kiss. "And those dummies are Edward Tipper and-"
"Joe Liebgott." She finished Luz's sentence.
"Oh you've met? So much for best friends." Tipper punched Liebgott in the shoulder.
"Olivia Sink." She couldn't help but winced as Luz, Tipper and Liebgott went still, it was only a moment but she saw it. The same reaction she always got when men found out her father.
"Crap, I asked the Colonels daughter out on a date." Liebgott face quickly turned into a smile as he scanned her over.
"Hold on, you ask her out." Tipper was again shaking his head at his best friend.
"I didn't say yes, it was a maybe." She glanced between the three men.
"Maybe means yes." Luz lit a smoke and she was tempted to snatch it up and throw it on the ground at his feet.
The flirting Joe Liebgott was no more when news got out that the Colonels daughter was entering the army, not just any platoon but Easy Company. She understood why he would be angry but this time she had no idea what had bothered him to bring this side of him out into the open. One good thing did come out of it, a new friendship with George Luz. He was one to treasure, the Company's joker. You could always count of Luz to bring a smile to your lips.
At the sound of crunching she glanced up from her hole at the white tree tops until Bull came into view. "Olivia, Johnny wants you for combat patrol." Her muscles ached as she followed Bull out of her hole, covering Welsh with the blanket before leaving as he'd already nodded off to sleep.
"It's to damn cold to be doing this shit."
"Following orders just like everyone else." She nodded her head agreeing with the man beside her.
She joined the group of men and listened for her next orders, watching the men get their equipment together. "That asshole couldn't find a snowball in a blizzard." She smiled at the Luz's comment. She rubbed her hands together trying to get the blood flowing through them.
"Move out."
"Tactical columns, men." She shadowed Bull and went behind him, holding her gun between her hands. She couldn't see shit in this weather, the fog made the trees look like the enemy.
As they wondered further into the forest, she came to a halt as Bull and the rest of the men stopped. She watched the conversation in front of her between Johnny and another solider before they started on the move again.
She jumped as the silence was broken with gun fire, she ducked for covered as the adrenalin run through her veins. "Bull! Christenson! Up on line!" She got into action at the sound of Johnny's voice and followed the men closer to the shooting. "We got a man down!" They spread out, she took cover behind a tree and dropped to the ground out of sight.
"What have we got?"
"Kids down." Her mind flashed to the solider Johnny was talking to moment ago, she let out a ring of shots as she tried to keep an ear open for orders.
"We gotta make a move."
"I can get him, sarge." She was hesitant on her next shot at the sound of Babe offering to get the wounded man.
Johnny seem to think about it as she could hear the shouts going through the radio. "One man down. Easy."
"Covering fire." She aimed towards the forest of the trees where the flashes of light came from the opposite side, she could never be sure if she hit one.
"Stay there. Don't move. Stop moving or they'll keep shooting!" She could hear Babe yelling over the fire as he tried to talk some sense into the kid.
"Pull back! We gotta pull back!" The shouts echoed from other soldiers but it all came down to Johnny's command. "Let get the hell out of here."
"Let's go."The order was given, she leaped up as the adrenalin rode through her and followed the rest of the patrol out. "Move! Go!"
"Stay with us! Look at me. Stay with us! Hold on." Babe's voice suddenly died away as he followed suit with the rest of the company.
"On me!" They run between trees as gun shot fired behind them, they were following Johnny in the direction of his voice.
"Where the hell are we?"
"Straight ahead" She kept Bull in focused a head in front of her as she continued to run straight. She jumped back in surprise as the man in front of her got shot down. Without a second thought she knelling down beside him putting pressure on his wound, Doc Roe suddenly appeared leaving her with empty hands.
"Fall back!" Nixon's voice broke through the chaos as she stared at the blood leaking from the wounded man. Bull pulled her up by the shoulders and pushed her forward towards the camp. "Back, fall back!"
She looked down at her hands, as the red strain wouldn't come out of them. She felt heavy and pressed herself against a tree watching the men from the patrol in front of her. Winters walked into the circle and took a seat next to Bull. With her own thoughts haunting her, she moved away from the group.
Her body started to cramp as she walked around in circles, she stopped to catch her breath, suddenly feeling heavy and leaned her back against a tree, she pull her hands away to warm up only to stare at her shaky red hands. The breath got caught in her throat as she felt the string of pain in her side, she glanced down and watched the blood slowly creep over her uniform. She pressed her hand tight against the wound and grinded her teeth at the flash of pain as she leaned her head back against the tree staring up at the white sky.
Laughter reached her ears as she closed her eyes, Matthew was running behind her as they chase after the boat floating down stream in the forest. She was in front of him as they raced unsupervised. She laughed at the same time Mathew screamed as he tripped over a fallen branch, it made her stop suddenly as fear sparked in her at the sight of her brothers blood. He wasn't allowed outside the backyard today as the disease infecting his body was becoming worse.
Tears silently travelled down her cheeks. Once she was older she found out the name of his problem- autoimmune disease. That day she sentenced her brother's death as his body back fired everything and ate itself away. Maybe, she would finally see him again though she had a desire to not leave the earth until she had a taste of Joe Liebgott, but then she may never want to rejoin with her mother and brother after the experiencing him. She couldn't possible leave him, it made the tears run faster down her face at the thought. "Eugene. Eugene." Her voice came out as a harsh whisper against the cold winds. She slid down the tree and felt her butt connect with the snow. "Doc!" She applied more pressure on her wound and hissed as she knew the bullet was still inside of her making the bleeding worse.
For once she was thankful for the snow and cold winds, the blood flow wasn't running as fast but she feared it may stop totally. "Doc!?" She spotted a figure moving closer towards her though she soon realised the frame was too broad to be the Doc.
"Olivia?" Relief flowed through her veins but it didn't help her heavy breathing.
"Lipton?" A new round of tears appeared when he draw closer to her, she could swear there was two of him kneeing in front of her. She lifted her shaky hand from her side, silently telling Lipton what the matter was.
"Come on Liv." She groaned as her weight shifted. "Doc! Medic! Medic!" Another figure appeared out of the trees as it run full speed towards them. She let out a sign of relief as Doc Roe bent down beside her and quickly got to work.
"How does it look Doc?" She winced as his fingers dug into her wound searching for the bullet.
"You'll live." She frowned at the tense tone in Roe's voice, she knew her chance of surviving were slim as everything felt ten times heavier. "Help me, we need to get her to the jeep." The rush to get her to the vehicle made her head spin as the two men held her weight.
"Could you tell Joe I'm sorry?" The words almost caught in her throat as the vehicle came into view.
"You'll tell him yourself when you get back." She laid her head on Doc's shoulder to make the ground stop moving but she couldn't respond to Lipton.
"Olivia?!" She closed her eyes shut as the voices of Malarkey and Perconte rung through her ears. She felt her feet leave the ground as she was laid back on the vehicle.
"Open your eyes Olivia." She felt the Doc's breath on her cheek, she watched him put a needle in her arm as he held up a clear bag. A gasped escaped her mouth as she thought another bomb had hit when her whole started to vibrate, but then the rattle of the vehicle registered to her. Her head rolled to the side as the vehicle started to move away from camp, she took in Perconte with his tooth brush hanging out of his mouth and Malarkey standing numb beside him.
They started to fade and she watched thetire tracks printed in the snow in a daze as she became aware of Doc checking her over.
The world seemed to shift through her eyes as she felt the heat flush against her skin and the smell of dinner filling her nose. A stumpy built woman appeared in the hallway as Olivia closed the door, she smiled at the stained apron tied around the woman's waist and the messy bun of black and white hair falling out as Rozalie wiped her hands on the tea towel. She took in the flower printed wallpaper in the hallway and glanced down the hall as she heard her father's voice coming from the office and another voice replying to him.
"Where have you been Olivia Ann?" The woman grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her from head to toe. Olivia looked down at her feet, the dirty small hands and the mud dried onto her shoes. "You missed your piano lesson." Rozalie walked back into the kitchen and started pouring drinks, Olivia quickly picked up the knives and folks to set the table. "Oh, don't think you'll get out of it." Olivia smiled as she set the last fork on the table, she caught a glimpse at Rozalie frowning at her that soon turned into a smile. "Go on."
Without a second word Olivia run out of the kitchen and down the hall to where the light was shining through the door, she tip toed her way to the door and glanced inside. She was greeted with the sight of her father sitting in the huge leather chair with Mathew sitting on his lap telling another story of a war. She run into the room and smiled as her father patted his leg for her to join the men of the house in the night events. She laid her head on his shoulder and watched her brothers emotions across his face as the story continued, reaching out she slipped her hand with Mathews and listened to the rest of the story.
She gasped like a fish out of water as the bright lights blinded her and ears ringing with silence run through her. The light faded as her eyes took in her surrounding, the sound of groans reached her ears as she watch a woman in white move around the place. She went to sit up but decided against it as pain strike up her side, looking beside her she watched the solider with one eye as stared up at the ceiling. "You've been asleep for almost a week, you were in horrible shape, thought you'd already left us." She shivered at the emptiness in his voice. "Cole, and your Olivia." She looked around the room and realised it was some type of church filled with wounded.
"Why haven't the men been evacuated?"
"We can't. We're cut off. This is as far as it goes." She glanced at the solider in front of them, he was wounded like the rest but it was his motionless voice that scared her more.
"Shit, I got to get out of here and back to the boys." She leaned up on her elbows ignoring the sharp pain in her ribs.
"Good luck to you." She glared at the man and got herself onto her feet, holding her arm across her left side. She felt her heart sink as she could see the worse of the men while standing above them, she made her way into the hallway were bodies laid on every surface much like the room she was in before.
She popped her head into one of the room and saw a nurse grabbing supplies. "Nurse." The blonde woman looked up from the boxes.
"You shouldn't be walking around." Olivia could hear the French accent slipping through in her English.
"I wish to go back to my company, Easy Company." And to Liebgott. The woman was already shaking her head before she had finished the sentence.
"No, you need rest." Olivia leaned against the wall as she watched the woman search through the crates.
"Then I'll just have to get Eugene to get me out of here." She muttered under her breath.
"You know Eugene?" The French woman was finally taking an interest in her, it seemed Doc was getting a lot more than supplies on his visits.
"Yes, I know him."
"Renee." The nurse held her hand out in greeting.
"Olivia, you think you could help me?" Renee stared at their joined hands before nodding her head.
"How is your wound?" She wasn't about to complain about her side as an answer she shrugged her shoulders making her wince at the extra pain. "You may leave but you should get Eugene to check it regular." Olivia nodded her head at the nurse's request. "And give this to him." Olivia slipped the bag over her shoulder and peaked inside at the medical supplies.
"Thanks." Olivia almost made a run for the door when Renee called her.
"And this." Renee folded Olivia's hands over the object and turned back to the medical supplies. Olivia glanced down at her hands and started to stroke the object, chocolate. She couldn't remember the last time she tasted chocolate. She carefully put the bar with the medical supplies in her pockets as she made her way to the church doors.
A shiver shook through her body at the temperature, her eyes landed on the men lining the entry of the church, frosted over and gone to another life time.
A horn beeped and she looked up to find a jeep with her father sitting in the front, she saluted him and he returned it. "Where do you think you're going Lieutenant?"
"To Easy Company." She was proud of herself as the sentence didn't come out as a question or a weak response. Though the searching eyes of the Colonel didn't help matters, she was ready for him to send her back into the church.
You're in luck Lieutenant. Get on, where heading your way." She breathed out a sign of relief and jumped into the back of the jeep. "Do you know what day it is Lieutenant?"
"No Sir." She took in her father's features, he seemed older however with the extra lines carving out his face . She was sure many of the soldiers looked the same, she felt like it.
"Merry Christmas Olivia." She shifted in her seat at the sound of her name coming from her father, though she couldn't believe Christmas was on them already.
"Merry Christmas..." She caught his eyes, not sure whether to called him father or Colonel. "Sir." She seat back into the seat and let her body relax as they travelled the bumpy road. She needed to get back to the boys, back to Joe. Her hands started to shake, no doubt he wouldn't be happy- saying she risked her life again.
She glanced up as the jeep pulled to a stop. She took in the area, she was tempted to join the line of men but she stayed back, taking in each person.
Colonel Sink moved with confidence between the men. "They're having a Christmas dinner of turkey and hooch at Division CP." She slipped of the back of the vehicle and leaned against a tree, staying out of sight as the attention was upon her father. "Damned if I don't like Joe Domingus' rancid-ass beans better." He made his way towards Winters. "Hello Easy Company."
"Hello Sir." She admired them, even in the cold with shit nothing they still showed respect.
Colonel and Winters spoke a few words before he stepped away and pulled out a piece of paper. "Men... General McAuliffe wishes us all a Merry Christmas. What's merry about all this, you ask? Just this, we've stopped cold everything that's been thrown at us... from the north, east, south and west." She scanned the Company as every one of them listened in on what the Colonel had to say. "Two days ago, the German commander demanded our honoable surrender... to save the U.S.A. encircled troops from total annihilation. He received the following reply. To the German commander, Nuts!" Her own chuckle mixed with the rest of Easy. "We're giving our country and loved ones a worthy Christmas present. And taking part in this gallant feat of arms. We are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas." He folded up the paper and turned his attention to the group. "Merry Christmas and god bless you." With his speech finished, the Colonel stepped away from the men and towards the Jeep.
"Nuts sir!" The word 'nuts' run out through the conversation joined with laughter, it was blessing to just hear the sound coming from the men. She folded her arms trying to capture the heat of her body when she remembered her present. She pulled the bag over her head and silently made her way around the men to the lone tree with the Doc sitting under it. It pained her to see the untouched food resting in his hand as he stared ahead.
She pulled the chocolate out from the bag. "Now if I knew you were getting this on your visit, I wouldn't have been letting you travel alone." She smiled as Roe looked up taking her in, she held the chocolate out for him. "I also have another gift from your fare lady Renee." She handed him the medical supplies.
"What are you doing back here?" She shook her head, the Doc was always looking after everyone else.
"Why aren't you eating?" He glanced down at the meal in his hands and held out the sweet bar to return.
"Have it, I've still got some." When she didn't take it he held the chocolate closer against her. She took the gift and stared at the bar for a second longer than needed before placing it in her pants pocket.
"Olivia!" She quickly looked up at the sound of her voice as Bill marched towards her. "When did you get back?" It wasn't just Bill pulling her into his arms. She could hear Marakley, Perconte, More, and Welsh around her, though she couldn't spot the one person she was desperate to lay eyes on.
"Give her some space?!" The men let go of her only for Luz to develop her into a hug, going against his own words. "In his hole." She hugged him tighter in thanks and pulled away from George. She took in each man in front of her and the only change she could detect was the growth on their chins.
"I'm going to see the rest of the guys." She caught a couple of smiles from the men and a light blush crept up her neck as they knew the reason.
"I'll lead the way." George looped his arm through her own. Her hands shook as her nerves got the better of her, Luz squeezed them. "He hasn't been coping real well." She nodded her head as Luz took her to his hole.
They stopped at a hole, a tarp covered it but no sound come from within. "Hey Liebgott."
"Not now Luz." She almost winced at his harsh tone.
"His hurting, go get him tiger." A smirk appeared on Luz's lips as he pushed her further to the fox hole. She took a deep breath as she watched Luz's form walk away from her. With no success in calming her nerves, she lifted the tarp and slid into the hold.
"God dam it Luz." The man looked across at the intruder and came up short at the woman sitting beside him. "Liv? Olivia?"
She licked her lips and slowly nodded her head as she took in the sight of him. His usual neat hair was sticking up and a growth showed on chin, the dark circles under his eyes made her stomach twist. "Joe." She reached over to his face, he leaned into her hand letting out a shaky breath. He pulled her closer to him, resting his forehead on Olivia's.
"Jesus Christ, I feel like I'm dreaming." Her arms found their way around his waist and she pulled him tighter against her.
"I'm here." She shifted her head to his shoulder and breathed in an overwhelming scent of Liebgott. "Merry Christmas." She pulled out the chocolate bar from her pocket and presented it to him."I'm so sorry." He placed the chocolate beside them and gathered her closer.
"Shhh..." He pressed a finger to her lips as they started trembling. "We're together." She nodded her head in agreement.
"Together." He pulled her into his chest and kiss her forehead, sending a pray to however was listening.
Authors Note: I don't mean any disrespect to the soldiers who fought the war, simply writing a fan fiction because I enjoyed the TV show so much. And I'm working through a list of the characters and writing one-shots for them if anyone is interested in reading more.