Brass Knuckles

-Bastogne, France-

She held the brass knuckles tightly in her hand, the feel of the metal keeping her centered while she sat huddled in her foxhole. She tried not to let her mind wander to the blood stains on her hands from earlier. Joe Toye had been sent to the hospital once again but she knew he wouldn't be coming back to her like he had all the other times. The lucky son of a bitch had survived three hits from the Germans but she didn't feel the same air of confidence about this one. The image of his leg blown off with Bill lying beside him made her clutch the brass knuckles harder until it dug into her palm.

"Heya Clarke." George stood outside her foxhole when he received a brief glance from the woman, he dropped into the hole beside his friend. "He'll be alright." George said softly, making the woman lean her head against his shoulder. "Remember the night we got our jump wings," George said, thinking back to when Joe had pulled him across the bar demanding a drink.

"I remember the pounding head the day after." She tried to joke, her smile pulling tight against her dry lips. She had a clear picture of the boys around her, drinking and laughing with delight at getting their jump wings.

The fifth jump had left her feeling high, the adrenaline rush and wind blowing against her face before her feet touched the ground was a moment she held close to her. More importantly, it was the day she was given her jump wings and was officially a paratrooper of Easy Company.

There was a celebration that was full of drinking and laughter in the air. She wasn't much of a drinker herself but she liked watching her fellow friends enjoy themselves, whether it was Malarkey sculling a drink or Bill showing off his wings proudly.

Glancing around the room, she spotted Joe pulling George over the bar, hand at his collar before the two started laughing. She made her way over to them anyway, wanting to make sure her two friends weren't butting heads as George's joking attitude and Toye's silent nature sometimes had them at each other's throat. "What are you fellas getting up too?" She questioned once in distance of them.

George ignored her question, a slight frown between his eyebrows. "Why don't you have a glass in your hand Clarke?" George said from the other side of the bar, leaning over to talk to his friend. She didn't quite know when George had become her close friend, it could have been the few jokes he had muttered about Sobel or the fact that the energy they both contained bounced off one another.

"Trying to take it slow Georgie." She teased, remembering the last time she had let the fellas drag her down to the pub.

"Well, that's not happening tonight." George warned and poured a beer for the woman, placing it in front of her.

She watched Joe take a large sip of his drink before he threw an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into his side. "Let loose tonight." Joe advised, knowing she always kept her guard up when Sobel was around. "George, it's your responsibility to make sure her glass never gets low." Joe said in a serious tone, making the woman groan beside him.

"Yes, Sir." George loosely saluted Joe, making a smile come to her lips at the two idiots.

"Bullies." She said playfully before reaching forward and taking a sip of the beer in front of her.

Sobel's voice shouted over the party with Strayer and Sink walking with him. "ATTENTION!" The single word made everyone instantly snapped into attention.

"Well at ease paratroopers." Sink spoke, making everyone relax their stance. "Good evening, Easy Company."

"Evening, Sir!" The Company replied back.

"Now parachute infantry is a brand new concept in American military history, and by God, the 506th is gonna forge that brand new concept into victory." He continued.

She smiled at Sink's words while the Company cheered. "I just wanted you to know that I'm damn proud of each and every one of ya. Now you deserve this party." Sink beamed while Grant brought Sink a drink, he thanked him kindly then continued on. "I want you to have fun and remember our motto: Currahee!"

"Currahee!" The company cheered.

When Sink allowed the Company to go back to celebrating, Joe suddenly turned to her and placed their drinks on the bar. "Dance with me." He stated, taking her into the middle of the floor.

There wasn't anyone dancing which made her feel self-conscious. "Joe." She warned, knowing she had two left feet that didn't help.

"Justonedance for me." He almost pleaded to which she easily caved and let him take her to the floor.

That was how her night continued, it was one dance with Joe and one dance with every other Easy Company soldier but she didn't regret that moment, even when her feet started to ache and she felt dizzy.

She fiddled around with the brass knuckles again, remembering Joe constantly saying he was going to win himself some. Which he did, though he happened to give her the brass knuckles the second time he'd been hit, a kind of promise that he'd be back. "Do you really think he'll be ok?" She asked quietly.

"Toye is one tough son of a bitch." George said with ease. "If anyone could make it, it would be him."

"Do you think I'll see him again?" She asked softly, almost hesitantly. She didn't know if she actually wanted the truth, she liked Toye beyond words but the sudden near-death experience had her feeling unsettled. With his latest condition, the army wouldn't allow him back but send him home to America where she might never be able to see him again.

"In America, anything can happen." George tried to assure.

"America…" She said wistfully, trying to remember what a normal life back home would be like. "How long do you think it will be until they take us off the line?" She said sarcastically, thinking back to supposable three days on and three days off.

George fished out his pack of smoke with a huff. "Hopefully soon Clarke." He pulled out a cigarette and offered one to the woman. She took the offer and sucked the death stick between her lips, leaning her head heavily against his shoulder while she clutched tightly on the brass knuckles with her fingers. "Soon." George promised, thinking of the friends, the brothers they had lost already.

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 on a list of the characters and writing one-shots for them if anyone is interested in reading more.

Revised: 20/04/18