A/N: Heya! It has been too long since I updated this, so I hope you enjoy it. (and if you do, please do feel free to leave a review. ;) )
It should be noted that I have never been in the army or even near a gun, so if I mistake some guns or titles or something, do feel free to correct me. I have googled some things and mostly just guessed.
We walked through the night, with Winters as our commanding officer. It was good for him actually he deserved it. I was whispering quietly with Luz while we walked. I knew we were not supposed to talk but he kept bothering me. I swear sometimes he was like a puppy who barked if I did not give him enough attention. But I did like the man very much and I tried to surpress my laughter as we walked enemies all surrounding us. We finally got to rest as a few more fellows and another company joined us. This must be big since they are sending the whole division. Well what was left of it any way.
"I feel like we have been walking forever. Are we sure we are going in the right direction?" I said lying down in the hot sun. I opened my eyes when someone blocked it, and looked up annoyed at Luz. I even pushed him a little to get out of my sunlight.
"Oh for sure! The army could never make a mistake. That would be like a completely incompetent man becoming captain of a company. Silly." He said in a mocking voice as he sat down beside me grinning. I could not help but smile a little at that comment.
"I am so sorry my good sir. How dare I assume the army could ever make a mistake, my deepest apologies." I said in the same mockery tone making him laugh a little.
"Eh, let me borrow a lighter and call it square?" He said and I rolled my eyes and looked at him almost offended.
"Are you just hanging around for my lighter. I am offended! And here I actually thought you were my friend." I said jokingly handing him my lighter. He shrugged and plopped a smoke in his mouth grabbing the lighter from my hand and lighting the stick. He blew smoke in my face and handed it back to me.
"I'm sorry. If it's between you and the lighter, then I am sorry, I chose the lighter." He said with that annoyingly charming smile and I rolled my eyes and then lightly pushed him. He just used the momentum to roll backwards and lie down on his side. He smiled as he took a drag of the smoke and looked at me.
"I have killed men for less you know?" I said jokingly he just chuckled and shook his head at me taking a few more drags of the cigarette. However as our laughing died down he kept looking up at me as he smoked in silence. Luz and I had had silences before but there was something weird about the way he was looking at me. I almost wanted to say something, but I could not get myself to break eye contact. I felt sort of weird with him looking at me like this, I wondered what was up? Maybe I was just dehydrated, or weirded out from the war. I mean Luz was Luz, he was my friend from day one of Taccoa. Why would he be looking at me weirdly? He already knew that I was a girl, what could he possibly be suspecting about me?
He opened his mouth to say something, and I could feel my breath shorten as he did. Like I had a weird warm feeling in my stomach. I felt like everything around us went dead silent.
He took another drag of his cigarrette and went to say something again but never got the chance to our Lieutenant interrupted all of us.
"First platoon. We are moving out. I was light and noise disciplin from here on out. No talking, and no playing grab fanny with the soldier in front of you, Luz." He said looking sternly from Luz to me. And I put my most innocent face on that I could muster. I chuckled a little at the stupid game Luz had invented. It was stupid, very childish and a little disrespectful, and I kind of loved it.
I got up an gathered my rifle before dusting myself off to get moving. We gathered around Welsh for a few more announcements before we moved out. I looked over beside me and laughed as Luz started fake quoting an officer.
"Remember boys, give me 3 days and nights of hard fighting. And you will be relieved." He said in the fake deep voice and I laughed as I put on my helmet once again feeling the hotness of it on my head. I could see him looking over to me to see if I was laughing which did confuse me slightly but I just shrugged off. Of course he would see if I laughed I was his good friend and fellow jokster. After that he continued.
The chatter died down slowly but surely. We walked quietly flames all around us. It was almost horrifying but it was something we had seen for a few days now.
When we finally reached Carantan I spotted Gallagher from Fox whom I had helped get to Saint Marie Du Mont. I gave him a small smile and a nod he gave me a small wave back and a big smile. He was getting better at the subtlety thing which I appreciated. Luz hit me on the should and looked at me confused I just waved him off.
He moved to the front being a radio man and having to help Welsh and Winters. I moved to stand beside Liebgott waiting patiently for our command. Once Winters and Welsh gave the command I was on my feet and started running towards our target. Sadly the second we were past our cover a mortar started shooting at us. Our instincts told us to get cover so we ran to the ditch in the field however instead of covering down and taking cover. I got down as low as I could without hitting our own and started looking for the mortar. I noticed it in a window and started shooting in the direction when more shots came from the top of the building. I shot there first a few times before finally hitting my target and he fell. Our officers yelling at us to go while we cowered there. I understood why, we were out in the open. But I also understood not wanting to run with a mortar shooting at you.
I slowly decided to man up and stand up slightly, still crouching down a little and decided to help get people out of the ditch. I grabbed Lieb and dragged him with me out he gave me a small thankful look as we ran to the nearest wall actually taking cover. I smiled back just relieved that none of us were hit during that run.
As soon as both of the mortars were cleared we moved out, I ran to Welsh who ordered me and Christianson to start clearing houses. I looked at the man beside me and nodded, telling him to let's go. I signed to him where to go and he did as I pulled a pin, smashed a window and threw a grenade through it. I cowered down while it blew up and then grabbed my rifle with both hands as we kicked in the door making sure the entire house was cleared. I shot a few germans in the process. It was pretty brutal. One house we walked into there was a few dead krauts and one who was not dead but half blown up and covered in his own blood.
I only noticed him because Christianson had stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the man. I took a deep breath knowing what I had to do. I slowly padded his shoulder and walked over to the kraut.
I looked down at the damage I had caused and sighed, he might have been a good man. And in another life we could probably have been friends. But it was not another life, and we were here. So I pulled out my hand gun pointed it at his head as he looked me in the eyes I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. As I exhaled I pulled the trigger.
It was the merciful thing to do, he would have suffered and died there a few hours later or in a field hospital. That was no worthy death not even for our enemies.
I opened my eyes when Christianson slowly took the gun from my hand. I cleared my throat and knew that I never wanted to see that man again. I took the gun from him again and holstered it before reloading my rifle and nodding to get back out there. As we ran back out there about to clear the next house I heard a yelling but could not quite hear the words. As the building we had just cleared minutes again blew up, I knew we were fucked.
I yelled to take cover hoping that anyone who could not hear the soldier screaming at the other end of town would hear me. There was a ringing in my ears as I dragged Christianson with me to the nearest cover as we hurdled together praying to not get hit.
Finally the fighting was over and we could safely walk out of that house. I grinned at Christianson and he slapped me on the shoulder with a smile. I walked back towards the middle of the town to find the others. Thankfully both Luz and Liebgott has not been hit.
We stood around chatting as Gallagher walked up to me.
"It is good to see you alive Lacy." He said smiling and I nodding taking his held out hand and got pulled into half a hug.
"You too Gallagher, who would have thought you would survive all this, even after getting lost so many times." I said with a smirk and he looked down ashamed.
"Wow, Chris, you didn't tell us you knew anyone in fox. How could you do this to us?" Luz said faking hurt and I chuckled and shook my head at him.
"Well you were scattered all over the DZ, this guy and a few from able and Dog was all I could find. I had to make due."I said jumping in on the banter even getting a light chuckle out of Liebgott and Bill. However when I looked over at Gallagher he looked down almost ashamed and I felt kind of bad for saying that. I had hoped he understood that it was sarcasm but he apparently took it for good. I smiled and nudged him lightly.
"Oh well, he wasn't half bad. And I mean come on, as long as he's a paratrooper right?" I said smirking and Gallagher looked up at me and smiled a little. This shut Bill and Liebgott up too. They just muttered something as he walked off. I rolled my eyes at the two of them, I was nice to someone and that is the time they decide to agree on stuff? Unbelievable these guys I am telling you.
Welsh walked out of the makeshift med-bay and sighed as he took his helmet off and wiped his forehead.
"First platoon." He yelled and we all gathered up like the good soldiers we all were. I could hear Buck call out for third and Lip do the same for second. I guess we were not getting much rest before moving out again.
"We are moving out again." He just said sadly looking over at us.
I sighed as I once again grabbed my helmet and grabbed my gear to move out again. I was tired of war already, but I knew I had the stamina to keep going. I also had this weird gut feeling that Carantan was too easy. If this town was important enough for us to send more than one company to take this town, why would we take it with almost no fight. I mean we were good soldiers, but we were not that good.
We moved out light chatter amongst ourselves, Perconte asked a stupid question and Luz looked over at me annoyed and I just shrugged, silently telling him he was his problem now. Suddenly we were taking fire, and loads of it. I ran to cover, trying to supply suppressing fire for the other guys. There was definitely too many germans for us to take right at this moment. They knew exactly where we were and it was gonna be a shit show. I yelled at the men just hurdling down beside me to help me cover our men. This was our comrades, I was not gonna sit and shoot at these krauts by myself, possibly letting some of our comrades die because of it.
We kept shooting, but since everyone had taken cover and started digging foxholes, it slowly died down, knowing we were just wasting bullets at this point. Finally I sank down and sighed finally taking off my helmet to wipe some sweat from my forehead.
I walked around the foxholes seeing if people were okay, before jumping down to help Guarnere.
"Can I stay if I help dig?" I asked looking at both him, Toye and Bull they nodded and I smirked as I grabbed a shovel and helped them dig.
Once we were nice and deep Toye sat down and lit a cigarette. I sighed finally taking off my helmet. It had been a long and hard day. A long and hard couple of days actually. And it was gonna be a few more hard and long days before I could get a few days of peace.
Well not complete peace, the guys would still be around, so there was never gonna be complete peace and quiet.
"Whats up Chris, how you been?" Guarnere said sitting down beside me with a smirk. I opened my eyes once again and shrugged sarcastically.
"Oh you know Bill, the usual, killing some krauts, sitting ducks and waiting to kill some more. How about you?" I said tired and he laughed at my comment.
"Same. The usual." He said and I chuckled a little sliding back into my own little world.
I was tired as hell and right now nothing was happening, I might as well catch some shut eye while I still could. My peace lasted very shortly since the germans started singing as it started raining. It was getting dark and the singing did not seem to stop. Shit what did the germans have to be so god damn jolly about?
Harry walked to our foxhole and patted us on the shoulder before jumping down.
"How are we holding up fellas, you good?" He asked and we all grumbled in response he grinned at our annoyed response.
"Yeah I know, I know. War is hell." He said nonchalant.
I nodded agreeing with him there. I decided earlier today, that once this war was over. If I was lucky enough to get home again, I would never fire another shot. I wished that I could have said that right then and there, but if I was gonna get home, I would need to fire my gun. He quickly briefed us on when we attacked next and we all nodded telling him we understood. I grabbed my bajonette and fixed it on my weapon.
He jumped out of our foxhole to check on the others. Bull let the rest of us sleep taking the first watch. I was grateful for the southern gentleman right then. I rested in between Bill and Toye and quickly fell asleep.
I woke up with the scream of a medic from third platoon. The second time he yelled I noticed it was Liebgott shouting. I shot to my feet not caring if I woke Toye and Bill in the process. I grabbed my rifle and helmet and told Bull I would check it out before getting out of the foxhole.
I could hear some grumbling in annoyance from Toye and Bill as I left but I could not be bothered.
That was Liebgott screaming, I did not want my grumpy friend to die.
I ran in to Luz on the way there, he was on his way back and I raised and eyebrow looking at him.
"So, who do I have to kill for hurting Lieb?" I asked and he chuckled lightly.
"No one yet. Its Talb who got hit. Apparently Smith couldn't see the difference between a kraut and our sweet Talbert. Stabbed him, Roe says he will be fine." He said and I let out a sigh of relief. I was of course sad that Talbert had gotten hurt, that man was a good soldier. But he was gonna live and that was the important part.
"Christianson told me what you did today Chris. Are you okay?" He asked his tone turning serious for the first time today. I took a deep breath and nodded with a small smile.
"As Welsh says, war is hell." I said and he looked at me sternly.
"That wasn't the question." He said and I sighed and nodded.
"Yeah, I will be. I can't really think about it until we get out of here." I said and he nodded understanding.
He gave me a small hug which seemed to both comfort me and him. I smiled and thanked him as we pulled apart he just shrugged it off and walked back to his foxhole. I did the same, knowing another long and hard day lied ahead of me.