As you probably know Major Dick Winters died on the 2nd of January. He was, and I still feel is, a very inspirational person. If there's one thing I'll carry with me from this is his words of wisdom. 'Hang Tough- Never, ever give up'

This chapter is short. No point denying it, it's really short. This chapter did not want to get written, which is why it has taken me ages to get it out. I assure you the next chapter will be far better and far longer. I wish I could say that the next chapter will be posted really soon but, school really does hate me. I will try my hardest though!

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, I love 'em :D

I own nothing of the Band of Brothers variety and have nothing but respect for the real men of Easy Company. This is just but a work of fiction.

On the 7th May 1945, the German Army surrendered. On May 8th 1945, Major Dick Winters announced the news to Lewis Nixon and a few others. On VE Day, Nixon felt better than he had done in months and it wasn't just the fact he had seen Goering's stash of alcohol or the fact he was actually able to...liberate the alcohol. There was no point in assuming alcohol wasn't a big part of his life anymore because it simply wasn't true. It 'helped' him get through the harder days but for the first time in a while, he was looking at the brighter and better things in life. For example, he had lived through the war with hardly any scratches or scars, physical ones anyway. He was surrounded by comrades and he was in possible one of the most beautiful countries he had come across. All the Nixon's were experienced to some extent when it came to travelling but Lewis was sure Austria was the most aesthetically pleasing place he had ever been too.

It was almost a relief to feel happiness again. He hadn't been all that familiar with the emotion for a long time. True, he wasn't as happy as he was when he was with Martha but that wasn't something he wanted to think about all too much. It was in the past now and there was nothing he could do about it. For the moment, he was focusing on the good. At least that way he could keep part of his sanity.

The winning of the war didn't come without troubles, everyone knew that. The strange thing was, Nixon's troubles didn't arrive until near the end. When the troubles started, they didn't seem to stop. He became depression's best friend, alcohol his lord and saviour. Now, things were looking up. He couldn't really pinpoint when this positivity came to be but he would guess it was around the time they...'liberate' that concentration camp.

The images were burned in to his brain whether he wanted them or not. He could vividly remember how he felt and what he saw. The smell still lingered and the taste of death had been imprinted on him. He didn't want those memories. He didn't want to remember what he saw. But somehow, that whole horrific thing had made him changed perspective. His life was miserable, shit and fucked but it was nothing compared to what those people had gone through. Who was he to whine over his failed relationships, when those people had been brutally treated for just being Jewish? He hadn't suffered as much as them. For feeling the way he did, Nixon couldn't help but feel ashamed. Compared to them, he had had the easiest of times.

Positivity was what was going to get him out of the mess he had created. Now with the war over, he could focus on getting his life back. This whole end of the war was starting to put his life in perspective. He would be going back to America, back home. He would have to go back to his old life that seemed all too far away and different now. That old life didn't even seem much of a 'life' anymore.

But it was sure as hell better than the life he had been living for some time.

Lew didn't have any big plans for when he returned to America. He planned on eating the best hot meals he could find, relaxing in the luxury he used to be accustomed too and drinking the finest Vat 69 around. At least, that's what he planned on doing first. He was the complete opposite of naive and he knew that he would have to do...something. The easiest something he could was work at the Nixon Nitration works in Nixon New Jersey. That was partly why, when he brought up the conversation of futures with Dick, he offered him a job. Although he wouldn't exactly admit it to its fullest extent, he needed Dick. It was strange how two men of two different backgrounds, values and morals were as close as they were. Dick provided the backbone that Lew sometimes lacked and that all knowing guidance Lew so desperately craved. If he could, Nixon would do almost anything to keep his friend close by.

For now though, he would leave Dick to think about it all. He may have had part of his future sorted out but there was the whole big mess to figure out as well. Lew was completely thoughtless as to what to do. Martha had made her feelings clear and he respected that. He wished he could just stay away, just leave her alone like she wanted but he was sure that would prove to be impossible. If things between them had to end, they had to end but Nixon needed to apologise to her. Face to face, like a man. Letters could only go so far and, as proven, letters could cause more harm than good. He also needed to speak to Lucy, face to face. He needed that weight to be lifted off from his shoulders. He needed that mind crushing guilt he carried to go away but most all, he wanted to fix things.

He had tried to lie to himself, saying he didn't love Martha anymore and that it didn't mean anything to him. It meant everything to him. He loved Martha more than he could show.

Sitting on the raised rock, his legs dangling over the water, Lew looked at the picture showing the young man he used to be. If he could even call himself a man back then, he was more like a child on reflection. He turned his head to look at Dick as his strong breaststroke powered him through the water. Once his feet could reach the bottom, Dick began to walk and wade his way through.

"Towel, towel, towel!" He repeated to Nixon who threw him his towel, "Thanks."

Nixon flipped the photograph and raised it up to show Dick, "Take a look at these two kids." He said with an almost disbelieving look, "What the hell happened to them?" A smile left small crinkles in his face; he looked at the photograph again.

"New Jersey, huh?" Dick questioned, looking up at Nixon.

Nixon placed the photograph beside him, thoughts beginning to race through his head. His face remained blank, although his thoughts were in some turmoil. He couldn't help but wish Dick would take up his offer. He wasn't sure how he would function without his friend.

"Yeah," He said trying to look both unaffected and persuading, "Think about it."

"Yeah, I am." Dick said as he continued to dry himself off, his eyes squinting in the sunlight, "You awake yet?" He asked with a ghost of a smirk.

Nixon chuckled lightly, turning his face away, "Awake?" He said as he untangled his limbs and stood up, "Time to go to bed."

He looked over at the lake, a boy like idea captivating his thoughts. It was stupid and completely random. He didn't know why but he just wanted to jump in to the lake. He was fully clothed, barely awake and with a mind that was riddled with problems needing to be fixed but he wanted to do it. He glanced at Dick, wondering why the hell he was contemplating doing it. Then, before his mind could comprehend, he dived in to the freezing cold water.

He was going to do it, he thought. In that moment, Nixon couldn't help but know that he was going to fix everything. He wouldn't let Martha down again. That, was in the past.