Hello again my lovelies! Here's chapter 25 of The Paratroopers and as always I hope you'll enjoy it :). Huge thanks to everyone just reading, reviewing or putting the story or, Gosh, even little me on their Alerts or Favorites - it's much appreciated and really keeps me motivated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Band of Brothers, only Olivia Mae and her story. All credit goes to Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Stephen E. Ambrose, and everyone who were involved in making this incredible true story about friendship, brotherhood and the bonds you make with one another while in the horrors of war.

Enjoy ;-).

Part 8 - The Last Patrol:

Chapter 25:

February 9th, 1945 – Haguenau, France:

The 101st Airborne had been made famous by what they did in The Battle of the Bulge I had heard from some of the men. Newspapers called us 'The Battered Bastards of Bastogne.'

They had also found out about me and how long I had been with these guys. Some were shocked and outraged about the army letting me stay. In return the boys had huffed and said they had been protecting me all the way through. They truly had. It wasn't either Babe or Spina's fault 'Hinkel' had shot me back in Bastogne. Then there was some people calling it encouraging for the men to have me around. The boys teased me with already being famous. I just shrugged it off. It felt kind of weird and crazy though.
We had been through hell and earth and were now pulling into the comparative paradise of Haguenau in France. I was sitting in 2nd platoons nearly empty truck. I felt a lump in my throat by the sight. Tab had been transferred to be a platoon leader in 1st platoon and so had many others. Either that, or everyone else were gone. Forever.

2nd platoon was the platoon who had suffered many losses, either death or wounded for life.

I missed Joe and Bill badly along with the others. I missed Skip and Penk's crazy sense of humor. I missed every single one of them. Left were Joe Liebgott, Eugene Jackson, Babe Heffron, Joe Ramirez, Chuck Grant, some others and then Don Malarkey who was the new platoon leader. Don looked bad. Back in Bastogne he had lost two good friends to a direct hit and Buck Compton because Buck witnessed Joe and Bill's accident.

"George Luz!," I heard someone call from behind us. The voice made my mind race. I thought like an insane. Where had I heard that voice before?

Some time went by and then the voice spoke again, this time at our tailgate. We were driving slowly in columns into the town of Haguenau. The sounds of the war coming from just across the river were heard faintly.

"Hey guys."

I looked down and gasped. It was David Webster, the college boy from Harvard. Web or Webby as I used to call him had been wounded in the leg back in Holland and had missed Bastogne.

"Some lieutenant told me to report to 2nd," Web smiled genuine. If he only knew how much we had been through. Because he had missed Bastogne I knew the men wouldn't take him in with open arms so easily. They saw him as a newbie, a replacement because of that.

When nobody answered Web continued," Your name's Jackson, right?."

"That's right," Eugene replied with a straight face. He was twenty and one of the youngest in the whole company. He had treated me nice from the start and was, like the rest of them, a brother to me.

"Who's leading the platoon?," Web asked.

"Sgt. Malarkey is," Eugene replied nodding at Don who stood up and watched the city.

"No officers?," Web asked.

I wondered if he could recognize me. The boys had said I had changed largely if you looked from when they found me, through the war and to now. I guessed I looked like a little soldier now. I had become higher and older.

"I guess you didn't hear," Lieb said with an arm around me, refusing to look at Web.

"No, what's that?."

"They're making Malarkey lieutenant. He's on the fast track."

I looked questioningly up at Don who returned my look with a slight shake of his head.

"Really, that's great," Web smiled.

"Jackson, help me up will you?," he continued throwing his pack sack he had been carrying onto the truck. Eugene helped him up. Web stumbled into his seat as the truck started again after a small break. The trucks did that once in a while.

Suddenly Web looked astonished at me," Olivia, is that you?."

I waved shyly," Hi Webby."

"God, you've grown," Web smiled genuinely at me.

Lieb nudged me telling me where Web had been all this time. He hadn't, as many others gone AWOL to come back to us.

"So you come from the hospital?," Eugene asked.

"Yeah."

"Must have liked that hospital. We left Holland four months ago," Lieb said turning to look at Webb.

Lieb and Chuck from 2nd and Shifty from 1st platoon had taken the extra responsibility to look after me now where Joe and Bill had been wounded and Tab weren't as much around anymore after he had been transferred. Every single man in Easy Company of course looked after me but not as much as certain men did. The ones I had grown closest to.

"Well, I wasn't only there. There was rehab, the replacement depot," Web explained.

"I'm sure you tried to bust out and help us in Bastogne," Lieb replied sarcastically.

Now it was my turn to nudge him. I felt a bit sorry for Web.

"How would I have done that?," Web asked curiously.

"That's funny," Lieb snorted," 'cause Popeye found a way. So did Alley, back in Holland. And Guarnere-."

"Yeah, where is Guarnere?," Web smiled," He's still your platoon sergeant?."

"No," Eugene replied as the truck stopped, this time for good. We were there.

"Let's go," Don ordered. Two at a time we jumped down.

"He got hit," I replied regretfully.

"Yeah?," Web asked.

Babe jumped down," Yeah. Bill got hit. Blew his whole leg off."

"And Joe too," I spoke quietly.

Another officer from 1st platoon called out for his men to move out.

The town of Haguenau looked horrible. The street were wet after the snow and smoke were still seen. The houses were either in ruins or just ugly to look at. The atmosphere was tense and the whole town looked boring.

"Spread out!," Don ordered," Hold along this line 'till I figure out where we're going."

We all did so as I followed Lieb, Chuck and Babe.

"Sarge? Sarge?-."

The well-known noise of a mortar about to struck down whizzed through the air but Web clearly hadn't been in Bastogne as he threw himself to the ground as the mortar hit a little away. The men and I did literally nothing. Throughout Bastogne we had learned to hear wherever the bugger would land.

"What's the matter there, Webster? Nervous in the service?," Don teased as Web got up again brushing himself off.

"No,no, I'm fine, sarge," Webby replied.

I heard the mumbles from the men behind me as I watched Webby and Don talk.

"Go make sure Capt. Speirs wants you with us," Don told starting to walk. We followed slowly behind.

"Capt. Speirs?," Webby questioned,"What happened to Capt. Winters?."

"He's running the whole battalion now. Go," Don told waving Webby off.

I have had enough of the men talking about Webby behind his back.

I went to tug Don's sleeve, "Don?."

His tired face looked down at my else taller body," What is it, Livy?."

"Do you mind if I show Webster where CP might be?," I asked.

I felt instantly the looks from the men upon my back.

Don looked at the men behind us.

"Don't use them as excuse, Don," I warned in a stern voice. I could read his intentions like a book after so much time together.

Don sighed, running a hand through his flamy hair," All right, go on. But be careful."

I smiled," Thanks, Don."

" Oi! Where do you think you're goin'?," Lieb called after me as I began to walk fast towards Web's retreating back.

"Helping Web!," I winked at them, leaving them dumbfounded.

Web had been gone since Holland, that's for sure. And I could also understand why the men looked at him like that. They were supposed to be brothers who would do anything for each other, even sacrifice their lives for another. Web had just stayed and enjoyed the hospitality the hospital had given him. That was from the boy's respective point of view.

For me, I saw a frightened young boy who couldn't be more than 21 years old and who hated this war, just as much as anyone else did. Webby was so kind to me and I knew he would do anything for these guys and me. I swore to myself that if the boys kept treating him like that I would have to take a little talk with them, and with talk I mean yell at them if necessary. I had the power and courage to do so since I had done that before without getting trouble for it.

"Web!," I called as I neared him," Wait up!."

Web turned and slowed his pace so I ran up to him easily.

"Shouldn't you be back with the others, Olivia?," Web asked.

"Oh, please. Can't I talk to an old friend without them being around. And who else was going to show you where CP was?," I smiled.

Web smiled genuinely back," Well, that was very nice of you. Old friend? Jeez, you sure know how make one sound old."

I snickered softly," Well, it has been a long time since I've seen you."

Web nodded," Yeah, it has. How old are you know? Eleven?."

"Ten," I replied," Have I really changed that much?."

Web laughed," Yes, you have. I thought you were a replacement back at the truck. That was, until I recognized your hair under your helmet."

"Thanks for calling me a damned replacement," I pouted.

Web looked astonished and amused at me.

"What now?," I asked.

"You have certainly spend too much time around Toye and Guarnere," Web laughed," You're sounding just like them."

I shrugged," I guess that's what happens over nearly one year and a half, Web."

Web nodded in agreement.

"How are the replacements around here? Or them who's left?," he asked.

Again I shrugged," Most of them are nice enough. Most of them just came out of high school or dropped out. Just to join the army."

Web nodded knowingly," Yeah. It's insane."

"Well, it's here." I stopped and pointed to the building meant to be CP. At least I had looked at the maps over Haguenau, knowing where everything was going to be.

Web smiled," Ladies first."

I rolled my eyes and walked up the steps with Web on my tail.

"Look who it is. Nice digs, huh, Lip?," George greeted us as we came in.

"Yeah," Lip replied weakly.

I placed both my hands on my hips as I saw Lip lying there on the sofa. Lip had gotten pneumonia fourteen days ago.

"How many times have I told you to go to bed, Lip?," I questioned with a stern stare.

Lip held his hands up in defense," Sorry, Livy. Just wanted to make myself useful."

I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Sgt. Lipton?," Web questioned.

Lip gave him a curt nod in greeting.

"Hey, look what I found," George spoke in a cheerful voice, walking towards Lip with something hot in a mug.

"Feeling all right?," Web asked sitting down on a chair.

"Here you go," George said giving Lip the mug.

"He's got pneumonia," I told as reply, sitting down on a chair near Lip.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Web smiled sadly.

"What are you sorry about? Huh?," George asked placing a blanket over Lip,"He's alive, he's got a couch, a goddamn blanket and Livy to look after him. He's snug as a bug."

"Sgt. Malarkey said to check with the CO if I should be in 2nd platoon," Web spoke changing the topic.

"Have a seat, Webster. We'll get you situated," Lip spoke with a full nose.

"How long have you been sick?," Web asked.

"Long enough," Lip spoke regretfully.

After some time chatting about the normal thing for us to talk about, such as what mortars there had been, gossip from Battalion and then the weather, a man or more like boy, looking like a newbie though he had the ranks of a lieutenant walked in. Web and I stood up while Lip tried to stand up but I pushed him back in the couch lightly. George had gone out in the back.

"Is this the company CP for Easy?," he asked.

He was tall with short clipped black hair and dark eyes. He had his helmet under his arms and stood tall, like a lieutenant would do.

"Yes, sir," Lip replied weakly, acknowledging the rank. As I had been told back then with Dike by Lieutenant; We salute the rank, not the man.

I had gotten used to that and had also accepted though I despised Dike. Something about this lieutenant also made me uneasy.

"As you were," the lieutenant said walking across the room,"Lt. Jones looking for Capt. Speirs."

"He's one his way, sir. Why don't you sit down?," Lip suggested.

This Lt. Jones held his gaze one me and I returned the stare. Meanwhile I heard Lip ask West who apparently had arrived, for some coffee.

"Like a coffee, sir?," Lip asked furrowing a brow at me and the lieutenant.

Jones looked away from me," No, thank you."

"All right."

I sighed as Lip coughed violently between his sips of coffee. I went to tug the blankets closer around him, like he was the little child and I, his mother.

"You're too kind, Livy," Lip smiled genuinely.

I smirked teasingly,"Yeah, some times I wonder why I am."

"Who are you?," it came from behind me.

I sighed, knowing it was Lt. Jones who had asked. I turned and looked at him.

"My name is Olivia. I'm the fieldnurse of Easy Company. Nice to meet you, sir," I spoke politely.

"Impossible. You're hardly more than twelve years old," the lieutenant stated in disbelief.

"Actually I'm ten, and don't worry about me, sir. I've been with these guys since Normandy and were only wounded back in Bastogne," I spoke calmly though I was slightly irritated.

"Wait, you was wounded?," Web asked in awe.

"Yeah," I smiled," Hinkel shot me."

I returned to treat Lip with everything I could think of. I snickered lightly when I heard Web ask who Hinkel was.

"What platoon are you in?," Jones asked someone. I assumed it was Web

"Well, we're about to find that out," Web replied, not acknowledging the lieutenant. I smiled of that. The young lieutenant didn't even hear it.

Then Capt. Speirs came in.

"Capt. Speirs, sir. This is Lt. Jones," Lip introduced as Speirs entered.

It looked rather funny actually.

"Listen, for chrissake, will you go out in the back and sack out? There's some beds back there with fresh sheets," the young Captain scolded.

"Sorry, Captain. I already told him that, but I'm afraid he wouldn't listen," I spoke giving Lip a look.

Capt. Speirs lips twitched upward.

"I will, sir," Lip excused,"Just trying to make myself useful."

"Which you're not," I taunted with a smirk, causing Lip to make a mocking face back.

Again the door opened, this time Lieutenant and Capt. Nixon entered.

Everyone stood up, excluding Lip who had been given a look by me to stay still.

"Listen up. Regiment wants patrol for prisoners," Lieutenant spoke.

He has been busy you could see. He looked tired.

I sighed regretfully of his speaking. I thought the war was going to be over soon.

"This one comes straight from Col. Sink, so it's not my idea," Nix spoke.

"Since the river is the line of resistance, we have to cross it," Lieutenant continued.

We all listened closely.

"What do we do?," Speirs wanted to know having his one hand on his hip.

"There's a three-story building on the enemy side. It's occupied. You can have 15 men. Think hard about who you want to lead the patrol. You'll need a lead-scout, a translator. The Battalion's on covering fire," Lieutenant informed.

I had learned most of the words the superiors used but not all of them yet.

"When?," Capt. Speirs asked.

"Tonight, 0100," Lieutenant replied.

"Yes, sir," Speirs nodded turning away.

"Speirs," Lieutenant called.

The captain turned again.

" I want this to be improvely save as possible," Lieutenant told.

"Yeah, don't take any chances on this one. We're too far along for that," Nix agreed.

"Speirs? I wanna discuss who might go along," Lieutenant ordered.

Speirs nodded approvingly.

"Who are you?," Nix now asked Jones as he walked by.

Both of them gave me a kind smile.

The young lieutenant gulped," Lt. Jones, sir."

He stood straight as a stick, proud as a jerk. I knew for sure that I didn't like him either.

"Right," Nix smiled," Our West Pointer."

"Yes, sir."

"When did you graduate?," I asked curiously.

Jones didn't answer, just looked weird at me.

"Well, the lady asked you a question, lieutenant," Speirs spoke sternly.

The lieutenant gave me a look, before answering Nix," June 6th, sir."

Nix didn't look too fond of him but was amused as he spoke the date," June 6th? Of last year?."

Jones gulped again," D-Day, yes, sir."

Nix chuckled. It was fake and awkward. I could clearly seperate the genuine and fake laughs and grimaces the men made whatever the situation. Literally I could read them as good I read a book.

"All right. Don't get hurt," Nix smiled and walked away from the darkhaired lieutenant.

"Sir, I'd like to volunteer for the patrol," Jones spoke stepping forward as Lieutenant walked by.

Lieutenant had watched the scene from before and sized the eager lieutenant up before turning to Speirs.

"Speirs, talk to you in an hour?," he suggested.

The Captain nodded," Yeah." At that he turned back to Lip.

"Lt. Jones," Lieutenant acknowledged.

Lieutenant blinked at me before he left.

I had a good hearing so I heard pretty much the whole low talk conversation Speirs and Lip had.

"We're short on officers. You think a non-com could lead this?," Speirs asked.

"I can think of a few possibilities," Lip admitted.

"Martin? Malarkey? Grant?," Speirs questioned.

"Honestly, sir. Most of the NCO's could use a rest," Lip replied.

"Captain," Jones now spoke loudly,"Request permission to go on the patrol."

"There's your answer-." Lip stopped as Speirs's eyes narrowed to Jones.

"No," he spoke sternly,"You don't have any experience. Report to 2nd platoon."

"Yes, sir," Jones replied. His shoulders fell down a bit, probably disappointed.

" Olivia, tell... Tell Heffron, Ramirez and McClung they're going," Capt. Speirs spoke.

I nodded, sinking the lump in my throat," Yes, sir."

"Sir, this is Pvt. Webster," Lip introduced as Webby stood up behind me.

"Sir, I'm David Webster from 1st platoon. I just got back from the hospital and Lt. Foley said go to 2nd but Sgt. Malarkey-."

"Fine," Speirs waved us off," Take..."

"Lt. Jones," Lip said aiding Speirs.

"Lieutenant. OP 2." Speirs nodded respectful at me. I nodded back and took the lead out of the door.

"Come on, we don't have all day," I called after the two men behind me as we came out in the street.

"Are there other officers in the platoon?," Jones asked behind me.

"No, sir, just Sgt. Malarkey. But they're telling me he's getting a battlefield commision. Maybe he'll be assisting you, sir," Web replied.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. It was easy to see Web had been long gone. Lieb had lied for fun.

We had sat down as Lieutenant Jones and Web had been anxious for a mortar... again. It was almost daily routine for me since Bastogne so I wasn't as scared anymore than I had been back then. The war had matured me more than I ever could or would have expected.

"Who's that?," a voice asked from a shop we were sitting in front of.

"Webster?."

Out of the shop came Sgt. Bill Kiehn and Alley.

"That's right. How you doing, Sgt. Kiehn?," Web smiled.

"Hey, Webster, Livy," Alley greeted with a smile.

"Moe," I greeted, returning the smile.

"Hey, sarge," Web also greeted.

"Look what we scrounged. We got spuds," Kiehn said holding a large back of potatoes he was carrying up.

"OP 2. Is this way?," Web asked.

I rolled my eyes. He obviously had no trust in me knowing where the OP were.

Then another sound of a mortar whizzed in the air.

"Shit! Move! Go!," Kiehn yelled.

We moved quickly as the mortar hit right before the bunk we had hidden behind.

"Shit, they spotted us!," Web said as we hid behind a statue, me in between Web and Jones.

"Is that it?," Jones asked as the sounds stopped.

"I don't know. Think so," I replied.

Web motioned for us to go and head to the OP who was a few meters from us. Web lifted me up over the small platform before the entrance. To make it quicker I guessed.

"Ready?," Web asked Jones as he helped him with his stuff. The lieutenant climbed over but stopped us, out of breath.

"Wait, wait. It was Heffron, McClung-."

"Ramirez," I sighed.

This was kindergarden all over again, with learning each others names...