Last Time: Easy Company finally takes Foy and leaves Bastogne.

"The moment you feel you have to prove your worth to someone is the moment to absolutely and utterly walk away." - Alysia Harris

Now: Easy bounces around from town to town before finally moving out to their next mission.


Chapter 29 - Haguenau

After being taken off the line at Bastogne, a convoy picked up the 506th PIR and, at what could only be described as a snail's pace, trucked Easy and the rest of the 506th from Bastogne to Bellefontaine, Virton, Etain, Toul, Nancy, and Drulingen.

The pace of the trucks was so slow, in fact, men could jump off, relieve themselves, catch up to the truck again, and reboard with no problem.

By January 20, the 506th went into regimental reserve, hopping between villages for two weeks. For a moment, it almost seemed like the worst was behind them. The weather finally began to warm as the sun came out, melting the snow. The ground once frozen solid by the freezing temperatures and snow now turned mushy from the warmth. A supply truck even came carrying winter shoepacs complete with arctic socks.

Rebecca rolled her eyes as the supply men came through passing around the packs. Many of the men wondered, as she did, where these warm supplies were six weeks ago when they were freezing their asses off in the Ardennes.

Nevertheless, dirty clothes, blankets, and sleeping bags were picked up by the Quartermaster Company and sent to G.I. laundry. Clean clothes and new supplies weren't exclusive in the men's relief. When word broke portable showers capable of holding 215 men were now ready to be used, Easy Company practically mobbed the scene, dying to get six weeks worth of filth and grime off their skin.

Rebecca, knowing all the companies would be moving through the showers together, though she would never get a chance to clean herself by the time every man was finished. Thankfully, before the guys managed to storm the showering area, Dick informed Rebecca she would have the first crack at the shower being the only woman in the entire regiment. Hearing the good news damn near made the woman cry.

Officers were quartered in one of the bigger buildings in Drulingen where most were bunked two or three to a room. Rebecca, however, was given the privilege of having her own private quarters. Even though she found it silly since she shared many foxholes with the whole company while in Bastogne, she couldn't help herself from inwardly celebrating at the thought of a bed with clean sheets.

When she was informed the showers were ready for her, Rebecca almost tripped and fell as she rushed down the stairs of the home she was quartered in trying to get to them. She didn't care. All she wanted was to get clean. The designated area was tented up and blocked off by two guards, preventing any stragglers from trying to get in while Rebecca showered up. She just hoped the guards themselves didn't get any ideas as they stood watching the entrance.

All worries of peeping Toms slipped from her mind as she stepped under the head of the shower. Rebecca scrubbed her filthy skin with the small pad of soap she was given and tried as best as she could to cleanse her now short hair of the dirt, sweat, and stench, occupying her brown curls. It felt heavenly, and then some. Once Rebecca was finished, she slipped on her fresh clothes and slept on the first clean and comfortable bed she had laid on in weeks. To her, it was like resting upon a cloud sent straight from the heavens.

XXX

Just as quickly as her head met the pillow, it seemed like someone was already shaking Rebecca awake for something. She cracked open a sleepy eye, hoping whoever disturbed her was just a figment of her imagination. All Rebecca wanted to do was go back to enjoying the best sleep she had gotten since first joining the Army.

When her eyes finally focused after being pulled out of their peaceful slumber, sadly, it was Dick who was the perpetrator to her rest.

"What?" She mumbled to him, not wanting to leave the warm bed.

"Sorry, to wake you, but we're moving out again." Half-whispered Dick.

More sleep would have to wait until they were settled into the next village. Rebecca groaned while she dragged herself out of the warm cocoon of blankets and began gathering her belongings together.

"Where are we moving to?" asked Rebecca as she threw her clothes into her duffle bag.

"A town called Haguenau," Dick began. "It's the biggest one we've been in since we dropped into Normandy, too. We'll be on the south bank of the Moder River and the Germans on the north bank."

Rebecca stopped to make sure she was hearing Dick's words correctly. "We're going to be that close?"

"Yeah, that close." He confirmed.

Rebecca didn't like the sound of being so close to the enemy and was worried. But, she figured it couldn't be any worse than Bastogne was. Instead of making herself fret, she just continued on what she was doing and boarded the convoy with the rest of Easy.

XXX

On February 5, Easy Company arrived in Haguenau and moved into the line to relieve the 313th Infantry of the 79th Division. The town was huge in comparison to others Easy had been in before and the many large buildings made perfect outposts for each platoon and the CP. When Easy first arrived it was clear Haguenau was no stranger to the destruction of. Every building was accompanied by broken windows, pieces of the structure blown off, and caved in roofs. The insides looked as if they were being destroyed for some kind of renovation by the way the walls had chunks blown out and the floors with holes. This, however, didn't matter to Easy. They were inside with a roof over their heads, for the most part.

Rebecca was given her own room in the house the officers of 2d Battalion occupied. Inside was a small rack provided by the Quartermasters in the 79th Division. It made no difference what kind of bed it was to her. All she cared about was sleeping on something other than a frozen foxhole.

While in the middle of unpacking her belongings, the recently promoted Captain Speirs appeared at her door.

"Becca?" said Speirs, announcing himself.

"Yes, Captain?" replied Rebecca. She still made it a point to be on a very professional basis with Speirs. Even though he had a good head on his shoulders, there was something about him that gave Rebecca the impression he was still the old Lieutenant back in Normandy who scared the living hell out of poor Private Blithe. Rebecca didn't care if he called her by her nickname, but she would not call him Ron or Sparky as he was supposedly nicknamed.

"Lipton still has a nasty cough and has spiked a fever. Could you look at him for me?"

"Damnit." Rebecca cursed. She had a feeling Lip was making light of the cough he had been harboring for the past few weeks. The would probably wait until he coughed up a lung before telling Rebecca he was sick. "Of course, let's go."

Grabbing her bag, she followed Speirs to the OP.

The large Victorian-style home now ravaged by war must have been a sight to see in its prime. The once beautiful blue and gold floral wallpaper were now dirtied by gunpowder, falling debris from the ceiling above, and torn from the stone it was laid upon. All the furniture was pushed to one side of the wall, a red plush couch and a large round coffee table were the only pieces remaining in the room. The room adjacent, a dining room perhaps, was filled with remains that came apart from the building after every shelling.

Rebecca spotted Lipton who was standing near Vest and Luz who were getting the newly formed CP in order. Just from his appearance alone, Lip looked like the walking dead. His handsome face was now occupied with a ghastly pale white. His cheeks and nose were cherry-red and his eyes puffy and swollen. Rebecca, not caring about being discreet with her doting, walked over to the group, interrupting whatever conversation they were having.

"Hiya, Lip. Speirs told me you weren't feeling too good and you still have that cough."

Lipton sighed, his eyes darting towards the man who ratted him out to the company nurse. "Cap'n, it's really not that bad." He argued.

His attempt to get the concerned nurse off his back was all in vain the moment he let out a long, wet, and rattling cough sounding as if there was an angry animal in a cage trying to get out. Even someone who knew nothing of medicine could deduce from the sound of Lip's cough, he was sick.

She placed a hand on the First Sergeant's back, leading him to sit on the couch. "We'll see, I just wanna give you a quick check."

As Lip sat on the couch Rebecca pulled out a stethoscope she managed to swipe from the battalion hospital and began listening to his breath sounds.

"Okay, deep breaths for me, Carwood," asked Rebecca.

The instant the stethoscope met Lip's back and he began breathing, Rebecca heard an intense amount of crackling, wheezing, and rhonchi. She knew immediately Lip had pneumonia. Despite what she knew, Rebecca continued her routine. Rolling up her sleeve, she put her exposed wrist on Lip's forehead. As anyone could've guessed, he was burning up.

"Have you been coughing anything up?"

"Uh, yeah. Boogery mucus stuff."

"And the color?"

"Dark yellow."

Rebecca groaned to herself, knowing even when she told Lip he was good and sick, he wasn't going to do a damn thing about it. "Lip, you got pneumonia."

"So, what should I do?" asked Lip, laying down on the small couch.

Rebecca could see it in his eyes. The First Sergeant accepted he was sick but was still going to perform his duties like always.

"Well, for one, stop smoking immediately. The only thing you should be breathing in is oxygen. I'll try and get some penicillin, but for now, lots of hot liquids and rest."

Lip nodded. Rebecca knew though, he wouldn't listen to a word she said. He was the company's First Sergeant and was soon to receive a battlefield commission. Lip was not going to rest while his men continued on.

"Carwood?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Since when do you smoke?"

Lip's eyes darted down, avoiding Rebecca's scrutinous gaze. "Ugh, I started after the shelling that killed Muck and Penkala."

A pang of guilt lanced through Rebecca's heart. She still disliked the fact that he was smoking but she could only attribute it to stress. "Okay, well, enough for now."

Lip nodded, taking her words seriously. The last thing he wanted was Rebecca to start mollycoddling him every second of the day, so, it was best to heed her words.

Rebecca walked over to Speirs who was putting on some coffee for himself. If she couldn't be doting on Lip 24/7, which she would like to do, Speirs definitely would. "Speirs, make sure he rests, okay? It could turn serious if he keeps pushing himself."

"Of course, Becca."

Satisfied, she began walking out of the CP and passed who could only be Pvt. David Webster. He had been gone for so long, Rebecca didn't even recognize the kid at first.

Webster stopped and saluted the woman as he met her gaze. "Captain Clark, it's good to see you."

She was a little taken aback by his jauntiness. Webster looked like a greenhorn; he might as well be, he was gone for so long. Everything about him seemed green, his uniform and his hair was fresh, clean and done up, and she swore his boots looked brand new.

Brushing off his greeting, Rebecca carried on. "Nice to see you too, Private." She replied, shaking her head as she walked out the doors. Inwardly, she felt a little bad for Webster. Rebecca knew all the guys in the company were going to give him all kinds of shit for not being there in Bastogne. To some degree, she felt the same indignation they all probably felt. Where the hell was he when they were being torn to shreds in the Ardennes?

Even so, Rebecca walked on through the muddy road. She had to find Dick and let him know Lipton had pneumonia.

XXX

Standing behind a barrier made of sandbags in between two buildings stood Dick and Nix. They both looked at the German's side of town ahead of them, blocked off with barbed wire. Tall Victorian buildings stood among the eerie fog, partitioned by the frigid river. It was the only thing that separated them from the Germans. It painted a bleak picture of what was to come tonight.

"He wants us to cross the river," began Dick.

"Yeah, I bet that water's cold. Should be able to get you some boats."

Dick looked up towards the foggy sky, examining the conditions that would only worsen when the night came. "It had to be a full moon. So much for the cover of darkness. It's gonna leave the patrol exposed."

"Lip has pneumonia," Rebecca announced, walking up to the edge of the sandbag wall.

Both officers eyed at Rebecca as she walked up to them. Neither of them too particularly surprised by the Company's misfortunes anymore. "Sink wants a prisoner snatch tonight across the river," responded Nix.

"Yours wins." Rebecca surrendered, not liking the idea of Easy risking their hides for some lousy prisoners this late in the war. The worst should've been behind them.

"Do you know where Speir's is? We're gonna let him take care of this."

"He's back at CP where Lip is resting."

XXX

"Listen up." Announced Dick, taking off his helmet and scratching his head. Rebecca and Nix were right behind him preparing to give the bad news to the rest of the company. "Regiment wants a patrol for prisoners."

Rebecca spotted in the corner of the room, a very young looking Lieutenant with almost a cherub-like innocence who was trying his best to be taken seriously.

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

The men in the room, shared concerned looks with one another, none taking too kindly to the idea of a patrol.

"Since the river's the main line of resistance, we're going to have to cross it to get to them."

"What do we need to do?" Speirs asked his cigarette in between his fingers.

"There's a three-story building on the enemy side, up the embankment. We know it's occupied. You can have fifteen men." Continued Dick, "Think very hard about who you wanna lead the patrol. You'll need a lead scout, a translator, and I've got the entire battalion on covering fire."

"When?"

"Tonight, 0100."

"Yes, sir." Replied Speirs, looking towards the ground. Without even hearing any verbal objections, Rebecca could tell none of the guys were on-board for this one.

"Speirs, I want this one to be as fool-proof and as safe as possible."

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

"Speirs, want to discuss who might go along?" Asked Dick, walking over to Captain Speirs.

Rebecca and Nix stood next to each other until Nix caught sight of the young Lieutenant still standing at attention like an obedient puppy. She didn't really want to introduce herself to the kid. Starting from scratch from what was probably some cocky new officer with fresh wings, didn't particularly jive well with Rebecca.

In an attempt to try and melt the chip on her shoulder, Rebecca ended up following Nix anyways.

"Who are you?" Nix asked out, flatly.

"Lieutenant Jones, sir." He said, proudly, still standing tall.

"Right, our West Pointer," Nix remembered.

General Taylor, who had recently adjusted the division front, filled the empty officer ranks with three recently graduated West Pointers. Rebecca, unfortunately, had an early and terrible first meeting with one of them. 2d Lieutenant Larry Fitzpatrick snuck along on a patrol without anyone's knowledge and ended up stepping on a mine. He was killed instantly, but Rebecca still had to evacuate what was left of Fitzpatrick and attempt to treat. It was a grisly sight, to say the least. It was just another example of fresh blood too gung-ho and eager to prove themselves.

"Yes, sir," Jones replied, still standing straight and tall in front of his superiors.

"When'd you graduate?" Nix asked.

"June 6th, sir."

Rebecca's eyes widened. She couldn't believe it. Not only did Lieutenant Jones graduate on the most important advancement of the war, but it could also only mean he was fresh out of jumping school! What the hell are they trying to do to us? Rebecca thought to herself, questioning Taylor's replacement decisions.

Nixon appeared to be just as shocked as Rebecca was. "June 6th, of last year?"

"D-Day, yes, sir," Jones replied, giving a knowing look.

Letting out a contrived chuckle, Nix replied, "Alright, don't get hurt."

Jones's, eyes met the floor and his face turned red.

"Nix!" Rebecca chastised, elbowing him.

Before Nixon could tease Jones anymore, Dick appeared from behind him and began leading him out of the door.

Probably feeling a bit neutered after Lew's judgments and wanting to prove himself, Lieutenant Jones stepped over to Dick. "Sir, I'd like to volunteer for the patrol."

Dick didn't reply to him and only turned to Speirs. "Speirs, talk to you in an hour?"

"Lieutenant Jones," Was the only thing Dick said before departing.

As she continued walking away, Rebecca could see Jones was upset. She felt some sympathy for the kid. After all, it wasn't too long ago, Rebecca was trying to prove she belonged with Easy Company too.

"Lieutenant, don't worry, you'll get your chance." She offered.

Jones offered Rebecca a hearty salute, which she happily returned before she left CP again.

- End Chapter -


A/N: I really wanted to post a chapter today, because, for me, it's the 75th anniversary of D-Day. I hope by taking the time to write this fanfic, I'm in some way, even in the smallest way possible, honoring the men who made the ultimate sacrifice to prevent tyranny from dominating the world. I will forever be grateful for every veteran's sacrifice. Stay tuned for more chapters in the future.