We finally found a home on the outskirts of Baton Rogue.

It was very small but a bit enough for the both of us to live in. Because of Eugene working in the construction company that he was in, he had some of his co-workers come down to the house to help fix it up from how it was before. It was cheap, which meant there were plenty of things to fix and upkeep, but I didn't mind it at all. It kept the both of us beyond busy and occupied with what we were already trying to get off.

Eugene knew what was going on with him since that night when he was sleep walking. He explained to me that he was seeing it all over, those endless days in Bastogne and how he thought he lost another soldier. He suffered, though it without me being able to really take it all away from him. Knowing Eugene, he would try to truck on without dwelling on in, plus I had my now nightmares to deal with.

It was safe to say, we both were trying to battle demons.

This house was the first step for the both go us, and thanks to the money my father left the both of us, we were getting things done way more than we thought we could. We even scrounged up a few pieces of furniture from other places that we found while we were out. It was slowly becoming more like home for the both of us, and I filled most of the place with fresh flowers and mismatched chairs. Something I knew my mother would hate and that I would love.

It was more peaceful to live in, to say the least.

We would keep to ourselves, getting letters from the others in both Easy and in Black Mamba and then writing back to them to let them know we were basically living off the land. I got a garden started in the backyard, both Eugene and I planted some herbs and vegetables, leaving a small area in the corner for some of my flowers that I wanted. Eugene got an old record player from his parents, which was perfect for the both of us since we were in need of some music in the house. as the pieces were coming together, more and more letters were coming to us now in talks of a reunion or wanting to come out in our directions.

It made me miss them all.

"We should send them out to come see the place," I mentioned to Eugene as I walked out to the backyard, seeing him on a ladder that he borrowed from work. He was putting on the last touch of paint at the top, already sweating from the humidity.

"Depends on you're sendin'," Eugene replied back as he was working away, "I might be hesitant on lettin' certain Easy members near the house."

"Would one of those people be George Luz?" I asked in a humorous tone, seeing a small smirk on his face since it felt like I called out his bluff.

"Maybe…" he trailed off, having me snort a bit.

"Well he is insisting on comin' out to see the house and he wants us to meet his girlfriend too," I explained as I held the letter in my hand, "He's more concerned about you trying to build a house on our own without assistance."

"That'll be the day when I get advice from him," Eugene commented as he finished the last coat and came down the ladder with the pail of paint in his hand. I grinned at his work: seeing how much detail he would put in every stroke of the brush and every nail he would hit with the hammer. Once he placed his feet back on solid ground, I walked over to take the pale from his hand since he was already sweating like crazy.

"You need a break," I encouraged, "All of this work is gonna make ya sick."

"We have plenty of things to fix, and it's keepin' me occupied," He tried to argue with me, but I reached over to massage his nape with my fingers.

"We have plenty of time for work, but I think you need a break from being the handy man around here," I reasoned, seeing him huff almost in defeated and I grinned. It made me sneak a kiss on his lips, feeling him smile against my own lips, "You're still my favorite handyman."

"I better be," He replied smoothly as he gave me a quick kiss.

"Come on then, let's get something to eat and we can go into town," I urged him, taking him by the hand and we both walked over to the small house. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders as I had my own arm around his waist.

"Did you write back to George yet about him coming to visit?" He asked me as we were walking together in the warmth of the day.

"I did, and he's going to be here in about a week."

I remember the first night that we had there in the house.

Eugene was making a bit deal about, making a big dinner for the both of us and we decided to have it in our bed. Though we had no bed frame, our mattress was on the floor and we had candles lit all over the place. Sure we knew that we were maybe going to set the house on fire, but with big plates of food between the both of us and plenty of laughter and memories going on between the both of us, I didn't mind it at all.

After we cleaned the plates and food away, we had a bottle of wine and just enjoyed the fact that we were together in our own little bubble. I never thought I would see Eugene drinking down wine like water and he seemed looser and less in control. Sure it sounded like I was liquoring him up, but we both enjoyed not caring about the world and just having each other's company.

I placed the two glasses on the ground on the side of the mattress, but I felt a pair of lips on my shoulder and it was so still that it made me freeze there. The way it felt against my shirt was intimate, and I slowly got back to sitting up straight and I looked over at Eugene who was watching me carefully. There was nothing that showed he was drunk, but how his shoulders were relaxed and soothing and the stare he gave me was pure love was enough for me to breathe out unevenly. It felt like I was in a trance.

"I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," He confessed to me in almost a gasp of a whisper. It made me fall for him, beyond fall or him, and I instantly leaned in to kiss him. It felt like ages since we had something like this, being alone and being safe. He kissed me back soothingly, not rushing this as I felt like we would do this. We both kept it slow, beyond slow, staying close together on the mattress with our few blankets.

His hands were around my waist, my own were in my his hair and eventually, things unfolded from there. Eugene was careful with taking things off of me, his careful medic fingers were working their magic as my shirt came off. The last thing to go was my brassiere, which made me giggle from where he brushed his fingers and it almost tickled me. He chuckled as well, the both of us tumbling onto the mattress and leaving everything else to the rest of the world.

It was the best night of my life.

Weeks came by and we got word that some of the men from Easy were wondering if they could come over to see how we were doing. Eugene thought it was a bit too soon since things weren't done in the house, and yet I was on the opposite end. As nice as it was for the two of us to be in the small house, I knew we needed some company.

The house was filled with laughter, plenty of beer being passed around from the refrigerator, and stories were being moved throughout the room. I was watching from the other room as Eugene was talking to Babe and George Luz, They were in the living room, swapping jokes with each other and catching up since they left Europe.

They all looked different without their uniforms, wearing loose shirts and slacks with no boots. They even look lighter, no need to fear away from the war or the thought of being killed. I only heard good things, who they were dating and where they were living. The best thing about it was seeing Eugene, laughing at a joke that Babe was saying or just grinning from how George was doing another impression. It made me realize that we were needing more of this in our lives, moving on getting things right.

I missed them so much as well, giving the both of them hugs when they came through the door. I missed George and his spirit, not to mention Babe and his quirks and quick wit. They both reminded me of the plenty of times we would talk in the middle of the night to make the time go by. After having dinner with them and seeing Babe and Eugene go out to the backyard where Eugene was showing him his work, I was left in the house with Luz.

"You know, I'm glad you and Eugene are getting better and staying here together," Luz explained to me as we both were sitting at the small table in the kitchen, drinking a beer between us. I grinned at him, wanting to shut it off really, but he went on, "I don't think any of us really saw it coming, maybe Liebgot did," he pondered for a second as I looked at him in shock.

"Anywho, I'm glad you guys are together. You guys are too darn cute," he explained with an impersonation of John Wayne.

"Thanks…I think," I replied smoothly as I took a long drink from my beer.

"And can I just say that I never pictured you two together," he commented, now having me looking at him with a bit of shock.

"You're kidding," I said sarcastically.

"No really. I don't anyone of us could have seen that coming," He commented as he took a drink from his beer, leaning back in his chair with a smirk on his chair, "In fact, I think both Bull and I were under the impression that you had your eyes for Liebgott."

"Thank goodness that didn't happen," I joked with him.

"I think some of us had money on it since you both were fighting like cats with each other but we didn't have the nerve to ask you, or him. I think he would have shot us in the head," Luz said in a smirk as I rolled my eyes.

"One of us would have for sure," I advised him, then thinking about it for a moment or two, "Either way, I don't think I could handle Liebgott," Even the thought of being with someone like Liebgott was enough for me to deny it. I looked back out at Eugene and Babe, the both of them were still talking close to each other and almost in harsh whispers, Luz staring at me from the corner of my eye.

"So what happened?" He asked, sounding casual. "What happened with you and Doc?"

"I don't know," I admitted with a shrug of my own shoulders, "It just happened out of the blue. But you know what? I'm glad it did."

"Me too, Captain. Glad to see he's making you happy," Luz said to me in a grin now, finally having me look at him and we clicked our beer bottles together. It was great to know that at least one other person in Easy Company was glad that I got to be with one of their own. Sure I wasn't really concerned about it, but then again the men there were always telling me over and over that, I was an Easy Company member.

"Cheers, Captain," He said to me as we both took a long drink.

"Cheers to you, Luz."

Once again, I woke up to an empty bed.

This time I woke up with another nightmare, one that I haven't had in awhile. I was back in that river, after saving Martin and was trying to get back to shore. The gunshot woke me up, the bullet about to hit my neck and take my breath away. It felt so real, I thought it was real. But seeing the ceiling above me was a reminder that we weren't there anymore, and that I was still alive.

Yet, Eugene wasn't next to me.

I had an idea where he was since he would go to the kitchen to get a glass of water and just sit, contemplating on what he was going through the night. It was his way of getting better, having moments of solitude and just reflection. But I also knew, from having the experience myself, that saying alone for a bit too long was not healthy. I didn't want Eugene to fall into that trap, he was too good for that to happen to him.

Walking out of the bedroom, the kitchen light was on softly and I could see the silhouette of Eugene at the table, a tall glass of water next to his hand that was on the table and he was staring off into the back window that was showing the backyard. He was sitting so still like a statue, deep in thought, I was walked over quietly with one of our blankets over my shoulders, having me feel like a child walking in the middle of the night with my blanket as a shield.

Once I was close enough, I reached over to touch the nape of his neck, instantly seeing him roll his shoulders and melt his head against my outstretched hand. I saw his eyes go closed as I was close enough to almost being pressed against him from behind.

"Chere," I said to him softly, almost in a purr now, "You need to come back to bed,"

"I just needed to get a drink," He reassured me, reaching over to take my hand from his head and lace our fingers once again together. He kissed the back of my hand lovingly now as I watched him with a small smile. It felt as thought, the way he was not coming to me from time to time, that he assumed he was alone in the suffering. His own kind of suffering really, but it pained me that I wasn't able to help him in the way that I wanted to.

"I dreamed I was back in that river," I explained to him as I was still speaking in a soft manner, "I was when I was helping Martin and gettin' back to the side…right where I was shot," When I mentioned that, I felt Eugene squeeze my hand. Maybe it was out of instinct, or maybe he thought the same thing too, but I could feel his reaction when I told him this. But I moved to send in front of him, seeing his tired eyes watch me and I smiled at him.

"What you had to do back there as a medic, was beyond brave. You should know that even though plenty of men didn't say it to you, that they are grateful for you for saving them," I placed both of my hands on either side of his neck, feeling his pulse pianist my fingers, "Don't think you're suffering alone in this, my love. If you think you are, don't. And please, please don't shut me out,"

His face crumpled when that soaked under his skin and within himself. I knew him as someone with composure and that was one of being emotional, not when it came to doing his line of work. But this was new for me. I didn't want him to do that, and it instantly made me regret saying that to him. I engulfed him in my arms, holding him close as he was silently weeping and wrapping his own arms around me. My blanket was shielding the both of us as I was just making sure that he was okay and that he was safe there with me.

I loved him more with any kind of words that would be expressed. To me, he was an anchor, someone who was going to hold me in one place not let me be blown away by the rest of the world. I loved how he spoke softly and yet with determination, how he eyes were always alert and waiting to absorb something new.

"You know I love you too much to see him go through this alone," I reminded him into his hair as he was trying to compose himself. I moved one hand to wipe away his tears, but keeping his other arm still around me and close enough as if he was afraid to let me go.

"I know," He said in a muffled against my embrace. I pulled away from him slightly as he got more of the tears off of his face, "It's just hard…it feels real…and I see all of them in my head."

"I see them too," I said in agreement, ruffling his hair gently and soothingly, "I hate that I see them….I see Captain Josephine and how I couldn't save her." Eugene eyes me when I said it, knowing that I was still debating myself up over her death. I didn't want to have the focus on me when I knew I was trying to help Eugene.

"It'll get better….I know that's hard to see now but it will. I know it will, I have faith it will," I said it like a vow, "We just have to take it day by day." I could see him give me a small smile then, which almost felt a bit better. I reached over to grab his ice cold water and I placed it in his hand. He took a long sip.

"Wanna go back to bed?" I asked him, not in a coy fashion but wanting it to be light and soothing. He nodded his head, almost heavy with sleep back on his face. After he placed the cup back on the table, we both got back on our feet and walked over to the bedroom again slowly. The quiet was once again something that we both had to get used to, and it was slowly becoming normal. The jeeps were substituted with fireflies, marching boots were now the small rolling of grass with the wind.

"This is far too delicious, ma'am," I said to Eugene's mother as we were eating dinner at Eugene's parent's house. It was a cool enough evening for the both of us to go over for a visit. They were both supportive of me not talking to my family, they even wanted me to come over at least once a week for dinner. It was great to have those kind of dinners again: light jokes and old memories. They were amazing to talk to and to chat with, his mother was soothing and kind. His father was infectious with laughter and with talking about his son with pride.

It made me feel warm and welcome there.

"We've talked about this plenty a time, you can call me ma if you want. Ma'am is too old," She reminded me, having me see her look at me in hesitance. She was on the fence about how my mother treated me, not seeing it as anything kind or remotely good. Eugene told me that one night she was venting to both him and his father about it, voicing that Eugene as never seen anything like that come out of his own mother his whole life. She was protective of me, not hesitating twice when it came to helping me or getting me something for the house.

"I would like that, ma," I said to her finally, seeing that big smile that Eugene inherited from was seen and it made me smile even more as I took another big bite of gumbo.

"How's the house coming along?" Verne asked the both of us as he was sitting across from us.

"Coming along great, pop," Eugene replied to him as he took a sip from his beer before he went one, "I think we're mostly done with all that we really needed to fix. The last thing is the roof, but I know a few guys that can get that taken care of this weekend."

"You work far too hard, Genie," Her mother cooed at him now in concern as I saw Eugene give me a small look, "Have you ever taken a day off?"

"I tried to get him to take one off, trust me," I explained, seeing him give me a tedious look as I grinned at him, "That ship has sailed with this me,"

"That's not fair," He argued with me, but I grinned and shrugged my shoulders. His parents laughed a bit from our antics and it made me giggle at him as he reached over to take our hands together between us. For me, it was much better to see him with a big smile on his face, fewer bags under his eyes and more color on his skin. He was getting better, those nights of him sleepwalking and getting up were beaching fewer and fewer. Slowly, we were getting once again back on our feet.

"We have some friends coming into town within the next week," Eugene explained to his parents, "Old friends from Easy Company. They're gonna stay at the house for the weekend."

"How many are coming'?" Verne questioned him, "Your house is a bit small."

"We've had two already: Babe and Luz. Knowing those guys, we can manage a few more bodies in there," I reassured him, seeing him nod his head, "Those guys lived in a foxhole for about a month. So out house can be a luxury to them."

"That's good to hear. I need to meet these boys when they come," Maude said in glee as she started clearing the plates there at the table since we were done. I got up as well, reaching over to get both myself and Eugene's plate.

"Let me help, ma," I insisted as the both of the plates in my hands to walk over to the kitchen. But as soon as I was close enough, Maude took my plates without a second thought.

"Let me take care of that, my dear. You go relax with Gene," She insisted, having me look at her almost in shock but she was already off with the plates without me being able to chase after her. Eugene finally took my hand in his and I gazed at him. I saw him smile at me, seeing him tug me over to the backyard. It was a cool night, already giving me a small hint of a shiver when we went out of the door and out onto the dusty ground.

"It's night out here," I voiced to him as I was looking out at some of the clouds that were rolling through. We thought we were going to be home in time for the rain that was coming, but it seemed as though the rain beat us there. A light sprinkle was coming over the area over the both of us as I released Eugene's hand to walk and see the roses along the house wall. They were beyond beautiful, bloom open and wide to show their color and spread their scent among the dusty area. I was too entranced with the roses to hear Eugene some up for the first time since we went out into the backyard.

"You wanna marry me?"

I froze from touching one of the red rose petals. He made it sound so simple and yet so concerning at the same time as I was looking ahead for a brief second before looking behind me at him. We were slowly getting wet from the sprinkling of rain, and I could see how he was watching me with both intimacy in his eyes and a staggered look on his body. I knew he really meant it, I could hear it in his voice and how he was watching me.

"What'd ya say?" I asked, clearly not thinking about it clearly now since it came out of nowhere and in the middle of the night, outside his parents home. He licked his lips, seeing that I wasn't running for the hills yet, and he walked over a little bit to me to be a little closer. Eugene hesitated a bit before clearing his throat and trying it one more time.

"I didn't know how else to do this, and I figured being out here would be great," He explained, almost talking in a bit of a stutter and he then pointed to the house behind us, "I asked my ma and pop if we could come over and I can do this…that I can ask this,"

"Figured they would be in on this," I joked with him, seeing the color back on his face other than the look of panic. He then walked right in front of me, taking both of my hands on his own. I took another shaky breath when he finally spoke up.

"I couldn't think of the right time to ask you to marry me, even while we were still over in Europe and the war was endin'. But I never got around to it since I was afraid I would do it wrong," He explained almost in a stammer, thinking it out in his head as he was still holding my hands close to himself. My own heart was beating faster and faster. Even my head was feeling light from how he was saying this so purely.

"But I want ya to know that I wanted to ask you to marry me for awhile," He paused, having me keep my eyes on him and I was grinning from ear to ear. His hair was getting far too wet and I could almost sense that he was shivering, "I don't think I would have made it through the war without you bein' there for me and with me. You were the one best thing about the whole war and the one thing I don't want to forget or erase. You're helping me now and I don't wanna be without you,"

Finally, after pretty much shelling out all of his feelings for me, he finally got down on one knee and looked up right at me. The blue in his eyes was glossed from either the rain or with tears. Either way, I did not see this coming and I wished I could have to be more prepared.

"I'm gonna do this properly: Olivia Bellerose, would you marry me?"

My smile on my face was so big it felt like it was going to have me have a permanent smile for the rest of my life, but in that moment I didn't care. All the shit that went wrong in my life seemed to have washed away and been no longer going to be a permanent mark on me. Elliot was no longer a worry to me, my mother was no longer etching a wound onto my heart since Eugene was somehow replacing it with a much bigger heart that could honestly make every nightmare less scary and less real. There was even a moment in my life where I thought I was never going to be married to anyone, not since Elliot killed that dream and my mother made it grander than it was. I was overjoyed with the thought of marriage, and yet not I was overjoyed.

All from Eugene.

"If I say yes will you get off from the ground before you catch a cold?" I asked him, seeing him grin from ear to ear now as he then slowly got up from the wet and muddy ground, his pants were already wet. As soon as he was fully standing up in front of me, I leaned into him to plant a kiss. We both smiled through the kiss, having me feel hot all over and once we pulled away from the kiss, I hugged him close and was refusing to let him go.

"I'm glad you said yes," he mumbled into my hug as I snorted and pulled away to look at him. He was smiling so big as well, almost cheesy but enough to give me more butterflies.

"You think I would have said no?" I asked him in almost a shocked tone, "I would never refuse that from you, Eugene."

"Good to know," He replied in relief, sneaking in another kiss, "I think we should head inside before we both get sick. Plus, my ma is probably waiting for us to come in and tell her the good news," he wrapped an arm around me as we both walked over to the house once more, but this time it felt different.

We were engaged, in the rain, and there was no ounce of regret within that moment.