A/N: And I'm back from vacation. Got out of Florida just in time for a storm too, hehe. Anyway, I wanted to make this chapter longer but I suddenly got an idea for a Malarkey story and my muse disappeared briefly. But, have no fear, it was only a brief thing. That being said, we are actually approaching the end of this story. I know, I know, tear but we all knew it had to come eventually. So, without further prattle, read on.

Disclaimer: I don't own Band of Brothers and this based on the characters in the miniseries, not the actual men. I do own Eve though.

Chapter Thirty Five
Paris

She'd been in Paris for two days and she had yet to tell Carl of her engagement to Babe. With her departure to Aldbourne fast approaching, being only a day away, Eve knew she had to tell him and soon. Though, admittedly, a small part of her hoped that the English Channel would prove a great enough distance to end Carl's designs on her. Of course, Carl had other plans and he ambushed Eve with them one evening as she sat on a bench in a little park across from the hospital where Eve had been helping out whenever she could. Carl approached her from behind, covering her eyes with his hands.

"Guess who."

"General Patton?" Eve joked lamely.

"Ha ha." Carl said dryly as he came around the bench to sit next to her. "This is beautiful." He remarked quietly, overlooking what they could see of the fading sunset.

"Mmhmm." Eve agreed.

"Let's get married." Eve's shoulders stiffened.

"What?"

"Well, Paris is the city of love." He turned in his seat to face her. "Can you think of a more appropriate place to get married?" Eve sighed, now or never.

"Carl, there's something we need to discuss." Eve turned as well, now able to lock eyes with him. "While I was with Easy Company, I...well, I met someone." She paused briefly as Carl's face began to fall. "He proposed to me and I said yes. You have to understand that I never meant to hurt you but I love him very much and, once we're back in the States, we're going to get married."

"His name?"

"Excuse me?"

"What's the bastard's name?" He repeated venomously, though intensely clenched teeth. Eve was startled by his sudden change in appearance. His face seemed darker, his hands tight in fists.

"Edward but everyone calls him Babe." She repeated timidly. Carl turned his head to look at her, his face still tight with anger.

"You said, before I left, that we'd get married when I returned to you."

"I tried to tell you I wasn't ready to marry!" Eve cried, wringing her hands in her lap. "And I wanted to tell you that I didn't want to marry you but you were shipping out and I didn't want to--"

"So, you were, what? Hoping I'd be killed? That way you wouldn't have to deal with the situation?"

"No!" Eve exclaimed, horrified. "Of course not! How could you ever think that?!"

"Were you just playing around with me then?" Carl snapped.

"No and that's not fair! I never said I was in love with you, Carl. I never said we were more than friends." Carl stood stiffly.

"My apologies then. I assumed there was more between us than simple friendship but apparently I was very wrong. I wasn't aware you were just an American floozy. Have a safe trip to Aldbourne and I hope you and this...Babe...have a "wonderful" life together." Turning on his heel, Carl left Eve alone on the park bench.

*** *** *** ***

Eve wasn't sure how long she sat there on the Parisian park bench, emotions swirling through her mind, but by the time she was back in her body, so to speak, the street lamps had been lit, and she realized she was very, very tired. With a sigh, Eve got to her feet, started back towards the hotel she was staying at.

There was a letter shoved under her door when Eve returned to her room. At first, she almost missed it but her foot knocked it across the floor, alerting her to it's presence. Eve bent down, picked it up. The return address was from her mother. For once she was glad for her mother's prattle that the letter was sure to contain so it was with a smile that Eve sat down on her bed, ripping the envelope open as she did so.

Eve,

I debated writing this letter for some time but to do so any longer would be, I believe, a mistake. Your father, just under a week ago, had a heart attack--

Eve's heart dropped down to her stomach.

--and, while he's now home, he's still bed ridden. As I said, I didn't wish to burden you with this news, since you are so far away but, Eve, he's asking for you and your brother everyday. While Dr. Hodgins believes he shall make a full recovery, I know that his recovery would be speeded up if at least one of you was home.

I understand that you have an obligation to the army and, of course, the men but you have an obligation to your father as well. He needs you. She had barely finished the letter and was already running around her room, throwing everything she owned into her pack. She didn't know how she was going to get permission to leave or even how she was going to get there but Eve knew, without a doubt, that she getting home to her father.

Please come home,
Mom

*** *** *** ***

Nixon, New Jersey
 May 10, 1945

It seemed like an entire lifetime had passed since Eve had last seen her home. It's architecture, like the rest of the US she'd seen since stepping off of the boat, was perfect and complete, unlike that of war torn Europe. For a moment, Eve felt like she was freshly 18 again, departing for Europe filled with hopes and idealism. She shook her head to clear the thoughts. Two birthday's had come and gone. She was 20 now, though in truth she felt much older. Eve glanced down as a newspaper hit her foot. It was a couple days old, since the headline was all about V-E day. She had celebrated V-E day on the USS Crater, a cargo ship heading back to the States for a refitting before heading to the Pacific. The Captain had produced a bottle of scotch and they had toasted the Allied victory in his cabin, along with his first mate and skipper. The celebration had been bittersweet for Eve, who was not only missing Babe terribly, but also felt slightly cheated at not being with Easy Company on such a glorious day.

"Eve?" Eve glanced up from the newspaper and saw her mother standing on the front step, a hand over her eyes, shielding them from the noonday sun.

"Yeah, it's me." Eve confirmed, continuing up the walk. Once they were face-to-face, they just stared at each other, neither knowing exactly what they wanted to say. Finally, Doris pulled Eve into her arms.

"You're home." She sobbed as she clung to her daughter. "You're home." Doris pushed Eve away, held her tightly by her upper arms. "How's your brother?"

"He's Lewis." Eve replied, shifting awkwardly. Her mother took this to mean she was tired. Doris tugged on her sleeve, pulling her inside, fussing about how skinny and tired she looked. A bitt annoyed, Eve stopped walking, kept her feet firmly planted on the ground so even her mother's incessant tugging couldn't move her. "Mom, where's dad?"

"Oh!" Doris exclaimed, clapping a hand to her forehead. "Of course. He's upstairs in bed, reading. Blanche stopped by earlier to discuss and increase on her wedding budget. Which reminds me--" Eve held up her hand.

"Mom, I'd love to talk Blanche's wedding extravaganza with you but not until after I see dad, alright?" Doris gave a deflated nod.

"Alright." Eve took the stairs two at a time after tossing her pack to the floor. She had traveled the route to her parent's room so many times that her feet led the way without involving her brain. At the door, Eve paused, unsure of whether or not to knock. Finally, after another moment of consideration, she raised her fist to knock, only to have the door suddenly open.

"Mary." Mary, a maid who had been with the Nixon's for as long as Eve could remember, smiled widely.

"Ms. Eve!" She exclaimed happily. Eve smiled.

"Hey, Mary." Mary opened the door wider, turning her head over her shoulder to say,

"Mr. Nixon, Eve is back from playing soldier."

"Ha ha." Eve rolled her eyes as she walked into the room. Stanhope was sitting up in bed; books, papers, and other various things scattered around him. He had the largest smile on his face that Eve could ever remember him having. In that moment, with him looking so frail, Eve reverted to her five year old self. It took all of her willpower not to run and jump onto the bed, hugging the proverbial life out of him. Instead of running, Eve walked stiffly over to the bed, sitting on it's edge.

"Eve." He greeted. "You look..." He paused, looked her over once again and said, "...good."

"Thanks, dad. How are you feeling?"

"Oh, me? I'm fit as a fiddle." He replied, waving his hand dismissively. "Dr. Hodgins just wants me to be extra careful, just in case. But I don't want to talk about me. I want to hear about your time in Europe. How was your brother when you left him?" Eve sighed. Stanhope wasn't acting like his usual Stanhope self. Maybe it was because he had suddenly been forced to face his own mortality that now he wanted to act like the perfect father. It made Eve a little wary. "Well?" He prompted.

"He was alright. What with Cathy and the pending divorce." Stanhope shook his head gravely.

"What a horrible situation. I don't understand how she could tell him all that in a letter while he's off fighting for our country."

"She's not the first and she won't be the last."

"Unfortunately. But, once again, I want to hear about Europe."

"There's not much to tell really." Eve replied, playing with the blanket.

"Somehow I doubt that. Eve, I've been in this bed for over a week, doing nothing at all exciting. Please give me something." Stanhope had such a desperate look on his face that Eve had to smile.

"Alright, well..." She moved further onto the bed, leaning up against the headboard, pulling her legs up to her chest. "...let me tell you about Aldbourne."

*** *** *** ***

Back in Europe

"I miss her." Luz glanced up from his cards, cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Well, the war's almost over so I'm sure you'll see her soon. And then you'll give her a big kiss for all of us, maybe with a little--"

"Yeah, yeah, Luz. Shut up." Babe muttered. Malarkey, Liebgott, and Ramirez all joined in with grins as Luz chuckled. "And I hope so." Babe added wistfully. "The cards are not with me tonight." He griped, tossing his cards on top of the discard pile.

"Guess Eve took all your luck with her, man." Luz shook his head in amazement as he picked up the discarded cards. "These are crappy cards." Babe gave him a look. "Hey, don't give me that look. It ain't my fault you've got shitty cards."

"Yeah, well--"

"Heffron! There you are!" Vest came rushing into the room, a letter clutched in his left hand. "Here." He shoved it at Babe, who took the letter. "Sorry it's so late but we're still getting the mail situation sorted out here and then no one could find you. And, well, you have it now so that's what matters, right?" Babe nodded as he got to his feet, already ripping open the envelope.

"I'll see you guys later, alright?" He muttered distractedly.

"Bet you two bucks it's from E." Ramirez commented.

"You know, I'm not much of a bettin' man but even I know a sure loss when I hear one." Luz replied.

"Come on." Liebgott frowned. "Are we playin' cards or what?"

*** *** *** ***

Even though the letter was free from it's envelope, Babe waited until he was settled in his room before actually reading it.


Eddy,
Babe paused with a smile as he pictured Eve's teasing smirk as she wrote out that line.

Yes, that's right, I've decided to give you my own nickname--

--since I can't imagine calling you Babe at 75 years of age. This is just a quick note to let you know that I arrived safely in Paris. Safely but lonely. I missed you even before the truck had pulled away.
At this point, Eve's hand writing changed, becoming more rushed, sloppy even.

I know this is abrupt but I'm leaving Paris for New Jersey immediately. A letter from my mother reached me shortly after I arrived here in Paris informing me that my father had a heart attack. I sent in for a discharge, received it, and was granted permission to leave. I'll still be waiting for you, just in New Jersey.

I love you,
Eve

For a second, Babe felt a bit disoriented but then worry set in. He sat up, tried to think if there was anything he could do from so far away. Reluctantly, he admitted there really wasn't and the thought irritated him immensely. He stood, kicked at the nearby dresser. Webster, who was walking by, poked his head into the room, looking slightly concerned.

"Everything alright?"

"No. Hey, you know if Nixon's still up?"

"I have no idea. Why?" Babe shook his head, pushing past him to get out the door.

"Don't worry about it."

A/N: Well, Carl's out of the picture and Eve's now back in the United States. She's just all over the place, isn't she? I did play around with history here, but only a little. The USS Crater was an actual cargo ship but I have no clue where it was in May 1945 and honestly, short of Wikipedia, I'm too lazy to try and find out. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and, again, the more reviews I get, the faster I update because I do love reviews...they feed the ego, no? lol...thanks!!