Hello peeps!

I'm SO sorry for the long wait for the update but since I've started in 8th Grade we got so many homework and projects that I didn't have the time to write anything - and I also got handball starting up again. And in school we also start to get grades (for real). We already get our 'half-way' grades in November or some such! :O

This will be the last normal chapter of The Paratroopers and then there will be an epilogue as promised but I can't promise when it will come up unfortunately :/

Well, in this case since it's the last chapter I've made a big point of the men of Easy Company. You can also see that in the bottom.

For the second last time, thank you to everyone who have reviewed, followed, favorited - you're all amazing and I wouldn't have been able to do this without you lot :').

Also a huge thanks to my best friend and amazing fanfic writer vintagecowgirl1010 for sticking with me through all this and was the one who gave me the idea to the intro song and Livy's name for the teddybear - I love Whisky/Currahee or whatever you like to call him (See what I did there;)?). And thank you for just being you! I love you and miss you LOTS!

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 ;-).

"Maybe you don't understand

I don't understand it all myself

But there's a brother on my left and another on my right

And in his pocket just like mine, he's got a photograph

And they're waiting for him back home..."

~For You by Keith Urban from the movie Act of Valor~

Chapter 37:

July 1945 – Zell Am See, Austria:

My endless, yet common known sobbing was the only thing heard in the gym hall we were in while the doctor looked at Chuck. He was still alive, thank goodness but he was unconscious and in danger.

I tried, without luck, to hide from it all that had happened by drilling my head deeper against Tab's torso as he held his arm around me. Captain Speirs was holding Chuck's hand while Gene looked on helplessly.

"Jesus" the doctor burst out.

"What?" Ron asked.

The doc's voice was sad "He's not gonna make it."

A loud sob escaped my lips.

"What, you can operate on him?" Gene asked in disbelief.

"Not me. You'd need a brain surgeon. And even if you had one, I don't think there's any hope" said the doc frankly.

I had refused to go to bed until I knew Chuck would be all right and now I got to know there was no hope at all from a doctor who didn't seem any eager to do anything for his patient. He was probably tired of it all but so were the rest of us. Chuck was strong, he would make it through, I knew it. He had to. And if the doc wouldn't do more, then I would – you could be as sure on that as my name was Olivia Mae. I guessed Ron thought somewhat the same as he pointed determined at Tab "Find the shooter, alive.. Help me."

"What're you doin'?" Gene drawled, obeying Ron's orders.

"We're gonna go to find a brain surgeon" Ron replied before he and Gene left with Chuck on the stretcher, Tab and me following at their heels, leaving the doctor who lit up a cigarette in the dark room, turning off the light from the little lamp.

B.o.B

All I could do was sit in the window and watch as the boys from Easy took off in trucks and jeeps to look after the poor bastard who had shot and maybe even killed their good comrade and friend through two and a half years, I counted. I was mad too, I felt like I could punch something at any moment. The tears had dried on my cheeks but more were floating up as the anger was boiling through my whole body on the same time. I knotted my fists angrily – I swear I hadn't been that mad any other time in my life!

My window stood on the hook so once in a while I felt the July night's breeze on my barefooted feet and bare legs. I was wearing a white nightgown, reaching to just above the knees so you could see all the scars I had. There was the big one on my knee and several other small scars or cuts all around my legs. You couldn't see my bullet-wound in my side since I was wearing a nightgown but when I ran my fingers over it, I could feel the small deepening that might have had been the end of me if Spina and Babe hadn't reacted so quick. I said what if several times each day. What if Gene or the jeep driver had been a bit slower to arrive at the aid-station in Bastogne back then? Had Renée and the others then been able to save me? What if John from the 82nd had been just a bit slower to throw me out of the church? What if Janovec hadn't got to react so fast as he did when he threw me out of the jeep? What if Chuck hadn't...?

By the thought, a lonely tear tumbled down my cheek. I rubbed my eyes, holding a yawn back.

My gaze moved from outside the window to look around the white room I had got for myself, to the light-brown teddybear, having its certain place in the corner of my bed. The boys had scrounged money for it back in Mourmelon as they saw how in love I became with it when we were out on one of their gained weekend-passes. Its chestnut brown knobs as its eyes reminded me of Joe Toye's eyes. I missed Joe and all the others. I walked across the room to my bed I jumped on to and grabbed the teddy I had named Currahee, much to the boys delight.

I looked into Currahee's eyes, it was like it was magic since I could see all the funny times I have had with all the guys, both them still alive and then them who wasn't among us anymore. Another tear rolled down my cheek as my lip trembled slightly.

I lay down on my side, holding Currahee close to me as I closed my eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.

B.o.B

I sat up abruptly by the sounds of angry voices and threatening curses against a person. The boys had come back, with the shooter I would never forget the face off. Ever.

I was scared to go down downstairs so I waited until a door was slammed shut and everything became quiet again. I had started shivering a little bit so I went to the window and closed it completely, yet I was still shivering. What was wrong with me?

Suddenly, I felt the sudden urge to go downstairs so I automatically grabbed Currahee like he was my protector - in a way it was since I felt like the teddy had something of every guy of Easy in him. My fingers graced the teddy's red ribbon and tugged it gently.

I tried to tip-toe down the hall to the stairs quietly, but the tap-tap from my bare feet tapped against the wooden floor anyway.

I took hesitantly one step down at a time as I had reached the stairs and walked down them. Already now I could hear faint voices and cries. I cringed, already knowing what it was making that noise. Though, I knew, deep deep inside it was wrong to think that way, I couldn't help to think that this 'Mac' deserved every beating, every single punch or kick he received.

I had reached the bottom of the stairs and now moved closer and closer to the room where the boys had seen some kind of 'film' I hadn't been allowed to see earlier, the cries and swears getting louder and louder. I also heard as I got real close that what sounded like cards getting shuffled over and over again. That was when I heard two voices, recognizing them as George and Tab's.

"All right, see what we got here..."

I stood in the door now and could also see the two of them now. Across the room, I saw silhouettes through the glass door I assumed was there where the others were with the G.I.

"Hey, if it isn't my beautiful girl."

My eyes narrowed from the glass door where the shouts and cries continued, to George who had spoken, and Tab who turned. I was shocked of how tired and somber he looked.

Tab tried to smile, only forcing a weak one forward "Something wrong, sweetheart? Why aren't you in your bed and dreaming sweet dreams already?"

My eyes moved to the door across the room again as I heard the cries of agony, making me cringe as I had heard it so many times before. The two of them had followed my gaze.

"I couldn't sleep..." My voice was like a whisper so I was surprised that they had heard me.

Tab sighed and rubbed his temple of the events going on behind the forbidden glass door.

"Chuck's going to be all right...right?" I asked anxiously, shifting uncomfortably on my feet.

Tab and George shared a sad look before Tab stood up and walked to me, crouching down to my size. He eyed me, forcing a smile "Of course he is, sweetie. You know him...it's...Chuck..."

As like it was timed, on the same time another cry of agony sounded from behind the door, I let out a loud sob and wrapped my arms around Tab's neck, him instantly holding me against him.

"Shhhh, come 'ere, upsy daisy" he whispered, lifting my small, trembling body up as he had done many times before.

He placed me on George's lap as I guessed Tab would have to go some time when Ron came.

George rubbed my arms soothingly, me leaning on his shoulder as I slowly dazed off since I was so tired but I still heard their conversation. I felt George shift as the two of them still played cards.

"Jesus. Again; with a hand. The princess could do this better than me..." George muttered to himself.

"Who's being beaten worse, me or him?" George tried to make Tab laugh but if Tab tried just as much as to smile, I knew it would only become a grimace. Tab and Chuck were good friends and then I just guessed that the war also had caught up with him too. It would at some point with everybody. Some took, and had it easier than others. It depended on the person.

"Wanna play a different game?" Tab suggested with kinda clenched teeth it sounded like.

"No, same game, just shuffle them up good, huh?"

I shifted when I heard the smashing sound of card against card.

"Oi, you all right?" George asked. I could clearly hear he had a smoke playing on his lips. I could see how handsome he looked with the cancer-stick hanging out from his mouth, the lips holding on it.

"Yeah, I'm all right" came the forced reply.

"Wanna go in there and join in? I'll put the princess to bed" said George just as another cry of agony and shouts from the boys were heard, making me to shift uncomfortably. I felt Tab's gaze upon me "I should go in and stop this."

I heard cards being shuffled aggressively as George spoke "Oi, Floyd, let's just play cards, all right?"

Suddenly another door burst open and a pair of boots marched in as I heard someone ask sternly "Where is he?"

It was Ron who had come back. I was lifted quickly and put down again on a nearby couch.

"How's Grant?" Tab asked.

"Where is he?" Ron asked impatiently.

"He okay?"

"Where is he!"

I jumped slightly; it felt like I was flying.

A moment of silence followed except for the cries from the G.I. Then I heard what I assumed was Ron marching over the floor, banging the glass door open.

My eyelids fluttered open and I sat up and rubbed my eyes, swinging my legs over the edge of the couch, touching the cold wooden floor. I neared the door where Tab and George stood with the back to me. They hadn't heard I was awake.

"This him?" I heard our CO ask the men.

"That's him" Bull confirmed "Replacement, I Company."

I saw a small glimpse of the scene. The G.I was being held by some of the boys who have had their turn – I almost couldn't recognize him, that beaten up he was.

"Where's the weapon?" Ron asked him.

My breath got stuck in my throat when 'Mac's eyes fell upon me. My eyes got wide with fear but Tab wrapped a protective arm around me, staring the G.I down, trying to shield me from the drunken replacement's gaze before he turned back to Speirs "What weapon?"

I cringed as Ron slapped the man across the face with the butt of his sidearm "When you speak to an officer, you say 'sir'!"

I didn't dare look as Ron aimed at the replacement's head. I also noticed how the boys faces suddenly changed from disgust and hatred, to shocked and sad faces as they on the same time, all of them, took a step back.

"Let the MP's take care of this piece of shit" Ron suddenly spoke after a couple of minutes in complete silence, almost being out of the door when Tab spoke "Grant's dead?"

Ron stopped in his tracks "No. Kraut surgeon says he's gonna make it."

I sighed in relief and suddenly out of nowhere, my legs collapsed under me, Tab grabbing me before I hit the ground.

"All right, tough guy, on your feet. Come on, move!" Lieb said as he and Rami took hold of the replacement and dragged him away.

I hugged everybody as we all sighed and smiled in relief. Some even started to laugh. I went to hug each guy, ending at Tab at last who lifted me up with a smile, chuckling softly when I yawned.

"Let's get you to bed, Livy" he whispered, rubbing my back.

A couple of days later a party of a sort was being held. I was so proud as I watched my boys stand proudly in their Class-A uniform, with a glass of champagne in hand.

I smiled softly as I watched Lieutenant stand briefly with Don and then Lip. He would reassign Lip I would guess if I knew Lieutenant right, since Lip had got a battlefield commission and a stupid rule said that when a soldier got a battlefield commission, they most of the incidents didn't get to stay with the same company. For Don's part, Lieutenant just tried to get as many soldiers he could, to get home or elsewhere the single soldier could be of use. Don were going to Paris to an 'airborne exhibition' where they had one of each Allied plane used in the war. Don were going to be a technical adviser and make sure they got it all right.

For my part, I had already got to know that Lieutenant was working hard on getting me home to America, home to Joe. A part of me was aching to hear him speak again, yet another part of me wanted to stay with the others. I felt empty without them, but I already felt empty without Joe and Bill and all the others we had lost to heaven or the States.

I smiled as I watched them all before I left the base to go to the airfield, just to get a bit around.

The place we lived were beautiful, yes, but I wanted to see another part of Austria.

B.o.B

I sat in the jeep with Lieutenant, Nix, Ron and Lip who had just jumped off as Lieb arrived.

"Lieutenant." Lieb saluted Lip who saluted back as a German General came up to us.

He nodded to Lieutenant as some kind of greeting and sign of respect, Lieutenant showing the General to turn to Lip who stood, looking handsome in his uniform with his rifle over his shoulder.

"With your permission, I'd like to address my men, briefly" the German spoke on English.

Lip nodded "That'll be fine, General."

The two of them walked away just as soon as Sobel and his assistant showed up. His assistant saluted and acknowledged Lieutenant's rank while Sobel looked at Lipton he had trained back in Toccoa it seemed since he looked in that direction.

"Capt. Sobel" Lieutenant called. I smirked; Some times revenge just taste sweet. Hey, don't hold it against me, okay?

"Maj. Winters" Sobel simply nodded before looking away.

"Capt. Sobel!"

This time, Sobel stopped, turning to look at the Major with a weird look on his face.

"We salute the rank, not the man" Richard continued.

I held my smile back as Sobel saluted, Richard saluting back but holding it a bit before dismissing his earlier CO who walked away fast.

Lieb smirked and looked at the man who had trained and been with him and his comrades since Toccoa.

"Liebgott?" Lieutenant asked as the General began his speech.

Lieb put his rifle against the truck "Men, it's been a long war, it's been a tough war..."

"You have fought bravely, proudly for your country" I continued absentmindedly.

I felt the four men's gaze upon me before Lieb continued "You are a special group..."

"Who found in one another a bond..." The words echoed in my head. This was exactly what my boys had got and was. A Band of Brothers with an unbreakable bond.

"...that exists only in combat..."

I smiled softly, remembering all the memories we have shared throughout this war, both good and bad who have only made us stronger and made us become closer to each other.

"Among brothers..." I smiled "..of shared foxholes..."

Lieb looked over at me "Held each other in dire moments..."

I let out a small sob "Have seen death and suffered together."

Lieb took my hand, rubbing his thumb softly over my palm "I am proud to have served with each and every one of you. You deserve long and happy lives in peace..."

One day I sat at the spot I had found Shifty before he had left. He had written us all along since the accident and told us how he was doing. He had joked about us getting home before him and his joke succeeded, the boys had been just a bit happier that day.

But then the thing with Chuck had happened. He had survived and had been evacuated. I was so happy for him and so were the rest of the boys.

Before I left the place we were living I had read through all the letters from Joe and Bill I had managed to keep safe from the cold of Bastogne and the bombings in Haguenau.

They were both doing well and couldn't wait until I got to Pennsylvania.

"I thought I would find you here. You have made Tab quite anxious. He was determined to make Speirs make a search party to find you."

I turned to see Lip lean up against a tree before he moved and sat down beside me on the small bridge.

"Sorry" I replied sheepishly, looking down at my hands.

He chuckled "No, it was kinda funny to see actually...You would have laughed."

I looked up at Mama Lip "Did you?"

Lip smirked "How could I not? It's not every day you see Floyd Talbert and George Luz running around like worried and panicking chickens who can't find its chick."

I giggled, trying to see the incident happening.

"Do you have to leave the company, Lip?" I asked, looking with wide eyes up at Lip who just smiled.

"Actually no I don't. Major Winters are reassigning me to Battalion Headquarters so I'll be around if you need me."

"Lieutenant...I mean Major Winters wants me to go home..." My voice trailed off, still not understanding why Lieutenant would send me home now, after what everything I had been through with them.

"Livy" Lip called softly making me look up at him.

"Don't look sad like that. The Major..and the rest of us know how brave and how good a girl you are and have been...but you have been through many things and-."

"It's because I'm crying, isn't it?" I interrupted.

Lip looked at me with a serious mine "You have had good reasons to cry. Like the Major have good reasons to send you home, out of this war, because he cares for you, like the rest of us does."

I nodded "I understand."

Lip smiled "Good. Now no more sad conversations. I've heard there are going to be a small baseball match between the boys. Wanna go see it?"

I nodded excitedly "Of course!"

I stood up faster than Lip and ran against the jeep standing at the edge of the clearing "Come on, Lip! You have to run faster than that!"

B.o.B

"Come on, Jimmy!"

I smiled as I sat aside, watching my brothers play baseball, sitting on Lip's lap, next to Harry.

"Come on, Pee-Wee. Get Webster!" Buck Compton told.

"Come on, Pee-Wee, let's get him!" Lieb added.

~Buck Compton came back to see the company, let us know he was all right. He became a prosecutor in Los Angeles. He convicted Sirhan Sirhan on the murder of Robert Kennedy, and was later appointed to the California Court of Appeals. Buck past away in February 2012... ~

I chuckled as I watched my brothers act like small children on a school playground. You could clearly see how fit they were through their white PT shirt, their dogtags dangling from their necks, shining bright in the sun.

My gaze turned to Webby.

~David Webster became a writer for The Saturday Evening Post and Wall Street Journal, and later wrote a book about sharks. In 1961, he went out on the ocean alone and was never seen again...~

My eyes followed the players around the field. The next was Johnny Pee-Wee Martin.

~Johnny Martin would return to his railroad job and then start a construction company. Pee-Wee past away in January 2005...~

I smiled when my eyes fell on the joker of the company, Georgie.

~George Luz became a handyman in Providence, Rhode Island. And as a testament to his character, sixteen hundred people attended his funeral in 1998...~

This man that was now about to swing the bat I would never forget – but I wouldn't forget any of the guy either. Eugene Roe, the half-Cajun medic from Louisiana that found me in the woods of Normandy a bit over three years ago.

~Doc Roe died in Louisiana in 1998. He'd been a construction contractor...~

Then my eyes darted to the little, dark-haired Italian. Perco.

~Frank Perconte returned to Chicago and worked a postal route as a mailman...~

"You're out, Perco!" Joe Liebgott laughed, pointing with his finger, Perco pushing him causing me to chuckle.

~Joe Liebgott returned to San Franscisco and drove his cab. Lieb died in June 1992...~

Then there was my teddy bear. Him you just can't forget. The Bull.

~Bull Randleman was one of the best soldiers in Easy Company. He went into the earth-moving business in Arkansas. Bull past away in 2007...~

I followed the white ball as it landed in Alton More's hands. I smiled.

~Alton More returned to Wyoming with a unique souvenir: Hitler's personal photo albums. He was killed in a car accident in 1958...~

My eyes then fell upon the handsome, skewered boy from Kokomo, Indiana. Tab.

~Floyd Talbert, kept in touch with the princess of Easy but lost touch with everyone else in civilian life, until he showed up at a reunion just before his death in 1981..~

Then I looked up at the man whom's lap I sat on. Lip.

~Carwood Lipton became a glass-making executive, directing factories across the world. Mama Lip past away in December 2001...~

I then looked at the man beside us. Harry...

~Harry Welsh. He married Kitty Grogan. Became administrator for the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania school system. Welshy past away in January 1995..~

I then looked over at the CO that the company needed and had got in their dire need. Ron.

~Ronald Speirs stayed in the Army, served in Korea. In 1958, he returned to Germany as governor of Spandau Prison. He retired as lieutenant colonel. Ron past away in 2007...~

"All right, Webster!"

"Easy Company, school circle!" Ron bellowed.

We all gathered around Ron, Nix and Lieutenant who smiled as I had come before Perco.

"A fast man would have it, Perco" Lieutenant teased "Listen up. Got some news. This morning, President Truman received the unconditional surrender from the Japanese. War's over."

I smiled widely as everyone tried to get what had been said into their heads.

Regardless of points, medals or wounds, each man in the 101st Airborne would be going home. Each of us would be forever connected by our shared experience. And each would have to rejoin the world as best he could.

~Lewis Nixon had some tough times after the war. He was divorced a couple of times. But in 1956 he married a woman named Grace and everything came together. He spent the rest of his life with her, traveling the world. Lew died in 1995...~

I smiled at one of the men I admired the most – Major Richard Winters...

~Richard took Lew's job offer and was a personal manager at Nixon Nitration Works until he was called back into service in 1950 to train officers and rangers. He chose not to go to Korea. He'd had enough of war. Lieutenant stayed around Hershey, Pennsylvania, finally finding a little farm, a peaceful corner of the world. Lieutenant died in Januar 2011...~

I yelped as I was lifted from behind by Tab who held me in outstretched arms as he ran around the field, me giggling uncontrollably...

This was it, not without tears threatening in the corner of my eyes...

Please leave a review and let me know you want an epilogue :-).

As you all know, I have the utmost respect and pure admiration for these men and I meant absolutely no disrespect within this fic.

And if I did, I am deeply sorry...

These men are my heroes though I'm from little Denmark. Some times, or more correctly I think all the time how and where the world would be today if the heroes of the sky, sea and field hadn't protested and done something against the horrors of the Nazi's and Hitler's doings, or the Japanese.

I also have the utmost respect and admiration for the resistance groups around the world during WW2.

A famous quote (at least in Denmark) from a young man called Niels Fiil whose father, Marius Fiil who made the Danish resistance group 'Hvidstengruppen' (which also has become a movie with the same name).

Niels said; "Some have to die so others can live.."

Both Niels and Marius and 6 other members of the resistance group was sentenced to die on June 26 1944 and executed June 29 1944 by shots in Ryvangen by the German occupation.

Niels two oldest sisters and Marius's two oldest daughters Kristine and Gerda were also a part of the group. Kristine was sentenced to hard labor for life but got back to Denmark after the war while Gerda got two years hard labor since she only was 15 at the time.

That was a bit of Danish history during WW2 without too many details.

There was a time when the world asked ordinary men to do extra ordinary things...

"We lucky few, we Band of Brothers.." - Carwood Lipton

They depended on each other and the world depended on them...

Fallen brothers of E. Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Infantry Regiment

Private First Class Alex M. Penkala – (1924 – January 10, 1945)

Sergeant Warren H. 'Skip' Muck – (January 31 1922 – January 10, 1945)

Corporal Donald B. Hoobler – (1923 – January 3, 1945)

Private First Class Robert Van Klinken – (October 31, 1919 – September 20, 1944)

Corporal William Heister Dukeman Jr. - (September 3 1921 – October 1944)

1st Sergeant William S. Evans (D. June 6 1944)

1st Lieutenant Thomas Meehan III (July 8 1921 – June 6 1944)

Terrence C. Harris (D. June 18 1944 – assigned to other company while KIA)

James L. Diel ( D. September 19 1944)

Private First Class James W. Miller (September 20 1944)

Willam T. Miller (September 20 1944)

Cpl James D. Campbell ( August 10 1944)

Carl C. Sowosko (D. December 1944)

Eugene E. Jackson (1925 – February 1945)

John T. Julian (D. January 1 1945)

A. P. Herron (D. January 13 1945)

Corporal Francis J. Mellet (July 7 1920 – January 13 1945)

Harold B. Webb (D. January 13 1945)

Kenneth J. Webb (D. January 13 1945)

Sergeant William F. Kiehn (D. February 10 1945)

Private First Class John A. Janovec (D. May 1945)

The Eagle will always scream for its fallen brothers...

R.I.P every fallen hero during WW2 or after wards

May the world never forget!

Yours,

Camilla.