A few days had past and her boys hardly left her side. Becker and Sizemore checked in on her as often as they could. She didn't mind, she was still terrified to be alone.

Nixon had been keeping a close eye on her and was thankful that she was slowly becoming herself again. He watched her laugh at something Skip had said before lightly shoving Penkala.

"You've been watching her a lot lately." Winters had caught him off guard.

"Just making sure she's okay," He said. "She's been through a lot."

"Yeah, she has." Winters kept looking at him. He hated not telling him, but he knew Winters would be obligated to do something about what happened to her. He didn't want to risk losing her. He'd risk his career protecting her, but he didn't want Winters to. But the look he got, he swore Winters could read his mind.

"She's a tough girl though," Nixon said.

"Yeah, she is."

Nixon never got a chance to do anything about Harting, they got orders they were moving out. Elsie didn't mind, Harting wouldn't get a chance to try anything while they were on the line, if she even saw him at all.

She was squished between Liebgott's legs in the back of a crowded truck. They had no idea where they were going. To make things worse, it was freezing, they didn't have winter gear, and they were informed they were low on ammo. She was lost in her thoughts and wasn't paying much attention to the conversation. The men were heckling one of the replacements. She caught Guarnere's eyes, they seemed to ask how she was doing. She answered with a small smile. The interaction was enough to pull her out of her thoughts.

"What about socks, Junior," Toye asked. "Got extra socks?"

"A pair," He answered. Elsie knew what was coming and smiled.

"You need four minimum," Skip told him." Feet, hands, neck, balls."

Then everyone joined him. "Extra socks warms them all!"

"Yay, we all remember that one," Skip said cheerfully. "We didn't remember the socks."

She shivered and felt Liebgott tighten his arms around her. She watched Guarnere, couldn't take her eyes off him. She couldn't imagine him not being there. He was one of her best friends. He made her want to do better, be stronger. He gave her strength to keep going. She was scared if she lost him, she'd lose her strength.

The truck stopped and they all filed out quickly. Elsie stretched the best she could, but she was still sore and stiff from the long ride. She stood next to a big fire to try and warm up, but even with the heat she couldn't stop shivering. She heard a commotion behind her and saw another company coming from the direction she assumed they'd be going. Her heart sank. The men were bandaged and beaten up badly. But the worst part was the hallow look in their eyes. It was like they'd been to hell and had their souls sucked out of them. They were there, but there was no life behind their empty eyes.

What were they about to walk into to? Would that happen to the men of Easy Company? No, she'd make sure it wouldn't.

The men of easy company started grabbing ammo off the other company. Good idea, she thought, we'll need everything we can get. She joined in and stocked up as much as she could.

They'd been there for a week in the snow and freezing temperatures, without proper gear and very little ammo. She'd just jumped into her fox hole to try and get a quick sleep when Toye jumped in next to her and pulled her close. She raised a single brow.

"I'm cold," He stated with a smirk. "You're the best option for warmth."

She smiled and squished in close to him.

"So who is it?" he asked out of the blue.

"Is this about the bet?" she turned slightly to look at him. "Cause I already told you…"

He cut her off.

"This isn't about the bet," He said. "It's about who you're in love with."

"I'm not in love with anybody." She snorted then leaned her back into his chest.

"Liar. I just can't figured out if it's with Liebgott or Guarnere."

"Joe Toye, I'm not in love with anybody." She huffed. "I love all of you idiots, but I'm not in love with anybody."

"Maybe it's both of them." He smirked. She elbowed his side. "Ow."

"Would you shut it already, I'm trying to get some sleep."

"Yeah, yeah." He smiled. "You're just avoiding the question."

"Shut up." She grumbled. She missed the grin on Toye's face as she dozed off.

"She asleep?" Liebgott asked quietly.

"I think so," Toye answered. They both watched her for any indication otherwise. She didn't move.

"Has she said anything to you, about who attacked her?" Liebgott asked. She still hadn't told anyone other than Nixon who it was.

"No," Toye answered. "Maybe she really doesn't know."

"She knows." Liebgott kept his eyes on her.

"How can you be so sure?"

"The look in her eyes when someone asks her." He explained. "She's afraid of him."

"You are not the same Joe I fell asleep next to." She said when she looked up at Liebgott.

"Nah, I'm much better looking." He smirked, she snorted.

"If you say so." He didn't get a chance to respond, as heavy artillery fire crashed around them. Liebgott was covering her from any debris that fell into their foxhole. Elsie was surprised when Doc Roe jumped in next to them.

"You two okay?" He asked.

"Just peachy Doc," Elsie said. "You?"

"I'm good." He said. "Either of you still got your aid kits? I need morphine."

"Here." Elsie and Liebgott handed over their aid kits and Roe was gone, running out into the middle of the barrage. He's got to be the bravest man here- Elsie thought.

As quickly as it started, the artillery fire stopped. Elsie sat against Liebgott's chest for a moment before she peaked her head out of the foxhole. She was instantly yanked back down.

"HEY!"

"Keep your head down," he said, but then he did the same thing. She yanked him back down, and he smirked. "You realise I out rank you, right?"

"Damnit." She pouted. Liebgott popped his head out of the foxhole again and gave the okay that it was safe. Elsie popped her head out again to assess the damage. Debris littered the snow-covered ground, but from where she was it didn't seem like anyone was hurt. Not this time at least.

Despite the heavy fire they were taking, the men still seemed to keep moods light. They were laughing about Heffron's and Spina's run in with a German soldier from earlier that day.

"He shoulda shot Hinkel in the ass," Malarky laughed.

"Hinkel nearly shot him in the ass." Skip said, causing the group to laugh. Joe Domingus stopped by the group and shoveled what Elsie thought was supposed to be a pancake into everyone's mess tin.

"Hey, God bless ya," Babe said when Domingus got to him.

"Joe, these smell like my armpit!" Malarkey commented after he sniffed it.

"At least your armpit's warm." Skip held up his food.

"You want syrup with that?" Was all Domingus said.

"Joe, be honest, what's in these things anyway, huh?" Marlarky asked.

"Nothing you won't eat, Malarkey." He replied as he walked away.

"I won't eat Malarkey." Skip said and they all started laughing again.

"Hey, hey, maybe Hinkel would like your share, huh?" Julian, one of the replacements, said joining in the fun.

"I shoulda shot him when I had the chance." Babe said.

"What, running backwards, Babe?" Skip laughed. Elsie saw Lieutenant Peacock heading their way.

"Anybody seen Lieutenant Dike?" he asked.

"Uh, try battalion CP, sir." Malarkey said.

"Try Paris." Skip said when the Lieutenant was out of earshot.

"Try Hinkel." Elsie nudged Skips arm. They all burst out laughing again.

"Hinkel, sveetie, I'm home!" Penkala mocked in a horrible German accent.

"Hey Eugene!" Babe shouted to Roe who was sitting off to the side. "Lieutenant Dike's got a full aid kit, try him."

"Yeah, I'm sure he's not using his." Malarkey laughed.

"Maybe Hinkel's got a syrette for ya." Julian shouted to Doc.

"Eat your strudel." Skip said to Julian.

"Hey, Hinkel-Vinkel, eat ze armpit, huh?" Malarkey said in an even worse German accent than Penkala.

Some of the men, and Elsie, were ordered to do a patrol. The woods were quiet, and her stomach was turning as they walked further through the trees. And then the gun fire started. She took cover behind a tree and peaked around just as Julian fell to the ground. Martin was firing his gun towards the German line, he tried to reach out to Julian but he was pinned down. She made her way to him, firing her weapon when she could. Her and Babe got to Martin at the same time.

"I can get him." Elsie shouted to Martin.

"COVERING FIRE!" Martin yelled and nodded at Elsie. She edged out a little but pulled back quickly as heavy gunfire landed in her direction. She tried again. This time she didn't pull back. She had to get him, he was just a kid. She felt the sting in her arm and fell to the ground. It's nothing she told herself. She went to crawl forward but was yanked back by her feet.

"I can get him!" She yelled.

"You've been hit!" Martin yelled. "Pull back."

"I can get him Sarge!" She turned back towards Julian but was pulled back again.

"PULL BACK MONTGOMERY!" Martin yelled at her. "That's an order."

She looked at Babe. They had no choice.

"We'll come back. Stay there." Babe said to Julian. Elsie wasn't even sure Julian was still alive. "We'll come back for you."

Luz practically dragged her back. He didn't let go of her arm, even when they were out of reach of the gun fire.

"I could have got to him." She said.

"Princess, there was nothing you could do." Luz said gently. "You got shot. We couldn't risk you catching another bullet."

"It's just a scratch."

"Let's have Doc look at it anyway."

"He's busy."

"Fine, lets find Spina." Luz pulled her away from the group. She caught Babes eye and mouthed sorry as they walked by.

"Nothing serious." Spina said when he bandaged her up.

"Told you." She said to Luz.

"I didn't doubt you." He smiled cheekily.

She stayed sitting where Spina had bandaged her arm. Babe sat next to her and she laid her head on his shoulder. He stared blankly ahead. The rest of the men from the patrol slowly joined them, so did Captain Winters. Elsie and Babe stayed quiet as the men around them chatted quietly.

Later that evening Elsie found herself alone in a foxhole. She didn't know whose foxhole it was, but it was empty so she jumped in. Everyone kept asking if she was okay and she was sick of it, so she snuck away. She found out who the foxhole belonged to quick enough. Toye and Guarnere jumped in next to her.

"We've been looking for ya Princess," Guarnere said.

"You found me." She said with a half smile. "Congratulations."

"She's fine." Toye said to Guarnere.

"Yeah, don't know what everyone's all worried about." Guarnere said.

"I'm much better with you boys here." She said. "I was getting cold."

They squished her between them and that's where she fell asleep.

The next day was clear. Elsie was staring up through the trees at the blue sky in awe. That's how Lieutenant Welsh found her.

"What are you doing?" He asked looking up.

"The sky," she said. "It's blue."

"Yes." He stared at her with his eyebrows raised. "Yes, it is."

"It's the first time since we've been here we've had clear skies." She turned her attention to him. "Do you think we'll get air cover now?"

"I hope so." He said. "How are you doing Elsie?"

"Making it through, just like everyone else sir."

"I'm not just talking about here." He was looking her in the eyes. "I know something happened to you back in France."

"I don't know what you mean." She wrapped her arms around herself. Despite the clear sky the weather was still freezing.

"The whole company knows something happened." He said. "Just no one will say what."

"Good god, you didn't tell Tony that did you?" Her eyes were wide. "That's the last thing he needs right now is to worry about that. And then he'd tell James!"

"I didn't tell Tony anything." Welsh assured. "I didn't even tell Winters or Colonel Sink."

"You didn't?"

"No." He said. "I said I'd keep an eye on you, that doesn't mean I'm going to tell Tony everything."

"Oh, well, thank you I guess?" She was taken aback. He just laughed.

"But I worry about you too kid." He said seriously. "I just want to know you're okay."

"I am." She smiled a genuine smile. He gave her a hug.

"You know you can come to me, if you need anything." He said. "If something happened."

"Thank you."

"I know I'm not supposed to give you special treatment- Tony said you might punch me if I did." He chuckled. She couldn't help but laugh as she pulled away from his hug. "But I mean it. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Thanks Harry." She smiled. "So, who told you?"

"About the thing that didn't happened?" He was being cheeky. She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Can't tell you that Princess."

They were interrupted by planes overhead. Their heads snapped up to the skies once again.

"Ours?" She asked.

"God I hope so."

She found out later it was a supply drop.

By evening the sky had turned grey again. Elsie was standing with Guarnere and Buck when a jeep pulled up.

"I was sitting down at a Christmas Eve dinner of Turkey and hooch back at the division CP, but damned if I don't like Joe Domingus' rancid ass beans better." Colonel Sink said as he got out of the jeep. "Hello Easy Company."

"Hello Sir." Everyone said together. Sink and Winters spoke quietly together for a moment, then Sink turned towards easy company.

"Men! And lady." He shouted and pulled out a letter. "General McAulliffe wishes us all a merry Christmas. What's merry about all this you ask? Just this. We've stopped cold everything that's been thrown at us, from the north, east, south and west. Now two days ago the German Commander commanded our honorable surrender. Save the USA and circled troops from total annihilation. The German commander received the following reply, 'To the German commander, NUTS!'" Them men all snickered. Sink continued reading.

"We're giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present, in being privileged to take part in this gallant feed of arms we're truly making for ourselves. Merry Christmas." Sink finished the letter. "Merry Christmas to you all and god bless you."

"A word corporal?" Sink asked Elsie. She followed him towards the jeep. "How are you holding up Elsie?"

"I'm doing alright sir." She gave him a small smile.

"James has suggested I pull you from the line."

"What?" She half shouted, then remembered it was Colonel Sink she was talking to, not Robert. "With all do respect sir, I would like to stay with the men."

"We thought you'd say that." He smiled. "But James insisted I tell you."

"I'm not leaving them."

"I didn't think so." He said. "That's why I'm not ordering you to. I told James as much. But if you change your mind, just let me know. I will make it happen."

"Thank you, but I won't," she said. "I won't abandon my family."

"I know." Sink said. "We've refrained from telling Tony any details of where we are. James thinks he'd actually abandon his duties to drag you out of here himself."

"Would that surprise you?" Elsie smiled.

"Not one bit." Sink laughed. He snuck her two packs of smokes which she quickly stuffed in her pocket. "From your Uncles. Merry Christmas Elsie."

"Merry Christmas Robert." She smiled. "And thank you."

"Be safe kid." He said before jumping in the jeep. She watched the jeep pull away before turning back to easy company. They were all watching her- she raised a single brow.

"What was that about?" Guarnere asked.

"Uncle James wanted him to pull me from the line." The men all shouted in protest. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Colonel Sink gave me the option, I said no."

"Good." Toye said throwing an arm around her shoulder.

That night Elsie was wondering from foxhole to foxhole, she found moving around was the best way to keep warm. She jumped into one occupied by Guarnere and Buck.

"Picture of my girl." Buck said holding out a photograph for them to see.

"Good looking broad, Buck." Guarnere said. He was sitting in between them.

"She is beautiful." Elsie said.

"She's uh," Buck said giving the picture to Guarnere. "She's finished with me."

"Yeah?" Gaurnere asked.

"Yeah." Buck let out a little laugh.

"Just in time for Christmas huh?" Guarnere said.

"Just in time for Christmas." Buck smiled sadly.

"So you're saying you're back on the market then?" Elsie wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Buck laughed. "You wanna go out sometime Princess?"

"Hey now!" Guarnere piped in. "You're a great guy Buck, but this little lady here is already taken."

"Oh no she's not." She nudged his side. "And she won't be until this war is over. Then maybe she'll consider it."

They laughed, and talked for a bit longer, before Elsie jumped out to move on to the next foxhole. She noticed a little light- a fire- What the hell? She headed over to it to put it out and scold who ever started it. It was too late- the artillery fire hit. She ran towards the screams. Lieutenant Peacock was putting out the fire and Winters and Nixon were kneeling on the ground next to Welsh, both calling for a medic. Elsie ran towards Welsh and fell to the ground beside him.

"Harry." She grabbed his hand. "You're going to be okay Harry."

"DOC!" Winters yelled again. Roe showed up but he just stood there staring at Welsh.

"Roe." Elsie said quietly, which brought him out of his daze and he went to work.

"It's just a scratch Harry," Nixon said. "You're not getting out of here that easy.

"Yeah, who's gonna spy on me for Uncle Tony?" Elsie tried to laugh.

"Oh, I got people." Welsh smiled through his pain. He would have laughed at the look on her face if it didn't hurt so much. Soon the morphine kicked in and they carried him to the jeep. Roe went with him.

"He'll be okay Elsie." Winters said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I know." She said, though she didn't know if she believed it. "Doc will take care of him."

On her walk back to her foxhole Elsie heard the faint cry for a medic. She ran in that direction, part of her wished she hadn't. She saw him lying on the ground bleeding out. What the hell was he even doing so close to Easy company.

"Help me," Harting moaned. She just stared at him. She should let him die after what he did to her, what he was going to do to her. She clenched her fists.

"MEDIC!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she knelt beside him. She put as much pressure on his wound as she could and called for a medic again.

"I.." He started. "I wasn't sure you were going to help me."

"Neither was I," she said before shouting for a medic again.

"Why are you?" He asked. "After what I did, why are you helping me?"

"I'm showing you why I'm really here," she said as Winters and Nixon showed up. Spina came a second later followed by Liebgott, Guarnere and Alley. Spina took over for Elsie, she stood back and watched and clenched her fists. Alley was watching her.

"What company are you from?" Ally asked.

"Fox," Harting answered with a groan.

"What's your name Sergeant?" Winters asked.

"Harting, Sir."

"What were you doing over here?" Winters asked kneeling beside him.

"We needed supplies. We got lost and then the artillery hit." His voice was weak. "Sergeant Goodman didn't make it."

"You might not have either if Elsie didn't find you." Spina said wrapping his wound tightly as a jeep pulled up. She didn't even hear anyone radio for it. "You're lucky."

Elsie stood there frozen as she watched them carry Harting to the jeep. She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped.

"You okay?" Guarnere asked as him, Liebgott and Alley gathered around her. She just nodded her head, missing the concerned looks on their faces.

"You can return to your foxholes gentlemen." Nixon said walking up to them. "Elsie, with me."

Nixon put a hand on Elsie's shoulder and lead her towards CP. Winters raised and eyebrow at him as they walked by. Nixon just shrugged his shoulders at him.

It didn't take Elsie long to fall asleep. She was tucked under Nixon's arm in his fox hole. That's where Winters found them. He crouched next the fox hole, looked down at Elsie then to his friend.

"She shouldn't be here Lew," He said.

"In Bastogne? Or my foxhole?" Nixon teased.

"Either."

"I know."

"Care to explain?" Winters asked.

"I can't do that Dick."

"In all of the time I've known you, you've never refrained from telling me things you shouldn't."

"This is different."

"I need to know, Lew." Winters said.

"You can tell him," Elsie said with out opening her eyes. "It's okay."

"What if you get sent home?" Nixon asked. Elsie sat up and looked at him.

"You have to tell him Nix. You've covered for me enough." She smiled softly. "There's no sense in us both getting sent home."

"No one is getting sent home." Winters said. "But I need to know what's going on."

"That man she saved," Nix paused, but continued when Elsie nodded. "He attacked her."

Elsie pulled her legs into her chest and leaned against Nixon as he told Winters everything she had told him about Harting.