Thank you SOOOOO much for the amazing reviews! They really mean the world to me! I am so happy you're enjoying their story. Only a few more chapters to go :)

June 15, 1945

Toye grunted through the pain. He kept going even after Nurse Mindy said he was done for the day. Repeating the exercise again and again until he couldn't even feel his other leg anymore, let alone his poor right thigh.

The anniversary of D Day came and went, but he didn't party with anyone like the rest of the floor. He only continued to work, especially after news broke that the 101st Airborne would be redeployed to the pacific. His friends, his comrades would be moving on without him.

Like it usually did, his mind strayed to Liz, wondering if she made it back to her men yet. Wondering if her regiment would be leaving too. Wondering if she was safe.

Shaking his head to clear it, Toye began another round of exercises.

July 3, 1945

For the second time ever witnessed, Nurse Mindy smiled and it was towards him.

"Good news, Sergeant Toye," she said. "You're ready to begin training with a prosthetic. This means you're going home."

He only grunted back.

Nodding, she accepted his response. "I'll submit the paperwork for transfer then, shall I?" She turned to go, but stopped again and looked at him. "Have you heard from Sergeant Brady?"

He looked up at her in surprise. "No, ma'am, I haven't," he lied quickly.

Nurse Mindy nodded again. "No matter. It will take more than a war to stop her from achieving what she wants."

He smiled softly at that. "That's for sure, ma'am."

And to his utter shock, she gave him a wink. "Make sure she writes to me when you see her again. I know she hates the very sight of my face, but I only wanted what was best for her. Do you understand?"

He swallowed hard before nodding slowly. "I think so. Although I don't think she did, ma'am."

She was quiet for a long time before turning to go again. "I may have done everything in my power to heal her, sergeant, but I wasn't the one to do it in the end."

"Well, like you said, ma'am, when she puts her mind to somethin' -"

The nurse smiled again. "Oh, she was her own worst enemy, sergeant. It wasn't until a certain patient showed up on my floor did she finally show signs of healing." And the woman winked again - winked. It would have been less strange to see Sobel perform the act. Before he could respond, she walked away again.

August 2, 1945

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Toye was beyond exhausted from his trip across the pond, but his roommate had some other ideas besides rest at the moment.

Guarnere cackled as he limped across the room, pulling Toye's pack on his shoulder until depositing it onto his friend's bed. "Wait until Frannie sees you. She's gonna freak. You know, I should give her a call askin' if she'll bring you her special cookies. Jesus, I tell ya. I'm gonna get hella fat married to that woman."

Toye rolled his eyes but grinned as he slowly followed him into their room on his crutches. After sitting for almost two weeks on a ship, he wasn't sure if he'd ever stop standing. "Good to see ya too, Bill." He leaned up against the wall and gestured to him. "How's the leg?"

Guarnere grinned. "Pinches like a sonofabitch, but it's a leg. I'm already pissin' off the nurses here if you can believe it. Wear it too much, they say, too soon."

"Oh, I believe it." Toye took in Guarnere. He looked incredible, strong and happy. He had to grin back. "How's Frannie?"

He gave Toye a sly look. "Christ, I'm head over heels. I thought I knew love when we left, but, Jesus, I knew nothin'. She took one look at my leg and then leapt into my arms like it was nothin'. Helluva woman."

"She's gotta be if she willingly chooses to deal with you."

Guarnere came closer and ruffled his buddy's hair hard. "Speaking of, how's Liz?"

Toye scowled half-heartedly. "She asked me to give ya somethin'."

"Oh yeah? A smooch?"

"A kick in the leg. But I'll save it for when you're unawares."

Guarnere cackled again but finally sat down on his bed. The prosthetic was making his thigh throb. He slowly removed it with a sigh. "Just tell her ya did it the next time you write to her. I finally found me a good one."

Toye removed the bag on his bed and started milling around silently. His buddy noticed. "You are writin' to her, aren't ya?"

Toye took a deep breath. "Nope."

Guarnere took in the carefully blank face of his friend. "Is she writin' to you?"

"She let me know that she got to Berlin OK. Sounds like she's headed to Japan."

"And?" Guarnere prodded.

Toye huffed in annoyance. "And what? I didn't write her back so I haven't heard anything more."

"Why's that?"

Toye finally met his eyes. "You ask a lot of questions. Did you know that?"

Guarnere shrugged. "Frannie says it's charming. Can you believe that? This woman can find somethin' about me charming."

"Like you said, helluva woman. Angel or saint is more like it."

Guarnere waited a beat. "So why aren't ya writing to each other? And what you're tellin' me is that you have no idea where she is."

Toye shrugged. "I dunno."

"What the fuck, Joe?"

Toye was taken aback. "What?"

Guarnere rolled his eyes hard. "Whaddya mean 'what'? When I left you two were joined at the hip. Then she finally gets released from Mindy's clutches and you two don't even keep in touch? I'll repeat: what the fuck?"

Toye sighed. "I dunno. It just seemed better that way. She was so happy to get back. I didn't want her to…"

"To what?"

He sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "To get distracted. What's the point, anyhow? She got what she wanted. Why stay attached to some place she hated?"

Guarnere hummed under his breath. "Distracted."

"Yeah. She don't need that."

Guarnere suddenly stood up on his one leg, prosthetic leaning against his bed, and hopped over to Toye. Surprising his friend, he gave him a big hug.

Toye narrowed his eyes. "Missed you too, buddy?"

Guarnere smirked. "Welcome, my friend. Ain't love a bitch?"