June 13, 1944

Evelyn and the rest of Easy were walking through a field, leaving the town behind them. As usual, she pursed her lips, unhappy with the lack of rifle in her arms. And as usual, one or more of the men were whining that they were back on the front lines so quickly.

"Why is Easy company the only company either at the front of an advance or, like now, on the edge of the line? We've got nine companies. Able through Item," said Perconte.

Hoobler and Evelyn exchanged a look and grinned. "To keep you on your toes, Perco," he replied.

"That ain't what I'm saying. We're never in the middle."

Her eyes scanned the area up ahead. "You know what the only thing that's worse, Frank? Being on the edge of the front lines with only a trench knife."

Perconte frowned. "Wow, that is worse."

"Thanks for the support. Means a lot."

Luz, on her other side, scoffed. "Ev, if you think just because…"

He stopped in his tracks. They all did. Rapid gunfire peppered around them, and mortars began to strike. Immediately falling to lie on their bellies, Welsh began yelling at them to move.

"In the hedgerow! Go! Go! Go!"

A few of the men snaked their way in the grass slowly, but after seeing a man shot twice in the chest, Evelyn got to her feet and began to run.

"Evelyn!"

She ignored Luz and went on, falling to her knees next to the wounded soldier. It was too late. He was dead.

The rest of the company began to crouch and run past her. Luz grabbed the strap on her shoulder and pulled her to her feet. "Move!" he cried.

The hedgerows seemed miles away, even though it was only a handful of yards. After finding safety in the trees, the men began to return fire, and Evelyn began to move among them, looking for injuries and wounds.

Thankfully, the battle was put on pause by seemingly mutual agreement when the sun set. Evelyn sat by Christensen, who was grazed by a bullet on the hip.

On his side, he slid down the other end of the waistband of his trousers so that she could see the wound. He winced when she began to clean the blood away.

"You know, Evie, when I dreamt up the day you finally gave in and took off my pants, I was picturing something a bit different."

Evelyn chuckled, but her eyes remained on her work. "I bet. You're going to have to try a little harder than getting wounded, Pat." A huge flash of lightning lit up the area, and she could see then that it wasn't a serious graze.

He grinned as she sprinkled sulfa on the cut. "Just tell me, girl, and I'll make it happen. You want flowers? You'll get flowers. Chocolate or maybe a massage?" He winked at her and she laughed louder this time. "Consider it done. A marriage proposal? As soon as you let me sit up and kneel, I can ask properly."

Evelyn smirked as she finished up with the bandage. Pulling his trousers back up, she allows him to do up his belt. Standing, she returned his wink. "Like I said, try harder. And get in line."

Walking away from his laughter and the jabs the other men gave him for trying and failing to win her over, Evelyn began to walk along the line again. Every so often the fork lightning would grab her attention. The beauty of the sky took her breath away.

She eventually ended up near Dog company, and decided to stop by and see if Adrianna was nearby. Luckily, she was in the first foxhole she found.

"Flash!"

Evelyn jumped into the hole and grinned at the gun pointed at her face. "Thunder."

Adrianna rolled her eyes and lowered her rifle. "Asshole."

"You love me."

"But you're still an asshole."

Evelyn nudged her with an elbow. "Why are you so crabby?"

Adrianna grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "I think Sammy's in love with me."

"Why do you say that?"

She gave Evelyn a look as if it was obvious. "Because he said, 'I love you, Anna.'"

Evelyn laughed quietly. "Is that all? I was just proposed to. Again. George tells me he loves me at least weekly. Daily since D Day."

Adrianna's eyebrows shot up. "Really? And there's nothin' going on with you two?"

She scoffed and shook her head. "No, never."

"And you've never been curious?"

"He's like a brother to me. I think it would be a little strange to jump his bones."

Adrianna chewed on her bottom lip, deep in thought. Evelyn's eyes widened. "Unless you want to jump Sammy's bones."

Adrianna smacked her hard. "Christ, keep it down." She paused, the chewing recommenced. "Just curious is all."

Evelyn grinned wide. "Well maybe his love isn't so innocent after all."

Adrianna shook her head. "No, now that you've said it, I think you're right the first time. We're close, but friends. I'm just being stupid. Thinking too much with these damn, singing krauts. I mean, why the fuck are they singing?"

The women listened for a moment; the Germans were still at it. "Christ, they're terrible."

"As if you're any better. I've heard you in the Davies' showers. Thought my damn ears were gonna bleed," teased Adrianna.

Evelyn hit her this time but grinned. "Least I'm not hot for my fellow soldier."

"Shut it! Jesus, I'm not telling you anything anymore, D."

"Liar."

Before Adrianna could retort, there was a scuffle heard from back at Easy and then a call for a medic. Evelyn got to her feet and crawled from the foxhole. Adrianna watched her go. "I'll get you back for this torture, Ev."

Evelyn gave her a wink before leaving. "Bring it."

She ran towards the noise, finding it easily, mostly because of the amount of blabbering Smith was making.

"He looked like a kraut! I didn't mean it!" he cried.

Evelyn pointed at Toye on her way by. "Joe, can you get him to shut up? All we need is a mortar strike right now."

Toye sighed but nodded, getting up from his foxhole and making his way to Smith. Evelyn slid in beside Liebgott, who was busy checking on Talbert.

"What happened?"

Liebgott frowned. "Smitty stuck Tab with a bayonet to the gut."

"I didn't mean it!"

Ignoring Smith, he turned back to Talbert. "Can you breathe?" Evelyn pulled in closer to them. "Look at me, Tab."

"Yeah, I can breathe!" cried Talbert in between grunting in pain, his eyes on the blood pooling on his stomach.

"Tab," murmured Evelyn. "Look at Joe for me, OK?"

Her calm voice sent a wave over him. He looked at her as she begun to pull his shirt from his trousers. She met his eyes and paused. "I know I'm easier on the eyes, but I need you to look at Joe for me."

Talbert nodded and shifted to Liebgott, who smirked. "Hear that, Tab? Cassidy don't think I'm pretty."

Evelyn grinned as she raised up on Talbert's shirt enough to look at the clean cut on his abdomen. Gently, she pressed a bandage there before feeling around to press on his organs. Talbert cried out again. She tried to distract him. "I never said that, Liebgott. Did you hear me say that, Tab?"

Liebgott took Talbert's hand in his when the man kept trying to touch the wound. "So you think I'm pretty then? Floyd, she thinks I'm pretty. Who knew?"

She snorted before lifting the bandage to shake sulfa onto the wound, immediately applying pressure again. "Never said that either." She packed the wound tight, tying it around his middle. Finally, she shot a syrette of morphine into his thigh. She moved up until she was closer to Talbert's face and smiled. "We'll let you decide, Tab. See if Spina has an opinion. He's going to take good care of you at the aid station."

Talbert grimaced. "Am I going off the line, Evie?"

Evelyn's smile widened. "Unless Spina says otherwise, it was a clean cut. No organ damage. You should be back with us within two weeks."

Finally, he smiled back, the pain already leaving his face as the drugs began to infiltrate his system. "Maybe I'll surprise ya and come back early," he said sleepily.

She brushed his hair back from his face. "Maybe." She turned to Liebgott. "I don't think they can get us a jeep out here in this darkness without attracting gunfire. Can you help me get him back to town?" Liebgott nodded. "I'll be right back then. I'm going to tell Winters we're leaving."

Between Evelyn and Liebgott, they were able to lift Talbert's frame fairly easily. Smith volunteered to go as well, but they were tired of his constant apologizing, even well after Talbert passed out and everyone else reassured him it was an accident.

They didn't speak as they focused on carrying the soldier, and the journey was longer than it was coming in. After a half an hour, they arrived back in town.

Liebgott scooted Talbert onto the table as Evelyn began explaining to Spina what happened. "Bayonet to the abdomen. From what I can tell, it didn't hit anything, but I'd like to know your opinion. Either way, he's looking at a few stitches and a round of penicillin."

Spina nodded as he peered at the wound. "Sounds good, Evie. I'll check it out after calling for a jeep. Are you headed back?"

She nodded. "Yeah, Winters is expecting us. We're attacking at 0530."

Spina nodded again before giving her a hug. "Stay safe then. I'll see ya in a few hours." He clapped a hand on Liebgott's back. "Take care of her."

Liebgott and Evelyn walked out from the aid station as the first streaks of pink began to come into the sky. "Hear that, Cassidy? I need to take care of ya."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Can you take care of this headache for me, Lieb? It just came out of nowhere. Actually right when you started talking. Imagine that!"

He chuckled as they quickly walked back into the fields and towards Easy. The trip back was much faster. "Just tryin' to make conversation."

They were almost there. She turned to him and winked. "Only took you over two years. Forgive me if I'm a little taken back."

Suddenly, there were blasts ahead. They turned to each other, eyes wide. Easy was being hit with mortars.

Evelyn didn't hesitate; she ran forward, hand on her helmet. Liebgott muttered a curse before running after her. His hands grasped his rifle, watching for any surprise enemies before they got back to their men.

She ran straight towards Welsh and the men around him. She watched as a soldier was hit, falling onto the ground near Luz. Ducking low, she made her way there as they pulled him into the foxhole.

"Let me in there!" she cried, pushing her way towards him. But when her fingers felt for a pulse, there was none. Locking eyes with Luz for a moment, she ran away again before he could force her to stay put.

With her ears and eyes open, Evelyn scanned the soldiers, waiting for the inevitable. She ran right by Winters who was also moving along the line, but to motivate the men to keep fighting. Stopping briefly to see if Roe needed help with a wounded man, she moved on once again.

She was almost at the edge where Dog company began and Easy company ended, when a huge explosion happened in front of her eyes. Turning to see what caused such destruction to the left flank, her eyes widened at the sight of German tanks closing in. Jesus Christ. With another glance at Dog and with a prayer in her heart for Adrianna, Evelyn turned and began her search in her company again.

Gunfire peppered at her heels. She could feel the dirt fly up behind her, hitting the back of her legs. The only time she paused was when Welsh and McGrath ran out into the open to fire the bazooka. Her heart stopped. Jesus Christ! she repeated inside her head. After one failed missile, they thankfully hit the tank with the next fire. Her heart began beating once more.

A cry for a medic. Evelyn began running again. What she found turned her stomach. Three dead soldiers laid in a half dug foxhole, but movement caught her eye. Kiehn and Smokey were alive, helmets long gone, but Smokey was bleeding from the head.

"Smoke!" she yelled, pulling him towards her. "Are you OK?" Her fingers grazed the wound on his forehead, but it wasn't serious.

Smokey nodded dully before snapping out of it. Silently, he crawled towards the machine gun, ready to fight once more. She then saw the gunshot wound to his lower leg that she needed to look at it, but instead, together with Kiehn, they watched as a group of Germans get blown to pieces.

"What the…" they breathed together. And then their saviors came over the hill - the Sherman tanks had arrived.

Evelyn grinned as the men cheered. As Smokey fired the machine gun, she treated his leg. Making sure he knew she wasn't done with him yet, she moved on since it wasn't a serious wound.

On her feet, she ran until she was needed again. She continued on and on, well after the battle was over and the men finished celebrating. She moved until Luz forced her to stop.

"Ev," he said, pushing on her shoulder. She dug her heels in. "Time to go, sweetheart."

Her eyes continued to look around. "But I heard that Alex twisted his ankle, and Smitty is still upset about what happened to Talbert, and Smokey's leg…"

Luz bent down until her eyes looked at his. "And you can look after them back in town. The truck is waiting, darling."

Evelyn frowned. "Impatient bastards."

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I know you won't believe it when I say it, but I think you've done enough for one day."

"Whatever you say, George."

"Damn, still love when you say that."

As he helped her into the truck, his words reminded her of Adrianna's dilemma. She turned and studied his face, trying to see if something was there that she didn't see before.

Luz's eyebrows shot up, unable to read her. "What?"

Throwing caution to the wind, Evelyn leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. He froze. After she pulled back, she looked at him again before shrugging. "Just what I thought." The other men nearby stared at her in wonder, jaws dropped.

"What the hell was that?" cried Luz, his eyes wide.

Evelyn gave him an innocent look. "Just checking. I always thought of you as a brother, but Adrianna wondered if there was something there. I needed to be sure. As I expected, it was terrible."

Luz scoffed and his jaw dropped as they other men laughed. "You didn't let me get ready! Here." He leaned over and kissed her again, making sure to take the time to really mean it. When he pulled back, he scrunched up his nose. "Christ, you're right. That's terrible."

She grinned. "Not to say you aren't a good kisser, George."

"Damn straight. My lips alone are a gift from God."

She laughed with everyone else before leaning her head against his shoulder. "Whatever you say, George."

"Even if I don't wanna kiss ya again, I still love when you say that, sweetheart. Don't stop now."

July 2, 1944
Just north of Utah Beach

Evelyn watched as the pile of bloodied uniforms grew to almost her height. Easy and the rest of the 506th had just been taken off the line, due to return to England for a proper leave. In the meantime, she helped the wounded where she could.

She was forced by Roe to take a break after running herself ragged. She turned to Spina for support when she was losing the argument against the Cajun, but the medic only shook her head. Now she was left alone and with too many memories of the past few weeks.

Evelyn could still remember the blank look on Blithe's face when Roe brought him in yesterday. The private was struck in the throat with a sniper round. Somehow, he was still alive, but after seeing the shell he was now, Evelyn wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

Faces of the men they had lost either from injury or death swam into her mind. She didn't realize it until just then, but she had been mentally keeping a tally of those they wouldn't see again. There were so many already, and their war had only just begun.

With a shiver, Evelyn walked back into the medical tent; she wouldn't be deterred from keeping busy with work. It was the only thing keeping her from those lost faces.