Thank you so much for the continuous reviews! I love getting them! And it means so much hearing that you like Evelyn so far!

December 17, 1944

Evelyn sat in the back of the auditorium, watching the movie with Martin and Randleman. Normally she would be sitting with Luz during her free time, but she had learned her lesson. He was absolute torture to be near during any film, but especially one if he had seen it before. There was no off button for his commentary.

Even from her seat, she could hear Toye and Lipton yelling at him to shut up in the front. Grinning to herself, she shook her head at her best friend. She caught a glance of Alley sneaking into the room, and she grinned again; he was the next soldier that seemed to have gone AWOL from the hospital to get back to Easy.

Her attention turned towards the back of Compton, who had just returned from the hospital as well. Frowning, she remembered the look in his eyes when she saw him for the first time that morning. They had looked dead. The twinkle that usually dominated his features along with his saucy grin was long gone.

Evelyn made a mental note to catch up with him tomorrow. She knew he'd deny anything was wrong, but she had to try. Tomorrow. First thing tomorrow. She turned back to the film.

"Hey Evie," whispered Martin. "Do you think John Wayne is handsome?"

She looked at the screen, scrutinizing the actor before shrugging. "Eh. He's OK."

He sighed, his arms crossed. "Patricia thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. I don't see it."

Evelyn smirked. "Don't tell me you're jealous of him, Johnny."

Martin scoffed. "Hell no." He shifted, thinking. "I just don't see it."

Randleman chuckled, chewing on his cigar. "I wonder how she feels about Marlene Dietrich."

"Now that's a woman."

The lights came on before Evelyn could respond. She booed with everyone else, even though the film hadn't grabbed her attention. An officer yelled at them to be quiet.

Passes were canceled. German forces had breached the line in Belgium. Easy was heading out again, well before training for the replacements was complete and without winter gear.

A terrible ache started to strain Evelyn's stomach. An overwhelming sense of trepidation tickled her spine, and she had no idea why. She watched the soldiers start to file out and she tried to look at each of their faces. Finally, only Toye, Luz, Winters and Compton were left. Since the officers didn't seem as if they were leaving quite yet, Evelyn stood to go with her friends.

Luz wrapped an arm around her waist while Toye slung one across her shoulders. As soon as they got outside, the bitter wind seemed to cut right through their OD jackets. They shivered together.

"Christ," rasped Toye.

Evelyn nodded, burrowing closer to him. "You said it, Joe."

"I'm calling you for my foxhole now, sweetheart," added Luz. "If we're gonna need to share body heat, I guess I'll take you over the fellas."

She snorted. "Thanks, George. Means a lot." Her eyes began to scan the others in front of them again, and the pounding prickle came back again, making her senses sharp and alert. She couldn't name it, but something didn't feel right about the news they just heard.

Not being able to do anything but follow orders, Evelyn walked after the others as they gathered what little gear they had.

December 18, 1944

Bastogne, Belgium

It was an incredible feat, but Evelyn was trying to keep the men in her truck as uplifted as possible. It was exceptionally hard when she didn't feel like doing much of anything herself, but her own well being be damned. Her men came first.

She dug around in her bags, pulling out cigarette packs, passing them around in an effort to warm them. She lost count of the amount of kisses that peppered her forehead, cheeks and hair in response.

"Christ, Evie," murmured Talbert. "You're like a goddamn angel in this hellhole."

Evelyn grinned, fishing around for a lighter before helping him with his cigarette. "Now Floyd, don't be dramatic. We haven't reached hell yet, this is only the road there. Cheer up."

The men chuckled around her, and she tried to get comfortable, but it was hard. She was crammed on the floor next Grant and Liebgott and between the legs of a replacement named Suerth and Popeye. The men began pestering the newbie.

"Suerth, you got any ammo?" asked Heffron. Evelyn could see where this was going immediately, but Suerth was eager to please.

"How about socks?" Cobb asked next. "Got any socks? You need four minimum."

She rolled her eyes as the men chanted "Feet, hands, neck, balls - extra socks warms them all!"

Suerth stuttered but grinned. "Yeah, I got some."

Cobb looked at Evelyn, smirking. "If my calculations are correct, that means you got an extra pair, Evie. Gonna share?"

Talbert smacked him on the head. "Leave her alone or else she ain't gonna share her smokes no more."

Suerth pulled out a few packs. "I got smokes!" The men eagerly swarmed him.

Liebgott decided to press the luck. "Whatta bout a hat? Gotta hat?" Suerth didn't know how to respond. "Whatta bout a coat? Gotta coat?"

Evelyn rolled her eyes again before turning to Suerth. "Don't answer them anymore, Herb. They're going to ask for your rifle next."

Cobb cackled. "Nah, that's gonna be you, Evie. I think we should start a pool on how long it takes before Cassidy steals another gun."

The men murmured in agreement while Evelyn smiled at Cobb. "Just give me your rifle, Roy, and we don't have to worry about a new betting pool. Hell, give me your gun and I'll finish out the krauts you miss and we can go home."

The others whooped as Cobb scowled. She gave him a wink before noticing Popeye shivering violently. She pulled the scarf from around her neck and placed it around his. When he tried to protest, she stopped him with a smile. "Just keep it warm for me, OK?" He grinned shyly back before accepting it.

Finally, after hours of endless travel in the truck, stuffed in like sardines, they had finally arrived to their destination. The men began to moan about needing to piss. Evelyn snorted. "You guys get to whip it out right away," she said, jumping down and looking for Adrianna, her peeing buddy. "I have to hustle to the woods before you move out on me."

She and Adrianna got back just in time to see a long line of American soldiers retreating. Their men had already begun taking any ammo and gear from the battered boys leaving the area, but Evelyn was frozen to the spot. The trepidation in her stomach had come back full force. Jesus Christ in heaven.

Not one man passed by her without some sort of nasty wound or deadened look in his eyes. Some of them were muttering to themselves about getting the hell of out there. That the krauts had planes and tanks and mortars. Others shouted to the 506th to save themselves. Evelyn was chilled to the bone, and it had nothing to do with the winter weather.

Adrianna had already jumped in to grab what was left for herself and her friends. Blinking several times, Evelyn followed. It took her awhile to find the medics - their emblems were covered with dirt and blood - but she found a few. She took their spare bandages, morphine and plasma without a word. They didn't put up a fight.

Finally, they were to begin their march into the forest. Evelyn followed the man in front of her, her arms filled with supplies, but they again ached for the feeling and safety of her rifle. She forgot about it when she saw Winters staring at them as they passed. In his eyes held the same unease she knew must be in hers as well. It did nothing to help calm her nerves.

Silently, they walked. The only sound was the stomp of boots on the frozen ground and the click of lighters as more cigarettes were used. Roe came to her side and motioned to her with an empty burlap sack. With a thankful smile to him, she placed the supplies in her arms inside it, and slung it over her back. "Thanks, Eugene. Did you happen to snag one for Ralph too?"

Roe held up another empty pack and gave her a quick smile before disappearing in search for Spina. She watched him go, missing his calming presence already.

The trees began to get thicker and the little light they had from the sky seemed to disappear. Easy trained often at night to develop their sight in the dark, so it wasn't a problem, but it didn't help the growing tension. And then came the bodies.

Strewn about everywhere, both American and German, were dozens of fallen soldiers. The snow and frost that seemed to be everywhere was dark with old blood. If Easy was quiet before, they were silent now.

Unable to help herself, Evelyn began checking the throats of the Americans for any sign of life. Cold skin after cold skin, her fingers sometimes almost stuck to the frozen men. Even after she checked at least a dozen, there was no life, only death. She felt a tug on her sleeve.

"Sweetheart," murmured Luz. "They're gone."

She couldn't help but a check a few more before standing upright. She nodded silently. Taking her hand, Luz pulled her to follow Easy, deeper into the woods, where only more bodies seemed to pile up.

December 20, 1944

It had only been two days in Bastogne. Two days, but already Easy was hurting. The extreme cold and lack of supplies were already taking its toll on the soldiers, not to mention the artillery strikes from the Germans.

The men were taking extreme measures to keep warm, including ripping pieces of burlap to wrap around their toes for an added layer of protection against frostbite. But the impermeable fabric only created more cases of trench foot. Evelyn cursed herself for not going into its danger further in her lessons with them, but, then again, they weren't supposed to be heading back onto the line until spring.

It took her a day or so to think up a solution, but when she did, she smiled for the first time in a long time. This might just work. She had just woken up next to Luz, who was wrapped around her in an effort to keep warm. She treasured the times he wasn't on the front line. When he was, she wasn't allowed to be up there unless someone called for a medic. When he was gone, she tended to rest by herself, unless another man stepped in and insisted that she join them instead of freezing to death.

Once she got out from Luz's arm, she scurried away in search of Roe and Spina. The medics weren't able to stay together, except for small periods of time. Dike was terrified they would all be hit together, and then who would save his life? It took everything inside her not to snap at him when he first stated this.

Evelyn pulled out a small pack from her waist and laid it at her feet. Roe and Spina watched as she next pulled out her scissors from her medical pack. From her first, unmarked bag, she retrieved a small, tan, thick bandage-looking square.

She began to cut it. "One of these, if cut in half and then through its thickness lengthwise, will offer four pieces of absorbent fabric, meaning it can treat two soldiers each with trench foot."

Spina eyed the item in her hands. "Evie, is that what I think it is?"

Evelyn looked up and gave him a wink. "Another benefit of a woman soldier in your company, Ralph. These will work perfectly to treat their feet."

Roe turned bright red when he caught on, but Spina pressed on. "Uh, don't you think you're gonna need those, you know, every month?"

She grinned and shrugged. "I'll make do. We can't lose our men because their toes fall off. Just tell them they're bandages if you're worried about their reaction."

Over the next half hour, the three medics carefully cut the sanitary napkins until they had almost one hundred pieces to use. She looked at them. "This is going to work. I'm going to go find Winters and let him know at least Dog, Fox, and Item companies can do the same. Might save some soldiers on our flanks too."

Spina snorted. "I'd kill to see his face when you explain this one."

Roe ignored him. "It's a great idea, Evie. I think it's gonna work too."

She gave them another grin before departing. "Get to it then. I'll be back soon."

She found Winters fairly quickly. He was just finishing up shaving when she happened upon the battalion headquarters, also known as a tiny canopy near his foxhole. He looked up as she approached and sighed. "So you've heard then?"

The smile she had on her face fell. "Heard what, sir?"

Winters studied her and sighed again. "Sorry, Evelyn, I just assumed. Sergeant McAllister was hit by a mortar. She's going to live, but her war is over."

Evelyn could only hear her heart pound in her ears for a moment as she digested this information. Judy. Strong, lethal Judy was done. The news didn't seem to want to sink in.

Winters waited a moment before adding, "I know you were billeted with her in Aldbourne. I wasn't sure how close you were, but I thought you should know."

She nodded, finally meeting his eyes. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."

He waited to see if she was going to say anything else, but she was again lost in thought, dreaming up ways such a tough woman could have been taken down. He cleared his throat. "Sergeant, did you want to see me for something?"

Evelyn shook her head slightly to clear it before looking at him again. "Yes, sir. Trench foot has been a plague on Easy company, and I'm assuming with the other companies as well."

Winters nodded. "Yes, it's gotten so severe some of the soldiers have been taken off the line already."

"Exactly," she replied. "Eugene and Ralph are currently treating our men with it by wrapping their toes in an absorbent fabric. We have enough to treat most of the men, and I hope when supply runs return, we can have every boot covered and the cases will drop significantly."

Winters' eyebrows rose. "And you're confident this miracle fabric will work?"

Evelyn nodded. "I am, sir. I came by to let you know this can also occur at Dog, Fox, and perhaps Item, but that depends if Sergeant McAllister's supply pack is still here in Bastogne."

His brow now furrowed. "Why only those compani…" A light bulb went off. Evelyn made note to tell Spina that Winters didn't even blush, just cleared his throat in reaction. "If you are confident that this will work, I'd like you to travel to Dog and Fox and alert the medics there. I will contact Item to see if Sergeant McAllister's personal belongings are still around."

Evelyn nodded again. "Absolutely, sir. May I leave now? Trench foot can act quickly."

Winters smiled. "Always eager, Evelyn. It's nice to see, even out here." He paused, thinking. "After Fox, you should have extra supplies because they have both Corporal Garrison and Private Tomson, correct?"

She blinked at him a moment until she realized who he must be referring to. Those wily bitches. She grinned, thinking of their reactions when she took their kits. "Yes, sir."

"George company is on their left flank. Bring the extras to the medics there."

Evelyn nodded. "Great idea, sir."

Winters grinned before sitting back on the log to clean up his shaving supplies. "I'm not the one with the great ideas, sergeant. Check back in when you are done so that we know you're here safely."

And with another nod, she went on her way.

The snow and fog was blinding. It took Evelyn longer than she anticipated to find the outer line of Dog company. When she did, she made sure to hold up her hands and hiss loudly, "Flash."

She crouched down next to the nearest foxhole and was happy to find Sammy in it. "Hey there handsome. Seen Anna anywhere? I also need to know where your lead medic is."

Sammy grinned when he saw her face. "Hey Evie. Anna was just takin' a piss, she should be back in a moment. Johnson usually sits a few rows behind me."

She nodded in thanks but before she could go, Adrianna arrived. She smirked when she saw Evelyn. "Thinkin' of a transfer, D.? Sorry, I've already got a foxhole buddy."

Sammy groaned. "Take her. She snores!"

Adrianna smacked him but grinned. Evelyn chuckled; their relationship reminded her so much of her and Luz, it was scary. "No, I have George to cuddle with. But I need your feminine pack."

Adrianna's eyebrows shot up. "Ran out, did you?"

Evelyn shook her head. "No, but how do you feel about going a few months without them?"

Sammy looked confused. "Without what?"

The women ignored him. Adrianna snorted. "I have a feeling I don't have a choice." She reached to her side and unhooked the identical pack to Evelyn's and tossed it to her. "Just tell me it's for something good."

Evelyn gave her a wink. "You will be saving the toes of your fellow man. Is that enough?"

"Does that mean they'll quit bitchin' about the cold?" Sammy swatted her.

"Nope, but as you know, we're used to their whining." She paused before taking a deep breath. "Judy was hit. She's alive, but it must be bad because Winters said she won't be back."

Adrianna became uncharacteristically quiet and serious. Sammy hugged her to her side. "Well, fuck. I thought she was invincible."

Evelyn gave her a sad smile. "Me too. Stay safe you two." And with that, she left them.

It took Johnson awhile to come to grips on what Evelyn and Winters wanted him to do, but in the end, he understood. Evelyn left for Fox next. She rubbed her hands together in anticipation; she was ready for some much needed fun. She was in luck; both women of the company were in a foxhole together.

Evelyn jumped in beside them and gave them a huge, sweet smile. "Hello, ladies. Lovely seeing your faces again."

If she could have taken a photo in that moment to give to Adrianna, she would. After both women got over their shock at seeing her, their token sneers streaked across their faces. "What are you doing here?" asked the blonde.

Evelyn eyed her sleeve. "Now Corporal Garrison, is that any way to greet your fellow paratrooper?"

Garrison looked taken aback that she knew her name. Evelyn turned to the other. "Private Tomson, are you alright? Your face just looks...pained."

Garrison piped up again. "Don't you have your own company to annoy?"

Evelyn's smile grew. "Absolutely. But first…" She nicked the pack on the woman's side before taking the one on Tomson. "I'm taking these."

Tomson gaped. "You can't do that! What are we supposed to use when -"

Evelyn shrugged. "You'll make do. You're paratroopers after all. Winters' orders." She stood before giving them one last smirk. "Now, our good Captain also mentioned if I saw any extra supplies lying about…"

The two women hugged the rest of their gear to their chests. Evelyn tried not to laugh. "But I think I'll forget that if you two point me to your lead medic. I appreciate any time saved."

Garrison silently gestured to a foxhole in the back corner. With another wink, Evelyn crawled from the hole. "Thanks ladies. Don't get hurt. And try and smile once and awhile. Advice from a medic."

"Fuck off."

"Great seeing you too!"

The day was almost done by the time Evelyn made her way back from G company. Her hunger from missing breakfast and lunch had passed. She was simply exhausted. She collapsed into the first open foxhole she found, closing her eyes with a sigh.

"Alright there, Cassidy?"

She opened them again with a pout. "Don't tell me this foxhole is taken. I don't think I can move even if I wanted to."

Liebgott squatted down on his haunches and smirked. "It's taken now. Been quiet today. What could you possibly be doin' to make you look like hell?"

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "Thanks, Lieb." She sighed before sitting up. "I needed to go to a few other companies."

"Transferring, are you?"

She smirked back. "Don't get your hopes up just yet. You're stuck with me."

Liebgott got quiet before standing again. When she moved to follow, he waved her down. "Get some rest. I'll bunk with Heffron tonight. He owes me a smoke anyway."

Evelyn settled back down with a grin. "Can't wait to tell the guys that Liebgott did something sweet for me. Shucks."

"Don't get used to it, doll!"

With another grin, she burrowed back down into the foxhole and tried to find sleep.