Author's Note:

Thank you so much missavc34 for another review! I look forward to hearing from you! I'm glad you sensed that Marie and Malarkey are in a rocky place with how they feel. Their emotions are confused and awkward, so we'll see how it plays out for them :)

Thank you Straight Edge Queen for two more reviews! Always look forward to hearing from you!

There's a lot of drama in this chapter :p I hope you enjoy the little Malarkey and Marie parts as they continue to develop. The next chapter will return to following the series and Malarkey's book. Thank you all so much for taking your time to read this story! It means the world to me! ❤

Marie awoke, startled and restless in the dead of night. Her breath was heavy as she glanced around, straining to see through the dark. She took off her helmet and wiped the beaded sweat off of her forehead with a quivering hand. She could see and hear Alton More sleeping beside her in their foxhole.

Easy Company was resting before they had to strike Nuenen in the morning. They were on the south end of Hell's Highway, with The Island and Arnhem way ahead of them on the map. Just the thought of all the sporadic, little battles made Marie feel even shakier. She'd already lost her helmet in Eindhoven, receiving a scolding from Strayer before she was able to get a replacement. But all these thoughts seemed to dwarf in the moments when she'd awakened. She shook with horror from the dream she had. Her brain tried to distinguish reality from the dream's events.

It was just a nightmare… She thought to herself in relief. With a shaky breath she stood up, her legs wobbling from the after effects she had from the nightmare. She dreamed that the Dutch man had come back for her to finish what he had started. Marie fought him the to the best of her ability, but he had overcome her. Her mother was also in the dream, mocking her and laughing from the sidelines. She knew the entire thing wasn't real, but she felt sickened and afraid after the nightmare.

She stretched her legs then sat back down to keep watch. She had fallen asleep on her watch duty, but after that nightmare, she didn't think she'd be doing that again. Marie rubbed her eyes; she could feel that they were damp. She attempted to take her mind off of the dream. She thought of Emilia, and how she's needed to talk to her about the whole Tab incident. Her mind, as it usually did, drifted off to Malarkey. Marie was still frustrated with him; she could feel the irritation starting to form within her. She had avoided him after Easy had left and settled on the outskirts of Eindhoven, sharing a foxhole with More instead.

"Medic… medic…" She heard a voice being softly carried through the wind. The voice didn't sound panicked enough to be urgent, but Marie sat up and left her foxhole to find the source anyway.

"Where are you?" She replied making sure her voice was soft enough not to startle anyone.

"Over here." The voice answered.

She saw someone coming into view. As they approached, she saw it was Robert Van Klinken. He had returned from an injury just in time to help Easy with jumping into Holland and with Operation Market Garden. He was a good friend of Web and Hoobler's, she was surprised to see him wander all the way toward 2nd platoon.

"What's wrong?" Marie questioned.

"Web and I wandered back and met up with a Dutch family that was hiding out. They gave us a ton of food. I, uh… cut my fingers and hand on the jar trying to open it too quickly." Klinken explained sheepishly. Marie observed his hand and saw the clean slices from the lid of the jar.

"Okay, hang on." Marie shuffled through her back, pulling out bandages. The cuts weren't bleeding but she washed them off with the water from her canteen. She proceeded to wrap them up. "They're not deep and they're clotting nicely. You should pour some alcohol on them to make sure there's no infection."

"Thanks, Hun. The Dutch family had this little boy, had to be seven or eight, maybe even younger. Web gave him a piece of chocolate and his father said that was his first time ever tasting chocolate, can you believe it? A kid never eating chocolate." Klinken recalled, shaking his head.

Marie couldn't imagine a child never having chocolate before. She bit her lip and finished up with bandaging his hand. She gave him a smile to show that she was done and that everything was all right.

"You should be good to go, Klink."

Klinken rolled his eyes at her choice of a nickname but cracked a smile. "See you around!" He trotted back to join his platoon.

Marie stood in the dark by herself for a minute, she took off her helmet and scratched her head in thought. Her hair had become so tousled from under her helmet and from the restless sleep, that it was coming undone from its braid. She undid it and let it fall. It was starting to creep past her shoulders now. Marie hadn't had a chance to ask Liebgott to trim it for her yet. Long hair on the battle front was annoying.

Marie made her way through the dark field, trying her best to step on the grass as quiet as she could. Mostly everyone was either snoozing or keeping watch, she hadn't seen anyone other than Klinken walking around. As Marie was walking through the field, she realized that she couldn't locate her foxhole. Her tracking skills hadn't improved much over the years.

"Terrific." Marie groaned.

Marie noticed someone else pacing around like she was. The figure spotted her and started to get closer. As he came into view, she instantly recognized Malarkey's face. She placed her helmet back on, trying to use it to hide her blushing face from him.

"Hey, Hun. I thought that was you. Everything all right?" Malarkey questioned. She saw that he kept his distance. He was being cautious, knowing that she was frustrated.

Marie mumbled a hello, not keeping eye contact.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Malarkey asked.

She shrugged. Her standoffish attitude made Malarkey instantly sense that something was wrong. He started to approach her, and Marie let him. Marie felt the anger rise in her chest. She had fury building up within her for the entire day, and she knew she was reaching her limit.

"Marie?"

"Why are you wasting your time talking to me." Marie huffed. "All those Dutch women looked like much better company." The words slipped out before she could control them.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I mean!" Marie snapped. "All those women in Eindhoven! What would Bernice think if she saw all that flirting?"

Marie knew she had struck a nerve in him. "All those women swamped everybody! And don't bring Bernice into this! What was I supposed to do?"

"You could tell them to lay off!"

Malarkey was struck dumb by her sudden aggression. He took off his helmet and ran a hand through his red hair. He was trying his best to contain his Irish temper, the last thing he wanted to do was to blow up at Marie in the middle of the field with their limited time to rest.

"Why are you so mad about it, anyway? It doesn't involve you." Malarkey retorted.

"I'm…." Marie's words caught. She knew that sooner or later Malarkey was going to detect that she was just speaking out of jealousy. "I'm just confused."

"About what? Seriously, is everything okay? You haven't been acting the same since we invaded Eindhoven." Malarkey rested his hand on her shoulder. She would usually feel calmed by this, but instead she felt her stomach bunch up in a knot. The thought of the Dutch man and the women being stripped and shaved made her tense up. There was no way she was going to tell him about what almost happened to her on the streets of Eindhoven. He worried too much about every little thing already.

Marie shrugged his hand off. "Don't change the subject."

Malarkey sighed in frustration. "Jesus. What the hell is with you? I'm trying to make you feel better! You said in Aldbourne that you wouldn't shut things out from me anymore!"

Marie was about to blurt out that she had feelings for him, but she quickly closed her mouth. Heat rushed to her cheeks at the close call. She was sure that he'd reject her, especially after the way she'd been acting. She bit her lip, unable to answer. She had told him that she wouldn't hide things from him anymore, but these things were very drastic.

Malarkey waited for her to reply, crossing his arms and staring intently at her. She looked at him sheepishly, but never opened her mouth. He sighed again, growing antsy from the growing silence.

"What are you confused about?" Malarkey pressed. "You can tell me anything."

"Us…" She muttered.

" 'Us'? What's the matter with us?"

Marie clung onto her cross necklace. She wasn't brave enough to tell him the truth. Not that it mattered, there's no way a relationship would work in the middle of a war. She remembered what happened between Em and Tab; Jane had gotten kicked out for fraternizing, and Florence had became pregnant. She knew this was a matter that she had to talk over with Emilia.

"I'm tired." She stated. She turned on her heel and started walking off blindly in the darkness. She didn't know where her foxhole was, but she wasn't about to tell Malarkey that.

"Marie, wait!" He called.

Marie shushed him. "You're going to wake up everyone. Tomorrow is going to be a big day, you should get some rest."

Malarkey started to follow her; she quickened her pace so it would be harder for him to keep up. Marie continued to insist that he leave, but he didn't want to drop the conversation on a sour note.

"Whenever you act like this it means something is seriously wrong. Do you not trust me?" Malarkey asked.

"I just don't feel like talking right now, Don." Marie stalked off, trying to avoid him. Her heart yearned to break down and tell him everything, but part of her was still frustrated with him. She knew it wasn't all his fault, most of it was her. Eventually Malarkey stopped with his persistence and let her go. Marie knew that she'd made a big mistake chickening out and going back on her word.

Marie continued to wander in the dark until she came across a foxhole with a familiar face.

"Trouble in paradise, pumpkin?"

Marie glanced down to see Muck, Luz, and Penkala all huddled together in a foxhole. Penkala was sleeping, and Luz was smoking a cigarette while Muck kept watch.

"I can't find my foxhole. I feel bad, I left Alton alone." Marie informed him. Her body was so fatigued and disoriented that she couldn't go on. She knew that if she didn't get at least a little rest she wouldn't be ready to invade Nuenen. She was thankful that the fear from her nightmare had fled.

"I think you're just sleepy. Come in here, Hun, Alton will be fine." Muck invited. Marie thankfully slipped in and joined them. "So, is everything good?"

"What do you mean?" Marie yawned.

"You and Malark were causing quite a stir." Luz casually added, blowing out a steady stream of smoke.

Marie's face went scarlet. "You heard that?"

"I think half the battalion could hear you two." Muck joked.

Marie buried her face in her hands from embarrassment. She wasn't a person to air out dirty laundry in public, and she was positive that she'd made a spectacle of herself whining and being short with Malarkey. Luz and Muck chuckled lightheartedly at Marie's reaction. Penkala stirred in his sleep, but he didn't wake up.

"It's okay, Hun. We're with you on this. The whole company is rooting for you two." Muck comforted, placing a hand on Marie's shoulder.

Marie looked up from her hands and into his face. "What are you talking about?"

"You two are the sweethearts of Easy Company. More than Emilia and Tab, that's for sure. Tab is getting the cold shoulder from Em big time." Luz said taking a drag from his cigarette. "He's such a lucky bastard to have a dame like Em fall for him, and what does he do? Waste his time on some Dutch broad."

Marie listened to him, but she was still concerned with what Muck and Luz had said about her and Malarkey. Other people in the company were actually wanting them to hook up? Emilia had joked with her about that, but Marie didn't know she was being serious.

"You guys actually want me to get together with Don?" Marie questioned, skeptical.

"Hell yeah!" Muck replied jovially. "You two are obviously sweet on each other."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Marie scoffed.

"Oh, please. He's head over heels." Luz added, taking a drag from his cigarette.

Marie blushed. "Are you two just joshing me? He doesn't act like it when it comes to some of the locals."

"Trust me. I know Donald. But the real question is do you return his feelings?" Muck asked her, a sly grin spreading on his face.

Marie felt her throat go dry. She went from annoyed and tired, to embarrassed and flustered. They were sitting in the middle of a war zone and they were talking about crushes like some junior high school sleepover. She knew if she told Muck and Luz they would spread it like wildfire.

"Like I'm really going to tell you two. You're both two of the biggest loud mouth's in Easy Company!" Marie laughed.

"Hey!" Luz laughed.

"No, but seriously. Do you like ol' Malark?" Muck chuckled.

"I'm not telling! I just want to go to sleep." Marie answered. She couldn't help but smile. "It's late, and we have to be up at the crack of dawn."

"We won't let you sleep until you tell us." Muck added in a little singsong.

"That's not fair. Besides, a relationship would never work out here. And after our little scrap, I doubt he'd want to be with me, now, anyways."

Muck and Luz exchanged glances.

"And you guys are forgetting another important detail, if not the most important. He has a girlfriend." Marie concluded. She turned over and tried to get in a comfortable position. She was hoping she'd be able to catch some sleep before the big day.

"She's all the way back home, Hun. And they're estranged." She heard Muck state.

"Goodnight, Skip. Goodnight, George."

"You were made for each other. You're practically soul mates!" Luz chimed.

"I don't believe in soul mates."

"You're such a downer." Muck sighed.

"We'll discuss it in the morning. You're going to wake up Alex." Marie yawned again.

"Promise?" Muck asked.

"Promise. Now go to sleep, please." Marie closed her eyes, shutting out their continuous comments to each other. The thought of her and Malarkey actually being together made her stomach fill with butterflies. The thought of invading Nuenen wasn't making her nervous like she thought it would, but little did she know the battle of Nuenen would be a lot harsher than she originally predicted.