A/N:
Thank you MASHlover23 for the favorite and the review! Thank you sooo much for your kind words about the historical accuracy and the developing romance! I'm trying really hard to make everything as believable as possible, I'm glad it's really paying off!
Thank you Moritaka1900 for the favorite and the follow!
Thank you Twilight-lover106 for the story favorite!
I hope everyone survived the site being down for a little bit! Lol Anyway, this is more of a light, fun chapter compared to the other ones (and some of the ones coming up). I hope you all enjoy! Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read! You all are awesome! ❤
"The Island", Holland
October 17 – 18th 1944
Easy Company's patch of land was quickly becoming something that everyone was beginning to loathe. The name 'Hell's Corner' was created about a week after the company was stationed there. Between the sporadic battles the Germans would unleash and the monotonous training routine that was created, Easy didn't have much to do to keep their minds occupied. Soldiers trained for war without any specific objections could become a dangerous breed once boredom set in. Not that the original group of Toccoa men were reckless, but that couldn't be said for some of the young replacements coming in and filling the large gaps. Marie thought that they were all too eager to see war and learn firsthand the experience of combat and killing a man.
Marie sat on one of the bunks in the aide station, chewing a piece of Juicy Fruit gum that the Army had graciously shipped to them, while staring at the top of the tent. It was a hot day considering it was autumn; Marie tried her best not to move around too much so she could keep cool. Emilia was inside the tent, although she wasn't supposed to be just lying around, but no one was really where they were supposed to be. It was almost amusing how easily the "best company in the regiment" had become fed up with bogus orders and missions. Poor Moose was feeling the brunt of the lack of enthusiasm Easy was distilling, but no one was blaming him. He became CO at a crappy time was all. He had his hands full keeping the replacements from firing off rounds at anything that moved.
Emilia sat on another bunk, absentmindedly twirling her hair and reading Marie's old copy of Wuthering Heights. Winters was currently in Schoonderlogt, going back and forth between the base and CP. His days and duties now consisted of writing battle reports and running errands. They all felt bad and missed him terribly; he wasn't around as much s he used to be since being promoted. Nixon had told Em that he got rewarded a trip to Paris, so they'd be seeing even less of him.
"Hey, Hun." Emilia piped up, keeping her eyes peeled to the book.
"Hmm?"
"I hope you learned something from this book. It's damn depressing." Emilia commented.
"Learn what?" Marie asked, sitting up and making a face.
"If you don't tell someone how they feel, or in the case of Heathcliff and Catherine, don't follow up with it, bad things happen. My God, everyone's lives fell apart because they didn't get together. She died from it." Emilia was joking, indicating Marie's lack of summoning up enough courage to admit her feelings to Malarkey.
Marie rolled her eyes. "Catherine was mentally ill and died from the after-effects of childbirth. Heathcliff married someone else out of revenge. It's an unrequited love story, but their relationship wouldn't have worked out, anyway, not with Heathcliff's anger and Cathy's madness and her desire to remain in high social standing." Marie explained, dismissing Emilia's words. Em opened her mouth to add more, but Marie held up her finger to shush her. "And Malark and I aren't characters published in a British novel in 1847."
Emilia chuckled, closing the book. "I'm just saying that you should tell him. I was trying to be creative, but instead I get a plot synopsis from Miss Serious."
Marie lay back down on the bunk with a thud. "We've literally been over this a thousand times, Em. I'm going to come to the point where I just stop repeating it for good."
"Yeah, but you need to give it a chance, Marie! Just let loose, follow your heart and all that sentimental, poetic stuff. Repressing your feelings for each other is pointless." Emilia explained. Marie raised her eyebrows at her, not amused with her friend's feigned dramatics. "All I'm saying is you could lose your chance and regret it for the rest of your life."
Marie scoffed. "No pressure there. What if he says no, Em?" Marie propped herself up again so she could stare intently at her friend sitting across the aide station. "How am I going to face him if he rejects me? We've been good friends for over two years, and I don't want to ruin that. The last thing the both of us needs is a distracted mind when the bullets start flying."
"But what if he doesn't reject you? And I know he won't, not with those hips." Emilia replied with great emphasis, a teasing smile spreading on her face.
"Well, what if we turn out like what happened between you and Tab?" Marie muttered.
Emilia frowned, but brushed it off. "That won't happen. Malarkey is a different man than Floyd."
"You can't be so sure. I'm just really afraid of destroying our friendship." Marie answered, uncertain. She would often dream of her and Malarkey being in a relationship together. Her girlish fantasies of a happy relationship in the middle of a war were unrealistic, she knew, but she couldn't help feeling some satisfaction from them. But the problem was Malarkey wasn't a single man. He and Bernice were gradually starting to drift apart, but they were still in a committed long distance relationship. Marie didn't want to be the apporter of severing their bond. "You know, you are right, Em…" She admitted.
Emilia was stunned at Marie's words; she actually admitted to herself that telling Malark was a good idea. This was the first time she didn't deny how she felt after all these years of egging her on. Emilia only stared at her friend, aghast, and hanging on her words. She jokingly shot her hand up to her mouth.
"But I can't be the one that comes in between Malarkey and his girlfriend." Marie concluded.
Emilia groaned, throwing her hands in the air at the disappointing climax of Marie's small confession. Marie got off the bunk, wanting to stretch her legs and throw her now tasteless gum away. She knew Emilia was going to protest and come up with a hundred reasons why her and Malarkey would be the ideal pair.
"You know he and Bernice aren't going to last long. Her letters are getting less frequent, and it's becoming quite one-sided." Emilia advocated.
"Who's to say he doesn't still have feelings for her?" Marie asked in a quiet tone.
Before Emilia could retort the aide station tent opened revealing Harry Welsh. He smiled at them, his gap between his teeth sticking out with his cheery grin.
"Slacking off, Sergeant Valdez?" Welsh jeered.
Emilia laughed, eyeing him with sarcastic innocence. "Oh, never, sir."
Welsh laughed along with them, but soon contained it. "All right, all right. In all seriousness, ladies, I've come to tell you that Moose wants us to do a little patrol."
"At this time?" Emilia questioned. The sun was rising, which was against the schedule they've all adapted to.
Welsh nodded. "The scuttlebutt from CP is that the Germans are planning something, we're not sure yet, but I have a feeling it's going to result in something like Operation Market Garden." He ran a hand through his receding hairline, sighing at the memory.
Marie grew tense. She thought about all the hell they pushed through in Operation Market Garden; she thought about Nuenen and being trapped in that cellar when they were on Hell's Highway. She had thought she was going to die that night, and clung to Malarkey like a small, weeping child. She never wanted to experience anything like that again.
"Oh, joy." Marie mumbled in a flat, sarcastic voice.
"I know, I know. The Lieutenant just wants everyone to stay sharp just in case the krauts try to pull something. We're also going to be doing PT, you know, the works. Grab your gear, let's go." Welsh motioned for them to get moving before he left the tent.
After the PT drills, Moose let them get a break to catch up on sleep. Marie wouldn't be able to sleep now, along with most of the guys, so they decided to sit around and shoot the bull. Mostly the stories came up was how everyone ended up in the Army, and how they all fared during the Depression. There was always a story or two to tell when they all got together. But the conversations were dragging on and on, and Marie was growing sleepy and bored from the topic.
"Everyone had a hard time during the Depression." Marie mumbled as the conversation started to die down. She closed her eyes, feeling sleep quickly coming.
"Your father runs a business, doesn't he? He managed to keep that afloat." More pointed out.
"He runs an auto-body shop, but that wasn't what he wanted to do with his life. The Depression came and changed everything." Marie replied. "I almost couldn't go to college because of it, but we managed somehow."
"What was your dad before? A stock broker or something?" Muck asked as he lit a cigarette, mildly interested.
"No, he was actually a boxer."
"Really?" Guarnere interjected.
"Yeah. He was a regular Jim Braddock, but he never became a professional in the big leagues. It wasn't paying the bills, so he found the next best thing. He's always been good with his hands when it came to fixing things." Marie yawned.
"Did he teach you some moves?" Toye asked, smirking.
"Yeah, he did. How to strike correctly, and all about accuracy and precision. Mostly it was out of self defense, but I have always found it interesting." Marie said, looking down at her hands as she balled them into fists.
"Heh, I believe you. After I watched how you handled yerself in Eindhoven when that creep went after ya, I can tell you've got some training in you." Bull remarked, chewing on his cigar.
"What?" Muck exclaimed. The other soldiers gave Marie and Bull puzzled looks.
Marie shot Bull a horrified look. He realized that Marie hadn't told anyone about the incident with the Dutch man. He looked at her apologetically, not able to take back what he said.
"It's nothing." Marie dismissed, avoiding eye contact with everyone. The last thing they needed to know was that she was almost forcefully taken advantage of in the streets of Eindhoven while they were all partying.
"What happened? You fought someone in Eindhoven?" Muck asked, staring at her in disbelief.
Marie grew tight lipped as Bull did the same. She was lucky Malarkey wasn't here to hear this, he wouldn't let it go no matter what they would say. Marie stood up, muttering an excuse about checking the plasma stock then scurried off to avoid a confrontation. In the aide station she decided to curl up and go to sleep because she was so tired, and it was the best way not to be disturbed.
She climbed on one of the bunks and let her tired body relax and the fatigue take over.
Marie woke up to Emilia shaking her rapidly from her slumber. Spooked, Marie almost sprung from the bunk, ready to scream and lunge at her attacker, but Em was able to hold her back. Despite Marie's intensity, Emilia broke into fits of laughter. As Marie's breathing relaxed, she did the same, placing a hand on her chest.
"Christ, Em, you scared the crap out of me!" Marie exclaimed between her laughter.
"The boys said you disappeared, so I went to find you." Emilia explained. Marie noticed that her friend was holding a cardboard box in her hands.
"What's that?"
Emilia glanced down, her face brightening up from the reminder. "Oh yeah! I also came to give you something special." Emilia placed the box down, but hesitated when she reached to open it. Emilia gave Marie a devilish smile.
"What?" Marie pressed, feeling impatient and already annoyed.
"I don't know if I can show you this super special, one of a kind, magical gift unless you do something in return." Emilia announced dramatically. Marie gave her a "not amused" look without saying a word. "I will show you the amazing items in this box if and ONLY if…." Emilia continued on, leaving the last sentence hanging.
"Just spit it out, Em." Marie moaned.
"You must walk out there and confess your undying love for Donald G. Malarkey, then I will show you what's in the box!" Emilia concluded, throwing her hands up in the air.
"You sure it's only cigarettes you've been smoking?" Marie deadpanned.
Muck stuck his head in right then. "Did she take the bait?" He asked Emilia. Marie glared at him, crossing her arms as she waited for an explanation. "Oh, hey Hun. Just checking in." He quickly answered.
"Are you guys honestly doing this?" Marie asked.
Muck shrugged. "Well, we needed something to do. You ran off on us before you finished your epic tale of how you fought off attackers in Eindhoven."
"What?" Emilia exclaimed, glancing back and forth between the two.
Marie threw a blanket from the bunk at Muck, which hit him directly in the face and draped over his head. Even though it was supposed to be a surprise, Marie made her way over to the box, but Emilia scooted it away from her.
"You didn't tell me about Eindhoven." Emilia said.
Marie groaned, crossing her arms again as she stood before her friends. Muck stood beside Em, his hands casually shoved in his Army issued pants pockets. The blanket was now draped over his shoulders. They both wanted to hear about the Eindhoven incident, although Marie didn't want to retell it. Just like her memories of her mother, that was something she also wanted to forget. Her curiosity with what was inside the box really peaked her interest, but Emilia wasn't letting her see.
"Okay, if I tell you about my "fight", then will you show me what's in that damned box?" Marie asked, using air quotes on the word 'fight.'
"Deal." Emilia agreed.
Marie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she recalled the event. Muck and Emilia huddled in close as if it was the greatest thing they'd ever hear in history. Marie couldn't help but crack a smile at them, even with the topic that was brought up.
"When I was wandering around Eindhoven, this drunk Dutch man grabbed me and kissed me. It was really disgusting. I kept trying to get away from him, but it wasn't working. So I elbowed him in the face and struck him again, but that's when a group of his friends showed up. Bull came just in time." Marie explained quickly.
Muck and Emilia were silent for a minute, processing her story as she told it. Finally Emilia gave her a curt nod. "Okay, so that's it?"
Marie shrugged. "Yeah, you see? No big deal. It felt like a big deal at the time, but not now. I was shaken up for a few days, but I think I'm okay now. But please, don't go telling people that, I just want to forget the whole thing."
"So, did you get that bastard good?" Muck questioned.
"I might've broken his nose." Marie smirked.
"That's our girl." Muck beamed.
"All right, so are you gonna show me what's in the box or what?"
"Oh, right." Emilia said, bending over and opening up for her to see. Emilia reached in and pulled out a small box of Kotex sanitary napkins. "Ta-da!"
"Are you serious? I told you that so I could get pads?" Marie replied, irritated.
Muck shifted uncomfortably in his place, averting his eyes from the feminine hygiene products. Emilia laughed as she saw Marie's disappointed reaction.
"Hey, what if I didn't tell you? I need those!" Marie added, pointing at them.
"Well then you would've had to suffer because you weren't telling your friends crucial things about you. Plus, all you had to do was admit how you feel about a certain sergeant from the very beginning of the conversation." Emilia responded.
Marie rolled her eyes. "Just give me the stupid pads." Emilia tossed them over to her.
"Okay, well, I'm going to go." Muck piped up, dismissing himself.
"What? You can't handle a little girl talk?" Emilia smirked.
Muck didn't respond, he just quickly made his way out of the aide station tent before anything else could be said. The girls chuckled at him as they watched him scurry off across the perimeter.
"Promise me you won't bring up Eindhoven to Malarkey? You know how he gets." Marie requested.
"Sure. You know he acts like that because he really cares about you."
Marie didn't respond.
"And you lo-" Emilia started, but Marie raised her hand to shush her.
"Enough, Em. I'm tired, and you sound like a broken record. Besides, we're in the middle of a war, and love is for children anyway." Marie huffed.
Emilia scoffed. "Sure. Don't be so grumpy."
"Listen, Em, if what Lieutenant Welsh said about the Germans is true, we really should be preparing."
"I doubt we're going to do anything with Winters on a furlough." Emilia replied.
"You never know. I have a lot to do, Em. I'll talk to you later."
Emilia looked reluctant to leave, but she didn't push her friend. Marie wiped the sweat off her forehead with her sleeve then proceeded to clean up the aide station. Marie thought of Malarkey, but quickly forced herself to push him from her mind. There was too much at stake to indulge in her attraction to him.
Love is for children… Hmph. What do you know about love, Marie?