A/N:

Thank you BobtheFrog for the review! All this heartache is draining to write about, as is Marie's decline. I've been waiting so long to write about Liesel, I'm glad I finally made it to that chapter.

Thank you drovingallday96 for the review! It's great to hear from you again! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this chapter, I struggled with it and was afraid it wouldn't be good.

Thank you MASHlover23 for the review! I'm sorry for the sadness overload! Yes, Speirs is intimidating but he was just doing his job. I can't believe they're headed to Austria – the story is almost over!

Thank you kEs-2717 for the review! Yup, Marie's going to need a lot of therapy after the war, I agree!

Thank you 69 for the story follow!

Thank you Finnobhair for the review! Marie is quite messed up, but Malark and the boys will be there for her. I'm glad you understand why she's keeping the miscarriage a secret, I hope you like what's coming up! Thank you for your encouraging words!

Thank you Byron W.4 for the review.

Thank you LauRa-ReaDing-XoX for the review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last two chapters! There's much more craziness to come!

I can't believe it's been a year since I started this story! This story had been such a big part of my life for the past year. I just can't believe I'm on the last episode and it's coming to an end. Thank you to everyone who reads the story, and to those who've stuck around since the beginning :')

Berchtesgaden, Bavaria

May 1945

The ride to Berchtesgaden was one of the most aesthetically pleasing ones Easy Company had ever experienced. Berchtesgaden was like its own Garden of Eden, hiding out high in the Alps. The lakes were crystal clear, the mountains were snow-capped, the vegetation was lush, and the architecture was rich with beauty. The company was full of so much energy that it almost appeared to manifest itself into a physical form that radiated off of their bodies. Everyone was ready to storm into Eagle's Nest now that Hitler was dead, everyone except for Marie. Despite all the positivity that surrounded her in the jeeps, she couldn't escape the horrors of the past few days. Since finding the camps, she felt as if she'd become tainted and infected with something so impure that she'd never be fully healed again. Her miscarriage had also disrupted her life in such a way that she felt like she'd crumbled into nothing more than a shell. She still hadn't had the opportunity to shower, so the reminder of the camp and hospital still stuck to her skin and clothing. There was no way she could get comfortable with the memories being so close.

News about other camps surfaced, only adding to her inner turmoil and discomfort with all the evil that had suddenly been exposed to her and the company. A place called 'Auschwitz' had been liberated, and it was found out to be an extermination camp. Extermination – the world echoed relentlessly in Marie's head, twisting her thoughts until she could feel a physical headache start to bloom. Kaufering had been hell on Earth, and it had only been a sick camp, she didn't even want to fathom what a death camp looked like. Her mind couldn't stray from camps and her miscarriage these days, she felt as if the last amount of her energy was being sucked right out of her, and there wasn't even any battles going on.

Malarkey was sitting beside her, his arm slung snuggly around her. He was smirking with the rest of the guys, but he could sense Marie's deep anguish. He hadn't asked her about the camps, she'd already written a gruesomely detailed report and presented it to Speirs, and he hadn't brought up about the German woman, either. Her cheek was bandaged, but she never told anyone why that Liesel woman had clawed at her so violently. Malarkey just wanted to see Marie smile again, it had been so long that he felt he was forgetting how it looked like. He leaned in and gently caressed her neck with his lips, knowing that no one else was paying attention around them. Marie loved it when he kissed her neck, but she barely stirred with the small act of intimacy. This didn't stop Malarkey, he swore he'd make her happy today. He brought his hand up and started running it through her hair. He combed through her tousled hair with his fingers, careful not to snag on any knots.

"What are you doing?" Marie whispered, still unmoving. Her eyes nervously scanned the men around the jeep, but no one was glancing in their direction. Everyone was cheering as the vehicles drove down the path, inching closer and closer toward Eagle's Nest and up the Alps. Even Abernathy and Barbara weren't paying attention to Marie.

"You should know by now." He replied back, slyly.

Marie finally moved, turning her head to fully see his smirking face. Despite the cloud that loomed over her head, she couldn't help but crack a weak smile at the ends of her lips. She drew him into a warm hug, ignoring the guilty pains that ached deep within her stomach. Malarkey cupped her face, staring intently into her eyes, that boyish smirk still plastered on his face - the look that made her swoon so often.

"I'm sorry…" She mumbled, suddenly feeling compelled to apologize for everything.

He furrowed his brows. "For what?" He chuckled, still holding her cheeks.

"For being so distant lately. I've been going through so much and I never even thought about what you and the rest of the company could be going through. It was stupid of me, I'm sorry-" She stammered.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything. You've been through so much lately, no one is holding that against you, especially me." Malarkey interjected softly. He traced his fingers around her bandage, making her slightly wince from the sensitivity of the scratch.

Marie felt more undeserving than she'd ever had in her life. She pulled herself away from his hands, staring down sadly at her lap. Gleeful chants of "hi-ho silver!" filled her ears, along with off-key singing. She wanted to throw herself off this truck and escape all the blissful positivity that encircled her. She felt as if she was suffocating, being squished to the point where she'd eventually end up crushed. Marie wanted to scream at what she considered misplaced happiness, had they not seen the camps? Did they not see what the very presence of Easy Company was doing to the citizens of Germany? Did none of them understand some had lost more than they had bargained for? The company had become like a lawless unit, breaking into people's homes, murdering German soldiers, stealing whatever they wanted, and they'd never be prosecuted for it. She wasn't sure why everything had bothered her so much, but she wanted order to be restored once again. She wanted things to go back to how they were.

"You're so kind to me…" She muttered, her meek voice almost drowned out by the continuous celebrating around her.

Malarkey gave her a puzzled look. "Well, I kind of like you. It's to be expected."

The vehicles had started to slow until eventually they came to full stops. Eagle's Nest was in view now, perched on top of the mountain. Its grey, spherical shape loomed over the quiet streets of a seemingly abandoned town the company had driven to. The men climbed out of the jeeps, their pace cautious, and weapons drawn as they entered into what was confirmed to be territory of the Third Reich. The streets were paved with cleanliness and Nazi flags that boldly branded the swastika on almost every building in the vicinity. The officers of the company gathered and went inside a large building with a sign that read: Berchtesgadener nof.

"There's no one here." Abernathy observed, glancing at the ghost town in eeriness.

"That's because they knew we were coming. There is no denying affiliation with the SS here." Lipton answered, on his way over toward the building.

The company halted, seeing that there was a collection of huge boulders at the end of the road, meant to be a blockade from reaching Eagle's Nest. It was a last-ditch effort to try and stop the Allies from penetrating Hitler's hideaway, but Easy Company already had engineers wiring the boulders and were pointing heavy artillery to try to blast a way through. Most of Easy Company waited idly by, both impatient and excited to reach the peak of the cliff where Eagle's Nest rested.

Marie peered up at Eagle's Nest, which was close enough to be in view. She held up her hand to block out the sun as it shown in her eyes, wanting to get a good look at Hitler's prized property. She could see the dome section part of the grey house, resting high above like an impenetrable fortress, waiting for Easy Company to conquer it. She saw Speirs standing by one of the vehicles, his hands on his hips as he waited for the boulders to be destroyed. Malarkey chatted excitedly with More and Popeye nearby, as Abernathy waited in the car, and Barbara smoked cigarette after cigarette, tossing them off the incline when she finished. The two have been different since the camps; Barb had been distant and snippy, Abernathy had been sad and mopey. Marie supposed she'd changed, too, but her reasons for mood were more than just how the camps affected her. She wasn't sure if she could become excited to explore Eagle's Nest, she felt so tired and weak, and Eagle's Nest seemed like the finish line. Normandy was the beginning, and now everything was about to be wrapped up with Easy trampling all over a place that once housed Hitler.

Marie was stuck in a strange Purgatory stage, she wanted the war to end, but at the same time she didn't. The thought of being sent home and living with what she'd seen was almost too much for her to stomach. Not seeing Malarkey and her friends on a daily basis was just as unbearable. Eagle's Nest felt like the end of everything she'd come to know the past three years. Her wary eyes and hesitant expression caught Malarkey's attention. He approached her, still oozing enthusiasm about the upcoming climb.

"What's the matter? I already got permission for you to come with us, so don't worry! You're not going to be left out!" Malarkey informed her.

Marie smiled thinly, pretending outwardly that she was relieved. She didn't want to explain her true feelings about the situation and bring down his good mood. It had been such a long time since he'd been this excited about anything, to trample on this feelings would feel like a sin.

"Thank you." She managed to reply, keeping her weathered smile as convincing as possible.

Soon the boulders were blown and the company roared their approval, charging on ahead as trucks and jeeps followed close behind. Sink had given the order for 2nd battalion to "flank" the French soldiers whom were also headed up to Eagle's Nest, so it was set that Easy Company would be the first Americans up there. Malarkey gripped Marie's hand and tugged excitedly, eager to catch up with More, Popeye and Grant. They waited on the incline of the path, as Speirs and Abernathy began to approach from behind. Marie let Malarkey lead her, trying her best to keep up with his speed. Her legs felt unbelievably heavy as she jogged further upward, and the boys didn't show signs of slowing down even as the path became steeper. Finally Marie had to let go, letting him rush ahead as she fell into a slower pace.

"Hi-ho silver!" They yelled in gleeful unison, seeing that Eagle's Nest was inching closer and closer with every step.

"Hi-ho silver…" Marie muttered under her breath, dreading the nearing grey building. She slowed down her pace even more, wanting to take as much time as she could before she reached "the end." Soon Speirs and Abernathy caught up, the two of them trying to keep up with those scouting ahead.

"You okay, Docherty?" Speirs asked, now in stride beside her. "All those runs up Currahee should've prepared you for this."

Marie gave a winded chuckle. "I'm just tired, sir. Haven't been sleeping much lately."

Speirs nodded curtly in understanding. "That makes two of us."

"Sir, do you really think there'll be Germans hiding out up in Eagle's Nest?" Abernathy piped up, bringing up a previous conversation.

Marie glanced curiously at Speirs, waiting for his answer.

"It's a possibility. I brought you along just in case some translating will need to be done. Liebgott and Webster are out doing their own thing, so you were the only one available. It's a precaution, just like how I approved Sergeant Docherty along in case there's an injury." Speirs explained.

Marie gripped the strap of her medical pack, tightening her fingers around the strap. The thought of someone else become ambushed, shot, bleeding out, or dying was unbearable. It was far too late in the game for there to be anymore deaths, not when they would be standing inside Hitler's private property in a few moments. The thought of treating another soldier made her nauseous, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to do it if her job as a medic was needed.

Soon enough they came to the doors of Eagle Nest. Malarkey, Popeye, More and Grant waited impatiently, guns drawn and pacing back and forth. Speirs ordered them ahead with a swift flick of his wrist, as the women fell behind the men. The excitement that was present a second ago had been consumed with caution. Malarkey and Grant carefully pushed open the doors as Popeye and More were ready to cover with their M1s. The group stepped into Eagle's Nest, venturing deeper and deeper until they came to the dome shaped section of the property. Marie touched the grey, brick walls of Eagle's Nest, running her hands along the firm material. This place was truly built like a fortress, a fortress in the clouds. The room itself was bland, there wasn't much furniture, but there were windows along the curved room, letting in light. Everyone started searching in different areas, going through Hitler's personal belongings to see what they could uncover. Eagle's Nest wasn't as grand as Marie imagined, the room had a stale, dusty smell to it, and another smell that was pungent and unpleasant. Marie saw More rummaged through a drawer, then exclaimed in triumph as he pulled out a bottle of liquor.

"Abernathy." Marie called, seeing Abernathy thumb through a bookshelf. She walked over to Marie. "Make sure the guys aren't drinking methanol." Abernathy nodded, jogging over and asking the guys to hand over the bottles so she could read the labels and make sure everything was safe before it was consumed.

Marie saw Speirs staring at the ground, a couch obstructed whatever he was looking at. She walked around the couch to see an SS soldier lying motionless on the ground. Dried blood was caked on his head, temple and the floor where he lay, beside him a sidearm. Now Marie knew where the stench was coming from, who knows how long this man had been dead.

"Saved us some trouble." Speirs mumbled.

A shot suddenly rang out, making both Marie and Speirs nearly jump out of their skin. The acoustics of the room made the shot pierce their eardrums twice as loud as the sound bounced off the walls in the confined space. Laughing was followed slowly after, making both Marie and Speirs relax. Speirs closed his eyes in mild annoyance at the very prospect of being spooked.

Malarkey walked up beside them, a bottle of liquor slushing around in his hand as he casually observed the dead body on the ground. Malarkey raised the bottle. "Here's to him." He said before taking another swig.

Marie continued to explore the property, not finding anything that really caught her eye. A lot of the guys wanted to bring souvenirs home, but she wasn't really interested in stealing from Eagle's Nest. As she wandered outside the property, she could hear the calming notes of a guitar string being plucked. Confused, she glanced around, finding Abernathy leaning up against the outer walls of Eagle's Nest, sitting down with a guitar as she tuned it.

Marie sat down beside her, watching Abernathy methodically tune the instrument until she was satisfied. "You play?" Marie asked.

Abernathy smiled, still looking down at the guitar. "Yes, I learned to play a lot of instruments growing up." Abernathy's long fingers began to nimbly glide up and down the strings, playing a beautiful song that she didn't recognize. The song had an upbeat rhythm to it.

"What are you playing?"

"Ecco, ridente in cielo from The Barber of Seville. It's one of my favorite operas." Abernathy replied, continuing to play the gentle song. Marie leaned her head up against the building, closing her eyes and savoring the peace around her. Marie slowly opened her eyes again, just in time to see Malarkey standing under one of the arches, signaling her over.

She stood up and went over to see him. She could tell by the goofy grin on his face and the smell of liquor on his breath that he was getting hammered like the rest of the guys. Malarkey led her by the hand toward one of the doors leading inside, though Abernathy's guitar playing was still in earshot.

"Music, view of the Alps, and a personal bedroom that has been untouched." Malarkey said, opening the doors to a spacious room with a neatly made bed. "Kind of romantic, don't you think? It's better than what we've been doing." He said, cocking a brow at her.

"You're right, it's better than treating dysentery at the infirmary."

"And just like that, the moment's gone." Malarkey sighed.

Marie laughed heartily. "You trying to woo me?" Marie questioned, smiling.

"If you need to ask, then I need practice." He chuckled. Before she could respond, he pulled her into a passionate kiss. By his hungry ferocity, Marie could already sense where this was leading. It had been awhile since they made love, so Marie let him run his hands over her body. Marie hopped up and wrapped her legs around his hips, almost making Malarkey topple over. He gripped onto her and blindly stumbled into the bedroom, closing the door behind him with his foot. They made their way to the bed, the two of them falling over. Marie could feel her back make contact with the soft mattress and itchy comforter.

The two of them separated and Malarkey got right to work undoing her pants. His drunken stupor made him fumble with his hands, clumsily trying to get them off as fast as he could. Marie couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous the whole thing was, and Malarkey joined in, despite his frustration. At last he pulled them off, and Marie waited with anticipation, her eyes focused on the ceiling, but Malarkey had stopped. She sat up, only to see Malarkey standing back, his eyes wide with horror.

"What's wrong?"

"Blood." He stated.

Marie looked down to see what he meant. Dried blood from her miscarriage was still caked onto the sides of her inner thighs. She cursed herself for not being able to clean up after the hospital. The amount of blood was alarming, but she knew she was fine, but there was no way Malarkey wanting to continue on.

"It's from the dysmenorrhea, I never got to shower after the hospital." Marie quickly picked up her discarded pants from the ground and put them back on, her cheeks burning with shame.

"That's an awful lot of blood, Marie. I knew your periods get bad, but that's as bad as a bleeding wound." Malarkey interjected, his voice full of concern. "Are you all right?"

The truth surfaced and hung at the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back down. She flashed him her best convincing smile, though it appeared slightly thin and forced.

"I'm fine."