3rd July 1944- Field Camp (north of Utah Beach)

Evelyn was lost. She had no idea where she was other than it was a cave and it was pitch dark. She could barely make out her hand in front of her face as she tried to feel her way around the cave, looking for any source of light or life. Crying. She could hear someone crying. Following the sound, she came to a small alcove, softly illuminated by a single candle. A lone figure sat in a rickety wooden chair.

"Momma?"

Augusta Guarnere made no move to acknowledge the presence of her youngest child. Instead she continued to sob into the handkerchief pressed delicately to her face. Stepping closer, Evelyn called out for her once more.

"You let him die," her mother moaned.

Evelyn frowned. Let who die?

"You let him die," her mother roared, jumping up from the chair, unbridled hatred burning from her eyes. She pushed Evelyn against the wall so hard that the cold jagged rock tore into her back.

"Momma," Evelyn whimpered.

"My boy," her mother growled, her glare venomous. "You watched him die and did nothing about it. He needed you and you didn't help him."

"Momma, what happened to Henry wasn't my fault," Evelyn pleaded with her to understand, tears dripping down her cheeks. "I wasn't even there."

"I'm not talking about Henry," her mother spat.

"Then who?" Evelyn whispered.

Her mother sank to the floor wailing and rocking. It was then that Evelyn saw it. The body full of bullet holes. The blood. Eyes wide open. Hand stretched out reaching for her.

Bill.

"No!" she screamed, closing her eyes and covering her ears with her hands. "No!"

"Evelyn. Wake up."

"Is she alright?"

"She'll be fine once we get her awake. Evelyn. Come on."

"Shit, she's gonna wake the whole camp up."

"Never mind the whole camp, what about us? Some of us need our beauty sleep."

"Fuck off, Perco. There ain't enough hours in the day to make you beautiful so don't worry yourself."

Evelyn sat up with a start. Her heart was beating hard and fast. She couldn't catch her breath. She was glancing around wildly.

"Evelyn, calm down." Even through her muddled haze she knew that voice. "George," she whimpered, clutching at his t-shirt desperately as his arms wrapped around her.

"It's alright," George consoled her, brushing her sweat drenched hair back from her forehead. He had been fast asleep next to her when he heard her mumbling in her sleep. The next thing he knew she started thrashing about and screaming. It was a scenario that had repeated itself countless times over the last couple of weeks, ever since they had been pulled off the front line after almost a month. "You're alright now, it was just a bad dream."

She nodded shakily, unable to rid herself of the image burnt into her mind. She clung to George with an iron grip as if somehow afraid that if she let go she would be back in that cave.

"Is everything all right here?" Lieutenant Winters suddenly peeked his head through the tent flap, his tired voice sounding almost gravelly. Despite the officers' tent being rather far away from the rest of the soldiers' tents, George wasn't surprised that Evelyn's screaming had woken him up. Hell, it had been loud enough to wake the dead.

"Yes Sir," Eugene told him, rubbing his tired eyes with the heel of his hand. That was a lie though and they all knew it. Winters knew it.

"Roe, Luz, might I have a word with you both outside?" he said.

"Evie, I gotta go have a talk with Lieutenant Winters," George told her as one would speak to a small child. Even though she was awake, he knew that sometimes it took her a while to become fully aware of everything around her after one of these episodes. "Malark's gonna sit here with you until I come back, ok?"

She nodded but made no move to unfurl her fingers from his shirt. He pried them away gently and waited for Malarkey to kneel down beside her before he walked away.

"I'm worried," Winters said the second they were far enough away from the tent to be overheard by anyone inside. "It's been two weeks since she's started having these nightmares and they don't seem to be getting any better."

"We're all worried, Sir," Eugene answered. That was the truth.

It had been almost four weeks since Evelyn had found out about Henry and despite the brave façade she was putting on, it was obvious to them all that she wasn't dealing with it well. Not that anyone blamed her of course, for they all knew that in her position they would more than likely feel exactly the same. But they wished that she would just open up to everyone and let her feelings out. They were her friends and they wanted to be there for her, but instead, she was spending her days laughing and joking, getting on with her work as though nothing was amiss. Then at night, it all changed. She wouldn't tell anyone what the nightmares were about and in the end they all stopped asking. Instead, they had developed some weird routine whereby they would take it in turns each night to calm her down and then go back to sleep as if nothing had happened. Come morning, the previous night's events weren't mentioned at all.

Another problem they faced was Bill. Evelyn still refused to speak to him, unless it was in the line of duty, and even then, if she could find a way to get one of the others to talk to him in her place she would. Bill was struggling and becoming more and more short tempered with everyone, especially when the nightmares had started. He, and nearly everyone else in the company in their various tents, could hear her night after night, but it killed Bill that he couldn't be there for her when she quite clearly needed him. They had all been convinced that she would have given up her angry stance towards him eventually, but as the weeks passed they weren't so sure. It was proving to be difficult for everyone in the company as well, because they had to make sure that they were all splitting their free time equally between the two so as not to upset one or the other. It was all one rather big mess.

"Has she said anything to either of you about her brother or even how she's coping?" Winters asked. He himself had tried on numerous occasions to talk to her, to apologise, but each time she had politely shut him down. He couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for the whole mess, considering that it was he who had put his foot in it thereby causing the entire situation. But when he had tried to apologise the first time, she had repeatedly assured him that he wasn't to have known, and that she was completely fine and only wished to get on with her job.

"No," George shook his head. "She just tells us all that she's fine and then changes the topic of conversation."

Eugene nodded his agreement. Winters sighed and rubbed his hand over his face wearily. He didn't really see what they could do. Her work wasn't suffering, in fact she was as faultless as ever, and aside from refusing to talk to Bill, to his knowledge she hadn't bad mouthed him or tried to cause any sort of friction between him and the other men.

"May I speak, Sir?" Eugene asked. Winters nodded. "I really don't think that there's anything we can do about the whole situation other than to let it run its course. Which it will, eventually. She just needs more time to process everything. I think that perhaps once we get back to Aldbourne, she might start to deal with it better. At least that's what I hope anyway."

"I think you may be right Doc," Winters acquiesced. "You two are probably her closest friends in the company which is why I asked to speak to the pair of you. All I can ask is that you both continue to keep an eye on her as you have been and report back to me if you think she's taking even more of a turn for the worse?"

"We will, Sir," George nodded, trying to stifle a yawn. Even though one of the guys would take turns with him in getting up with her when she had one of these nightmares, hearing her always woke him up regardless. Not that he minded, of course, but it was hard to see her like this night after night.

"That'll be all then," Winters decided. They saluted him and watched as he walked off back towards his own tent.

"What are we gonna do with her?" Eugene muttered, almost to himself.

"No idea," George shrugged. "Maybe we should get Liebgott in here. She might listen to him. And if she doesn't then maybe he might kiss her silly and make her forget long enough for the rest of us to get some sleep."

He grinned when Eugene gave him a surprised look.

"Doc, nothing gets past me," he winked. "You should know this by now."

"They're quite a pair, aren't they?" Doc gave him a small smile.

"If Ev hadn't sworn me to secrecy I would have started a bet with the others by now to see how long it's gonna take them both to get it together," George grinned. "Seeing as it's only you though who knows, I'll give you good odds if you fancy putting some cash into the pot?"

"I'll think about it," Eugene chuckled, turning and heading back into the tent with George following swiftly behind.

When they got back inside, Evelyn was already fast asleep on her cot, blanket draped over her. Malarkey was sitting up on his own cot, smoking and watching over her. He looked up when they walked in.

"She alright?" George asked, plonking himself down on his cot beside Ev's.

"Yeah, I think so," Malarkey answered with a sigh. "What did Winters want?"

"Just to ask how she was doing and for us to keep an eye on her," George answered, lying down on the cot, his hands underneath his head.

"That goes without saying," Malarkey said. None of them needed to be asked to keep an eye out for her. She was one of them and they would do it for the whole duration of the war if they had to.

… … …

July 13th 1944- Aldbourne, England

Easy Company returned to Aldbourne on a rather wet Thursday afternoon, much like the first time they had arrived in the quaint little English village. Walking up the Jones' garden path, Evelyn noted the colourful flowers and neatly trimmed hedges. As she lifted the brass knocker she could smell polish and knew it hadn't long been cleaned. She remembered with a small smile that Thursday always was the day that Mrs Jones cleaned the doors and windows. In two months it was as though she had never been away. It was as though nothing had changed. But of course, a lot had.

Mrs Jones and Lucy were overjoyed to see Evelyn stood on the doorstep and immediately ushered her inside. She had been sitting down at the kitchen table for less than a minute when Lucy began pestering her with questions about Bill and whether or not he was alright, and when he would be coming to visit.

"Michael Ashford's cat just had another litter of kittens and I heard Ellen Meyers' mum say that the cat must open its legs as much as Michael's mum," Lucy was rambling on. "Not that I understand what legs or Michael's mum have to do with having kittens, but Ellen Meyers' mum is a bit odd anyway."

"That's enough you," Mrs Jones admonished as she and Evelyn both tried to suppress a grin.

"Anyway, where's Bill?" Lucy continued, completely unfazed by her telling off. "I've been looking after his baseball for him and I need to give it back. Will he be around later today? Or tomorrow?"

"Uh," Evelyn wasn't sure what to say. "Bill's probably gonna be a little busy over the next few weeks, so he might not get around here for a while."

"That's ok," Lucy smiled. "We can just go and see him after dinner, can't we?"

"Uh, well, maybe not Lucy locket," Ev answered uncomfortably, feeling somewhat guilty at seeing Lucy's downcast face. "He's uh, he's probably too busy right now. Maybe another evening, yeah?"

Before Lucy could argue her case, Mrs Jones sent her off on an errand to the post office for some string and a postage stamp.

"Can I go and see the new kittens on my way back?"

"Yes, but only if you promise to go to the shop first before it closes," Mrs Jones agreed.

The second that the door closed behind Lucy, Mrs Jones poured them both a cup of tea and reached up to the top cupboard where she pulled out a round tin. Setting it down on the table, she sat down opposite Evelyn and lifted the lid.

"If my Harry ever asks, you don't know where I keep this, ok?" Mrs Jones smirked. "This is my emergency fruit cake, only to be used in special circumstances. But you look to me dear like you could use a piece. Now are you going to tell me what's going on with you and Bill?"

Evelyn opened her mouth to deny anything was wrong but closed it again. Mrs Jones had this uncanny ability to know when something was going on. Evelyn thought that it was definitely a super power that all mothers possessed.

As Mrs Jones cut the cake, the whole story spilled out. Henry. The fight with Bill. The nightmares. Mrs Jones didn't speak, didn't interrupt. Instead she listened quietly and sympathetically. While she understood why Bill had done what he had, she could also see Evelyn's point. She did think it both silly and sad that the two still weren't talking, but sometimes grief affected people in strange ways, and she had seen how close Bill and Evelyn were. She knew without doubt that they wouldn't stay apart for too long.

… … …

That night after a bath that could only be described as heavenly, Evelyn sat on the bed, her damp hair curling around her face and picked up the letter tucked away in her satchel. Vest had handed it to her almost the second they reached Aldbourne and she had shoved it away, not wanting to read it in front of everyone. Tearing open the envelope, she steeled herself to read Gina's untidy scrawl.

23rd May, 1944

Dearest Evie,

How are you? It seems a little stupid to start this letter with those words, but that's just how I've always done it, so I guess it's now a force of habit.

It is with sad news that I write this letter to you. I have written one to Bill also just in case one of them should for some reason go missing. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, and I feel that there is no other way to say it than to just get straight to the point.

Our Dunk has been killed. It was in Monte Cassino, wherever the hell that is. I'm still not entirely sure and in a strange way, I don't really want to know. He died on 6th January, but Mom and Dad only just received the telegram a few days ago. I know I should have written the very day we got it but I just didn't know how to. I realise that this letter may not reach you for some time, but I felt it was important that you both know.

For the first time in my life, I'm almost at a loss for words. I don't feel as though the news of Henry has truly sunk in yet. It's as though I am waiting for him to turn up at the front door any minute and declare that it was all just one huge mess up. But in my heart, I know that's not going to happen. The whole neighbourhood is in shock, as well as us. Mrs Gomez even turned up the other night with a pot roast for Mom and Dad. Usually, I would take great delight in making some remark about the old cow, but I just don't have it in me. Although, I will say it was nice of her. Suppose maybe she's not so bad after all.

Mom and Dad are beside themselves, as you can imagine. Mom won't stop crying. She's petrified that something is going to happen to you or one of the boys as well, and Dad… Well, Dad is just empty. I've never seen him like this. Not even when Nonna died. I think he is trying to keep it together for Mom's sake, but Clara said that when she and Mom have gone to bed at night, he sneaks into the boys' room and she can hear him crying. There is a huge hole in our family now, made even worse by the fact that you and the boys are not here with us to grieve as a family should.

I can't tell you how it eases me to know that at least you are with Bill. I only wish the others had someone to grieve with and go through this with in the way that you and Bill do. I can only imagine it helps to have each other when you're so far from us and home.

I miss you so much Evie, and Bill too. Look after yourselves and each other, and I wait eagerly for the day when you both return to us safe and sound.

Take care of yourself kiddo,

Love always,

Gina x

Tears splashed onto the page, splodging the black ink as Evelyn reread the letter again. Her heart lurched, and she felt a physical pain when she thought of the grief her parents were feeling right now. Losing a brother was hard enough, but to lose a son while five of your other children were risking the same fate was something she couldn't imagine.

I can only imagine it helps to have each other when you're so far from home…

Scrunching up the letter, Evelyn lay on her side and closed her eyes, tears dribbling out of the corners of them. She felt like the pain in her chest was never going to fade. Biting on her fist, so that the Jones' wouldn't hear her crying, she sobbed until she fell asleep.

At some point in the middle of the night, the nightmare came once more and this time it was Lucy who was there to help her through it. The little girl offered no words, but instead crawled into bed beside Evelyn and the two fell asleep together until morning.

… … …

18th July, 1944

Life back in Aldbourne consisted mainly of training, and the men enjoyed having Winters as their commanding officer as much as they had Lieutenant Meehan. Many still felt great sadness at his loss. It was believed that his plane was shot down during D-Day and neither he nor anyone from his aircraft had been found still. A lot of things had been learnt from Normandy. The CO's had realised that they could have done many things better, but they had also learned where the strengths and weaknesses of each soldier lay during combat and what their own were. It had given them plenty of food for thought, and plenty to practice ready for their next drop into Europe.

The medics had spent a lot of their time in the hospital, which was actually just the small school gymnasium, dealing with menial injuries from day to day training. It was a welcome reprieve from the horrific wounds they had dealt with over in France.

"Well well, fancy seeing you here," Liebgott smirked as he sauntered over to Evelyn, who had just finished yet another inventory of the storage cupboard.

"Yeah, awfully strange considering this is a medical station and I'm a medic," she answered sarcastically. "What have you done this time? Got into another fight with a brick wall like at Toccoa?"

"You know Ev, your bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired."

"Are you gonna tell me why you're here or are you gonna carry on with the smart mouth?" she raised an eyebrow, motioning for him to sit down on one of the empty beds.

"Jeez sorry," Liebgott muttered, but he was smiling. "I managed to slice my arm open during the training exercise this morning. You know, the one that you, Roe and Spina managed to get out of?"

"Very funny," she said. "In case you hadn't noticed we've hardly been sitting around doing nothing."

Lieb pulled down the top half of his OD's revealing his white vest. Have his arms always been this muscly? These arms have held me while I slept. Twice. She blushed. And then felt guilty. How can I be thinking about that when my brother's dead? Have some respect, Evelyn.

"You feeling alright? You look flushed," Lieb tried not to smirk.

"Yeah, just a little stuffy in here is all," she lied.

The cut wasn't too deep, but it might need one or two stitches. And it was rather dirty. There were flecks of what looked to be rust in it too.

"How'd you manage this?" she frowned, gathering up the things she needed.

"Barbed wire fence," he said. "If Sobel were dead and not skulking around Chilton Foliat I would have said it was his ghost who shoved me into it, but unfortunately I'll have to blame Skinny for being an idiot and pissing around."

She smirked and started cleaning out the cut, remembering the famous barbed wire fence incident when Sobel had gotten lost. Again. So George, being George, had impersonated Major Horton and managed to convince Sobel to cut some poor farmer's barbed wire fence to get the platoon moving. Major Horton had been on leave in London and Sobel had gotten into trouble. Everybody still laughed about it now.

"So, how are you doing?" Liebgott asked, filling the silence.

"I'm fine," she smiled, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Although I wish everyone would just stop asking me that."

"Everyone cares about you, that's all," he answered. "Everyone's worried about you."

"Well, you and the rest of the mother hens can just quit worrying about me," she said tartly. "I'm absolutely fine, but I won't be if I have to keep telling everyone all the time."

"Duly noted," he muttered. "So uh, you spoke to Bill yet?" he asked, knowing well that she hadn't. Her angry eyes flickered up momentarily to meet his in an almost silent warning to drop the conversation. Except he wasn't going to. Enough was enough now. "You don't think you're being a bit selfish?"

"Excuse me?" she spat out in shock.

"You heard me," he answered. "You know, Bill lost Henry too and the way you're treating him probably isn't helping him deal with his grief."

"Did you come here to get your arm fixed up or did you come here to give me a fucking lecture?" she snapped a little louder than she meant to. She had the good grace to look embarrassed at her outburst when Spina and the nurse he was talking to looked over at them. "Look, I just don't see how it affects you whether or not I'm talking to Bill. You don't even like him so why do you care?"

"While it's true me and Bill don't always see eye to eye, I would have to be blind not to see that the guy is hurting. Even in that angry and strong Bill way. He's grieving for the loss of Henry just as much as you are, but now he's having to grieve for the loss of the sister who, let's face it, he can't live without. And you can't live without him. I mean the pair of you are practically joined at the hip. You may as well be twins."

Evelyn smirked albeit reluctantly, and then quickly forced herself to shut down any feeling she had of missing Bill. She couldn't miss him. She wouldn't miss him. She couldn't face talking to him. He had lied to her. But apparently Liebgott wasn't perturbed.

"All I'm gonna say to you is that, I understand why you're upset with him," He held up a hand to stop her when she opened her mouth to interrupt him. "Just let me finish, will you? I completely understand why you're upset with him. He should have told you before you found out from someone else, but can you not see why he didn't? In his own weird way, he was just trying to protect you. And before you start harping on about how you're a grown woman and don't need protecting, don't bother, because we've all heard it a million times. But the problem is Ev, he's been your brother for nearly twenty one years. He's never gonna be able to stop worrying about you and looking out for you no matter how much you want him to."

"You finished?" she raised an eyebrow.

"For now," he said. "But if you don't get your act together then this won't be the last you hear of it."

Evelyn rolled her eyes and wanted to argue with him, but she couldn't. It was just better to let him think he had won this discussion for now. She didn't have the strength or energy to argue her point. Hell, it was almost too much effort just to get up every day and put one foot in front of the other. And she knew he was only trying to help after all.

"Right let's get you bandaged up and then you can go."

Once they were done, Evelyn decided to walk Liebgott out of the hospital. She had been in there all day and she could use some fresh air. As they got outside, Malarkey walked past and looked to be struggling carrying parcels wrapped in brown paper.

"Here Don, do you want a hand?" Evelyn ran over to him and took two of the loads. They were surprisingly light.

"What the hell is all this Malark?" Liebgott ran over to help too. "You been out on the rob again?"

"It's laundry," Malarkey muttered, his eyes dull and downcast.

"Jeez if I'd have known you were being a pack mule, I would have sent you to get mine too," Liebgott snorted.

Malarkey didn't look amused and it was only when Evelyn looked down at the name on the top parcel she carried that she had a hint of why that might be. T. Meehan. She looked over at the pile Malarkey held and saw more names she recognised.

Glancing up, she met Malarkey's sad eyes and she understood immediately. Easy Company had jumped into Normandy with almost one hundred and forty officers and soldiers combined. They had returned to Aldbourne with just seventy four. The brown paper wrapped parcels were a poignant reminder of just some of those men who would never return home ever again.