The Soldier of Stars [1] - Band of Brothers

49 | low morale

" Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies  inside us while we live." 

- Norman Cousins

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Once they had rolled away from Nuenen, Easy Company was on the road again, moving through Holland. The night after Lizzie was evacuated and they had gotten Bull back, with a neatly wrapped soldier, courtesy of Gene, Easy bedded out near Breugel. 

Hazel had shared with Catherine the night before, but after the failure of Market Graden, all the officers were called to HQ to go over new orders straight from Sink. Catherine had told Hazel not to worry about her tonight and instead bed out with someone else, Catherine wasn't sure if she was getting any sleep tonight. 

So Hazel slowly wandered through the dark, her helmet strap swinging as she moved through, eyes searching for Joe; she figured he'd be open. Hazel eventually found Joe Liebgott, digging a foxhole alone, which was surprising as Hazel had figured Joe would be off with Chuck or Tab or Alley. 

" Hey," Hazel said as she approached. Joe immediately looked up at the sound of her voice and a smirk spread across his lips. Hazel grinned.

" Hey, Parker." he said, turning to stake the shovel in the ground, before leaning back on the dirt, " What's up?"

" Catherine probably won't be back, all officers have been called to HQ," Hazel said as Joe met her eyes, a playful grin now adorning his lips, " so she sent me off." 

" C'mon, Tiny, you could've just said you needed a foxhole partner." Joe said, seeing right through her. She hadn't wanted to bug him entirely. She offered an embarrassed smile. 

" I didn't want to bother you." Hazel said and Joe's smirk only grew.

" You can always be my foxhole partner and you know that." Joe said as he slowly stood up and out of the foxhole and looked down at her.

" So, wanna help?" he asked her. She grinned and nodded. Her and Joe got to work, digging out the remnants, before sitting down side by side and sharing a K-ration. There was quiet chatter in the field as the two passed bits of food to break off and eat back and forth, before sharing some of the water in their canteen. 

Hazel eventually lied back in the grass and Joe did the same, something they always seemed to do now. Hazel sighed softly to herself before turning and glancing over toward Joe.

" Joe?" she asked him softly. Joe slowly turned his head to glance at her. He could see the stars in her big, blue eyes, reflecting like a million lanterns were floated towards the sun. 

" What's up?" he asked her. 

" The war. They said if we succeeded with Market Garden, we'd take Berlin by Christmas and the war would be over, I don't think that's going to happen anymore." Hazel said. Joe quirked a brow her way and slowly sat up on his elbow looking down at her.