Ad Astra Per Aspera [2] - Band of Brothers

34 | a world of light

" She found the colors to paint him when the world had left him gray."

- Atticus

✰✰✰

Hazel and Joe eventually retreated outside, sitting on the dock, their legs swinging above the water, Joe's arm wrapped around her shoulder, occasionally pressing affectionate kisses to her head or to her temple, whispering soft words to her, as she cuddled against him, remembering the way his lips had been against her own, how full of love they had been, full of life, a future of possibilities.

They didn't need to talk, just to be by the lake water, lapping against the poles of the dock, soft crickets twittering, a light breeze hitting them. As long as they were together, side by side, everything seemed absolutely wonderful. Nothing could change it.

Hazel's thoughts were ever present though on Easy Company.

From Normandy to Zell Am See and what the experience had brought her. She felt sad when each and every word that had flooded into her brain were negative words, filled with bad memories.

But was war just that?

Hazel felt she'd never know. She thought a lot about many of the men they had lost, all the way back to D-Day, like John Hall who had been nothing but kind and youthful but had lost his life for the war - just a boy. She also thought of Tipper. Tipper had been an original Toccoa member, he'd been there since the beginning for the men of Easy - they'd lost him to.

But her mind stayed focused on Bill and Joe and she never thought she'd miss them as much as she did now. She wanted them to be here with her, here with the men of Easy Company, celebrating their anniversary - they had made it! They'd made it this far!

But no, the world was cruel sometimes, so cruel.

Then she thought of Buck, the Lieutenant who had managed to have a conversation with her, without a single mention of this horrid war - a normal conversation. He had been so shell-shocked seeing his buddies the way they were, that it hurt too much for him to even continue. Hazel had heard about how George had tried to plead with Buck and beg him to stay on the line, but had left George on his knees.

Hazel thought about Skip and Penkala, two men who were original Toccoa members who would never go back to America.

They had seen Lady Liberty for the last time.

And those two men were always so kind to Hazel, even when they were at their lowest at times - they never failed to make her smile, or give her a laugh, make her feel better. Hazel laughed lightly to herself - they'd want her to keep laughing, keep smiling, keep being herself. She'd always remember them.

The stars were shining brightly, on one of the clearest nights Hazel had ever seen them. She remembered on D-Day, looking out that plane window, as the scared, naive, young girl she was, looking at the stars, praying for an ounce of safety for the men and women of Easy Company and for her.