Women of War - A Band of Brothers Story

Points

A/N: Hi guys. Once again, the update took way longer than I hoped. I'm really sorry to make you wait, but writer's block really hit me hard and work is still as hectic as ever...

I hope you enjoy the chapter even though it ended up being a bit episodic (transitions were the bane of my existence these past few weeks....)

On another note: I have no idea when the next chapter will be ready. I wish I could say this story will be updated in two weeks or three, but truth is, I just don't know. With work, hobbies, family problems and some minor health issues, my muse is very fickle. Just know that I will update as soon as I can and I'm truly sorry to keep you waiting.

To the paratroopers, Zell am See was paradise. A deep blue lake, a lush green landscape, snowy mountain peaks stretching up into the sky. And since they had suddenly turned from an elite combat unit into a peace time occupation force, their duties were so light that it felt like a holiday. Man the check-points, help out with getting the POWs at the nearby camp sorted and sent back home, the occasional patrol here and there.

They lounged in the sun, swam in the lake, socialised with the willing local girls, made liberal use of the near-endless supply of alcohol and got up to all sorts of mischief when boredom started to creep in.

The officers came up with a number of ways to keep the troops entertained, from field trips to a baseball tournament and other sports competitions, but in the end, it was a news reel that curbed the escalating shenanigans before they got completely out of hand.

Command had made the viewing mandatory for the whole regiment. And seeing the footage from the Battle of Okinawa, was a harsh but necessary reminder that the war might be over in Europe, but it wasn't over in the Pacific. At any point, the brass could push for a drop and then the 101st Airborne would be back on the front lines, halfway across the world and up against a completely different kind of enemy.

It was enough to give the soldiers a reality check and so there were markedly few complaints when Major Winters reinstated regular training to ensure they maintained their fighting fitness. If orders came down for them to move to the Pacific, they would have to be in fighting form and the last batch of replacements, who had never seen combat, needed all the training they could get to catch up.

***

After VE-Day, a point system had been introduced to determine which soldiers in the ETO would get to return stateside. Points were awarded for months in the service, months spent overseas, for medals and awards, as well as for dependent children under the age of 18 back home. A minimum of 85 points was required to be discharged.

And despite all their achievements and all they had been through in the year they had been in active combat, a large number of Toccoa veterans didn't have enough points.

"Can you believe it?", Perconte griped, shaking his head over his 81 points. "You spend a year slogging through swamps, flooded fields, snow and all sorts of other terrain, spend weeks and weeks in foxholes getting yourself blown six ways to Sunday, get shot at all day every day, and in the end, some desk jockey in London or Washington decides that it's not enough."

Luz gave his friend a flat look and deadpanned: "Welcome to the Army, Frank." As he had never been wounded, he had only been allotted 76 points.

A mother of two young children, Catherine had an additional 24 points added to her score, totalling 100 points. She looked at her total and had a hard time swallowing past the lump that had suddenly taken up residence in her throat.

Theresa, who had accepted her own 81 points with resigned indifference, studied her expression and asked softly: "You can go home, can't you?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I have the points."