The Way Back

- 15 -

It hurt Lia to find that she was denied to join the men on their next mission given her still healing injuries. She felt fine, but command quickly decided against her wishes to join the men in the field. They were out there fighting without her, and she despised it. 

Alley had come back in a critical condition, sending the other men to the crossroads lead by Winters. She trusted him with every bone in her body but Lia wished she could just be by his side. 

Lia sat on the steps in front of the worn barn, her foot tapping quickly against the stone beneath her. Anxiousness ran rampant in her body. Far out in the distance, gunfire broke out amidst the calm mid-morning air. This was the second time she heard it, with an extended break between it and the first. Those hours were the worst. Not knowing whether the men had been killed and not a soul in the town knew of their conditions.

Now she knew they were still fighting. How many were left to fight was another question Lia didn't want to ask. Not yet.

Speirs lowered himself down next to the lieutenant. She didn't look up at him, only keeping her gaze at the horizon. 

"They'll be fine." He spoke slowly. 

"You can't know that." She whispered back after a short pause. Lia turned to face him with worry glassing in her eyes. Piper was out there with them, and that only made things worse for her. Usually when they were involved in combat, they were together or within a short distance of the other. Lia always knew where the small blonde soldier was in between the chaos. Now, she had no idea where Piper was. 

The pair sat in silence, the only sound was the distant gunfire cracking. Speirs fought the urge to hold her. Lia fought the urge to drop her head onto his shoulder. 

After what felt like days, soldiers started returning from the crossroads. Lia stood quickly, her eyes scanning the worn men. She spotted the young blonde with Winters, and a smile nearly broke out on her lips. They were fine, just as Speirs had told her.

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"Captain Bailey." Lia greeted. The two had seen each other on and off. Battalion was keeping him busy and he was a hard man to come by. On the off chance Lia did see her Captain, she savored each moment of it. 

"You're finally sitting out of missions due to an injury? Never thought I'd see the day, Lieutenant." Bailey joked, a small smile on his lips. 

"Yeah, yeah. Just keep rubbing it in why don't you?" Lia punched his shoulder slightly. 

"The boys miss you two. They send their regards." Bailey spoke on the men of Vitale who still mostly ran with the other companies. 

Lia sighed. "We miss them, too. It's better, though, not having them right at the front of the line all the time. Keeps them out of trouble. We all know they need that." 

Bailey smiled. He could see the change Easy Company had brought on her. However slight it was, there was a change for the better. Even her eyes seemed to shine brighter. 

"I've got to head to CP, but keep hanging in there Creed. You're doing these men some good." Bailey placed a hand on her shoulder as a farewell, heading off to the company building. 

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Lia sat in the small loft with Winters and Zielinski. Operation Pegasus was to happen tonight. Retrieving the British soldiers from across the water was to be lead by Moose Heyliger, and Lia still was designated too injured by Roe to join them. She nearly dragged a punch across his jaw when the medic told her, but she decided she still liked him.