The Way Back

- 23 -

The soil beneath her feet was driving Lia insane.

 Even the air held a certain level of tension that ran through her nerves. On the outside, it looked beautiful. The lush countryside was relatively untouched by the consequences of war. At least most of the construction was still standing. Lia could see straight through it, though. Blood was spilled in this country. Innocent blood by her hands. She thought she had put this behind her in coming to terms with her past, not completely, but she felt like she were improving. 

Germany. 

It even smelled like Death. Lia hadn't felt his presence since that day in the woods spent searching for Shifty Powers. He walked side-by-side with her, closer now than he has been. It was as if Death was aware of the atrocities she committed in this country, and brought the people she killed along with him. 

Joining the war, she didn't ever think she would end up back here. Not a single thought about it ran through her mind when she shook hands with Sink all those years ago. The only belief she had was that she would be dead by the time the American army marched their boots into this territory. If they marched into this territory. 

And yet, here she stood in the middle of the small village of Sturzelburg. German citizens still walked about, filtering in throughout the mass of soldiers. 

In between all of the chaos, Lia couldn't help but realize this place felt all too familiar to her. A small itch on the back of her palms. A passing voice in the wind. She knew this place. 

Lia waved off the feeling as she walked in between the buildings, pinning it as just the dirty feeling that she were back in the country that pushed her to her knees. She came up upon the officers chatting off to the side against a store front. 

Piper smiled at her friend warmly, pushing down that she too felt disgusted at the country where it all began. "Feels good to be back, huh?" She joked. 

Lia scoffed, "Yeah, you could say that." 

Winters and Harry didn't seem too surprised at the idea that the women had been in Germany before. Piper filled them in shortly after Lia told her she had free reign to speak how she wanted to on their experiences before the war. 

A presence at her side tore her breath straight from her lungs. It was something Lia was still trying to get used to. Before their night shared together, Lia never outright sought the new captain out. Although she rather enjoyed him around, it was rarely her decision to be by him. Her eyes betrayed her these days in actively searching for that brown hair and stoic expression amongst the soldiers. 

He was playing with her ideals, unknowingly of course. She was meant to be a soldier and die a soldier. No matter how much she wanted to leave this war together, if it was just Piper making it out she would have been happy. Now, with Speirs by her side, she had something that pushed her to be more cautious. To watch her step and keep an eye on her surroundings when she was alone. 

He made her want to live. 

No matter how much Lia tried to push that thought aside, it still forced it's way back in every time his brown eyes met hers. 

The small group effectively decided that they needed to discuss plans regarding their eventual push through Germany. Winters, Welsh, and Piper chatted quietly on their walk to the new command building, leaving Speirs and Lia to stew in their thoughts behind them. 

Lia watched the buildings as they passed through, still fighting the eerie feeling this town gave her. "How's your thieving coming along, Speirs?" She questioned, turning to face the captain beside her. She had watched Speirs brining in loads of objects, stolen objects, into the mailing office.