Ad Astra Per Aspera [2] - Band of Brothers

10 | to easy company

" Goodbye is not forever. Goodbye is not the end. It simply means, I'll miss you until we meet again."

- Sanjeev Kumar

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So with their final 2 days in the hospital, the trio ate what they could, and did what they could to figure out where Easy and the 82nd would be. Hazel had been on duty for that, as Frank and Jem were to find the transports. Hazel had headed towards the main office of the hospital and stepped inside with a smile on her youthful face.

" Hi," Hazel said brightly, putting on her best act for the secretary, " I'm from the 101st and was wondering where the transports are." The secretary slowly glanced her way and stood like one of those creepy old teachers from grade school.

" Transports leave every morning at 0800, have you not known this dear?" she asked, slowly seating herself down in the chair.

" No, actually, I've been up in Intensive Care and then I was moved to Recovery for a few weeks, I haven't been able to leave really with them monitoring my wound." she stated gently, giving a kind smile, a bit forced and Hazel bit back her tongue.

" Right, well, I'll write you a note so that pretty little head of yours remembers, alright?" the secretary said and Hazel nodded. Perfect.

" Thank you," Hazel said and the secretary gave her a pity smile. Hazel bit back her lip and held her tongue.

" 0800, you will be able to report on any day of your choice at the main entrance. Let them known your division, the drivers have been keeping intel of where the companies are, they should be able to drive you out to your company and you should arrive within the next day at least." she explained handing Hazel a blue, tattered sticky note. Hazel took it and stared at it. This was their ticket out of here, tomorrow they'd be leaving.

" I just have a quick question, I'm a paratrooper-"

" One of those Viragos, yes." the woman said nodding to her, interrupting her. Hazel stopped and stared at her wide eyed.

" Um, yes ma'am, I uh, I just want to know where the 101st and 82nd are." she said.

" Well, dear," she said leaning back to pull out a folder, " I'm surprised your nurse hasn't told you yet about it all. They usually have the information."

' I was eager," Hazel said quickly with a nod, " real eager." The secretary gave her a bored stare and then shrugged pulling out the file.

" Most recently, the 101s has been on its way to Alsace, France, Haguenau most likely it says here. And the 82nd has been on the road to Schmithof, Germany." the secretary said to her and Hazel quickly plucked a pen from her cup filled with them and quickly wrote down her best interpretation of the names she could. Sure, it looked like a 5 year old wrote it with a shaky hand, but she needed to know.