Ad Astra Per Aspera [2] - Band of Brothers

45 | a flower's beauty

" Flowers...are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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After the events of Chuck's wound, things seemed to settle down again, as talks of the Pacific finally swirled around, overlying the wounds Easy Company had substantially taken.

Catherine, though, took trips with Tab up to visit Chuck in their off time - he was one of the first NCOs she had met, and a close friend, one of her NCOs.

Other days the company trained relentlessly for the Pacific, exhausted in the end by it all. It was truly exhausting all of it, but the thing that made it more exhausting was the fact they were all still waiting to see if what Hazel had written into the New York Times would make it to the paper. Each newspaper that came, the group huddled in a circle to score the paper for it. It still hadn't showed. But they would wait until it did.

In August most of the men and the women had been moved out to tents in the large valley underneath the mountains, the glorious Alps that surrounded them with the light blue sky and the soft breeze.

But it also meant even more decisions were being made on who was staying and who was leaving - the war in the Pacific was dwindling, further and further away from a large conflict - the US had dropped two atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th - now they were just anticipating the surrender of the Japanese.

But it meant Ronald Speirs was staying in the Army despite it all.

But Hazel was happy for him, for the man, the leader, the brother who had supported her ever since her return, since he had become their faithful CO.

She'd always adore Ronald Speirs.

" Jesus Christ Tab, he's not going to overreact, you're the one overreacting." Lizzie said, adjusting the collar of her uniform.

" Oh really? Says the one fussing over her collar." Tab said and Lizzie jabbed at his shoulder.

" Asshole," she muttered, " it's hot and it's itchy, I'm going to be fussing over my collar." Tab chuckled as they approached the building of offices for the officers. Lizzie and Tab arched their necks up towards it before glancing at each other.

" Good luck with this," Lizzie said," hopefully he'll be understand enough."

" If he's anything like Hazel, I have a feeling he will be." Tab said and Lizzie smirked.

" I'll be out here," she said with a little wave as Tab stepped inside, leaning up against the outside doorway, her eyes watching the Austrian streets bustle with life.

Last night, she had told Tab about her hyperactivity disorder - she had willed herself to. Because he had seen her have that mental breakdown where she just felt she couldn't comprehend it all, she couldn't cope, she couldn't gather herself together, and Tab had seen it happen in front of him. And she had told him everything as they sat side by side at the docks. And Tab had listened to every word she had said.