Hi guys. So, as I mentioned, this is the last chapter. I had a great time writing this story and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Thank you for reading, reviewing and being patient with me while I figured out the workings of this site :)

I don't have any new story typed up yet, but there is a ton of ideas buzzing around in my head. And since holidays are coming up soon (finally...), I might start a new fic in another category. So keep an eye out if you liked my writing ;) But for now, I have other things to take care of. (Like mid-terms and stuff like that...)

Right, one last thing: It's only past noon on New Year's Eve where I am right now, but I guess some of you are in a different time zone or might only read this tomorrow. Therefore: I wish all of you a Happy New Year, lots of good fortune and I hope that life treats you well. Stay safe and healthy, guys, and who knows, I might "see" some of you around on this site.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

The new year began with lots of laughter and dancing. Isabel had already anticipated that Ella and George would be uncomfortable with the noise of the fireworks, so she had decided that they should go to a party. As it turned out, Johnny and Pat Martin had had the same idea. Heading inside together, they pushed two tables together and sat down. Johnny and George went to get drinks for everybody. Ella didn't even bother telling them what she wanted, they knew anyways.

While they waited, the three women struck up a conversation. The venue had a sizeable dance floor and there was a band playing, but it was at just the right volume so that people could talk without having to shout over the noise.

"How has school been going for you, Ella?", Pat inquired.

The small girl shrugged. "It's alright, I guess", she replied. "It isn't all that hard and I'm looking forward to starting nursing school in summer."

She nodded, a smile gracing her pretty face. "I bet. And your volunteer work? Do you still like it?"

Ella grinned, nodding enthusiastically. "Oh yes, very much", she confirmed. "The people are nice and I learn so much every day."

Isabel smiled at her daughter and added: "She does a great job, too. My colleagues are quite impressed with her and rumour has it that Head Nurse Marlene is pushing for you to be hired as trainee first thing in summer."

"Wow, that's great", Pat enthused, congratulating Ella, who simply blushed.

"There ya go, kiddo", George said, putting a club soda in front of her, "same as always."

She grinned up at him. "Thanks, George."

They chatted for a while, then Isabel spotted some of her friends from work in the crowd and waved them over. Introductions were made and soon, George jumped up from his seat and held out his hand to Ella. "May I have this dance, my lady?", he asked, mirth dancing in his brown eyes.

"Why thank you, good sir", she replied, playing along. She took his hand and gracefully got to her feet.

.

Leading her to the dance floor, George spoke up: "By the way, have I told you how pretty you look in this dress?"

The brunette smiled, slightly embarrassed by the compliment, but a bit flattered nonetheless. "Thank you. You look pretty good, too."

He beamed, pretending to be flustered and taking an exaggerated bow before leading her through a twirl.

As was their wont, they talked as they danced, joking and goofing around a little. Whenever they heard a remark like "Oh what a lovely couple", they had to fight hard to keep their laughter in check.

"Say, Isabel mentioned a Winter Ball?", George commented casually. "Somebody ask you already?"

Ella smoothly switched sides and turned. "Nah", she answered. "I don't think I'll go anyways."

"Why not?"

She grinned at him, the curl of her lip and the twinkle in her eyes telling him that she was only half-joking. "Because they are not like you guys." Spinning out and then back towards him, she elaborated: "I don't want to get anyone's hopes up by saying yes if – and that is a big if – they ask me to the ball. And", she twirled around him, "going alone is just no fun."

George hummed, a pensive expression settling on his face, which was quickly replaced by a smile. "Then I'll take you", he decided as they pulled off a Hollywood-style dip. The song ended and they stood on the dance floor, looking at each other.

"Really?", Ella asked, sounding somewhere between surprised and excited.

He shrugged, his signature grin flashing. "Sure, why not? It'll be fun."

A beaming smile lit up his friend's delicate features and she hugged him in exuberant joy. "You're the best." Her eyes glowed with eager anticipation and a wicked smirk ticked up the corners of her mouth, the lopsided grin telling him that an idea had just sparked in her brilliant mind. She snickered. "They're going to be so confused."

They shared a look and burst out laughing.

On the third day after returning to school in January, Ella was ambushed by an oddly fidgety Tim Carter when she waved to George as he drove off. George sometimes dropped Ella off at school on his way to work. With his charming, easy-going and likeable persona, he hadn't had much difficulty scoring jobs as a handyman around the neighbourhood. His clients told their friends and soon, he had jobs lined up all over the city.

"I need your help", Tim blurted out as soon as she turned around and saw him.

Her smile shifted and her mien changed into a slight frown. "What's going on?", she asked, walking up to him. Her concern only grew when he awkwardly shuffled his feet and scratched at the side of his neck, taking sudden interest in the cuff of his sleeve.

"Um…" As they walked down the hallway, he fumbled for a while before throwing his hands up with a noise of disgust. "I need you to help me ask out a girl", he finally managed, the words exiting his mouth in an anxious rush.

Oh. Das ish…unerwartet, her brain stated, suitably taken aback. "O…kay", she said, drawing out the word in uncertainty before clearing her throat and pulling herself together. "Right." Instinctively adopting the same tone she would use with distraught patients, she suggested: "Why don't you start from the beginning, hm? And then we can see about what we can do, alright?"

.

Tim nodded. His voice dropped to a quiet mumble when they entered the classroom and took their usual seats at the back, by the window. "See, there's this girl", he began. "She's funny and smart and I really want to ask her to the Winter Ball, but...I don't know how."

A soft smile spread on Ella's lips. "How do you ask somebody to a dance?", she inquired. When he shrugged, she revised her question: "How would you ask me to a dance?"

He looked at her, wondering where she was going with this. "Uh", he made. "'Would you like to go to the ball with me?' or something like that?"

The brunette nodded approvingly. "There. Why do you think you can't ask that special girl to the ball like that?"

He dragged a hand through his hair and sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know", he admitted, miserably gazing at her with his dark brown eyes, "I just…I don't want her to think I'm just asking her out of pity."

To his surprise, the young woman chuckled. She patted his forearm in sympathy. "Don't worry. She'll be over the moon."

When he realised what exactly she was implying, Tim's jaw dropped and he blinked at her in shock. "H-how, I mean, why do you-", he sputtered.

Ella giggled and winked at him. "I'm a medic", she reminded him, "we're observant."

He chuckled, shaking his head in mild disbelief. "Of course. I guess it is kinda obvious, huh?"

She just nodded as the teacher came in, stopping all conversations.

So far, the new year had been good. On Isabel's birthday, however, life decided to remind them that it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Ella woke up in the middle of the night, startling herself out of a terrifying dream she couldn't remember. Heart pounding against her ribcage, she lay there, bringing her breathing back under control. Suddenly, she sat up, eyes narrowed slightly in concentration. She wasn't sure that her mind wasn't still halfway asleep, but her instincts told her that something was off.

Slipping out of bed, the small girl noiselessly tiptoed into the corridor. There, she heard it again. Her heart clenched and she quietly headed to George's room. Peeking inside, her suspicion confirmed itself. "Oh nei", she sighed, quickly crossing the distance between the door and the bed.

Softly calling his name, Ella set about waking her brother, who was ensnared in a nightmare. Having done this many times before when they were off the line, she had some practice and knew what to expect. Dodging a flailing punch aimed vaguely in her direction, she patiently waited for George to shake the haunting dream as she held him, making light shushing noises.

Soon enough, he pulled back, the daze in his brown orbs clearing. What was left was pain, grief and sadness. The young medic didn't have to ask. Her own eyes began to sting as George sniffled and tears trickled down his cheeks. He hung his head, wiping at his eyes. "Sorry I woke you", he mumbled.

Ella shook her head. "It's okay. You don't have to apologise." She manoeuvred herself into a more comfortable position, keeping her arm wrapped around him. "I understand."

George could hear the crack in her voice, the slight hoarseness that told of the tears closing up her throat. "I dreamt of Skip", he revealed. He could barely muster a whisper and it was broken and weak. "He was talking to me. But" – he inhaled shakily – "but I could hardly hear him." He raised his head, looking at her in pure desperation. "I don't want to forget his voice, Shorty."

.

The brunette was rubbing a hand up and down his back in mindless patterns, holding his gaze with her own. Behind her tears, there was warmth and reassurance, the green orbs silently prompting him to go on. His lip twitched at that. Somehow, she always knew when there was more. She had this sixth sense where she always seemed to know when somebody wasn't doing well.

"Is…is my Skip still right?", he questioned, sounding about as scared of the answer as he felt. He took a breath and the next thing out of his mouth was a rendition of Skip, telling the jokes he had cracked in Bastogne. Halfway through his impression, George broke off, shaking his head. "No, it's, it's not right. He sounds off", he muttered, shoulders slumping even more in dejection.

Ella nudged him gently. "Hey." When he didn't react, she tilted his chin up to look him in the eye. "Hey", she repeated, her words soft and full of empathy, "it sounds perfect." Despite her breathing hitching in an attempt to stifle the sobs trying to claw their way up her throat because my God how she missed Skip, she smiled.

"Really?", George inquired, not quite believing it.

She tilted her head. "Would I lie to you?", she asked gently, neither offended nor angered by his question.

He huffed a small laugh. It wasn't much more than a staccato exhale, but it was a start. "No", he determined. "No, you wouldn't."

Her smile grew and this time, it was him reaching out to hug her. Ella buried her face in his shoulder, listening to the familiar thump-thump of his heart. She remembered it as if it had been yesterday. The explosions lighting up the forest. The eardrum-shattering noise. The snow and ice biting into her, the ash and dirt clinging to her.

George's quiet voice jolted her out of the memories flashing in her mind. "One year", he said. "It's been one year."

The former ranking medic hummed in response. "Yeah. It's been one hell of a year."

He snorted and she felt him nod where he had rested his chin on top of her head. "Sure has been", he agreed.

Then, he yawned, eliciting a small chuckle from his friend. She pulled back, studying him with a knowing expression in her eyes. "How about we try and get some more sleep?", she asked.

George nodded, letting himself flop back onto the pillow. Ella followed suit and after some wriggling, they had both found a comfortable position.

"G'night, Shorty", the former radio operator mumbled, voice already heavy with tiredness again.

"Night, George", the young girl replied, closing her eyes.

.

Isabel didn't question it when she saw the red-rimmed eyes of her daughter and her basically-adopted son. She accepted it when they came back from their morning run soaked in sweat despite the cold temperatures. And when Ella, feeling guilty that she was ruining her mother's birthday, apologised profusely for being so quiet and downcast, Isabel looked them both in the eye and told them: "You have nothing to apologise for. I cannot imagine what you have gone through, but I understand that today is not a good day. And that's okay. It's just a birthday, I only get older." That earned her two half-smiles and she considered it a win. "To you, this day means something else, something more", she continued. "If you want to talk, I am here. And if not, I am here, too."

In the evening, Ella worked up the courage to open the only gift she hadn't touched on Christmas Eve. It had come from Lewis Nixon and she had already guessed what it was when she had seen the folder. Now, with encouragement from Luz, who also knew, she opened the cover and pulled out a stack of pictures. A soft laugh escaped her, along with a fondly exasperated "That bastard".

Although some of the photos once again reinforced the painful reality that some of her boys were gone, Ella found that they cheered her up, bringing forth the good memories. George immediately snatched a part of the pile and began perusing them, a look of utter glee on his face. Together, they laughed at the pictures, showing Isabel who was who and telling her stories about the men.

.

"Did you know that we had a betting pool about how long it would take until you washed out in basic?"

George's out-of-the-blue admission made her turn her head, eyebrows creased in an expression of very mild surprise. "No", she replied, "I didn't. But I suppose it makes sense. What happened to it?"

He smiled, tapping his fingers on the table in a steady cadence as he explained: "We called off the bets after Sobel sent you to do the whole Friday night march again because you were coughing while we were standing in formation."

"He what?", Isabel questioned, not quite sure she had heard right.

Ella nodded, chuckling at the memory that was now amusing. Back then, it had just been gruelling. "Oh yeah", she remembered. "He really hated my guts."

Sobel had been furious that the female medic had so far been holding her own pretty well, keeping up with the men or sometimes even surpassing them. So, he had looked for ways to make her life even more miserable. And when the small girl, who had caught the same bug that had caused a steady influx of patients to the infirmary, hadn't been able to stifle the cough building in her lungs, he had seen his chance. Revoking her pass – which he had done already a grand total of six times over the course of the week – and yelling at her for the infraction, he then ordered her to do the march again, the entire 12 miles. On her own.

The young brunette had returned a good 3 and a half hours later, looking dead on her feet. Yet, she never missed a step as she passed the guys mounting guard, greeting them with a smile. When she entered her barrack, the rest of the men were waiting up for her. They clapped her on the back, patted her shoulder and helped her with her pack. It had marked a turning point in the relationship between Ella and the boys. Most of them no longer doubted her strength and tenacity and were actually highly impressed that she had done the second march at that speed.

"Yeah", George confirmed, pulling her out of her reminiscing. "I guess he just underestimated how goddamn stubborn you are."

She laughed, brushing a stray lock out of her face. "True."

A few days before the Winter Ball was set to take place, Gail came rushing towards her in the hallway, face lit with excitement. "Guess what!", she grinned.

"What?", Ella obliged, smiling.

Her friend beamed at her, practically vibrating with barely concealed anticipation. "I got asked to the ball!", she squealed.

The brunette's smile widened and she returned the exuberant hug she found herself wrapped in. "Wow. That's great. So he finally worked up the courage, huh?"

Gail frowned, confusion clearly displayed on her features. "You…you know who asked me?", she questioned.

She grinned slyly, innocent mischief dancing in her eyes. "Gail", she said, "I wasn't born yesterday. Tim obviously likes you." After a slight pause, she added: "And he might have asked me for advice."

Gail chuckled, self-consciously fiddling with the strap of her bag. Then, she grew sad. "But now you don't have anyone to go with", she exclaimed, an apology ringing in her tone.

Ella smiled. "As a matter of fact, I do."

"Who?", the dark-haired girl asked in surprise. She only received a mysterious "You'll see" in response.

.

The Winter Ball was a night to remember. George and Ella turned quite a few heads and caused the rumour mill to go into overdrive. They had the time of their lives fanning the proverbial flames, laughing at the joke that only the two of them were privy to.

Taking a break from dancing, they sat at the bar, sipping the ice blue punch that was being served. It didn't contain alcohol, since basically all of the students were still underage. However, Ella was under no illusion that there would still be a ton of drunk people by the end of the night. There was always somebody smuggling alcohol past teachers and chaperones. Mentally shrugging and discarding the thought, a dancing couple caught her attention and a big smile spread on her face.

"What?", George asked.

The brunette nodded her head towards the pair. He followed her gaze and instantly recognised them from what his friend had told him. "Yep", he determined, "definitely Army."

Ella chuckled. It was hard to miss the military bearing that still clung to Tim like a second skin. "Yeah."

"They're a nice couple", George commented, nodding his head in approval. He slanted her a sidelong glance. "How nervous was he?"

Her mien, along with her soft snicker, spoke volumes. Gail and Tim were blissfully oblivious to their observers, too lost in their bubble of happiness.

When Mary-Jane came over to them, Danny Summers in tow, she immediately zeroed in on the unfamiliar man that had his arm casually slung around Ella's shoulders.

"No, Mary-Jane, George isn't my boyfriend", the young medic told her right off the bat, grinning brightly. "He's my friend. And my brother."

The blonde frowned in confusion, but introduced herself and her date to George nonetheless. She also complimented them on their outfits, which Ella replied to with a sincere: "You look great, too."

.

While Danny was drawn into a conversation with some of his football teammates, Ella and George amiably chatted with Mary-Jane, who was quite fascinated by the close relationship the brunette obviously had with her friend. She had never experienced anything like it, so she didn't know exactly what it was like, but she could understand to some extent.

As the night ran its course and the people became increasingly drunk – just as Ella had guessed – the two siblings in arms enjoyed themselves on the dance floor, with intermittent breaks to quench their thirst. They were joined by Tim and Gail and the four of them had a great time.

When they decided to head home, George tossed the former ranking medic the car keys.

She caught them easily and shot him a half-teasing smirk. "You sure you want me to drive?", she asked. "This isn't Mourmelon, you know."

He shrugged nonchalantly, his smile reassuring. "Eh, so what. You drove down from the Eagle's Nest, you can drive here, too", he reasoned. "'sides, if you can drive an Army jeep, you can drive anything."

Ella chuckled, giving in.

The Martins were leaving. They were moving to Arizona where Johnny planned to start his own construction company. Ella was happy for them and she knew Johnny would be a good employer and businessman. But she would miss them, too. She would miss spending time with her snarky friend and his lovely wife. It's not the other end of the world, she told herself. Arizona was far away, but the distance wouldn't stop her from visiting once in a while.

No matter what, saying goodbye was still hard. Pat and Isabel were close friends, had been ever since they had happened across each other in the shop one day. They promised to write often and even call from time to time.

Ella simply hugged Johnny, telling him to take care. "Go to the Grand Canyon for me, will you?", she asked, smiling.

He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Sure, kid." Sobering, he looked her in the eye and spoke seriously: "Look after yourself, alright?"

"I will."

Satisfied, Johnny smiled and pulled her into another hug. She committed the feeling to her memory and pecked him on the cheek before letting go.

"See you soon, Pee Wee", she said, grinning cheekily at him.

He snorted a laugh and nodded. "See you soon, Shorty", he replied.

Time flew by and winter turned into spring. When the invitation to the wedding of Harry Welsh and Kitty Grogan arrived, Ella simply laughed.

"Hey, George!", she called, "they are finally getting married!"

He hollered back: "Welsh?"

She grinned and joked: "Give the man a medal."

It really had only been a matter of time until their former Lieutenant married the love of his life. Throughout their service, Welsh had raved about Kitty, talking about how amazing she was. Ella was eager to meet the woman she had heard so much about. So, she quickly went to the Western Union office and RSVP'd yes for both herself and George, who had proclaimed: "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

.

The wedding was beautiful and there wasn't an empty seat left. The bride looked stunning in her elegant silk gown. Every paratrooper among the guests smiled at the sight of her, because they would recognise the signature stitching of a chute anywhere. So, he did send his reserve chute to her, Ella mused, chuckling softly.

Harry's side of the aisle was filled to the brim with Easy Company members. Not everybody had been able to make it, but a considerable group had turned up. Ella was overjoyed to see her boys again and they were just as excited, picking her up and swinging her around, hugging her and kissing her on the cheek and forehead.

When it was her turn to congratulate the happy couple, Welsh beamed at her in all his gap-toothed glory. "Kitty", he spoke, gazing lovingly at his newly wedded wife, "this is Ella Sawyer."

Kitty smiled and gushed: "I have heard so much about you. It's an honour to finally meet you."

Ella blushed. "Thanks. I've heard a lot about you, too. Your husband could talk about nothing else but you."

The radiant bride laughed and fondly shook her head.

.

At the reception, Ella stepped outside to get some air. She sat on the low mural, plucking daisies from the meadow behind her and deftly weaving them into a chain. She smiled to herself, humming the wedding march under her breath as she enjoyed the gentle spring sun warming her. She wondered if Kitty was going to like her wedding gift.

"Hello Shorty."

The brunette raised her head at the even voice, smiling as she replied: "Hi, sir."

Captain Ronald Speirs chuckled softly. "I'm not your superior anymore, Ella. You don't have to call me 'sir'."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Sorry", she offered with a soft smile. "Force of habit."

"It's alright", Speirs said. He leant against the mural, folding his arms, studying her from the side. "I heard Luz is living with you now", he spoke, not bothering to phrase it as a question.

Ella nodded, fingers carefully lacing up the delicate flowers. "That's right", she confirmed. "It's quieter."

He hummed. "I don't doubt that."

Her response was a soft, huffed laugh.

After a moment of quiet, Speirs asked: "Has your mother ever seen her former boyfriend again?"

"Once", the small girl replied. "He came by a month ago to get something he had forgotten was still on the attic." Her voice didn't reveal her thoughts. "I think he hoped to rekindle things with Mama. She made it clear to him that that horse has bolted long ago."

He snorted in derision, his expression telling. "And that bully? Dale?", he wanted to know, a dangerous edge to his tone, "He didn't cause you any more trouble, did he?"

Ella shook her head. "No."

When her assurance did nothing to loosen the grim set of his jaw, she poked him in the arm. Speirs glared at her, which she countered with an unbothered smile. "It's okay", she affirmed. "Really. He knows I can boot his ass down the block if he tries something."

A dark smirk curled her former CO's lips and he nodded sharply. "Good."

.

Ella just smiled at him. Everyone who said Ronald Speirs was a heart- and soulless soldier just didn't look hard enough. Beneath the composed, almost blank exterior, Speirs was someone who did everything he could to protect those he cared about. He was a man of action and while he wasn't the most talkative person, his letters were honest, insightful and understanding.

When she had written to her brothers about James Buchanan's abrupt and cowardly departure, their responses had ranged from expressing their sympathy and asking how Ella and her Mama were doing to "I'll kill the son of a bitch if I ever come across him, how dare he do this to you?!". Surprisingly, Speirs' letter had been far less in the latter category than one would have expected.

The sound of the door opening pulled the young girl from her thoughts. The peaceful atmosphere changed to one of hilarity and playfulness as the boys gathered, joking and bantering back and forth like they had used to during the war. Gwüssi Sacha ändern sich nia, Ella noted with a satisfied smile before she allowed her friends to whisk her away from her musings, enveloping her in a whirlwind of laughter and celebration.

George eventually decided that he had to go home – well, to his home in Rhode Island. He brought it up one evening as he and Ella sat up on the roof, watching the sunset. The brunette was quiet for a while, but then, a smile blossomed on her features. "You'll be fine", she said, an unwavering confidence in her voice. "And if it gets too crazy again, you know you can always come here."

He chuckled, looping an arm around her and tussling her soft locks. "Yeah, I know, kiddo", he answered. "Promise me something?"

The small woman looked up at him, a questioning expression in her searching gaze.

"Promise you'll come visit some time?"

Her smile widened, warmth and fondness glowing in it. "Promise", she spoke solemnly, leaning against him. Although she was a bit sad that he was leaving, Ella was mostly glad that her brother was ready to return to his old life.

"When are you leaving?", she asked, brushing a few stubborn strands from her eyes. Above them, the sky slowly turned dark, the first stars already twinkling.

"In about three weeks", George replied. "When all the work is finished."

Ella nodded, signalling she had understood. She snuggled closer, head resting against his shoulder, and inquired: "What's Rhode Island like?"

He smiled at her and began an animated description of his home state, gesturing with his hands and making the young girl laugh as he imitated the voices of his family and friends.

.

"I'll see you soon", George said three weeks later, after he had put the last piece of luggage into the boot of his car. "Real soon."

Isabel smiled and hugged him, telling him to drive safely and to greet his family from them. Ella hugged him, too, whispering something in his ear that made him cackle.

"Sure thing, Shorty", he replied, winking at her.

Then, George grinned at them and gave them both another big hug before getting into the car. As he drove off, the two Sawyer women waved, laughing when he jauntily beeped the horn in farewell.

Sickness struck Ella at the end of May. At first, it had just been a dull throb behind her temples, nothing unusual. She had ignored it, even the headache went from mildly irritating to painful enough to be distracting. But by midday, there was no more denying that she was sick. Her head pounded as if it had its own heartbeat, her entire body ached and she had started coughing. If she hadn't had any experience pushing through exhaustion, pain and illness, she would have fallen asleep then and there.

The afternoon dragged on and the small medic had a hard time concentrating on her lessons. To make matters worse, they were talking about the war in History and Mrs Audrey was trying to evaluate how much they knew already. Ella resisted the urge to groan and roll her eyes when the teacher reminded them for the hundredth time that the anniversary of D-Day was just around the corner. She shared a long-suffering look with Tim, who was sketching rank insignia on his notepad.

"Mr Carter", Mrs Audrey called, startling him out of his stupor. "Since you were there, what can you tell us about D-Day?"

Tim sighed. "I wasn't there", he corrected, "we were in Somerset until June 24. But I know that the operation had to be postponed for 24 hours because of the bad weather conditions…"

He rattled off the facts in the most neutral, disconnected way possible, which was clearly not what Mrs Audrey had been hoping for. Ella listened closely and although she didn't really want to take the trip down memory lane at the moment – right now, all she wanted to do was go home, curl up and sleep for a week – she stepped in when she heard her friend's voice starting to waver.

"I was there", she spoke up. "On D-Day."

Mrs Audrey turned to her. "Oh", she made, as if she had completely forgotten about that. "Well then, what can you tell us about D-Day?"

The brunette heaved a sigh, rubbing her tired eyes. Flashing Tim a quick smile, she recounted: "Drops began around 0130 hours." Just like Tim, she stuck to the facts, reporting in the same clear, concise fashion in which she had written thousands of casualty reports. "The planes had trouble navigating due to the thick clouds. We missed our drop zone by miles. I linked up with members of my unit in the morning and we were sent to take out some German artillery that was firing on causeway number 2 off Utah Beach." Ella broke off as a cough forced its way out of her lungs. "Pardon me", she said out of habit before resuming her story: "The odds were probably 25 to 60…but we made it. Although with 4 dead, 2 wounded." The image of Popeye apologising over and over after getting shot in the behind popped up in her mind and she continued to narrate how the rest of her 18th birthday had passed.

.

Silence reigned after she had ended. Then, Wesley of all people, breathed: "Y-you jumped out of an airplane?"

Ella nodded and stifled a wince as the motion made her dizzy. "Yeah", she replied dryly, "comes with the territory when you're a paratrooper." She didn't mention that apart from two combat jumps, she had also done countless practice jumps beforehand.

"Holy shit", he muttered, looking at her in awe, something she had never expected to see on his face, especially not related to her.

Mrs Audrey cleared her throat, trying to regain control of the classroom. Thankfully, before she could say anything more, the bell rang. The former ranking medic exchanged a glance with Tim and mouthed "saved by the bell", causing him to chuckle.

.

By the end of the day, Ella was thoroughly miserable although it was a far cry from how awful she had felt in Haguenau. Since exhaustion had a habit of removing the filter between her brain and mouth, it had required a ridiculously high amount of concentration to keep her mouth shut.

She barely remembered anything from the way home, but she was too tired to wonder about it in mild confusion for more than three seconds. The young medic rummaged through the medicine cabinet until she found the thermometer. Sticking it into her mouth, she shuffled into the kitchen, absent-mindedly filling a glass with water. When her eyes fell on the pack of pretzel sticks, Ella paused, then shook her head at herself. Nausea had made an appearance during lunch, effectively killing the remnants of her appetite.

Taking out the thermometer, she barely glanced at it. The reading simply confirmed what she had already strongly suspected. A temperature of 102° wasn't a cause for concern. Coughing, the small girl collapsed onto the couch, closing her burning eyes. Sleep instantly whisked her away, providing a welcome reprieve.

Until Ella coughed herself awake less than an hour later. The wet sound it produced stemmed from the mucus her lungs tried to dislodge. Sitting up abruptly, she blindly reached for the glass of water, fighting to stop choking long enough to manage a few sips. "Uärgh", she made, pulling a face even as she sank back into the cushions. Wenns bis am Obig nid besser ish, nimmi a Aspirin, she resolved, leaden eyelids already fluttering closed again.

.

Isabel had to take one glance at her daughter to know she was ill. The flushed cheeks and slightly glassy eyes were a dead give-away, as was the rattling cough. "Of course you would get croup, charina", she commented with a fond shake of her head.

"Yeah", Ella choked out through another coughing spell, "last time…I had bronchitis, though."

Her mother sighed, brushing a few stray locks from her feverish face. "I'll call the school tomorrow, let them know you won't be in."

The younger woman nodded tiredly. "Thanks, Mama", she rasped out as her cough abated.

.

Before Ella went to bed that night, Isabel made her drink a dose of Grandma Johanna's remedy that they always kept on hand. "I know you don't like taking medicine unless it's necessary, but you know you won't be able to get a good night's sleep without it", she reasoned, heading off Ella's protest before she could do more than give her a discontented look.

Too tired and sick to argue, the smaller brunette relented. Knocking back the remedy as quickly as possible, she shuddered. "Ew", she made, chasing it down with a gulp of water. "Bleh. Eugh." She hadn't forgotten just how awful the concoction tasted.

Isabel rubbed her shoulder in sympathy, then bid her a good night. "Guat Nacht", she said, "und guati Besserig."

Yawning, Ella trudged off to bed. "'Nacht, Mama", she mumbled, distantly wondering if the remedy had always taken effect so quickly.

The former ranking medic slept through the night, which wasn't to say that her sleep was peaceful. Somehow, her dreams seemed to continuously become weirder and weirder. Memories and figments of imagination blurred together into a jumbled mess, the results sometimes peculiar and confusion, but mostly upsetting and distressing the way only fever-induced nightmares could be.

.

In the morning, Ella woke up shaky and drenched in sweat, but at least the fever had broken, thanks to the remedy. She took a longer shower than usual in order to get her thoughts and emotions sorted, which were all over the place. Coming into the kitchen with her hair still damp, wearing her favourite pullover despite the warm weather, she walked over to her mother and quietly stated: "I have a bad day, Mama."

Isabel turned around, all alarm bells going off at once. This was the first time her daughter had openly and of her own accord admitted to not being okay in…well, in at least 5 years. "Come here, mia figla", she spoke gently, spreading her arms.

Ella sniffled and stepped into the embrace, burying her face in her mother's shoulder. The hug already made her feel a bit better.

That afternoon, the small medic first opened up about the sad memories. The painful, scary, haunting ones. She had the journals in her lap that covered each day of her service, from the first day at boot camp to the last day on the troop ship back home. Sometimes, she read the entries and left them at that. Other times, she elaborated, adding stories she hadn't told yet and giving details which she hadn't written down. And every now and again, she only glanced at her own writing, narrating from memory.

All the while, Isabel listened attentively, interjecting a question or empathetic comment here and there, but never interrupting. When Ella faltered and the sentences came out in choppy bits, she waited patiently until the words regained their momentum. She knew how hard it was for her daughter, who always made sure everybody was doing okay, who never wanted to make anybody feel bad, to talk about these things.

There were tears, there was pain and there was fear, but in the end, Ella felt better. An invisible weight that she hadn't even noticed before had lifted from her chest. The epiphany she had had on Christmas Eve had been one step towards healing. This was another. It hurt, but it was necessary. It also left her completely drained, on all levels, and she fell asleep right where she sat, her head pillowed on her mother's shoulder, a sleepy smile on her lips as memories of falling asleep on her boys filled her mind before consciousness made way to blessedly dreamless sleep.

Shortly after turning 20, Ella graduated high school. She had been accepted into nursing school and she was going to be trained at Ohio State University Hospital, much to the delight of the staff. After volunteering there for almost 8 months, the young girl had become good friends with many of them, her kind and sweet persona making it near impossible not to like her.

At the graduation ceremony, the brunette stood on the podium with the rest of the seniors, nervously fiddling with the hem of her sleeve while she watched Mr Graham hand out the diplomas. Tim accepted his with decorum, unwittingly standing at attention. Gail blushed furiously and, after shyly waving at her parents in the audience, quickly retreated back out of the spotlight. Mary-Jane beamed proudly as she received her diploma, rightly so, because she had been third in line for valedictorian.

The names continued and finally, after James Rubinstein, the headmaster called: "Sawyer, Ella."

Ella blew out a preparing breath and stepped forward, smiling at Mr Graham, who returned it. "Congratulations, Miss Sawyer", he said, shaking her hand and handing her the diploma. "And good luck for your future."

She grinned. "Thank you, sir." Then, she joined her classmates, reciprocating the whispered "Congratulations" from James Rubinstein.

After all the diplomas were handed out, the last speeches had been held and the traditional formalities were over, Mr Graham pointed at the assembled seniors and called: "Ladies and gentlemen, the Grandview Heights Highschool graduates of 1946!"

The audience exploded with a hurricane of applause. Over the noise, Ella could hear some very familiar voices. "That's our girl!", they hollered. "Way to go, Shorty!" Her jaw dropped and a shocked laugh escaped her when what looked like half of Easy Company rose from their seats, clapping and cheering louder than the rest of the audience together.

"Who is that?", she heard Mary-Jane wonder beside her.

With a huge, radiant smile, the small medic replied: "That's my unit. Those are my boys, my brothers." Overwhelmed, she teared up even as she said it.

.

Wiggling through the crowd, Ella made her way over to her family. She saw her mother flanked by Winters and Nixon, laughing at something Nix had said.

"There she is", the unmistakable voice of the one and only Shifty Powers announced. Of course he would be the first to spot her.

A second later, she was engulfed in the largest group hug Columbus had ever seen. It was impossible to keep track who handed her off to whom, but she didn't mind at all. She was beyond ecstatic and when she was finally set back on her own two feet right beside Isabel, all she could say was: "This is best graduation gift in the world."

Her declaration was met with a round of deafening cheers.

"You're our girl, Shorty", Joe Toye stated, coming to stand next to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "We wouldn't miss our little sister's graduation for anything."

The rest of the guys voiced their assent in their usual fashion: Loud, boisterous and from the bottom of their hearts.

.

Ella was all smiles for the rest of the day, a day filled with memories that she would cherish for the rest of her life. Not everybody had been able to make it, obviously, since they had their own lives and families as well. But they had written to her. They had evidently planned it all very carefully without her knowing, because the letters reached her exactly on graduation day.

Luz was there, as well as the boys from Philly, Bill, Babe and Spina. Perconte had travelled down from Chicago. Malarkey, Alley and Christenson had arrived together after they had run into each other at the train station. Bull and More were also there, along with Chuck. Seeing Grant smiling and healthy was a great relief, to all of them. Nobody mentioned it when Ella hugged him a little bit longer and a little bit tighter than the others. Even Gene, quiet Eugene Roe, had come. Out of the officers, Buck and Lipton had made it, too.

They celebrated at the Sawyer residence, quickly deciding to eat outside since the weather was beautiful and there was more than enough space in the backyard. Isabel had no trouble finding helping hands in the kitchen, the men happily volunteering. She put them to work, supervising with the ease and calm of a general. Meanwhile, the rest of the guys carried tables and chairs out onto the lawn. Ella instructed them where they could find dishes and cutlery, delegating the tasks so that the tables were set in record time.

.

Isabel was showered with praise for the delicious meal and after coffee and desert, George was quick to ban both women from the kitchen. "We'll clean up", he insisted.

"Consider it our thanks for your hospitality", Winters added with a smile when mother and daughter – predictably – made to protest.

Ella and her Mama shared a look before shrugging in unison and relenting. "Very well", Isabel acquiesced. "Thank you."

Since there simply wasn't enough room in the kitchen for almost two dozen men, some decided to stay outside and keep the two women company. Isabel was quickly engaged in a discussion with the former officers – minus Lip, who was making sure that the kitchen brigade didn't cause too much havoc – and Ella found herself talking to Gene, Bull, Chuck and Christenson.

"Say, Gene, how is Vera?", the young brunette inquired. It was amazing to see how her friend lit up at the mention of his beloved wife. The introverted Cajun smiled and surprised the boys by launching into a lively narration of how Vera had gained passage to the states and how much she liked Louisiana.

"Wow", Christenson stated, suitably stumped. "I think that's the most I've ever heard him speak."

The two former medics chuckled.

"Gene can be very vocal", Ella commented, "about things he's passionate about."

Nix, who had overheard their conversation, threw in: "Like the health of his patients."

Ella and Gene looked at each other, blushing slightly, while the men laughed, all remembering how their most level-headed and even-tempered medics had shouted at their superiors for being careless and stupid.

.

When the celebration wound down in the late evening hours, the question of sleeping arrangements came up. Ella and Isabel categorically refused to let their guest try and find a hotel for the night and the guys weren't too averse to staying. Babe's joking suggestion, that they could camp out in the backyard, was met with all-around approval. Isabel, however, cautioned that there was rain forecast for the night. "But there is enough space in this house for all of you", she offered, chuckling at the boyish excitement on the faces of the former soldiers.

They organised it among themselves who would sleep where. They had unanimously agreed that Isabel would have her room to herself. That left Ella's room, the guest room and a portion of them decided to camp out in the living room.

Laying in bed, amidst her brothers, the small medic thought about the question Nixon had posed earlier.

"So, you ready for the future?", Nix had asked as they watched the guys gather blankets and bedrolls that they had conveniently brought along. Isabel pulled out the spare ones from the attics for those who hadn't planned for an impromptu sleep-over.

She had answered with a vague shrug, giving him her signature lopsided smile as she had said: "I'm taking it one step at a time."

Now, listening to the quiet breathing and occasional light snore that filled the air, the latest letter from Webster came to Ella's mind. 'A few days ago', he had written, 'I was reading a German book and came across the phrase 'Klein, aber fein'. I immediately had to think of you, because it suits you perfectly. Small, but powerful. I don't think I ever told you how much I admired your strength, your ability to smile in the face of adversity. You can do whatever you set your mind on.'

The brunette turned her head, her gaze travelling over the sleeping forms of her friends that had made themselves comfortable on the bed – Joe on her left, Bill on her right – and on the floor – Shifty, Alley and Bull. She smiled and closed her eyes, paving the way for sleep to wrap its soft tendrils around her. Yes, she thought to herself with conviction as her ever-active mind quieted down. I am ready for the future.

And thus the story comes to an end. I'm sorry if it's a bit choppy here and there, I covered almost 7 months in one chapter and I wanted to leave some of it to your imagination as well.

Again, thank you very much for reading and reviewing, you guys really made my day with your comments. :D Feel free to shoot me a PM if you like, I'd love to hear your opinion about the story, my writing etc.

Translations:

Das ish...unerwartet: That is...unexpected.
Oh nei: Oh no
Gwüssi Sacha ändern sich nia: Some things never change
Wenns bis am Obig nid besser ish, nimmi a Aspirin: If it's not better in the evening, I'll take an aspirin
charina: darling, sweetheart
Guat Nacht: Good night
mia figlia: my daughter