The Way Back

- 3 -

Lia moved through the now bustling streets of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. Some soldiers moved about, some sat and rested. They didn't have long before the companies moved out. 

"Lia!" A cheery voice came echoing out across the buildings. Lia turned quickly upon hearing her friends voice. 

"Hey, Pip." Lia said as the blonde came jogging up, falling into step with the taller girl. "Some nice shooting you did out there." 

Pip knocked her shoulder into Lia. "Heard you did some good work in the trenches." 

Lia only nodded, shifting her gaze away from her friend. Piper stuck her arm out to stop them both, peering up at her companions face. "Don't beat yourself up, Lia, please. Lieutenant Speirs approached me. Told me you seemed upset about those soldiers. There was nothing you could do." 

Lia closed her eyes tightly, running her hand over her face. "I should've known they'd follow him." 

Piper kept her mouth shut, knowing not to press. Lia always felt strongly when they lost a soldier, especially when it was something she could've prevented. It was the worst feeling Lia encountered in her time with the army. The pair continued to walk down the busy streets.  

"Sorry I didn't find you right after the assault." Piper spoke up after some time had passed. 

Lia shook her head slowly, following passing soldiers with her hard gaze. "I asked around, knew you were safe. I heard you were making some friends and didn't want to bother you." 

Piper smiled brightly at the comment as Lia pulled them to a stop at in intersection in the streets. "The guys are all really fun. You know, if you'd just give it a chance, you could make some friends too." A glint of amusement shone in Piper's features. She waved goodbye, jogging over to a truck that held some of the soldiers. Laughter erupted from behind the tent flap. 

Lia watched as Piper poked her head in and a round of cheers rose up from the men as they pulled her up to join them. Lia smiled then, a short lasting, but true smile for her Sargent. She was happy to see Piper getting along with the Easy boys after being separated from Vitale. 

The smile dropped off of her face as she turned around to continue her path to the company command building. She spotted Winters on the opposite side of the street who was finishing up his conversation with another soldier. Lia made a slight turn, edging her way towards him. 

"Lieutenant Creed, good to see you." He spoke quietly, offering a small upturn of his lips at her presence by her side. They walked in silence for a moment; Lia not knowing how to voice what she wanted to say, Winters unsure of why she sought him out. 

"It wasn't your fault." Lia paused, not sure if that was the right way to word her thoughts. Winters scrunched up his face, glancing sideways at her. "The boy. Hall. You couldn't have known." 

Winters didn't know how to respond to the sudden comment. He didn't see it coming, that much is for certain. He bit down on his bottom lip, drawing the images of the young soldier back to his head. If he hadn't sent Hall down to the gun-- 

"Death is inevitable. It takes whoever, whenever. You'll see a lot more of it, and it will hurt being the one in command. Try not to let it linger for too long or it will bring you to your knees and keep you there. You just can't control Death; he has his own agenda." 

Winters stopped, coincidentally pulling Lia to a stop beside him. He stared at her with a look on his face that Lia couldn't place but she let him think and gave him time. He finally whispered, "Thank you." 

Lia allowed one of her small smiles to grace her lips, if only to brighten his mood. They kept walking, this time in silence and to their own thoughts. Winters appreciated the notion from her, and that she bothered to notice the turmoil inside his own head. He figured she'd been here for longer and had lost a good amount of men. That she understood. The lieutenant also marveled in the fact that it was the most she had spoken to anyone since Barlowe.