Their Fizz- Band of brothers

Rescued?

On December 26th Vest came running through the camp with news that Flo had been praying for. General Patton had broken through the line and this meant they had supplies and the injured could be taken back to relative safety.

Flo smiled as she heard Vest talking excitedly about how things should be better now. She gave a small giggle until it turned into a chesty cough and flem spouted from her mouth, as she struggled to catch her breath. Gene passed her his handkerchief silently as she wheezed her way through coughing up all the mucus stuck in her throat.

The men just gave glances to her as they knew she wouldn't let them do anything. Flo eventually tried to give the handkerchief back to Gene but he waved her off and made her giggle at the disgusted look he gave the handkerchief covered in her mucus, Flo shrugged smiling and popped the hankie in her pocket, no such luxury as a bin was available.

"Say that again Vest" Shifty suddenly piped up as his voice drew Flo back to the conversation.

"I said, General Patton said it was an honour to rescue the 101st Airbourne"

With this revelation an angry/annoyed look graced the faces of Easy company as Bill was the first to speak "We were not rescued. We could easily have taken out the krauts if we'd of had the orders to", his words were drowned out by "hear hears" at the end and Flo agreed, they did not need to be rescued at all, yes they were hard up but no way a rescue was on the cards. Easy did the rescuing and not the other way round.

"This needs to be rectified, all men and Fizz write home and to newspapers and everything that the 101st Airbourne states 'they did not need to be rescued' and General Patton is over exaggerating" Bill ordered as the men immediately went off to write home and to the newspapers she guessed as she gave a small amused smile.

***
It was getting closer to New Years day when they got the order to finally get up out of their foxholes to begin pushing the Germans back out of the Bulge.

The men were jumping out of their foxholes, Flo had never seen Lip look so happy as he walked around ensuring everyone was okay, Lip really was the glue holding them together at the moment. Flo smiled remembering how Lip and her dad had got on well and wished she could return to Christmas of 1943. Flo missed her friends. She hadn't spoken to girls in so long that she felt she wouldnt know how to speak to a fellow female when she met one again, 'if she met one again', Flo thought somberly as she followed the boots of Luz through the Ardennes.

Flo was off in her own little dreamworld until they were halted and Shifty and Flo were told to take a watch.

The 2 stomped their way through the forest and lay on their stomachs next to a tree. Flo rested her head on her arms and closed her eyes, she was drifting off until Shifty shoved her awake and said "Flo, do you want some sniper practice".

As Flo had wanted to be allowed to practice at Toccoa but Sobel refused she nodded her head eagerly and focused on the gun shifty was handling with care.

"So you know all the parts but take a look through the sights and tell me what you see Flo Flo" he whispered as Flo searched through the magnifying glass for any movement.

"I see a snow covered graveyard" Flo whispered back to him as she pulled away from the sights.

"Okay, I want you now to focus on a bird or something and keep up with its every action. Then when you have a clear shot pull the trigger, but don't actually pull the trigger. Being a sniper is all about staying calm and keeping both eyes open".

Flo nodded and eventually after searching found a squirrel sitting on a branch. She followed it for 10 minutes until she had a clear shot of the head "Boom" she whispered as Shifty smiled at her.

As Shifty opened his mouth Buck walked closer and said "Fizz, Shift, you're hour is up you can go rest".

Flo gratefully got to her feet and walked deeper into the forest as Shifty put an arm around her and guided her to sit in between Bull and Luz. She snuggled in and finally got some well deserved rest.

***
It was the 31st of December, the last day of 1944.

Flo was praying that 1945 would be a better year and one that would mark history in that the war finished. But from the way it was dragging on the end didn't seem close at all.

Shifty patted her on the shoulder and jabbed his head to say she was back on watch with him. Flo sighed and smiled at Gene as she got up and followed Shifty to the Op. Before she sat down though she coughed up as much flem as she could and calmed down her breathing to ensure that she wouldn't give their position away with her wheezing.

Shifty didn't say anything except put his arm around Flo as they lay down on their stomachs and he started looking through the sights.

Flo had always loved that about shifty, he gave silent support which sometimes was what she needed as a break from the constant 'are you okay, you need rest', sometimes instead of talking she needed to sort out her thoughts and Shifty always allowed that.

As Flo was staring at the snow covered trees, Shifty suddenly made the hand signal for the alert which made Lip crawl up next to them.

"What do you see Shifty" Lip whispered as Flo looked out to the forest with a confused look, 'what had Shifty seen?' she thought as Flo couldn't see anything.

"That tree wasn't in the same place yesterday" Shifty said as Lip looked out to the forest with his binoculars.

Lip nodded and then whispered "Good job, I'll go alert CP and order the men to be prepared, fizz you get back to Doc Roe and tell Perconte to come and take over here"

Flo nodded and started crawling back, she delivered Lips message to Perco who huffed and said "Why do I always get sent to do the extra risky jobs"

Flo went and sat with Gene and told him what Shifty had saw. Gene shook his head and said "To think our lives could come down to a game of spot the difference"

"It's an unreal time isn't it Gene, when I was younger I thought I was destined to marry a farmer and be a housewife"

Gene smiled slightly "Can't imagine you would have been happy doing that"

"I wouldn't have been, but I wouldn't have known I was unhappy with my life as its all women have ever known and its what I and my friends have been raised to do" Flo smiled slightly and then went on "In a way, I'm glad of the war, its changed everyone's lives and opinions on things and some I think for the better"

Gene smiled "I love your positive outlook Flo", before he could say anymore however she heard grenades being thrown and mortars shattering the German line.

She sniffed and went back to breathing on her hands to warm them up.

After about half an hour of bombardment the Germans were no where near ready to counter attack and Flo could see them withdrawing further into the Ardennes.

She smiled at Buck as he came and sat next to her "Thank god for Shiftys keen eyes" he said.

Flo agreed. Shifty had saved their lives.