The Soldier of Stars [1] - Band of Brothers

49 | low morale

" What makes ya say that?"

" We retreated." Hazel said simply, looking up at him, with a slight frown on her lips. Joe bit back his lip and looked out towards the guys who milled about.

" It was one battle, right? I mean we can't win every one." Joe said shrugging his shoulders. Hazel nodded softly and let out a sigh.

" You're right." she said, as she thought back on Nuenen. 

" Your arm ok?" Joe asked, and Hazel watched his eyes trail down to her wrist area. Hazel slowly sat up, her head rushing a bit, as she slowly pulled back the sleeve of her ODs to reveal the bandage Gene had nimbly attached earlier that day. 

" It's healing, but I'll be fine though. A little scratch won't do any harm." she said as she slowly pulled the OD sleeve back down.

" Hey, what's that?" he asked her and Hazel glanced at him before turning to follow his gaze where he pointed at her wrist. Hazel noticed that his eyes were trained on her bracelet, the one from Grace. 

A small smile fell on Hazel's lips. 

Hazel slowly brought her wrist up to her lap and gently let her right hand pick up the tiny bracelet from her wrist and hold it in her grasp. 

" Grace gave it to me." Hazel said, and bit back her lip before glancing at Joe who was softly watching her in the moonlight. Hazel slowly turned the bracelet in her hands a bit. 

" She said I was like a daughter to her because she couldn't have kids," Hazel said, her smile dropping a bit, " and so she gave it to me, before you took me to the pub." Joe smiled softly, the corner of his mouth upturned as he watched Hazel overturn the bracelet in her hands a bit, the slight shine the bracelet gave off as she turned it, glimmering under the glow of the moon. 

" You should have it." Hazel said, turning and handing it towards Joe. Joe stared at her.

" Hazel, Grace gave it to ya, I'd hate to take it from you." Joe said, pushing her hand back.

" Incase I get hit," Hazel said, watching him, as he noticed fear overwhelming her eyes. In all the time he'd seen her in war, there seemingly wasn't an ounce of fear in her eyes, but now, now there was. 

And it was a fear that had been shoved deep down into the darkest pits in her guts, hoping to never escape again. Hazel gently reached forward and took Joe's hand in her lap and brought the bracelet around his thin wrist. 

 " Hazel..."

" If I don't make it back, please at least take it to my mom." Hazel said glancing at Joe, a small smile on her lips, an unwavering one at that. 

" Hazel, you're going to make it back." Joe said sitting up as his hand slid from her grasp. Hazel watched Joe, a soft smile on her face. 

" Snipers don't have a high rate of making it back home, Joe." she said softly. Joe watched her.

" Don't say that, Parker." Joe said, reaching forward and placing a hand on her shoulder. Hazel softly grinned at him and shrugged.

" I've accepted it," she said softly, " better to accept death than to deny it." Joe watched her eyes, which seemed tormented and overwhelmed with stress and worry. 

Beautiful eyes that shouldn't have to worry a second about life or death. But instead, she was risking her life, saying if she died, she'd have accepted it by that point in time. 

" Hell, Tiny, you're braver than me." Joe said as he pulled his wrist back and looked at the bracelet on his wrist. It was dainty, and simple, with a gold chain that held it together on his wrist and nothing else. Hazel bit back her lip and watched as Joe gently touched it.