Alice had spent the day reading letters written by her Company. She'd not had time to read many of the ones she'd been given on her birthday, and decided it was about time. Most of them were full of inside jokes, a bit of trash talk, and in the end well wishes. Most of them also came from her platoon. A few surprised her though. 

Several of the guys from Third Platoon had written one together: Shifty, Skinny, Grant, and Tab. She could immediately tell who was who even without their names. Talbert could give Guarnere a run for his money in flirting when he wanted to. Shifty stood on formalities. Both Grant and Skinny had kind words for her, though Skinny had more questions than the other.

After finishing up the letters, Alice disappeared from her barracks. She took some paper, several pencils, and her book. Several picnic tables on the far side of Fort Benning were rarely used, so she set up shop there. She had letters to write.

Several of the letters came easily for her. Despite the chilly air, she scratched her plain script across the page for each one. Mostly she wrote them heartfelt thank yous, and well wishes for the coming year. She tried to tie in anything they'd mentioned in the letter to her, so they knew she'd read it and appreciated it.

She found herself smiling over Skinny's note more than she expected. Every interaction she'd had with him had been pleasant, but those hadn't been all too common. Her Second Platoon boys overwhelmed pretty much all interaction she had around the enlisted men. But in his portion of the Third Platoon letter, Skinny had sounded genuinely interested in getting to know her more. "I'd love to grab breakfast with you, Skinny. Then maybe I can answer some of your questions in person!"

It surprised her how easily Ron Speirs' letter flowed. She just sort of poured out her thoughts, mostly cohesively. Alice told him about how she appreciated his friendship, his presence, his intelligence. He was calm unless provoked, unbothered by most things, at least on the surface. That stuck out to her a lot, and she told him so. She admired him for it. "I know this is probably a bit hypocritical coming from me. But, don't forget to have fun. Throw a few more snowballs in 1943."

But for some, words didn't come right away. George Luz's name scrawled across the page and stayed there, untouched, for several minutes. How in six months she had come to care for the man like she did, Alice honestly didn't know. After staring at the page, heart pounding, she set the pencil to it again. "When I arrived in America, I lost two brothers. But I gained a new one."

Lewis Nixon's also had her staring at a blank page for a while. Of all the officers, she considered him her closest friend. George had become a brother. Nix had become… what exactly, she wasn't sure: a confidant, an advocate, a smoking buddy, a source of morale, a partner in crime, someone who forced her to sharpen her mind? 

Alice sighed. She looked at the paper, what she'd written so far. She'd put in a few jokes about Yale, a few about Vat 69. She'd thanked him for the New York trip. She'd expressed a desire to meet Blanche. With a nod to herself, she continued on. Alice did her best to express how she felt, how grateful she felt for his friendship. With a smirk, she decided how to end the letter. "Last time I went out, I only gave the enlisted dances. You looked a bit miffed. Save me some of your secret Vat 69 stash and you've earned yourself a dance to start 1943."

By the time she'd finished her New Year's gifts, Alice almost couldn't feel her hands. The temperature had climbed into the upper fifties fahrenheit, but with the sun starting to go down, it had dipped. She looked down at the letters. Flipping through them, she looked at the names.

Alex Penkala. Skip Muck. Don Malarkey. Carwood Lipton. Floyd Talbert. Chuck Grant. Bill Guarnere. Joe Toye. Joe Liebgott. Skinny Sisk. Shifty Powers. Gene Roe. Johnny Martin. Bull Randleman. Pat Christenson. Frank Perconte. George Luz. Dick Winters. Ron Speirs. Lewis Nixon.

Mostly Second Platoon, but she made sure to hit some of the more vocal boys in First and Third. Alice tucked the letters all beneath her jacket. Walking across Fort Benning as quickly as she could, by the time she'd reached her barracks, the men had all gone to dinner. She grinned.

Alice lay the letter for each person on their cot. She tried to tuck it a bit into the space between rough blanket and pillow. With Second Platoon done, Alice headed back outside and delivered the few for First and Third. By the time she finished, she hurried over to Mess Hall. Most of the men were finishing up.

"Here you go." Alice rubbed her hands together, dropping the three letters for Ron, Dick, and Lewis between them as they ate. "Happy New Year." 

Without even giving them time to process what had happened, she hurried back out into the cold, dark evening. She left them in the middle of chewing at their meals. But she had stuff to do. The late lunch she'd eaten sustained her as she dug through her footlocker for her wallet. Thankfully, the PX on base stayed open for awhile even on New Year's Eve.

She ducked inside, thankful to be out of the ever increasing wind. Alice nodded and smiled at the private working as a clerk. She moved quickly to the back of the store where she found the treats. She grabbed a handful of Hershey bars, Baby Ruths, and a dozen packs of Lucky Strikes. Forking over the money, it hurt her only a little to let the bills go. She reminded herself it was for a good cause.

Alice broke up the chocolate candies between the members of Second. She put them gently on their cots, along with an equal number of cigarettes, or for those who didn't smoke, more candy. Satisfied at last, Alice stood back and nodded. Her watch read 1930. 

The men had talked about trying to get to a bar by 2030. It would take at least twenty minutes of walking to get to the good strip of bars in town. Alice reached into her footlocker, where she'd stuffed the new dress she'd splurged on in New York City. 

Changing didn't take too long. The dress had caught her eye immediately. The gold and black fabric had been shirred up the side of her bust area, but the skirt still left enough room to not be too provocative and allow for dancing. It fell just to the knee, with a v-shaped neckline. A small black belt pulled around her waist.

Red lipstick, a bit of eye makeup, and rouge rounded out her look. She used her mirror to check it before ducking back into the main area from behind her curtain. Alice padded across the wood floor barefooted. She brushed her hair while looking out the window. She needed to cut it. Alice preferred to keep it to just brushing her shoulders, for ease and practicality. It had already grown an inch below that.

While she put away her makeup and hairbrush, the door opened. Alice turned to see who had come back. 

"Jesus, I always forget how good you clean up, sweetheart!" Bill grinned, moving further into the room.

Alice just laughed. She sat down on her footlocker, legs crossed. "Sometimes it's nice to put myself a bit more together."

"Holy shit." George paused as he stepped inside also. But a shove from behind moved him along. "See this is why I tell Victoria that she needs me when we go out. You expect to dress like that and not have crazy boys hanging off your shoulder!"

Alice laughed again. By now, several other guys had come inside. They moved on.

"Gonorrhea, Luz, you're both drooling," Don teased. He picked his way around the barracks to his cot. "Leave her alone."

George just moved over to her though, sitting adjacent to her on her bunk. He reached into his pocket and handed her a cigarette. "Here."

She took it gratefully as he offered her a light too. "So, what's the plan. You all have to get all spiffy too. I'm not going to be seen with you in any less than dress uniform. I'll go dance with Tab instead. He's been dying for that."

They cracked up. As more members of Second Platoon returned from dinner, Alice slipped on her dress shoes and dug for her coat. Soon enough, most of the men who had talked about going to an off-base bar had changed into their best uniforms.

Alice shivered as she stood outside the barracks, waiting for the rest of them. Her hands slipped into her coat pocket. The one thing she hated about women's clothes compared to the army stuff was that at least the army knew how to keep warm. Her shoes tapped against the ground. Her body trembled. "Scheisse."

"Did they leave you behind?" 

Alice turned from where she had been staring at the barracks door. Lipton strolled over, dressed to the nines. He offered her a small smile. Alice just shook her head.

"They're still inside." Her teeth chattered. Alice did her best to hide it. "Slow pokes."

Lipton laughed. He joined her, waiting at the Second Platoon barracks. They stood in silence for a moment. Only the sound of Alice shivering made any noise until Lipton broke in again.

"Thank you, for the letter." His breath formed a cloud as he sighed. "Not sure I agree with it-"

"You're one of the best damn leaders in this whole Company, Lipton."

"Just trying to do my job."

Alice nodded. "And you do it well. Honestly, the way you keep the men from trying to murder Sobel is admirable."

He hummed, still not entirely convinced. Turning to her, he shrugged. "You and George are the reason Easy hasn't gotten fed up."

"George, definitely. George Luz is a master at the art of distraction. I, on the other hand, just try to navigate a few different roles. Some of them more effectively than others."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's tough. Being an officer but grouped in with us."

Alice looked at him. "Yeah. Well, it just means accepting the fact that I have to earn the respect handed to the others."

"Which you have."

"For the most part, I like to think so," she agreed. Her trembling continued, and she grunted in annoyance. Her breath came in small clouds. "What the hell is taking them so long!"

As if on cue, they filed out of the barracks. She walked next to Lipton and George on the way to the strip of local bars. She didn't talk much. The cold started to burn her skin as they walked, and she focused on keeping herself from shivering too much. 

They settled on a bar about half an hour away. It was cozy, without many soldiers. Several locals sat around drinking. When Alice slipped inside, she went straight to a table in the corner. Her hands shook. The warmth of the bar slowly took effect.

"This seat taken?" Floyd Talbert scooted into a chair next to her. "Damn, you look cold, Lieutenant."

"Thanks, I didn't notice that Tab." She folded her arms across her chest, pulling in tight and hiding her hands. "Do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Find someone to buy me a drink."

He laughed and stood up, saluting. "Whatever you say." 

Alice watched him slip through the ever increasing crowd. Most of Easy had filled the bar, and she began to recognize some of the sergeants from Fox and Baker companies as well. Swing music played in the background. The smell of lit cigarettes and alcohol filled the room. Alice took a deep breath. 

Joe Toye walked over with a glass of wine a few minutes later. He set it down in front of her. "Tab said you needed a drink?"

"Yeah." She sighed contentedly as the red wine passed her lips. "Good one. Thanks."

Once she'd warmed up, Alice spent most of the time mingling with the men. Some of them played cards, a few got into darts. Some just stood and chatted. With a smile, she moved between groups. After watching a beer chugging competition between Guarnere and Randleman, she slipped back into the corner seat she'd used at the beginning of the night. Someone shushed the room. The radio turned up.

"The crowds have gathered in Times Square with just a minute to go before the New Year. Though we won't see a lit up ball tonight, we've gathered together to usher in a year that will hopefully see peace in America."

Alice listened along with the rest of the patrons. She raised her third glass of wine to her lips. The alcohol warmed her body as she drank it.

"As we await 1943, remember how vital it is to help your country in the fight against the Nazis and the Japs. We need you! All of you."

Closing her eyes, Alice took a deep breath. Easy Company stood still around her. The world seemed to stand still. 

"Fifteen seconds. We ask that you hold a minute of silence when the year changes, folks. Five seconds. Four. Three. Two. One."

The radio feed went quiet. In Times Square, the people stood silent. In Fort Benning, they stood silent. In her heart, Alice said goodbye to a year that had seen more changes than she'd ever expected. She said a prayer for the new one.

"Happy 1943, folks. May the New Year be a damn sight better than the old one. Don't forget to buy bonds, and support the war effort in any way you can. We can do it."

Someone switched the radio back to music. The bar returned to celebration, if a bit more subdued than before. Drinks clanked, alcohol sloshed. Some men danced with local women. Alice watched Guarnere and Talbert playing darts. She sighed. A sudden desire to leave the party crashed over her. Grief for what she'd lost that year, mourning for her family, she wanted to get away. She felt guilty for celebrating the start of a new year when her family would never be able to do the same. She shifted in her seat.

"You ready to head out?" George plopped down next to her, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. He had a cigarette in his mouth and shuffled through a large pile of bills. 

Alice finished her drink. "Yeah. But if you want to stay, I'll find someone who's done."

George laughed at her. "Please. Me leaving to walk you back gives me an excuse not to keep playing and lose all this money."

"Fair point." Alice grinned and shook her head. They both stood up from the table. Shifting on her coat, she scooted through the crowd, George behind her.

When they walked out into the cold, she cringed back. The temperature had fallen again, and the wind picked up. She missed the moderate temperatures of the day time. Clenching her jaw against the pain, she walked on. George walked next to her, attempting to count his stack of bills again. It surprised her, how quiet he stayed. She supposed the turn of the new year had been sobering for others.

"Hey, Alice."

She glanced over at him. Through chattering teeth, she responded. "Yeah?"

"Eh, nevermind."

With a roll of her eyes, she turned back to him again. But she didn't say anything. They entered the ground of the base moments later. Easy Company's barracks weren't far. Soon they were walking up to Second Platoon's barracks, both of them chilled to the bone. Alice breathed a sigh of relief when they got inside.

"I do not want to shower and then walk back in this weather," Alice muttered.

George chuckled. "Yeah, well, I've gotta stand guard so let's make it quick for both our sakes, yeah?"

She did her best. The walk to the showers that Easy Company's enlisted used weren't too far. But the chill in the air nipped at her damp skin and hair after she finished. It continued to surprise her how George didn't talk as much as usual. Instead he just smoked a cigarette and stayed with her. When they got back to the barracks, Alice putting away her stuff and laying out her towel to dry, she turned to him.

"What's got your tongue tonight?"

George looked up from where he'd been stashing his winnings. He paused. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He held it up.

"You guys read them?" Alice shuffled where she stood. Her heart leapt into her throat. She started rambling. "It was the only thing I could think of to give you all for New Year's. I meant what I wrote, I'm sorry if it was pressure or something-"

"Jesus Christ, Alice." George chuckled a little bit. "Slow down. I just don't know how to say thank you."

"You? It's me who should be thanking you. Honestly, George, I don't think I would've adjusted to America without you." Alice his her face behind her hand. Thoughts of the past year rushed in, unbidden. Her heart pounded. 

"Eh, you would've been fine. You don't take no for an answer." George smirked and sat down on the cot next to her. He handed her a cigarette. "Plus I'm pretty sure after you punched Nixon in the face, the officers took a liking to you. And if Lieutenant Winters likes someone, nobody's gonna argue."

Alice chuckled. She felt the nicotine take effect. Her stress faded away, and she took a deep breath. "Maybe the war will end this year."

"Amen." 

They sat silently together, smoking cigarettes in the empty barracks. Alice felt a few tears on her cheeks. But overall, she just enjoyed the company of George and the smoke. When their cigarettes died, she turned to him. Without waiting, Alice put her arms around him and pulled him into a hug.

"Happy 1943." 

He hugged her back. "Happy 1943."