Jemima's POV

September 18th, 1950

Baton Rogue, Louisiana

Medic…Medic….Medic…..

I woke up with that chant in my head now, having me wonder how long it was for me to be asleep before I heard it again. It's been on constant rotation now, hearing that chant like a record that I wished I destroyed. It's been 5 years since I left the war and left my life as a combat medic, and yet it still felt like yesterday to me really. Everything was coming back to me when I would sleep at night, the images of blood, the screams of those who lost their lives, and the haunting feeling of death creeping up and over my shoulder and along my neck.

It wasn't going to end, not for me anyways.

The body next to me in the bed stirred from me waking up, having me mentally kick myself from doing that in fairness since this was his day off and I wanted him to rest. But the arm around my waist tightened slightly, and I could hear him mumbling a bit in french before he started to talk fully now.

"Nightmare again?" He asked me in a groggy manner. I maneuvered to face him now, seeing the morning light hit our bedroom in our white house that we had out in the middle of nowhere. We just moved in there months ago, and we were still getting used to the noises and creaks of the wooden floors and the smells of the massive oak tree in our front yard. The sun was golden though it was still low in the sky now as I focused in on who I was sharing my bed with.

My husband, Eugene.

He was waking up himself, the calmness was there on his face to show that he was having a pleasant dream and good night's sleep, a rare commodity for the both of us these days because of the war and what was still haunting us. I just trimmed his hair, so it was nice and short with the jet black against the crisp white pillow and his dark blue eyes contrasting his pale yet smooth face. One arm was under his head and the other was still on my waist now.

"Same one." I said in a yawn, seeing him yawn with me now and he nuzzled into his pillow more before he scouting closer to me to move some of my hair from my eyes.

"Was it bad?" he asked me, the grogginess there in his soothing Louisiana accent that was low and deep. I loved hearing his voice, it was the source and remedy that I needed to get through most nights since I knew he would just hold me close to getting me to go back to sleep.

"Not as bad as before, but not as good either." I mumbled myself trying to get awake in our queen sized bed and the warm morning breeze came through from the open window. So I knew we had to get up in some time since our children, sleeping in the room next to us, were going to wake and if one of them woke up, the other was going to. I nuzzled into Eugene, feeling his warmth and feeling him in return sneak a kiss onto my temple yet they were lazy and not demanding.

"Do we have to get up?" Eugene asked me in a groan as he was holding me close in our bed. I chuckled there, kissing him on the neck and hearing him hum in happiness.

"As tempting as it is for me to stay in bed with you….all day long…" I teased him softly and in a low murmur now as he started to descend his kisses to my neck, once again making it hard for me to think and concentrate. I moved away far enough to see him groan in disappointment and eye me.

"Joe and Peggy are coming into town with Jakub and Jennifer today, remember?" I asked him, seeing him sigh and nod his head as he leaned back to his pillow now, rubbing his head with his spare hand.

"I forgot about that, dang," he said as he looked up at the ceiling now, "And I'm guessing you wanna cook them dinner instead of going out? Like last time?"

"I can cook for them, not you. This is your day off, you need some down time since the construction job is making you more tired than anything." I explained to him, and he shook his head.

"I can make the gumbo for tonight, Joe told me he likes my cooking better anyways." He teased me, having me glare at him as he grinned and chuckled. I loved hearing his laugh, the soothing rhythm he was letting go though his lips. The hand that was on my waist was now rubbing my arm up and down with the knuckles and it was booming harder for me to get out of the bed.

"Don't be coy with your wife." I warned him, yet he still grinned and looked up at me as I was leaning up on my arm that was propped under the bed. Eugene rolled his eyes and propped himself up too to see my eyes, being eye level with me. I loved these moments with him when we would be in bed together, just staring and enjoying each other's company. We never had the time when we were in the war since we both were needed beyond normalcy as medics. But now, being married and we had all the time in the world, it was making us lazy and less prone to wanting to get up.

"Don't act like you don't like it." He replied back to me, which was another thing that he inherited since we got together. He was bolder than he usually was, and I was the one who made him so. Sometimes he would be bold to prove a point, and I have seen him do that plenty a time when we were serving together. But he was still kind hearted and gentle, especially to the children and I.

"Fine." I replied, casually, seeing him grin as he finally snuck in a kiss on my lips. I kissed him back, wanting this time with the two of us to really last since it would be awhile until we could have alone time again. We would savor this moment, early in the morning, because either work or the twins keeping us occupied.

"You get ready for breakfast, I'll get the twins." He murmured against my lips.

"It's you day off, stay." I countered back just as softly as he shook his head and kissed me once more. He pulled away to see me now, the smile was back there on his lips like we were dating again, and I grinned at him too.

"I don't mind." He said, getting up before I could protest and stretching out his back. He still had his wry body, pale and thin and the two freckles I knew he had were seen. He was wearing his old Camp Toccoa training shirt and boxers as I was wearing one of the combat medic training shirts and my pajamas long pants. He walked out of the room, bare feet touching the hardwood floor and he shuffled out of the room.

Our room was small enough for the two of us, yet we decorated it to be comfortable. We had pictures for our families and the families of the Easy Company friends we had, their wedding pictures or pictures of their growing families including children. We had our childcare's pictures up since Eugene would take plenty among plenty of them doing anything he would think was adorable and cute enough for a picture. He was a sucker for them, as well as I, but he was more of a sucker for his twins.

I breathed in the war Louisiana breeze that sunk through and sunk under my skin from the moment Eugene and I drove out here to meet his family for the first time before we got married among the bayou. We had that picture hung up near our dresser, giving me chills over time I would look at the picture when I would dress in the morning. It was still surreal to think that we were married, almost like a dream really if I thought about it. I was content on where I was, no longer afraid or worried about my future.

As I was sitting on the bed, I felt my hand start to shake, having me look down and see it twitching there on top of the bed sheet and on top of my leg. That was another thing that really didn't change: the epilepsy. Since I was discharged from the war, I would get a seizure every day, both small and medium sized ones. I haven't had a huge one, not since Landsburg and that nasty incident after I saw the women's camp. Those camps haunted my dreams, both Eugene and I were harbored at night with those cries in Germans and those tears that would stain out uniforms from those who were almost lost.

"Momma!" I looked up from my bed, the hand now still again as I heard two sets of feet, small ones, rushing over to my bedroom now and I grinned. This was always a ritual for them, to wake me up when they could since Eugene would mostly sneak off in the early morning for work. It brought me joy to hear those steps on the floor as I saw them both running into my room, smiling at me broadly and squealing in delight when they saw me.

My twins. Molly and Levi.

Molly had her long black hair that was thick and wavy, almost to her lower back now as she was wearing her nightgown and she skipped over to the side of the bed now, crawling to be on top as Levi was right after her. His hair was lighter, his was browner than anything and was cut short and pushed to the side with his own set of waves. His eyes, though they were blue, there lighter than the dark blue eyes Molly inherited from her father. He ran in too, Eugene right behind him as he tried to get himself up on the bed, but he slipped and almost fell to the floor.

"Careful, petite." (little one). Eugene said in a chuckle as he hoisted his son up on the bed as Molly crawled over to be on my lap. I eyed Eugene, seeing him shrug at me as Levi got himself over to me too.

"Is Uncle Joe coming today, momma?" Molly asked me as she was looking at me with her big blue eyes that reminded me of her father whenever I would look at them. Levi got himself in my lap now, grabbing the silver necklace I was wearing with the Star of David on there, playing with it in his fingers.

"He is, and he is excited to see you two." I reassured him.

"And Aunt Peggy? With Jakub and Jennifer?" Molly asked some more.

"They're all coming." Eugene answered her as he walked over to sit on the bed next to me. Molly got up and walked over to her father on the bed, wrapping her arms around his neck and Eugene hugging her close.

"What are we gonna do when they come?" Levi asked me, having me look down at him since he was snuggled on my lap.

"That is up to you two. We can take them to the park, go sailing on pop pop's boat…" I trailed off, seeing the both light up and grin.

"Let's go sailing, please?!" Molly asked in her pleading voice that she would always use on us if she wanted something way too much. I had to grin at Eugene, since he was the one who was the pushover for her and how she would cast her eyes at him. He knew that she was trying to work them over, and yet we already planned to go sailing with them without her knowledge.

"Fine by me," He replied, the twins cheering in our laps as Eugene maneuvered his way out of the bed, "Now let's have your mother get ready for the day. Come on, we can make her breakfast!"

"Yay, pancakes!" Levi said in victory as he hopped out of bed, "Come on Molly!"

"Wait for me, Frère!" (Brother.) Molly called out to him as she got herself out of bed and Eugene leaned over to kiss me on the lips.

"I'll make you three since you like my pancakes." He replied to me as he kissed me one more time. I felt at ease that morning. I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world.

"Uncle Joey! Aunty Peggy!" The twins ran out from the front porch to the taxi that was pulling up to the front of our house, lunch was already done and the twins were waiting on pins and needles for their Uncle, Aunt, and two cousins. The cousins, Jakub, and Jennifer, were still young enough to play with the twins but not old enough to keep up with them yet since Jakub was barely four and Jennifer was about to turn 3. They both sported the brown hair both of their parents had, and Jakub looked just like his father when he was a child, having me grin as the four of them walked over to us now and see the small bump that was growing on Peggy's stomach, and clear indication of their third child growing. Joe was carrying both of their suitcases in his hand as Peggy had a package within her own hand when we met up there in front of the house.

"Hi Uncle Eugene, hi Aunty Jemmy!" Jakub said as he waved his hand and ran over to his twin cousins.

"Heya, guys." Joe said in his grin now as they were walking together slowly to our front porch while Jakub ran over to his two twin cousins. Jennifer stayed with Peggy, holding onto her dress and grinning since she wasn't as fast as her brother just yet.

"How was the train ride?" Eugene asked as the three kids were talking together and we met in front of the house. They both were looking good since the last time we saw them. It was in June for our summer trip, right when Peggy announced she was pregnant with their third child, "I could have came and picked you up."

"Eh, the kids were hungry and we didn't want to have you to deal with them." joe joked with us, Peggy smacking him in the chest playfully.

"Play nice with them." Peggy warned him, having thankful that Joe had someone who was going to keep him in line since it was no longer going to be me

"Yes, ma'am. I am always playing nice!" He reported as he leaned over to hug me and Eugene hugged Peggy.

"I have something for you and the kids, a gift from the bay." Peggy explained as she handed Eugene the package. Eugene opened the top peering inside as I looked too, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ghiradelli Chocolates?" Eugene asked in confusion.

"The best chocolate there ever was, Joe and I used to grab some as kids every time we would come out of school. You'll love it." I explained as he grinned and placed the package under his arm.

"Mom and dad say hi, and that they are gonna try to come out in October for Halloween with the twins," Joe explained, "The rest of the family are doing good and they send their best wishes."

"How's the baby doing?" Eugene asked his sister-in-law.

"Doing good, but moving around like crazy." Peggy replied as I eyed her with a grin. We talked about how their next child, if it was a girl, was going to be named after me and Peggy was all for it.

"So, I'm taking this one is going to be a girl like you thought? A little Jemima?" I asked, seeing her bit her lower lip.

"Doubtful," She replied, in which I lowered my smile since that last time we talked on the phone a week prior Peggy was insisting that it was a girl, "Had my check up before we hopped on the train, the Doctor is convinced that we're having a boy." I looked down at her rounded stomach now, playfully kneeling down on one knee to be eye level with it and seeing Jennifer watch me with big eyes.

"Traitor," I said to the stomach, how hearing Jennifer giggle as I look over at her and scoop her in my arms, "No matter, I shall have this one!"

"Aunty Jemmy!" Jennifer said to me as I kissed her cheeks and we all walked towards the house with Joe and Eugene carrying their two bags that they brought.

"I told the twins that we are going to go out on pop pop's boat later tonight after we have gumbo, maybe go have them catch fireflies if they want to." I explained to Joe and Peggy as the twin and Jakub were already running to the backyard where our other oak tree was, having me hold and carry Jennifer within my arms as she was snuggling into me.

"They have been looking forward to this trip for weeks. I think Jakub was not focusing on school at all, and who could blame him? I hated it myself." Joe commented with a gleeful tone.

"And I wonder now where my son gets his hate for education from, clearly not from his Aunt." Peggy commented in a loving manner and I saw Joe sneak in a kiss on her head as we reached the front steps.

"Let me guess, gumbo is on the menu?" Joe asked me as we could now hear the three kids in the room now in the kid's room, having me glad to hear the noises of children back in the house again when the family would visit.

"Don't tell me you've changed your mind now." Eugene said to him as we all got inside the house now, having me tickle Jennifer's sides now in glee.

"God no. I've been looking forward to your gumbo for the longest time." Joe replied to him as Peggy leaned over to me.

"Make sure you give me the recipe so I can shut him up, but I don't think I can compete with your husband and his cooking." Peggy joked with me, having me giggle as the front door closed and our family was there again.

It was soothing.

We all sat around the dinner table that night, swapping stories of those in Easy that we talked to on the phone and wrote to throughout the days and weeks. The children were glad to have the cousins around to talk about school and what comics they were reading. Joe brought the twins presents, comics for Levi and books for Molly since she was more prone to reading the fairy tale books than her twin brother. I was just glad to see my brother again, knowing that we were both going to make that commitment to seeing each other and our families at least twice a year since we were that close. It was even better to see him with his own family, his loving wife who was just as sassy as he was, but still kind enough to bring him back from his old haunted memories. Those long walks in the open did Joe well, it brought him to his wife and new life.

After we ate all the gumbo that Eugene made, we set out for the bayou on the boat, the same one Eugene took me out of after we were married and that we would use constantly now in the summer because of the heat. Our children loved the boat, and their cousins did too since they were al out on the front, looking at the hanging trees and the waters below them in awe. Eugene was driving the boat, Peggy was watching the children, which left Joe and I sitting together on the side with beers in hand and just drinking in our moment together

"How are the seizures, Jemmie?" Joe asked me under his breath as we were leaning against the railing of the boat while we were coasting by the high trees. It was just the two of us now, the others were out of earshot as I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He knew that I too was trying to get over what happened in the war, that some days were worse than others, and that I had no choice but to go on with it since I had two children who were looking at me to see if I was the invincible mother they thought I was.

"They're still daily, but not as bad as before." I replied back to him, seeing him take a long drink from his beer and then shift in his seat, one arm along the railing behind me and the other resting with the beer in hand on his propped up leg.

"You ain't seeing a doctor about it, are ya?" He asked me, now having me glare at him.

"You gonna start with that argument again?" I asked him in return.

"Just making sure you know what you're doing," He explained, holding a hand up to me when he saw that I was about to argue with him, "I know, I know you're smarter than that and you can handle it. But just be careful since you have your kiddos to look after, not to mention Eugene too."

"They know." I replied.

"How much do they know?" Joe questioned.

"They know enough that a 5-year-old should know. My hand shakes when I have a memory." I explained.

"A memory," Joe repeated, having it drink in himself as he then eyed my husband, who was still sailing the boat and having a peaceful look about him, "Eugene knows about the seizures, doesn't he?"

"Haven't been able to hide it from him, not once since I met him." I explained to him now, "He's the only one that I have ever met that has seen through the bullshit that I would use. Hell, he's better at it than you."

"Figures." Joe said in a snort now as I took a drink from my own beer. I watched as we were curving to the left, still on the course as Jakub was pointing with his skinny finger.

"Look, daddy! A firefly!" He called out to his father, Joe grinned from ear to ear.

"Catch one for me!" He said to Jakub, who started to try and snatch them in his hands, Levi next to him.

"No, try like this, both hands!" Levi instructed him, the both of them working together now as Molly was playing with Jennifer on the boat floor, having me hear the two girls giggle with each other and Peggy was leaning back in her spot, rubbing her small bump of a belly.

"Jakub looks just like you." I commented to Joe, seeing him eye his son with the twinkle in his eyes, "Kind of acts like you too, you know?"

"Nah, I think he's more like his mother. He way too sweet to be like me." Joe replied back to me, his eyes adverting to his wife and I saw the glow he would have in his eyes, whenever he would talk to see Peggy, that glow was there for all to see.

"He's adventurous, like you." I added, seeing him now eye me with a raised eyebrow, "How about that?" Joe grinned at me, the same kind of grin we would share with each other ever since we were children. I loved that smile about him, it would take out any bad day he has ever had and turn it lighter and safer. This was the Joe I loved, not my brother who was plagued and haunted by the camps and held his ground from being too kind and careful.

"Thanks, Jemmie." He replied to me, having me feel him lace our fingers together. We were partners, Joe and I. From the moment we were born, I knew we were going to have a huge part to play in each other's lives, including being parents to our own set of children. I was glad to have a partner like him.

Beyond glad.

"The twins are asleep." I looked up and over at Eugene, seeing him rub his eyes in tiredness as he walked over to the couch where I was, my feet tucked underneath me now and I was pouring the both of us a glass of red wine. When we came home from the boat ride in the night, the children and some of the chocolate Peggy and Joe brought and then were sent to bed. He was tucking in the children to bed, Jakub was sleeping over with the twins in their room and their parents were asleep in the guest room we had set up for them along with Jennifer. Joe and Peggy were too tired to stay up for coffee or wine, which was fine by us since I wanted to have my alone time with Eugene really.

"Jakub too?" I asked him as he landed himself on the couch in a heap and then reached over for the glass I had to wait for him on our make shift coffee table.

"Out cold, like his dad." He joked, having me chuckled as he opened up his arm and leaned back, an invitation for me to lean in and rest my head on his shoddier and snuggle into him. His arm wrapped into me, the both of us drinking in the quiet of our cozy living room, where most of our military memorabilia and holdings were hanging and resting on the fireplace. I had my satchel hanging on the cot rack, Eugene's was in the closet against the wall. Our medals were in picture frames and hanging on the wall near the fireplace, where we kept the stacks of letters and notes we had over the war.

"Joe and Peggy have been out as soon as they hit the pillow." I told him as he took a drink from his wine now.

"Being a train can drain a person, I hated riding the train as a kid." He commented to me, having me look up at him now and give him a confusing look.

"Since when do you hate riding trains?" I asked.

"Since trains were far too long for me, hating sitting for a long time and I end up falling asleep." Eugene replied back to me now in a mutter.

"You hated it when I fell asleep on you shoulder on our way to New York?" I asked him in a coy manner. He eyed me then, having me see that I caught him in his own trap He grinned at me now, having me get in a drink of wine as he was smiling at me

"That train ride happened to be the only time I ever enjoy riding, and yes, it was because you fell asleep on me." He replied back to me as I placed the wine on the coffee table and wrapped both of my arms around him to just hold him close and breathe him in. He was smelling like the Louisiana wind, a small left scent of the gumbo, and the unique scent that was just Eugene. I've missed out quiet moments, yet it was nice to have them with the children there just a breath away. It reminded me of the times we would share foxholes, or even sometimes sleep over in each others rooms after we left France.

"You look tired," Eugene commented to me as he was playing with some of the strands in my hair, "Wanna get some sleep?"

"Not yet," I answered, "I just wanna stay here with you for awhile."

"To avoid the dreams I take it?" He asked, having me look up at him and see him give me a serious stare now. I hated how he could read me like a book and vice versa. We were each other's worst fears when it came to hiding things from one another.

"Jemima, it's okay to talk about it." He reassured me since it looked like I was about to be sick just thinking about the dream some more. I sighed, looking over at the big window in the living room that was showing us the darkness of the Louisiana field in front of us.

"It's hard sometimes, Eugene. I could see the camps, all of the people there and they're still dying in front of me…" I started, feeling myself shake from it

"Easy, easy Jemima." Eugene calmed me from getting into another scared fit about it. I just breathed out and felt him kiss my head, "We know it's gonna take awhile to get over those dreams, and I have them too. But you're not gonna through it alone, you know that, right?"

"I know that, my love." I replied, leaning up to kiss his jaw. It was then we heard the floor creak behind us and we both looked, still holding each other on the couch. In the hallway, looking more scared than ever, was Levi and he was clutching the wall with his small fingers along with the stuffed teddy bear his Uncle Anthony gave him for his first birthday.

"Levi," Eugene said, the both of us untangling from each other and getting up from the couch to see him there, looking like he was about to cry, "What's wrong, Levi?"

"I had a bad dream," he sniffed, having me feel my heart breaking for him now as he was reaching out to me with his hands and one of them was still holding his bear, "I want momma."

"I'll take him back," I said to Eugene as he was about to go over there, having me walk around the couch and head over to our son who was still reaching out to me. I leaned down and scooped him up, feeling wrap his legs around me and nuzzle into me as I held him close, rubbing his back and looked back over at Eugene.

"I'll be in bed soon, promise." I reassured him, seeing him smile and nod his head as I walked Levi back to the children's room slowly. Levi was still quiet, holding me close and having me kiss his head plenty of time when we reached his room. It was already cracked open, having me peer inside and see Molly in her bed and Jakub on the cot we set up for him on the floor next to Levi's bed. I walked over to Levi's bed without waking the other two, leaning down and placing Levi in his bed while I was still sitting on his bed with him. Levi was clutching his bear now as I was stroking his brown hair and feeling him clutch my finger with his spare hand. If Molly was Eugene's small ray of light, then Levi was my own. Levi was my own little sucker, the adventurous one from the two, and the one who was protective of his sister. He reminded me a lot of me when I was a child: fearless, yet compassionate to others.

"Now, remember the trick I taught you and your sister?" I asked him, seeing him nod his head and sniffle a bit. "Let's think….what are good memories that make you happy?"

"Playing with papa." He replied to me without blinking, "The both of us playing baseball outside."

"What else?" I asked him, seeing him almost calm down slowly but surely.

"Going to the park with Molly, reading the comics Uncle Joey gives me for my birthday and Christmas time, I like those comics, momma." He commented to me, having me grin and see the smile he had on his face. He inherited that from his father, the smile. I loved that smile.

"Anything else, sweetheart?" I asked him one more, seeing him slowly getting sleepy again and squeeze his fingers around my own now.

"Reading with you," I grinned at him widely, "I like it when you read to me, momma. You sound pretty."

"I love reading to you, that's my memory." I reminded him, putting the covers back on him now as he was snuggled into his pillow, "Don't be scared anymore, my Liebste." (Sweet one.) I said to him now as he kissed my hand that was still attached to his. I remember using that same phrase of Eugene in the war, constantly since it was true for him to be my Sweet One. I still called them that, yet now it was Levi who was being called Liebste more than anything really.

"Love you, Mutter." (Mother.) He said to me as I kissed him on the cheeks.

"I love you, go to sleep now." I urged him, watching him close his eyes and hold his bear close. I sat there for another minute or so, watching him asleep and having a good sense of peace about it. I never saw myself being there within that moment, watching m son asleep and having a motherly joy about it. Levi, also his twin sister Molly, brought me more happiness than what I would ever need in my life, let alone their father and how he helped anchor me throughout the war. I would never get tired of this, and it was fine by me.

I walked out of the children's room, closing the door and headed over to our bedroom, where I saw Eugene sitting up in the bed with a book on his lap. I couldn't help but ring, having em remember how we were back in Landsburg and even Berchtesgaden when I would read to him into the late night to help him sleep. We would still do that, not just to help each other sleep, but mostly because it was bringing the both of us happiness.

"He's okay?" Eugene asked me as I walked over to the dresser to grab my pajamas and then had to our small bathroom tucked in the corner near the bed, hidden away with a door.

"He's out cold," I replied to him as I was changing in the bathroom.

"He likes you more, I knew it." Eugene joked as I walked out in my PJ's shaking my head with again and going into my side of the bed and receiving a kiss from Eugene.

"Well, Molly has you wrapped around her finger so we are even." I explained as Eugene pointed to the book.

"Wanna read a bit?" He asked me.

"Still can't fall asleep without me serenading you, can't you?" I asked him, seeing him shake his head and kiss me deeply. I kissed him back, feeling the fluttering within my chest there from just kissing him and being this close after a long day. He pulled away and we both got comfortable in the bed as I held up the book for me to read. This was our love, how we lived from day to day with our twins and loved the simplicity of it all. I wanted this life, and I wanted it with no one sell but Eugene Roe: the Louisiana Medic whom I fell head over heels for when I first laid eyes on him at Camp Toccoa. So I grinned and read the book in front of me as Eugene listened:

But our love it was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we—

Of many far wiser than we—

And neither the angels in Heaven above

Nor the demons down under the sea

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side

Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride,

In her sepulchre there by the sea—

In her tomb by the sounding sea.