Ooooh things are gonna pick up a little more!! 

Enjoy! :)

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Over the past couple days, Ermal and Race have gotten to know each other. They talk about their childhoods. Race tells them about being a newsie. Ermal tells him about growing up in Italy with their parents being from Albania. Race tells them about his family and their house in New York. Ermal tells Race about how they ended up here in France. Race tells them about Spot and their love. Ermal tells them about their gender neither being male or female, but something else entirely. They've definitely formed a bond.

Two days ago when Ermal found Race, they had taken Race to their small cottage, started giving him nourishment, and plenty of rest. Race would beg Ermal to let him go to Italy, claiming that he was better today. Ermal refused until Race truly seemed like he was healthier.

This morning, Ermal begins driving (yes, driving--Race thanks all his lucky stars for something with a motor) Race to the Italian border.

In all honesty, Race hadn't been that far off. True, he might have ended up in Switzerland if he kept going in the direction he was heading, but he had only been a couple miles away from where he wanted to be.

Ermal asks where in Italy Race wants to go. Race explains that he's looking for his brother, explains that he's part of the 332nd US Infantry Regiment. Ermal's eyes light up with recognition and claims to know exactly where they're heading--a place called Treviso.

And, for the first time since his brother got drafted, Race can finally relax.

This is it. He's finally going to see his brother again.

He can't wait.

Ermal sees Race's smile, and can't help but smiling too. They lost their sibling earlier in the war. If they can reunite a different pair of siblings, then that's all they need.

And so, for both of them, maybe things are finally starting to look up.

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Mush and Spot and the rest of the 79th Division are on their way to Montfaucon, in the hopes of capturing Mounfaucon and breaking through the main German defenses--the Krimhilde Stellung of the Hindenburg Line. Their generals have high hopes for this.

Spot and Mush, however, have misgivings. Major misgivings. Mostly because they've seen the ways these generals have led, and know that they aren't impressed by some of their leadership.

Spot and Mush know that they could very well be marching off to their last battle.

As they continue moving, Mush can't get over the conversation he and Spot had last night.

"I'm scared, Spot," Mush confesses. "I don't know if we're going to make it this time."

"We will," Spot responds, determined. "I know it."

"You say that every time."

"And we've survived every time, haven't we?"

"What if we don't?"

"I can't let that happen. I won't." Spot clenches his fists. "I just can't." He blinks as his eyes start to glisten. "I just ... I need to see Race again."

Without a second thought, Mush hugs Spot. Spot hugs back with all that he can.

"We will see them again," Mush tells him. "And know that I'm always here for you, right? I'm your friend. I always will be."

"No." Spot shakes his head. "Not friend. More than friend. Family."

Last night, Mush really needed to hear that.

Because Mush is Spot's family. And Spot is Mush's family too.

And right now, they're the only family each other has.

And so they'll stick together.

The sooner the 79th Division capturees Montfaucon, the better.

And they will make it past today.

They have to hold on to hope.

And they will.

Throughout it all, they'll stay together.

"We're going to be okay, Spot," Mush murmurs now, trying to sound alright. "We're going to be okay."

He'll do everything in his might to keep that true.

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For now, David and the rest of the pilots aren't needed on the Western Front, much to David's relief. He is well aware that that can change tomorrow.

Which is why instead of going back to England (which will lead to David being able to go home), they're staying here, in a small French village. One with a name in French David still cannot pronounce.

That doesn't mean they're stuck on the ground, though. It's not good for the planes to rest for so long. So they take them out on test flights and practice missions, ready for the orders of where they're needed next.

David and Sardinia spend a lot of time together. They really don't have anyone else here that they can turn to. At least they can understand each other's story. And it feels nice to have a friend out here, in such a cold, unfamiliar world.

David holds on to hope that he will reunite with Jack and the others. He knows that he'll see them again. He just does.

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There are ways to get out of here.

Jack paces often, in hopes of keeping his mind busy.

They can't keep up locked up here forever.

Maybe it'll stop the doubt from creeping into his mind.

The war will end with the Allies winning, and then they'll save us.

But there is still so much to worry about.

Within a month, I'm sure this war will end.

Dave is getting worse, and it's worrying Kid Griffo and Jack.

We're going to be fine.

There is still so, so much uncertainty.

We're going to be fine.

Jack hesitates. He looks up to the sky.

We're going to be fine.

If only he believed that.

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They're approaching Treviso. Race and Ermal are approaching Treviso.

Race is going to see his brother again.

Soon, he'll see Antonio Conan Higgins.

Finally, they reach the outside of the camp. It's evening time, the sun setting in the sky.

"Credo che qui finisca il nostro viaggio insieme," Ermal says.

I believe that here our journey together ends.

Race swallows. "Credo che sì."

He thanks Ermal for everything they've done for him, and for bringing him here. He says he'll miss them. They smile, and say that they'll miss him too. They hug, and then Ermal drives away, leaving Race alone.

He exhales, trying to calm his emotions and his nerves.

He looks at the entrance of the camp. One does not simply walk in to another Regiment's camp, now does one?

So how does he get in?

He never actually planned out this part.

Nice going, Racetrack.

There's a patrol outside the camp; probably members of the 332nd Infantry Regiment. Maybe he can talk to them?

He approaches slowly, unsure if anyone has seen him yet.

Until he is sure that one of them sees him.

He is definitely sure.

He wishes the soldier would stop glaring at him coldly. Maybe this was a bad idea-

"What are you doing here?" the soldier barks at him, eyeing him distrustfully.

"I-I-I-" Race stammers, no words coming to mind. "Please, I mean-I mean no harm-"

The soldier keeps advancing, weapon gripped in his hand.

"Stop!" someone shouts from behind him.

Both Race and the hostile soldier look to who called out.

It's a young man with dark hair and dark eyes, dressed just like the other solider, disbelief in his eyes as he looks at Race.

It's Race's brother.

Right there.

There stands Antonio Conan Higgins.

He looks more mature than Race saw him, more shaped by the horrors of war. But that's his younger brother. That's the younger brother Race has loved ever since he came into this world.

Antonio drops everything.

Race can't take it anymore. Tears streaming down his face, he yells "ANTONIO!" and runs at his brother, throwing his arms around him. Antonio hugs back with all his might, tears streaming down his face as well.

"It's you," Race murmurs lovingly as he places one hand behind Antonio's head, holding on tight to his brother like he'll disappear if he doesn't. "It's really you."

"It's me," Antonio murmurs back. "I'm alive, brother."

Race hugs him tighter, if that's even possible. True, his brother did ultimately end up growing a couple inches taller than Race, but for the first time in a long time, that doesn't matter to Race. He's still Antonio's older brother. Always will be. Nothing will change that.

Finally, finally, they pull back. But they are still holding on to each other's arms. Race takes Antonio's face in both his hands. "It's you. I can't believe it's you."

"I still really want to know ... how did you find me? What in the world are you doing here?"

Race laughs. For the first time in a really long time, he laughs. It feels good. "It's going to take too long to explain standing around here, bambino."

He knows that Antonio is not a kid anymore. Yet he will always be Race's bambino.

Antonio smiles. "Well, would you like to come inside the camp? Join the 332nd Infantry Regiment?"

And Race laughs again. He came all this way to escape the army, not join it again. But he has his brother in front of him now, his brother who means the world to him, and the only way to stay with him is to say yes. And so he does.

And so they walk into the camp together, arms around each other, brothers reunited, happier than they have been in a long, long time.

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I'm not even going to try and deny it, writing their reunion while listening to A Thousand Years did get me emotional.

AAAAHHHHHH I LOVED THAT SO MUCH

I was considering having a less happy part that is coming up be in this chapter, but I decided to procrasinate.

I think we all needed this chapter.

So what did you think??

I wanted his brother to have an Italian name and an Irish name. So I settled on Antonio (the fanon but still very much not canon name for Race) and Conan. 

Yes, the real Racetrack Higgins did have a brother (whom I do not know the true name of), one who was around ten years younger than him. Racetrack was described to be almost motherly toward the boy. And so I wanted to try and keep that dynamic alive with this chapter.

I think I've run out of things to say.

Except this chapter felt so, so nice to write.

Please, no homophobia, profanities, hate etc in the comment section at all times.

Best,

~Your Beloved Author (who once again remembers why they love writing so much)