I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.

June, 1942

"Lieutenant Malone, Colonel Sink wishes to see you." A voice called from across the camp. I turned around to see Lieutenant Speirs walking towards me, a smirk playing upon his lips. I fell in step beside him as he accompanied me to find the Colonel.
"Do you know what for?" I asked him, looking up at him. I studied his face, searching for any clues on the reason behind this order.
"I'm not sure what he wants, all I know is that it concerns you." He told me. I nodded, thinking of all the possible things I could be in trouble for. I couldn't think of anything off the top of my head and decided it wasn't worth getting too distressed over.

When we reached the door of his office, Lieutenant Speirs turned to me. One eyebrow cocked at me slightly as he looked between me and the door.
"I wish you the best of luck." He smiled before giving me a small nod and turning on his heels to walk away. I sighed and straightened out my uniform. I took a sharp breath and knocked upon the door. I waited a moment, nervously shaking my hands off as I closed my eyes.
"Enter." The familiar voice of Colonel Sink called. My eyes snapped open and slender fingers wrapped themselves around the doorknob. I swung the door open before marching in and standing at attention before him. My fists clenched into tight balls as the tips of my nails dug into the flesh of my palm. Intense blue eyes set on the Colonel as I waited attentively to see what would become of me.

"At ease Lieutenant." He smiled before motioning to the chair in front of his desk, "Have a seat."
I glanced quickly down at the chair, feeling my muscles relax slightly. The soft smile on the Colonels face told me that I wasn't in trouble but it did not yet clear up the mystery as to why I was here. I sat down, getting comfy in the chair. I perched on the edge, my hands wringing one another out in my lap. I carefully watched as Sink sat in the seat behind the desk, eyes fixated on me.
"Do you know why you're here?" He asked me, one eyebrow raised. I shrugged slightly, giving myself a little more time to compose an appropriate answer.
"I have absolutely no idea, Sir." I told him, not daring to move at all.

"Well, as you know, you are one of the six females picked to join the Airborne. Out of all the women I can see the most potential in you and I feel that it is wasted with Dog Company. Lieutenant Malone, you're both an extraordinary women and soldier.I feel like we can get even more out of you in Easy Company. They have the best record on camp and its an opportunity for you to show us what you can do. So therefore of immediate effect you've been transferred into Easy. "He told me. I sat there, just letting it sink in. I was to transfer companies, leaving my female companions behind. I had to start all over again with a new group of men and god knows whether they'd accept me as a soldier, let alone an officer.
"I get to stay in my current barracks though, don't I sir?" I asked, my eyebrows knitted together in confusion as I pondered over it. The barracks in which I resided belonged to D Company so with my transfer I doubted I'd be allowed to stay.
"You are to go back to your Barracks and collect your things. You are to share with the other officers of Easy Company."
"But Sir, they're men." I protested, also stating the downright obvious. I had a point though. One of the first things that was drilled into us when we entered Camp Toccoa was that there was to be no fraternizing with any male soldier. The consequences had been made all too clear to us.

"When at war you will have to share facilities with them so you might as well get used to it. You know the rules and consequences so I expect them not to be broken" He sighed, his eyes softening slightly. I felt slightly disheartened that I was being thrown in at the deep end and all my ties were being cut.
"Yes sir." I said, trying not to let my emotions show. He looked at me, walking around from behind his desk. He placed a soft hand on my shoulder as he knelt in front of me. Gentle eyes rested on me as my own flickered to meet his. A soft smile made its way onto my face as he began to speak to me.
"You've grown into a fine young woman, Vivian. You've done me so proud, don't let me down now." He smiled softly, encouraging me to go on. I knew that I was receiving no special treatment as my Uncle Robert had never worked that way. We both knew I'd worked my ass off for what I had and as family he wanted to push me further to allow me to get the best out of myself.
"Yes Uncle." I smiled, dropping formalities momentarily. He gave me a small nod now as he stood back up, straightening his uniform out.

"Well Lieutenant Malone, I suggest you go assemble your belongings; Lieutenant Winters will take you to your new accommodation." He nodded, sitting back behind his desk. I stood up, bringing myself to attention. I brought my arm up to a salute before snapping it back down to my side. I quickly marched out of the room, feeling my legs tremble beneath me. I felt like my roots had been torn out as my mind replayed everything that had just been said.
I walked out of the building, not sure whether I should be pleased or not about the situation at hand. I let out a long, agitated sigh. Since joining I'd been assigned to Dog company along with five other women. I'd gotten to know them now but on the other hand I felt proud to be moved to the best company. it meant I was progressing and proving that women could in fact do the same job as men. If I could succeed in Easy company, I could succeed anywhere. Everybody on camp had heard of Easy Company and their high standards but I'd also heard of their commanding officer, Lieutenant Herbert Sobel.

Upon arriving at my Barracks, I saw two of the other girls sat on their beds. They looked up at me, worry shining in their young eyes.
"Is Colonel Sink sending you home?" Florence asked. Florence was the youngest of us all, but only a year younger than myself. She was 21 years old with a mane of long black hair and bright green eyes. Her dark hair contrasted sharply against her pale skin. Florence was a Sergeant, the only other female besides myself to hold a rank. Florence had been my first friend in the company. We'd both arrived together and clicked instantly. We'd gelled together as the weeks progressed and now I found it almost painful to be torn apart from her.

Beside her, Dot sat, wide eyed. Dorothy 'Dot' Marples was a petite girl of 25 years. Her hair was a flaming red colour and she was far too kind for war. She was a Medic though and thrived at her trade, fueled by the desire to help people. Taking her nature into account, it came to no surprise that she was a Nurse before this whole war started. Whenever I thought of Dot, I could imagine her zipping around a hospital, helping everybody as best she could. Up until now, the thought of her being my medic seemed to bring a sense of ease over me. She was more trained than most and I could see her going that extra mile...only now she wasn't to be my medic. I'd have somebody else taking care of me if the day should come where I was to be hit.

"No." I said softly, sitting down beside Dot on her bed. I could feel Flo's eyes burning into me as she waited for my announcement. As soon as I'd entered my barracks the pair had known something was up.
"Then what is it?" Dot asked me, fear in her blue eyes as she stared intently at me. I sighed, playing with my hands in my lap as I mulled over the right words. It took me a moment to make my eyes meet hers as a lump formed in my throat.
"I'm to be moved to Easy Company on the orders of Colonel Sink. He thinks it will allow me to reach my full potential and better suits my needs." I sighed, removing my head dress and placing it on the bed beside me. I took a sharp breath before continuing. "The transfer has immediate effect."
"But you're to stay here with us right?" Florence asked hopefully, looking for the silver lining. I shook my head slowly at them, sadness now on my face.
"Sorry ladies but you won't have the pleasure of my company anymore." I said, slowly pushing myself to my feet. Looking down, I could see that both girls had retreated deeply into thought. I'd not been lost but we were already been torn apart before the war properly started for us. Both stared at the floor, unable to form any words. I didn't know what to say so I slowly made my way over to my bed space, deciding that it was best to start gathering up my few belongings.

As I was packing, the girls soon came over to help me. They were gentle with my stuff as though it was their own and soon all my belongings were in a bundle on my bed. I looked at the empty bed space, something I'd not expected to see until we were shipped out. Already the room seemed a little more empty.
We all sat on the end of my bed in silence. I didn't know what to do. Without the girls I'd have nobody when we went to war. So far we'd been through everything together, thick and thin.
As we sat there huddling together, my mind wandered towards the other absent females in Dog Company.
"Where are the other girls?" I asked, voicing my thoughts. I looked at my two companions, hoping they'd know the answer so I'd get a chance to bid the others farewell. Who knows when I'd next get to properly speak to them.
"Katherine is in the Infirmary training and both Henrietta and Susan are still having lunch or just lounging about with the men." Florence told me, offering me a small smile.

"Will you tell them where I've gone?" I asked softly. They both nodded, leaning further into me. Our small moment was broken up as a knock sounded from the door. I guess my time in Dog Company was officially up. If I remembered correctly, a Lieutenant Winters should be waiting for me. I patted the girls knees before pushing myself to my feet. I shakily walked over to the door, trying to even my breathing out. I opened the door to reveal quite a tall man. His hair was ginger and his forest green eyes studied me instantly. A small smile made its way onto his face before he extended his hands formally towards me. I took it in my own, only shaking it as he spoke to me.
"I'm Lieutenant Richard Winters. You must be Lieutenant Malone." he smiled softly, releasing my hand after a moment. I gingerly brought my hand back to my side as my eyes still studied this man.

"I am. It's a pleasure to meet you Lieutenant." I smiled warmly at him, taking in his appearance. His uniform was pristine and he gave off an overall good first impression. I could sense the girls trying to peer at our guest so after a moment my manners caught up to me. "Would you like to come in for a moment?"
"Thank you." He nodded, stepping over the threshold and entering our accommodation. I propped the door open, allowing light to stream in. As Winters looked around our barracks, I looked over his uniform once more. It was flawless. He was a walking message of the standards in Easy Company.
"Ladies, this is Lieutenant Winters from Easy Company." I introduced his with a small smile as I walked over to join them. Their eyes were instantly upon him as they greeted him warmly. He smiled and nodded, clearly not knowing what to say. It didn't matter though because I knew that the longer we stayed, the harder it would be for me to leave.

Dot handed me my headdress as I neared her and I placed it gently on top of my chocolate brown hair which was pulled up into a neat bun. I thanked her and Florence as my belongings were passed to me. I held the bag firmly in my hands as Florence slung my rifle over my shoulder. After a brief pause, I shrugged my bag onto my shoulder, feeling a sense of unease settling over me. Another new chapter in my life was about to begin.
"I guess I best get going." I smiled gently before two sets of arms wrapped themselves tightly around me. I laughed softly, feeling adored by my girls. I blinked back a stray tear, knowing that I was being slightly silly. This wasn't the end for us, it was only just beginning. They pulled away, blushing slightly as they noticed that Winters was intently watching them. I noticed that the look on his face was that of curiosity and not that of resentment that we'd frequently been met with.
"Are you ready?" Winters asked me, not trying to push me too quickly. His tone of voice told me that he was prepared to give us females a moment. Despite this I nodded and waved to the girls, hoping that I'd see them around camp.
"You two stay out of trouble." I playfully warned them, earning myself a small nod and a 'yes sir'. With those final words I was whisked out of Dog Company and dropped in Easy.

The pair of us walked through the camp at a steady pace, Lieutenant Winters telling me about the men of Easy Company. He told me all about Lieutenant Sobel and what to expect from the man. I didn't expect him to like me as the men of Dog Company had only just come around to the idea of female soldiers and that was due to the six of us constantly being with them. Despite this though, Herbert Sobel sounded like a different kettle of fish altogether. With a commander like him, I was certainly going to have my work cut out for me. I'd not even met the man yet and I'd already began to stem a disliking towards him.
He continued to tell me of their training and how frequently they ran Currahee. Dog Company had always ran it often but it was nothing compared to how often Easy did. I felt my stomach drop at his words, knowing I may not be good enough to make it with this company. I was going to have to dig deep and step my game up.

When we reached the Barracks, Richard Winters grabbed the door and held it open for me. I peered inside, carefully studying the room which was to now become my home. It was the same size as my last Barracks although it felt a lot smaller due to the larger occupation within. Despite only being six females, we'd been housed in a ten bed barracks. It just felt more confined and the bed situation did nothing to ease my nerves.
"There's a couple of empty beds," He smiled warmly, informing me of the situation. "Feel free to choose."
I stood in the doorway, studying the position of each bed. The first bed was sandwiched between two others, while the second was against the wall. There was virtually no decision to make. I'd prefer to be stuck next to one man rather than two so my mind was made up in a matter of seconds.
I walked over to my new bed, setting my bag down upon it. I lent my rifle against the wall, being careful to ensure that it would not fall

Winters walked to the bed beside me and seemed to grab the persons belongings. It took me a moment to realise that it must in fact be his bed. His BDU's were laid out on the bed and I didn't know whether to leave or stay. Clearly he needed to get changed. I felt a blush creep onto my face as I nervously pointed a finger at the door.
"I'll just wait outside." I said in a fluster before almost running out of the barracks. When I got outside, I rested my head against the building, taking in a deep breath. What was I doing here? It was my first day with this company and I already was struggling to comprehend how I would cope with these sleeping arrangements. Had Sink gone stark raving mad? We'd all certainly get a good eyeful of each other whether it was intended or not.
"Lieutenant Sobel has decided on an inspection. The rest of the company are out there now." Winters told me, emerging from the barracks. My head instantly snapped around and all I could manage was a silent nod. Winters was now in BDU's with his helmet on and rifle slung over his shoulder. I was not dressed as the company were but I guess they had a different training plan to Dog Company. Dog Company had expected a day of light training in classrooms, hence how I was dressed, but Sobel clearly had different plans for Easy.
"What of my kit, Sir?" I finally managed to ask. I felt stupid for such a blindingly obvious question but it was all in the bag. I was either somewhat punctual and dressed like this or extremely late and in the correct attire. A more preferable option was not available to me so I at least felt the need to ask.
"Just come as you are." Winters nodded, beginning to stride off. I quickly fell in step beside him, waiting to meet the men for the first time.

He led me through the camp and I soon could hear the screams of a man who clearly wasn't impressed by his company. As we rounded the corner, I caught my first glimpse of Easy's Commander, weaving in and out of the ranks and picking out the tiniest of faults. This had to be Lieutenant Sobel. From a quick glance, I couldn't see a problem with the men of Easy. They all stood perfectly still, probably too afraid of the bollocking they'd received if they dared to move, but none the less they were stiller than statues. They only seemed to become animated when the Lieutenant bore down upon them and they received his wrath.
Sobel seemed to pay little attention as Winters fell in in front of the men after advising me to fall in at the front and just observe. He too became a statue, only turning his head as he awaited a comment which never came.

I did as I was told told by Winters, biting my tongue to prevent me protesting from this mans grotesque manner. I faced the men as Sobel dug away at them. I felt several pairs of eyes curiously glance at me, eagerness to know who I was and where I'd come from was etched upon their face. I ignored them, just letting my eyes scan over them. I quickly identified the other Officers from their positions. My eyes were drawn to a dark haired officer with matching eyes. I guess I'd spotted who else I was sharing a room with. I couldn't help but wonder about the other men of Easy as Sobel stalked around them. I too was curious to find out who they were. I wondered which man, if any, would become my friend. I wondered who would accept me and who would be willing to fight by my side.