Camp Toccoa was quiet and dark at four in the morning.
Amy was walking around, she couldn't sleep, and she had a secret she wasn't prepared to share with the girls yet
She was confused, she loved being in the air borne, it was hard work, but she was starting to doubt if she had made the right choice.
Was this the place for her? what would it be like to see combat? death would be a big part of going to war.
Amy sighed and started to walk towards the flag pole, as she neared she saw a shadow leaning up against it smoking a cigarette, when she approached the shadow turned its head, Amy had to swallow it was Speirs.
"So you can't sleep either" Speirs asked Amy, in a surprisingly soft voice
Amy looked at Speirs for a moment, before answering "Nope, I have a lot on mind"
Speirs turned and motioned Amy to follow him "Follow me Hunt," He said.
Speirs lead Amy towards hospital, went around it and sat down on the ground, leaning against the wall of the hospital, he padded the ground next to him and Amy sat down beside him, far enough from him, so she wouldn't touch him.
They sat in silence for a moment, and looked towards the horizon, the ground behind hospital was vacant, and the silence was comfortable.
Speirs look over at Amy, he had started to notice she was losing weight, she had dark circles under her eyes, and she seemed different from when he first met her.
Speirs would never forget that first day at Toccoa, a couple of men had made some inappropriate comments about women in the service and Amy had set them straight and been punished for it instantly, she had taken the punishment without crying about it, and she had worked hard to earn her rang as second lieutenant.
Speirs had a hard time figuring out Amy, she was a pretty girl, but also annoying as hell, he just loved to yank her chain to get her going, but right now it seemed like she needed a friend.
"want to tell me what's bothering you," Speirs asked
"It's silly really" Amy said and pulled up some grass and twisted it around her fingers in a circular motion, she could feel herself tearing up she didn't want Speirs to she her cry, she was tough, she was a lieutenant in the best company in the army.
Amy sniffled and looked up at Speirs he was looking at her with worry in his eyes.
"I am just starting to doubt myself, that's all I know it's silly, but I also miss home and I am not sure if I can handle myself in combat" Amy said and looked away.
She felt Speirs hand on her shoulder, "Hey Ames it's ok, we all have doubts, but you are one of the toughest people I have met, so chin up, you got this ok" Speirs said.
They sat in silence for a while "why are you up at this hour" Amy asked her companion.
"I got a killer headache, so I decided to get some air, I was on my way back, when I met you," Speirs said.
Speirs got on his feet and held his hand out to Amy, he pulled her up and hugged her, at first Amy was really surprised, but then she hugged him back, it felt surprisingly good, and she laid her head on his shoulder.
Speirs let go of her and looked at her "Just remember I believe in you" He said and turned away and walked towards the barracks.
Amy wandered around for a while, she knew she would never be able to go back to sleep, her encounter with Speirs had confused her even more, she knew she could jump out of plane, as long as the man next to was a paratrooper, but what about killing could she do it?
Amy shook her head and decided to head back to get ready for the mornings exercise.
Back at the barrack Lane and Katie was awake, Katie was wearing her scrubs, so Lane and Amy knew they wouldn't she her the rest of the day. Twice a week the people who lived around the base came to see the doctor if they needed, Katie always complained she wasn't a GP, but it was a nice diversion from blisters and hurt soldiers.
Lane had to go to S2 before breakfast, so Amy wandered over to the mess alone, once inside she quickly saw the Easy boys there, she headed for Toye and Perconte, and she sat down with her tray of food and looked over at the cooking area. Winters had been promoted the day before and Sobel had assigned him to mess duty for fourteen days, so that left second platoon with only Nixon and the NCO. Amy prayed that Nixon would pull himself together for the next two weeks, Lip, wouldn't have to lead second alone.
Amy sat and listened to the boys evidently, they had a light afternoon and were to have an extra meal, during the day, spaghetti, Amy hated spaghetti and when she told Guarnere, he told her now he could never marry her, Amy had no problem with that.
Lane walked in and sat next to Amy with her morning coffee and growled something about idiot rich guys, she turned to Amy "I have Intel for you," Lane said
"What? do tell" Amy said
"We are getting out of here we are going to Fort Benning to get our wings, so get your guys ready" Lane said
Amy nodded "will do" Amy said.
"There is one more thing, we are marching there," Lane said
"What you got to be fucking kidding me, who the hell came up with that?" Amy said
"Sink wants to break the Japanese marching record and get this 1st battalion, gets to go by rail and 3rd is going to Atlanta by train and marching from Atlanta to Benning and 2nd is Marching from here to Atlanta" Lane said
Amy shook her head, Sink had just had to show off, and Amy hoped he would march with them, so the men wouldn't suffer alone.
It was Late November, it was getting a bit chilly, and Amy imagined that the company would be bivouacking and was going to be damn cold.
The company had almost done their stage B training and Amy was looking forward to get to C+D at Fort Benning.
Amy finished her breakfast while she small talked with Toye about his girl back home, at one point Speirs walked in and Amy looked him right in the eyes, but he just stared at her with the same look he had been given her since she first met him, gone was the nice guy from this morning.
Amy couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, she thought they had made a connection, but as usually, she had imagined things.
Amy only luck with guys was bad luck and she always ended up being the little sister to a group of guys, once just once she would like to be the one a guy wanted, for more than some random fun.
After exercising the whole morning, which ended with Easy running the obstacle course, several times, Amy was looking forward to a light afternoon, she sat in the mess watching the guys pack away the spaghetti, she was trying not to puke, Winters had slipped her a sandwich with a wink, and Amy would owe him for eternity.
Suddenly the door swung open and Sobel was standing there "Easy company change of plans, we are running Currahee," Sobel said.
Amy sighed; she knew it was too good to be true, she was thankful she hadn't eaten any of the spaghetti.
Amy got third platoon ready and she tried to keep her men's spirits up while they were throwing up all of the half-digested spaghetti.
Amy was beat and so tired she was about to cry when she came down the mountain, she saw the men from Dog company looking at Easy and Speirs was looking at Amy, he gave her an encouraging smile, before he turned away.
Amy stumbled back to the barrack and just rolled up in a ball and fell asleep.
Lane and Katie couldn't wake her and the girls headed to the mess alone, they sat down with the boys.
Talbert noticed Amy was missing, Talbert and Amy shared a lot with each other and the fact that she didn't come to eat had him worried, she had only had a sandwich for lunch and Tab had noticed that she barely ate breakfast.
"Captain Hendrick, where is Amy, I mean Lieutenant Hunt" Talbert asked Katie
"She is sleeping, we couldn't wake her," Katie said
Talbert looked worried and Katie sighed and put her and over his "Look I worry about her to, but Amy will be fine, I am sure," Katie told Talbert
"yeah well, I am going to check on her any way," Talbert said.
He walked over to the barrack, the girls were staying in, he opened the door and saw Amy lying on her side, and she was sleeping.
Talbert went over and sat on down Amy's cod, he shook her lightly "Ames wake up, You ok?" Talbert look down at Amy.
She opened her eyes and looked at him "Yeah I am fine, just really tired Tab," She said.
"Ok, I will let it go for now, but you need to start to eat" Talbert said and stood up, he leaned down and pulled Amy's blanket over her.
He walked out and almost walked directly into Lieutenant Speirs, who had noticed Amy was absent from the evening meal.
"How is Lieutenant Hunt, private Talbert?" he asked
"Fine Sir, just exhausted" Talbert said.
"Good, Good, carry on private" Speirs said, and walked of, Talbert shook his head lightly, that man had an Erie way of just popping up every were, there was rumors that said Speirs tough and his men respected and feared him.
Talbert walked back to his barrack, word was they were moving out soon and he needed to start to decide what to take with him and what to leave behind, Talbert was looking forward to leaving Currahee behind and excited for what lay ahead of them.
Lane was called to regimental headquarter the next morning, she walked into Sinks office and the secretary told her to take a seat.
Lane wondered what she had done? she had been good for a while, not getting into trouble, and she knew the next big step was coming and she had to be good, or as good as, she could be anyway.
Sink yelled in from his office and Lane walked in, she stood at attention, "At ease" Sink said
"Captain Easterday, Easy needs an additional intelligence officer, any suggestion?" Sink asked
"Sir, I would recommend Lieutenant Nixon, I know he is the man for the job," Lane said
"Ok I guess you earned to appoint the officer you want to work with, I will make it happen" Sink said
Lane stood and waited for Sink to dismiss her, Sink just kept looking through his paper work, when he looked up and realized Lane was still standing there, he looked at her "You wanted something Captain" Sink said.
"No sir" Lane said
"Well go find Nixon and inform him about his new duties, dismissed Captain," Sink said and Lane saluted him, turned on her heel, and walked out the door.
She sighed and put her hat back on, now all she had to do was make up with Nixon and tell him, she was his new friend.
Lane walked over to Winters and Nixon's barrack and knocked on the door, she opened the door and walked in.
Nixon was putting away his dress uniform, Lane looked at him and smiled.
"Nix I am sorry about what I said, I had no right to say something like that, I hope you can forgive me," Lane said
"You are forgiven, I was drunk and wasn't thinking clear, but you are right it was probably for the best," Nixon said.
"Good because we are going to be working together, congrats and welcome to intelligence buddy" Lane said and threw Nixon a box with a second lieutenant bar in it.
Nixon opened it and Lane stepped up to him to pin it on him, she was quite close to him and after she pinned the pin on his collar, she looked into his eyes, their faces was only inches apart and for a moment, Lane thought he was going to kiss her.
The door opened and Winters stepped in, ruining the moment.
Nixon and Lane stepped away from each other and Winters looked between them with a smirk, "I miss anything," He asked
"No I was just giving Nix his new assignment, he is going to be working with me as an intelligence officer," Lane said
"Well and a promotion to congrats buddy" Winter said
"Yeah, well I am going to go" Lane said and hurried out the door.
When she came outside, she drew in a big breath, what was that?
Inside the barrack Nixon looked after Lane, not really sure what just went down, but he was curious, to see how this whole them working together would play out.
Intelligence, well no more Sobel, Nixon thought to himself, but he felt like he switched one tormentor for another.
After Nixon leaving second platoon, the platoon got Harry Welsh straight out of OCS, Harry transferred in from the
Welsh enlisted in the paratroopers in 1942. He was assigned to Fort Benning as part of the 82nd airborne.
While an enlisted man, Welsh was reportedly made a Sergeant and then "busted" to private six times for fighting. Three of his commanding officers saw his potential and recommended him for Officer candidate school.
Now he was at Toccoa getting the last taste of Sobel and Currahee, before the battalion was moving out.
Welsh and Winters became good friends and together they led second Platoon.
Harry had a bad habit; he talked to much about his fiancé Kitty and Winters sometimes had to get away from Harry and his Kitty stories.
Winters found himself heading to the hospital on one the evenings when he had enough of Harry.
He knew Katie was on call; he was looking forward to talk to her.
Winters liked the quiet doctor, she was extremely intelligent, and she was always one for good conversation and a quiet evening.
Katie was packing up supplies, she knew they would be heading out and she wasn't sure what kind of supplies they would have at Benning, Doc roe had offered to help, but Katie told him she needed a quiet evening.
She heard the door open and close, Katie saw Lieutenant Winters walk in to the ward; Katie walked out from the supply room and greeted the lieutenant.
"Dick, want can I do you for" Katie asked and smiled
"Well I was hoping you had time to talk for a while and maybe a cup of coffee" he said
"Well go sit down in my office and I will be right there, I just have to check my patients" Katie said
"How are the two privates" Winters asked
"Good the fever is going down" Katie said
Two privates from Dog company had been brought in a few days ago, with high fever; Katie had managed to get their fever down, but had a hard time figuring out what was wrong with them.
Doc Roe had tried some of his Grandma Cajun medicine and it seemed to help the Privates.
Winters went to Katie's office, he sat down and enjoyed the quiet, he could see Katie was in the progress of packing down her office, she didn't have a lot, but he could see some box filled with medical supplies and instruments, he had a conversation with Katie a couple of nights before about her role in the war.
Katie hoped to see combat and she wanted to be in the front at the aid station or at the nearest combat hospital, she would under no circumstances agree to stay in England and leave her friends.
Winters was impressed with her determination, and he hoped she would follow the battalion to where ever they were going, because with Katie near his men would be in good hands.
Katie stepped into the office, with a pot of coffee and she sat down, the two of them spend the night talking.
When Winters walked back to his barrack, he realized he would miss Katie if she stayed behind.