Chapter 4: New Commanders

"Funny," Nixon almost snorted, turning his head enough to look at Gwen as they made their way toward battalion headquarters. "I never pictured a correspondent to be a farmer's daughter. Always figured they would be around the big cities."

Gwen's eyes were to busy watching the passing buildings and people to look back at the S-2 beside of her. "Guess you kinda thought wrong? You know. Aldbourne reminds me of some of the smaller towns back home. That sense of peace you can only achieve in the country." This time a grin split Lew's face open. "Yeah...well...wait till the boys come back. It won't be that peaceful then."

A good mile outside of town all the large wall tents that were makeshift barracks for the paratroopers were lined up in their own little village of sorts. Enough men and personnel dotted the makeshift company streets giving the camp an active air of life, though nothing like what it would be with all the battalion there. Toward the center of camp the tall pyramid shaped tents could be spotted looming over the 'barracks' by a good 2 feet. The tell-tell signs of officer's quarters and work space. Stopping at the edge of the officer's section, Nix put the jeep into park motioning for her to follow once he was out. "When you are here you will be sharing workspace with the signal corpsmen we have for official Army photographers...will there be a problem with that?" he added seeing the scowl cross her face.

"The competition, sir." Thankfully her words were neutral enough to hide the distaste of the official photographers. However, the raised eyebrow Nixon had was enough to prompt her into telling more. "They view us as moving into their territory when it comes to covering the War. At least a handful of them do. To us, it's a matter of wanting to tell the people what's going on. Unlike them, in some ways, we chose to be here because we wanted too. To the Signal Corpsman, it's their job to be here."

Nix gave only the faintest shrug of his shoulders as he led her through the maze of tents. "Well if any fights break out I got my money placed on you." Gwen couldn't help but laugh.

When they had reached their set destination the taller man reached up and stuck his head inside. "Got a minute, Dick? Someone here to meet you."

"Not another person wanting to interview me or take my picture, Lew. If I see one more reporter I'm libel to have the MPs show them back to the train station." As the man inside spoke Gwen's eyes grew wider, looking back at Nixon with shock written across her face. Mouthing the words 'I don't want to go in there!' to Lew caused him to raise a hand.

"Personally I think she's to pretty to send back to the station with those MPs- maybe having a woman's touch around the camp will give you a lighter mood." Before the other man inside could say another word, Gwen found herself being guided in by a hand on the small of her back...she thought it more of a shove than anything. "Captain Winters, meet Gwendolyn MacKenzie. Correspondent and photographer for the Associated Press and our newly attached civilian war correspondent.

Miss MacKenzie, Captain Richard Winters. Easy Company's commanding officer and whom you will be reporting too. He has no vices, rarely gripes- what you wouldn't expect from an officer in the Airborne. Winters is a pretty easy read."

Silently the two just stared at each other. Only when Nix cleared his throat did Winters give a start, setting his paperwork down and reaching a hand out to her. "Ah. Please pardon me for what I said earlier. It just seems every one of your type has hunted us down for questions about D-day."

The handshake on her part was no doubt slightly hesitant. "I understand, Captain Winters. Being the first men to return from Normandy no doubt has sent a frenzy amongst my social circles."

Nix moved further into the tent, finding a chair beside of Winters' desk where he promptly kicked back resting his feet on an unoccupied bit of wood. "Glad to see we are finally starting to get along. MacKenzie here has a quite interesting service record, Dick. No doubt you two will get along quite well."

Looking over at his friend caused Dick to raise an eyebrow in the slightest of upward motions. "So I have been reading."

Gwen couldn't help but blink. She had an interesting service file? Personally, it wasn't anything to brag about. "Forgive me, sirs, but may I ask what exactly is so interesting about it?" Having taken a seat at his desk again gave the two officers the perfect chance to look at each other. Dick's face was formed into a question while all Nix could do was give a half smirk and a shrug. "Well, this is your third move into your third country close to a front line. Not many of the men here can say they have seen that much combat."

"Except maybe a few of the new transfers and replacement officers. What? I'm just saying..."

Dick just frowned, "There's one thing I did want to ask you, Miss MacKenzie. In all these field reports of combat on the front you have been placed near or within camera distance. Why have we not seen any of these photographs?"

Quick and to the point, she thought, watching the Captain across from her. She wanted to lick her lips under his blue-eyed stare that made her almost feel guilty for lying. Instead she stood tall placing a wry little smile upon her face. "As per my accreditation, sir, I am not...allowed...to photograph any sort of combat situation."

"But you do?" The words hit her like a brick.

"What do the reports say?" came her mild reply.

Dick's gaze never shifted away from her once. It was the stare of a man questioning one of his men. "That you were nowhere near able to take them and that is what they will keep saying." Pausing only once the commander of Easy Company steepled his fingers together. "Colonel Sink had a reason for requesting you for this assignment. It is our understanding that the wording has always just been right enough to keep you from being thrown in jail or sent home for violating your accreditation. No doubt the Rangers truly were pleased with your work or your presence."

"We want you to take it easy here in the Company," Nixon spoke from his reclined seat. "No seeking out trouble or that sort of thing. It's what 1st platoon is for."

Gwen had opened her mouth to speak but the sound of the tent flap moving behind her caused her to go quiet. More so it was the voice behind her that made her face drain of color than the lack of words. "Captain Winters? I just wanted to Oh..." Turning her head just slightly enough to see the man from the train behind her, green eyes started to narrow. He, too, seemed just as surprised to see her.

"Not you again!" they both ended up saying at the same time in an annoyed murmur.

Standing from behind his desk Dick motioned for the man to enter obviously just as surprised as the correspondent was to see him. "Sergeant Talbert. I thought you were going to be at the hospital for a few more weeks. Or are you being taught the lessons of going AWOL like most of the other men do here in Easy?"

"Call it an Easy tradition, sir," Floyd said with a lopsided grin, eyeing the shorter woman carefully. "Docs want me on a few more weeks of rest before going back to fully active duty."

Nixon just seemed to revel in the obvious confusion and tension emitting from the two people in front of him. Pulling out his little silver flask he unscrewed the top, smiling around it. "Would it be safe to assume you two have met before?"

Before Tab could even speak again the woman interrupted leaving him with his mouth hanging open. "Very briefly on the train ride here, Captain Nixon. "Though," turning her head to him again he caught the slight flash of fury in her eyes causing him to balk slightly, "it was a very short lived moment."

Winters crossed his arms, glancing between the correspondent and his newly returned Sergeant. "Seeing as in how you are the only non-com that's still in camp, Tab, I'm asking you to help Miss MacKenzie learn her way around the town and where everything is at here. It won't be too strenuous on you which means an easier transition back into Company life."

No doubt the looks on both Floyd and Gwen's faces were a perfect match: a look of dread and horror. Casting another glance at each other was a forced thing. They were going to be forced to play nicely. "Yes, sir. When do we get started?"

"I would like a day or two to rest up if I may? All of you have a four day start on R and R over me..." The look on the photographers face nearly made Tab's face distort in a sour way. He wasn't going to be anyone's gopher any more than he had to be any time soon. More time away from her would be highly welcomed.

"I see no problem with that. As a matter of fact," Dick said looking down at his watch, "I promised Mrs. Barnes I would join her and her husband for tea. This would be a good time for you to come along and get acquainted with the host family."

"Tea?" Nixon sat up in the chair causing all four legs to land on the ground. The most forlorn look was painted across his face. "You are going for tea?"

Captain Winters couldn't help but give that wry little smile of his again. "Sergeant Talbert will meet you in two days, noon time, at the local café. I'll show you were it is. From there you two can laze about the town with plenty of time to answer questions. Are we in agreement?" Talbert and MacKenzie murmured sulky "Yes, sir's." It wasn't going to be a fun few days.