Thank you for the amazing review! I look forward to shaping both OCs.

The next morning, Wentworth and Reilly made good on their promise to Roe. They were going to try again with the men - even if this meant dividing and conquering.

At breakfast, they bid each other farewell, figuring two of them might be too much to handle at once. Reilly sat down at the table in between Toye and Luz and began to eat her food.

The men around her stopped talking, a roll even dropping from Luz's mouth in shock. The silence stretched for several moments before Toye leaned into her. "That's Bill's seat you just took. Skedaddle," he rasped.

Reilly shrugged, spooning porridge into her mouth, having a bit of a difficult time with her bandaged right hand. "My seat now." She heard Liebgott smirk without looking at him.

Toye narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth again to curse her out, but Guarnere stepped up just then, plate in hand. Reilly looked up at him and gave him a full smile. "Bill, I hope you don't mind, but Joe here offered the little lady your seat. Such a gentleman. But I can move if you'd like."

Guarnere watched her eyes widen in innocence as Toye's eyes widen in disbelief, sputtering. The men around the pair chuckled. He smirked, "No, that's OK, sweet cheeks. You stay put." He took a seat across from them at the next table.

A smirk twitched at her lips as she turned back to her breakfast. The men became silent once again until Liebgott spoke up. "Jesus Christ, guys. She's just a broad."

He leaned back to wink to her and Reilly winked back, relief flooding her. One down.

Luz cleared his throat several times before finally speaking. "Sorry about smacking your rear end, Fanny - I mean Franny." He turned beet red.

A smile started at one corner of her lips before sliding over her face. Her eyes gleamed with humor. "Why's that, George? Most action I've gotten in awhile. I ain't complaining." It took a long moment before Luz grinned back at her. Two down.

Toye stood with a huff and they watched him go. Luz's grin grew and shook his head. "Don't mind him, doll. He's just jealous he didn't copp the feel himself."

Reilly chuckled and gave him a wink. "Hope you enjoyed it, Luz. You ain't getting another chance." The men chuckled with her, including Luz who mock pouted. She looked across the hall towards Wentworth, just as the men around her friend stood and left, leaving her alone. She watched as Wentworth blinked in surprise and hurt.

Reilly grabbed the roll off Luz's plate before standing. "I'll see you guys at line up. Thanks for the snack, George." She reached Wentworth just as the tall blonde stood up to leave. "Hey girl."

Wentworth turned towards her, and gave her a watery smile. "Hey girl," she repeated. They walked together towards the exit. "Glad to see one of us succeeded."

Reilly shrugged. "I got lucky."

Wentworth's smile grew. "Nah, girl. It was all you."

After breakfast, Wentworth departed towards the aid station while Reilly headed towards lineup. It soon became evident that the taller of the two women got lucky with the timing of her medical training.

Sobel was on the warpath. Not that he wasn't normally, but something seemed to be bothering their CO more so than usual. He decided to take out his frustration on Reilly, his second favorite target. His first choice was unavailable in the aid station.

"There is dirt on the bottom of your barrel, private, or did you not notice?" he shouted in her face, tossing her rifle to the ground at her feet.

"No excuse, sir!" she shouted back. Before she could pick up her firearm, Sobel pushed her back on the shoulder.

"Not so fast, Reilly," he sneered. Sobel turned towards the front. "Talbert! Bring me your machine gun. All the rounds."

Sergeant Talbert walked over, the heavy weapon and the ropes of bullets slung over his shoulder. Sobel pointed to Reilly. "Load this woman up."

Reilly tried hard not to roll her eyes. This woman, am I? Talbert gave her a reassuring sort of grimace before laying the rounds across her shoulders and over the back of her neck. She took the machine gun in her arms with a small smile, trying to ignore her muscles that were already screaming from their beating yesterday.

Sobel caught it. As Talbert turned to leave for his place back in line, Sobel gave her a cocky grin. "Lieutenant Winters!" he shouted, only inches from her face. "We're running Currahee." His smirk deepened. "Full gear."

Winters stepped forward and turned to face them. "Easy company, fall out. Currahee." A muscle in his cheek twitched.

Reilly stared Sobel down before turning and walking behind the man in front of her. Speeding up to a jog, she followed her comrades to the mountain.

After only a few minutes, Reilly's body began to violently protest. The muscles in her arms shuddered and her knees ached from the weight of the ammo. Her breathing became ragged and sweat poured down her body under her thick uniform.

Winters ran past her, murmuring words of encouragement. "You got this, Reilly. Keep going. Don't stop."

Reilly nodded and grunted in pain as she tripped on a rock. Pain shot up her leg. Falling to the ground, she cried out as her palms tore open and blood began to form. Briefly, she felt a hand on her elbow from Talbert next to her.

"Do not help that woman!" screamed Sobel. "Do not help her!" Talbert grimaced but pulled away and ran ahead.

Sucking in a deep breath, her ribs screamed in protest, but Reilly stood once more and began to run. Guarnere slowed his run slightly and jogged alongside her. "This is it, doll. Are you going to fail or are you going to prove me wrong?"

Reilly clenched her teeth and gritted out her answer without looking at him. "I'm going to prove you wrong, Bill. Watch me."

Guarnere nodded and smirked. "Looking forward to it." He ran faster ahead of her again.

She limped, she cursed, she ran with everything she had. Tears of pain and disbelief pricked at her eyes when Sobel announced they were only ten minutes in. Her palms stinged where her skin was rubbed off raw, and she could only use her left hand to grasp the heavy weapon. She couldn't feel her right hand; it throbbed beyond simple pain.

On either side of her, Luz and Perconte jogged up after watching her struggle from behind for awhile. Luz nudged her elbow with his, unaware of the needles it caused to shoot into her shoulder. "Give me a rope," he muttered from the side of his mouth when Sobel turned his back.

"What?" she asked, hardly able to spare the extra breath for words.

Luz rolled his eyes. "Give me a rope of rounds. Quickly."

Reilly set her jaw. "Thanks, George, but I've got this."

Luz shook his head in amazement before running ahead of them. Noticing her other neighbor was silent, she peered to her right to find Perconte staring at her, a similar look in his eye when he didn't want to strike her last night.

Reilly curled her lip. "And your two cents, Perco?"

Surprising her, Perconte gave her an encouraging smile. "You're right, Franny. You've got this." He turned and faced forward, but he didn't run ahead. He ran with her all the way to the top, whispering words of confidence.

Sobel looked dumbstruck to see her at the turning point. Although she wasn't sure if she even had enough energy to blink, Reilly felt her heart burst with pride and she gave him a huge smile, which many of the men witnessed as they turned to go back down the mountain.

Going back down was certainly easier than the way up, but her knees took the brunt of the beating this time. Knives of pain hit after every step and the trembling grew more violent as it made its way north towards her hips.

"Breathe, Fran," murmured Perconte. "You need to remember to breathe."

Reilly obeyed and took in a deep breath, momentarily forgetting her injured ribs. She hissed in pain, but the rush of oxygen helped clear her head. "You don't need to stay with me. Sobel is sure to notice."

Perconte flashed her a smile. "No other place I'd rather be than by your side. I get a front row seat of his reaction when you finish."

Reilly smirked. "You mean if I finish."

Perconte's smile vanished and he met her eyes, his expression serious. "No, I don't."

She grinned, tears pricking her eyes this time with joy. Three down.

Just as Perconte predicated, she finished. Sobel's face was red with fury. He left the company without another word or command.

Reilly remained standing as the men around her walked to the barracks. Luz, Talbert and Perconte stayed behind, helping her remove the rounds from her shoulders and the gun in her arms. As soon as the weight left her body, her knees buckled.

Luz grabbed her right hand, attempting to steady her, but made her cry out in pain. "Whoa there, chickadee. You'll feel better when you start walking again."

Reilly clenched her jaw but couldn't remove her hand from his. Her balance was too shaky. She would fall to the ground. "I'll feel better when you let go of my damn hand, Luz."

"Huh?"

Perconte rolled his eyes and grabbed her left hand, placing his second palm against her elbow in an effort to help her stand upright. "Her right hand is injured, dummy."

Luz's eyes widened and he grimaced. He moved his hand up to her elbow, reflecting Perconte. "Sorry, Fran." The four of them walked together, Talbert carrying the gun and ammo.

Before they got to the entrance to the barracks, Reilly shrugged them off. "Can't walk in there like this." She took a deep breath and straightened her back proudly.

Luz shook his head. "I don't think you need to worry about earning their respect no more."

Reilly turned a sharp eye towards him. "We'll see about that." She stalked towards the entrance, careful not to limp or grimace. Inside, she steered straight to her bunk. Ignoring the deafening silence, she slowly sank onto her bed.

She couldn't help her curiosity. She turned to look across the way to Liebgott who immediately chucked his chin towards her and smirked. She smirked back.

Reilly heard Guarnere approach before she saw him. She couldn't risk turning her body without immense pain. He stood in front of her, staring down for a long time. She met his gaze, defiant.

With a smile, he held out his hand. "Not many people can say they've proved old Guarnere wrong."

Feeling a smile stretch across her face, she took his hand in his, ignoring the pain of his handshake. "Can't wait to do it again, Bill."

With a cackle, Guarnere walked back to his bunk, but not before he ruffled her short hair. "I'm starting to like this broad."

And before Reilly could do more than blink a few times, man after man walked up to her, murmuring words of praise, ruffling her hair, or patting her on the shoulder. She quickly hugged her chin to her chest to hide her goofy grin and the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Too many to count.

During a break after the afternoon exercise and before dinner, Wentworth forced Reilly to the aid station to be checked over. When she had returned to her company after lunch, Wentworth was baffled by the physical state of her friend.

Reilly pushed away her hands. "Gi, enough. You forced the bandages on my hands. Hell, you even bandaged my bandage. I'm fine. Just need a little food and then a good night's sleep."

Wentworth sighed, finally giving up. "I'm only trying to make sure Sobel doesn't kill you."

Reilly rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Come on, they should be done with their showers now. Let's get cleaned up and then book it to dinner. I'm starved."

After cleaning up, the pair entered the mess hall and waited in line for their food. Reilly looked down at the slop on her plate. If it can be called food.

"Hey Franny!"

She looked up and saw Liebgott and Luz waving at her to come sit with them. She flushed with pleasure. As she took a step towards them, she noticed Wentworth didn't follow. She turned to look at her friend. "Come on, girl. They won't bite." She grinned. "Hard."

Wentworth snorted but smiled and followed her to the table. She watched as the eyes of the men sitting there widened. She gulped.

Reilly sat down next to Perconte, indicating to Wentworth the other empty seat next to her. Wentworth sat down carefully. "Guys, this is Georgia." They nodded cautiously to one another. Reilly, noticing, rolled her eyes but grinned. "This here is George - he thinks he's funny."

The effect of breaking the tension was immediate. Luz's mouth dropped open. "I am funny, kid."

Her smile widened before she gestured to Liebgott. "This is Lieb or Joe or Asshat, depending on the day." Liebgott only winked. Reilly turned to her right. "Over here is Bull. He may be massive, but he's quite the gentleman when he puts his mind to it."

Randleman nodded to Wentworth, a small grin in place. "Don't put my mind to much though." Wentworth smiled back.

Chuckling, Reilly turned finally to Perconte on her immediate right. "And this here is Frank." She looked over his kind face, but finished talking with a grin.

Perconte's jaw dropped. "That's all I get?"

Reilly gave him a wink before turning to Wentworth. "Frank is Frank. Or Perco."

Wentworth chuckled, her smile widening. "So these are your guys." The four men beamed at the term.

Reilly shook her head. "Nope. These are our guys." She turned to the men with an expectant look in her eyes. "Right guys?"

As if on cue, the four soldiers looked around innocently, trying not to meet either woman's eye. The smile from Wentworth's face fell. She moved to stand, but Reilly pushed her down again.

"Right. Guys."

Luz cracked first, looking at Wentworth. "It's not like we hate you, doll."

Liebgott nodded. "Who can hate a face like yours?" Reilly's eyes rolled.

Randleman grimaced. "Well, Sobel can."

Perconte nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Sobel has a special hate made especially for you. The man is a nightmare."

Reilly huffed. "Wouldn't it be nice if Georgia had some support besides me and Roe to combat that schmuck? Like what you guys did for me today?"

The men fell silent again, although this time with guilt. Perconte nodded first. He leaned back and held out his hand to Wentworth. "Nice to meet you, Georgia. Welcome to the team."

Reilly beamed, looking back to Wentworth. She motioned her thumb behind her. "See? He's Frank." Perconte rolled his eyes but smiled.

Wentworth's cheeks flushed as each man held out a hand to offer her a shake of peace and camaraderie. "Thanks guys. You don't know how much this means to me." Her slight southern accent escaped a bit with her embarrassment.

Luz scoffed. "It will be nothin' when you save my ass in the field one day." He perked up. "Actually, you can save my ass any day, Gigi. Don't even have to ask."

Wentworth and Reilly rolled their eyes before laughing with him. Mission accomplished.