(A/N: Hello!)
Katherine did her job the best way she could, she trained the troops on a daily basis, dismissed some of them who weren't good for the job. The ones she dismissed weren't always the quickest, they could be one of the athletic ones, but she could see whether or not the trainee was an asshole or a team worker. If the trainer was a slacker or a worker, if he or she is filled with determination or if he or she isn't really into the thing.
In the end, out of the fifty she trained on the first day, along with twenty new ones, she dismissed fifteen recruits, leaving her with fifty-five from the seventy, and that was just the end of the first week.
As for the strategizing, the first meeting did not go as she planned, as usual the men did not take et seriously at all. She knew though that they weren't mere recruits or newbies, these guys have seen actual fire and survived at least one battle... Well maybe there were some newbies, not that she cared. She knew how to do it.
She wore a simple white blouse tucked into a brown pencil skirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Of course, she had her standard knife in a sheath strapped to her thigh and a gun inside her army jacket. To go with that, she wore black one-inch heels, not that the inch helped much.
She thought she looked intimidating enough, but naturally... She was wrong.
She put a schematic of a Japanese camp on the table in the room they were using to strategize. As she was beginning, she was already contradicted.
"You sure about that Major?" One of the burlier guys asked, his arms big enough that Katherine couldn't wrap her two hands around the bicep. He crossed his arms as if asserting his dominance. "I don't think that would work." He said his words with an unappealing attitude. She sensed arrogance and pride in the way he stood. She dealt with this type already, but the one like this back home wasn't the one she kicked out first, he was one of those who earned her respect.
But naturally, petulance doesn't disperse immediately.
"Do you have a better idea?" She asked as she patiently out down her pointer.
(A/N: okay at this point I'm making things up, but seriously I mean, not all the missions have a record like a major one, at least (if you're one of those WW2 fanatics, don't kill me) maybe one wasn't recorded? Uh... Yeah... Sorry.)
He paused for a moment and pointed out some points. "Why don't we enter through the east side? Surprise them there, then we divide and find the information we need to win this war."
Katherine stood up straight. "The east side is the one that is the most guarded, always, from the camps I've been to."
He tried to stare her down. "At this point, with all due respect Major, I've been to camps as well." He pointed to himself. "I know what I'm telling you."
She sighed. This was exactly how her troops treated her when she first had a meeting with them. She earned their respect through a lot of rough housing and crotch kicking. She would've preferred to avoid all of that. "How long have you been in the military?" She asked plainly.
He looked uneasy at the sudden change of topic. "Five ma'am."
"You joined when you were what? Eighteen? That makes you twenty-three right now doesn't it?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Well, I wouldn't point out that one, you're two ranks lower than I am Lieutenant, and two you're also younger than me and three, I've been in the military for nearly ten years already. I wouldn't want to point that out because I really don't believe in all that being older makes you wiser crap, but right now I believe that I'm your commanding officer and I believe you should listen to me unless you want to be taken out of this unit. Whether you like it or not, you will listen to me." She snapped and practically got in his face. "Do I make myself clear?"
The man cleared his voice. "Yes ma'am." He squeaked and backed away.
She turned away from him and let a small smirk slip through her normally calm composure. She faced back to her troops and spread her hands on the table in front of her with the map. "As I was saying..." She heard one more snicker from the back and that was all that took for her to draw her knife and throw it at the map with such force that the handle vibrated and the blade sunk halfway through the wood. She acted as if nothing happened and smoothed her pencil skirt. "We enter through there, and if anyone has any objections, I suppose you can say it nicely, or point it out without any arrogance? Is that alright?"
"Yes ma'am." They said collectively.
The rest of meeting went by smoothly, no occasional snickers were heard
-LINE BREAK-
(A/N: DISCLAIMER: McArthur is not the McArthur like the: I shall return McArthur. McArthur is like a common name, also none of this is real. Historical fiction-Newsies fanfiction. Any names that are used here that bear any similarity to any historical figure is purely coincidental. Don't own the characters... Drew inspiration from somewhere... Mostly it's mine. Yeah.)
Meanwhile, Jack and Davey were having quite possibly the best time of their lives.
They were training with the world's finest pilots. Some were as reckless as Jack while others were so much more responsible, like Davey.
They would take flight at 0800 almost everyday (except Sunday), and they would do some air drills. Calling out numbers and shots as they glided over the Harbor and skimmed the water with the bottom of their planes.
Sure it was a serious job, knowing that they were in charge of the lives of so many individuals, but they lived for it. The thrill, the adventure, and most of all... service.
For Jack, he joined the Army partly because he wanted to serve the people who can't protect themselves- like he couldn't protect himself while he was a newbie at the orphanage. He was bullied for a while until he learned the ropes and used his natural charisma and toughness to defend himself.
A week into training, Jack learned things he didn't even know were possible in air, like strategies and maneuvers and what not. McArthur and his men, (superior to the trainees) thought them an insurmountable amount of information they was useful for the field. At this point, Jack could believe he could confidently do his job.
Then there was Davey. Jack didn't like the way his wingman wouldn't get enough sleep. He would watch as the dark circles around his eyes get even darker and his eye bags getting larger. I mean, Jack wasn't in the best shape in terms of sleeping either- but Davey should be. Jack knew why his wingman couldn't sleep though, he was thinking of his family back at home, especially Les. Jack wanted to tell him that everything was going to be alright and he'll come back home in one piece and be with his family.
But he couldn't.
This was war, and nothing is he could do about it.
Jack couldn't relate though to Davey, he didn't have a family to go back to. He usually reassured himself that having no family means it is less of a hassle to be alive... But when he saw Davey's family, his heart ached. He wanted something like that in the future, maybe after the war.
Jack was also planning that first date. He knew already how to invite her and where to take her (from asking some of his teammates), he just needed a date. Like the person, Katherine. He knew he was due for a mission soon, and she was probably due for it as well. It was better he'd ask sooner than later.
Saturday, after the rigorous training up to 7 in the evening, he gathered up the courage to ask her out. While everyone was preparing for bed, or for some late night assignment, he pulled some strings just to have this time slot to ask her out.
He checked out her schedule (stalked her a bit) and he knows that she goes back to her barracks at around 8 in the evening. Sometimes she doesn't come back, but hopefully this was one of the days that she comes back in time.
He first went to his wingman.
"It ain't that I need ya when I'm gonna ask Katherine out but I'm asking ya, do I look alright?" Jack asked Davey as he looked in the mirror in the place they were staying in. He was wearing the formal Air Force uniform, complete with the cap and everything. He smoothed out all the wrinkles in his outfit and straightened the pins on the jacket.
"For the last damn time Jack you look fine." Davey said and sighed. "This is the fifth time you asked me already."
"Yeah but we was just in training and ya see I don't know if I look presentable-"
"You took a shower twice, brushed your hair three times over, shined your shoes two times and did everything else twice, I'm sure you look presentable." Davey sighed once more. "If you're not going to go to her, I am going push you out the door."
One of the flyboys hollered, "If you ain't gonna ask your hot date, I'm sure gonna ask her!"
"Alright alright!" Jack did a final check on his outfit and smirked at himself in the mirror. "She can't say no to this face right?"
"She can." Davey touched the tape still on Jack's nose. "Like how she punched you." He pressed a little harder.
Jack punched Davey in the arm as a response.
"Ow." Davey complained and he rubbed his arm.
"Look, if anyone asks I'm running an errand for McArthur." Jack said to Davey, but made his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
"And what if McArthur asks?" Davey crossed his arms.
"Running an errand for Major Plumber."
"For real?"
Jack shrugged. "Met her back at home, said she had a task for me, so I'm doing it."
Davey rolled his eyes. "Alright then." He put his hands on Jack's shoulders and pushed him towards the door. "Now go."
Jack shrugged off Davey's hands and opened the door. "Wish me luck." He muttered.
He left the barracks. Outside, he picked up the flowers he left out, hidden with some grass, just so no one asks where the Newsboy is going.
He walked briskly towards the place where the trainers are staying.
Of course he got a bit lost and everything, since he never went to the Army part of the base.
He got so lost to the point he asked directions from some privates, anyone in a lower rank, he avoided the higher rank ones- they might spoil his day.
He finally found his way to the trainers's place and peered into the window.
They were all there... Except for Major Plumber.
He silently cursed himself. Maybe she was just out of his line of vision.
He took a deep breath and walked up the two steps, to the door and knocked. He hid the flowers behind his back.
A few seconds later the door was opened by a man, a little older than him. "What do you need Lieutenant?"
Jack suddenly didn't feel so great. His hands got sweaty and he almost dropped the flowers. "I'm-" he coughed. "Looking for Major Plumber." He replaced his nervousness with his usual confidence. He saluted. "Sir."
The man in front of him studied him from head to toe, no doubt thinking something not to his liking. He seemed to notice the flowers behind his back.
"She isn't here." He said with his hands clasped behind his back. "After training the recruits, she left to make some strategies with her team. She won't be back until later."
Jack's heart fell. He just had to go and jinx it. "Well ah... I'll just... Come back later."
"You could wait for course flyboy." He said, his face devoid of emotion. "But it's going to be a very long wait."
Jack pondered on it for a second. He might as well, if he went back now, everyone will make fun of him when he gets back and he won't ask her out again.
He put on a sincere smile. "Thank you sir. I'll just wait."
The man shrugged. "Suit yourself." He studied Jack again. "You're that lieutenant who's nose broke because of her."
Jack resisted the urge to groan. After a week you think they would get over it. "There's still tape on my nose to prove it sir." He said.
"I can see that." He eyed the lieutenant. "Just. Don't try to kill yourself ha? I heard last time a guy asked her out-"
"I'm not asking her out." Jack interrupted.
The man raised an eyebrow.
"Sir."
"Anyway." He continued. "Last I heard, the guy broke more than a nose. He was knocked out and he woke up with a black eye."
Jack gulped.
"But that's just me. Heard it over lunch. Good luck."
"Uh..."
The man turned around and closed the door.
"Well this is terrible." He muttered to himself and sat on the steps. He put the flowers next to him and grumbled. Now what was he going to do for the time being?
He spent around twenty minutes staring out into the camp, watching some late night joggers and trainees and some people running actual errands.
He sighed. Realizing that this was going to take a while.
He felt his pockets for anything to keep him entertained. He checked his inside pocket as well. He found his black leather notebook and a pencil.
He sighed again, realizing there was nothing else to do. He opened the notebook and started drawing.
Jack never actually had any official training in the arts, he just knew how to do it. He started when he was younger, in the orphanage. It was one of the reasons why he was bullied.
He hid his talent for several years, he would sketch at night, the only light coming from the open window. He would sketch when no one was looking.
He would actually use anything as his canvas, tissue, paper, even his skin as a place to make his artworks. He could use ball pens, pencils, paint, anything he could get his hands on.
He only got his first notebook when he was in the army- when Davey caught him sketching in a tissue from the latrine.
Davey told him that he was an artist. He tried to hide his drawings and everything, but Davey kept finding them and telling Jack that he shouldn't hide it. He could've gotten a different job if he just submitted his drawings somewhere.
Jack didn't want to, he didn't like getting paid for something he just can do- he didn't brag about it.
Davey decided that he wasn't going to let that slide.
On a Sunday, while Jack was just relaxing in his bunk, a package landed on his stomach.
Davey threw it up there. Jack got annoyed of course, until he unwrapped it. It was a red notebook, with nice paper and everything. Davey also got him pens and pencils.
He said that Davey shouldn't have, Davey insisted though. He was his friend after all. He also didn't like seeing him getting the tissue from the bathroom just to draw.
"It's disgusting." Davey said and wrinkled his nose. "Just art on that notebook okay? I'll get you a new one once you finish that."
"Davey you don't have to." Jack said from his bunk. "Ya really don't."
"Consider it a favor." Davey said. He turned away. "Oh." He
stopped. "And Happy Birthday Kelly."
Jack finished that notebook in a month or two, then Davey got another one for him, much to his protests.
The black one is his fifth one. It was small enough to fit in his pockets, but not too small that he can't draw anything in it.
He was drawing some structures and et cetera for a while until he started sketching something else.
He didn't actually know what he was drawing, but it wasn't an army base or a plant. That's what he was sure off.
It started off as a few lines until it became something concrete. Jack smiled to himself as he continued his sketch. He couldn't help it.
It was simply one of the best he's done. He would sketch the subject in different ways, different poses and others.
He kept sketching even as his eyes grew heavy. He tried to fight off the drowsiness, saying that he stayed awake longer than this. He nodded once, then twice... He hit himself several times and tried to pinch himself... But it was of no use.
He nodded one more time and then he drifted off.
-LINE BREAK-
"You understand that?" Katherine asked the soldiers in front of her as she crossed we arms, staring them down. "This is happening this time next week. The strategies are done today so that starting Monday, we do some practice runs. "Tomorrow," she lightened her gaze a bit. "It's day off. Relax for a bit. I'll see you again on Monday. Same time. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am." They said in unison.
"Dismissed."
The soldiers left the place where they were strategizing in, leaving Katherine to fix up the maps she laid out.
She was happy with what they had been able to accomplish for the past week. They've gotten farther that what she initially predicted. She's received ideas from the people she's been with and they're great ideas, well most of them anyway.
She's only been in Pearl Harbor for a week, but it's starting to feel like home.
She finished up and kept the last of the papers on the table. She knew how messy these things could get.
She checked her watch and sighed. It was well past 1AM already, maybe almost 2. She rubbed her tired face and started to walk back to her barracks.
She walked out and saw how full of life the place still was, some were still strategizing, some were preparing for mission while some were just hanging around or staying up.
Around five minutes later she arrived at the barracks and she was greeted by a sight she wasn't expecting to see. She approached slowly and quietly, her footsteps barely making a sound.
Lieutenant Jack Kelly was slumped against the rail bar, asleep. His hat was askew and his mouth was open with some drool trickling out the side.
Katherine resisted the urge to laugh, despite how silly it looked. She did notice though that he looked kind of peaceful.
She noticed the flowers beside him and cocked her head to the side. "Hm." She muttered to herself. "Must've gathered his courage this time." She also noticed the pencil and notebook on the floor, long forgotten.
She picked them up. She went through the notebook and was impressed. The drawings were so realistic, the bases, the planes, the people... They were so amazing. She went to the last page with a drawing, the notebook was nearly finished and she gasped in surprise.
It was a drawing of... Of her. Drawings actually. She was so amazed. They were accurate. There were some of her in different poses, the day she met him, the day she punched him...
The biggest one was on one entire page. She looked at it for a while, he did it without a reference... It was her when she was training the soldiers her face was serious but she still had a small smile on her face.
She smiled to herself. The lieutenant was so full of talents. He even drew a picture of her. She blushed to herself. She was kind of flattered, no one ever put that much effort into something that was linked to her.
There were words at the bottom of the drawing and she read them softly:
Love at first sight is for suckers... At least it used to be.
She stared at him for a while, she was flattered, and it took a lot to flatter her.
She then realized how long he must have been there to sketch some drawings and to fall asleep.
It was already 2AM, how long had he been there?
She felt a pang of guilt. He'd been waiting for her. She wondered how mean or how would he react if she woke him up. She glanced at the windows. Her trainers inside were probably asleep.
She went up to him and decided to wake him up. She smirked at the drool trickling out of his mouth. She tapped him lightly. "Jack."
"Davey no. Five more minutes." Jack grumbled and snuggled up to the rail.
Katherine resisted the urge to laugh. "Jack." She said louder and shook him. "Wake up."
Jack didn't stir.
"Lieutenant Jack Kelly. Get up this instant!" She said in her best drill sergeant voice.
Jack bolted up and Katherine barely had enough time to get out of the way.
"Sorry Sir!" He stood up straight and saluted, but he accidentally hit his nose with his hand. "Goddammit!" He exclaimed as he held his nose. "Ow."
Katherine's eyes widened in surprise.
Jack blinked out the pain and looked up. "God."
After a while of blinking back tears he looked around, remembering where he was and his gaze landed on Katherine. He lowered his hand from his nose. "I mean Ma'am." He yawned, wiped off the drool with his sleeve and stretched. He checked his watch. "Boy, you sure stay up late. 2AM. Wow."
Katherine covered her mouth as she yawned as well. "Duty calls Lieutenant. I bet you sleep late too."
He smirked. "'Course I do."
She paused. "Your nose healing up alright?"
Jack shrugged. "Nothing I can't handle. Hurts sometimes but, it's bearable as long as I don't hit it."
"Good." She closed the notebook she was holding and gave it to him along with the pencil. "Found this on the floor." She handed it to him. "You've got real talent Kelly."
"Oh." Jack blushed and took the notebook. "Thank you."
"You're an artist! You could be working for the paper, or maybe the comics if you submitted your work."
"Ah, but no thanks. I don't like the feeling of being cooped up in some place you know? And besides, it ain't a profession ma'am, it's a hobby." Jack flipped through the notebook.
"But you're really good."
He smiled at her for a bit. "Thanks." He stopped flipping at the drawing of her and his cheeks colored just a bit. "You saw this?"
"Yeah." She looked down at her feet. "Not bad. Incredible actually."
He stared at it for a while. "I was planning to give it to you..." He muttered softly then looked down at his flowers. His eyes widened. "Right."
He tore out the drawing and picked up the flowers.
"I was meaning to ask you at around 7..."
"You've been here since 7 o'clock?"
Jack chuckled lightly. "Yeah. It's been about," he rubbed his face with his free hand, "Seven hours?"
Katherine was taken aback. "You should've asked where I was. You should've not waited for me."
Jack shrugged. "Nah it's fine. I was knocked out for three of those hours anyway. I've slept in worse places also. Bet you have too."
Katherine softened. "But still. You shouldn't have."
He fixed his hair and his hat. He straightened out his uniform. "Well." He handed her the flowers and the drawing. "Thought you'd be impressed by my perseverance."
Katherine took them from him. "Thank you." She said. "And yes, I am impressed."
"Anyway, since we're both kind of busy and I heard you're gonna have a mission soon, I thought I might just ask you out now." He scratched the back of his neck. "So ah, it's a day off tomorrow and I think ya need some time off as well." He put his hands in his pockets.
"What are you asking?" She asked even if she knew what he was going to ask.
"Do you want to go out with me tomorrow?"
"Out?"
"Well I'm not the dinner only type of guy, or like a lunch only type of guy. I was thinking more of the whole day you would be with me. So it won't be boring. It would be just like going around."
"So you're asking me on a date."
"And an opportunity to go around this beautiful place." He smirked. "Whaddya say? And I ain't takin no for an answer."
Katherine pursed her lips. She thought about the stuff she'd be missing if she went out tomorrow. Then she realized, even General Andrews wants her to relax, her trainers want her to relax, she'd been working day and night, reporting... Maybe it was time to relax a bit.
And besides, she did say yes when he yelled it to her at the airport.
"Sure." She calmly. "Tomorrow."
Jack smiled. "Meet you at the gates? 10AM?"
"It's a date." She said and walked up to him.
"Wow." Jack looked down at her. "Didn't expect that quick or a reply."
"Would you rather I say no?"
"No!" He said loudly. He cleared his throat. "I mean, no ma'am."
She gave him a small smile. "Well. If that's the case, I suppose you should let me open the door?"
Jack stepped aside. "Right. Sorry."
Katherine went up the steps, opened the door and took one step inside. "Good night Jack."
"Good night Ace." He winked at her as she closed the door, hiding the slight coloring in her cheeks.
She locked it and turned around. She let out a small sigh and looked down at the flowers and the drawing in her hands.
She tried telling herself that she didn't find his demeanor endearing but... She let out a small sigh again as she thought about him. They've barely known each other for a week but... She had to admit, she kind of liked him. It wasn't that she couldn't hide her feelings, but now she could.
"Flyboy asked you out huh?" She heard a voice ask and she turned to face it. It was dark, but she knew from the bit of light streaming in through the windows that it was Captain Hank. He was lying down on his bed (located near the door) and staring at the ceiling. "I answered the door for him when he got there." He yawned. "Can't believe he waited that long."
Katherine put back her strong facade. "Why are you still awake?"
"I was sleeping. Until you opened the door." He yawned again. "Tend to wake up when that happens."
She cocked her head at him. "Okay then."
He turned his head to her. "Did he ask you though?"
"What is it to you?" Her eyes narrowed. She didn't like him that much anyway. He gave off the wrong vibe to her. Besides, she was holding flowers and a paper, obviously he did ask her out.
"Nothing." He said smoothly. "You don't seem like the type of girl to be asked out."
She didn't know what to think of that.
"But anyway, you said yes didn't you?"
She didn't reply.
He chuckled lowly. "Knew it. He seemed like your type."
She didn't like the way this conversation was going. She hated people talking to her like this.
"Goodnight Captain." She said and walked past his bed and towards her bed. "Go to sleep."
"Hey Major." He said from his bed. "When you go out with him tomorrow-"
"Goodnight Captain." She said firmly and went to bed, putting the flowers at the foot of her bed and the drawing under her pillow. "I'd rather take a rest now rather than talk to you."
"Yes Ma'am." He said. "Goodnight."
She took off her shoes lay down in bed, not even bothering to change or anything. She was kind of tired already.
Besides, she had something to do tomorrow. She closed her eyes and instantly feel asleep with a small smile on her face.
-LINE BREAK-
When Jack was sure that he was far enough from the place Katherine stays he jumped high in the air and shouted.
"SHE SAID YES! HA!" He pumped his fist in the air and shouted some more, not even caring who heard him.
He leaned on a pole and groaned as he swung around it. "Wow. She said yes." He had a huge smile on his face. He laughed. "Yes!"
He practically skipped back to the barracks. He opened the door. and immediately went to Davey. He claimed the bunk and shook Davey awake. "Dave! Dave!"
Davey woke up with a start. "Wha?" He rubbed his face. "Do you know what time it is?"
"It's almost 3AM." Jack said with a smile.
"Wait. You just got back now?"
"Yeah. But anyway. She said yes Davey!"
Davey took a minute to process what he was saying. "That's great." He said and yawned. "That's great..." He dropped back down on his pillow. "Good for you Kelly."
"Hey so I'm going out tomorrow! Sunday!"
"Mhm." Davey turned away from him and closed his eyes. "Go to sleep Jack. You need it."
"I'm too ready for tomorrow to sleep."
"You mean today Jack." Davey yawned. "Go to sleep."
"Fine." Jack huffed and changed into the comfortable pants and kept on the white shirt under his uniform. He hit the hay and smiled to himself. He imagined that the next day was going to be great.
He fell asleep with a smile on his face.
-LINE BREAK-
A/N: So that's it! Chapter 7 is finished! (Rock on!) so anyway guys Chapter 8 is coming (hahaha haven't even started it. I just do things ahaha) but anyway.
Yay it's semester break for me in the PH whoot!
Yay.
Wow. Had function (like you gotta serve ppl- served 21 people) after Math exam (amazing) supposed to go home at 12:30, but left school at 5 wow because of cooking. Paella was not burned but it smelled burnt bc of the aromatics I put LOL? But anyway ahaha working on Chapter 8.
Please review and favorite ya'll are amazing.
And to that person who wanted this chapter, not mentioning any names, here it is.
See ya'll soon.
