Disclaimer: I don't own Suzaku.
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Dawn seemed to come far too soon for everyone as the sun began to rise and everyone began walking again.
Suzaku yawned as they continued towards their destination, but then he jumped a little when he felt something. He looked down and smiled when he saw Krissy holding his hand.
They walked for what seemed like hours before they finally came to another empty little town that was now occupied by American soldiers.
"I feel better now." Jake sighed as they walked around among other units.
"I do feel safer here." Suzaku agreed.
"How did they get here before us?" Torrins asked curiously, "Even the quartermasters are here."
"Good, that means we can get some supplies." said Barnaby.
While the others wandered a bit, Suzaku, Torrins and Krissy stuck with Jake as they went to see if they could find a uniform that Krissy could wear.
"I don't think we're going to find anything near her size Jake." Suzaku said as they found the men that had the supplies.
"Can I help you Captain?" one of the men asked when they walked up.
"Yes, we need a clean uniform in the smallest size you've got." said Jake.
The man starred, "No offence sir, but I don't think our smallest uniform will fit either of you."
"It's not for us, it's for our little Missy here." he said, gently patting Krissy's head.
"A child? Captain, where did you get a kid?"
"We found her in a ruined town and her and the pup were the only ones left alive, we decided it'd be best if she took her chances with us as opposed to starving to death." Jake explained. "We were going to drop her off in Paris."
"Ah. Well then, why don't you go get her cleaned up while I try and see what I can find. Though it'll take a lot of safety pins before anything fits her."
"Suzaku, why don't you take Krissy to get cleaned up?"
"Jake, it's not like she can shower with the guys." said Suzaku with a raised brow.
"She doesn't have to." said the quartermaster. "Take her to the nurses, they'll clean her up."
"Alright, come on Krissy." said Suzaku.
So Krissy took his hand as they walked off to find the nurse's station with Torrins following behind.
"So, what's happening?" Krissy asked curiously.
"I guess we're going to get you cleaned up, then we're going to get you some clean clothes Krissy." said Torrins.
"Oh. I guess I am dirty." she said, looking at her arms.
"That you are." Suzaku agreed as they found several nurses sitting outside of a large tent eating lunch. "Um, excuse me."
The nurses all looked up at him, somewhat surprised.
"Funny, neither of you look hurt." said one nurse with a small smile.
"Oh we're not." he admitted. "But we were told that you could help get Krissy clean since she can't go into the showers with the guys."
"Oh wow, what a cutie." said one nurse walking over to Krissy. "Hi there sweetheart. Where did you come from?"
"My name is Krystal and Mr. Jake and the other's rescued me and my puppy." she said.
"Ah, so where are you going then?"
"We're going to Paris." she said with a smile.
"Paris? That's an awfully long way for a little one like you to march, and it's dangerous out there."
"I think I will be alright." Krissy said bravely.
"Such a brave child. Well I'm Linda, why don't we go get you cleaned up?"
"Clean sounds nice." the little girl sighed happily.
Linda looked at Suzaku, "Do you think you could get her clothes from the quartermasters and we'll take care of alterations." she told him.
"Yes ma'am." he said with a nod. "Be good for Miss Linda Krissy."
"I promise Suzu."
Suzaku just smiled before dragging Torrins to go find Jake.
"I got a uniform for Krissy." Jake said holding up the folded clothes. "This was the smallest one they had."
"Why the helmet?" Suzaku asked curiously. "And I didn't think that they carried spare helmets."
"I guess some guys lost theirs somehow. I don't know, it's what I was given." Jake shrugged as Suzaku took the clothes.
"Alright, well I'll take it to the nurses then." he said.
"You okay Steve?" Jake asked, catching him by surprise.
"Yeah, why do you ask?"
"You don't look like it." Jake said, watching him closely. "You're smile is gone, even after the invasion you were smiling a little. What's wrong?"
Suzaku took a deep breath. "I don't know." he sighed. "I guess….. I guess I wonder if I'm ever going to make it home to my family. Even if I do survive this war, that doesn't mean I'll be able to make it home."
"We'll figure it out Steve." said Jake, patting his shoulder.
"I sure hope so."
"We will, I promise, but in the mean time, let's go get these clothes to Krissy."
Suzaku finally smiled a little. "Alright." he said, then the two of them walked back to the nurses station.
After giving one nurse the clothes, Suzaku sat outside chatting with Jake and Torrins until Krissy came out, running over and hugging him.
"Tout propre!" she said happily.
"All clean is right Krissy." said Torrins, pulling the girl up into his lap. He chuckled though at the uniform.
Even with alterations it was far too big on her. It was obvious that several feet of fabric had been cut off of the pants and the shirt where they were safety pinned into place. The pants were held up by a belt that wrapped around her enough that the end of it was in the back. The pants were just short enough that she wouldn't trip on them, though you still couldn't see her shoes. The jacket she swam in as the sleeves went far past her finger tips and the helmet continuously slipped over her eyes.
"Well, we did the best we could." said Linda walking up.
"Je ne peux pas voir avec ce casque!" said Krissy, trying to lift the helmet enough to see.
Torrins just laughed at her.
"What'd she say?" Jake asked.
"She said she can't see with the helmet." Torrins explained.
"Ah, well, at least we know your noggin's safe under there little Missy." said Jake with a smile.
"How safe can I be if I can not see where I am going?" she asked.
"She's got a point Jake." said Suzaku with a smile.
"We'll figure something out Krissy. You don't have to wear it for now, keep it on your bag."
"Speaking of your bag, where's Barty?" asked Suzaku curiously, realizing that the ball of golden curls was no where to be found.
Just then they heard barking from the tent as Barty ran out and joined them.
"Barty had a bath too. He does not like baths." Krissy giggled.
"Well he's definitely clean." said Jake picking him up and petting him.
"Well, the children are all clean Captain." said Linda, then she held up the little brown bag. "Here's Krissy's bag."
"Thank you." said Jake as Krissy took her bag.
"You're quite welcome, she was a delight to talk with."
"Merci Mademoiselle Linda." said Krissy.
"Vous êtes les bienvenus." said Linda, surprising Krissy and making her giggle.
After saying good bye to the nurses, the four of them headed off to find the others and get some lunch.
"Well would you look at that, Missy's one of us now." Barnaby said with a chuckle as they sat down.
"Mademoiselle Linda gave me a bath." said Krissy smiling. "Now I am all clean. Barty too."
"It always feels good to be clean, doesn't it?" Torrins asked with a smile.
"Yes it does." said Krissy with a nod.
"Well, we'll stay here for the night, then we'll head out in the morning guys." said Jake.
"Head out to where captain?" Torrins asked.
"We're heading to Paris. It'll take several days to get there, but at least once we take Paris, we can move forward and we can find Krissy a home." Jake explained.
"Too bad one of us can't take her home." said Suzaku honestly.
"I am happy just being with everyone." Krissy admitted with an honest smile. "I like you guys, a lot."
"Well we like you too Missy." said Torrins with a smile.
"This will be an interesting memory for you, won't it?" asked Barnaby with a smile.
"But a good one." she pointed out.
"As strange as it feels to admit it, these will probably be some of the best memories of my life." Suzaku said. "Not like war is a good memory, but being with you guys is."
"It's because we've become a family." said Jake.
At that everyone nodded their agreements.
"I'm starting to hate C rations." Barnaby sighed, poking his dish with a spoon. Then he looked at Krissy who was eating without complaint. "Don't tell me you like this stuff Missy."
"Il n'est pas aussi bonne que la nourriture de ma mère." she said.
"What?"
"She said it's not as good as her mother's food." Suzaku explained.
"But it is food." Krissy admitted. "Better than no food."
"She's got a point Korvitch." said Jake. "And the C rations are better than the K rations. Not much, but a little."
"I guess that's true." Barnaby admitted.
"I will admit though, there's no way on earth I'm ever going to get used to eating the canned ham spread, let alone actually like it." Suzaku said making everyone laugh.
"Agreed." said Jake. "Canned ham is one thing, the spread is another."
Suzaku was surprised when he felt Krissy tug on his jacket.
"Mai j'ai un peu d'eau?" she asked.
"Come again?"
Krissy pointed to his canteen.
"Oh! Of course you can have some water Krissy." he said opening up his canteen and handing it to her.
"Merci Steve." she said gratefully before taking a drink.
"We might have to get her a utility belt." said Jake.
"What's she going to do with half the stuff in a utility belt Jake?" Suzaku asked. "It's not like we need to give a seven year old a knife."
"Well of course not. But she can always keep the extra first aid kit, the canteen, and other small stuff in it and she can carry her own rations in her bag with Barty."
"We might as well give her an assault jacket without the ammo." said Barnaby.
"Those things are a pain in the ass and way too big for her." Torrins protested. "What if she fell into a lake or something? She could drown with the stupid thing."
"Well without the ammo they wouldn't be so heavy." Barnaby pointed out.
Torrins was about to say something, but then he paused. "I guess that's true."
"Well there you go, keep a few essentials for her, like some biscuits for Barty, her water, and she can carry a spare first aid kit. That shouldn't weigh it down too much."
"Can I keep these in it?" Krissy asked, digging in her bag and pulling out several small knives with leather covers over the blades.
Everyone starred at her.
"What are you doing with knives in your bag child?!" Jake asked.
"To protect myself." she said. "They were my daddy's."
Suzaku took one and looked at it in curiosity. "They're like throwing knives. Where did your dad get them Krissy?"
"I do not remember, but I do know how to use them." she said, taking the cover off of one. The threw it at a box and it embedded itself right in the middle of the 'A' that was on it.
"Suddenly I feel that I should be lucky that you threw a rock at me instead of one of those."
Krissy just giggled proudly.
"You're daddy made you a tough girl didn't he?" Barnaby asked with a raised brow. "Because you throw like a guy."
"Yeah, I found that out first hand." muttered Jake making everyone laugh.
After much debate, Jake went back to the quartermasters and brought an assault jacket and a utility belt.
"I thought we decided she didn't need the knife." Suzaku said as Jake emptied out the pouches.
"They told me to take it anyway, anyone loose their knife?" he asked the group.
Everyone shook their heads.
"I promise to be careful with it Mr. Jake." said Krissy.
"But why do you need a bayonet when you've got throwing knives Missy?" Torrins asked.
"Extra protection?" she suggested.
"If you say so, but you're not getting the ammo kid." said Barnaby.
"What would I do with that?" she asked. "I do not have a gun."
"My point exactly, and you don't need explosives either."
Krissy giggled. "Anything sharp I can use, anything that goes boom I can not." she said.
"Good way of putting it Krissy." said Suzaku with a smile as he opened up his chocolate bar, puncturing the wrapping with his screwdriver.
"Why do you carry that thing with you everywhere?" Jake asked.
"Because it comes in handy." Suzaku said. "It has a flat head on one side, a philips on the other, a magnet, and it works on just about anything."
"You're just weird."
"Yeah I know." he admitted.
"Here Krissy, put this on." said Jake, handing the girl the olive drab vest.
Krissy did as she was told.
Then Jake helped her put on the combat belt, improvising so that it fit her.
"There, now you really do look like one of us." Jake chuckled as Krissy searched the pockets.
"Look, biscuits for Barty." she said with a smile, pulling out an extra package of crackers.
"Your friend from the nurse crops was kind enough to save those for him."
Krissy smiled and fed Barty a cracker.
"Alright everyone, let's get some sleep, we're heading out early tomorrow." said Jake.
After grumbles and protest everyone went into one of the buildings for shelter where they dozed off for the night.
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Ginger: okay, I'm back finally, the updates will still come somewhat slow for now. But as I said, the more reviews I get the more I'll update, the faster too, so thanks for reading and please leave a review.