The moment between sleep and awareness had always bewitched me

IN the Words of Isaboo...An Interlude.

The moment between sleep and awareness had always bewitched me. Some people wake up slowly; blinking once or twice, then wait for a minute or two, as if they needed to be assured of the new day. Others entered the world quickly, a few blinks of the eye and their awake, shrugging with a 'well that's that attitude'. But then there were some, the unlucky few, who would wake in the dark, their eyes jerking open with racing hearts.

I woke to a shrieking woman and mind-blowing pain. Doctors and nurses zipped around the room, calling out loudly to each other. Doc Roe stood in the doorway, frozen in momentary shock, his eyes flicked from the woman to my pale face, twisted in an agonized grimace.

I twisted to look at the woman. She screamed obscenities at a husband who was not there, then cursed the doctors who were already busy with the delivery. A nurse noticed my stare and slid the divider closed, the noise was worse without a picture.

Gene appeared at my side and wrapped his arm around my hips and I flung mine over his shoulder. He pulled me to my feet and dragged me away. As I left that room a thought that passes many a woman's head drifted through my own. I am never having children.

My talk with Gene was an extreme case of Déjà vu. It started off very slowly. He led me into a small operating room that was empty for the moment, the walls were shockingly white. He tossed me up onto the cold stainless table and placed his hands on his hips, he looked over my shoulder at the wall and frowned. He took a deep breath and looked me in my eyes. "I had to cut your hair."

My brow furrowed. I tried to contemplate why it was such a big deal. Oh 1940's of course… "That's ok." I shrugged. "I needed a haircut anyway."

He frowned as he ran his hand through his hair.

My headache came back in a flash and clenched my hand. "Should I be mad?" I groaned.

He shook his head. "You city girls are crazy." He grabbed my hand and smoothed it out gently. "I'll get ya somethin' for that." He dug around in some drawers and pulled out a small bottle, he pulled two pills out and dropped them into my waiting hand, I stuck them in my mouth and took a swig from his canteen.

"Thanks." I murmured. He smiled grimly, all business now that his momentary worry was over.

"You're gotta take it easy. You have a concussion, and some gashes that are still healing over." He reached for me and worked his finger under the knotty bandages that wrapped around my head. Finally loosened they fell around my shoulders and I noticed rusty splotches marring the white cotton. I ran my hands gently over my head grimacing at the places where dried blood clotted my hair together.

"They won't be noticeable." He smiled gently and pulled my hands down. He frowned. "There's something else. People can see you Fey. It's no longer Just Nixon, Buck and I. It's everyone."

"Everyone!" I snarled! "Who saw me like this!"

Eugene was shocked by my out burst. He held his hands before him. "None of the men, a few nurses, a doctor maybe."

"They didn't touch me did they?"

"What? No! No they looked at your wounds. They don't know that you're….a girl."

I sighed and slid off the table. "I'm sick of this place." I grabbed his arm and he led me out.

Over the past few days the temperature dropped, the quite town of Aldbourne had a slight chill in the air, I brushed my hand through my short black hair and sighed as a group of Easy men passed before me. This was going to be a lot harder then I could ever imagine.

Eugene had taken me to shower and brought a fresh uniform from my pack, but I still felt self-conscious even if I did fit in with the crowd. Three months of being invisible to all but three people could do that to a girl. I swung my pack to my shoulder and set off to look for Lt. Winters, a pale envelope clutched in my hand.

Angelo and his love of mysterious envelopes. I snorted with contempt and picked my way down the street.

As I turned the corner I spotted Captain Nixon. "Sir!" I called jogging towards the man. He slowed and turned eyes searching over the crowd. They passed over me, the Captain too use to me being another mans problem.

"Sir." I said again bringing his attention to myself. I saluted and waited. He moved slowly connecting the dots as his hand rose. Then it fell in a quick snap, understanding in his clear dark eyes. "So this is it. You're…"

I brushed over him quietly. "I'm no longer my own problem. I'm the army's problem. Just like everyone else."

He grinned bitterly. "Well I'm glad I don't have you in my squad."

I rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't worry about that. If you don't want to get technical, I went through basic just liked everyone else Captain. All your doubt is enough to make a girl crazy." I smiled at him good-naturedly. "So Captain, Where's Dick Winters?"

Author note: I hate this chapter. Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate! LOATHE ENTIRELY! It is pointless and boring, and just NO Cool kool Aid man! So yes, Please don't leave me. I promise the next one will be better, something will actually happen. I just wanted to get this mind scar out of the way. APOLOGIES! (Bows to the almighty readers)