Hello again guys! Like to start by thanking everyone for continuing to read. Also thanks to my anon reviewer, MidnightWolf0 and Sockmonkey Jr. plus everyone who has previously reviewed. Massive thanks to Guevara too!

This chapter is my promised introduction to Dempsey, I'll be returning to him a lot more frequently than the others as my brains just gone PING and realised something that will be incredibly fun to write.

This is also for a friend I know is reading, we will be rejoining Tank and the rest of the Marines on Makin Atoll abit later. Hope you like it! :D

The polished wood of the bar shook gently with the bass of the music under my hand. I watched as the liquid in my glass held tiny waves. My brain had all but drowned out the band, I stared into the glass, my mind empty. Yet again I'd been dragged to the bar by my fellow Marines, my interest was not here. Their interests stood with women and drink. Mine however could not. I missed my daughter dearly. Only a month or so ago she had been born. Yet she had instantly changed me in a way I never believed possible, it was like being bound by invisible string.

I lifted the glass to my lips again. It wasn't a brilliant beer. But anything was better than nothing I suppose. As I set the glass down again I was nudged heavily. Some of the liquid spilling onto the bar. Laughter filled my ears from the direction of the shove. I turned to give the perpetrator a glare and noticed it was Miller

"Haha, Sorry Tank mate. What you still doing over here huh?" His language slurring, his movements slow and clumsy, a little beer fell from the bottle he held in his hands.

"Not getting involved" I grunted. I didn't need this shit. Few weeks training and we were off to some god forsaken island in the middle of the ocean to go fight the ever expanding Japanese army. I had only joined to get away from the girl I had now been forced to marry.

"What the hell Tank? Just cause you got a girl pregnant and you gotta marry her don't mean you can't have a good time you know." He pulled a bar stool from behind him and sat down on it, his face growing serious, but his eyes still glazed from his alcohol consumption. "She ain't gonna find out what happens here, I don't think anyone cares, even if they did. Can you see them remembering that after we go off to Makin. They're gonna be more concerned with seeing their own families or remembering the friends they lost."

"I can't do it Miller. For Sophie's sake it ain't fair. You know I don't care about Jenny, it was a one night stand." I ran through my hair with my hands. Now he'd gone and done it, made me question my resolve.

"I'm sure once Sophie is old enough for you to explain she will understand. But it won't come to that" He lifted his bottle and drank the remainder of what he hadn't spilled onto the floor. He ordered two more and a couple glasses of whisky, I followed suit, draining my glass and setting it a side. The bartender returned with the whisky and bottles of beer. Miller slid a bottle and glass in my direction. He raised the glass of whisky to me, I took my own in hand, we touched glasses and emptied them.

"I ain't sure Miller. I don't like breaking promises, And this is one hell of a promise to break." I hung my head slightly, staring at the floor. For a moment as the heat of the Liquor washed through me I got lost in the patterns. It was only when two extra pairs of shoes became visible out of the corner of my vision I looked up again. Two brunettes were now stood next to us. The one was speaking to Miller. She wore a white top and skirt her hair hung loose, one side pinned back behind her ear with a flower. The other had hair that was almost unnaturally straight. Her face almost hidden under a dark curtain of fringe, her delicate features hidden.

I watched as the other woman glanced repeatedly from under her hair at me, quick glances at my torso and arms, then up to my face. When I caught her eye contact she took a second to realise I was also looking at her, then she looked away again, blushing furiously as she shied away from my stare. I spared her any further embarrassment by turning back to the bar from my bottle.

"You coming back to dance Chris?"

"In a minute Emily, trying to get this wuss there too."

I mentally rolled my eyes at him, I felt her stare as she acknowledged me. I felt a tap on my shoulder, I sighed and turned to the woman, Emily. I greeted her with a look to invite her to talk.

"What s your name then soldier?"

"Tank Dempsey"

"Tank? Odd. That like a nickname or something?" From the corner of my eye I saw the other girl had used the opportunity to look at me. I resisted the urge to look at here again as Emily demanded my attention.

"Err, something like that yes."

"Oh" She did sound slightly surprised, as if wondering why I would have such a nickname. I internally chuckled and wondered if she was going to risk asking. As it was she didn't, she seemed to sense that she wasn't getting anywhere with me and turned back to Miller. "Come dance." She said It like an order, had the feeling I wasn't going to like this girl much.

"Yeah alrite, come on 'Tank' you can keep Rach company." I shot him a look at the emphasis on my name, I gave him a glare and he almost started laughing. Again the girl caught my attention, her face a picture of horror, fixed on the back of Millers head. I was taken aback slightly, unsure if it was horror at his suggestive matchmaking or at the thought of having to speak to me. Surely I wasn't that bad. Miller jumped from the stool, making a show of flexing his arms. He took his bottle from the bar with one hand and put the other round Emily's waist, he begun to lead her away. Leaving an awkward silence between myself and Rachel. I looked around desperately to find something worth conversation. I noticed her glass was almost empty.

"What you drinking?" I enquired. She jumped at my question. Poor girl was a bag of nerves. She took a tentative step forward, setting her glass on the bar, that answered my question. I caught the bartender's attention and waved him over. I gestured to her nearly empty glass.

"White please, not the cheap shit either. Decent stuff." He went off to get her a drink, I turned my attention back to the woman to my side. She looked up, her dark eyes capturing me for a moment.

"Thanks, erm.. Tank was it?" I took a moment to reply, taking in the deep blue dress she wore, that hugged her tiny figure.

"Yeah" I wasn't doing a good job of keeping this forced conversation going. The tender returned, I stuck a couple of bills in his hand, and handed her the glass. She smiled at me as she took it from me, our fingertips brushing. I looked back at those chocolate brown eyes, lost in their beauty. I pulled myself up from my stool. She came barely to my shoulders, she was tiny in every way. I watched those eyes disengage from the gaze and travel down y torso. I couldn't help myself, I tensed my muscles slightly, their edges defining under the tight tank top, I watched her eyes widen slightly, glistening with an intensified depth, her eyes travelled back up to mine. I felt somewhat overwhelmed by her, for someone so small she held a powerful presence. I put my arms around her and led her to the dance floor.

*Two hours later*

The cooler nights air hit my skin, relief from the intense heat inside the bar, a bead of sweat itched my temple. I wiped it away,I turned to see if Rachel had followed me but I swung around slightly too fast, my unsteadiness from my drunken brain almost made me fall, I gripped a nearby bench for support, I sat down upon it. I heard her laughter behind me, I turned catching her arm, pulling her down beside me, putting my arm around and holding her close. We sat in silence, watching the stars above, twinkling and sparkling, billions of miles away. The moon hung in a thin sliver.

"When are you leaving Tank?" She sighed, nestling into my chest, her hands tracing the outline of my abs gently, it was almost tickling but was so pleasant too.

"Couple weeks yet, don't think even the Sarge knows" I revelled in the continuing sensations running up and down my stomach. Without even thinking I found myself pulling her up, seeking out her soft lips, for once she didn't hesitate I felt her delicate fingers run up the back of my neck and into my hair. Her lips urgent against my own. After a few moments I realised what I was doing and broke away, my head spinning, lungs urgent for air.

"I'm so sorry" I said, I went to turn away from her, but she grabbed my shoulder and gently pulled me back.

"Don't be." She leant in for another kiss. Oh to hell with it, I kissed her back, Hands wandering down her neck, to her chest, touching the small mounds upon her chest, her own continuing to search my own. Gliding slowly further down.

"So tell me.." I was taken by surprise by her sudden outburst, I pulled away slightly and looked at her wondering what on earth she was interrupting for. "Why DO they call you 'Tank' Sergeant Dempsey?"

My face lit up with boyish grin, I stood, taking her hand, leading her away around the side of the building to show her EXACTLY why they called me Tank.