It didn't take long for the rest of the company to learn of mine and Tim's relationship. It led to some pretty inappropriate comments directed at me, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. Frankly, it was nice that we didn't have to hide anything. We could hold hands or kiss if we wanted. Not that we did that very much, but it felt good to be able to be honest.
The next day, we were stopped in a field. Tim and I lay on the hood of the Humvee. Everyone was relaxed until the guys saw a female Marine on the back of a truck. Then all hell broke loose as they whistled and shouted and made vulgar gestures at her. I was impressed by her ability to ignore them. I rested my head on Tim's chest when he scoffed at the guys. Jacks started using his mask to demonstrate. I had to look away.
"Too much?" asked Tim.
I nodded. Then Jacks began walking over to the truck, only to be stopped by Sixta, who chewed Jacks out for the behavior. The guys all started laughing at their comrade's misfortune. I smiled. Then Sixta made eye contact with me and I froze. While Bravo knew about me and Tim, my father and battalion did not. And here I was, cuddling with him on top of the Humvee. Sixta approached slowly, and it felt as if all eyes were on us.
"Don't be scared," Tim whispered to me.
"Too late," I whimpered.
"What in the fuck is this?" Sixta demanded, his accent thick as usual. "The corpsman fraternizing with Godfather's child?!"
"I don't think it counts as fraternizing, sir," I said. "Since I'm not a Marine or an enemy."
He glared at me, and I shrunk a little. "We can't afford to have our medical support distracted, young lady!" He continued yelling, but I honestly lost him. In most conversations with Sixta, it reached a point where we just could not understand.
"Sir," Tim finally said. "Why don't we just go and explain all of this to Godfather? We don't have a problem owning up to this."
Sixta agreed, and we followed him toward battalion. As we left, the rest of the guys acted like we were the kids getting sent to the principal's office. Tim ignored them, and I tried not to laugh. I wondered if Tim was nervous. I wouldn't be in any trouble, but he very well could be. I didn't know how my dad would take this, even though I had once assured Tim that he would approve. I knew that my dad liked Tim, but this was still hardly the time or the place for a relationship.
Sixta approached my dad. Now I actually felt like the kid who had been taken to the principal's office, and Sixta was the disgruntled substitute teacher or something. I looked at Tim, but was getting nothing from him. He just stood there, the same as ever, his expression neutral as Sixta explained what he had seen. My dad sighed and looked at me.
"Is this true?" he asked. His expression told me that he knew it was but he hadn't wanted to find out.
"Yeah," I answered with a nod.
Then he looked at Tim, who also nodded.
"So, you two are in a relationship?" he asked.
I didn't know what to say. Perhaps putting a label on it was too much for Tim. I didn't care what we called this thing we had, I just didn't want it to end. But I certainly didn't want him to feel pressured to define it now, or feel like he had to define it in a way that would just please my dad.
"I don't think –" I began, but Tim cut across me.
"Yes, sir," he said. "I would say we are in a relationship."
Stunned as I was, I was also pleased. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.
"This does present a bit of a problem," my dad said, and my smile disappeared. "I can't have any of my men compromised, but the corpsman is especially important."
"Daddy, I –" I protested, but he held up a hand to stop me.
"That being said," he continued. "I trust my daughter, and Doc Bryan enough to know that the mission comes first. If either of you feel like you cannot maintain that, then I will not hesitate to separate you. Understand?"
Tim and I both nodded.
"Good," he said. "You're dismissed."
We turned and left, and Tim took my hand.

Doc POV
When we were alone, I faced her. "We got lucky."
"Yeah, we did," she sighed. "I was worried there for a second."
After a brief pause, she locked eyes with me. "Did you mean what you said?" she asked. "I don't want you to feel pressured into something just because you had to appease your CO. We don't have to put a label on this."
"Holly, I meant it," I assured her. "We like each other, we sleep together, so we're a couple. Let's keep it simple."
"Okay," she agreed, a smile spreading across her lips. "I'm glad to hear that."
I placed a kiss on her forehead before heading back to the Humvee.
Later, Holly returned to battalion to have a meal with her dad before we split off from them again. I helped the guys finish setting up the camo net and everything for the night.
"You know, Doc, you and Holly have won me one hundred dollars," Baptista said. "That many people were wrong about you two."
I rolled my eyes. "Okay, so what?"
"Obrigado, meu amigo," he said simply, and clapped me on the arm.
I looked at Lovell and Holsey. "How much did you two make?"
"I didn't bet," Lovell said.
"Me neither," said Holsey, shaking his head.
"I appreciate that," I told them, shooting a glare at Baptista, who only laughed.
"So where is the princess?" he questioned, looking around.
"With her dad," I answered. "Since we're gonna separate for a bit, she's spending time with him."
"So, did Godfather lose his shit about you bangin' his daughter?" asked Holsey.
I shook my head. "No, actually. He said he trusts us to keep the mission first. I don't see what he could do, honestly. No one else has room in their Humvee."
"Lieutenant Fick has plenty of room in the back of his Humvee," Holsey said.
"Rudy does too now that Pappy's evacuated," Lovell pointed out.
"No fuckin' way I'd let Holly near Manimal for any extended period of time," I replied sternly. "I wouldn't give a shit what Godfather said at that point."
They laughed, but I wasn't joking. I knew these guys. A lot of them thought like Manimal, they just weren't as vocal about it, and that was clear from the incident earlier with the WM. I was particularly protective now that she and I had established our relationship. The guys in my Humvee were different. I trusted them with my life and Holly's, and I knew that Baptista was really harmless, even if he was attracted to Holly.
"Are you sure it isn't Rudy you'd be worried about?" Lovell joked. "I mean, even most of us want to sleep with him. I can't imagine how Holly feels."
"That is a good point," Baptista agreed. "Rudy is the most attractive man I have ever met in real life. If anyone could steal your girl, it would be him."
"I'm not at all worried about Rudy," I said. "He's married, and Holly has no desire for anyone else."
"You can't be that good, Doc," said Holsey. "No one is that good."
"Oh, yeah?" I challenged. "Look at Holly's lip when she gets back."
"Her lip?" he questioned.
I nodded. "Yeah. Just look at it. Her bottom lip."
They didn't seem convinced, but when Holly returned later, my point was proven. Baptista immediately went over to her, grabbed her face, and stared at her lip.
"Uh, can I help you?" she asked, looking concerned.
"There is a scab," Baptista observed, then released her and rounded on me. "But that could have been you."
"Ask her," I urged.
He turned back to her. "What happened to your lip?"
"Oh, that," she said, brushing her fingers across it. "Yeah, I did that last night because Tim was…" she trailed off and went pink. Then she cleared her throat. "We shouldn't talk about such things."
Baptista practically screamed. "Doc! Você é o cara!O mestre de fazer amor! Eu não posso acreditar!"
He continued shouting in Portuguese, but I walked over to Holly, pulled her under my arm and offered my customary forehead kiss. She smiled and leaned into me.
"What did you tell them?" she wondered.
"The reason you'd never pick Rudy over me," I explained.
She giggled. "So, you think I'm just using you for sex?"
I smirked and kissed her again. I liked having her right here in my arms. It's where I knew I could protect her. It was a safe place, for me and for her.

Holly POV
The next day, we set up a roadblock. There was a large group of Iraqis coming and Meesh informed Nate that they were from Baghdad. Brad marveled that they had walked over one hundred miles to get here from the city. The Marines began allowing people through in groups of thirty-five to forty, and it felt like I was watching an entirely new group of men. The guys were helping women carry their bags, holding babies, letting kids ride in the Humvees. Tim was helping those who were sick, which was many. I was doing what I could to help, but I heard him say that a fourth of the babies wouldn't make it. It broke my heart. When my headscarf was tossed back by the wind, I heard a woman close to me gasp.
"What is it?" I asked her. "Are you okay?"
Her eyes were wide, but she carefully pulled back her hijab to reveal a scar on the left side of her face that was identical to my own. My mouth dropped. She was one of his. But then, why was she coming from Baghdad? I quickly had her replace her hijab.
"What is going on?" I asked. "Are you really coming from Baghdad?"
She nodded. "He's there, in the city. He lost everything he owned gambling, and he released the rest of us. The only one he still has is his wife. He is trying to find work in the city because she is going to have her baby very soon."
"No way!" I gasped.
"Are you going to Baghdad?" she asked.
"I think that is the plan," I told her.
"Don't!" she shouted. "If he finds you, you could be in danger!"
I put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I am not afraid. If he has truly lost everything as you say, then he cannot own me again. Also, I have the best escort in the world." I motioned to the men around me.
She attempted a smile, but I could tell she was still worried. "Please," she said. "Do not go to Baghdad. It is not safe there. That is why we are leaving."
"I am going wherever he goes," I told her, and pointed to Tim.
"Your husband?" she wondered.
I shook my head. "No, but I do love him."
This time she genuinely smiled. "Good luck," she said. "And God be with you."
"You as well," I returned. "Sister."
She gave my hand a squeeze before continuing her walk. I watched her go, and then turned to see if anyone else needed help. Brad was holding a baby and looking very uncomfortable. It took a lot not to laugh as I walked over to relieve him. He sighed as he placed the little boy in my arms.
"The great Iceman gets nervous because of a little baby?" I teased.
Brad just glared at me. I laughed, then turned my attention to the baby.
"How are you, handsome?" I cooed. He smiled. It had been a while since I held a baby. It was nice to be reminded of the innocence of the world. This child had no idea that there was a war, much less that we were on opposing sides. He just grinned his toothless little smile. It was a ray of sunshine in a tiny face.
"Hey, Holly, can I get a picture of you with him?" Evan asked.
"Taking your own pictures now, huh, Evan?" I joked, before turning to the mother and asking her permission. She allowed it.
Evan got a beautiful shot of me kissing the baby on the cheek while he laughed. In my opinion, nothing sounded as pure and sweet as the laughter of children.
"What is it with women and babies?" asked Ray.
"What do you mean?" I wondered.
"Women are obsessed with babies," he continued. "They see a baby and start screaming and shit. And they just have to hold it!"
"I neither screamed nor demanded to hold him," I said as I handed the boy back to his mother. "And there are plenty of women who don't like babies at all."
"I've never met one," Ray argued.
"My best friend hates babies and children," I told him. "She's not a very patient person with anyone though, even adults."
"See, you could be making that shit up," he continued. "Do you even have a best friend?"
I rolled my eyes and said nothing.
Ray smirked. "Now I see why Doc likes you."
I laughed. "Tim is a professional eye roller. I can't compete with him."
Ray chuckled. "Who can?"
I smiled and then Tim called for me. I immediately went over to help him.