"Captain Matthews, good to see you, sir." I walked into one of the makeshift offices that they got together in town to see Captain Matthews looking over some of the files there on his desk. It felt like I haven't seen him in years, which could be actual truth, but it was nice to see a friendly face none the less. I got word that he was in town and he wanted to talk to me about the possibility of going over to Japan with Black Mamba, which had me order O'Neal to take the rest of the girls out on a run and then from combat training.

I saluted Matthews as soon as I entered the room, watching him return the gesture.

"Good to see you, Captain," He replied to me, "Come have a seat, we have plenty to discuss. How's Black Mamba?"

"They're doing fine sir," I answered truthfully, "Stay in shape for Japan if it is needed."

"Good to hear," He replied as I sank into one of the chairs in front of his desk. He sat down as well, having me see some new lines under his eyes and around his face. He must have aged on his own all of these years.

"Since you took over Black Mamba as acting Captain, I've been getting exceptional reports from the other companies, including Easy company." He explained, folding his hands in front of him, "Makes me proud to know that we have an active and effective Special operations unit that is setting the bar very high in this war."

"I'm glad to know that we are doing our part, sir," I commented to him, but I could tell by the look on his face and in how he was sitting in the chair that something else was troubling him. That, or he was about to tell me something that was not going to be pretty or good in general.

"Since I brought up the idea of having an all-female company, let alone starting the first all-female Special Operations unit in US army history, there as been talk among those in the higher ranks of keeping the program on future use, making it permanent. I personally want this program to have a permanent stay within the army regiment, I think it would do some good for the future wars that America could be in, God Forbid. But unfortunately, it is no up to me, and I don't have the last and final say," Matthews explained, staring at me right in the eyes.

I knew this kind of thing was going to happen, the knowledge that we could not be going farther along the line of duty for the sake of the army. We were the odd ones out since it was taboo to have one unit be made all of the females, let alone a unit that was Special Operations. We were lucky enough to be given the green light to jump in with the other in Normandy, and it was way more of a miracle that we weren't pulled out sooner than now. We got lucky, and now it seemed that out luck was finally out for good.

"So we're not heading out to Japan I take it, sir?" I asked, my voice being civil and leveled. Whatever the outcome was going to be for Black Mamba, for myself, I had to face it and not see it as punishment or some kind of payback. We went into this war by chance, and we were going to go out by chance.

"After Austria, you and Black Mamba will be sent home."


"Wow," I watched as each one of the girls were drinking in the news of what I was told, and since Matthews asked me to give the news to them, he reassured me that he would talk to the other Captains there in Austria, along with Colonel Sink, and let them know of the decision. I was glad that I didn't have to say it over and over again. A part of me was relieved that we weren't going over to Japan, that the girls have had enough to go through since we were on plenty of dangerous missions and we lost our own Captain.

But then again, who was I to complain? The men had it worse.

We only lost one, they've lost far too many for them to bear. Throughout the times they thought they too were going to be lost in the throws of war, and seeing others bleed out in front of them. They had to press one, fighting for victory, even with the cost of lives and even their minds.

Worse of it all was Eugene, how he saw far too much blood for one person one see in one lifetime. He tried to save so many, and though he did, he didn't save them all. What kind of burden was left on his heart since he was the medic? How could I complain about something that I knew would be temporary when I knew Eugene, along with the others, were going to be suffering that could end up torturing them for the rest of their lives?

"I know," I reassured them all as we were sitting in a circle outside one of the hotels. I decided to let them down with the news easy since it would be a bit of a shock for them to digest. It was a cooler afternoon, a bit after I talked to Matthews and got some beers for the girls to have since it would take the edge off.

"I didn't see that one coming," Straton said with a sigh as she held her own beer, I saw a fight breeze comb through her hair now as I was looking at each one of them, seeing the mix looks on their faces. I was waiting for someone to explode there from the news, but no one was doing that just yet.

"I kind of did…but I thought it would be sooner than this," O'Neal admitted to me with a shrug of her shoulders. Harper said nothing, just took a long drag from her beer and I breathed out slowly through my nose.

"How long does that give us here?" Dunkle asked in curiosity.

"A few days until they get shipped out to Japan," I answered her, "Matthews will make sure we get back to the states."

"How reassuring," Harper grumbled a bit now, having the others chuckled a bit, "Well, at least they're sending us out on a good note."

"I like it this way," O'Neal said out of the blue now, all of them looking at her now since it was a bit of a shock to hear it from the second in command. She seemed calm about it, not in a rush of panic like I thought she would. Even I raised an eyebrow at her now from the thought of her being cool with it.

"Really?" I asked her, seeing her give me a small smile.

"Look how far we came," She stated, "Where we came from training together and that we all stayed alive this long and we didn't loose ourselves. Not that I'm saying we were meant to disaster from the moment we started this whole thing, but sure enough we did. I feel like we did more hen they thought we would."

Another wave of silence came through with the group, all of then drinking in what she said to the group of us, in which sounded a little more relieving than anything. There was no more feeling that we were defeated, but a feeling of pride and accomplishment from what we have done within the past year with the war. The plenty of missions, the countless cities that we ran into in order to have a successful mission.

"And to think we they didn't think we could do it," Harper added to O'Neal, her own small smirk on her lips now as she was thinking about it on her own, "Now look at us."

Smiles were seen on all of their faces when Harper had that comment hanging in the air. It felt like it was a normal conversation that was going on with friends. With the perfect weather, the was flowing through the area, it almost seemed like a picture perfect like of a day, since we were now thinking of going home.

"So, how are we gonna tell the others, the ones in Easy?" Straton asked me, bringing up another piece of this complicated puzzle.

"Major Winters is going to break the news to them, he thought it would be better coming from him than from me" I explained, seeing a small grin from Harper now as she was looking over at me. I looked at her now, seeing something within her eyes like she wanted to tell me something, or she knew something that I didn't know.

"Are you going to tell Eugene?" She asked, almost tentative to ask me that in front of the others. It was like she was walking on eggshells since she asked me something that could, in fact, get her in trouble. But how as it that she knew about Eugene, did she know that we had a solid relationship or that we had something more to it?

Did they all know all this time?

"It's okay to say it, Captain. it's the end of the war anyhow," O'Neal almost said in agreement with Harper as I released a shaky breath, a small one really since it felt like I was about to walk into some kind of trap.

"I wasn't really planning on it since he already had some kind of idea….but now I guess I have to since I feel as though you guys will beat me to it," I explained, hearing a few of them chuckle and even grin from ear to ear.

"Well that was my intention of course, going against my Captain's wishes and tell the one soldier that she has feelings over, that will definitely go over well for me," Harper said sarcastically, in which I gave her a playful glare now as Straton was grinning so wide I thought her mouth was going to break.

"I'm glad you have your head on straight since I really would have to ring you dry for doing somethin' like that."


There was a lottery on the anniversary of D-Day, the day after I got the news of Black Mamba's departure.

One member from each Company was selected to go home, thanks to the lottery, mostly in celebration of D-Day and the anniversary, and because most of the men in the companies did not have enough points to head home. General Taylor decided that it would be a good idea to have this lottery in celebration. Black Mamba was in attendance but we didn't participate in the lottery, which didn't surprise us one bit really.

Thankfully, Easy Company had a plan up their sleeve.

We told at attendance when Captain Spiers brought the men to attention, the war afternoon there in the small town in Austria was giving the ceremony a peaceful feeling when Spiers was giving the commands for right shoulder arms and order arms. I stood in front of Black Mamba when we placed the group at ease.

"General Taylor is aware that many veterans including Normandy Veterans still do not have the 85 points required to be discharged. On this the anniversary of D-Day, he has authorized a lottery to send one man home from each commonly effective immediately."

I looked away from Spiers as he was still rambling on and over to some of the men on the other side of the area, seeing them all stare at Spiers in wrapped attention to see who they were going to hear. I knew they knew. Babe spilled the beans on Harper when they met up after our talk and then she spilled to me. I ordered the girls not to say a word, but they all were beyond happy to hear who it was going to be. We all were going to be happy.

Finally, my eyes went over to Eugene now, seeing him next to Johnny Martin with his white medic armband almost shining in the light of the sun. Like the others, he was in his dress greens, and my own heart fluttered a bit from this appearance. I didn't know if it was because the war was coming to a close for me, or that we haven't had a real good moment or two alone together, but I couldn't help but smile and have my grin seem genuine.

He briefly looked over at me, having me a small smirk on his own face as well. It felt like we were along together in a room, no one else around to see us or to talk to us. But it was also a realization for me, a bitter one too since he was still devoted to Easy Company and the army, he could still go to the Pacific and he would have no choice in the matter. That meant that I was going to have to talk to him about what was going to happen if we were going to be separated, or when to be precise.

"Shifty!"

Once I heard his name being called and the others cheering for him, I looked away from Eugene now and I saw Shifty giving one of his own shy smiles to the groups. Even some of the girls behind me cheered for him thought they didn't leave rank. Shifty was able to go home, the others in Easy gave him the opportunity and I could see that most of them were not at all regretful for that choice. Shifty deserved it, according to Babe, and he did.

He deserved a long and happy life, like the rest of them.


I closed the bag that was on my bed, making sure it was nice and tight before I looked up and around to hear the eerie silence. It was late in the evening, some of the girls already in bed whereas I couldn't get any sleep at all. I was still thinking about getting on that boat within the next day or so, from what I heard it would be about 2 days time and then they would take us to the ships.

The next morning I was going to talk to Winters about things to wrap up, one last meeting with Matthews and then he was going to help us on our way. Hell, we already had some of the Easy Company members coming to us to give us hugs and request for one last poker game. Shifty was the first official Easy Company member I had to say goodbye to, which was hard since it was nothing but kind to me and a solid friend, a gentle soul that was caught up in this war but ever tainted. He was lucky, beyond lucky, I think God was on his side more than the others.

A small knock was heard on the door.

"Come in," I said loud enough, the door opening from the sitting room and then closing tentatively. Walking in was none other than Eugene himself, back in his combat uniform but it was loose and not tucked in for inspection. I smiled at him at he ruffled his hair and grinned at me, already having em feel that flutter within my chest once more as he pointed to my army bag on the bed.

"Packin' already?" he asked.

"Might as well do it now," I answered, walking away from the bag to stand in front of him, "I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither," he paused, chewing his bottom lip for a second and I reached over to grasp his fingers to intertwine with my own, "After Winters told us about Black Mamba, it made me think a lot."

"Yeah, me too, I wanted to talk to ya earlier but you were busy," I admitted to him.

"They're keepin' us busy for the Pacific," He commented, the topic of the Pacific making the both of us pause now and almost hate the fact that we were talking about it. I knew it had to come up, and now that it was on the table it was almost bitter to bring up over my lips. So I wanted to tell him what I wanted to do, for the both of us to have the best outcome that could happen so that we could have that future that Eugene and I yearned for.

"Eugene, when you go over to the Pacific…" I started, seeing the concern in his eyes as I was starting this.

"Olive—" He tried to stop me but I shook my head.

"Let me get this out," I pleaded with him, seeing him quiet but still hold my hands close to him and almost draw me close to his own body heat, "When you go over there, I want to you know that…that I'll wait for you," He searched my eyes, having me wonder what he was thinking. He wasn't angry…nor was he sad I don't think. To me, from where I was standing, He seemed more shocked about it but was trying to stay calm.

"You would?" he asked me, almost stuttering when he asked.

"Of course I would," I said in relief to him as I smiled at him, the same smile that I showed him earlier at the ceremony, "I don't have a real home to go to and, after what we talked about before and being the hopeful person that I am, I was thinking of us finding our own place together somewhere," I must have sounded foolish, foolish and in love with the thought of being in a new life with someone I fell in love with. Did I sound like a high school girl that I used to be, engulfed with the thought and the notion of love? How did I come to this, being a Captain in a Special Operations Unit in the US Army acting like a teenager?

I could feel the heavy silence in between the both of us, and that was the moment that I felt like I said something wrong to either scare him or to have him see me in a new light. Did I say too much? Did I look desperate to do this too soon for him? What was I thinking? But after what felt like a huge few moments, almost making me lose my breath and almost wish I could disappear into smoke and never return.

He suddenly closed the gap between the both of us, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me so sweetly that it made me loose my train of thought. I felt the warmth, all over my skin and within my chest as he felt the kissed that felt both bold and yet gentle at the same time. Even a soft man escaped my lips from the sudden showering of affection from Eugene, which felt like it was beyond out of his character since he was more of the gentle type than dominating. I wondered where this came from with him but who was I question it.

He finally pulled away, my breath was still lost in what he did and how he did it with such carefulness. It felt like his own eyes were brighter, fuller and even more beautiful than before, and to think it was from a kiss with me was beyond surreal.

"What was that for?" I asked him, breathless and out of sorts. He just smiled, both of his arms were still around me.

"I don't know," I admitted to me, having me give a breathy laugh, "I just…I never thought I would be this happy before I met you."

"It's a good thing I feel the same or we both would be in trouble," I said as a joke, Eugene pulling me into a hug once more and I could feel his chuckle deep between us from the vibrations of his body against my own. I rested my fingers in the nape of his neck, his hair touching my skin there as I hear him speak up again.

"I promise to get back to you," He vowed in a low tone for the both of us, having me squeeze him a bit tighter, "I'll come back and we can live together and be happy."

"I'm already happy with you," I confessed to him as I pressed a kiss to the side of his black hair, "I just want you safe."

"Haven't we talked about this before, being worried about each other?" Eugene asked in a lighter manner, having me smile and nod my head.

"Yeah well, call me stubborn because I'm never gonna stop worryin' about ya. I like ya a little too much," I explained, pulling back to see his face in front of me. I couldn't hope but trace some of the lines on his face with my finger and just imagine what it was going to be like for the both of us to be together, out of army clothes and dressed like normal people, in a normal life. It sounded so heavenly at this point that I felt that pain of loosing Eugene one more time since he was still in the army.

but that came to a screeching halt when someone banged one the door at least three times, the sound deafening.

"Captain! There's an emergency! Captain!" it was O'Neal, and Eugene and I sprang from each other, bolting to the door. She sounded desperate and very scared, having em rush over to throw the door open in a heap. Out in the hallway was O'Neal, breathing in and out as if she came from a huge run with Talbert right behind her, his face looking grave and almost on the verge of pain and anger. I could tell something bad happened, Eugene sensing it too as he spoke up for the both of us.

"Talbert? What's goin' on?" he asked him.

"Grant was shot."


"Black Mamba on me," I said to the group now as we were meeting outside the hotel room in the middle of the road. Two seconds after Talbert filled me in with what was happening with Grant, I made sure the rest of Black Mamba was rounded up. I knew they Easy was going to need help in finding the guy since he drove off after taking the shot, and I could feel the bitterness and the anger that was coming over the rest of the girls when I told them the news.

"Grant is being taken to a doctor here in town by Captain Spiers and Doc Roe, and we are going to help find the man who shot him and bring him here before he leaves the country," I explained to the group as they stood in front of me, "We need to take him alive."

"Pity," Harper said in a bitter tone, almost like a snarl now as I could see the simmer of anger underneath her skin.

"We bring him back here alive and unharmed so we can turn him over to the proper authorities," I went on with the explanation, "Pair off and take to each exit out of town, make sure we get him before he slips out of our fingers. Dunkle, get in touch with some of the locals with the town and see if they saw him within the last hour or less than that. I need two others to take on the lake and some of those trails if he snuck in there,"

"Where do we bring him when we find him?" O'Neal asked.

"Bring him here where we can hand him over to the MP's," I instructed them, "And it's like I said, you need to take him alive."

"Captain," Harper interjected now, having me see the venom in her eyes and hear it when she addressed me, "He shot at one of our own."

I knew she meant Easy, that he belonged to them and no one else. But the way she said it, almost being beyond protective of him and wanting to keep him out of harm's way. I felt it too, that tug to protect anyone in Easy, hell that was my job this whole time in the war: to aid and make sure everyone in Easy was okay. I knew I had slip ups along the way, but just because we were no longer going to protect them, it didn't mean that we weren't going to make sure they got the boat to the Pacific in one piece.

"I won't let the last thing that we do in the army involve a bloodbath," I reminded them, seeing them slowly and almost with a hint of pain nod their heads in agreement. We still had a job, and we still were in the army for a short amount of time. I didn't want the last thing we did as a squad be tainted with blood and vengeance, that's not what Black Mamba stood for.

We were better than that.

"Find him."