I am officially back! Thank you for my first reviewer since returning! I'm so happy to be back! Thank you everyone!

I own nothing but Adriana!

Lenore was at Luz's side in an instant. She said something in German then grabbed Luz's arm. She pulled him to the table and pushed the table over six feet. She knelt down, moved the rug and pulled up a door that led under the house.

"Safe," she said in a hushed voice as she pointed down into the hole.

Luz thanked her and hopped in. He looked back up at her.

"Stay," she said putting her palm down to him.

He nodded and she quietly closed the door and threw the rug back over. Luz heard the table slide back into place then the door open. The German soldier did not sound happy, but that could have just been the way the Germans sounded. Suddenly Luz could feel someone under the house with him.

"Luz?"

He spun around coming face to face with a bloody Perconte.

"Perco!" Luz said rather loudly for their situation.

Luz threw an arm around his friend ecstatic to see a familiar face.

"How did you get here?" Luz asked in a hurried whisper.

"I crawled in from over there," Perconte said pointing. "There was a whole damn company coming after me. I-" but he was interrupted by the door slamming open and Lenore yelling.

Luz and Perconte looked up through the slats in the floor boards. They could only see movement, but it looked like the Germans were tearing up the house looking for something. Lenore was shouting at them but they didn't seem to care.

Luz looked around the space they were in. It was nothing more than a crawl space with a small opening on the far side. It was such a small space, that they had to lay flat in the dirt. They army crawled further from the door and trained their rifles incase the Germans found the door. At the moment Lenore was yelling at the Germans just as loudly as they were yelling at her. Suddenly Lenore screamed followed by a loud thud.

Luz almost went up there but Perconte grabbed his arm. Lenore was still yelling, but now her yells were more desperate. Finally they turned into cries and sobs. Perconte was having to hold his friend back now.

"We have to help her, Perco!" Luz whispered frantically. "She helped me!"

"I don't give a damn. We aren't going to die for her," Perconte said successfully keeping his emotions at bay and thinking rationally.

The German's threw Lenore to the ground so her face was right above Luz.

"Go," she whispered. "Safe."

Luz shook his head like she could see him.

"Go," she repeated. "Go."

"You hear that Luz? Let's get out of here," Perconte said pulling his arm.

Finally, Luz sighed and turned from Lenore and followed Perconte out from under the house. Once outside, the two Paratroopers hurried to the cover of trees. Halfway there, a scream echoed across the field and Luz almost turned back. Instead, he hung his head and followed Perconte. He was an American Paratrooper. He was better than this. He shouldn't have left. He should turn back. But he didn't. He didn't.

Adriana, Talb and Roe slept for a few hours before the first men from Easy made their way to the farm. They came in groups of four or five, but the first man who was her friend who showed up was Liebgott. He joined them on the hay bales and they exchanged stories. Lieb laughed hard when Talb told how he and Adriana got stuck in a tree, but was glad they were alright.

After about three hours a lot more of Easy men had come in. Buck, Skinny, and Gordon had come in together, and Winters had just made it with Malarkey, Popeye, Toye, Guarnere, Lipton and some 82nd boys and an Able Company kid named Hall.

"Winters. Good to see you sir," Adriana greeted him.

"And you Lt. You were on Meehan's plane, were you not?" he asked.

"Yes sir, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Adriana said dropping her gaze.

"What happened?" Winters asked.

"Talb and I were the only ones who got out of that plane. It went down. Lt. Meehan is gone sir."

Winters nodded, his face impossible to read, as always.

"Sir doesn't that make you the commander of Easy?" she asked.

"Go rally the men. We are going to need everyone. Tell them to meet in the barn. We are going on a mission."

"Yes sir," Adriana said and went to find her men.

She jogged through the throngs of people yelling for Easy company.

"Easy company! Assemble on me! Malarkey, Toye, Guarnere, let's go!"

"Where we off to Rosie?" Malarkey asked jogging to her side.

"We have a mission to go on," she answered waving Popeye over.

"We just got here," Guarnere complained

"It doesn't matter. We have a job to do," Adriana answered as they reached the barn. "Bill."

She grabbed his arm

"We don't have time right now, but we are going to talk after this mission."

Guarnere smiled genuinely and squeezed her hand.

"I wouldn't have it any other way Rosie."

He winked at her then they entered the barn. They found Winters and all the other Easy men. Buck was in the middle of saying, "Yeah but sir, does the Major know we only have twelve Easy Company men."

"No that didn't come up," Winters said. "The 88s we've been hearing have been spotted in a field down the road a ways. Major Strayer wants us to take them out. There are two guns firing on Utah beach. We are planning on a third and a forth here and here."

Winters marked the guns on a piece of paper.

"The Germans are in the trenches with access to the entire battery with a machine gun covering the rear. We will establish a base of fire and move under it hard and fast with two squads of three."

He looked up and his icy blue eyes asked for questions. Guarnere spoke up.

"How many Krauts they think we're facin'?"

"No idea," Winters responded.

"No idea," Guarnere echoed nodding.

"We'll take some TNT along with us. To spike the guns. Lipton your responsibility."

"Yes sir," he nodded.

"Liebgott, you'll take the first machine gun with Petty A Gunner. Plesha, Hendrics, you take the other. Who does that leave?"

The rest of them raised their hand.

"Roosevelt, where is Talbert?" Winters asked when he didn't see him in the group.

"Talb hurt his arm on the jump sir. Roe says he has a 2nd degree burn."

Winters nodded and said, "Compton, Malarkey, Toye, Guarnere, Roosevelt. We'll be making the main assault. Is that understood?"

Everyone chorused 'Yes sir."

"Alright let's pack it up boys," Lip said.

Adriana noticed the exchange that went on between Hall, Toye and Guarnere. Apparently, Hall wanted to go on the mission and Toye and Guarnere were not disappointed he wasn't. Once outside gathering their stuff, Winters continued to give out instructions.

"Lipton, when you see we've captured the first gun, I want you and your TNT as fast as possible."

"Yes sir," was the always prompt reply.

"Ok just weapons and ammo. Drop everything else. Got any spare ammo in a pack or a muset bag, bring it along."

As Winters got his gear together a kid approached him.

"Um Lt. sir. I was wondering sir if you needed an extra hand."

"Ain't you Sinks jeep driver?" Toye asked.

"So?" he said puffing his chest out.

"Aww shit," Guarnere spat.

"What's your name trooper?" Winters asked ignoring Guarnere.

"Lorrain," he said.

"You're with me Lorrain," Winters said as he moved out. "Compton second squad."

"Yes sir!"

"Alright boys you heard the word let's move! Let's move!" Lipton yelled.

It only took them a few minutes to reach the guns. To the front of the German position, Liebgott and Petty set up their machine gun on Winters order. Adriana's knuckles were turning white around the muzzle of her rifle. This was their first battle and she hoped beyond hope that they remembered their training. She was quickly startled back to life by Lip and Ranny darting off to the left.

Adriana and the men waited as Liebgott and Petty opened up on the German machine gun, then Buck came by and took Malarkey and Guarnere with him. Winters signaled Adriana and she and the rest of the men opened fire on the machine gun as well. The air around Adriana was electric with bullets whizzing back and forth and branches flying. Adriana pushed back away from the bushes and shouldered her rifle.

"Keep your heads down boys!" she shouted as she ran up behind the prone figures of her men. "Aim carefully and conserve ammo!"

She dropped down between Toye and Popeye and got a few more rounds off.

"What the hell are we waiting for!" Toye shouted just as three grenades exploded.

"That!" Adriana said hearing Winters yelling.

Winters darted out onto the field followed closely by Adriana and the rest of the men behind her. Bullets hit the ground at their feet but miraculously, they made it to the trenches without getting shot. All but poor Popeye. As he was about to jump into the trench, a stray bullet hit him. He fell forward and Toye drug him into the trench.

Adriana popped up over the edge of the trench and emptied her magazine into the backs of fleeing Germans. Lorrain aimed for a German but missed a few hundred times, forcing Guarnere to take him down.

"Jeezus Christ," he drawled, hitting Lorrain with his shoulder as he passed.

Adriana shook her head at the Jeep driver and went to help Toye with Popeye.

"I'm sorry sir I screwed up," Popeye was wailing.

"You're alright, Popeye," Adriana said kneeling and holding the Sulfate for Joe.

Suddenly Winters was shouting, "GRENADE! Joe! Roosevelt! Roll out roll out!"

Toye had less than a second to react and he threw himself over Popeye just as the grenade went off. Adriana was thrown backward into Guarnere who caught her and covered her from falling debris. When the dust had settled, they all looked at Toye's legs. Astoundingly, everything was fine.

"Your one lucky bastard, Joe!" Guarnere yelled.

The relief was easy to hear in his voice. Adriana continued to help Toye with Popeye until Winters called her name.

"Roosevelt! Take Malarkey, Lorrain, and Guarnere and secure that gun! Everyone else covering fire!"

"Yes sir! You heard him boys let's go!"

Adriana tapped the men's shoulders as she ran past. They tossed two grenades in to make sure the Germans were gone then they crawled in, but they were pinned down behind the gun.

"Lorrain, Guarnere go right. Malarkey with me left."

They crawled around the gun and got to the wall where they were able to sit up and fire their weapon's and still have cover.

"They got the second gun!" Guarnere yelled.

"Hey, I think one of those dead Krauts has a luger!" Malarkey yelled as he reloaded.

"So what?" Guarnere asked as Leib and Petty heaved themselves over the sandbags.

Without warning Malarkey dashed onto the open field.

"Malarkey get the fuck back here!" Adriana screamed. "Stupid son of a bitch."

Malarkey was laying flat on the ground behind a dead Kraut.

"Christ they must think he is a medic or something!" Petty said as they all watched in awe.

"He's gonna need a Gawd damn medic," Guarnere hissed switching positions.

With another yell from Liebgott, Malarkey stood up and zigzagged back toward them. After falling twice, it was a wonder how he managed to get back in one piece. As soon as he was back, Easy opened fire on the other side.

"Did yah get your freaken luger yah stupid mic?" Guarnere spat as Malarkey panted.

Adriana was about to punch Malarkey when Winters grabbed her arm and yelled, "Where is Lipton and that TNT?"

"I don't know sir!" she answered.

As they were all waiting for Lipton, Hall and another Able guy threw themselves over the sand bags.

"Hey yah cowboy!" Guarnere greeted him.

"Shut your fucking trap gonorrhea!" Hall shouted over the flying bullets.

"He's alright that kid," Guarnere said to Malarkey.

"Jeezus you got a whole fuckin Kraut platoon out there!" the Captain of Able said. "Need help?"

"I need ammo captain! Lots of it! And TNT!"

"I have TNT sir!" Hall shouted.

Winters and Hall moved back to set the TNT.

"Sir I don't have any way to set it off sir!"

Adriana continued firing while Winters and Hall looked for a way to set off the TNT until Winters yelled, "Fire in the hole!"

Everyone covered their heads, and Guarnere not to discreetly threw an arm over Adriana's head. As much as she enjoyed being slightly squished by his weight, she did not so much appreciate the fact that the men seemed to think they needed to protect her over everyone else. She made a mental note to talked to Guarnere about it later. As the dust settled, Winters yelled, "Plesha! Covering fire! Third gun here! Lorrain, grab some more of those Potato mashers and follow me! Malarkey, Hall, you two go."

Winter's orders were followed at once to a T. Adriana turned and emptied another clip out into the Germans when Lip fell over the sand bag wall ready with his TNT. Guarnere informed him they didn't need it because of Hall.

"Lip! Stay here. I'll be back!"

"Here! Take the TNT to Winters just in case!" Lip yelled throwing her the bag.

She took off. As she was coming around a corner, she ran headlong into Malarkey who fell on his butt.

"Jesus Rosie. Watch where your going will yah?"

"Give me some of that," she said taking some ammo for her M-1. "Be careful."

He nodded and took off. Adriana continued toward the second gun. She passed it and came to a short spot in the trenches. She ducked her head and charged through almost falling over Hall's dead body.

"Shit," she swore. "Sorry kid."

At the third gun she heard men yelling and grenades going off. She hit the ground as a grenade exploded behind her. She then crawled to the third gun and to Winters' side.

"I have TNT sir! Lipton finally got to the first gun!"

"We don't need it Lt. But we will at the next gun," Winters said nodding to the last 88.

"Is that Speirs sir?" Adriana asked.

"Yes it is," he said amused. "Once that gun is blown, tell them to move out."

"Yes sir," Adriana said and dashed toward the last gun.

She threw the TNT to Speirs and relayed Winter's orders then took off back toward Easy. Sprinting through the trenches, tripping over Germans, was exhausting, and the bullet wound in her shoulder was beginning to bleed. She got back to the line of Easy company men as Winters was yelling orders to them.

"MGs first!" he yelled to the machine gunners. "Everyone else maintain your base of fire!"

He jogged back and forth behind the men waiting for the MG to get back to their original positions. Adriana stood and began firing glancing at Toye, who was on her right until Winters yell for them all to fall back.

As she ran, Adriana released the tension out of her shoulders she didn't even know she was carrying. She was not naive enough to believe the lie that what they had just done had been easy, though she would learn later, taking those 88s was one of the easier battles for Easy, but she had just killed people. And THAT was easy. And THAT was what worried her.

Thanks everyone! I love you all!