First off, I hope everyone is safe, well and doing alright. It's pretty rough and scary right now but I'm sure we'll all come through this shitty time. And due to being on lockdown, I decided to start another story. I will be updating both stories. This one is different because it's set after Normandy. I have all this free time and I have to focus on a lot of things at once to keep my mind busy. How are you all coping? Just remember it's okay to leave the world and go into another world where you feel safe. That's why I find reading and writing so important, especially now. Anyway lovely's, enjoy this story. It's going to have longer chapters with longer updates haha Stay safe everyone.
Rory Doe wasn't alone.
Stepping off the bus, Rory walked only one mile until reaching the small and picturesque village of Aldbourne. In all of Rory's life, never had she witnessed such beauty. With neat little gardens, colourful flower boxes, cobbled streets and thatched-roofed houses, Rory thought she had walked into a storybook.
"This isn't like home at all".
"Nope". Rory agreed quietly.
With a sigh, James Miller looked at her;
"you ready for this?"
Rory shrugged;
"did I forget anything?"
"Nope".
"You sure?"
"Yup".
Worrying her bottom lip, Rory mumbled;
"think I forgot something".
Miller smirked;
"just your marbles, Roo".
Just then, a huge Shire horse walked in front of them.
The horse was pulling a large cart, full of fruit and vegetables, with an older gentleman steering his horse. He clicked the beast on with his tongue. The Shire complied and picked up his pace, with a little snort.
"Good girl, Betty". The man praised.
In a very English accent.
Miller grinned;
"guess we 'gotta get used to the accent, huh?"
"Where's the sun?" Rory asked.
Looking up, she could only see grey rain clouds.
Only, it wasn't raining.
She frowned;
"why ain't the sun here, James?"
Looking at his friend, Miller chuckled and rolled his eyes;
"it's fine, Roo…we get a lot of rain back home".
"It's cold here, James". Rory commented, "it's warm back home".
He frowned a little;
"come on…once we get settled in, we'll be alright".
Shaking her head, Rory mumbled;
"I guess".
With a smile again, Miller tossed his arm around her shoulders;
"you listening?"
Sighing, she nodded;
"I'm listening, James".
"Here's the deal, alright?" He said, "these guys ain't 'gonna like us".
"They don't know us".
"It doesn't matter". Miller told her, "they've come back from Normandy, right? They've been together since training. We're new and we're replacing buddies they lost".
Rory frowned;
"boy, we sure are dicks, ain't we?"
Miller smiled small;
"no…we're filling up the numbers, Roo. But they won't like that. So, be patient. And – just try and act normal, alright?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rory asked, "I'm normal as you, ain't I?"
Miller shrugged;
"well…sometimes, yeah".
The two friends walked down a tiny slope, which took them down into the village square. It was still morning. And the people who lived in the village were opening their shops and heading off to work. While the kids got ready for school. The only thing missing from the village were the men from Easy Company, the Company Miller and Rory had been placed in.
After earning their jump wings, the men from Easy were fighting in Normandy.
They stayed in America for another few weeks, until they were shipped across the Atlantic. From there, Miller and Rory were assigned a Regiment, Battalion and Company. Most of the replacements were already training with Easy, the two friends from Indiana were the last to join.
At sixteen, Rory was the youngest to join Easy.
Miller was two years older than his friend.
The pair of them had met during training. Both from the same State but different towns, they didn't meet until they got on the same train for basic training. Miller had a lot of questions for Rory when they first met. The first was obvious, how did she get in?
And her answer was;
"it's easy when no one else wants you".
Miller wasn't sure what that meant at first. But after spending thirteen weeks with her, he soon found out about her home life. Feeling bad for Rory, Miller brought her back home with him during their furloughs. And they spent every weekend pass together.
Miller was smart, well-educated and kind.
He had a large family and had a very happy childhood.
His mother, Faye, considered Rory one of the family. And she even wrote letters to the girl. Rory would write back but her words were kept simple and to the point. She wasn't a very good writer or reader. Thankfully, Faye kept her wording simple and easy enough to understand.
"You sure I didn't forget something?" Rory asked again.
Miller nodded;
"I'm positive, Roo". He replied, being helpful instead of sarcastic.
When they reached the village square, Miller found directions to Company Command Post.
It was a huge manor just outside of the village. In front of the manor were the stables, where the men were billeted. A very helpful woman directed the two replacements to the manor. Miller thanked her more than once before taking off to the pointed direction with Rory stuck by his side.
When they walked out of the village, the sound of laughter and talking could be heard.
There, they soon spotted more than twenty guys hanging around outside of the stables. Compared to Rory, they looked tall, strong and tough. Rory almost felt like burying her head in the mud, just so they wouldn't see her. She couldn't help but think they'd feel let down by the army, by sending them a sixteen-year-old girl from Indiana.
Luckily for her, the guys didn't start up any sort of conversation with them.
Miller and Rory made a quick dash away from the stables and towards the manor.
The manor had a large brick wall surrounding the land and home. The black gates remained open, while the two replacements stepped inside and took in its surroundings. Rory was impressed. She had never seen a place so large and luxurious in her life before. Not even her house and the Miller's house could match the size of the manor.
When they reached the large double doors, Miller hesitated before knocking.
He grasped a large circular iron knocker and rattled it against the door.
Taking a tiny step back, the two friends waited.
Seconds later, the doors opened.
And an officer appeared.
He was on the shorter side, with curly hair and light eyes.
Miller and Rory stood at attention.
"Here to report for duty, sir". Miller said.
The officer eyed them up and down.
He looked amused.
With a tiny snort, he nodded;
"great – come in".
Miller stepped into the manor first.
And Rory was seconds behind.
But the officer stopped her;
"who are you?"
Looking up at him, she replied;
"Private Doe, sir". She said, "Rory Doe".
The amusement left his face.
And the officer looked at Miller;
"you, head up into the first door on your right".
He then looked at Rory;
"and you, come with me".
Miller gave Rory the best-assuring smile he could muster before he followed the officer's orders and headed into a cosy living area. And while Miller made himself comfortable, Rory was left with the officer, feeling slightly nervous and lost.
With a sigh, he said;
"let's go".
Following the man further into the grand-entrance, she soon found herself standing outside of a set of double doors, which would lead them into an office. Knocking on the door, the officer opened the set of doors and walked inside. He looked a little pissed off but didn't let it show in front of the Company Commander;
"Captain Winters".
Winters looked up from his desk;
"Lieutenant Welsh". He greeted, "are the replacements here already?"
Taking a step to the side, Welsh revealed Rory.
"I think there's been a mix-up, sir".
Winters raised an eyebrow.
He soon looked down at the girl.
Rory was staring at her boots, looking as if she was about to get into serious trouble.
"Nope. No mistake or mix-up". Winters assured his executive officer, "this Private is meant to be here. But she didn't come alone?"
Blinking a few times, Welsh stammered;
"uh – uh – well, the other Private is waiting in the living room, sir".
"Why isn't he standing with his buddy?" Winters questioned, "go and grab him, Welsh".
"Yes, sir".
Rory felt a sense of relief, knowing that her friend would be joining her soon.
When Lieutenant Welsh left to quickly grab Miller, Winters got up from his seat.
Moving to the front of his desk, he crossed his arms and looked down at Rory;
"where are you from, Private?"
"Indiana, sir". Rory responded, "North Manchester".
"Small town?"
She nodded;
"I guess, sir".
The office door opened.
Welsh and Miller stepped inside.
Winters sent Welsh a nod;
"send for Lieutenant's Compton and Peacock".
"Yes, sir".
Welsh left as quick as he came.
Rory's eyes danced around the office for a few moments. She took in the dark wooden furniture, the books which sat neatly on the shelves. And an old red leather armchair, which sat near a fireplace. Her eyes soon wandered back towards Captain Winters. He was tall, with light eyes and red hair. Winters had a kind face with warm eyes. He seemed sharp and smart. And the type of guy who had earned a lot of respect from others.
"Where are you from, son?" Winters asked Miller.
"Wabash county, Indiana, sir".
"You two know each other from home?"
Miller shook his head;
"no, sir. We met on the train heading to basic".
"Same State different towns, huh?" Winters asked them both lightly, "I take it you both went to the same jump school?"
"We did, sir". Again, Miller answered.
The Captain gave them a nod;
"well, that's good. At least you'll know someone here".
"Yes, sir. It is good".
The doors opened once again.
This time, Welsh had brought two officers with him.
Winters's eyes landed on his two Platoon leaders, while he tried to work out where to put them both. He would have liked to keep the two buddies in the same Platoon but from what he saw in Normandy, he wasn't sure if it was such a good idea. So, he came to the decision;
"Lieutenant Peacock take Private Miller to Sargent Talbert. Let him place Miller into a squad".
Miller frowned, soon realizing that he wouldn't be with Rory.
However, his friend hadn't come to the same realization.
With a sigh, he said to her quietly;
"looks like we ain't in the same Platoon, Roo".
Frowning, she looked up at him.
Miller smiled;
"don't worry". He whispered to her, "I'll still be around".
Clearing his throat, Peacock hurried him up;
"come along, Private – quickly now!"
Miller sent Rory a tiny grimace before he was ushered outside of the office. She could hear their boots stomping along the entrance, the thuds echoing around the large manor. She even heard the front door opening and closing.
"Lieutenant Compton". Winters addressed, "make sure Sargent Guarnere places Private Doe into a squad".
Rory's new Platoon leader looked down at her.
And she stared back, slightly frightened.
But the man's mouth soon lifted up into a warm smile;
"welcome aboard, Private Doe. I think I know where Wild Bill will put you".
Clearing his throat, Winters said;
"dismissed".
Saluting the Captain, Lieutenant Compton led the way outside.
Looking up, Rory noticed the clouds were still sitting heavily in the sky.
And it was still cold.
Shivering slightly, Rory followed the Platoon leader down the set of concrete steps, leading away from the manor. The grounds were almost empty, save a few workers tending to the front garden. Rory looked away from the sky, as the lack of sun depressed her. She missed Indiana.
"I mostly go by Lieutenant Buck around here". The Lieutenant prewarned her. "Don't get confused if one fella calls out Buck and the next calls out Compton".
Allowing that information to process, Rory told him;
"James calls me Roo, sir".
"Is James that Miller kid?"
She nodded;
"yeah, sir".
Buck nodded slowly;
"Roo, huh? The fellas will like that".
A tiny smirk reached his lips;
"I ain't sure how they'll react to you, kid. How old are you anyway?"
"Sixteen, sir". She told him, "I turned sixteen in May".
"Jesus". Buck whispered with a tiny frown.
Looking down at her, he asked;
"they let you in at sixteen?"
Rory shrugged;
"guess they wanted me here, sir".
"Who?"
"Folks back home".
Looking away from her, Buck faced the front.
The frown still on his face;
"yeah? That's a little strange, Roo".
Rory didn't have much else to say on the matter.
So, Buck changed the subject;
"how was the journey here?"
She huffed;
"oh, those waters sure are bumpy, sir".
Buck smiled;
"it wasn't smooth sailing?"
Rory shook her head;
"no, sir". She replied, "James kept on puking into a bucket, sir. And we weren't allowed outside to see those dolphins. Waters were too rocky".
"That's too bad". Buck said, "you like 'um?"
"Dolphins, sir?" She asked, looking up at him.
He nodded.
Rory shrugged;
"sure, sir…they don't give me a reason not to like 'um".
Buck felt his lips twitch.
"How are you with a rifle, Roo?" He asked, "you good?"
"I guess, sir". Rory replied, "I'm used to shooting. I hunt and fish".
Buck smirked down at her;
"you shoot your gun at the water?"
She pulled a face;
"that ain't a good way to catch a fish, sir".
He chuckled;
"no, it isn't". Buck agreed.
With a tiny shake of her head, Rory said;
"my Grandpa taught me how to shoot". She told him, "rabbit and deer, mostly. I'd sell the meat to the market".
Buck nodded;
"good business for a kid".
"Sure is, sir".
"Your Grandpa still around?"
Rory shook her head;
"he ain't, sir". She told him quietly, "he died two years back".
"Sorry to hear that". Buck frowned a little.
"Don't worry 'bout it, sir". Rory said softly, "I ain't so sad 'bout it. Dad told me not to be. So, I ain't 'gonna be".
Rubbing her lips together, Rory's hand went towards her back, where she felt her duffel bag.
With a frown, she said;
"I sure as hell feel like I've forgotten something".
Pulling a face, Buck looked down at her;
"well…you don't need much here, kid. Army provides you with pretty much everything".
Her hand let her duffel bag;
"suppose it's too late now, huh, sir?"
With a smile, Buck nodded;
"it is, Roo".
They reached the black opened gates.
Buck stepped out first, with Rory following close behind.
From there, she could see the stables.
Men were still outside, smoking, talking and laughing.
Easy had not long come back from a long furlough. And those who had proved themselves out in Normandy had been promoted. Rory didn't expect to ever get promoted beyond her current Private First-Class rank. But she was comfortable with following orders from the NCO's. Mostly all of the Normandy veterans were now at an NCO rank. One had even been promoted to Lieutenant and taking his place as 1st Sargent was Lipton.
Sargent Lipton greeted Buck by the gate.
Lieutenant Peacock had informed their 1st Sargent of a girl wandering around the manor. Lipton didn't believe him and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Rory standing with Buck, in her uniform.
"Lip". Buck greeted with a broad smile, "take it you wanted to see if it was real, huh?"
Lipton didn't smile back.
Instead, he frowned down at the girl.
Seeing his frown, the Lieutenant tried to ease his worries;
"Private Doe earned her wings, Sargent". He reminded Lipton, "just like we all did".
With a barely audible sigh, Lipton nodded.
Looking away from the girl, he soon met Buck's stare;
"I warned your men".
"Thank you". Buck grinned, "how'd they take it?"
Clearing his throat, Lipton shrugged;
"not as well as you, sir".
"What did Bill say?"
Lipton sighed again;
"you know, Bill, sir". He said, "but…I think he has an idea of where to put Private Doe".
At the mention of her name, Rory looked up at the Sargent.
Meeting her stare, Lipton sent her a tight smile;
"nervous, Private?"
"Roo's 'gonna be fine". Buck answered for her.
His hand went on her shoulder;
"like I said, she earned her wings and now she's ready for combat".
It was no secret that Buck was friendly towards the men.
The problem was, Buck treated them as friends. Officers were warned not to form close relationships with the men, but Buck didn't take that warning seriously. He was kind, fair and friendly towards the men. And he planned on treating Rory the same.
Rory was very lucky to have Buck as a Platoon leader.
…
"Wow…it really ain't a damn joke".
"Nope".
Guarnere's stare hardened while looking down at her.
Arms crossing over his chest, he gave someone tall a nod;
"she's with you".
The taller man looked up.
With a frown, he followed Guarnere's hardened stare.
His eyes widened a little;
"is this a joke?"
Again, Buck repeated;
"nope".
"That's your squad leader, Sargent Toye". Guarnere told Rory, "do what he tells you to do and don't cross him, or you'll have Toye and me to deal with – understand? This ain't no walk in the damn park, kid. You think jump training was hard? Wait 'till your out there, with guts and limbs flying everywhere".
Guarnere gave her shoulder a light but firm enough poke with his finger;
"you understand? Take this serious. Don't mess around in my Platoon. Got it?"
Rory nodded very quickly.
She didn't give herself enough time to process a word he had just told her.
But Guarnere didn't seem like the type of guy who wanted to repeat himself. So, Rory kept her mouth shut and nodded along with whatever he had told her. To her left, however, she could hear someone snort. He sounded amused, which Guarnere didn't like;
"I swear to God, Liebgott…".
Liebgott smirked;
"nice warning, Bill. You trying to scare her away?"
"Nope. I'm trying to make her understand that she's 'gotta listen to us, if she wants to survive". The Sargent argued. And with that, he added to Rory, "cause we all 'wanna go home, kid. And I've 'gotta get you all home. So, you listen, and you do whatever Sargent Toye tells you to do. Or anyone else, go it?"
Again, Rory nodded.
Taking a step back, Guarnere re-crossed his arms;
"she's all yours, Joe".
Rory's new squad leader was soon standing next to her.
Toye, gave her a tiny smile;
"we got a new fella from South Philly. He came in last week. You can bunk with him and a few others".
Rory's duffel bag was still slung over her shoulder.
Before followed the Sargent further down the stables, she looked up at Buck and asked;
"where's James, sir?"
Buck looked down at her;
"he's with 1st Platoon". He said, "you'll see him later, Roo".
With a tiny sigh, Rory felt her shoulders sink into her body;
"alright, sir".
Buck grinned;
"go on now, Roo…get settled in".
Watching her walk away, Buck felt like he had just dropped his kid off at school.
He hoped she would be okay.