Author's Note: Hello lovely readers. A big thank you to those who have left reviews, I'm so glad you like it and hope you enjoy future posts.


She took a deep breath and pulled open the door. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes swirled around her as she walked in. The pub was full of easy company men. They all watched her cautiously- except for Cobb, who wore an arrogant smile. She shrugged her shoulders at him and walked to the bar where some of her closest friends were standing. She smiled, though it was small and weak, it was enough. Guarnere smiled and handed her a drink.

"You know, we all kind of forgot about the bet once we got to know you." Guarnere said. "We don't care about that anymore."

"Okay." She said simply.

"Okay?" Talbert asked cautiously.

"What you did was shitty," She said. "But I know you have my back. You lot are as overprotective as my uncles."

"Does this mean we're forgiven?" Liebgott asked with hopeful eyes.

"Only if you forgive me for being so stubborn about it." She smiled softly.

"You're gonna have to make it up to me princess." Luz smiled mischievously and slung his arm around her shoulders.

"you're not winning the bet George Luz." She teased.

"Not what I was thinking, well mostly." He winked.

She nudged him lightly in the stomach but smiled. It was her genuine smile that rarely snuck out. Just like that her boys were back. Luz whispered something in her ear before heading off to find Buck. She shook her head but couldn't stop smiling.

"Well, Luz is out fellas. Probably means I'm gonna win." Guarnere said with a wink in her direction.

"No way, it's definitely going to be me." Talbert nudged her in the arm. "Aint that right princess?"

"You boys have no chance." Liebgott all but laughed. He threw his arm around her shoulder and lead her to an empty table. She grinned up at him, sharing in the private joke. He'd already won.

"You never told them." She pointed out the obvious.

"I didn't sleep with you to win a bet." He said in her ear. She knew it was just a precaution so no one would overhear, but it sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. "We really are sorry. We didn't mean to hurt you. We don't think of you as just some broad."

"I know." She smiled and sat down. "And I should have talked it out rather than hide from you."

"You had every right to be mad." Liebgott sat in the vacant seat next to hers.

"I know." She said. "But I also don't want to lose my family over something that happened a long time ago. We've been through too much together."

Grant sat down on her other side and the rest of the table filled up quickly. Liebgott handed her a smoke and lit his own, both jumping into the conversation. She was congratulated on making corporal and she was ecstatic that she could celebrate it with her brothers.

"So, princess, who would have won the bet?" Alley asked with a cheeky grin.

"Well, Mo, that's none of your business." She smiled mischievously.

"My bet would have been Tipper." Skip chipped in, she laughed remembering the night he kissed her.

"You would lose." She stated.

"I'm with Skip on this one," Penkala said. "We all know how close you two were."

Liebgott shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Alley noticed from across the table. He realised how close the two of them had gotten since they'd come back from Normandy.

"Nope, he's like my brother." She explained.

"If he was still here though, something could have happened." Grant winked.

"Remember that night you found us drunk on the side of the road?" The men laughed recalling the incident. "He kissed me."

"Sneaky son of a bitch." Alley laughed.

"Way to go Tip." Penkala said.

The men all laughed, except Liebgott. Alley caught his eye and smiled as he flicked his eyes towards Elsie and back to Liebgott. Liebgott raised a single brow and crushed out his smoke.

"My point is both of us found it weird." She continued. "So, it's safe to say he wouldn't have won."

"Alright, who would it have been then?" Alley put her in the hot seat again. She smiled mischievously and finished her drink.

"S'cuse me boys, but I'm needed else where." She headed in the direction of the dart boards leaving the table of protests.

"Come to watch the game princess?" Guarnere asked. Luz and Buck were playing against Toye and Babe. They eyed her cautiously until she smiled and nodded. they smiled back before returning to the game.

Buck threw a shot and missed his target. His second shot was a little closer but still missed. And his third shot didn't even hit the board. She met Luz's eye and he smiled and nodded at her.

"He been playing like this all night fellas?" She asked Babe and Toye quietly.

"Pretty much." Babe responded.

"Nice shot sir." Bull said handing him back the darts.

"Ah, a game you're not good at Lieutenant?" She teased.

"So it would seem." Buck's blue eyes twinkled as he handed the darts to Babe. "Heffron, finish me up."

"Double sevens." Babe said as he took aim. And that's what he got. The men cheered.

"You're embarrassing the lieutenant here." Guarnere laughed. "Here, have a drink."

"Well Toye, looks like you picked a good partner for this one." Elsie smiled sweetly. "Too bad you weren't betting."

Buck shook Babes hand and smiled at Elsie. "No, it's a good thing we weren't gambling."

"Oh boy, we woulda got killed." Luz joked.

"You wanna bet?" Babe asked eagerly. "C'mon, pack of smokes."

"I don't know." Buck looked at Luz.

"Turning down a bet, Lieutenant?" Elsie goaded. "You're not afraid, are you?"

"Not one bit." He wore a cocky expression on his face.

"C'mon, pack of smokes." Toye added. Buck and Luz looked at Elsie who raised an eyebrow at them.

"Never thought either of you would be scared to take a bet." She laughed.

"First one to hit the bulls eye?" Buck grinned at Elsie.

"A pack of smokes." Toye goaded again, confident him and Babe would win.

"Make it two." Buck said turning his attention to his challengers.

"Two packs." Luz agreed.

"Two packs." Toye confirmed.

"Lieutenant, you gonna shoot lefty all night?" Luz asked casually as Buck lined up a shot.

"Hey c'mon." Toye said as he realised what happened.

"Just curious, cause he's right-handed." Luz pointed out.

"George, what would I do without George Luz." Buck switched hands and threw the dart. Bullseye.

"OOOHHH!" Luz, Buck and Elsie shouted.

Toye was pissed that he'd been tricked and Babe looked dumbfounded.

"Two packs gentlemen." Buck said holding out his hand.

"I know you got 'em." Luz added happily. Toye and Babe each put a pack into Bucks open hand. Buck held one out to Luz, but before he could grab it Elsie plucked it happily from his grasp.

"Mine." She smiled and placed the pack in her pocket. Buck and Luz were still smiling. Toye slung his arm around her shoulders.

"Princess, I'd hate to think you were involved in this little scheme." He looked menacing, but she could hear in his voice he wasn't as mad as he was letting on. She smiled up at him with the most innocent smile she could muster.

"Nope." Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Not me."

"I don't believe you."

"Not even a little?" She said sweetly.

"Not one bit." The corners of his mouth twitched up in a faint smile that she didn't trust. She laughed as she slipped out of his arm and ran over to Guarnere and Martin. She put them between her and Toye who had followed her over.

"Coward." Toye tried to provoke her. She responded with a cheeky smile. He managed to grab her arm and pull her into a head lock. She couldn't stop laughing.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry." She was still laughing when he let her go.

"Hey y'all, listen up. I've got us an announcement to make." Gordon yelled over the noise. "This hear is Carwood Lipton."

"He's already married Smokey." Malarkey yelled from across the room.

"This here is Carwood Lipton. The new easy company first Sargent!" The crowd irrupted with whistles and cheers.

"As for fitting his position, he says he has to make an announcement."

"Well, I hate to break the mood her boys- and lady- but uh, we're moving out again." Lipton said in all seriousness. The shift in mood was distinct.

"C'mon, let's get back to barracks." Liebgott had joined them. He put his hand on the small of her back to guide her out of the pub. They were followed by Guarnere, Toye and Grant.

"Kinda reminds me of that time we found you and Tipper on the side of the road." Toye gave her a playful shove.

"Yeah, as long as no one kisses her this time." Liebgott joked, though his words were stiff. If anyone noticed they didn't let on.

"What?" Guarnere laughed. "Tipper?"

"Yeah." Grant laughed. "That lucky son of a bitch."

"So, he would have won the bet eh?" Toye asked.

"Not a chance." Elsie explained why.

"Who would it be then princess?" Guarnere messed her hair.

"Seriously? I am not having this conversation again." She rolled her eyes.

"You realise they won't stop asking until you pick someone, right?" Grant noted with a smile.


"As you can see," Winters said, "This is called Operation Market Garden. In terms of Airborne divisions involved, this one's even bigger than Normandy. We're dropping deep into occupied Holland."

Elsie could feel the tension from the men around her. She pictured Meehan's dead body, she wasn't sure if she could do that again. Guarnere, who was sitting to her right nudged her arm pulling her back to focus. She gave him a small smile then turned her attention to Nixon who had started talking.

"The good news is, if this works, these tanks will be over the Rhine and into Germany. That could end the war and get us home by Christmas."

That would be nice- she thought. She could picture sitting at the table with James and Tony. Her lip twitched into a smile, but it faded quickly.

"In any case, say goodbye to England. I don't think they're going to call this one off." Nixon finished.

Easy company started clearing out of the hanger. Guarnere walked beside her, glancing down at her every few seconds.

"What?" She raised a single brow.

"You good?" he asked. She stopped walking and looked up at him with a small smile. They were just to the side of the large crowd.

"Yeah, Bill, I'm good." She said, and she meant it. She wouldn't lie, she was scared, but she knew what she signed up for. She wanted to be there fighting with her boys.

"Good, cause we're gonna kick some kraut ass." He smiled.

"Damn right we are!" Toye said coming up behind them. He was with Alley and Talbert.

"Yeah, I couldn't imagine being over there without you princess." Talbert said pulling her into a hug. "But just in case something happens to one of us over there, I need you to tell me something."

"If this is about the bet Tab then you can save your breath." She laughed. "I'm not telling you anything."

"aw c'mon." He whined.

"It definitely wouldn't of been you," Alley laughed.

"Oh yeah? How'd you know."

"Gut feeling." Alley laughed.

"Yeah, she has better taste in men." Guarnere puffed out his chest.

"She wouldn't pick you either." Alley looked at Elsie. "Aint the right sweetheart?"

"That's right." She gave him a quizzical look. "You either Toye."

"You sure about that?" Toye smiled cheekily pulling her into a headlock. She laughed and elbowed him in the rib. He let her go with a playful push into Guarnere who steadied her. Alley looked away from the commotion long enough to see Liebgott staring in their direction. He was watching her closely. Was he jealous? Or just worried about her making the jump. He was worried about her himself.

"I'm pretty positive it would have been none of you." Alley said bringing his attention back to what was in front of him.

"I suppose you think it woulda been you?" Guarnere chuckled.

"I didn't make the bet," Alley pointed out. "And no, I'm smart enough to know where my relationship stands with her."

"Mo that is the smartest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth." She laughed when he pushed her playfully.

Elsie strapped herself into her harness and was trying to tighten the straps.

"Here, let me help." A familiar drawl said from behind her. Liebgott tightened the straps with ease.

"Thanks." She smiled softly as she turned around. "You're all set?"

"Yeah I am." He smiled down at her. "Promise you won't get into trouble like last time?"

"You know I can't." She teased.

"Promise you'll try?" He was serious now.

"Promise." Elsie noticed how close they were stand and took a step back. But not before three sets of eyes spotted them- Alley being one of them. He speculated before, but he was now certain they had feelings for each other, whether they had told each other or not was another story.

"Did you just see what I just saw?" the second pair of eyes belonged to Guarnere.

"Told you you wouldn't win."

"you think he will?"

"I don't know." Alley sighed. "I'm just worried that if something happens..."

"That she'll get the boot from the army." Guarnere finished his sentence. Alley nodded. "Shit."

The third pair of eyes were still watching them intently. He'd heard about the bet, hell everyone had heard about the bet, but there was something in the way Liebgott looked at her. He was worried about her. They all were. Buck felt a little relief that Liebgott cared a great deal for the only female of easy company. Buck didn't think he'd purposely do anything to jeopardize her being there, but they had to be more careful. He noticed how they were looking at each other and how close they were standing, someone else might have too. Buck looked around to see if anyone else had noticed. It didn't seem like it and he let out a deep breath. This is something that should be reported to their C.O. but he just couldn't bring him self to do it. He didn't want her to go. They needed her, especially right before another jump. She was too damn good a solider to let go on a 'possibility'.

"You two all set?" Luz asked Liebgott and Elsie.

"You bet." Elsie smiled.

"Oh no, I don't make bets with or about you anymore." Luz raised his hands in a defensive state. "I learned my lesson."

"Good boy." She patted his helmet.

"Holy shit." Liebgott huffed. Luz and Elsie turned to look in the same direction. Sobel.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Luz's eyes were open wide.

"Donno." Elsie replied. Something else caught her eye, or someone. "Popeye!"

She left Luz and Liebgott to welcome him back. He as standing with Lipton and Bull when she approached him.

"Miss us did ya?" She said giving him a hug.

"Went AWOL just to get back to ya." He smiled.

"I'm glad you're back Popeye."

"me to."

"We all are," Lipton said. "Now let's get you some gear."