Chapter 1

Sergeant Carter hummed to himself as he thumbed through the official documents in the filing cabinet. Finding what he was looking for, he pulled the file out and whistled his way back to his desk. Corporal Boyle, hard at work at his own desk, couldn't help but watch the unusually cheerful sergeant.

"Big plans tonight, Sarge?" Carter had been waiting for that question all morning.

"You betcha," he said, scooting his chair aside and tilting his head back in thought. "Gee, Bunny's such a great girl."

"Why? What'd she do?"

"It started last week when I got pulled for guard duty. We had a whole night thrown out the window. Boy, was she upset, but what could I do? We had to cancel our date. But this morning, Bunny called me and said she'd rearranged her work schedule so we could go out tonight." At the last word, Carter rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"But, Sarge," Boyle cautioned, "don't you have guard duty again tonight?"

"I don't go on duty until midnight. Relax, Boyle. I've got it all planned out. We'll start by catching an early movie. There's this teary romance playing tonight, she always softens up for those. After that, we'll go for dinner at Purchelli's. I know what you're thinking, Boyle. How could I afford it? Well, don't worry, I have a small stash saved up for an occasion such as this. Finally, we're going to end the date by driving up to Lookout Point. When we're done, I'll drive her home and head back to the base with enough time to change for guard duty."

At the end of this detailed monologue, Corporal Boyle nodded.

"Sounds like the perfect evening, Vince." Carter chuckled and leaned back over his desk.

"Too bad you can't find a girl like her, Boyle. She's everything a man could ask for." Ignoring the passive insult, Boyle again busied himself with his work.

Evening found Sergeant Carter happily snuggled against his girl, Bunny Wilson, in the corner booth at Purchelli's Italian diner. The restaurant had a dark, cozy atmosphere, and a radio playing Italian music in a low tone completed the perfect effect. The food on the table gradually lost its warmth, but the two lovers didn't care. Carter chuckled as he rubbed Bunny on the chin and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She giggled and feebly tried to resist, eventually ending up snuggling closer.

"Say it again, Vince," she sighed, "what you said before."

"Gladly," he replied, cocking her head up so their eyes met.

"Like the man in that movie said to his own girl; you're my shining star, my beacon in the night. He he he." Bunny shivered with excitement.

"Oh, the way you talk gives me chills, Vince."

"And why not? I don't make up these words, you inspire it all." A new voice interrupted their chatter; a deep, smooth voice that blended perfectly with the restaurant music.

"And when I see your face, my lady, my heart begins to flutter and my spirit cries, 'that is the one.'" Bunny sat up at the new voice and glanced around the restaurant. In the booth opposite theirs, a tall, dark-haired captain held out his hand toward Bunny and observed her with piercing blue eyes. Carter started to turn her head back towards him, but she pushed his hand away.

"Who is that?" she wondered out loud, "and why is he still watching me?"

"He's probably just some creep. Don't worry, he won't bother you." The captain continued.

"Oh, my hands wouldn't dream of touching a lady as fair as yourself." Bunny perked her head up and addressed the stranger.

"You really mean that?" Seeing his opening, the captain approached the table and hovered over the couple.

"Don't listen to him, Bunny," Carter hissed, "he's just another fast-talking fake."

"Who did you call a fake, Sergeant?" boomed the captain.

"N-no one, sir," Carter stammered. What could he say to a captain? He hovered between saving his girl and losing his stripes. Meanwhile, the captain reached across the table and took Bunny's hand in his.

"May I have this dance?" he crooned. Bunny hesitated for a second, but only a second. Pushing Carter's clutching hand aside, she scooted to the end of the booth and stood up with the assistance of the captain, who tipped his head at Carter and wrapped an arm around Bunny's waist. As the couple headed towards the dance floor, Carter saw every minute he'd spent with Bunny play out before his eyes. She was leaving. Leaping up from the booth, he grabbed her elbow.

"Bunny, what are you thinking? You're not gonna let this creep take you away, are you?" The captain leaned over close to Carter.

"Sergeant," he growled, "I suggest you move along before that creep puts you on report for insulting an officer." Bunny wrenched her arm from his grip.

"It's just one dance, Vince. I don't see what your problem is." He grabbed her shoulder instead.

"Please, Bunny. It was supposed to be just the two of us. Why ruin an evening?" She tried to wiggle out, but he gripped her tighter.

"Vince," she squealed, "people are watching. Get ahold of yourself." He yanked her away from the captains' arms and pulled her back towards the booth.

"Sergeant!" yelled the captain. He swung his arm, landing a meaty fist against Carter's jaw. Carter sailed between the row of tables and slammed into the wall. When the room stopped spinning, he stared up at the captain hovering over him with an arm around his girl. A multitude of onlookers had gathered around to watch with eager eyes.

"Consider yourself lucky, Sergeant," the captain growled, "Try anything again and I'll put you on report for groping a lady in public." Addressing Bunny, he said,

"Come along, darling. I know a restaurant downtown that far outranks this cramped joint. After dinner, why don't we take a spin in my sports car to Lookout Point? We've got all night to spend, and it's all yours."

Carter only watched in agony as the couple strode out the door, the captain with his hands on a girl that didn't belong to him. When they'd gone, he hauled himself to his feet, his face red with embarrassment. After paying the bill quickly as he could, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and shuffled out. For a moment, he stood there on the sidewalk for the loss of a better plan. What could he do? If he showed up at the base this early, Boyle was bound to ask questions he didn't want to answer. He decided the best thing to do was head to the nearest café and get himself a drink. Not too much, of course, but something to ease the shock of losing his girl.