Aldbourne
Once back in Aldbourne Winters was faced with the task of reorganizing Easy company.
Half of Emma's first platoon was gone, despite her excellent leadership. Guarnere and Johnny Martin had told her if they lost men at that rate, there wasn't a china man chance the rest of them would make it.
So Johnny and wild Bill got tattoos, because why the hell not? Emma ripped them a new one, lecturing them about the risk of infection.
Emma couldn't stand the thought of losing any more men.
Much to Dana's joy Talbert was back and Gordon had made up a little poem about the night of the bayonet
The night was filled with dark and cold,
When Sergeant Talbert the story's told,
Pulled out his poncho and headed out,
to check the lines dressed like a Kraut.
Upon a trooper our hero came,
fast asleep; he called his name.
"Smith, oh Smith, get up, it's time
to take your turn out on the line."
Private Smith, so very weary,
cracked an eye, all red and bleary,
grabbed his rifle and did not tarry,
Hearing Floyd, but seeing Gerry.
"It's me!" cried Tab. "Don't do it!" and yet,
Smith charged tout de suite with bayonet.
HE lunged; he thrust, both high and low,
and skewed the boy from Kokomo.
And as they carried him away,
our punctured hero was heard to say,
"When in this war you venture out,
best never do it dressed as a Kraut!"
Talbert's only response to this was "I could have shot the little bastard six times as he lunged toward me, I just didn't think we could spare a man at the time" he said
Dana threw herself at Talbert, she was ecstatic he was back; it felt like third platoon was finally getting back together.
The platoon planned a little get together and presented Talbert with one of Gordon's purple hearts.
Lipton had been promoted to Company first sergeant, he took to the assignment like fish to water. Lipton made sure to take care of the replacemnts and made sure
the men were taken care of.
Emma, Dana and Charlie was sitting in the room, Emma and Dana shared at the billet house on the village green, the men from Easy had cleaned out the staples in the back, there they had plenty room and time to play poker and craps.
Sinks runner came and knocked on the door and told them they were needed at HQ.
They looked at each other and wondered what the heck they had done wrong now.
When they walked into sinks office, they saw Camilla was there, she was in her Army scrubs, which meant she had been dragged away from surgery or something and the look on her face showed it.
Welsh and Compton was there as well.
When Sink walked in, the group stood at attention. "at ease soldiers" Sink said and sat down behind his desk.
The group of Easy officers sat down and waited for what was next.
"As you all know, Easy company did an excellent job in Normandy and General Taylor was very pleased" Sink said
Welsh leaned into Dana and whispered "Good, that's why I went to Normandy, to please general Taylor"
Sink gave him a stern look and Welsh straightened up in his chair.
"For that, the general have some promotion for the lot of you" Sink said
Lieutenant Compton congrats you here by a first lieutenant, Mr. Welsh first lieutenant to you to, you will serve as Winters executive officer, Lieutenant Kahne I wanted captain Nixon to hand you a set of these, that way the two of you would have the same rang, can't have a girl salute her man" Sink said and winked at Charlie
"Captain" Dana said and whistled "Nice, congrats" Dana said and hugged Charlie
"Now the two of you Captain Grey and Hunter, you are here to talk Lieutenant Hamlin into accepting her promotion" Sink said and looked at Camilla
"Thank you, but the answer is the same as in Normandy, No" Camilla said.
"What are you crazy? take the bars Hunter" Emma said.
"No, it's not for me" Camilla said and stood up.
"Guess I can't force you, now I have something for your guys, sergeant stripes and a list over who to give them to" Sink said
"Well, I guess we are finished here" Sink said
The group stood at attention, and waited to be dismissed. Sink looked them over and thought he was glad that bunch was on his side.
"Now get" he said and they were dismissed.
When they got outside the girls stopped, turned and looked at Camilla,
"Now, why the hell did you turn down the promotion?" Dana asked her
"Being a Captain means commanding a company eventually. I have no interest in commanding a bunch of scared nurses. Well, I don't want to be a captain when Lip is still a sergeant, it would just be wrong, so I am happy where I am at and something tells me, I will be able to change my mind anytime and get the ding dang promotion" Camilla said.
Emma and Dana said goodbye to Charlie and Camilla.
Camilla had to get back to her surgery, hoping the new staff surgeon hadn't fucked up and Charlie had a meeting to attend, it was all she did these days, the good thing about it was she got to spend a lot of time with Hester and Nixon, the bad thing about it was, she had zero alone time with Nixon and she was getting pissed about it.
Charlie needed some alone time with Nix, to scratch an itch and she knew he felt the same way, he was getting more and more withdrawn.
It was time to ask for help from the girls.
Emma and Dana walked over to Easy's mess. Dana did her best Sink impression that brought the whole company to their feet.
She fell over laughing and received threats from Luz and Tab.
"We got some stuff here for some of you" Dana said
"Mr. Guarnere, staff sergeant Guarnere, congrats buddy" Dana said and hugged Bill
"Mr. Malarkey, Mr. Muck, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Ranney, congrats guys, Sergeants" Emma said and each of the guys got hugs from the girls
"Christenson and Gordon you are here by corporals" Dana said and smiled to the two guys "and to celebrate we are all going out tonight, all of us including the replacements" Dana said and gave the replacements a stern look.
Emma turned and walked into lieutenant Peacock, she didn't have a high opinion of him; she wanted him the hell out of the company.
"Lieutenant Peacock" Emma said
"Captain Hunter, are first platoon in there" Peacock said
"Yes why?" Emma said
"Well there is a cross country march on the schedule" Peacock said
"I am very well aware of the fact, that the whole company have a cross country march on the schedule, however we just promoted half of the men, more or less, so they have the rest of the day" lieutenant
Peacock had a hard time handling any diversion from the schedule and he once made first platoon play a baseball game after a long distance march, because it was on the schedule.
Emma knew the man wasn't an idiot, he was just to G.I.
Dana was standing a few feet away trying not to laugh out loud; she knew Dick would get a visit from Emma after this little word exchange.
Dana heard some call her name, she froze. She had been avoiding Speirs since her little display of weakness in London.
She turned and walked away from the voice who was calling her name, but before Speirs could catch up with her, he was called away by Dogs CO.
Dana sighed, she knew she had just once again dodged a bullet, but it was just a matter of time, before he would catch up with her.
Emma stomped into Winters office, Dick shot to his feet, he knew that look on her face, she had a run in with either Peacock or Brewer.
"Dick, look you have to do something about the two. I don't even know what to call them, Peacock bless his little heart lord knows he tries, but the men don't like him and Brewer is just a big boy" Emma said
Winters walked over to her and stopped her pacing; he hugged her and held her out from him.
"You now I can't do anything, I do however expect you to teach them how to be a good combat leader, I trust you" Winters said
Emma sighed "I know, you say that every time" She said and hugged him.
"Dana and I are going out with the guys tonight, so have fun with your reports" Emma said and kissed Winters on the cheek.
"Oh, you almost got it there lieutenant," Luz said
Luz and Buck was currently trying to hustle Toye and a replacement Heffron at darts, Emma was standing of to the side smiling, shooting the shit with Johnny Martin and Bull.
Dana was in the back playing poker with Welsh, Malarkey, Moore and Alley.
From the sound of it Dana was winning, she was a notorious poker player and she always won. Emma hadn't figured out yet why the guys kept playing with her.
"Lieutenant are you going to shoot lefty all night, I was just wondering, since you know he is right handed" Luz said
Buck put the dart right in the bulls eye and won two packs of smokes from Toye and Heffron.
Emma smiled, she was about to leave, when she saw Speirs walk in with McMillan, the CO of Dog company, she decided to stay, she knew this was going to be interesting. Dana had nowhere to escape and Emma was going to, make her talk to the lieutenant.
Dana looked up and saw Speirs standing at the door, "shit, shit, and shit" She mumbled and looked for a way out.
She grabbed a hold of Bucks sleeve "Is there a back door in this joint"
"I don't think so, why?" Buck asked and when he looked up at the bar, he knew why she had asked that question.
"Trying to run Captain" Buck said laughing
"I have to get out here, like right now" Dana said almost panicking
"I don't think, you are getting away this time" Buck said
Speirs was heading right towards her, he had murder in his eyes and Dana was almost scared, she knew he hated not being in control of a situation. Dana wasn't about to let him take charge of the situation, she straightened her back and waited for what he had to say.
"Captain Grey, a word outside" Speirs said looking at Dana
"Lieutenant Speirs, I don't think so" Dana said
"Captain Grey, just for a minute" Speirs said
Dana looked at Buck and Welsh for help, Welsh nodded towards Speirs signaling she should give him a chance.
"Oh for Pete's sake, you can walk me home" Dana said and put on her jacket.
She stomped out of the pub and turned to Speirs "You wanted to talk, so talk" She said
Speirs never had any woman talk to him like that usually he was the hot head.
"What? you got nothing" Dana said and turned and started to walk away.
A set of hard as steel hands grabbed her, turned her around and pushed her up against the nearest wall, and a pair of hard lips crushed hers.
"Now if you will just shot the hell up, and listen to me" Speirs said and kissed her again.
Dana felt her knees bugle under her and she let out a moan, when Speirs pulled back she let out a small whimper.
Speirs held her up and took her hand and kissed her knuckles, he started to walk towards the officers billet and Dana knew she was in big trouble; she wouldn't be able to resist this man she had loved since she was ten years old. When all the girls was busy planning their wedding to actors and sport starts, she dreamed of marrying Ron Speirs and now she was here with him, holding his hand and walking down the cobbled streets of Aldbourne in 1944.
Speirs opened the door to the house he was billeted in and stepped back, so Dana could walk in, he closed the door behind them and picked her up and carried her to his bedroom.
The next morning she walked into the house the girls was staying at, all of them was in the kitchen drinking coffee. When she opened the door they all looked up and Camilla walked over and dragged to the kitchen table, pushed her down on a chair.
"Spill" she said
"It was fucking amazing, oh my god, it was mind blowing, like the best ever" Dana said.
"Well, we don't doubt that, its tall dark and handsome after all" Emma said and sighed
"what's up with you, Winters not putting out?" Charlie asked laughing
"No, he haven't, he is so busy all the time and he expect me to work miracles with Brewer and Peacock, both incapable of taking any kind of orders" Emma said
"Well, Nixon and I finally got some alone time last night" Charlie said
Charlie and Nixon had been in briefings about Market-Garden nonstop for the last week, the general assumption was that this one wasn't going to be called off, after sixteen cancelled missions since July, Nixon had started to doubt if they would ever see combat again.
They were dismissed early from the meeting, partly because Nixon and Charlie's concentration was gone and partly because Sink and Strayer was tired of looking at the two love sick Captains, so if they could get whatever it was out of their system, they could resume the briefing tomorrow "And we did three times last night" Charlie ended her story.
"How about you and Lipton" Emma asked Camilla
"Just peachy, he such a gentleman, that I am sure he will have kissed me by the end of the war" Camilla pouted.
Charlie looked around of her friends "Well you know, we are jumping into Holland soon and don't forget we won't be back and then Bastogne, so pack plenty of socks girls" Charlie said.
The girls knew what was in store for them and they couldn't do a damn thing to change history, so all they could do was to prepare the best they could.