Aldbourne 1943
Easy Company arrived in Aldbourne in the middle of the night, they soon realized they were in a war zone and the total black out impressed them.
The men was Quartered in Nissan huts, and the officers in a very crammed manor house. Amy, Lane, Katie, Mia and Sophie were all sharing a room with bunk beds and they loved it, it was like being back at Toccoa.
Lane threw her bag on a bunk, and sat down "God, it's so good to have a descent bed again" she said.
"Yeah enjoy, there are three people in this room, who won't be getting any sleep the next few weeks" Katie said
Katie, Mia and Sophie was suppose to report to the camp hospital the next morning, there were wounded who need treatment.
Amy looked at Lane "Don't look at me, I have go the same lectures about how to fit in, as you do" Amy said
The army had put together a program for the soldiers so they could familiarize them self with the English way of life.
The next week Lane and Amy spend being lectured on the British way of life, the men however quickly got the message, do your hell rising in Swindon, Brighton and London.
The first weekend in England everybody got a weekend pass, and there was a dance in Swindon.
Lane, Amy, Mia and Sophie were all going; Katie had a shift at the hospital.
It didn't bother her, she rather spends the evening with the wounded, and she hoped Winters would stop by.
Lane decided it was a civilian clothing event, and the girls all wore dresses, high heels and make up.
"I can't remember the last time I wore a dress," Sophie said
Sophie had been a nurse at Pearl Harbor and then later in Africa, she had been shipped from one place to the next the past three years, she didn't complain, her parents was very proud of her, and encouraged her to do what she felt she needed to do.
Lane was very jealous of Sophie's relationship with her parents, but she absolutely adored Sophie, McMillan was a lucky man.
They walked over to the truck that was going to take them to Swindon.
Amy was caught by a strong pair of arms, before she could get on a truck with the Easy men.
Speirs took her hand and led her to a jeep in front of the convoy. Amy noticed McMillan was guiding Sophie the same way, and the four of them got in the jeep and waited for the signal to head out.
Lipton helped Mia in the back of a truck "Sorry I don't have a jeep for you" He said
Mia looked at him and took his hand in his "Its ok as long as you are here nothing else matters" Mia said, and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Hey Captain Easterday, where is your dream beau?" Luz asked Lane
"Already there, and probably drunk as a skunk, along with Welsh" Lane said.
The Column moved towards Swindon. the men were already in a good mood, Lane was laughing along with the men, and she was sharing a bottle of whiskey with Guarnere, Toye and Malarkey.
When they arrived at the dance Lane was tipsy; the soldiers stumbled into the dance hall. Nixon and Welsh was already there, sitting at the bar.
Lane stumbled over to Nixon, who had actually been holding back, so when he saw Lane he knew it had been a wise choice, "Hey babe, how about a dance handsome?" Lane said.
"sure, why not, drunk much Easterday" Nixon said
"Yes and you know what? I like it" Lane said
"I bet you do" Nixon said and led her out on the floor.
Amy was sitting at a table with Sophie, Speirs and McMillan, and a couple of the other officers, they were talking about their men and the company.
Amy excused herself, Speirs let her out, thinking she would be right back.
Amy found Luz, Talbert, Mia, Lipton, Guarnere, Toye, Liebgott, sitting at a table laughing and drinking, and Amy decided this was the place to be.
"hey lieutenant sits down" Luz said
"Don't mind if I do," She said, and before she had a chance to blink, a drink was placed before her.
"So how come you are not sitting with Sparky?" Guarnere asked
"Well Bill, the Dog guys have nothing on my Easy guys, cheers" Amy said.
Amy was talking with the Luz and Talbert who had joined them when he noticed Amy at the table.
Amy was getting louder and louder as the night progressed, there was no one to stop her drinking.
Mia and Lipton were to wrapped up in each other, and spend half the night on the dance floor
Lane, Nix and Welsh was drunk, and Speirs was to wrapped up in his conversation and drinking with the officers to, even notice how long Amy was gone,
Sophie who had stayed sober, she had to drive the jeep back, noticed where the night was heading.
Amy was on the dance floor, dancing a little too close to Bull. Sophie knew Amy was safe with Bull; he was like a big teddy bear and would not take advantage of a drunken Amy.
The Easy and Dog officers needed to leave; Sophie stood up and told her drunken fiancé to get on his feet.
"Mac get up, honey we are leaving" Sophie said
McMillan was too drunk to object, just looked at Speirs "Hey Sparky, we are heading out" he said
Speirs, who was very inebriated at this point, suddenly remembered he had Amy with him at one point, his eyes was glassy, he looked around to see if he could spot her.
His heart clenched a little when he saw her sitting on Talbert's lap.
He walked over and held his hand out to her; Amy, who was too drunk to object, just took it and followed him out while she stumbled after Speirs.
He got her in the back of the jeep and got in next to her, Amy leaned up against him and gave him a drunken smile and the tirade of angry words he had been holding back disappeared, Amy just sighed and closed her eyes and leaned against Speirs "I love you" She said.
He pulled her close "I know," he said as they drove off.
While everybody else was at the dance, Winters was alone in the enormous manor house, he was in the room he shared with Welsh, Nixon and two other Easy company lieutenants.
He heard someone walking down the hall, and a cup of coffee appeared in the door, and soon after Katie's head, peaked in "Busy" She asked
"No, not really" Winters said
"Well I am on my break, and I was hoping a handsome lieutenant would come by and visit, but instead I have to settle for you" Katie said and smiled at Winters
"Well here I am, so are you busy," He asked Katie
"Yes, we have wounded coming through, and it's not pretty I can tell you that" Katie said.
"Well I guess they are getting the best care in the army, with you there," Winters said
Katie finished her coffee "I have to get back, I have a surgery" Katie said and kissed Winters
"Be careful," He said
Katie just smiled, tapped the doorframe and walked out.
When Amy woke up the next morning she had a killer headache, and wanted to stay under her covers. The other girls started to move around; Amy just groaned and turned her back to them.
Lucky for her it was Sunday their day of.
Lane was sitting on the edge of her bed looking like hell, Katie was in day old scrubs, and she was clearly headed to bed; Mia and Sophie had been the only two who had been sober was on their way to the hospital.
Lane got up "I can't believe I have a meeting with Sink in an hour" She said and gathered her uniform and headed for the shower.
Amy and Katie was alone "Hey Katie, can I ask you something?" Amy said
"Sure, what up sissy?" Katie said
"I told Speirs, I loved him," Amy said
"What did he say?" Katie said
"I know" Amy said
"Amy, don't worry, that man is bat shit crazy about you, and of course he loves you, everybody can see that, he just don't know how to say it yet, now get some sleep" Katie said and fell asleep.
The next weeks was grueling, Easy company thought they were back at Toccoa, they had cross-country hikes and three day maneuvers?
Katie and Mia were so busy at the hospital that they only passed through their room. The girls had chosen to stay at the manor house, instead of being billeted with private families, this way they would still see each other once in a while.
Amy was gone so often on night maneuvers, that she didn't even have time to see or talk to Speirs, and she was starting to miss him.
The good thing about all the night training, was that the company men and women learned to recognize each other by silhouette, there was jumps and of course Sobel to deal with.
Amy and Lane got a kick out of shooting practice and Sobel experienced some near misses.
Easy was leading the Battalion on a night maneuver, Sobel was running around like a bull in a china-store.
He was in the front with Amy's third platoon, Sobel stopped the platoon, and Amy held a fist up and the platoon took a knee.
"Lieutenant Hunt, take the men behind that hedgerow," Sobel said
Amy motioned for the platoon to take cover.
"Tipper, Where is, where is the map" Sobel said
Amy led the men behind the hedgerow "Lieutenant, Sobel is lost again isn't he," Perconte asked
"Yeah he is lost," Amy said
"Hey Luz, can you do major Horton?" Amy asked
"Does a wild bear crap in the woods?" Luz said, imitating Horton
"Think the major can get the smock going" Amy asked
"I don't know" Luz said
He was pressured by the men, and he hushed them.
"What's the holdup Mr. Sobel?" Luz yelled
"who was that? who broke silence?" Sobel said
Tipper had to hold back a smile "I believe its major Horton sir," Tipper said.
"A fence, a barbed wire fence" Sobel said
"Well, you cut that fence and get this goddamn platoon on the move" Luz said, and the rest of the men were giggling behind him.
Needless to say Strayer was upset and Sobel even more, when Strayer informed him Major Horton was on leave in London.
Katie had her own problems at the hospital, they were under staffed, and once again she was the most experienced surgeon on staff, which meant she was on call twenty for hours a day, and it was taken its toll on her.
Katie was getting agitated and snapped at the nurses and medics; Roe finally had enough and went to Winters.
There was a knock on Winters door, he looked up and saw it was Roe "Roe, what can I do for you?" Winters said
"We got to do something about Captain Hendrick, she is threatening to kill everybody who comes in her way, and she is used and needs some rest, or something" Roe said
"Why do come to me with this, and not Major Barfield?" Winters asked Roe
"Well, I didn't want her to get in trouble sir" Roe said
"I will do what I can Doc" Winters said
Roe nodded and walked out.
Winters looked out of the window; he had enough problems, as it was the NCOs' was mumbling, the trouble with Sobel had intensified, Sobel was getting jumpy in the field.
Now this, Katie, he knew it had to be bad, he never heard her raise her voice, and so it had to be bad at the hospital.
He decided to go find Katie, if she was anywhere to be found that was. He met Nixon and Lane, they were watching some of the boys playing basket ball Winters stopped to, talk about the troubles with Sobel, he asked Lane about Katie, but she couldn't tell him anything, she never saw her, and Lane was just as busy.
"If you want to find her, ask Mia and if you need her, find Lipton, they are inseparable when they are both of, its sick" Lane said
Winters just looked at Lane "Ah ha" he said, and gestured to Lane who was leaning up against Nixon.
A jeep stopped, and sergeant Evans hopped out.
"With the compliments of Captain Sobel, sir" Evans said with a smirk
Nixon read the letter over Winters back, "for crying out loud, he misspelled Court Martial" Nixon said.
Winters folded the letter and walked off, he was mad at Sobel for messing with him like that.
Winters walked into the hospital and found Katie, she was in the supply room, trying to find something she could use for man who badly needed a slower drip.
"hey honey, what the matter with you" Katie could tell something was wrong.
"Sobel is court marshaling me for an infraction I didn't do" Winters said
Katie could tell Dick was most upset about the fact, Sobel was saying he had been negligent of his duty, not so much about the court martial itself.
"You have nothing to worry about, you didn't do anything wrong, we will find a way out of this" Katie said and hugged Winters.
"I know… it's just really frustrating, trying to put up with him" Winters said.
Winters were transferred to battalion mess and the NCO was getting ready to commit mutiny.
Mia was trying to talk Lipton out of going with the other NCO to turn in his stripes "You can't do it, you can get lined up against the wall and shot" Mia said
"I know you are scared, but I have to do this. I can't let them do it alone" Lipton said
"Please just be careful ok, don't do anything stupid, and don't let Ranney take charge he will blow it" Mia said
Lipton walked over and put his hands on her arms and looked her in the eyes "Its going to be fine" Ok.
Mia was still a little iffy about the whole deal, and decided to go to Winters.
He walked into the barn and saw the NCO writing their letters of resignation, he told them not to do it, that it was an act of mutiny and punishable by death or prison.
Winters talked the NCO out of presenting Sink with an ultimatum.
Lipton walked into the hospital along with Winters who was still a little mad at the NCO, he understood where they were coming from, and wished there was some way of getting rid of Sobel.
Winters just nodded at Lip, he knew the lieutenant hadn't forgiven the men yet.
Lipton found Mia, she was tending to a wounded man, and Lip just hung back and waited for her to finish.
Mia finished up and gave the man a few encouraging words, and put her hand on the man's shoulder.
Mia walked by Lipton and he followed her out into the hall way, he could tell she hadn't forgiven him either.
"So how did it go" She said over her shoulder
"Winters talked us out of it" Lipton said
"Good" Mia said and kept walking
Lipton followed her, he had to avoid patients and medics "Mia, it can't go on, we can't follow Sobel into combat, Mia will you stop please" Lipton said
Mia opened the door to the nurse's office, and gestured for Lipton to follow her in.
Lipton walked over and hugged Mia "Mia we can't follow him into combat, he will get us all killed, think about it, that means you and Amy to, and I can't have the two of you in danger, let's just hope Sink figures this out" Lipton said
Mia looked at Lipton, he was just worried about all the men, and it was one of his best qualities, his empathy and concern for the men.
"I know, I know, it's just my job to look after you" Mia said
"Yeah it is" Lip said and kissed her.
Somewhere else in the hospital Katie was throwing a tantrum, about the incompetence of the army, and how it was slowly sucking the life out of her.
Winters heard it all the way down the hall, and he hurried down to her office, opened the door and told the scared lieutenant, who was on the receiving end of the tantrum, to get out of there.
"What are you doing" Winters asked
"They keep sending me god damn residents, who know absolutely shit, I can't have them out in the field killing the men, I can't do it any more" Katie said
Winters could tell Mia was about to have a major break down, she was tough, but the sleep deprivation and the inexperienced staff was draining her, and the fact she was in charge of a company of inexperienced doctors and nurses didn't help. Katie had worked twenty four hours a day for weeks, it was getting too much.
"Katie, let's go get out of here, just for a couple of hours, come on let's take a nap, there is someone I want you to meet and you can yell at him if you want to" Winters said
"I can't leave my patients" Katie started to protest
"Yes you can, Mia and Sophie can come get you if anything happens, come on lets go" Winters said
"I…."
"We are going sweetheart, get in the jeep" Winters had led Katie outside while they were talking.
"Where are we going" Katie asked
"To get one of the new officers from Easy" Winters said and fired the engine
They drove off, and Winters stopped in front of the mess and a blond all American jock walked out.
"Oh I am guessing Nixon just loves him" Katie said
"He put him charge of the battalion's Physical training" Winters said
"Oh he got him running all over then, well I guess that man is just going to love Lane then" Katie said.
Buck Compton got in the front of the jeep.
Winters started to reprimand Buck "These men has been through the toughest training the army has to offer, under the worst possible circumstances, and they volunteered for it
Christ Dick I was just shooting craps with them, it's not like...
"You know why they volunteered, so when thing got really bad, the man in the foxhole next to them would be the best, not some draftee who would get them killed
"Are you ticked because they like me? because I am spending time to get to know my soldiers? I mean come on you been with these guys for what two years? I been here for six days" Buck said
"You were gambling Buck"
"so what soldiers do that, I don't deserve a reprimand for it" Buck tried to defend himself
"What if you won" Winters continued.
"What" Buck Said?
"WHAT IF YOU WON" Winters repeated, and got out of the jeep, he held his hand out to Katie who took and he helped her down from the jeep.
Katie turned and looked at Buck "Never put yourself in a position where you can take from these men" Katie said and walked off, leaving a mopping Buck behind.
A few days later Sink came down and gave all the noncoms hell, Sobel got transferred Chilton Foliat.
"Hey girls come here and check out the new Easy commander," Sophie said
The girls were in the mess and Winters was showing lieutenant Meehan the ropes, they were standing outside talking.
The girls slowly gathered by the door and looked out, they all looked at Meehan with very approving eyes, and he was a handsome man.
Nixon and Lipton were walking towards the mess, and noticed the girls checking out the new lieutenant.
They didn't approve of their girls drooling over some guy, but then again, it was fun to watch Meehan squirm under the girls gazing eyes.
"What are you doing" Nixon asked
Lane turned around and smiled "We are just enjoying the fact Easy got a new CO." She said
"Sure you were" Lipton said and pulled Mia to him just make sure.
Speirs came around the corner and noticed Amy and Sophie was giggling, and ogling the new Easy lieutenant.
"Sophie, McMillan wants you" Speirs said and gave Amy a cold stare and Amy flushed knowing she had been caught.
Winters looked at the girls "Well sir, I think we should move on" he said to Meehan.
Christmas came and went and so did new years on the first day in April, easy moved with the rest of the 101st to Uppottery.