Hogan frowned and went looking. He found Newkirk sitting in the tunnel to the cooler, rolling a coin between his fingers. He'd obviously broke into the showers--his black hair clung to him in damp tendrils and he smelled of soap. "You all right?" Hogan asked. Newkirk gave him a wan smile.
"Yeah."
Hogan leaned against the wall. "Do you need anything?" he lamely asked.
Newkirk stood, shaking his head. Hogan noted Newkirk hadn't put on his make up yet as all his curves were evident and his face disturbingly fair. Hogan thoughtfully studied him. "You are lovely."
"What?" "You and the bomber crew are all beautiful. The only way you're passing is your skill with makeup and disguise and the fact no one knows you're female. That spell must have used your body but added something else as none of of you are plain or even average."
"I have all the same skills. The only change is my body is female." Newkirk bit his lip in a troublingly fetching way. "I don't feel different, gov, not inside." He looked Hogan in the eye. "Don't treat me different."
"That may be difficult," Hogan muttered. "We're going out tomorrow night to get those dresses and material."
"OK."
They walked to join the others. Tiger chatted with Carter, Kinch, and LeBeau. "You found her," LeBeau said.
"LeBeau, I'm going to ruddy choke you!"
"Sorry," LeBeau said. "It was only a joke." He shuffled his feet.
"We can't afford slip ups," Hogan reminded. "Tiger, we'll get the stuff tomorrow night."
"Oui." Tiger smiled. "Be careful, mes amis. It is tres dangereuse."
"You, too," Hogan said. He escorted Tiger out of the tunnel. Newkirk watched them leave and then looked at his friends. All gazed at him curiously.
"You need to change," Kinch rasped and left. Newkirk looked at Carter and LeBeau.
"What's with 'im?"
"I think you look too pretty for him," Carter honestly said.
"Oui. And perhaps for us as well." LeBeau studied Newkirk. "It's hard to remember you're Pierre when you look like this."
Carter nodded and then darted off. He returned with a camera and snapped a picture. "Just to prove to you that you are pretty," he said. Newkirk sighed and rubbed his temples.
Hogan returned to find his men playing cards. "You are still a cardshark," LeBeau muttered.
"Just face it, mate, I'm better than you."
Hogan watched for a few moments, grateful for the closeness of his team. Sometimes they drove him crazy yet they would give their lives for each other and him. He laid his hand on Carter's shoulder. "We should get some sleep," he said. Newkirk nodded and walked off to put on his disguise. Hogan waited until Newkirk rejoined them and they went up.
Newkirk laid on his thin mattress, thinking over what Tiger said. He'd told Hogan the truth--he didn't feel different. Yet what if he started to? Why had Tiger said this could be the best thing he'd ever experienced as he would be able to understand women far better? And why did women have to be built so different from men? And why, oh why, did all his mates think he was pretty? Even if he was, he wished they could have kept quiet as it raised disturbing thoughts.
He caught a whiff of lilac and flinched. It was so very faint yet he knew it was there. It was buried in his hair and skin, occuring rarely. He stared at the raw wood ceiling. Finally he slid out of bed, grabbed his boots, and padded outside. Snowflakes whirled and danced around him as he shoved his feet into his boots. Pacing the camp, he paused by the dog kennel and the dogs wagged their tails. He rumpled Ludwig's ears and slipped a few treats to Heidi and Ludwig. Then he leaned against Barracks Nine and smoked a cigarette. He viciously wiped his eyes, rubbed away the burning tears. The liquid kept welling and he sniffed hard.
Strong arms slipped around his shoulders, held him against a broad chest. The smell of leather filled his nose and he shivered. He tried to pull away yet his knees gave way and he broke into harsh sobs. A calloused, gentle hand stroked his hair and warm breath puffed across his neck. He leaned hard, felt the embrace tighten, and hold him close until the sobs halted and his breathing eased. A large handkerchief was proffered and he took it gratefully. "Thanks," he whispered.
"Anytime."
Newkirk wiped his face, blew his nose, and then looked up sheepishly. Hogan gazed at him with nothing but concern. "Sorry," Newkirk mumbled. "Why are you up, gov?"
"Saw you pass my window."
Newkirk kicked the snow in acute embarassment. He couldn't remember when he'd last cried or at least he tried not to remember. Hogan gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Come back to bed."
"I can't sleep, Colonel."
"Come to my quarters." Newkirk nodded and followed his CO quietly. In Hogan's quarters, Hogan handed him a mug and filled it with whiskey from a bottle under the floorboards. "Drink."
"I'm sor-"
"No apologies needed. You've done incredibly well." Hogan drank as well. Newkirk swallowed, enjoying the burn through his esophagus. After he drained the cup, he sighed, feeling his muscles unknot.
"That's better." He refilled the mug and drank quickly. Hogan's eyes widened. Newkirk smiled and then yawned. "Thank you, gov." He stretched and swayed slightly. "I'll go to bed."
"Let me help." Hogan grabbed Newkirk's arm and eased him to his bottom bunk. "Why don't you sleep here?"
"Appreciate it but I'll be fine." Hogan flinched and Newkirk belatedly realized he was slurring slightly. He pulled off his boots, stood, and gingerly picked his way across the barracks to his bunk. Hogan watched from his door. Newkirk clambered into his bunk and smiled at his CO. Then he closed his eyes. He felt Hogan's gaze for a few minutes then heard Hogan quietly close his door. He fell asleep quickly, dreaming of nameless things and pleasures.
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"This is ridiculous!" Captain Evers glared at Hogan. "I'm not a woman!"
"You look great. Now stop screeching." Hogan walked around Captain Evers. "Nice job, Newkirk."
"Thank you, gov." Newkirk added a final stitch to Lt. Hoffman's gown. LeBeau, Kinch, and Carter all looked on.
"Why does she get to stay?' Hoffman grumbled.
"He's a part of my command staff." Hogan was getting highly annoyed with this bomber crew. "Let's go over the plan again."
Evers rolled his large blue eyes. "We join Klink and he takes us to Hammelburg for a party. After the party goes on awhile, a waiter named Michael will escort us to the powder room and through the kitchen to a catering truck. Then we go on to our safe house."
Hogan nodded. "Good. Remember, all these Krauts care about is that you're pretty and listen adoringly."
"Be the woman you would like to be with," Kinch suggested.
"Where can we get hold of the fey?" Evers looked at Hogan. Hogan gestured to Newkirk. "Well, Corporal?"
Newkirk shrugged. "Bunch of fairy cairns and circles in England. Scotland and Ireland, too. I'd suggest, sir, you be very polite and apologetic. They enjoy the full moon."
"They better have a damn good reason for this."
"Consider yourself lucky, Captain. They could have turned you into a dog or donkey."
"I feel like a donkey."
Newkirk rolled his eyes. "All set, gov."
"Thanks. Carter, let's get set to slip them out. LeBeau, Kinch, Newkirk, go distract the guards."
"Oui, mon Colonel."
Hogan watched his men leave and looked at the five women behind him. "Are you ready?"
"Colonel, again, please send your Corporal back with us," Evers said.
"No way!" Carter snapped.
"At ease, Carter. He's not going with them. Request denied, Captain. I can't lose any of my command crew."
Evers nodded and Carter glanced at Hogan. "Let's get this show on the road," Hogan said.
The bomber crew were sent off without a hitch. Hogan sighed with relief as Klink and the staff car rolled out the gates. "Just you now, Newkirk," Kinch cheerily said.
"And they'll be in London before Thanksgiving." Carter looked wistful.
"We'll get something to be thankful for," Newkirk said, draping an arm around Carter's shoulder. "See, mate, I might just be able to get us a turkey and fixings. I know you Yanks like that stuff."
"And how can you do that?" Carter eyed his friend skeptically.
"I 'ave my ways. As long as LeBeau there is willing to cook."
"As long as you don't," Kinch snorted. The most Newkirk could make was toast, sausage, potatoes, and eggs. Anything else he tried came out burnt, inedible, or stomach twisting (sometimes all three.) He could make tea, of course, and coffee as long as it was the black tar Hogan loved. Carter and Kinch were actually more skilled at cooking than people guessed. Carter could cook as long as he followed the recipes and didn't try to wing it. Kinch rarely cooked but when he did, it was good, comfort food. Hogan only touched the stove to make coffee and LeBeau and Kinch had privately agreed that their CO joined the military so he wouldn't have to cook.
"You should learn to cook." Carter looked at Newkirk. "In case you stay a girl and, ah..." His voice trailed off as everyone glared at him.
"If that's the case, Andrew, I'll rely on my charms." Newkirk rolled his eyes. "Come on, mates, let's play cards."
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