"Ev," murmured Luz, nudging her in the back. "Time to get up, sweetheart." Evelyn only groaned. He grinned before sitting down next to her comatose body. He tried the magic word. "Breakfast."

Evelyn pulled her head from underneath her pillow. Her deep dark brown hair was flying everywhere. "George," she croaked.

His grin widened. "Yes, darling?"

"You are so handsome. You know that, right? Probably the most handsome man I have ever met." This declaration may have been more believable if her eyes weren't closed and her cheek was already burrowing back down. She yawned widely. "You know, on the very first day here, I said to myself, wow, now that is a handsome man. Hot damn."

Luz rolled his eyes, but chuckled. "What do you want?"

She managed to open her eyes a tiny bit and pout. "Steal breakfast for me? Just this once?"

He stood after pinching her in the side, causing her to jump. "If my lady so wishes for breakfast in bed, it will be done." He gave her a wink, not sure if she even saw it. "Get back to sleep, Ev." He began to walk out with Perconte.

"Phew, that ass!" she called.

He waved a rude gesture her way. "You only wish for a taste!"

And so it became a Friday night and Saturday morning tradition. Sobel would ask Evelyn after every march if she was going to become an Easy company paratrooper, and after she replied in the affirmative, she was ordered to march it again, sometimes with anyone who stupidly drank from their canteen, but most often alone.

Every Saturday morning, the men would allow her to sleep in, and Luz would pocket her breakfast and they'd chat happily as she wolfed down what he pilfered for her after a few extra hours of shut eye.

The soldiers didn't have to worry about dry and brisk weather anymore. February had arrived, and with it, a downpour of rain and mud. On a particularly extreme wet Saturday morning, Luz had left Evelyn with his weekend pass still in tact. Somehow, most of the men had secured theirs; Sobel hadn't let Evelyn leave the base once.

She expected to be alone in the aid station that afternoon, taking an inventory of the supplies, but to her delighted surprise, Roe was already inside.

"Eugene!" she exclaimed, walking in and closing the door immediately. She took off her helmet - an accessory only needed as a protectant to the rain that morning - and swept into the room. "What are you doing here? Don't you have a pass?"

Roe gave her a smile. "I bartered with Toye. He's enjoying Georgia's finest bars as we speak."

Evelyn giggled and joined him in his task. The next few hours passed in comfortable silence and small conversation. Roe had a gift for making someone feel at ease, and Evelyn was no exception.

"Come on, Evie. Show me one more time," he asked calmly awhile later.

She rolled her eyes. "Eugene, I've showed you a dozen times already. You can stitch beautifully."

He grunted in frustration, looking down at this work on a banana. "It isn't as straight."

She gave him a grin. "War isn't pretty. Why should the wounds look any different?" She earned a chuckle from him.

After a few more minutes of quiet concentration, Roe broke the silence. "What made you want to become a nurse?"

Evelyn sighed and shrugged. "I'm not really sure. It seemed the most exciting, perhaps? School sure wasn't though." Before the Japanese had bombed Hawaii, she was deep into her second year of training. She abandoned her education at the first opportunity to help the war effort. "When the Army announced they were testing with women soldiers, I wagered they would fix that problem for me."

They grinned to one another. He nodded in agreement. "I don't think we will have a lack of excitement soon enough."

The pair continued teaching one another a few tricks of the medical trade, but mostly Evelyn showed Roe what her school had taught her. He was an excellent pupil and caught on quickly, but he was hard on himself.

"Eugene, it's different when treating someone," she admonished when he cursed to himself once again when she was showing him how to find a vein for a needle. "I've seen for myself how you deal with real injuries. You have a gift."

Roe snorted. She shook her head before sliding onto the examination table and rolling up her sleeve. "I'll prove it. Stick me."

He widened his eyes. "Evie…"

Evelyn sighed before taking his hands in hers and dragging them toward the inside of her arm. "The girls and I would do it all the time to practice." Still he didn't move. She raised an eyebrow. "If you don't, I promise you that I'll just stick myself. Non-dominant hand and all. Talk about not pretty."

Roe rolled his eyes now, but nodded, giving in. He moved forward, needle in hand towards her arm. "Only because I need the practice."

Evelyn stayed still for a moment before rearing back dramatically. "Doc! What are you doing? Is that a needle?"

He stared at her, jaw dropped. "Evie, didn't you just say…."

She smirked before becoming still once again. "I'm trying to pretend to be an injured man. Lord knows they bitch enough."

They laughed together until finally settling down to try again. As soon as Roe got near her with the plasma needle again, she gasped and fawned. "Are you tryin' to kill me, Doc?" she drawled, deepening her voice. "I mean, Jesus Christ! I thought you're supposed to be helpin' me rather than hurtin'!"

Trying his best not to roll his eyes, Roe took a deep breath and tried to pretend alongside her. "This is going to help you. I promise, it won't hurt a bit," he said quietly. Already his Cajun tone soothed her; she almost forgot her role.

Clearing her throat, she bit her lip nervously. "I don't know, Doc."

Roe looked her in the eyes and was silent, but she automatically began mimicking his long and deep breaths. Her heart slowed. "You're going to be OK, Evie. Just look over my shoulder. What do you see?"

Evelyn did as she was told. "I see a door."

Roe began feeling the inside of her elbow for the vein. "Do you want to know what's beyond the door, private?"

She chuckled as the pad of his thumb pumped gently onto her skin, plumping it. "I bet fucking Sobel is behind it. Ready to make me run up that damn mountain as soon as you're done sticking me with a goddamn needle."

Roe shook his head. "No, behind that door is the Louisiana bayou. Have you ever been?"

"No."

He nodded. "I don't think most people have. It's a beautiful place. Still, green water everywhere. Trees grow right up from it without need for soil beyond the mud deep down inside."

Evelyn's could see it. "Are the trees big like those in a forest? Or more like those near the shore?"

With one hand, Roe picked up the needle. "More like the shore, I wager. You can see the roots when it hasn't rained. But when it does - cherie, you wouldn't believe the fog."

She smiled. "Spooky?"

"The spookiest. My younger brother had nightmares about getting lost in it until he was thirteen, but he'd tell you he was seven."

Evelyn laughed loudly before turning to look at him. "Sounds like my brother, Christo…" Her eyes went down to her arm and the needle that stuck from it perfectly. "Eugene! I didn't even feel it!"

Roe blushed, but she could feel the pride rolling off him. "You're a good teacher." He took the needle from her arm again gently.

She shook her head before jumping from the table. "No, Eugene Roe. That was all you. You're going to be the finest medic this regiment has ever seen."

He grinned, cheeks red. "And you, Evelyn Cassidy, are already its best bullshitter."

She cackled before grabbing his hand to go to dinner. "You may be right, Doc. But, remember, I'm right as well. Hell, I'm always right."

The days began to pass quickly as spring came, but the rain stuck around. Sometimes it was a nasty enemy, creating puddles and mud that seemed to seep into the bones of the soldiers during their runs and training exercises. Other times it was a welcomed friend, allowing them a break for classroom training, indoors and dry.

Dark clouds loomed in the distance as Easy finished up the morning artillery training. Luz clapped Perconte on the back. "Five bucks that Sobel gives in and allows us to listen to Nixon drone this afternoon, Frank."

Perconte glanced at the sky and shook his head. "You're on. No way is he going to let us skip Currahee."

The soldiers had just finished showering and changing for lunch when Winters and Nixon walked up to the men. "Training is being moved into the classroom for the afternoon, per Captain Sobel," said Winters.

"Means you're stuck with me," added Nixon with a grin. "See you all in an hour."

The officers walked away as the men hooted in the barracks. As they made their way towards the mess, they ran into Evelyn, who had just finished up in the showers. She had to wait for the men to finish up every time in order for some privacy.

"Evie!" cried Luz. "We ain't running today, darling, and Frank owes me five bucks! Isn't that great?"

Evelyn grinned widely. "No running and you have money to buy me a drink? This is a good day, George."

Luz laughed as he swung an arm around her waist. "The day you get a weekend pass, I will buy all your drinks."

All the men snorted at that. She had to grin again. "Aw, shucks, George. You're so generous."

"You'd think Sobel would be more generous to us since he is now a Captain," muttered Randleman as they walked into the hall.

Evelyn groaned. "He got promoted?" They all nodded solemnly. "Hell."

"Looks like Winters did too. Saw somethin' extra shiny on his collar," added Malarkey.

She took a deep breath, appeased. At least someone worthwhile is getting recognized. As the air hit her lungs, a wonderful smell hit her. She looked around, and noticed that the men smelled it too. "What is that?" she asked excitedly as they lined up with their trays.

Perconte grimaced. "I'd say it sort of looks like spaghetti, but I'm afraid my ma will show up and box my ears for callin' that slop anything Italian."

Anxiously, Evelyn waited her turn, her stomach growling. When the kitchen aid placed her somewhat full plate on her tray, she looked up and caught his eye. Excellent. It was Jeremy, a young man who flushed every time he saw her.

Batting her eyelashes, she gave him a full smile before chewing on her bottom lip coyly. The effect was instantaneous. Jeremy blushed before adding a second spoonful of pasta to her plate and another roll. Her grin turned into a radiant smile. With a wink, she left the line.

"Christ, that was pathetic," muttered Liebgott behind her.

Evelyn turned and her smile turned venomous. "Jealous of my extra food, Liebgott, or of sweet Jeremy? Don't worry. If you give me a treat, I promise to look at you like that, as much as it would turn my stomach." With a wink, she walked away and towards her friends.

Although Evelyn might be able to play up her feminine charm at a moment's notice, when it came to eating, she was anything but a lady.

Toye watched her shovel in the pasta, his eyes wide. "Good God, woman. Where does it go?"

Evelyn stopped with her fork long enough to chew and swallow the huge amount of lunch in her mouth. She smirked. "Gotta work for that ass you all so admire, Joe."

"Keep it up, Evie. You can do it!" shouted Guarnere from behind her.

"Yes, sarge!" The shoveling recommenced.

Perconte poked at his food. "This ain't spaghetti. This is Army noodles with ketchup."

Hoobler and Evelyn immediately began reaching over to his plate. "If you don't want it," Hoobler started.

"We'll take it," finished Evelyn, her fork already closing in.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! I never said I wasn't gonna eat it!" cried Perconte, pushing them away. "Goddamn vultures!"

Evelyn finished her food well before everyone else. She felt uncomfortably full, but looked longingly at their trays. She caught Luz's eye and pouted.

He shook his head immediately. "Nuh uh. That cutesy stuff ain't gonna work on me, sweetheart. Any attraction had flown out the minute I saw you eat from day one." He shivered in disgust at the memory.

She scoffed, but gave up. Better this way. Any more and I will fall asleep in class.

Just as she was about to begin a new conversation with Perconte and Randleman, the doors of the mess slammed open and they heard Sobel's distinctive yell. She winced, closing her eyes. She knew the meal was too good to be true. Christ.

Evelyn had never been in more pain. She definitely wasn't alone in this, but all she could focus was the jostling of the pasta and greasy sauce in her stomach. She placed all her determination in not seeing it again.

"I want my five bucks back, George, plus what you owe me," panted Perconte.

The soldiers were quiet for the most part. Besides the odd moan and groan, the only noise beyond their feet was Sobel screaming at them that they could stop now, give up, rest and quit.

He passed her by, repeating it again loudly in her ear. She snarled silently, baring her teeth. Fuck you. As soon as he was gone, she took in a shuddering breath.

"What's wrong, Cassidy?" asked Liebgott on her side. He blinked innocently, but he couldn't stop the smirk that spread across his face. "Regretting that extra helping from your flirting? Looks like you don't need me to turn your stomach after all." And before she could answer, he cackled and ran forward.

Evelyn glared at his back. It helped with the pain in her gut to imagine various ways of dismembering him.

If possible, the way down was worse. The angle somehow made the food begin to inch back up her throat. It didn't help that Hoobler and a few others began to retch nearby. She had to breathe out of her mouth.

Finally, they made it back to the camp, several men collapsing to the ground to try and keep the food at bay. Evelyn bent at the waist with her eyes closed and breathed heavily. As soon as she did, she felt a hand clap hard on her back and boots appeared in front of her.

Liebgott smirked again as she glanced up at his face. "Maybe next time you'll think twice about being so goddamn shameless."

That's it, she thought a moment before her body responded as well. She let go of its resolve to keep everything down, and she puked up her entire lunch on his boots.

He cried out in disgust and jumped back. "Jesus Christ!"

Evelyn wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before grinning and looking up. Then, she held out a hand, her eyes wide and dramatic. "Wait, I think that second helping is coming up right…"

Liebgott cursed her again before backing away hurriedly and jogging towards the barracks. The men around her laughed loudly when she stood up without getting sick again.

"That was priceless, darling," said Randleman.

Evelyn grinned as she walked with him and the others. "I'll have to make sure I thank Joe later. I feel so much better."