To Randleman's credit, he didn't bombard her with questions as they waited out the night and the Germans. Whether it was because he wanted to give her a chance to breathe or he was too goddamn afraid of her, she didn't know. Whichever, he kept his distance.

Randleman was injured, not gravely, but not something she couldn't help with either. She always did lack in medical training. I'll have to ask Roe for a few lessons, she thought dully. Rather quickly, Jaclyn fell asleep in the hay while Randleman kept watch.

"Jackie, time to wake up, darling. We can go," he murmured to her the next morning.

She awoke fully alert. He was right; the Germans must have left the town. It was silent. The heaviness of sleep seemed to fall back on her and she yawned.

They gathered up their few belongings before starting to walk back to Eindhoven. Jaclyn walked with his rifle since he couldn't shoot his best with his bad shoulder. Didn't matter in the end - a jeep had just arrived looking for them.

The driver could hardly keep the shock from his face when he saw Jaclyn, whether it was because she was a woman or because she was covered in blood. Probably both. But he kept his mouth shut and brought them back quickly to Easy.

Trucks were lined up as the troopers got ready to move out. Randleman jumped out first before helping Jaclyn next, bad shoulder be damned. The woman saved his life, even if she was terrifying.

He gave her a wink before heading into a group of guys that started cheering when they saw him. Alone, Jaclyn tried to figure out where her pack was so that she could change from this god-awful dress. It was god-awful before the blood. Lord knows what it must look like now.

She saw the group of men turn to her while Randleman was speaking. Oh shit. They all started to approach her.

"Jackie, that you in there?" said Guarnere, smirking before giving her a quick hug. "I know you were aching to prove yourself, but you didn't need to save Bull's life. He ain't that important."

The men chuckled, although nervously. I must really look like hell, she thought as she watched their eyes look her over.

"Move it!" she heard from the back before Luz pushed his way to the front. His mouth dropped. Yep, like hell.

His huge brown eyes took her in, trying to find any part of her that wasn't covered in blood. Before she knew it, he hugged her hard to his body, his arms tight around her. She froze again, unused to contact.

"Jesus Christ, Mack, tell me you're OK," he said into her hair. He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes. "You're OK, right?"

She nodded, smiling slightly. "Yeah, I'm OK, Luz."

He pulled her to him again, not letting go for a long time. Eventually, she raised her arms up and hugged him back, feeling tears burn her eyes. It felt nice to be held.

She could feel his smile in her hair. "You see that, boys? I got me the first Mack hug outta all ya. It's OK to be jealous."

She giggled before pushing him away. "Don't get used to it."

He grinned, slinging an arm around her shoulders. They walked together with the other guys towards the trucks. "I'm going to ask Captain Winters if there's a shower pit stop along the way. You smell so bad, Mack."

She pinched his side hard, making him yelp. "You just secured yourself a travel companion, Luz. Congratulations."

He chuckled before looking at her. "I'm OK with that."

The guys quickly donated their canteens so that she could wash up a bit. Luz scrounged up a few rags so that she could try and wipe as much blood, dirt and hay from herself as she could before finding a shower at their next stop. After finding an empty truck near a lining of trees, Guarnere and Luz stood watch on either end as she changed behind it.

Jaclyn emerged, not clean, but not so crimson anymore either. Just in time too, they were moving out. Guarnere and Luz helped her into the truck, and she sat between them across from Roe, Liebgott and Toye.

Before the truck started to move, Winters walked up to them. "Jackie, good to see you."

She nodded. "Thank you sir."

He gave her a small smile before coughing. "Peter?"

She swallowed before answering. The entire truck became silent, even Cobb stopped talking to hear what she said. "Dead."

His lips pursed before adding, "And Johan?"

Jaclyn didn't answer, only shook her head slightly. Sleep threatened to overtake her again. Winters nodded, seeing her eyes harden. "OK. Let's debrief later." He turned to the others. "We have about an hour drive ahead of us. Stay safe everyone." He walked away again.

The truck remained silent as her eyes grew increasingly heavy. She leaned her head against the closest shoulder to her and closed her eyes.

Luz looked down at her on his shoulder, a soft smile on his lips. The men near the front of the truck started murmuring. He heard Cobb's prominent voice and tried to drown it out.

"There's no fucking way she did all that. Bull must have be in more pain than he realized," said Cobb.

Malarkey shrugged. "I trust Bull. Plus did you see her? That ain't the blood of one man."

Cobb sneered. "But four men? You mean to tell me that she killed four men, with only a knife? That's bullshit."

Luz couldn't help but overhear. He opened his mouth to happily bite off Cobb's head, but Jaclyn beat him to the punch.

"Eleven men," she murmured, but her voice boomed across the truck. They stilled instantly, turning to look at her.

Jaclyn didn't move her head from Luz's shoulder, but she lazily opened her eyes. She stared directly at Cobb. "I killed eleven krauts. Although, you're right. Not all with a knife. I killed five with a stolen sniper. The other six I killed with a knife. Sorry, two knives. Silly me."

"Bullshit."

She cocked an eyebrow at Cobb, grinning. "Would you like a demonstration, Roy?"

Luz grinned as he watched the color leave Cobb's face. The man was finally silent.

They arrived to the town of Schoonderlogt, where they were stay for the next week or so. After all the men got off the truck, Cobb leading the way, Guarnere and Luz stayed behind to wake Jaclyn. She was dead to the world.

"Hey dollface," said Guarnere. "Time to wake up, sweetcheeks. We're here." Jaclyn only murmured her appeal. He rolled his eyes and motioned to Luz. "Grab her bag. Mine too."

Guarnere then hoisted her into his arms and jumped softly to the ground. He started following the pack in front of them, Luz behind him struggling with the three bags. Guarnere grinned. "I lucked out on this one, Georgie. This dame must weigh ten pounds less than one of those damn bags."

Luz cursed himself for not thinking of carrying Jaclyn before Guarnere. No bag and he gets a cute girl snuggled into his chest? What the fuck, man. He staggered trying to follow them.

Eventually, they found her bunk assignment, which happened to be above Luz's bunk. The small town wasn't equipped enough to house a woman soldier alone. Guarnere placed her on the bed, where she continued to sleep deeply.

They looked at each other in awe. "Girl knows how to sleep," muttered Guarnere. Luz only nodded before flopping down onto his bunk below her. "I'm going to get some chow. You coming?"

"Nah," Luz replied lazily. "Girl has the right idea." He closed his eyes as Guarnere left them.

Luz gradually snoozed for a bit before waking up suddenly. His ears perked up, waiting to hear gunfire. Nothing. Something woke me up. He sat up, waiting to hear it again.

Above him, Jaclyn whimpered. He could hear her feet thrashing against the quilt. Luz stood up next to her bed, leaning his chin down onto the mattress. She lied there covered in a sheen of sweat. Her lips were trying to form words, but no sound escaped except for the odd moan or whimper every now and then.

Luz sighed and then softly brushed his hand across her forehead, trying to soothe her like his mom always did when he had had nightmares. He hummed a little under his breath and continued to brush her wild hair from her face. It still felt hard and brittle from her battle.

Suddenly, lightning fast, her hand grasped his wrist, stopping his motion. Luz's eyes widened at her hand before moving back to her face again. She was wide awake.

"Luz?" she murmured, her voice cracking from sleep.

"Jesus, Mack," he said, removing his hand from her forehead and her grasp. "Those are some killer reflexes you got there."

She ignored him, but turned her body on its side. Leaning forward, she kissed him.

Jesus all to hell, was his only thought. Luz froze on the spot before pulling away. He straightened his body so to put some distance between them.

"Mack, what are you doing?" he murmured, still feeling the impression of her lips on his. God, quit testing me. This ain't some comedy hour for your amusement up there, dude.

Jaclyn shrank back, horrified. With a squeak, she rolled onto her other side, curling into a tight ball. Luz followed her, walking to the other side of the bed. "I mean, what the hell was that? We walking down memory lane tonight, or something?"

She hid her face with her hands before groaning. "I'm sorry, Luz. It was...it was just a reaction."

"Must have been some dream to have a reaction like that."

She could see his attempt at humor to alleviate her tension, and she appreciated it. She peeked out from her fingers. His face looked back at her in good fun, not anger.

Jaclyn sighed before sitting up. She looked down at her hands. "No, it was more of a reaction to your touch."

Luz cocked his head to the side, puzzled. "Now I know I am completely irresistible, but I only was trying to stop your nightmare, Mack. I swear, nothing more." He held up both hands in innocence.

Jaclyn cracked a smile. "I know. But I'm...unused to simple comfort." She paused, trying to find the words. "When someone touches me, it's usually when I'm on a mission. When I am playing a part."

Luz was silent. Jaclyn never shared anything about herself. She took a deep breath and continued. "While in Nuenen, my part was that of a feeble farmer's wife. I couldn't be myself anymore. I needed to change into Tessa." The words started to choke her. She either needed to swallow them or continue. Another breath. "The kraut officers called on Tessa to serve them lunch because they had heard of her beauty, not because of some stinking cheese. Her husband had been hiding her away for that exact reason. He was worried they'd take her away."

Luz crossed his arms and leaned them against her mattress, his chin leaning on top. "So you became Tessa. And when the krauts saw you…"

Jaclyn shrugged, trying to hide the shudder she felt. "One of them got a little handsy." She looked him grimly in the eye, raising her chin. "I killed him first."

Luz was baffled, ignoring for a moment how he was impressed that she got her revenge so sweetly. "He put his hands on you… so you kissed him?"

Jaclyn chuckled and shook her head. "No, Tessa doesn't react. She lets him touch her until he's bored or too drunk and then she turns away." She stopped him when she saw him open his mouth. His face was turning a very angry shade of red. Now that she had started, she needed to finish. "Other parts that I play, the enemy likes when I react. Whether it's a caress or a wink. Most often a kiss."

She looked at her hands again. Taking a long and deep breath, "Outside of the missions, I...I kind of close myself off. I don't have anyone outside the job. I try to keep it that way."

Luz looked at her for a long time before hoisting himself onto her bed and sitting next to her. Their legs dangled over the side, his reaching down much farther than hers. He watched her as she kept her eyes downcast before pulling her into a hard hug. Jaclyn froze at first then wrapped her arms around his back. She closed her eyes against his shoulder.

Luz refused to let go until he got his point across. "Well, sorry Mack, now you're stuck with me. And you have Bill, and Bull, and all the rest of the guys. OK, maybe not Cobb, but who wants him?" He smiled when he felt her giggle against him.

He pulled back to look her in the eyes. "I need you to remember that not all touch means sex or lies or death." He brushed some hair from her face, his own serious. "A woman can touch a man, whether it's through friendship or love, sadness or happiness. You don't need to fear affection, Jackie."

Jaclyn's eyes blurred before she leaned forward and hugged him tightly. "Thanks, George," she murmured. They stayed like that for a long time.

Finally, she pulled back, smiling shyly. Luz smiled back, knocking his shoulder into hers. "And if you ever do want to kiss me for real next time, I'll need the code word first."

Jaclyn laughed out loud. God, it felt good to do that. She knocked her shoulder back into his. "We'd better play it safe. What's the code word?"

Luz breathed in, comically scratching his chin. In one long breath out, he said, "Oh-Most-Handsome-George-Luz, Shut-The-Hell-Up-And-Kiss-Me-Already-You-Great-Oaf."

Jaclyn laughed harder; she felt as if her ribs were cracking. She squeezed her arms to her sides and rolled over. She heard Luz join her until they couldn't breathe anymore. They sat up when they could finally catch their breath.

Luz shrugged innocently. "Hey, you never know."