A/N: Okay, I am sorry for my long delay. The ever infamous writer's block got me again. It also seems that every time I have free time I can't figure out what to write, but as soon as I have stuff to do I can write again. It's getting annoying actually. So here is the newest chapter. I hope you all like it!

Present

"Did they become friends?" Eleanor asks me.

I nod and smile. "Yeah, they hit it off really well. We became close in a short period of time."

"Can you tell me something you remember about them when you were all 'together'?"

A smile graces my face as those memories come back to me.

"Yes, there were several times. Granted, it was a little difficult because they were in a different company than I was in but we managed."

Sixteen Years Earlier

"What do you mean you can't play?" Daniel asked.

Both he and Irwin looked at me unbelievingly. It was almost like the reaction I would expect if I had just spoken in a different language and in a way I was.

I sighed and repeated myself, "I can't play." I paused and then sighed again, this situation was almost embarrassing, or it would have been if I was really a guy. "I don't know how," I finally told them.

They were silent for a few seconds as they absorbed this information.

Finally Daniel blurted out, "What do you mean you don't know how?"

"I don't know how," I simply said, again, and then shrugged. "No one has ever showed me."

Once again there was silence. This situation was slowly starting to get annoying for me. I couldn't help it if, as a girl, no one had thought it was appropriate to show me.

"Do you know how to play any card games?" Irwin asked, trying to find another way around this.

I sighed and said, "Of course, I do!"

"What ones?" he asked again.

"Euchre, Rummy, Black Jack," I listed off.

"You know how to play those but you don't know how to play Poker?" Daniel stated, unbelievingly.

"I told you, no one has ever showed me." I said, exasperated. Then I looked at him and mentally smirked. "Besides I wouldn't think a Bible thumper would play poker. I mean wouldn't your mother skin you alive if she knew you gambled?"

Since I was squinting I could see Daniel smile slightly. I was teasing him and he knew it.

"You know he does have a point?" Irwin said, playing along. "I would have thought she wouldn't let you play either."

"I'll have ya' know she plays herself," Daniel stated proudly. "She don't see nothing' wrong with playin' it if you are just playing it. However, you are right, she don't agree with getting money from it. I wasn't planning on betting or anything like that."

I leaned back slightly and smirked. "You know Irwin, I bet the reason why he doesn't gamble isn't cause his momma will have a fit. I bet its cause she keeps beating him at it and he's afraid he'd lose all his money."

Daniel looked surprised and was about to say something but Irwin beat him to it. "Yeah, you're probably right Antony. He probably doesn't even know how to play very well."

Daniel folded his arms and grinned at us. I knew that meant this wasn't over. "Hey maybe I can't play very well, but at least I know how to play unlike Squints over there."

"Squints?" I asked.

"Yeah, Squints," Daniel said, still smiling. "I mean I think it's fitting. Even if you could play, you still wouldn't do any good cause you couldn't see the cards."

It was my turn to be surprised. I managed to sputter out, "I can see completely fine with my glasses, probably even better than you!"

"He does have a point though," Irwin said. "Without your glasses, your face is always scrunched up and I know you can't see more than three feet from you."

I tried to glare at Irwin but I couldn't manage to pull it off. Instead I childishly shoved him and said, "Traitor."

He laughed and I could see him hold up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I never claimed to be on any sides," he told me.

"Course that's cause he doesn't have to. We all know he's on mine," Daniel said, grinning.

"Leave me out of this!" Irwin told him. "I'm not on any sides!"

I was smiling as I said, "Ever the pacifist, huh?"

Irwin smiled as well and nodded.

Daniel moved closer to Irwin, and I could see he was smirking. Instantly, I knew he was up to something. He put his arm around Irwin's shoulders and said, "That's what I like about this one, Squints," he said. I glared at him, but I didn't say anything; Daniel wasn't finished. "Unlike you, he's innocent and sweet."

I practically choked while I tried to keep from laughing. "Innocent and sweet?" I managed to repeat.

"Mhm, this one couldn't hurt a fly."

Irwin was clearly uncomfortable. He fidgeted slightly and looked at me for help.

I smiled at Irwin sadly. There wasn't a whole lot I could do; he was going to have to find his way out of this one. However, I don't think any of us, even Irwin, was expecting him to do what he did next.

He looked at Daniel shyly and said, "You aren't going to kiss me are you?" I almost didn't catch what he said because he was speaking so low. In fact, I wasn't even sure I heard him right, but one look at Daniel told me I had.

Instantly my eyes went wide and I coughed loudly. Daniel was also speechless and didn't do anything but look at his friend in surprise. That moment was all it took for Irwin to free himself.

"Good, now since you aren't going to do that, get your paws off of me!" he said and then shoved Daniel's arm off of him. All of his shyness that I seen earlier was gone. Irwin just shook his head and laughed.

I looked at Daniel and said, "You set yourself up for that one."

He looked at me, still in disbelief. "Maybe, but it wasn't somethin' I was expecting," he said. "I mean he's usually so quiet and doesn't fight back. Who woulda known that he'd have things up his sleeves to?" Then he looked back at Irwin and I could see his eyes narrow in suspicion. "Who are you, and what have you done with Irwin."

I didn't try to keep myself from laughing, but Irwin was. Finally he gave up and stood up. "Oh, grow up will you?" he said.

"Now that's what I'm used to!" Daniel said, as he also stood.

"He's right you know? Sometimes you are just like a big kid," I told Daniel.

"Hey, you both like me that way," he said, "and besides, you all know I can be serous to."

I shrugged and stood. "Yeah, but sometimes it takes a miracle. Now let's see how serous you can be while I go and see if my glasses are in."

"Oh he will be somewhat serous then," I heard Irwin say as I walked out of my tent. "I mean he has to be with all that brass around."

"He sure didn't worry about it at basic," I said. "All he ever did was get us into trouble."

I looked at Daniel, who was now walking besides me, just in time to see him shake his head. "You know, Squints, if I remember right on some of those times you enjoyed the end result. Remember James?"

"Yeah I remember James, but most of the time it wasn't worth it," I frowned slightly. "Will you quit calling me Squints? It's getting on my nerves."

"It suits you though," Daniel told me, "and at least I know that when I call out you are gonna be the only one lookin' my way. I mean there are plenty of Antony's and McNeal's out there, but only a few Squints."

"Also you are always calling me doc and stuff," Irwin added. "I don't see why you can't be called something either."

I glared at Irwin and was once again thinking that he was being a traitor. "It's different. You are a doctor by profession, it's your title. I don't make a living from being a blind person. In fact, I make a living because of how good I can see with my glasses."

"That makes it all the better," Daniel said. "I mean it's like that thing you've told me about. Oh what's the word? When something seems like something at first but ends up being completely the opposite?"

"Irony?" I asked, unsure where this was going.

"Yeah, that. When you hear Squints you think that someone really can't see, but with you, you are a dead shot. See where I'm goin' with this?"

I was frowning; I could get where he was going with it and how it did make some weird since. However, that didn't mean I had to like it. "I get it," I told him reluctantly.

"Good because now from this point onward you are Squints," he said smiling.

I didn't argue with him because there was no point in it. Daniel always did what he wanted to do and I wasn't going to be able to change that now. So instead of disputing with him, I just sighed and continued walking to the supply tent. I had become familiar with it by now, so I easily made it to the person who was supposed to be giving me my glasses. I expected to hear him say that they weren't done yet because that was what I had heard so far. However, I was surprised.

"I had a feelin' you'd stop by, it's a good thin' that you did to. Your glasses finally came in," the sergeant told me. I could see him place a small bundle on his desk and I quickly grabbed it.

"About bloody time, I was starting to think they wouldn't get here," I said, as a placed them on my face. I smiled as I could finally see again. It was almost like how I felt the first time I had ever put a pair on.

"Yeah well it's a good thin' they got in when they did," the sergeant said.

"Why's that?" Irwin asked him.

The sergeant leaned forward a little and motioned for us to come in closer. When we did, he started to speak. "Now I ain't supposed to be sayin' this," he said in a hushed voice, "but I know for a fact that there is gonna be an announcement today. The invasion is goin' to be in a few days and they are gonna start getting everyone loaded up."

We all looked at each other in surprise. All of us had heard false reports of the invasion starting soon, but we had never heard it from this sergeant. He was well known to be able to get information and it was almost always reliable. If he said the invasion would be soon, there was a big chance it would be.

A/N: Yes, as you can all see this was a filler chapter, but I thought there needed to be more development between Irwin and Daniel. Also if you guys are wondering about them being a little out of character, don't worry. I did that because I want to show the difference there is between now and after Omaha. I'd imagine that a lot kids (and yes they were practically all kids considering most weren't older than 19 went through a major change after their first major battle. Please let me know what you thought about it. Your opinions have a big effect on how this story goes!