A/N: Okay I'm on a roll! I know this chapter is short, it's more of a filler. I hope you enjoy it anyway! Also, please review! It's been a long time since I've wrote anything. I need input on how I'm doing.

Present

"We didn't have much time for a reunion. There wasn't enough time to tell them who I was," I say. "I had been folded into their platoon. More parts of the beach had to be secured. Then once that had been accomplished we had to move further inland. It had been slow going. We encountered mines and tanks. More men died but miraculously the three of us survived.

Did you get a chance to really talk?" Eleanor asks.

I nod and say, "After everything was secure we finally had a chance to rest, but it wasn't for long. Even then could never find the right moment to tell them about myself. It just never seemed like a good time and there was even less time after we were given our new mission."

"What was that?"

"To save Private Ryan."

Sixteen Years Earlier

I was inspecting my rifle for what had to been the tenth time in a span of only a few moments. After being on the go for so long, sitting down and doing nothing was making me fidgety. I had to have something to do with my hands. I don't think I was the only one either. By this point both Daniel and Irwin had taken up smoking. I didn't like the habit, hence why I took to inspecting my rifle, but I wasn't going to say anything to them. I could tell it provided them some relief, so I let them have their vises. They seemed to understand mine as well; it was simply a mutual understanding.

I glanced up and looked around at our group. During the last few days our threesome had expanded. We were now a group of six. It was an odd collection and under normal circumstances most of us would not have run in the same crowed.

Adrian Caparzo had been drafted. He was a rather large man, the muscle of the group. However, he had a soft spot and was more like a gentle giant. His conversations would often turn to his family. He adored his niece, admired his father, and loved his siblings. He would often spend his time joking with Stanley Mellish, whom he often called "Fish."

Mellish had joined the war willingly. He was Jewish and he had family that lived in Germany. Unfortunately, he had lost contact with them shortly after Hitler had taken over. He kept the last letter from his grandfather in his jacket pocket. He had let me look at it once. What was written on those pages was ominous. His grandfather had explained how Jews were being taken from their homes and loaded into trains. The Gestapo had told them they were being relocated to a better place so they could be with their own people. The first groups had gone willingly. However, there were now roomers that they were being sent to someplace much more sinister. Those who resisted were shot. His section was scheduled to leave in a few days. We knew now what was really happening to those that were being taken. They were sent to camps and being slaughtered. I looked at Mellish. Bitterness was written on his face. He didn't have to tell us that he was hoping to find his grandparents. He also didn't have to say what he would do to their murders if he found them dead.

The other man in our group was Richard Reiben. Daniel and I had been with him before. Apparently he had found our prank amusing enough to forgive us for locking him in with James back at basic. He wasn't bad looking but his cockiness was a deterrent. He thought he was the stuff and he couldn't keep his mouth closed most of the time.

The six of us were just sitting and joking when Reiben had to open his mouth to point out my oddity. "McNeal why do you keep caressing your rifle like it's a woman?" This drew everyone's attention to me. "Have you not had enough action lately?"

Without looking up I quipped, "I'm sorry that's the first thing that comes into your mind, must be because your girlfriend didn't rub you down enough. She probably put her hands down your pants, jerked it out and screamed "Oh my God! It's so SMALL!'"

This had everyone rolling in laughter, except Reiben of course. He just sputtered out, "I'll have you know my cock is huge and she can't fuckin' get enough of it!"

"More like can't get enough fucking out of it," Mellish chimed in. This only caused our laughter to grow.

That's how our Captain and Sargent found us. The Captain, John Miller, looked none too pleased, nor did the Sarge, Mike Horvath. A funny feeling crept up my spine as the Miller said, "Assemble at the battalion motor pool."

"Yes sir," Horvath replied. Miller continued on as Horvath approached us.

"What are we doing?" Caparzo asked.

"Listen up," Horvath said but was interrupted again. He looked at Caparzo impatiently/ "What?"

"What we gonna do?"

"You're going home with a hunk of cheese in your ass, Caparzo."

Reiben couldn't help but open his mouth, "You like it up the ass."

"What?" Horvath was looking less amused by the minute.

"I said you like it up the ass."

"Reiben how 'bout you shut your moth for two seconds and I'll tell you what we are doing next." Reiben looked like he was about to say something but a sharp look from Horvath made him change his mind. "We have a new assignment. Reiben, Caparzo, Wade, Mellish, Jackson, and McNeal you're coming with the Captain and I."

I looked at him rather surprised and then asked, "Are you sure sir? That's two snipers."

"God damn, do you all have to question every word I say?" Horvath was completely exasperated by this point. "Command gave the Captain a shitty assignment, so he gets his pick. You should consider that a fucking complement especially considering you weren't in this platoon to begin with.

"So what's the assignment?" Reiben asked no longer able to contain himself.

"You know what? Screw it! I'm going to let the Captain have the pleasure of telling you himself! Get your gear and get over to the motor pool." He paused then grinned. "Oh and fellas, do pack light. We have a long way to go."

It didn't take us long to get ready. We all got the hint that we were only taking the essentials and by this point we were mostly ready to go. We went over as a group. The Captain was already there. He had procured us a jeep. There was another individual with him that I had not seen before. He was small and obviously nervous. Honestly, he looked less likely to be in the army than I dd. His brand new uniforms told us that he had been here at D-Day. More than likely he had never been in battle before. Hell, he held his rifle like it was going to bite him.

"I'm not feeling too complemented anymore," I said in a hushed voice. The Sargent was far enough ahead of us that he didn't hear, but the rest of them could. It started a bout of snickering through our ranks. That Horvath did hear and he turned to glare at us. It didn't stop our snickering until we reached the Captain.

"Alright as I'm sure Sargent Horvath explained, we have been given a new assignment," The Captain started to explain. This time there were no interruptions. "I'm just going to tell it to you straight. Some guy out there just got lucky. He lost three bothers and now the higher ups are sending him home to his mother. We are heading up to Newville to find him and bring him back."

I remained silent but the rest of them were making their displeasure known. Reiben was the most vocal of all.

"So we are just going to risk our lives so this guy's mommy can have her little baby back?"

"Yes."

"That's bullshit!"

"Bullshit or not that's our mission." I could tell that the Captain was slightly amused. Not that Reiben caught onto this. He was throwing a fit.

"Let me stay Captain. I'm not fit enough for this mission."

"Reiben, fit or not you're coming." Miller was serious now. "Believe it or not I picked you all for this mission, handpicked you. That's because I consider you my best. Take it what you will, but you are coming with me. That's an order."

That was the end of the argument for now. All Reiben had left to ask was, "So what's this guy's name?"

"James Frances Ryan."