I don't like this chapter but sadly I could only alter it to some point for the rest to make sense so... bear with me, it'll get better I promise

Chapter Four

Stick 'em

After these initial difficulties, Allie quickly settled in and life on the Air Force Base was business as usual.
She'd been fully accepted as accomplished airwoman and the progress she had made during the last year was nothing to sneeze at. She'd been promoted very quickly and had the rank of Warrant Officer. Nobody had climbed up the ranks at this pace until now, but it was rarely mentioned, because she was 'just a woman'. Allie was vexed about that and would've liked to do more about it, but she'd been urged to contain herself if she didn't want to lose her position. That was why she resigned herself albeit grudgingly.
Of course, there had been some differences of opinion with her father, but a clarifying talk between Doolittle and her father had smoothed this.

Physically, Alice hat changed very little, only the odd knot of hair varied (also known as bun). She'd picked up the habit of styling her hair that way, because she didn't want to cut it short and guidelines were very strict about long hair in a cockpit.
Mentally, she had left behind the girl with dreams and turned into a responsible woman with uncommon, yet realistic goals. This mental maturity had helped her among other things to fend off the obtrusive courting.

Even though Rafe was always around, the men couldn't stop trying. Understandably, Rafe couldn't approve of that, but he condoned it, particularly since no one seemed to be successful. That he had to concede to Allie, he hadn't expected her to come out on top.
Actually, she didn't know any better, all her life she'd been surrounded by men. The few female person of reference in her youth had died.
Only Doolittle put an end to the ineffective efforts of courting Allie. When the major learned, what took place between the pilots of his team, he laid down plenty of new rules and bans. And everybody obeyed of course.

Allie didn't attract negative attention more often than the others, but her visits to Doolittle's office were above average. Most of the time these visits were a matter of routine that couldn't be done as routine, since she was a woman in a men's world. They were not prepared for women.
Today they again discussed such a matter. It was in the middle of December 1940 and Alice sat like always at the other end of Doolittle's desk, arms and legs crossed.
"Warrant Officer McCawley", her superior began with a pained expression, "I'm not thrilled about this either, but the paperwork and special regulations can't be avoided." He waved some forms through the air with an apologetical and awkward gesture. "There are medical exams, the same exams like the ones when You were accepted into the US Army, but this time for everybody. And I can't let you join the others. Only wearing underwear."
Allie rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, Sir, I can handle that."
This discussion wasn't new, she couldn't recall how often they had talked about this. Of course he knew that it wouldn't bother her, that she wanted to be treated equally. And every time he had come up with the same argument.

"McCawley, I'd never presume that you couldn't handle the situation, I'm worried that everybody else can't handle that. And I want to protect you from the potential consequences", he responded stony-faced. "That's why I have to ask to accompany the nurses until one of them can take care of you during a break."
"Yes, sir", Allie acquiesced. Fighting led to nowhere and she couldn't beat up her superior or the system to accept her as equal. She was glad it had been made possible for her to be here and obeyed when there was no reasonable chance. Sadly, there were no reasonable chances way too often. But she didn't want to endanger her future as pilot.

And so Allie sat on a windowsill in the hospital early in the morning on December 17th. She watched the nurses prepare for the day while trying not to doze off. It was very early.
After a little while, when most of the preparations were done, a nurse came over.
"Hi, are you…" she looked down at a piece of paper in her hand, "… Alice?" Allie nodded.
"I'm Sandra" the nurse introduced herself and the women shook hands. "All set for the shot?" the nurse asked further.
Allie made a gesture of refusal. "Ugh, needles… but it has to be done, right?"

"Well, the fitness test isn't just about painful things, there's also the eye exam, hearing and reflex test" Sandra tried to cheer her up. "So, do you wanna stay here and watch Barbara poke naked butts" a blonde nurse smiled at them "or do you wanna accompany me on my way around?"
It wasn't a hard decision.
"No offence, Barbara" the pilot laughed, "but I have to deal with machos and their butts on a daily basis."
"Me too" Barbara smirked, "but I'm allowed to poke them."

So Allie trotted around with Sandra and even helped a bit. She stamped the files when somebody passed the eye exam and felt quite important. If she felt already important, how important did the doctors and nurses feel?
Not all pilots did pass the exam and it was hard for her to witness the dream of flying shatter.
After four hours of testing and inoculations it was lunchtime. Now Allie had to pass the tests while everybody else enjoyed their break.

First, Sandra checked her hearing while supervised by the stern-looking head nurse, but her hearing was excellent and no danger for her future career. Next, her reflexes were tested and again she passed without problems. The easiest test was the eye exam, it was just reading some letters, no problem for a 22 years old woman.
With passing all these tests one got qualified for the vaccination against tetanus, yellow fever virus and other diseases one could get in the military service.

"I hope you're not as whiny as some of the guys" Barbara winked. "There was one whiner again today" the blonde continued while she filled the syringe, "he tried to convince me that he didn't need the shot. He wouldn't get yellow fever in his barracks. But if the government says stick 'em, we stick 'em. On behalf of the government."
Barbara emphasized her statement gesturing wildly with the syringe in her hand.
"He Barb, who was it?" another nurse asked.
Barbara put down the syringe. Apparently, the shot had to wait, the story was more important.
"I think his name was Anthony, Anthony… something, I think the last name started with F…"
"Like Fusco?" Alice suggested. "I wouldn't have guessed he'd be afraid of needles, but I bet that's useful for razzing him."

"Yeah, as nurse you have the most absurd encounters" another nurse started telling a story. But first she turned to Allie. "Hi, I'm Evelyn Johnson."
Allie stepped closer and shook her hand. "I'm Alice McCawley, only airwoman around."
Evelyn raised her eyebrow in surprise upon hearing the last name. "McCawley?" she asked to make sure.
"Yes, why?" Allie asked on her part a little unsettled.
"Maybe it's just a coincidence, but the guy in the story I was about to tell, his name's also McCawley, Rafe McCawley."
"Oh, I know him. What monkey business has he been getting into this time?" Allie rolled her eyes.
"No monkey business" Evelyn commented and looked a little misty-eyed. "I took his eye exam and he had obviously memorized the bottom line, recited it mechanically. But after he'd been reading the very top, the bottom line was not that easy anymore. Maybe because I asked him to red it right to left and every other letter."
"Oh no, did he have bad eyes?" Barbara interrupted excitedly.
"Hm, I don't think so. He tried to explain that it was the letters, that he mixed them up sometimes. Hey Alice, you know that guy, does he really just mix up the letters or are his eyes bad?"
Allie grinned. "Don't worry, Rafe's got eyes like an eagle. He just can't read properly – well actually he just reads very, very slowly. But it's not his eyes, it's – I don't know – a knot in his brain or something. Tried to teach him how to read my whole life…"
Evelyn sighed with relief. "Thank God, 'cause I just let him pass."
"Did he thank you?" Sandra asked expectantly.
"No…" Evelyn sighed again, "but maybe he'll come back. He was very cute."

Luckily, the head nurse came along only now, since she couldn't stand her staff gossip about such things. She was surprised to see Allie.
"Warrant Officer, why are you still here? Haven't you gotten the shot yet?" she asked sourly.
"Uhm, no", the addressed answered truthfully.
"We'll have that in a minute." Barbara held the prepared syringe in her hand already. The head nurse just raised her eyebrows and excused herself again.
"Drop your skivvies" Barbara giggled. When Allie did so, the nurse laughed even more. "Heavens, now I get why they make such a fuss about you. All the guys would've peered…" she struggled to catch her breath while laughing really hard.
"Evelyn, I think it's safer if you vaccinate me." The pilot had grabbed the syringe from the laughing nurse and handed it over to Evelyn.
Without a warning, the nurse poked her. It did hurt, but Allie clenched her teeth. She wasn't whiny after all. A moment later it was over. Her file got stamped and she was done with her fitness test.
"You can leave, if you want to" Barbara, who stopped laughing, permit her to do so.
"Don't worry, I won't go far, I'll find out, where Lieutenant 'Didn't say thank you' hangs about and get him to do so" she winked at Evelyn.

So she went to search her team. She found them outside the main entrance, all wearing warm jackets, since it had been snowing on the east coast.
Half of them were smoking, what bothered Allie, but what could she do about it? Rafe – stuffy as always – didn't smoke and Red who said the smoke worsened his stuttering.
"There's our best airwoman!" Anthony greeted her.
"Of course I am the best, since I'm the only airwoman" Allie retorted and poked her tongue out at him, immediately refusing the offered cigarette. This time she refrained from lecturing them about the unhealthy long-term effects.
"Did you guys pass?" she asked everybody around, carefully monitoring Rafe. They nodded, surprised at the question.
"And did you say thank you?" she continued and looked directly at her brother. This time nobody answered her. They sensed, this was something between the siblings and no one wanted to get involved in that.

Allie guessed this was enough of a hint for Rafe and decided it was time to razz Anthony.
"You'll never guess what else I heard" Allie told in a conspiratorial tone of voice. "Someone here was whining like a baby getting vaccinated." Now she looked mockingly at Anthony.
He immediately was in denial. "What? Me? No! I'm not afraid of needles!" He forcefully ground the cigarette butt under his heel.
"Oh yes, you did" Red jumped in, "I heard every word even though that grim nurse poked me really hard."
"Tony, don't try to talk yourself out of this, I spoke with the nurse that gave you the shot. You know, they do gossip a lot" Allie went on.
This would stick with him for a while. Sometimes, Allie couldn't help herself. Most of the time she tried to be just, but sometimes she had to bug the guys.

Soon the lunch break was over and nearly everybody hurried back inside, they still had some business. They'd return in the evening to their barracks together.
Rafe hat disappeared and Allie entertained suspicions where he went but didn't tell. Red, Anthony and Billy had to collect their files and also went back inside.
And so only Danny and Allie stayed behind.