This will begin a series of stories, all about various Joe's being trapped in various places. Have a suggestion for a place, or a pair(or trio), please don't hesitate to PM! Before you PM!!! I WILL be doing SnakeEyes/Scarlett, so don't bother suggesting that pairing, but you CAN suggest a place for it!

This one is BeachHead and CoverGirl(naturally! My fav), and yes.. in Real Life, Corp. CoverGirl would never get away with hitting Sgt Major BeachHead.. but this is GI Joe, and the ladies tend to get away with a LOT, and the Joes are pretty relaxed about most all the regs, so don't bother with telling me she wouldn't get to smack him. Oh.. and having been IN a tank, yes, I already KNOW that there would not be enough room to stand even crouched, but I'm taking some liberties with the inside dimensions(as the comics and cartoons do often also). It IS a 4 man crew by the Order of Battle info, so it's gotta have some room inside.

I looked up a bunch of different GI Joe vehicles and the MOBAT is the tallest tank, with a turret and topside hatch. The real tank does have a control turret but you can also control it from inside, so I fudged a bit about that too. CoverGirl is driving from the inside(who in their right mind would put a driver out on top of a tank without protection anyway? What's the point of having armor and driving it from OUTSIDE the armor? Crazy!).

Anyway.. with all this forward, you probably went to sleep.. so here's some disclaimer stuff... Hasbro owns them, not me, I don't make any money, but I hope that Hasbro makes tons so they'll keep writing the comics and making the toys. It's a work of fiction, and I hope everyone enjoys it as my way to show how much I appreciate the GI Joe universe.

Annnnnnd, On to the fic! Please enjoy, and thank you for reading!

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He was having a really bad day. The battle was pretty much over, but it took place in the stupid desert, so all the equipment was either overheating or jamming with sand. Once he was back at the Pit, he would end up spending a week on paperwork, with every spare moment in the armory cleaning the grit out of weapons, not to mention the armor.

Stupid Greenshirt Private Williams had stumbled and almost fallen into a blast crater, and BeachHead had to grab his arm, try to stop the fall. Instead, he'd ended up in the crater as well, and it was the sergeant major who landed on the shrapnel.. not the hapless Williams, who managed to land on top of him. Just to add insult to injury, Williams had also dropped his rifle, which followed them down a few seconds later to nail BeachHead just over his right ear. He'd booted Williams back to the rear guard, bandaged up his own leg and taken a gunner position in a AWEStriker to keep track of everything, until Goon drove them into a landmine strewn area, and he'd taken a fall into the side of a sand dune, narrowly missing getting crushed by the overturned vehicle. Goon was sent hoofing it back with a hastily bandaged arm while Beach decided to just head to the command area on foot.

BeachHead limped to a stop on his way up yet another sand dune when the MOBAT rumbled up next to him. CoverGirl flipped the hatch open and gave him a wave.

"Heeey... you need a lift, handsome?" He shot her the finger and she laughed. "Beach! Get in!"

He hesitated only a minute, the battlefield was deserted here, and there was no reason he couldn't ride to the staging area, there was nothing further to do here. It was ungodly hot out in the sand, why they always had to fight in summer deserts evaded him. And his darned leg hurt.

Climbing up on the MOBAT, he felt it lurch back into gear the instant both of his feet were off the ground. He managed to not fall off by grabbing on tightly and cursing loudly. Either the cursing or grabbing kept him on the tank and he dropped in through the open hatch and dogged it shut behind him.

CoverGirl tilted her head back to grin at him. "Hey.. what'd you do to your leg?"

"Fell on a bomb. It's fine." She scowled at him as he got settled into the gunner's seat in the back. "It quit bleeding and everything, so it's fine. You headed to the staging area?" She nodded. "Good, I gotta report in to Hawk."

"Stubborn man. Why not call for a evac? Were you gonna hobble all the way across the sand dunes to command?" He grunted at her. "One day you're gonna have a limb fall right off your body, and you'll snort and say 'ahh, I'll walk it off'." He gave a short laugh at that. "Did you SEE those HISS tanks today? They're getting decent drivers for them. Just about scary."

"Yeah, right. You still drive circles around them." Beach peeled the torn leg of his pants back and glanced at the bandage. It looked fine, so he left it alone. The inside of the tank was already hot and he pulled his mask off, tucking it into the thigh pocket of his BDUs. "Danged hot."

CoverGirl agreed. "Yeah.. these MOBAT aren't made for driver comfort either. No air conditioning, and they act like a blasted oven out here. Why can't we fight in shady warm areas for once?" She got answered with another snort. "You're just a chatterbox today, aren't you?"

"I'm hot." He settled in where he could see her heads-up display. It was only a couple miles now, and he could be out where there was moving air. He didn't know how the tank jockeys put up with the stifling conditions on a regular basis. "You got water?"

"Sure.. get my canteen, it's right there." She motioned to one side at her gear pack buckled into the cargo net.

"Don't want any, have you been drinking enough?" He grabbed at a pipe on the wall as the tank lurched to the right then whipped back into level only to tilt forward without warning. "Dang it, woman! What are you doing? Driving over every crater and dune there is?"

She gave him one of those scathing looks that wilted normal men, and only made him raise an eyebrow. "I'm driving to command.. you did want to get there today, right? Just hang on to something." They smacked into the trough of a set of dunes and BeachHead flew out of the seat, bringing himself to a stop by agilely smashing headfirst into the front console. "GEEZ!! Beach!? You okay? You didn't break my gauges did you?" He staggered back, feeling at his nose and using his tongue to check that he didn't need to go looking for any of his teeth.

"Nice to see you asked about me BEFORE your precious gauges there, Princess." He got back into the seat and hooked an arm around the support brace. She had already rumbled halfway up the slope of sand, reaching out to tap the gauge he'd whacked with his chin.

"Wipe the blood off that one.. is my oil pressure okay?" She used the edge of a sleeve to clear the gauge. "Nah.. it's fine.. running a big high, but that's the heat out here." She turned in the seat to quickly look him over. "Your nose is bleeding."

"Sorry.. I'll try not to bleed on anything important."

"You're such a hardass. I asked if you were okay.. you don't gotta act like I did it on purpose." He grunted at that. "Well, I didn't! You should have hung on better."

"Just shut it and drive. I'm sure there's a cliff or something you might be missing driving over right now." He wiped his face clear of blood. It wasn't serious, just a bloody nose, but now his face and leg were both sore, and he was still hot. "Keep a watch out.. might be a big hole you won't get to drive into if you don't pay attention."

"BeachHead.. I'm gonna stop this tank and make you get out and walk if you don't shut up." She spared a hand to shake a finger at him in a stern warning.

He smirked. "I'd love for you to try it."

Before she could retort, an alarm beeped twice. "Crud! Rattler.. coming in fast.. two-o'clock high.. "

He scrambled. "You still armed here?" Instead of replying, she keyed in the weapons sequence, and brought the display up on the second console. "Got it.." He settled over it, holding one arm to block the extra light so he could see the screen better. "Tracking.. they're behind the ridge.."

She grinned. "Not in just a second.." She gunned the engines and the MOBAT sped up the side of a steep dune to top out, the front dropping down hard as they ran out of slope. "Get 'em Beach!"

Beach keyed in the firing code, waiting until the tank treads slammed back into the sand to lock on to the surprised Rattler flying over the sands low. "Got it." The sound of the launching missiles was loud in the tank. "Locked in, arming.. armed... " He flicked a eye over to the warning alert beeping. "They've fired on us.." He suddenly grabbed for a handhold. "Rockets locked on us.. evasive.. move.. MOVE!"

CoverGirl's face was set as she yanked the tank to the side, struggling to run it out of the path, making for a rocky area. "Did we hit them?! Fire second set... lock on them!" They both heard the explosion of their missiles hitting the Rattler. "They're down!!"

Beach was looking at the incoming alarm display. "So are we!" He lurched and grabbed onto a pipe above him, bracing himself as the world exploded around them.

The rockets hit under one set of treads, throwing the MOBAT sideways and over just enough for the slope to finish capsizing them. Then they slid downward belly-up and slammed to a stop against the rock formation they'd been trying to get to just a moment before. Bits of engine and tank tread showered down onto the dunes, sliding through the sand and coming to a rest. Other than a brief flurry of clicks as the transmission attempted to cough back to life, the MOBAT was still.

After a few minutes, there was a cough from inside the tank. "Auugh..." CoverGirl raised her head and peered around the dim interior of her tank. "Dang stupid Rattlers.. where the HELL was Ace? He's supposed to shoot those things down, not leave them roaming around looking for poor innocent tanks to shoot at." She reached to wipe at her forehead, finding it sticky. "Dang it.. I think I'm bleeding... Beach? Hey.. where are you?"

She felt the groan underneath her and twisted, struggling to lever herself off the prone form she'd landed on. "Get yer pointy elbow outa my liver.." Rolling over, she got to her hands and knees next to BeachHead who lay in an awkward pile on the interior of the roof of the capsized tank. "Gawd... "

"Beach.. you okay? Come on.. you better be fine, or I'm gonna climb out and go kick the Rattler wreckage until I find whatever is left of that stupid pilot! Hey! Are you okay?" She tried to feel his head to see if he'd banged it and had her hand pushed away.

"Ow! Well, don't poke my danged eyeball out.. I'm okay." He tried to sit up and failed. "I can't get up.. "

CoverGirl tried not to panic. "Oh god.. is it serious? Did you break your back? Was it cause I landed on you? I didn't mean to! Don't move! Stop moving around! Is it a spinal injury?"

He finally grabbed her jacket and shook her with one hand. "Shut up! It's my tactical vest.. it's hung up on something I landed on! Just reach under me and yank it loose.. " She bent over him, sliding one hand underneath to feel for what was tangled up. "I think to your right.. your other right Cinderella.. "

"Shut up.. I think I found it.. it's a broken conduit.. here.." She crawled over top of him, wrapping both arms underneath him to drag upwards and feel along the length of the pipe. "Hang on.."

He turned his face to the side to avoid putting his nose into her chest. "Uhh.. love to.. no safe place to put my hands right now.." Instead, he tried to prop himself up on his elbows and hitched upwards.

"No no.. go down.. not up.. it's jammed through the outer fabric.." She yanked harder on the vest, jerking his whole body. "Sorry.. almost.."

"Go down.. yeah.. I'm about to get slapped here, and I just want loose.." She slapped at the top of his head. "Ow! Told ya.. what direction? Further down? Ow.. OW!! It's poking me!"

She suddenly grinned down at him. "Shouldn't that be my line?" Her grin widened. "Wow.. you blush really really red! It's such fun to see you without the mask!" He glowered up at her. "Down.. just a couple inches.." She gave a last yank and freed the vest, sending him lurching upwards into her. "Hey!!"

"Sorry! I'm loose.. so get off me.." Beach waited for her to move aside before he sat up. "What's the sit-rep?"

The tank jockey crawled to the front console. "We're upside down.. all systems are out.. no power.. we're dead in the .. well.. sand." He got over to look at the console, then moved to the hatch. A few minutes showed him that it was jammed shut. Since the MOBAT was laying upside-down on the hatch, he doubted they would get it open any time soon. Just for the sheer heck of it, he tried the periscope hatch, and found it jammed shut as well.

"I think the turret is crushed. We're stuck.. check communications.. anything at all work?" While she poked at the console controls, trying to see if there was any way to get power to any part of the tank, he got out his own communicator. "I dunno if it'll work inside here.." He clicked it and saw the light blink green. "BeachHead to command.. BeachHead to.. hey.. anyone at all? Emergency.." He clicked off and waited. "How's the tank communications?"

CoverGirl whacked the board with her hand. "Dead. We got nothing but a big metal box with us inside it." She peeled off her jacket. "And it's turning into an oven."

BeachHead jumped when his communicator fizzed slightly. "This is Duke, what's your situation BeachHead?" He grabbed at it.

"The MOBAT got hit by a Rattler missile, we're wrecked, trapped inside it. Need immediate assistance." He motioned at CoverGirl. "Map.. map.. where are we? Can you estimate?"

She pulled down one of the paper rolls and pointed at a spot. "I'm guessing here.. command would be over here.. last coordinates anyway." He relayed the location quickly. "Tell them it's getting hot in here."

"BeachHead to command.. CoverGirl says to tell you it's hot as blazes in here." He smirked at her look of dismay.

Duke sounded very amused as he replied. "Tell CoverGirl she has plenty of practice playing it cool. She can pretend Clutch is hitting on her."

BeachHead held up a hand to stop CoverGirl from replying. "I'd prefer if you didn't say such things while I'm the one at ground zero here, Duke." She slapped at him anyway. "Ow! I'm wounded here dang it!"

CoverGirl pointed at him. "Your leg.. not your head."

"I was hit in the head with a gun, AND I hit the console with my head! That counts!" He managed to sound outraged and annoyed at the same time and triggered his communicator. "Duke, dang it, get me outa here before she kills me."

Duke came back on. "I'm putting medical on the comm, Lifeline wants to ask you guys some questions." BeachHead groaned and rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, I'm sending a team out to you right now, they'll help you out."

"Thanks sir.. appreciate that. Put Lifeline on before he has a litter of kittens." Duke laughed in the background as the medic took over.

"Lifeline here, I hope you appreciate that I'm only concerned for your health, and trust me if I had a litter of kittens every time you made me worry, the Pit would be wall to wall cats." Their field medic sounded just a little tiny bit aggravated. "What injuries does CoverGirl have? Can she talk?"

CoverGirl pulled the communicator out of BeachHead's hand. He protested mildly. "Hey.. it's my unit, you should have brought your own." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Promises promises.."

She pointed at him. "Don't make me whip your Alabama butt, Beach." She clicked the communicator on. "CoverGirl here. I'm pretty much uninjured. The tank is upside-down and we took a bit of a tumble, but I landed on something soft."

Lifeline sounded puzzled. "What could you land on in a tank that's not going to split your head open?"

She was grinning openly at the disgusted sergeant major. "I landed on BeachHead, what else?" She yelped as her thigh was pinched. "Ow!! You..!" She punched him in the arm and he put one booted foot on her and shoved her across the tank away from him. "ANYWAY!!! Lifeline.. I'm okay, I have a little bump on my forehead. BeachHead is in a lot worse shape." She swatted his hand away when he tried to take his communicator back. "I picked him up because he had a busted leg, and he faceplanted into the console cause he can't hang on through a few bumps, and then he got rattled up when the MOBAT got blown over upsidedown. So he's got a bunch of bumps and bruises, and he hasn't shown me his leg, but he actually put a bandage on it himself, so it must be a doozey." She shoved at his chest as he struggled to get the communicator away. Rolling onto her back, she got a knee on his chest and tried to get her other foot up to kick him aside. "I think he may have been unconscious when the tank got hit.."

Finally BeachHead grabbed onto a lever on the roof beside CoverGirl and forced himself down over her, and grabbed the comm unit. "Gimme that thing! Gawd!"

She squeeled and when he let go, she shoved him off her. "Get off me! Bully!"

He stared at her in disbelief. "Riiight. Who's the one beating on someone in here?" She smacked him anyway. "Ow! Dang it!! See!?" He clicked the comm unit. "BeachHead here.. I'm fine. Except for being about to tear out my hair being stuck in this here oven with a cranky brat. OW!! Stop HITTING ME!!" He realized the comm was still open. "Sorry.. Cinderella here is getting violent. Lifeline, if you wanna save me, you'll get some help out here and get this coke can popped open, real QUICK!" He clicked it off and pointed at her. "Stop it, I'm already beat up, and sore, and hot, and I'm about to get ill-tempered. Just sit down and calm down."

She snorted and subsided for the moment. "I want outa here!" She fanned herself and found her canteen. "I'll split it with you."

He shook his head. "I got one in my pack.. finish yours." He watched her drain the water. It wasn't enough fluid unless they got out soon. "Lifeline? You still there? Ask Duke how long."

Duke came on in a minute. "BeachHead.. we're still wrapping up, I sent Dusty and Cross-Country in a Mauler. CoverGirl said you flipped the tank, so maybe they can flip you back over with the Mauler and some chains. Hang in there."

Beach sighed at the communicator and looked at CoverGirl. "He's just a pain. 'hang in there', what wisdom. What else are we supposed to do?" She shrugged at him. "What?"

"Nothing, I'm just sitting here." She fiddled with her sleeve, pointedly not looking at him. "It's so hot in here."

He puffed out a breath and suddenly peeled off his armored vest. "I'm burning up. This is crazy in here." He found a spot to sit that didn't have too many bits of mechanisms and sat down, extending his legs out carefully.

"I'm burning up too. The air intakes aren't working.. and this stupid hunk of metal wasn't ever intended to have a venting system otherwise. You just open the hatch.." She threw a bit of metal at the unusable hatch. "Stupid thing."

BeachHead shifted himself about, trying to get more comfortable. "Take off your boots. It'll cool you off more." Suiting action to words, he began unlacing his own combat boots. She watched him methodically undo the lacings and suddenly reached to drag her boots off, peeling off her socks as well. Wriggling her toes, she sighed. "Better?"

"I guess a little bit." She crawled over to sit next to him. "How are you wearing that sweater in here?"

He puffed out a breath and peeled it off. "Fine.. happy? Once you said it, I couldn't stand it. Thanks. I'll be half naked in here." She laughed a little bit at him. "Laugh it up Barbiedoll. You'll be pulling off clothes too if we don't get out soon." He leaned his head back and rotated it a few times, making his neck pop loudly. She peered closer at a couple nasty looking bruises on his back and shoulders.

"Ow.. doesn't that hurt?" He shook his head. She sighed and pulled off her outer shirt and then the teeshirt, leaving on the sports bra. "Great.. turnabout is fair play.. it's too hot already!" She got up and smacked the side of the tank. "Where's our rescue!? HEY!!! HEEEEEY!!!!"

He reached out to tug her down. "Sit down.. you're gonna hurt your hand. Yelling isn't going to help things, even if someone was outside, they'd barely hear you yelling in here." He tugged the communicator out of a pocket and handed it to her. "Here.. you hold this. See? Now you can talk to folks outside when you want. Feel better?"

She nodded and looked at the comm unit. "Thanks. I don't like being in here."

"You love being in a tank.. maybe you just don't like the company." He turned a little away, and fiddled with his boots, tucking the socks inside. "Can't blame you much.. I'm not much company at the best of times."

"It's not the company. I like you, Beach. It's the stupid tank being wrecked and not being able to get out, and it being an oven. We're gonna cook to death in here." She hugged her knees to her chest and looked at him seriously. "That's gotta suck as a way to go."

"Yep.. but we're not gonna die. Once Dusty and CrossCountry get here, they'll get this stupid MOBAT flipped over, and we'll get out. At least the desert will seem comfortable after being in here." He was relieved when she laughed at that.

"Yeah.. Dusty is insane. He likes it out here." She wiped a forearm across her face. "Well.. he likes it OUT there.. not in HERE!"

Beach took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yep." He shifted himself back a little bit and leaned against the wall, letting his head fall backwards. "Just try to relax.. and sweat a lot. That's what I'm gonna do. Especially the sweating part."

"Yeah.. I see that." She looked him over with frank appreciation. "You know, you got some serious abs going on there." She poked his stomach and he jerked. "What's the matter? Why don't you show off all these nice muscles more often? I bet you'd be beating the women off you if you just pulled off the shirt once in a while... well.. and throw in the occasional shower."

"Ha ha.. more hygiene jokes. Besides, I ain't interested in a whole buncha women." He closed his eyes again, then realized even his eyelids were sweating. He tried not to think about how nice CoverGirl was looking half dressed. He'd spent a long time forcing her into harder and harder work, and it was definitely showing in her toned body. "You look nice." He blinked suddenly. Had he said that out loud? Why would he do that? "Did I just say that?" Why had he ASKED if he said it? He closed his eyes again and hoped that she'd just let it pass.

"Well thanks.. I guess I don't mind you ogling me in my bra.. seeing as I'm oogling you with no shirt." She grinned when he sighed softly. "Seriously though... thanks. I'm starting to get some real guns now!" She flexed an arm, smiling at the bunched muscles showing up. "Beach! Look at my guns... hey!" She jabbed his side.

"Ow! What?" He looked irritable as he blinked and wiped a hand over his face.

"I said...look at my muscles! Aren't they impressive?" He glanced at them and nodded. "No.. really! I think my arms look better than Jaye's... what do you think?"

He frowned at her, the familiar expression almost making her laugh. He was always frowning at something. If he didn't have anything to frown about.. he'd frown that he didn't have anything to frown at.

"I think answering that might get me kicked in the nads by LadyJaye when you go repeatin' it."

She crowed happily and flexed her arm for him again. "Go ahead! Feel them muscles!" She laughed when he reached to squeeze her arm carefully, feeling it around a bit.

"Not bad. I think you need to put on more weight. You're wanting for some extra fat for padding under your skin, you know. Too thin still." He looked at her face with a somber expression. "I've seen you eat, and you should eat a lot more carbs than you do. Protein and carbs, not lightweight stuff like those salads you're so fond of." He gave another firm squeeze. "That's some nice guns though. Surprised anyone can build good muscle eating as little as you do."

She beamed at him. "Thanks. And I do so eat protein and carbs.. you just aren't ever in the messhall when I eat dinner. I eat salads for lunch, cause I don't like heavy meals in the middle of the day." He nodded at her. "So?"

"So what?" He turned loose of her arm and sat back.

"So show me your muscles." She was looking at him expectantly. "Come on.. I know you got 'em, so flaunt 'em.. just this once.. just for me?" CoverGirl's large eyes blinked in a over-exaggerated manner, her lips not quite able to keep from curving upwards slightly.

"Oh now with the doe eyes. Like that works with me." She started pouting and he laughed out loud at the expression. "You know that's kind of creepy." She couldn't hold the face any longer and laughed at him. "Okay okay.. just for you.." He bent an arm up and flexed for her, trying not to seem like he really cared what she thought. Even though he knew he could out-muscle just about any of the Joes, Roadblock and GungHo withstanding of course.. he somehow wanted to see her impressed by him. Not that her opinion mattered in the least.

"Ooooooooo." She made a show of wrapping her hands around his bicep and squeezing. "Soooo hard. Are you that hard all over?"

He suddenly blushed and looked aside. "Uh... I think I better not answer that one.. getting slapped too much today already..." She smacked at him. "See? You started this, and you keep making the comments... and I keep getting in trouble."

The lean model smirked at his belabored expression. "Oh please.. next thing you're gonna be saying that it's not fair that you get into trouble."

"Aww.. life ain't fair. I learned that a long time ago." She saw his back bunch up and relax again. "Other than the Army, ain't nothing ever went right in my life. Good thing that the Army's been so good to me." He wiped more sweat off his face. "Gawd.. what route are they takin' to get here??"

She patted him. "They'll be here.. those tanks aren't speedsters." Picking up the communicator, she looked at it. "If they aren't here in five minutes I'll call Duke and cry over the line at him."

"Cry? Seriously? You don't gotta be upset.. they'll get here." Beach was pretty alarmed at the prospect of her bursting into tears and him being the only human being available for her to cry on.

"Don't be ridiculous. If I cry over the comm line, Duke'll have every available man here in five seconds. He can't stand having a girl cry, he's just like that." She looked too smug for words. "Oh man it's SOOOO HOT!!!" Her voice ended in a scream. "That's it.." She got up awkwardly to begin stripping off her pants.

"What are ya doin??" She somewhat relished the slight panic in his voice. "Put yer pants back on!" BeachHead caught the set of khakis she threw at him and threw them back at her. "Good GAWD woman!"

"IT'S BLOODY HOT!!" Her scream made his mouth shut with a click. "Shut up, Beach! I'm hot, and I'm not gonna swelter in here just to preserve some dignity!" She sat down and grabbed her discarded shirt to wipe her face and belly. "I'm covered in sweat.. and it's not making me any cooler at all. Besides.. you saw me in a bathing suit before.. remember? I'm still wearing more cloth now than I was then. So shut up."

He sighed. "You're just shameless. Does it come from bein' a model?"

She scowled at him. "Just what is that supposed to mean? You think I just slept around with everything and anyone? Everyone and anyone? I didn't! You big jerk!" She hitched herself further away from him and wiped her shirt over herself again.

"No.. I meant cause ya had to change all the time with folks right there. I dunno why yer in such a swivet over everything I say!" He took a deeper breath and lowered his head to his arms folded over his knees. "I didn't mean to make ya mad.. I didn't mean it that way."

"Okay.. sorry. I just assumed.. I mean.." She sighed heavily. "It's alright BeachHead.. I know.. you didn't mean it like that." He tilted his face to look at her out of tired eyes. "You look horrible. Get your water out.. you need some water."

He puffed out a heavy breath. "I ain't got any water." She gaped at him. "I told you I did so you'd drink yours. You needed it more than I did."

"You.. you LIED to me! You damned stubborn Ranger!" She slapped him in the head and he didn't even twitch away this time. "You big fat lier." She scooted over closer to him, putting her shoulder within a few inches of his and leaning her back against the wall. "Why would you do that?"

"You never drink enough in these tanks.. mosta the time, your jug of water comes out almost full when we get back. So you needed that more, cause I drank my water already." He smiled at her. "You look good."

"Thanks Beach.. but you don't have to look after me. I'm a Joe, I know how to take care of myself, you know." She leaned over and plucked at her bra a little. "It's too danged hot in here. And you already told me I look good."

"Well you do look good."

"You said that."

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BREAK: I'm posting all three chapters at once, don't worry, the breaks are merely for length.