You sit there in your heartache

Waiting on some beautiful boy to

To save you from your old ways

You play forgiveness

Watch him now, here he come

September 6, 1943

"Where in the fuck am I supposed to be going right now?" I questioned out loud, pushing my way through hundreds of bodies milling around aimlessly.

"Aldbourne." One of the officers replied shortly before ducking behind a tent. I turned around and squinted in the direction he had gone.

"Thanks, thanks a lot. As if I didn't already realize that."

I turned back around and hopelessly searched the crowd of men, trying to find at least one familiar face. Unfortunately, my navigation skills were lacking and my search was incredibly futile. I walked forward, trying to stay out of everybody's way. The last thing I needed was to be pushed over and stampeded upon. Between two jeeps, I finally spotted Speirs and practically ran over at least twenty men to get to him.

"Ron! Ron! For the love of-Ron, over here!" I shouted, practically jumping up and down. He turned towards me slowly, a smirk forming on his face.

"Well, well. Look who it is." He said, leaning back against the door of the jeep.

"How on earth are you so relaxed? This is complete chaos. No order whatsoever, I tell you." I complained.

"All in good time."

"What does that even mean? How are we supposed to run a whole army if we can't get a couple hundred men to calm the fuck down for five seconds? Speaking of which, where in the hell did my idiotic company get to?"

"Don't know. Hitch a ride with Dog Company. I'll let you sit with us officers."

"Oh, gee. Thank you so much for your generosity, but I'm none too fond of your company. Every time I walk by, they either get an erection or want to prove that their dick is bigger than mine."

"You don't have a dick."

"Says you. Half of your company seems to disagree."

Ron raised an eyebrow as a response before letting his gaze travel somewhere else. He reached a finger into his front pocket and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it up before fitting it between his lips. I shook my head in disappointment.

"Well, that's my cue to leave. If anybody asks, I'm dying somewhere alone on the side of the road."

"Will do." Ron replied, blowing out a puff of smoke.

I rolled my eyes before cramming my way back into the giant crowd of men. Somebody grabbed my wrist and tugged me off to the side. I looked up into the face of a man I had never seen before. Something defensive sprung alive in my chest and I narrowed my eyes at the stranger.

"Something you need?" I questioned.

"Plenty of things. You caught my eye, Miss nurse." The man sneered, eyes trailing up and down my body. Something like a growl caught in my throat.

"I'm not a fucking nurse, I'm a soldier." I said.

"The army doesn't allow women to join." He pointed out, shuffling closer to me. I backed up against the side of a building, muscles coiling beneath my skin.

"The President does."

"You don't wanna be a part of the army, beautiful. Listen, I might not be back again, so do me a favor and just cooperate, yeah?"

"Fuck you." I spat. He placed his hands on either sides of my head and leaned in close.

"Listen, pretty, you should have thought twice about coming here. Won't lead you anywhere you wanna be, you hear?"

"I didn't choose to come here. I had direct orders from my Captain."

"I'm sure you did. Come on, why don't we go somewhere a little more private, huh?" He shifted down and pressed his lips against the side of my neck.

"How about not?" I retorted before bringing my fist up and punching him in his gut. He backed away with a cough, a bewildered look on his face.

"Pretty strong for a dame, eh?" He wheezed, bringing a hand up to his stomach.

"I was trained with the best. Therefore, I am the best." I said before ducking around him. He grabbed my arm before I could get away and threw me against the wall again, something like a fire burning in his eyes. My jaw clenched as he gripped my face in one hand.

"You ain't nothing, you slut. Now shut up." He hissed before moving into kiss me again.

Unfortunately for him, I had other plans in mind. With lightening fast speed, I brought my knee up and hit him in the place where the sun does not shine. He let out a shout before falling to the ground, hands clutching at his groin. I stepped over him, legs locking him in place. He looked up at me with startled eyes.

"The fuck did you do that for, bitch?" He gasped out.

"The next time you fucking touch me, you better be prepared to fight for the privilege." I hissed before spitting on the ground next to him.

He watched silently with an open mouth as I walked away, disappearing into the crowd. After a few moments of struggling against the sea of soldiers, I pulled away and traveled to a mountain of cargo boxes. I leaned against one of the boxes and wrapped my arms around myself, taking a deep breath.

"Yo, is that Gracie over there?" I heard somebody ask loudly. My ears perked up and I turned around to see Liebgott, Cobb, Toye, Shifty, and Popeye sitting around on their luggage. My mouth fell open and I simply stared at all of them for a few minutes.

"Hey, that is her. Gracie, where the fuck have you been?" Toye asked, standing up from his pile of bags to make his way over.

I sucked in a deep breath as I watched him approach, back still against the boxes. Something flashed behind my eyelids, and I blinked a few times to wash away the image. Joe leaned down so he was face to face with me and I uncrossed my arms to ball my fists.

"Anybody in there?" He asked, knocking lightly at the side of my head. I visibly flinched before shaking my head of the invading thoughts. This was Toye, not Sobel and certainly not that soldier. This was Easy Company.

"No, where the fuck have you guys been?" I finally said, fingers uncurling slowly.

"Been right here the whole time. We turn around for one second, and you're gone. Gaurnere's out looking for ya." Joe said, a mischievous smile making it's way onto his face. My eyes widened slightly.

"What's the look for?" I asked.

"You know."

"I must have missed the telegram."

"Oh, no. This one hit you right in the face. You just don't want to admit, huh?"

"Admit what?" Liebgott asked, sidling up to stand beside me. I shot a glare in Toye's direction, willing him with my eyes to keep his mouth closed. Unfortunately for me, fate was taking sides today.

"Gracie's sweet on Gaurno." Toye said, something like pride shining in his eyes.

"What the fuck, Joe!" I exclaimed, throwing a punch at his shoulder. He laughed and pushed me away.

"You're not serious." Liebgott finally said, eyes darting between the two of us. I turned my attention away from Toye to look at the skinny man in front of me. There was something like hurt on his face, but I couldn't fully decipher it. I couldn't understand it.

"Since the whole company is gonna know by sunset anyways, I might as well just tell you. Yes, I do like him." I admitted, a blush creeping it's way onto my face. Joe smacked me in the back.

"Thatta' girl! Hey, you know this is only temporary right?" He said, wrapping an arm around both of my shoulders.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You're not just his, Gracie girl. You're all of ours-the whole company! He's just got this silly idea that what he has is exclusive." Toye explained, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Don't try to use big words anymore. You fail at it." I snorted before worming my way out of his hold.

"Awh, no need to harm a guy's pride." He whined. "Well, listen, I'm gonna go help pack our shit up. Don't get lost again, all right, Grace?"

"Oh shut up. I wasn't lost. You people were." I said, sticking out my tongue. He shook his head and chuckled before walking off. I sighed and turned towards Liebgott, panicking when I didn't see him.

"Lieb? Please tell me you're hiding behind a box or something because I swear to god if I get lost again, I'm staying here." I called out, eyes roaming the mountains of cargo around us.

"I'm right here." He muttered, walking up behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin and turned towards him.

"A little warning would be nice." I commented, blowing out a puff of air. He chose not to answer and instead turned his head to look off at the far distance. I thought for a moment he looked a little poetical and a nostalgic sadness creeped it's way between my bones.

"Hey, is everything all right?" I asked after a few moments of watching him.

"True you with Gaurnere?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am." Liebgott spat on the ground before turning towards me, an intense look in his eyes.

"Why-Never mind. Listen, Gracie. Anything ever go wrong, you come to me, all right?" He asked, bringing a hand up to my cheek. My eyebrows crumpled together as I slowly nodded.

"Good." He said before patting my cheek and turning away. Before I could ask him what the hell that was about, he was already walking away.

"You aren't leaving me here, are you?" I exclaimed, scurrying to keep up. He turned his head with a grin.

"Nah, Gracie girl. You know I'd never abandon you."

"Yeah, well, you didn't seem to believe in that statement so much earlier."

"I was distracted, all right?"

"Distracted my ass, you want me to stay here." I pouted.

"Hey, now, you know I love you. Easy would never leave ya behind." Liebgott reassured.

"You just did." I pointed out.

"We knew you'd find your way to us eventually."

"Was Bill the only one who thought to go look for me?" I asked incredulously, glaring up at Lieb. He raised an eyebrow before shrugging.

"Well, more of us were gonna go but we figured it was more of a one man kind of job."

"To find a five foot three girl in the midst of hundreds of six foot soldiers? I'm sure." I said dryly. Liebgott chuckled before slinging an arm around me and leading me to a circle of Easy men.

"Aye! I been lookin' everywhere for ya! Where've you been hiding?" Gaurnere asked, breaking off from the group of men.

"Under a damn rock. I was looking for you, you giant idiot." I exclaimed.

"Well, I was lookin' for ya too. We must've passed each other." He concluded before wrapping me in a tight hug. I blushed before pushing him off and taking a seat next to Luz.

"Why so cold, eh?" Bill asked, crouching down in front of me. I looked away momentarily, a flash of the soldier's face appearing behind my eyes.

"S'the way I always am." I muttered, suddenly feeling a little sick to my stomach. Bill's eyes softened.

"Hey, we'll get to Aldbourne just fine, all right? Take it easy, Gracie girl. We'll take care of you." He murmured, patting my knee before standing up and stretching. I managed to lift my lips in a smile before Lipton interrupted anything I was about to say.

"All right, Easy Company! Pack up and get on the train!" He called out, whistling loudly to capture our attention.

I heaved a sigh before picking up my bag. The circle of men around me stood up and bustled forward to merge with the rest of the company. I swallowed hard, hoping to dear god that I wouldn't get lost again. What the hell was I going to do if I got on the wrong train? What if that man was there? All the "what if" questions circled through my mind, and I was broken out of my panicked thoughts when a hand intertwined with my own. I looked up to see Liebgott, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

"I got you." He said. I smiled gratefully, locking my fingers against his.

By the time we made it onto the train, I was a frazzled, nervous mess. There were men everywhere, pushing and shoving in every direction. The only thing keeping me anchored was Liebgott's hand against my own. He pulled me into an empty carriage and shoved both our bags underneath the seats. I took a deep breath and sat down, resting my head in my hands. I felt the taller man's weight settle beside me and I breathed a little easier.

"That was hell." I muttered, rubbing the heels of my hands against my eyes.

"Well, if you thought that was bad, wait until we load onto the boat." I groaned loudly and slumped further forward.

"That doesn't help."

"I'll be there."

"So will five thousand other men." I pointed out. He shrugged.

"Easy company is the only company that matters, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." I sighed, giving up on my complaining. In a few moments, the carriage door was pushed open and the rest of our company invaded the empty space.

"So, this is where you two were. Trying to hide from us, huh?" Malarkey accused, throwing his bag under the seat across from us. George slid in next to him, causing Muck to throw him a dirty look.

"Hey, snoozers, losers." George said with a wink.

"Ah, to hell with you." Muck muttered before wandering off to find Penkala.

"We weren't hiding from you," I said, "We were hiding from everybody else."

"Wise choice of words, Gracie girl, wise choice of words." George said, nodding his head in approval.

"You okay, Private Morris?" Winters asked, stopping beside our seats. Harry Welsh stood behind him with a cigarette perched between his lips. He smiled in greeting.

"Just peachy, sir." I said sarcastically. He attempted to frown in sympathy, but his shining eyes gave him away.

"Stay safe, Private. I'll see you before we board the boat." He said before moving his way to the next carriage.

"Well, I'm glad to know he cares about the rest of us." Malarkey grumbled, crossing his arms.

"The Lieutenant loves you too, Don." I said, smiling when the man visibly blushed.

"That's not what I meant." He defended, eyes wide. I simply raised my eyebrows at him before leaning back in my seat.

"Hey, you know that's not what I meant, right?" Don asked, nudging George in the ribs.

"Malark, just go to sleep or something." George muttered, copying my relaxed position.

"He's got the right idea." I pitched in.

"Ya wanna cuddle, Gracie?" George asked, opening up his arms for me. I sent him a withering look and he reluctantly lowered them.

"Hey, you can't blame a guy for tryin'."

"Right, well, wake me up whenever we reach the second level of hell." I sighed, leaning my head back against the seat.

"Alrighty, Gracie girl." Luz said, burrowing into his own seat. I closed my eyes as the train began to move forward, bringing us north.

September 6, 1943; Brooklyn Naval Shipyard

The air was full of smoke and steam; I could barely see the tops of the skyscrapers towering above us. There was shouting everywhere; Captains and sergeants were desperately trying to get their men in order. Winters was beside me, a guiding hand steady on my shoulder. Nixon trailed close behind, trying to keep track of an incredibly disgruntled Harry Welsh.

"Let's keep it moving, boys!" Lipton shouted from somewhere ahead of me. I tried to lean up on my tiptoes to catch sight of him, but Winters pushed me back down to keep walking.

"Don't worry, we've got it handled." He said over the shouts of the men.

I pressed my lips tightly together but gave up on trying to spot the company mom. If Winters thought Lip could handle it, then I had no choice but to believe him. The thick crowd slowly merged into one long line of soldiers making their way up the boat's ramp. I gawked at the large machine before us; she was called the Samaria and she looked as if she had been put through hell and back. I hesitantly tugged at Winters sleeve. He glanced down curiously.

"This, uh, this doesn't look like it will hold us all." I voiced, eyes wide and frantic.

"It will." Dick said, smiling down at me reassuringly. Nix nudged my shoulder to catch my attention. I looked up at him with fright.

"It will be okay, Grace." He said.

I tried my best to smile back and took deep, reassuring breathes. I didn't understand how they weren't afraid. We were being packed onto a boat with 5,000 other men to go to a country full of Germans. How could any of that be okay? I shook my head and grabbed the cloth at Dick's waist, holding onto it like a lifeline.

After an hour of shuffling forward at a snail's pace, we finally reached the ramp. Dick pushed Nix and me ahead of him. Confused, I hid behind Nix, grasping for a hold on his sleeve. He grinned down at me before moving forward.

"Harry, over here." I heard Dick shout from behind me. I craned my neck around to see the short man lost in a group of Able Company men. He pushed his way between them after hearing Dick's voice, and I was immediately reminded of a lost puppy.

"How did I get lost before Gracie?" The Lieutenant asked, eyebrows furrowed. Winters just smiled and ushered us forward.

Nixon grabbed my wrist and pulled me the last few steps onto the boat. From there it was yet again complete chaos. I heaved a sigh before squeezing my way in between men to the railing of the ship. I heard someone distantly call my name, but I ignored it in favor of getting some fresh air. After a few moments, men started piling beside me, and I realized that it was none other than Easy Company.

"Hey, guys! How'd ya find me?" I exclaimed, bouncing up and down in excitement. Grant looked down at me in surprise.

"What the hell? Where did you come from?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I-I've been here the whole time!" I stuttered, completely outraged that I had gone unnoticed. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head when I continued to glare at him.

"It's just 'cos you're so short, Gracie girl! Can't tell when you're there if you keep quiet." Luz piped in. I zeroed my glare onto him and he grinned affectionately.

"Here, put this on." Shifty said emerging from seemingly nowhere and shoving a giant, white life jacket on me. I stared at him with wide eyes for a few moments before the men around me burst into laughter.

"You look absolutely ridiculous." Muck giggled, nudging Penkala to get his attention. The man erupted into laughter at the sight of me and I blushed cherry red.

"This-This isn't funny!" I huffed, attempting to cross my arms but unable to because of the bulk.

"You look like a giant marshmallow, Gracie." Perconte piped up from behind Eugene.

"Excuse me, you do not look much better!"

"I think I do." He said, twirling around in a circle. I slapped a hand over my face as the men laughed harder.

"Gene, please save me from this idiocy." I sighed, shuffling over to stand beside the quiet medic. He chuckled softly and raised a pale hand to ruffle my hair.

"Make dat tha two of us." He said. I leaned into his touch before climbing the first rung of the side railing.

"Well, there's only one way off." I joked, grinning back at him. I turned around and missed the look of fright on his face.

"Gracie, I don' think dat's ah good-"

"Eugene! Look!" I exclaimed, cutting off his warning. In front of us, the statue of liberty was standing, huge and proud. "It's beautiful."

"Grace, would you get down from there? Doc Roe is about to have a heart attack." Liebgott called, trying to fight his way through the men to get to the girl.

"No! I have the best view right now." I protested, climbing up one more rung. It was amazing; it felt like I was flying. The sea breeze tousled my hair and the mist of the ocean rose up and brushed against my cheeks. I gazed up at Lady Liberty and snapped a salute, forgetting that I was standing on the railing. Before I could comprehend what had happened, I was falling backwards.

"Jesus fucking Christ-" I heard somebody curse before I slammed into at least two other bodies. I laid there in total shock for a couple of moments before two groans rumbled against my back. I leapt up in a panic, turning around to see Gene and Liebgott lying on the boat deck.

"I-I am so sorry. Oh my god, I'm so stupid, I can't believe I just-" I rushed out, hands flying over the two of them frantically. I pulled Gene up, and then Liebgott. The two of them silently stood there as I circled around them, trying to assess for any damage.

"Grace." Liebgott said slowly, eyes tracking my movements. I paused for a millisecond before continuing to flutter around them.

"Grace." He repeated, this time louder. My movements froze as he turned around to face me. Gene stepped up beside him, arms crossed.

"I-I-"

"Under no circumstances, will you ever do that again, do you hear me?" Joe growled, glaring hard at me.

"Yah can't do dat, Grace." Gene said in agreement.

"Okay." I mumbled, lowering my head.

"Tell me you won't do it," Joe said, "and look at me." I hesitantly raised my head to meet his eyes.

"I won't climb the rungs of the boat anymore." I said, feeling absolutely ridiculous. Before I could apologize once more, Joe opened his arms and gathered me in a hug.

"God, you scared me so fucking much, Gracie." He breathed, arms tightening around my shoulders.

I swallowed thickly, not knowing what else to say. Before I could think of another way to say I'm sorry, he let me go and pushed me towards Gene. The medic shook his head with a soft smile before wrapping me in a hug too.

"Gotta be safe, ah right?" He said, patting my back before pulling away.

"Grace!" Someone called from behind me. I turned around to see an ashen-faced Bill. I inwardly groaned.

"Um, hi." I said awkwardly, picking at a fingernail to avoid his gaze.

"What the hell was that? I-"

"I know, I know. I won't do it again." I sighed, frowning when he didn't say anything. Liebgott shot me a look before wandering off towards Webster. Eugene disappeared somewhere in the crowd of people.

"Bill?" I asked quietly, watching as his jaw worked beneath his temple.

"I'm sure Joe already gave ya hell for it, but Gracie, you gotta be careful. I don't know how many times the lot of us are gonna have to tell ya that." He said after another moment of silence.

"I can't help it, it's just the way I am. I'm trying, I'm really trying." I said, biting my lip. Gaurnere sighed before tugging my wrist and pulling me closer to him.

"I know." He acknowledged before tucking my hair behind my ear and laying a hand on my cheek. "I just need ya to be okay."

My breath caught in my throat at the tone in his voice. He sounded like if I weren't okay, if something ever happened to me, he wouldn't be able to go on. He sounded like a man holding on to a thin string, like a man running towards a wild fire. His eyes searched mine for a moment and I held my breath, waiting for him to do something, to say something, but nothing ever came. He lowered his hand and patted me on the head before moving away. My heart throbbed and I tried to hide my disappointment. I wanted to kiss him, I needed to-but I knew it was unrealistic in a place like this. I sighed and turned my head away to look at the water again.

"I'll be okay, Bill. Didn't I tell you before that I always will be?"

"Sure, Gracie girl." He smiled, "Come on, let's get downstairs before it gets dark out."

"You can head down, I'm not quite ready yet." Bill shot me a disapproving look. "Jesus, I'll be fine. I'm a grown woman, damn it."

"Sometimes I wonder."

"Ugh, get out of my sight before I decide not to be so forgiving."

"What are you gonna do, huh?"

"You know very well what I would do, Gonorrhea."

"Remind me of it later, okay sweetheart?" He said with a wink. I rolled my eyes.

"You men are all the same." I groaned. He merely smiled back before turning around to head down to the third level of hell.

About an hour later, the sun finally dipped down below the sea. I let out a loud sigh before leaving my post by the railing and heading down the stairs. I could feel the air thicken around me the lower I went. By the time I made it to the lower levels of the boat, I could barely breathe. I contemplated stealing somebody's pillow and just sleeping on the deck, but I knew the ship crew would be none too happy. I shook my head before making my way into the crowded room. My stomach dropped when I realized just how many people I was going to have to fight my way through. At the forefront of everything, I spotted Dog Company.

"Hello, boys." I greeted hesitantly, watching as they turned around to size me up.

"Aye, isn't that the broad that belongs to Easy Company?" One of the men called out, pushing his way through the circle of men.

"Grace Morris." I said, nodding my head. He looked around for a moment before frowning.

"Where's your company?"

"Well, that's what I was trying to find out. I was hoping the lot of you knew."

"I think I saw some of them towards the back. Can't say for sure." Another one I recognized as Mattz piped up.

"Of course it's at the back of this damn hellhole." I muttered, "Thanks boys."

"You want one of us to go with you? I think I saw Lieutenant Speirs not too long ago somewhere around here." The first man asked, eyes searching for his Lieutenant. I contemplated his offer for a moment before shrugging.

"I don't want to cause any of you trouble. And it seems wherever I go, trouble goes. Thanks, though."

"All right, Morris. Good luck." He said, sparing me a smile before turning back to a group of his men.

I sighed again before inching my way in between men towards the back of the boat. It seemed as if a day had gone by, but I knew it was just my nerves. All around me, men were piled high smoking, playing cards, and drinking. I wondered where the hell they had even gotten the beer, because I sure as hell could use some. I practically screamed in frustration when I realized that I was hardly getting anywhere. I turned around to a man next to me and grabbed his jacket. He turned around and looked down at me in surprise.

"Where the fucking hell am I?" I burst out, completely fed up with my inability to get anywhere without getting lost. His shock wore off before he looked at his buddies.

"Um, on a boat." He answered, eyebrows rising. I let out a huff of frustration.

"Do you know what? Forget it. I can do this. I can, okay?" I told him, before spinning around and continuing my trek.

"Who the fuck was that?" The soldier muttered, watching in amazement as I marched my way down the long aisle of men.

A few minutes later, I was blocked by a group of men who looked as if they were about to start another war. I stopped in my tracks and backed up a few steps, assessing the situation.

"Don't you fucking talk about my girl like that!" A kid with dark brown hair yelled, fists balled up.

"Why the hell not? She's a fine piece of ass, ain't she?" A blonde man asked, a devious smirk on his lips. The men behind him jeered.

"Shut the fuck up!"

"You better watch what you say, kid."

I inwardly groaned as the boy jumped forward to attack the blonde man. All around me, men rushed forward to either stop the fight or watch it. Before I could make my escape, two arms grabbed me from behind and I instinctively broke out of the hold, hand reaching for my knife.

"Woah, easy there." Speirs said, holding up his hands at my defensive position. I straightened out and leapt on the man with no warning.

"Oh my god, Ron. Why are you always here at the worst times?" I practically sobbed, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"I, uh. What?" He stuttered, complete taken aback.

"Where the fuck is my company?" I cried, pulling away to shake him back and forth.

"Over there." He said, pointing a couple of rows down. I peered around until I saw a tuft of red hair. Malarkey.

"Oh sweet baby jesus, thank you. Thank you." I called, letting go of the startled man to run towards my company.

"I have ARRIVED!" I shouted, throwing myself on top of Joe Toye.

"What the fuck?" Joe asked, losing his breath when I landed on top of him.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see your grouchy face. Oh Joe, I'm so sorry for always being a pain in the ass." I sighed, rubbing my face against his chest. The man didn't say anything and looked up in surprise at George Luz and Perconte. The two of them shrugged simultaneously.

"I'm also sorry for stealing your helmet that one time. And hiding your boots. And beating you at cards. You know I never meant any of that, right?" I asked, lifting my head to peer into his eyes. He looked like a cornered animal.

"I-uh-"

"And George!" I exclaimed before he could say anything. I hopped off the confused man and latched myself onto the company radioman.

"Um?" George squeaked out as I practically climbed over him.

"I love you. I love you too, Perco. And Even you, Skinny." I called, letting go of George to spin around in relief. "I love all of you, oh my god. My emotions."

"Gracie, what the fuck did you drink?" Gordan asked from above me.

"I didn't drink anything." I defended, glaring up at him.

"Then what the hell happened?" Malarkey questioned, lowering his magazine to peer at me in wonder.

"What the hell happened? You wanna know what the hell happened? You people had to decide to bunk in the back of this fucking boat, which means I had to trek through thousands of men just to find you fucktards. Do you know how many damn people I asked for help? Dog Company, Item company, some fucking dude from I don't know what company," I took a deep breathe before continuing, "And then, I almost killed Ron! Just to find you! So I am sorry if I am a little bit delusional right now, but fucking Christ, I have deserved the right to lose my damn mind at this point."

"You almost killed Lieutenant Speirs?" George asked after a moment of dead silence.

"She did not almost kill me. I caught her by surprise and she almost pulled a knife on me. There is a difference." Ron said, appearing behind me from nowhere.

"There isn't. I would have killed you if you hadn't told me it was you."

"But I told you, and you didn't. So it wasn't an almost killed me, it was an almost pulled a knife on me." The Lieutenant argued back. I sighed in exasperation.

"Whatever, it's beside the point."

"I think it's a very important point."

"Ron, you are ruining the dramatic affect!"

"What dramatic affect?"

"I swear to the mermaids in this ocean-"

"Mermaids?"

"Ron!" I hissed before pushing him in the opposite direction. "I appreciate your help, but please go terrorize someone else for a change, will ya?"

"But you're my favorite." He pointed out, not budging from his spot despite my attempts at moving him.

"Lip!" I hollered, turning my head when said man rushed up, face pale.

"What is it? What happened?" He asked breathlessly, eyes darting around to assess for some sort of damage or trouble.

"Would you please take Ron to the torture dungeon?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." I deadpanned.

"Gracie, there aren't torture dungeons on boats." Johnny Martin piped up from above us.

"There is, too." I defended.

"Nope. Sorry, Grace." Muck said, hanging upside down from his bunk. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Do you know what? Fine. Then take him-just take him somewhere else, Jesus." I groaned. Lipton looked at me with sympathy before turning his eyes to Ron.

"Uh, if you don't mind, Lieutenant…" He trailed off awkwardly. Ron simply looked at the two of us with a blank face before turning around and disappearing back into the sea of soldiers. I let out a breathe of relief.

"Thanks, Lip. I appreciate it." I chirped. The man sighed but nodded in return before backing away to check on the rest of the group.

"I don't know how Speirs hasn't killed you yet." Gaurnere muttered, walking over to lie down on his bunk.

"Why would he kill me? We're on the same side." I questioned, turning to look at him.

"He don't care about who's on who's side, sweetheart. He'll do whatever benefits him." Bill said.

"Sure he does. He just likes to intimidate people. Unfortunately for him, I find myself to be a thousand times better at it."

"You-ah, hell with it." Gaurnere sighed after a moment of staring at me with raised eyebrows.

"You're really something else, you know that, right?" Liebgott asked swinging his feet back and forth next to me. I shrugged.

"I'm reminded everyday. So where's an empty bunk in this mess?" I asked, looking around me for an opening.

"You can bunk with me." Hoobler offered, wiggling his eyebrows.

"You're adorable." I said before climbing up towards his bunk.

"Wait, are you serious?" He asked, eyes widening.

"No." I answered before climbing over him, Tab, Eugene, and George until I finally reached a free bunk. I peeked down below the swinging bunk and realized I had a perfect view of practically the whole company.

"You're too far away, Gracie girl!" Bill called up to me, hanging out of his bunk.

"On the contrary, my dear." I commented.

"What the hell does that mean?" Bill asked, looked to Toye for help. The other man shrugged and whipped out his knife.

"Hey guys, I'm glad I'm going to Europe. Hitler gets one of these right across the windpipe. Roosevelt changes Thanksgiving to Joe Toye day and pays me ten grand a year for the rest of my fucking life." He said huskily, looking highly satisfied with his well-thought out plan. I rolled my eyes before averting my attention to Eugene and George who were below me.

"George, you have any cards?"

"Nope, gave them to Gonorrhea."

"Why on earth would you do that?"

"He threatened me."

"Oh for the love of jellyfish." I muttered before looking to Eugene.

"Have you got anything interesting to do while we are stuck here?" The dark haired man shook his head before examining a piece of rolled up gauze he pulled from his pocket. I sighed.

"Don't worry, Gracie, I'll entertain you." George said before climbing up beside me.

"Excuse me, who invited you?"

"I did."

"That doesn't count."

"It does now."

"My bunk, my rules." George looked at me blankly for a few moments before I finally shrugged and leaned back on my hands. "All right, so entertain me."

"Hmmm." George murmured, looking around him in thought.

"You have no idea, do you?" I asked after a moment of watching him.

"Nope."

"You're hopeless." I muttered. Before he could say anything back, a ruckus erupted on the lower level. I leaned over curiously, watching as a dozen other heads popped out from their bunks, too.

"What the hell?" George muttered, squinting his eyes.

"Bill and Joe." I said, heart leaping into my throat as I watched Lieb take a threatening step towards Gaurnere.

"I'm a Jew." He spat out. Gaurnere looked him up and down, unimpressed.

"Congratulations. Get your nose outta my face." Bill hissed, glaring at the taller man.

Joe jumped forward and threw a punch. Bill tossed his arms up before hurling himself at Lieb, and all hell broke lose. Men jumped from their bunks to break up the two, but they refused to stop. They struggled against restricting arms, and I had a sinking feeling that this was more than name-calling. George pulled me back after another moment of watching, and I leaned against his shoulder.

"Should I…?" I trailed off, twisting my neck around to look up at him. He shook his head.

"It's better if you don't. Trust me." He sighed.

"But…"

"It's all right, Gracie." He murmured, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I rested my head against his chest and tried to quell the protective feeling roaring against my ribcage.

Sometime in the night, I was woken by a loud curse next to my bunk. I rolled over and came face to face with none other than Bill.

"Sorry, sweetheart. Hit my head." He explained, hefting himself up next to me. I raised my eyebrows.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned, leaning down to make sure Eugene and George were still asleep. Thankfully, the seasickness pills had knocked them out completely.

"I-uh. I just wanted to see you." He coughed out, looking bashful.

I rubbed my hands against my eyes and watched as he squirmed around uncomfortably. I couldn't help the smile that snuck its way onto my face. Like a chain reaction, his own lips turned upwards.

"I missed you." He admitted after a moment of us grinning at each other.

"That's better." I laughed, stretching my arms upwards and sighing in satisfaction when my bones popped. Without warning, arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me backwards.

"God, you're beautiful." Bill whispered in my ear. My heart pounded like a jackhammer against my chest and I swallowed thickly. "I can't ever look away from you."

"Bill…" I muttered, goose bumps rising on my arms when he brushed the hair away from my neck and pressed his lips against it.

"I can't stay away from ya." He breathed, lips pressing up and down the column of my neck. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to hold in the groan rising in my throat.

"B-Bill." I stuttered out, not knowing whether to press closer or pull away.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" He asked, pulling away to press his mouth against my ear this time. My hands started shaking.

"I-I uh." I said, not knowing exactly what the hell I was supposed to say. He turned me around in his lap and settled his eyes upon mine.

"Shit, I don't know what it is about ya…" He groaned before crushing his lips against mine.

I nearly jumped out of my own skin. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me flush against him. I felt like I could barely breath. I thought maybe I didn't want to if it meant staying just like this. His dry lips felt like wildfire against my own and my veins were burning. I laid my hands on either side of his face, pulling him closer to me. His tongue prodded against my lips and I nearly had a heart attack.

I pulled away to gulp for air, but only got one lungful before he was urgently pressing against me again. This time, I could feel the warmth of him in my mouth and I struggled to not pass out then and there. It was like a coal lying upon my tongue and I could feel my skin burning up. He pushed me backwards until I was lying flat on my bed. I wrapped my arms around his neck, afraid to let go. When he finally pulled away, I was panting.

"Shit." He mumbled, pressing kisses down the side of my neck. His hands fluttered up to press against my stomach, my waist. I lay perfectly still, forgetting how to function. He was all I could feel. He was all I could see, all I could think of.

"I-" Bill's mouth pressed to my own, halting my words and after a moment, I forgot what I had wanted to say at all. Eventually, he pulled away and I sent him a bewildered look. He pressed a finger to his mouth and smirked. I sealed my lips shut and glared at him.

"Can't stay here all night, Gracie girl. Sleep good sweetheart." He whispered, kissing my forehead before quietly climbing back down to his own bed.

I flopped onto my back and stared up into the darkness, heart pounding a fast rhythm against my ribs. I listened to the sound of shifting bodies around me, concentrated on the calm lull of the boat, and eventually drifted off into a restless sleep.


A/N: Sorry again for the late update! I actually had this sitting in my folder for over a month and I just kept forgetting that I needed to post it. Also, you know, work and college. Anyways, hope everybody enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for sticking with it 3