[MillietheWarrior]

Laughing, he patted her helmet, while Joe looked on quietly. "I like em' feisty," he commented thoughtfully, before being slugged lightly on both arms, from both of his friends. "What?"

M.J. shook her head, and then lifted it to gaze over the rim of the foxhole. "You know, we'll be taking Foy in a couple of days, right?" she mentioned casually, her eyes never leaving the German occupied town.

Bill cursed, while Joe shook his head. "Not you, M.J. But we will. There's no way Winters would let you in on that attack, and you know that. You'll be staying here, safe and sound."

[MillietheWarrior]

The young woman snorted softly, and pulled her M-1 onto her lap. "Like hell I will. This place isn't any safer than the rest of Europe. I gave Winters the information he needed to take Foy. He better let me in on that attack, or he'll be fighting his own battle back here. With me." She crossed her arms, while Bill only laughed.

"She has ya there, Joe. When a woman wants somethin', she usually gets it. I doubt Winters would wanna deal with her here, when he has to deal with the attack out there. She's too much of a firecracker. He'd burn his hands for sure."

[MillietheWarrior]

Joe regarded M.J. carefully, but said nothing. He didn't like the idea of her following the attack into the town. He didn't want her anywhere near this place. He wanted her to go home. To be safe. But no matter how much he wanted it, he knew it could never happen.

"Right…Burn."

[MillietheWarrior]

---

M.J. was jolted awake by the loud explosion that nearly sent her flying head over heels out of the foxhole. Joe and Bill bolted upright as well, eyes wild s they glanced around for the source of the explosion.

M.J. clutched her helmet to her head. "Shit! Incoming!"

It was another attack, another God damn shelling! M.J. clutched her rifle and slouched in the hole, throwing her arms over her head as the explosions continued to rock the ground. Joe grabbed her shoulder, as though to assure himself that she was still there, and huddled next to her, covering both of them with his arms. Bill followed suit.

[MillietheWarrior]

The shelling didn't last long, and in no time, it had quieted down. M.J. shifted slightly beneath Joe's arm, before gently lifting it off of her. "Thanks," she muttered softly, receiving a small smile and a nod of acknowledgement from her friend.

Bill shook his head, debris and dirt falling from his shoulders as he hefted himself out of the hole. "I'll be right back, you two stay here. I'm gonna go see if anyone was hurt. All right?"

"Yeah," Joe nodded slowly, M.J. echoing his sentiments when he said; "Be careful, Bill."

[25]

[MillietheWarrior]

M.J. watched him disappear from the cover of the foxhole, before she turned to her remaining companion. "You know, you don't have to do that."

Joe looked confused as he swung his gaze over to meet hers. "Do what?" he questioned automatically, not noticing how close the two were as they sat beside one another. M.J. sighed heavily, and rolled her eyes.

[MillietheWarrior]

"You know," she clarified, waving her hands about. "Trying to protect me. I'm not gonna break, and I'm certainly not afraid to die. At least I know that I made a difference, even if I'm dead. I chose to do this. Why are you so worried about me when I'm not even worried about me? I mean, you hardly even know me, Joe. What are you so afraid of?"

[MillietheWarrior]

Joe remained silent as he listened to her speak, his dark eyes never leaving her own. "I don't know," he said finally, sounding a bit lost. "I don't know why, but I just…The thought of you dying…I don't want you to ever get hurt." He gestured to her side, where the large white bandage kept her wound bound tightly. Roe had stitched it up a few hours after the attack.

"That…It feels like it's my fault. I wasn't there to stop it from happening. I couldn't do anything to help you. I don't like that feeling." He fell silent as M.J. mulled over his words, her eyes and face thoughtful as she peered at him from beneath her dark lashes.

[MillietheWarrior]

"So…what are you afraid of then, Joe?"

Joe looked a bit surprised by the second asking of the question, and said nothing at first, regarding the ground a though it had become an object of great interest. "I guess…" He sounded like he didn't want to continue. M.J. sighed, and placed a hand on his own. He glanced at it, and then at her. "I don't want to lose you."

The diminutive woman looked startled, before her eyes softened. "Aw, don't worry about it, Joe. You're stuck with me, for life. I promise, I won't ever leave ya. You or Bill. All right?"

This seemed to put his mind at ease, for he seemed to relax almost instantly, leaning back against the wall. For a moment, it was quiet, the silence punctuated only by the distant calls of 'Medic!' that were shouted into the air. M.J. observed Joe for a long while, before she leaned in, and pecked him on the cheek.

[MillietheWarrior]

"Don't worry about it."

When Bill came back, he found both of them sitting side by side, exactly how he had left them. "Hey, Bill?" As he slid into the foxhole, he turned his head to glance at M.J. curious as to what she wanted to say.

"Yeah?"

"Don't worry about a thing. Neither of us plans on getting killed anytime soon." Confused, Bill offered the small woman a very puzzle looked. Smiling, she shook her head.

"Just don't worry about it."

[30]

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