[MillietheWarrior]

Meanwhile, Sam and Lizzie had made their way to the temporary company CP, or what they could only assume it was. Sam had her hands stuffed resolutely in her pockets, a faintly morose look on her face as she trailed after Lizzie, who was marching determinedly through a sea of soldiers with supplies and other things.

“Lizzie? Sam?”

Both women turned on their heel to see Lewis leaning against a wall outside the home where their headquarters was being stationed. He had a stack of papers in his hand, and looked as though he’d just been looking them over before they arrived. Upon spotting them, he’d tucked the stack under his arm, and strolled over. “So you found me, huh?”

“After some asking around, yeah, we did. Be more specific next time,” Lizzie scolded, looking faintly annoyed. Sam whistled obliviously, gaze roving over the supplies and other essential things the men were hauling into the building.

“Nice digs,” she commented idly, and heard Lew chuckle.

“Yeah, only the best for us. Listen, Liz, I have a favor to ask.”

Lizzie turned to regard her brother curiously. “You’re here for no more than a few hours, and you’re already asking favors?”

“Well, if it helps, it’s part of your job,” he supplied hopefully.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. “Fine. What is it?”

“Think you can hook our medics up with some supplies?”

“Whaaaaat?” Lizzie whined, hands on her hips. “Don’t you guys have your own supplies? I can’t go around just giving away our stuff, ya know. This isn’t a charity.” She folded her arms. “And I’m not your personal nurse, Lew. Just because I’m your sister doesn’t mean I can help you with things like this. Why don’t you ask for them legally, you know, with one of those reports you higher ups are always so keen to type out?”

“Lizzie…”

“Ugh, fine! What do you need?”

Lewis grinned like a fool and handed her a list. “What?” she grumbled. “You already had the list typed out? Jerk.” She swiped it from his hands and stormed off, leaving Sam standing awkwardly behind her.

[MillietheWarrior]

Sam shifted from foot to foot, looking over her shoulder, and then back to Lew. “So, uh, I-” She was saved from having to fill the awkward silence by the sudden appearance of another captain. He stepped out of the makeshift offices, and made a beeline immediately for Lewis, sidestepping around Sam.

“Lew, did you get those supplies rounded up yet?”

Sam blinked, then grinned slyly over the man’s shoulder. “I see. Shirking your duties, eh captain? Sneaky. Real sneaky.”

The second captain turned as if just noticing her for the first time, and gave a small start. “Trooper?” he asked, as if unsure as to whether or not that’s what Sam was; the bright white and red arm band on his arm identified this strange new soldier as a medic, but beyond that, he couldn’t gauge where he came from. Dick looked faintly perplexed.

“Uh,” Lew quickly interceded on the woman-gone-soldier’s behalf, and slid around to stand beside her. “Dick. This is Sam Branigan. Sam’s with the medical corps and good friends with my sister Lizzie. You remember me telling you about her. She was just here, matter of fact. I think she’s off to get those supplies rounded up for me. Sam was going to help. Weren’t you, Sam?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Sam chuckled faintly, and glanced at the second lieutenant, who seemed faintly amused. “That I was, sir. It’s actually sergeant, by the way” She clicked her heels together and saluted sharply, relaxing when the new lieutenant returned the salute. “May I ask your name, sir?”

“It’s Richard Winters,” he supplied helpfully. “Nice to meet a friend of Elizabeth. You were…on your way to help her?” He shot a pointed look at Lew, who nodded curtly.

“Yep, on your way, Sam.” He carefully steered Sam a few feet away, before whispering in her ear. “Don’t let Lizzie get too close to any of those guys; they’re great, but I don’t want my little sister involved with a soldier.”

“I’m sensing some issues here?”

“Sam, just do it. All right?”

“Aye, aye, captain. I guess that means I’m off to chase the dragons away from the damsel in distress…If Liz can be called that. See ya later, Lew.” She turned and saluted, before striding off in the direction Lizzie had gone.

“What was that all about, Nix?” Richard asked as his friend strolled back over, looking a little flustered.

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

[MillietheWarrior]

By the time Sam caught up to Lizzie, she’d already landed herself ankle deep in curious soldiers.

“Shoot,” Sam muttered, observing the situation from afar.

Lizzie had about three or so soldiers surrounding her, each offering to help and one already carrying boxes for her out of the medical tent. Only that one, Sam realized, was an actual medic, but the rest…Sam wasn’t sure where they came from, except that they wore the same insignia and uniform as captain Nixon.

Sighing to herself, Sam decided it’d be best to get this over with and out of the way.

“Boys, please. I think Doc Roe and I have got this under control.” Sam rolled her eyes at the sound of Lizzie’s flirtatious laughter; the woman was egging it on.

“Problem here?” Sam asked as she strode up, a scowl set onto her face. The three soldiers milling about and vying for Lizzie’s attention turned almost as one, and Sam silently wondered if she’d bitten off more than she could chew.

“’Ey!” one of them crowed, and Sam thought he looked vaguely familiar. “I know you. You’re the fella who stopped me this mornin’ ta ask for directions.” He peered at her with a scrutinizing gaze, and Lizzie, sensing things were winding up to get too out of hand, immediately stepped up to Sam’s side.

“Oh, so sorry about that. I asked Sam to ask for directions. I was hopelessly lost, see. I was trying to find my brother.”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Captain Nixon is your brother?” one of the soldiers asked incredulously.

“Uh, yes, yes he is.”

The red-haired soldier whistled, looking impressed, then leaned against the tent pole. “So I ‘spose this fella is your-”

“No,” Sam said instantly, her eyes darkening in anger. “I am nothing more than her friend. And the lot of you should be clearing off right about now. Some of us have serious work to do.”

“Calm down, pal,” the soldier with the dark hair said coolly, his gaze like daggers as he glared pointedly at Sam. “We got a right to be where we wanna. We ain’t gotta leave just ‘cuz you got your pants in a bunch.”

“Yeah,” the first dark haired man said, the one who she’d asked for directions. He shot his friends a sly grin which Sam didn’t miss; her guard instantly went up. “Besides, we’re all buddies here, right? We just wanna help out.”

“And I’m the Queen of England,” Sam growled, her brows drawing together.

“Your majesty!” the red-haired man mocked, earning guffaws from his two companions.

[MillietheWarrior]

“Get lost, ya bums,” she continued, ignoring the outburst, though it was fairly difficult. Every instinct inside of her demand that she make them pay for their insult. She’d spent her entire life fighting for her pride and dignity, and she wasn’t about to be disrespected by a couple of big-mouthed soldiers who thought they were better than her.

“Take it easy, buddy,” the second  dark haired man said; he seemed to be the most reasonable of the group.  “We’re just-”

“I ain’t your buddy. I ain’t your pal. I ain’t your nothin’. You got that?” Sam spat, brushing past them. “Get lost. We don’t need your lot hanging around our medical tent. We’re actually working, unlike some people.”

“Now wait just a god damn min-” the first dark haired man began, his feathers obviously ruffled as he started after Sam. A soft hand on his arm stopped him, and he turned to see Lizzie smiling sheepishly.

“I’m very sorry. I do apologize for Sam’s rude behavior. Um…uh, Sam just always had a very hard time making friends and getting along with people, but you couldn‘t ask for a more dedicated medic.” She nodded, smiling and looking past them at the tent and spoke absently, forgetting who she was talking to. “She’s also pretty nice, once you get to know her.”

[MillietheWarrior]

All three soldiers blinked suddenly.

“What?” the first one asked, his eyes going wide.

Lizzie looked confused. “What, ‘what?’” she asked, clearly not understanding their sudden change in demeanor.

“You just said ‘she.’”

“And ‘her.’”

“What’s going on here?”

Lizzie blushed so bright she could’ve put a tomato to shame. “Oh SHIT!” she shouted, looking flustered.

“Mouth, young lady!” came the reprimand from inside the tent.

Lizzie winced, and made to move past the soldiers, when the first one gently grabbed her elbow. “Hey, Lizzie, mind explainin’ that to us?” The three had long since been introduced in Sam’s absence; Sam just didn’t stick around for introductions when she got there.

“Uh, I-I mean…well, you see…I…you know, I think you’re hearing things!”

“Nuh-uh!” the red-haired man said immediately. “You said it, and we heard you! So spill! What’s goin’ on here?”

“Uh, well…” Lizzie scratched her neck nervously. “Samisreallyagirlbutdon’ttellherIsaidanythingorshe’llkillme!”

“…Say again?”

“S-Sam is…Sam is really a girl. But please, please, please for the love of all that is holy and good on this earth, don’t tell her I told you. Pretend you figured it out all on your own! If she finds out I said anything…” She threw her hands into the air as her eyes darted back towards the tent nervously.

“Interesting,” Bill mused, rubbing his chin.

[MillietheWarrior]

“Bill…” Lizzie warned.

“What? I was just thinkin’ bout how curious that was.”

“Yeah,” Babe piped up. “She don’t look like no dame I ever seen. How come she’s dressin’ up like a man?”

“That,” Lizzie growled. “You’ll have to ask her yourself. Look, just don’t give her a hard time, all right? She’s had enough of that back home…she doesn’t need any of that over here, understood?”

Joe, Bill and Babe exchanged looks, looking faintly concerned. “Yeah, understood.”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Hey there.”

Sam looked up as another soldier entered the tent; it was the medic she’d observed helping Lizzie before she’d walked into the lion’s den. Truth was, it was a bit nerve racking facing all three of those men outside; she was no stranger to unfair fights, but she knew when she was outmatched a thousand times over. She’d be damned, though, if she let a single bit of that anxiety show to anyone.

“Hello,” Sam responded curtly, nodding her head as she picked up a clipboard which seemed to have been discarded by Lizzie. “I am to assume you’re the medic from Easy Company?” When the man nodded, Sam turned back to the clipboard. “I expect you to be a bit more civil than your comrades out there. I imagine you’ve all had a hard time lately, but that’s hardly call for such disrespect,” she said dryly.

The man looked frozen for a moment, before he started into motion again, a contemplative frown on his face. “Beggin’ your pardon, sir. They can be a bit overbearin’ at times. I do apologize for them, sir.”

[MillietheWarrior]

“What’s your name, corporal?”

“Uh, Roe, sir. Eugene Roe.”

“And they sent you by yourself to get these supplies, I take it. Don’t you have any other medics to help you out?”

“Just me and muh buddy. But he’s got other things tuh tend to, sir.”

“All right.” Sam smiled faintly, then turned immediately back to the clipboard. “My name is Sam, Eugene. Don’t worry about all that ‘sir’ stuff. It gets old after a while, all right?”

Eugene was in the middle of lifting a box of morphine and bandages when she spoke, and he paused in his work to stare at her curiously. “Uh, yes si-…I mean, Sam.” He said the name thoughtfully, almost quizzically, before he went back to work, lifting the boxes.

[MillietheWarrior]

As Eugene exited, Lizzie entered, looking flustered and nervous. Sam immediately looked up, and crossed the tent, checking her over as if looking for any obvious signs of injury. “You okay? They didn’t do anything inappropriate did they? They say anything to you?”

“No, no. Stop your fretting, Sam,” Lizzie replied distractedly, waving her off. “Listen, how about after this, we head to the pub and grab a drink, huh?”

“I don’t think so, Liz. I got a lot of work to do here. Why don’t you go? Have a good time. But you make sure to stick by your brother…and tell those soldiers to keep their dang hands to their dang selves.”

Lizzie rolled her eyes at the familiar expression, shaking her head. “Sam, the day you take a day off and have some fun for a change, will be the day I sprout feathers and start flying.” Sam shot her a look, and Lizzie chuckled. “All right, all right. I’ll stick by Lew. But promise me, if you finish early, you’ll come by and at least have a drink with us, all right?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Sam smiled fondly, before going back to her clipboard. “Yeah, yeah. Sure. I promise. Now go have fun…” She paused, and thought a moment. “Not too much fun, though, all right?”

“Spoilsport.”

Sam waved her pen at Lizzie’s retreating form, not noticing that as she left, she held open the flap for Eugene to re-enter. As he stepped inside, he promptly smacked his booted foot against one of the boxes. “Ow, damn it,” he muttered softly to himself.

“Mouth, young man,” Sam shot back instantly, and then froze, turning to stare at Eugene, who had frozen in a similar position. “Sorry about that. Force of habit.”

“You always correctin’ people, si-um, Sam?” Eugene asked as he rifled through one of the boxes nearby. Sam rapped his knuckles with her pen.

“I just counted that,” she chastised. “And sort of. My momma raised me never to curse, especially in front of othe-…Especially in front of women. Just because we’re overseas and away from our families and our values, shouldn’t give us an excuse to become uncivilized idiots with no mastery over the English language. Every other word I hear is cursing over here, it seems, and I get a little tired of it, even if I slip up occasionally myself.” She smiled secretively, and then gave a deep, throaty laugh. “Shit happens, I guess.”

[MillietheWarrior]

Eugene joined in the laughter, before going back to rifling through the box. Sam gave up on getting him out of there; she knew a few things would be missing but she didn’t really mind all that much. Eugene seemed like a nice enough guy, and it wasn’t often that Sam was able to talk with someone without getting into some kind of argument. It was mostly her fault, she realized, when she took offense to almost every little thing. She was just a complicated kind of gal, she supposed.

“How many more boxes of these you need, Eugene?” Sam asked curiously, only to look up and realize Eugene was staring at her. “What?”

“Nothin’,” he said at last. “Just thought…yo’ face…It seems so familiar. Have we met before?”

Sam frowned, and then shook her head. “Not that I know of. Where you from, Eugene?”

“Louisiana, half Cajun. Why?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Sam had stilled, staring very intently at him for a few long, lingering seconds. “Louisiana? Me too, though we moved up north when I was a kid. Where did you live?”

“Bayou Chene…”

“…Well, I’ll be darned. I lived near there with my parents. We owned a farm just outside of town until those oil companies took over and brought in those drills. We moved to up near Morgan City after that for a year, and then over near New Jersey. We got a farm up there now. Imagine that.”

Sam went back to studying her clipboard, but she could feel Eugene’s scrutinizing gaze on her. “You jus’ seem…So familiar. Like I met you some time buhfore now…”

Sam lifted her gaze to stare steadily back at Gene. Come to think of it, he did seem somewhat familiar too. She was sure they’d never met though. So where had she seen them before? Sam was suddenly jerked out of her musings when Eugene snapped his fingers.

[MillietheWarrior]

“I got it!” he shouted. “I ‘member you now. You and I-” he suddenly blushed, looking somewhat ashamed. “-we got into a fight when we was young. I-I accused you of stealin’ somethin’ and…And then yo’ father came along and scared me half to death. I think you moved a few weeks later. I don’ ‘member seein’ you again after that…”

“Holy heck!” Sam shouted, pointing at Eugene with an imperious finger. “Now I remember! My mother gave me hell for that fight! It was the first time I ever came home with a black eye instead of a couple of scrapes. She was all kinds of angry.” Sam rubbed her chin thoughtfully, and chuckled at the guilty look on Eugene’s face.

“Aw, hey. Don’t worry ‘bout it, Gene. I try not to hold grudges when I can.” She scribbled something down on the clipboard, and went back to taking inventory. “Funny, how things sorta come full circle, eh? Never imagined I’d see you again.”