[MillietheWarrior]

“Small world, I ‘spose,” Gene mused, snatching a few bandages from the box and stuffing them into his medic bag. He knew Sam saw him, but she said nothing. “Hey, I…Well, I couldn’t help but overhear you an’ Miss Elizabeth talkin’ earlier…And since we’re almost done here, why don’t you and I head to the pub and meet the boys? I wouldn’t mind a drink muhself.”

Sam’s pen paused on the paper, and she glanced up at Eugene curiously, before sighing heavily. “Aw, heck. Why not? I can always finish this tomorrow. It’s not all that pressing anyways.” She set the clipboard down and nodded. “All right Gene, let’s go. I guess I could use a drink too. I’ve had a pretty interesting day.”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Sam!”

Only a few moments after Sam and Gene had entered the pub, Sam was assailed by a blur of brunette hair, and nearly found herself toppling over backwards as a very giggly, and very happy Lizzie plowed into her. Sam reached out to steady the girl, before the heavy scent of alcohol assailed her senses.

“Dear God, Liz. Are you…are you drunk? Already?”

“No, no!” Lizzie protested, though the words came out a little slurred. “I’m jus’ havin’ fun ish all.” She leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, eyes darting towards Gene. “Whoozzat?” Eugene recoiled slightly, looking as though he were trying to hold back laughter. “He gotcha to come out and have fun? I think I’mma grow wings and fly now, ‘kay?”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Lizzie, you’ve been here for a half hour. There’s no way…” Sam stopped as she caught sight of Lewis, and sighed. “Liz, have you been hanging  around Lewis this entire time, by any chance?” Lizzie had often told Sam that her brother had a problem with alcohol, and judging by the quickness and efficiency with which Lizzie had gotten drunk, Sam was going to bet that it had something to do with Lewis. “Come on, Liz. We better get you home.”

“I can walk her, if you like.”

Sam turned to see Dick standing just beside her elbow, a small smile on his face. “I’ve got to look after Lew, too. Might as well get the pair home.” Sam eyed him dubiously; she didn’t know this man very well, and had only met him this morning. But he had an honest face, and if anything, Sam was a fairly good judge of character…for the most part.

[MillietheWarrior]

“Oh…Okay,” Sam said slowly, passing a giggling Lizzie off to Dick, who looked a little uncomfortable when she slung an arm around his shoulder. Yes, Sam decided. He was a good guy, and wouldn’t try anything, especially if the blush and look on his face was anything to go by.  “Just look after her. She should be coherent enough to show you the way. But if she can’t…just ask someone. Anyone should be able tot ell you where we’re staying.” She smiled faintly, looking contented. “Thank you, sir.”

“Just ‘Dick,’ if you don’t mind,” he said amicably, leading Lizzie away and taking the elbow of a bleary eyed looking Nixon. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of each other, if these two have anything to say about it.” He chuckled quietly as he led them away, and Sam turned to find Eugene staring at her.

“What?”

“Nothin’,” he laughed. “Just the thangs you gotta put up with ‘round here. You get that often?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Sam followed him as they made their way over to the bar. “Not often. Lizzie usually knows her limit, and I’m usually around to keep her from going over it. But not today. She-”

“Heads up!”

Both Eugene and Sam turned at the same time to see a dart whizzing towards them. Both managed to duck at the last minute, and the dart sailed over their heads, smacking straight into a dart board.

“Hey there!”

Sam and Gene quickly gave the board a wide berth, but were stopped by a hand on Sam’s shoulder. It was one of the soldiers from earlier, the one she’d stopped to ask for directions. “What do you want?” Sam asked, brows drawing together. She didn’t think picking a fight here was a good idea; she was outnumbered, and she doubted Gene would be her backup.

[MillietheWarrior]

“Just wanna see if you and Gene wanna join us in a friendly game of darts.” When Sam eyed him dubiously, the soldier continued. “I’m Bill, by the way. Bill Guarnere. Nice ta meetcha.” Sam stared at the hand he offered her as if it was a snake, but after a few moments of awkward silence, she tentatively reached out and took it.

“Sam Branigan. Likewise, I guess.”

“Come on, Sam, and I’ll introduce ya,” the soldier said with a smile so wide, Sam wondered if his cheeks would split open. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Eugene had disappeared, and despaired of any heroic rescue from the Cajun medic. It looked like she was on her own for the time being.

“This here is George Luz, Joe Toye, Buck Compton, Babe Heffron, Johnny Martin and Bull Randleman.” Bill guided her towards the small mass of soldiers, and Sam really wished her sense of duty hadn’t taken a back seat to her need for a beer.

[MillietheWarrior]

“Nice to meet you? Uh, I‘m Sam.” she managed, clearing her throat when her voice squeaked a bit. Bill, Babe and Joe all exchanged grins, but Buck, Martin, Bull and George seemed none the wiser, and then each nodded and offered their own greetings to the nervous looking soldier Bill had thrown their way.

“’Ey, Sam. You been here a long time, right?” Joe asked, exchanging glances with Babe and raising his eyebrows. Sam nodded hesitantly, looking a bit out of place. “Good. Then you’re on our team.”

“For what?”

“Darts, o’ course,” Babe replied simply, handing her three darts with a cheeky grin. Sam stared at them with a blank expression, before she sighed.

“Fine, fine. What are we betting?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Babe and Joe once more exchanged looks, but this time, they were hesitant. “Uh, well, bettin’ on things hasn’t gone so well for us so far,” Babe admitted with a sheepish smile. He rubbed the back of his neck and indicated a grinning George and Buck.

“We’ve wiped the floor with them,” Buck said triumphantly, elbowing George in the ribs, who laughed and nodded.

“They didn’t stand a chance!” he crowed, holding up two packs of hard-won cigarettes.

Sam raised an eyebrow, and turned to Babe and Joe. “Yeah, yeah. Just bet something already. I ain’t got all day.” The smirk she shot them when buck and George had their backs turned promised at least a small hope of winning back their beloved cigarettes.

“All right,” Joe challenged, prodding George in the chest. “Two packs, again.”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Two packs?” Sam asked in faint annoyance. “That’s it?”

Joe and Babe scratched their heads. “Uh, well…Four packs?” Joe tried, glancing at George and Buck for confirmation.

“Loser buys beer, too,” Sam added, frowning at the darts and turning them over in her hands. “So, I have to hit that little red spot in the center? What am I aiming for here?” she asked curiously, turning to Joe and Babe as both men opened their mouths to protest the confirmation of the bet, but George and Buck already had twin grins on their face.

“Agreed!” they chorused in unison, earning groans from Babe and Joe.

“Hey, come on!” Joe protested. “Sam don’t even know-”

Thunk.

[MillietheWarrior]

“Oh, sorry. Was I not supposed to aim for the bulls-eye?” Sam asked, smirking cockily. Babe and Joe looked at each other, and then at Buck and George, who’s mouths had fallen open. There were two more successive ‘thunks’ and each one hit the bulls-eye dead-center.

“Aw, what the hell?!” George bemoaned, as Babe and Joe practically bounced on the heels of their feet. They held their hands out, and despite the grumbling, Buck and George forfeited their prizes.

“Sorry, gentlemen,” Sam said with a faintly sheepish smile. “I been here a whole heck of a lot longer than you two. I got a lot of practice.”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Pay up, lieutenant. The next round is on you!” Joe crowed.

“For a girl,” Babe whispered in Joe’s ear. “She’s pretty good. How come she’s hidin’ behind them men’s clothes, I wonder? Think we should ask her? Tell her we figured it out on our own?”

As Buck and George moved off to grab the next round, and Bill, Martin and Bull were engaged in a conversation of their own with some replacements, Eugene reappeared, and handed Sam a glass of beer. “Sorry for leavin’ you to these boys, Sam. Just went to grab a few drinks.” Sam nodded and took the beer gratefully.

“Thanks Gene. I knew you didn’t abandon me for any good reason.” She chuckled lightly, and Babe and Joe exchanged meaningful looks.

[MillietheWarrior]

“When we leave,” Joe whispered. “-then we’ll ask her. We don’t wanna cause a scene. If she’s keepin’ it hush-hush, then we don’t want everyone to know about her secret. It could be pretty embarrassin’. She seemed to be gettin’ along with Gene pretty well though. Think he knows?”

Babe watched Sam and Eugene interact, but they treated one another like old buddies from high school instead of a man and a woman who had met only a few hours before. Babe hesitantly shook his head. “Nah, I don’t think so. But they do act awful familiar around one another. Think they knew each other before this?”

“If he did,” Joe answered. “Then he doesn’t seem to realize she’s a woman. Maybe she’s been hidin’ the fact a lot longer than we know.”

Babe chuckled lowly. “Maybe when Lizzie sobers up, we can get more info outta her.”

“Doubt it,” Joe snorted as Buck and George came back with the beers.

[MillietheWarrior]

Sam downed the last of her beer, grimacing slightly at the taste, and stood up to leave, pushing her chair back with a loud screech of hardwood.

“Well, fellas. Have a nice evenin.’ I got a lot of work to catch up on tomorrow morning. I’ll see ya later.” She touched the tips of two fingers to her brow in a faint salute, and headed out the door, hands in her pockets, and whistling a cheery tune to the chorus of ‘Night Sam!’ and ‘See ya tomorrow!’ that followed after her.

She was in fairly good spirits, considering she was going to need to wake up at the crack of dawn to catch up on inventory work and supply loading. The beer, though somewhat bitter in flavor, was warm and satisfying in the pit of her stomach, and the faint buzz it gave her felt somewhat pleasant. And, much to her surprise, she’d found that not all the soldiers around town were going to be a hassle. Many of the men from easy were relatively laid back and charming (though she’d never admit it) and she found them easy to get along with (no pun intended).

[MillietheWarrior]

What Sam did not see as she slipped out the door, were the three sets of eyes following her, and the three sets of booted feet marching up and out the door after her. As she strolled down the darkened street, however, the sound of footsteps following her had her on edge, and her shoulders stiffened, though her tuneless whistling didn’t cease.

As she marched around a corner, she quickly slipped away from the sidewalk and into a side alley, blending in with the shadows as the sound of pounding feet skidding around the corner caught her attention. She observed her three stalkers, trying to figure out who they were in the sparse light of the moon, before she realized they were the three men form this morning. What, had they come looking for a fight? Well, Sam decided, if that’s what they wanted, then she was going to bite the bullet and get this over with sooner rather than later. She wasn’t going to run about looking over her shoulder. Even if Bill, Babe and Joe had acted all buddy-buddy at the pub, there was no guarantee it was real. Sam knew it was too good to be true.

[MillietheWarrior]

As she stepped out of the shadows, she faintly caught the looks of surprise on the three men’s faces. “What’s the matter? Didn’t expect me to catch you?” Sam asked. She took a step back, bracing her body and raising her knuckles in the fighter’s stance her father had taught her (with the promise to never, ever tell her mother about it). “All right. Let’s get this over with. Shoulda known better than to trust that ‘goodwill, we’re-all-pals-here’ act back there.”

Joe, Babe and Bill looked even more surprised, and Sam was sure if they didn’t stop being so shocked, their eyebrows would shoot up into their hairlines and disappear for good. “What’s the matter? Don’t like the odds?” Sam taunted, before Bill finally shook himself out of his surprised stupor.

“Girlie, you are one vicious little dame.”