[MillietheWarrior]

M.J. sat down heavily in the chair across the desk, still looking faintly annoyed. "Yeah, yeah. You talk a big game. So Christof, what did you drag me all the way back here for? 'Cuz I gotta say, if it's paperwork, I'm gonna shove it straight up your-"

"Geeze, Mary, you sure know how to make me feel loved. It's not really paperwork, actually. I called you back here because I promised your mother I would bring you home. More importantly, I'd like to tell you that you're being discharged from the army."

[MillietheWarrior]

M.J. stared at Christof, the silence in the office unbearably loud, until he was certain that he could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall behind him. After a few minutes had passed with still no words, Christof began to look worried. "Mary?"

"Discharged?"

Christof blinked, and then nodded, a grave smile on his face. "Discharged, yes. You've done your duty to your country, Mary. And now it's time for you to start living. Real life, Mary. Not 'war life.' You deserve it. You and Joe."

[MillietheWarrior]

"How do you-?"

Christof smiled enigmatically. "I'm an intelligence officer; I know these things. Regardless, you will no longer be serving the U.S. army as of tomorrow morning. However, I'd like to offer you a proposition."

Christof leaned forward in his chair, and M.J., though startled, flabbergasted, and frankly, a bit shell-shocked by this new, offered him a suspicious look. "I'm listening…"

[MillietheWarrior]

"My sister owns a shop she's decided she doesn't want to run anymore, so she's sold it to me. Unfortunately, it's a hat, dress, and clothing shop, three things I know nothing about. Now, I know this shop is going to make a profit, as it already has a very long, very wealthy list of clientele. However, I have no one to run it for me. I need someone who can take charge and run the operation smoothly. And if there's anyone who can do that and pull it off without a hitch, it's you, Mary. Not to mention the fact that I happened to hint at it to your mother, and she practically shoved all those dress designs she works on my way. I believe you could run this store fairly well, and with the help of your very talented mother, you could help me turn it into an even better store, with an even bigger profit…What do you say?"

[MillietheWarrior]

M.J. rubbed the back of her head, looking faintly surprised and a little amused by his spiel. "You're friggin' serious, Christof? You really want me to run a clothing store, of all things? Have you actually met me, by any chance?" When Christof merely raised a brow in reply, she sighed, and chuckled softly. "Fine, fine. You big idiot. Can't believe you've suckered me into working for you again. Bringin' my ma into it was a low blow. But I don't deny I need a job, and that one does sound mighty appealin' except for the dresses and all. I think bringin' in a line of pants wouldn't be a bad idea; hear those is gettin' reaaaal popular." She winked and Christof laughed, shaking his head.

[MillietheWarrior]

"Mary, you do whatever you like. I have absolute faith in you."

He stood up, and M.J. followed suit, both staring at one another across the desk. "Well, lieutenant Heartford, it has been an absolute pleasure serving with you. You're one of the most stubborn, intelligent, feisty, and amazing people I have ever come across. So I suppose this is the last time I'll address you as your captain. You're a hell of a soldier, Mary, and a hell of an officer. I'm proud to call you my friend."

[MillietheWarrior]

M.J. sniffed, and grinned. "Thank you, sir. It's been an honor knowing you and serving as your lieutenant. This has been one hell of a ride, and I'll never forget any of it. You're an amazing captain, and I'm also proud to call you my friend, sir."

Christof smiled widely, hand snapping up in an automatic, crisp salute, as M.J. did the same. "Well, then I suppose this is the last time I'll ever be able to say this. Lieutenant Heartford, you are dismissed. For good."

M.J. laughed heartily, and practically lunged around the desk to wrap Christof in a hug so tight, he worried a rib might crack. "Thanks, Christof. Thanks for everything. Give me a call about that shop. I'll go in the moment you need me to."

"Good. Now that that's all over with…How does tomorrow sound?"

-----------

[MillietheWarrior]

True to her word, M.J. was at the shop the next day.

It didn't take her long to do exactly what Christof predicted. She stormed in, took over, and set the business back on track. Surprisingly, for someone who loathed fashion and dresses, she was relatively good at dressing other people in things that suited them.

She brought in new lines of dresses, hats, and women's trousers and blouses from all across the country, including some weird styles from overseas that she'd seen in a magazine at a downtown news stand. She dedicated her time to keeping up on what women liked, and making sure to stock the store with what would sell fast.

[MillietheWarrior]

Sell it did.

Christof was right; the store made one heck of a profit. M.J.'s mother was even able to design some of her own dresses, which were remarkably stylish and very popular among the younger generations. They sold the rings M.J. had brought home, save for two; one that Abby liked and one that Katherine adored. Katherine was adamant that the ring for Abby would be her daughter's engagement ring when she got old enough. M.J. had only smiled secretly at that, and shook her head.

M.J. was, all in all, doing really well.

[MillietheWarrior]

She hadn't told her mother about her engagement. In fact, the only person who knew in the states was Christof himself. Of course, she had told her mother about Joe. In fact, she'd told her mother about every man she'd met in Easy company, and about all the things that had happened while overseas. She'd excluded the more morbid details, and kept her stories as light and cheery as possible, but there was a knowing glint in her mother's eyes when she listened. It said only 'you can talk about it when you're ready.'

M.J. wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready.

[MillietheWarrior]

In the months following her discharge from the army and subsequent drift into the world of fashion (though she refused to see it that way, and stated it was strictly 'for the business'), M.J. didn't think about much else except Joe. Of course, as the days and weeks and months began to wear on, her thoughts were soon claimed by her job and her home life.

She'd decided to move out of her mother's apartment, and get one of her own. She was making plenty of money and it was time, she believed, to stop 'sponging' off her mother. Needless to say, Katherine wasn't too keen on the idea of losing her 'baby' only months after she'd come home, but once assured that the apartment would be within walking distance of the old apartment, she soon came around.

[MillietheWarrior]

M.J. was currently setting up her new apartment, unpacking a few of the last boxes before she could officially settle in. She'd need to buy a bit of furniture, but the two bedroom apartment was rather nice, she had to admit. Of course, most of that was thanks to her hard work and effort; painting, re-tiling, and re-carpeting, as well as buying new appliances certainly did wonders for a place, that was for sure.

She was down to unpacking a particularly gaudy looking lamp that her mother had insisted on buying her, when there was a knock at the door. M.J. glanced up, curious as to who that could be. She knew it wasn't her mother; she and Abby had gone home only a few hours ago after helping unload the last of the boxes. She knew it wasn't Christof; he lived halfway across the town and it was nearly dark. There's no way he'd travel all the way over here just to see if she was settling in.

[MillietheWarrior]

If it wasn't them, then who was it?

Lamp still in hand, she rose to her feet and crossed the hallway to the door, pulling it open to see who her late evening visitor was. What she saw, however, startled her so badly that she dropped the lamp. It shattered on the entryway floor, but M.J. hardly noticed it through the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Joe?"

[MillietheWarrior]

----------------

Joe couldn't help the smile on his face; it just wouldn't seem to go away.

He sat at the table in M.J.'s new apartment, a plate of what could have once resembled cookies, if baked properly, sitting in front of him. "I didn't know you could bake," he said wryly, looking more than amused. M.J. sat across from him, her chin resting on her hands as she simply smiled, her eyes still glistening with her tears of happiness.

"I can't. Couldn't you tell? Those look more like rocks than cookies."

[MillietheWarrior]

When Joe had stepped through the door, M.J. had tackled him so hard, they'd both tumbled to the floor. She'd proceeded to shower him with kisses, practically cutting off his air as she wound her arms around his neck. A few of the neighbors had peeked out their doors, and they had smiled when they saw their new neighbor in the arms of the young soldier. They knew what it was like to have loved ones come home to them after months and years of waiting; they'd never dream of begrudging the young couple a moment of their reunion, and had quietly shut their doors with soft laughter and warm hearts.