[MillietheWarrior]

"Nah, I commandeered it. It's a nautical term. And then I made him pack up his things and move into another one. Because I'm just that nice." She rolled her eyes and smiled playfully.

Bill chuckled and shook his head. "You got spunk, girl. I like that. You got a fella at home waitin' on ya?" He looked interested, and it was M.J.'s turn to chuckle.

"Nah, not me. I'm a lone wolf, ya know." She laughed. "Live alone, die alone, yeah." Wild Bill couldn't help but laugh at her obvious attempt at a joke, before she went on.

[MillietheWarrior]

"But seriously. I don't have anyone waitin' for me back home. Just my ma and my little sister. She's only nine." She shrugged. "My ma didn't think it was a good idea to join the army. And if I did, she wanted me to be a nurse back at home. So, naturally, I joined the most dangerous outfit I could find and made sure they sent me overseas. Guess I'm a rebel." She shook her head, and hugged her helmet closer to her body.

Bill leaned back against the foxhole. "Hell of a story, kid. Hell of a story. What about your ma? Don't you worry about her? Don't you think she worries about you? It sure must be tough on her and your sister." His thoughts ventured to his own mother, and how she was feeling back at home. He wished he could see her again, and his brothers as well. He sure did miss 'em.

[MillietheWarrior]

M.J. shook her head. "No. She doesn't worry about me. She thinks I'm stationed in New York, at those shipyards, ya know? Directing transport ships, and helping with the wounded. She thinks I'm a God damn nurse over there. The army makes sure to send her letters, telling her how busy I am, and that I never have time to write. They always reply to every letter she sends me. I wonder if she's even still sendin' 'em."

Bill patted her shoulders, his dark eyes softening for a brief moment, before he leaned up against the wall once more. "Well, no use dwellin' on the sad stuff in life. How about the here and now?" He seemed to think a moment. "Wait, that's not much of an improvement."

[MillietheWarrior]

M.J. laughed heartily, before a head poked itself over the side of the foxhole, and Joe slid in, squishing the two occupants back against their corners. "Jesus, Joe. You tryin' to squish us to death here?" Bill complained loudly, while M.J. wiggled over to give them some room, making herself as small as possible.

Joe shook his head. "If your ass gets any fatter, none of us will be able to sit in the foxhole." He dodged a half-hearted right hook from his friend.

[MillietheWarrior]

"Whatcha got there, Joe? A present for me?" M.J.'s eyes brightened when she saw the extra M-1 the quiet solider carried in his left hand. He grinned, and handed it over.

"Yep, there ya go, M.J. Had to go through hell to get that, but I got it. You better appreciate it." He watched as the woman took the rifle from his hand, and held it up to look at it. It was a regulation M-1, normal, and nothing fancy. But she seemed happy to have it, and tucked it at her side as the three of them squeezed into a foxhole big enough for only two and a half.

[20]

[MillietheWarrior]

"Well, thanks, Joe. Best present I ever got. Least now I can feel a bit more comfortable walkin' around this place." Bill grinned, and nodded, offering her a playful wink.

"Yep. And now you can beat someone over the head with it when they try to ask ya for a date. Hey Joe, ya know, M.J. ain't got a fella back home or nothin'. I bet ya she'd like to go on a date with you."

Joe gave him a sardonic frown, and punched him in the arm. "Yeah, sure. And where would I take her? Through the woods? It all looks the same. Some date that'd be. And then, afterwards, we can go for a walk out to the OP, and maybe even kill a few Krauts."

[MillietheWarrior]

Bill laughed. "Right? Sure sounds like a hell of a time to me." He nudged M.J. in the ribs, and she smiled weakly.

"Yeah. I'm right here, though. You coulda waited to talk about me after I left." She crossed her arms over her helmet, her M-1 leaning against her shoulder. "Shoot, if I ever leave. It's warmer down here than up there. Damn snow…"

[MillietheWarrior]

Joe only chuckled softly, a red tint crossing his cheeks, while Bill laughed outright. "You go that right, kid. It sure is. And I'm with you on that snow thing. It's like hell, only colder."

M.J. frowned, and shivered, curling in on herself in agreement. "It sure is. Damn, wish we could have a fire or somethin'. I feel like I'm back in the German lines. Except the company here is much, much better, I must say." She winked playfully, and Bill grinned, nudging Joe.

[MillietheWarrior]

"Ah, I'd say that's the best compliment the two of us have ever gotten. The men around here ain't much for compliments." He couldn't help but laugh at his own humor, an M.J. and Joe joined in, one lightly, the other quietly.

Bill's eyes lit up mischievously, and he flashed his teeth. "Hey, M.J. If Joe don't wanna be your fella, then there's always me. I mean, I'm just as good as anyone else, if not better." He laughed heavily. "And I'm much better lookin' than Joe here." His friend punched him lightly in the arm, while M.J. only laughed.

[MillietheWarrior]

"I'll keep both of ya in mind, Bill," she told him to soothe his ruffled feathers as he smacked Joe on the back of the head. "We'll see how this all turns out. But sure, I'll keep ya'll in mind."

The three of them talked long into the night, before Bill volunteered to keep the first watch, and M.J. and Joe fell asleep, each using the other's shoulder as a pillow.

Bill couldn't help but chuckle.
[25]

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