Laughter woke her up. The time difference between London and Toccoa had wrecked her sleep schedule. She faced the wall where her tiny changing space had been created. She didn't move. Instead she listened. A few of the men she could recognize: Guarnere, Luz, Toye, and Liebgott. But there were others, new voices she hadn't heard before.

As she listened to them tell stories from home, she felt herself nodding off again. In the middle of George talking about when one of his younger sisters had gone on her first date, she smiled to herself. But still, she stayed on her side.

"But wait, can we get back to the fact that we're gonna have to serve with a girl?"

Someone snorted. The rest laughed. Instantly, all her fatigue evaporated.

"And she's a fucking German."

Liebgott. Internally, Alice sighed. She'd hoped she'd gotten through to him. Clearly she had more work to do.

"The broad's fought more Nazis than either 'a you."

A small smile formed when she heard Guarnere's defense. She wondered what they'd come back at her next with.

"We don't actually know that she's killed any Nazis," Liebgott reminded them.

Alice decided enough was enough. She rolled herself over, propping herself on her arm. "You could just ask the 'fucking German broad'."

At her voice, they all whipped around. Guarnere and Luz snickered, Liebgott seemed miffed, and Toye looked put out. The others froze. She couldn't stop herself from smirking.

"How long were you listening?" George asked.

"Long enough." Standing, she walked over to where they sat playing poker over a cot. "I see there are new people?"

"Don Malarkey, ma'am." He shook her hand. Running a hand through his red hair, he looked at her sheepishly. He'd been the one to bring her up first.

She met Bull Randleman and Johnny Martin next. The former stood large, muscular and tall. The latter had an expression of pure annoyance on his face.

"So, you kill any of your people, Lieutenant?" Again, Liebgott's use of her rank oozed sarcasm.

"My people? No. Nazis? Yes."

He just muttered under his breath. "Fucking same thing."

Joe Toye rolled his eyes. "Jesus Christ."

"Verdammt. Hitler ist Österreicher!" she snapped at Liebgott.

The room stilled as Alice glared down at the sitting Liebgott. He shot her his own death stare. CBeing reminded that Hitler was an Austrian had shut him up. Neither moved. They could hear only the breathing of themselves and the men around them.

Finally Bull interrupted. "But you have killed Nazis?"

After a last few seconds of glaring at Liebgott, she turned to the large man. "Yes. I have. I'm a sniper for my Maquis cell."

"How many have you killed?" asked Johnny.

"Several dozen directly. Then we also engage in sabotage." Alice glanced at her watch. It was almost 1800 hours.

As if on cue, Lieutenant Winters opened the door. "Come get in formation. You've got two minutes."

Poker forgotten, they all straightened their fatigues and rushed out the door. Alice took a moment to pull her hair back as best she could. Her blonde hair stuck out in a tiny ponytail. Then she joined the men standing at attention, taking the back right.

The British army had taught her formation. The Americans used a similar stance. She stood at attention. George took up the spot at her left, and in the row in front of her stood Liebgott. Two dozen other men joined them.

Alice watched as a tall man with a large forehead and slick black hair approached them. His uniform had Lieutenant's bars. He stopped next to Winters. Then he turned to the men.

"Position of attention! You're at the position of attention!" His voice screeched at them. "Get your shit together!"

Instantly, Alice's nose wrinkled. Connard. Winters didn't even flinch, which Alice found telling. Clearly this would be a regular occurrence.

"Training starts Monday, people. I suggest you spend the next two days familiarizing yourselves with going to war!" He paused. "I am Lieutenant Sobel, your commanding officer! This is Second Lieutenant Winters. When I stand before you, I want you to tell me your names. Properly!"

He went down the lines. Last name, first name, middle initial followed for each recruit. Finally, it came to Alice. She had yet to meet all the men. When Sobel stopped in front of her, he glared down his nose.

"Lieutenant Klein, Alice O, Sir."

"You prepared for this, girl? Fighting with American men? Sure you don't want to back out now?"

"I am prepared, sir."

Sobel laughed, mocking her. "I'll determine that."

"Yes, sir." As he turned away, she muttered under her breath in French. "Va te faire foutre."

"What did you say?" He whipped around.

Alice smiled and lied, "It is French for 'thank you, sir'."

Sobel didn't respond. After holding her gaze for a moment, he returned to the front by Dick Winters. She didn't miss the look Winters sent her. Alice struggled to suppress a smile.

"Enjoy this weekend. This may be the last weekend in a long time that you have off." Sobel turned to Dick and nodded. Then he walked off.

"Second Platoon, dismissed."

George and Liebgott immediately turned to her. She continued trying to stop herself from smiling. Liebgott asked what she'd really said in French.

"Go fuck yourself."

For the first time, Alice saw Joe Liebgott laugh. He smiled wide and chuckled, shaking his head. George joined in with him, and soon the others wandered over to find out what had been so funny.

She even saw Dick crack a smile at their antics. Nixon joined him, and she wandered over. They stood side by side, watching the third platoon be interrogated by Sobel.

When she came over, Nixon winked at her. "How do you like your new CO?" She just raised her eyebrows. At her look, he cracked up and gestured to the men. "Something you did has them rather amused."

"They were surprised at my French, I think."

"What'd you say?"

Alice felt herself blushing ever so slightly. "Va te faire foutre."

His eyes widened and then he cackled. "I like you, Klein."

"You are welcome to call me Alice. We had no ranks in the Maquis."

"Then I'm Nix, and he's Dick." He turned back to her. "So, bar tonight? I hear the men are planning on getting all dressed up."

"I do not know how wearing a dress would influence them," Alice admitted. "I could go in fatigues."

Dick shrugged. "Hiding the fact that you're a woman may harm your case more than help it with the men."

"Perhaps." Alice paused. She watched the men disperse. Then she turned back. "I will go."

Nixon grinned. With a wink, he brushed shoulders with Dick. "Great. We'll pick you up in an hour."

As they wandered away, Alice stood with her hands on her hips and a tiny smile. She liked both the officers. Lewis Nixon had a playful banter she enjoyed, and Dick Winters' steady calm influenced everyone around him. Finally she turned away.

Alice spent the next half hour wandering the base. She found the massive bar attached to the PX, the armory, and walked by the obstacle course. The course didn't worry her too much. Most of what she saw were things she'd covered living in the Alps, or in training in England. When she came back to the barracks, she found the men chatting while in their nice civilian clothes. She had to admit, they cleaned up really well.

Guarnere turned to her as she picked her way down the center to her changing space. "Hey, you coming tonight?"

The room had gone quiet at the question. She cracked a smile. "Lieutenant Nixon seems to think I need to do more in America than train for war. So yes. I am."

The grin and wink Guarnere sent back at her just made Alice roll her eyes. She grabbed a flowing red dress from her footlocker and stepped behind the curtain. Then she poked her head around. "If anyone peeks, I have a knife and I will gut you."

The whole room erupted in laughter. Guarnere spoke up again. "Don't worry, sweetheart. We're all leavin' anyways."

"Unless you want company," George added with a smirk.

"The Lieutenants have already offered to walk with me. I will see you all there."

The men barreled out of the room, eager to get to the PX bar while seats were still available. The room fell silent as she pulled the red dress on and fatigues off. They did seem to have all disappeared. Last went her shoes, black heels also from London. The dress fell loose from her hips and tight at the top. With a bit of red lipstick and the removal of her hair tie, she nodded to herself.

A knock on the door a moment later made her stand up from her cot. Her heartbeat rapidly increased. She'd been looking at the photo from the night at the Parisian bar. She'd worn a red dress that night too. It had been stained with blood, the blood of the Nazis. But her memory had been stained with the blood of her brother Marc. Suddenly she regretted saying yes.

Dick and Nixon stood at the door in their army dress. They both looked at her in varying degrees of surprise. Lewis Nixon failed miserably at hiding it.

"Before I change my mind, we better go," she muttered.

"Whatever you say." Nixon winked at her as he offered her a hand. When she swatted it away, he chuckled. "Come on."

To her surprise, no cat calls followed her to the bar. Then she realized the other two Lieutenants had flanked her on either side. The recruits couldn't touch her when they were there. Finally they reached the door. She took a deep breath but still didn't move forward.

"What's wrong?"

She glanced between Dick and Lewis. With a pinch of the bridge of her nose, she breathed out. "Last time I went to a bar, I killed an SS officer and got my brother executed."

"Holy shit."

"Nix."

"What else am I supposed to say?"

"You don't have to go in there." Dick turned to Alice. He looked at her seriously. "You don't owe the company anything-"

"I can't show weakness." Alice stepped forward, missing the glance shared between the two friends.

She pushed the bar door open and took a deep breath of the smoke and alcohol filled venue. Her hands shook as she stepped inside. The bar quieted as she stepped forward. She couldn't find Easy, but she immediately felt a hand on her side. A man reeking of alcohol hovered over her.

"Get off her, private."

Nixon's voice behind her set her more at ease. The man stepped away, and she was again flanked by Dick Winters and Lewis Nixon. They led her towards a table in the back where a single man sat sipping a shot glass.

"Hey, Ron. Have you met Lieutenant Klein?" Nixon sat himself down next to the man. "Lieutenant Ronald Speirs, Lieutenant Alice Klein."

Ron looked up from his glass. He had dark hair, well kept. If she'd thought Liebgott had mastered the intense stare, Ron taught her it went another step further. He didn't look away from her eyes as she extended a hand. They shook.

"Right. You're the Underground contact?"

"Yes." She sat down across from Ron as Dick sat also. "Glad to be of service here."

"Did Nixon drag you into coming here?"

Alice laughed. She shook her head. "No. I must get the men in Easy Company to trust me. I figured I should spend time with them."

He nodded. "Makes sense."

"Speirs is a lieutenant in Dog Company," Dick explained.

"How many companies are there?"

"Nine, Able through Item," said Nixon. "Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox, George, How, Item."

Alice nodded. She looked around the bar. About seventy soldiers meandered about, squeezing in and around the bar. A small dance area made up the farthest corner and served only as a place to stand. Most of the men wore civilian clothes, and she saw various officers in formal dress.

Suddenly she heard her name. Bill Guarnere and George Luz stood staring at her. Alice smiled and turned back the Lieutenants.

"I believe my company requires me," she said with a small laugh. "Save my spot, I may need to be rescued from them."

Dick and Nixon both laughed, and Ron cracked a tiny smile. Alice stood from her spot and straightened her dress. Time to mingle.