A new medic

Chapter 3

Jess sat on the end of her bed tying her thick dark chestnut hair into a bun on the top of her head whilst listening to the men complain around her. "I ain't going up that hill," said the soldier called Perconte, who Jess had heard Sobel yell at for blousing his pants. Just then the door to the barracks opened and another soldier dressed in PT gear stormed in. "Hey, Perconte, what are you thinking of, blousin' your pants?" Jess then zoned out of the argument and instead tried her best to make the PT clothes fit her more comfortably. As the only female in the airborne Jess was fitted in the smallest men's size available but even that was slightly too big for her. The top didn't matter, in fact Jess preferred it because it hung slightly baggy on her and so there would be less of a chance that the men would make crude remarks. The shorts on the other hand, well Jess had tied them as tight as she could and that would just have to do.

"Alright, let's go, on the road in PT formation. Let's move, move, move!" yet another soldier ordered. Jess rose and followed the Company out of the barracks and onto the track that led towards the infamous mountain. As they walked past, the other companies began to jeer at them. "Oh, Easy Company," one Company laughed. "And while you're running, don't worry, we'll take your dames to the movies for you." Jess could feel the anger spark through Easy. "Yeah, good, they need some female company," scorned Liebgott. The other Company then caught sight of Jess. She was walking next to Guarnere who had befriended her after the attitude she had presented to Sobel.

"Hey, what's a pretty broad like you doing in the airborne?" one of the men asked with a sneer and look of lust on his face. Jess glanced at him and rolled her eyes before turning back to Guarnere. "You should ditch these losers," another man chimed in. The rest of the Company laughed at Easy's angered faces. "Come join us at the cinema." Jess smiled sweetly at them and laughed. "Oh I would love to go to the movies but quite frankly running up Currahee with Sobel yelling insults in my ear sounds far more enjoyable than going with you." Easy turned to her in shock but soon began to cheer at the looks on the previously jeering men. "Besides," Jess added. "I don't think my husband would approve."

"Yeah I doubt he would find this real funny." Guarnere joined in. Jess shook her head trying to be serious but unable to keep the grin off her face. "He doesn't have the greatest sense of humour," Guarnere carried on. "Although perhaps these Able Company jerks think otherwise. Hey, in your opinion does Lieutenant Winters have a sense of humour." He shouted the last bit over to the Able Company men. Jess didn't think it was possible for anyone to look more embarrassed, scared and surprised than those men. The knowledge that they had just tried to flirt with the wife of Dick Winters would make anyone freeze for, as Guarnere stated, the Lieutenant didn't have much of a sense of humour. Easy Company then sped up past Able Company, knocking off the men's hats as they did so. Jess joined in laughing with Guarnere and feeling a sense of belonging with her men. They now all had a sense of respect and pride in their new medic and her sarcasm.

"Where do we run?" yelled Sobel. As Easy responded Jess wiped the sweat from her forehead and tried to control her heavy breathing. "Stand alone," the men suddenly called and Jess couldn't help but smile slightly. These men may say they stand alone but she could tell that at this moment they were all united against the evil that was Herbert Sobel. In front of her a soldier suddenly stumbled and Jess automatically reached out to try and steady him just as Sobel came past. "Do not help that man. Do not help that man. We do not stop!" he shouted at Jess with a look of absolute loathing on his sweaty face. Jess gritted her teeth to prevent her from shouting back that she was a medic and helping others was her job. Sobel ran off ahead and Jess turned her gaze onto the other man who had just fallen in step in front of her. With a start Jess noticed the glint of her husband's fiery hair and the unmistakable scent of his cologne which had for two years been Jess' best source of comfort. 'Stop thinking about that, focus,' she chided herself.

With a straining heartbeat and numb legs, Jess continued to push forward and finally made it to the top of the mountain to touch the stone slab. "We are coming on twenty three minutes," Sobel stood holding a stopwatch and mocking the men in his Company. "That may be good enough for the rest of the 506 but that is not good enough for Easy Company." Jess turned and came face to face with Richard as he was encouraging the men on their way back down. He locked eyes with her and for a moment it was as if no one else existed. Dick nodded at her and she gave a small smile in return before running back down Currahee with a light airy feeling as though she had momentarily forgotten her shattered body.

"Good going there J," called Guarnere as she collapsed on the ground next to him along with the rest of Easy Company.

"Thanks," she replied in between breaths. "I can see why Nix complains so much about that hill now." Guarnere and another soldier laughed at her comment. "Well you seem pretty tough to have made it out alive, I'm Don Malarkey," the other soldier added in response to Jess' questioning look. He stretched out a hand and Jess shook it firmly. "Jess Winters," she replied.

"Yeah I think every man in this Company knows who you are, J," smiled Bill. "Not everyday that your Company's best Lieutenant is revealed to have a wife who has joined the Company as the first ever female medic in American war history." Jess nodded at that and playfully grinned. "Well she never has been any good at following the norm have you Jez?" Jess turned her head so fast she felt a crick in her neck. Walking towards her was none other than Lewis Nixon, her best friend whom she had known since birth. She stood up quickly and launched herself into Lew's arms, he staggered slightly and laughed at his friend. "Good to see you here Jez," he smiled as Jess pulled away.

"Likewise," she responded. Guarnere and Malarkey sensed the need for the two to be left alone and so they turned and followed the rest of Easy towards the showers. "How are you Nix? It feels like forever since I last saw you," remarked Jess as she turned back to face her friend. He seemed slightly fitter, slightly tougher but also slightly more haggard since she had last seen him before he and Dick left for Toccoa. "Well you know. Still suffering under that son of a bitch," came the response which instantly caused Jess to laugh helplessly. Nix grinned down at her, drinking in the sight of the friend he thought he had said goodbye to a year ago. "I think the real question is what are you doing here Jez?" Jess sighed and looked down at her feet. "I'm betting you didn't tell Dick." Jess shook her head. Nix waited for any explanation but knew not to push her. If there was one thing he had learnt since befriending her all those years ago it would be that Jess only talked when she wanted to talk. As a matter of fact the only person who could make Jess open up was Dick.

"Speak of the devil," Nix broke the slightly tense atmosphere and caused Jess to raise her head and look around. Sure enough, striding towards them with a mixture of exhaustion and annoyance on his face was Dick. "What did he want now?" greeted Lew as Dick reached the pair. Jess presumed that the 'he' in question was Sobel which was then proved correct when Dick responded, "Easy Company is going on another Friday march." Nix groaned at this and a wry smile spread across his face as he turned to Jess. "You're gonna' love this Jez. Easy's Friday night marches are just bundles of fun."

"I'm sure they are Lew," she replied but her attention remained on the man whose gaze was fixed upon her. "Hi Dick," she practically whispered, looking back down at her feet and fearing the anger that she had imagined would be upon her husband's face ever since she agreed to join the airborne. Instead, Jess was met with silence and a pair of strong warm arms wrapped around her and she became buried in an embrace that made her just want to cry out the year of worry, sadness, loneliness and fear that had occurred since Dick and Lew had left for the airborne. "It's good to have you here, Aut." Jess smiled softly at the use of the nickname. She only allowed Dick to call her that as it was the first pet name he had used for her after finding out that her middle name was Autumn. An unusual name for the States but it was in honour of her mother, who was born and whose parents lived in England. "Good to be here Richard," she replied as she pulled away from the embrace and smiled up at him. The pride and love in his face was unmistakable and Jess found herself thanking Nix yet again that he had introduced the two on that fateful night in the bar of the officers' training camp. "Come on then lovebirds," smirked Nixon "let's go prepare for yet another march."