Courage Under Fire| Band of Brothers

Pre War 4

Dec 17th 1941

Phoenix Arizona

The days following the attack on Pearl Harbor were some of the most nerve-wracking ones that Olivia had experienced in her short 18 years on the planet and it was starting to show on her and on Marla who was picking up on her older siblings' queues. Even snapping back at her older sister when she snapped at her.

Something that was completely out of character for both girls.

James Sr out of worry for his kids kept all three of them home the next day and they all heard the President's speech saying how Dec 7th, was going to be a day that would live in infamy and him declaring war on Japan and then Germany turning around and declaring war on them. Their futures that seemed so bright a few months ago, didn't seem so bright anymore. And now Helen, James's younger brother Michael's wife was going to Arizona for her cousin's wedding, and Olivia's presence had been requested by Lewis.

So his daughter was boarding a train and leaving his line of sight and it made him nervous. Even more so now that his uncle Finn was in charge of the Army Nursing Corp and Michael, his brother who was underneath Finn would want to have Olivia join the Corp and get her nursing training like that. But he wasn't ready to let her go, not after he got her back. "Daddy, don't worry, I am not going to get into that much trouble with Aunt Helen." Olivia's voice came shaking him out of his thoughts.

"It's not that I am worried about sweetheart," He answered, "If Bobby or Bill were going with you then I would be worried but since it's just you and Helen I am not worried." "You are worried about my brothers."

They hadn't heard from Nicholas or Thomas, James Sr's brother-in-law and all of the other Stewart boys who were of age were shipping out to either the Pacific or to Europe. "And you. I know you Liv, you are going to want to follow your brothers everywhere. Just like you have since you were little." "I can't do much Daddy." Olivia started, "I was born a lady in the middle of a war, what are they going to let me do?" They both knew if Liv put her mind to something she would figure out a way to do something. Including cutting her hair to look like her brothers and dressing as a boy. It worked when she and Robert were younger and he was sure they could pull it off now.

"The worst I can do is to keep volunteering at the VA hospitals." He could tell by the stubborn set of her jaw, that she wasn't going to give up that dream to be a nurse and help veterans out. She was too much like her grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and great Aunts do not. "You can't fault me for that."

"I know.' James agreed as a strong New York accent filled the air, "Livvy! Shake a leg baby doll! We got to go!" Helen Nixon-Stewart called.

"Coming Aunt Helen!" She called back before offering her father a smile.

"Liv." He started as he stood up and went to cross the room to her.

"Don't worry, I am not going to do anything that will get me or Aunt Helen in trouble. And I am not going to run off in the middle of the night and marry Lewis."

He paused as he was reaching for his wallet to pull out some of the bills he had to give to her.

"We heard you and Ma last night talking about it. I am a little too young to be getting married to anyone, especially to someone close to Nicholas's age."

"Can't blame me for worrying can you?" He handed the bills over to her.

"No, I can't but promise best behavior." She held up her fingers like she had seen her brothers do with the Boy Scouts. Helen appeared in the doorway surprised that Olivia hadn't come right out to meet her like she normally would. She and her husband had a long conversation about their niece and how she needed to do something.