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this is sergeant robert coleman, a new character in the series, who will play an important role in the first part of this story. this was literally who i had in mind the entire time i was writing this segment :)

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" As with the butterfly, adversity is necessary to build character in people."

- Joseph B. Wirthlin

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The women took their dinner and ate in the room they had been given, talking about different things before deciding to light a candle and bed down for the night. Many days on the ship were just spent wandering the decks and eating and waiting for their arrival at Plymouth. It was a cargo filled ship and a few times the girls managed to find themselves overlooking a bunch of military issued equipment below, like jeeps or trucks. It was all fascinating.

Christmas 1942 on the ship was rather quiet, with the girl's waking up on their first Christmas from home to chocolates out front of their front door and the sweet smell of cinnamon wafting through the officer's quarters. It was all such a pleasant atmosphere.

Even though it did happen to be the first Christmas away from home, Hazel found herself comforted by having Catherine and Lizzie by her side. She didn't think about Christmas from her childhood, she didn't think about any of the memories that had overwhelmed her past Christmases. She just focused on the joy she felt being with women who were like sisters.

Docking in at Plymouth in the New Year, 1943, was an interesting experience from the time change as well as the atmosphere. It was all so lively and exciting, being in a different country, with British people.

Hazel had never met a British person.

The women were taken to a British Army base in Wiltshire, England. When they first arrived, the British soldiers there were all a bit, surprised. To see 3 American women being led into their mess hall, with their uniforms in pristine condition. But the surprising thing was, they were all so welcoming to the women. They wanted to get to know them and they invited them to the pubs on the weekends and they also were very much tuned into what each woman was like. Probably a military thing.

Lizzie managed to wrap a poor Lieutenant around her finger, because she was just so wonderfully positive and the Lieutenant couldn't get past the sight of her. Lizzie was fairly oblivious as well, but she preached all the time about how she was here for war.

All 3 women were here for the war and the training they would be provided.

Hazel met Sergeant Robert Coleman, a member of the Special Forces who specialized in weapons and hand-to-hand combat, the things Hazel needed work on.

Robert Coleman had been in England for a year by this point when he had finally met the young woman, but the way she carried herself and the humbleness that exuded from her, as well as the complete and utter confidence she had in her weapon, surprised Coleman. He had dealt with plenty of soldiers who were scared-shitless over the tiniest of things. But Hazel, Hazel was calm and confident and she didn't need to brag about it.

She knew she was good and that was the major difference.

If the woman was flustered under pressure, she never truly showed it or portrayed she was. She was efficient in reloading her weapon quickly, staying almost absolutely still during the entire process, and her accuracy was off the charts. Her consistency was rather incredible.

However, hand to hand combat was something that was not that consistent.

" Now, place your hand," Coleman said, " here." Hazel slowly placed her hand on the back of his neck, while the other was placed on his shoulder.

" These are called combatives." Coleman explained, pointing to the position they were in.

" Close quarters," Coleman explained, " for if you can't use your weapon." Hazel nodded.

" They usually don't have me teach enlisted this position, but I'm going to teach you this one, because for you as a female, with your stature, could be extremely beneficial." Coleman explained and Hazel nodded.

" What you're going to do, is bring my head down, which will force the rest of my body down along with my spine and lower back area. Your hand on my shoulder will aid with that." Coleman said, pointing to her hand on his shoulder. Hazel nodded.

" Your knee," Coleman said, pointing to her knee, " will push into my gut, while your foot, or shin, will go to my groan. This is an easy way for someone like your height, to bring someone full force, down."

" Ok," Hazel said, " but how do I get good at doing that, or quicker?" Coleman gently removed his hold on the woman's shoulders and stepped back.

" Patience." Coleman told her and Hazel nodded. She knew plenty about patience.

" You've been here about a month, and we haven't even fully reached your potential yet," Coleman told her, " but I know you can reach it." Hazel smiled softly with a nod.

" Let me show you another combative, for if you're pushed to the ground." Coleman stated as he got on his knees and Hazel positioned herself beside him.

" Let me set the scene," Coleman said, pointing to the dirt, " say you're pushed to the ground. Combat will be ugly. The ground will be your best friend and you can use it to your advantage. The ground's your support." Coleman demonstrated as he laid his back on the ground, his knees bent up. He patted his chest.

" Say he's above me," Coleman said, pointing upwards, " if he's above me, and even if you're still held down, you can use your arms and legs to your advantage." Hazel nodded.

" What happens if my arms are held down?" Hazel asked.

" Come here," Coleman said and Hazel approached him.

" Come in between my legs and hold down both my arms." Hazel gently pushed down on both his arms. Coleman laughed.

" What?"

" For a sniper, your sure are one of the most gentle people, really, push on my arms. You push hard enough, they can break." Coleman said and Hazel snickered softly a bit. Then she really pushed down in his elbows, where the dip was.

" Perfect," Coleman said, " you see how my arms are pushed down like that?" Hazel nodded. Coleman's legs tightened around her, and then flipped her to the side, straight into the dirt, as air flew from her lungs, and instead her arms became pinned down by Coleman who now sat on top of her. Coleman nodded to her as he moved from on top of her, and held out a hand. She grasped it, gasping for a breath as she slowly stood to her feet.

" In any way with your arms pinned down like that, use the muscle in your legs." Coleman said.

" Which is something I need more of." Hazel said.

" You have muscle, you just need to build it. You didn't go through 15 weeks of training and then 2 weeks of jumping to say you need more of it. You just need to strengthen it." Coleman stated.

" How?" Coleman smiled.

" You start small, then you expand on it." Coleman said, " You may think it is sorta ridiculous at first, but as you grow on your training each week it'll get better. You'll be one of the best hand-to-hand combat fighters here." Hazel smiled slightly.

" Where do we start?" she asked him.

" With your stance." Coleman explained. Hazel nodded.

" Your stance is where all this power," Coleman said, motioning towards her, " will be held and where it will all inevitably come from." Hazel nodded.

" Your stance is staggered, more than your feet shoulder width apart." Coleman explained, as he stood beside her and demonstrated. Hazel followed.

" Your guard," Coleman said bringing up his hands, " will protect your face, your upper chest, your ribs and your abdominal regions." Hazel brought her guard up and kept herself grounded.

" Perfect," Coleman said, " weight distribution between feet should be 50-50, slightly angled to the side, but you should be grounded enough that when a blow comes at you, you can't be pushed. Think of your fighting positions. You were told stay grounded, stay put and stay still." Hazel nodded. Coleman gave a jab at her shoulder and she moved to the side.

" Good," Coleman said, " reflexes are key here. When you see something coming at you, you can block it, step to the side, move around your opponent or grab their arm and punch back."

" Options." Hazel clarified with a nod.

" You always have options." Coleman agreed. He slowly set a stance in front of Hazel and looked at her through his guard.

" When I come at you," Coleman started, demonstrating a punch coming towards her, " the guy you're fighting, his main goal is going to be some way to pin you down, get your back to the ground, anything to get close to killing you because he can't use his weapon. The fist is going to be the main motivator." Hazel nodded.

" What you want to do, is bring up your arm," he stated, pointing to her left arm, " and bring it up to push against my own arm and push it away." Hazel brought her arm up, as he had showed her, and pushed his arm away to the side.

" Alright, let's try it a few more times." he said and she nodded, getting back in her stance. She performed that a few more times before Coleman elaborated further.

" You're probably thinking what you have to do after you get to this position." Coleman said.

" Yeah," Hazel nodded.

" What do you think?" Coleman asked her. Hazel looked between Coleman and her arm pressed against his. She slowly looped her arm over his, and bent back his arm behind his back.

" You sure learned something at Virago." he said as she held his arm though.

She smiled.

They continued throughout the majority of the day, doing simple tactics like that, which could be strung together to get out of harms way, as well as muscle building exercises. When Hazel got into barracks that night, she had never been more exhausted.

" Someone's tired." Catherine said as Hazel sighed.

" Try exhausted." Hazel answered back.

" That Sergeant Coleman's putting you through it." Lizzie said as she lugged her medic satchel onto her bed.

" It was hand-to-hand combat all day." Hazel said, as she turned on her side.

" That's what you wanted to practice though, right?" Catherine said and Hazel nodded.

" You're already good at it Hazel, just think of it as he's trying to better you." Lizzie told her and Hazel nodded, Lizzie was right.

" How about you get some rest?" Catherine suggested to the tired girl and Hazel nodded. Hazel slept longer than she felt she ever had that night.

Throughout the coming weeks, Hazel practiced endlessly with Coleman, but she felt herself becoming better with each passing moment. She was getting sharper and quicker and more confident and she was building much needed muscle.

Catherine and Lizzie both noticed it.

The 3 women would do morning runs together, from that of Camp Athene, and Hazel had struggled only slightly back in Camp Athene, but now she was able to keep pace with both Catherine and Lizzie and the 3 would be able to have conversations as they ran.

It was actually enjoyable.

And as the months turned warm, they found it even more enjoyable to be out in the early morning with the sun rising and the birds and insects starting their early morning songs. It was always so peaceful.

" You think we're going to meet them soon?" Lizzie asked hopefully to the 2 women as they ran through the base that morning.

" How many times have we asked that question and gotten absolutely no response?" Catherine asked Lizzie who sighed sadly.

" Hopefully soon." Hazel piped up, " I mean we've all been in training for over a year by now. Something has to happen soon." The 2 other women nodded.

" You said your father was in the Great War, Lizzie?" Catherine asked the medic." Yeah," Lizzie said, " combat medic."

" You two must get along really well." Hazel said with a small smile, as something twinged in her heart.

" Yeah, actually. He's like my best friend. He never really talked about the war, but he became a doctor after the war. He always said he felt he needed to save lives and be there for people. I guess that's where I get it from." Lizzie said. Hazel smiled.

" What about you, Cath? You said your dad was a Marine?" Lizzie asked the Sergeant in the middle.

" Oh, yes," Catherine said as she laughed, " ran our house like it was one of those barracks."

" Really?" Lizzie asked with wide eyes.

" No, no, I'm just kidding," Catherine said as Lizzie smirked, " but sometimes it felt like it. He took his military years seriously. But that's what my mom fell in love with, so..."

" Aw, that's so cute!" Lizzie squealed, as a group of Lieutenants walking around glanced the girls way.

" I advise keeping your excitement levels down as we run, Lizzie, there's still some people who don't agree with us being here and we know that." Catherine said quietly as Hazel glanced back at the Lieutenants.

" I just wish people could see us for who we are." Lizzie said softly, " We're just humans, fighting a war."

" Try explaining that to them." Catherine said as the women glanced back to the group of Lieutenants. That was something they were learning to accept though.

Their time at the base was fairly structured, and the people were friendly and helpful, but you always had one or two assholes, who voiced their opinion regularly on women and the military. It was usually someone who Catherine could outsmart, which Hazel and Lizzie found equally hilarious to watch.

A woman with a high IQ was intimidating, especially when she was a year away from a college degree.

One particular man, by that of Christopher Jenkins, a man of the 82nd Airborne and his snooty friends, of various degrees of annoyance and stupidity liked to roam around the base, and taunt the women in their own ways, and call them rather nasty things. There were some days while they were there that Hazel just wished she could wilt away, like a flower dying, and not have to hear the harsh slew of words, but she knew it was better to just stay put and accept it.

Not every man would be happy that the women were apart of the United States Military.

Hazel would admit it, the feeling sucked, not being accepted like they had in other ways, but it was the reality of being women in the military during this time period.

Many times, Christopher would find Hazel alone, like on her way to Sergeant Coleman or back from showers at a multitude of times during the day, and just tell her things to try and bring her down. But what he said would never compare to the worst she had ever heard which had been from her father, someone she had loved so dearly and admired so much.

How could she accept herself if she took words from someone she didn't know and care about?

Why would she even consider caring about that?

She wouldn't, because Christopher had no relevance to her life, he was merely an obstacle in the road that she had to get over, like the obstacle course where she carried the 80 pound jug.

Christopher was daring enough to approach Sergeant Coleman himself.

Everyone knew the Special Forces Op was working with the tiny sniper, and putting most of his attention and effort into that girl. Christopher was someone who went against that and thought Sergeant Coleman should be focusing on training large groups of men.

" Sergeant Coleman!" Christopher called. Sergeant Coleman was a respectful man. He deeply respected Hazel and could say that over the past few months of working together that they were friends, even if she was basically his pupil. He defended Hazel whenever he got the chance.

Sergeant Coleman stopped and glanced over his shoulder to see Christopher coming towards him.

" Sergeant Jenkins, pleasure seeing you here." Sergeant Coleman said as he faced forward again and watched as Christopher appeared at his side.

" Going to help that girl again?" Christopher asked him.

" Yep," Sergeant Coleman answered with a nod, " what's up?"

" Does the question always have to be, what's up? Can't we just, you know, talk, we're both Sergeants." Christopher asked him. Sergeant Coleman glanced at Christopher.

" You were the one that called out to me on my way to a training session, so yeah, that's why I asked." Sergeant Coleman said as Christopher just shook his head with a smirk.

" Ever the saint, aren't ya, Coleman?"

" What do you need? Hazel's probably waiting for me."

" Oh, so now, you're curious."

" Jenkins." Sergeant Coleman said firmly turning to face him, and stopping him with a hand on his chest. Christopher stared at him.

" I don't know if you need a fucking wake up call, but I am helping Hazel and if you are trying to take time away from that, then you are just the biggest fucking asshole I've ever met." Coleman snapped.

Christopher paled.

Sergeant Robert Coleman was generally not an angry person, at least Christopher had never seen him as angry as he was now.

" Get your hand off me." Christopher said. Sergeant Coleman brought his hand down.

" Don't ever hold me up again." Sergeant Coleman said, before turning, but Christopher stopped him.

" You think the citizens of America are really gonna be happy about all this secrecy with their government. You think when this war ends, they'll just applaud all these women for what they did, give them a pat on the back and thank them for their service. You really believe that?" Christopher said.

" It's one thing to have hope, Jenkins, it's another to put every idea down. Maybe this will actually change something with our government and the way the military is viewed. You ever thought of that?" Christopher sneered.

" You really think that twig of a girl can go out a shoot a Kraut head clean off?" Christopher snapped.

" I won't surprised if it's your own." Sergeant Coleman sneered. Christopher narrowed his eyes.

" Give them a chance, the military willingly gave you one, too." Sergeant Coleman said, before stepping back from Christopher.

Then Sergeant Coleman turned and walked away with his blood boiling.

Everyone had their own ideas of women in the military but Sergeant Coleman was determined to be on the right side of history.

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hey! another chapter! and you've all met sergeant coleman who i love as a character a lot. sergeant jenkins, you probably all recognize, and well is, what you'd figure he'd be. but, he does make a valid point near the end, which i just had to include to show the severity of the entire operation.

i may upload another chapter today as well :)

thanks again for everything! :)