" Standing alone is better than being around people who don't value you."

- Unknown

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George had snuck into Catherine's room again, which wasn't any surprise as he was sneaking around regularly just to see the woman he loved. But Catherine had asked him to come; she'd been stress and George with his teddy bear hugs was a nice destresser.

So there Catherine sat, staring at George with a smirk on her face.

" You're not going to make me laugh," she said shaking her head as George watched her with playful eyes.

" Oh really," he said and suddenly forced the impression of Sobel across his face.

" Uh, hi, yes, it is Mr Sobel," George said as Catherine bit back her laugh, " uh, yes, I'd like to tell you that there is no laughter allowed in my company." Catherine watched him with glowing eyes.

" Yes, sir, that is what I said, sir, absolutely no laughter allowed." George said, and then made a signature Sobel face that Sobel pulled where his face filled with panic. Catherine let out a laugh, falling back onto the comforter of her bed, before rolling to her side as she laughed, tears almost escaping from her eyes.

" I said no laughing allowed in my company, Lieutenant!" George called as he fell down onto the comforter beside her laughing, trying to hold it together, but Catherine couldn't stop laughing.

" No!...no laughing!" George said through breathless laughs, before full on breaking out into chuckles himself as the two lie on their sides cackling practically. Their laughter slowly died down as they looked at each other with soft smiles on their faces. George smiled at her smile.

" I like it when you laugh," George said, " you didn't laugh much before this." Catherine watched him.

" I was too stressed to laugh," she said, picking at a spot on the comforter in between her and George on their sides, " but now, with you? I feel like I can be happy again, for real this time." Catherine met his eyes again, which seemed so soft. She loved when his eyes went soft.

" I don't think I can forget this war George," she whispered, " that scares me. With everything that happened to us, what we all went through, I want to forget it but I know I can't." George watched her softly.

" It'll be the war that brought us together," George said, " I'll always remember the war for more than the sadness it brought, I'll remember it for us, the girls, the rest of the boys." George smiled at her and Catherine smiled softly back. He was right.

" You ever think about going to the Pacific?" she whispered softly to him.

" More than I want," he told her and Catherine watched him sadly.

" I don't want to lose you, George," she whispered, " in this stupid war."

" You won't lose me," George whispered with a smile," I won't allow it." Catherine smiled. George softly shuffled closer to her on the bed.

" You ever think about home? After the war?" he asked her and Catherine felt warmth in her heart.

" Yes," she answered, watching his lips draw up into a smile.

" What do you think about coming home with me when the war ends?" he asked her, watching her eyes register what his lips had said. Catherine's heart raced.

Home with George.

A home with George.

Going home with George.

" Right along Greenwich Bay, near Warwick, they have these little homes where I always saw people with their families, their dogs, their little kids, going on walks in the parks, sitting by the bay," George said, " there is a house that's been for sale for a while, in a good neighborhood, backyard to the bay, and we could even make a garden in the back, where you can sit out and see the sunrise..." Catherine watched George talk about home, talk about this home, talk about this possible life they could have together.

" I want kids, George," she whispered, " I've always wanted kids." George smiled at her, before gently bring his hand up a bit to cup her cheek.

" As many as you want," George whispered, " I mean look at us, we'll have the best looking kids in town." Catherine let out a laugh as George snickered.

" But seriously though, I want a life with you Catherine, more than what this war has brought us." George said and Catherine couldn't help but smile.

" I do too, George." she whispered, " Life should be more about just surviving." George softly brushed her cheek with the pad of his thumb and smiled. He loved her more than anything.

" Lana's always been a cute name," Catherine said softly with gentle eyes. George smiled.

" I think Catherine Luz has been a cute name, too." he said back and Catherine blushed.

" George," she said slapping his arm as George chuckled, watching her with shining eyes, " you think so?"

" Oh I know so," George said and Catherine giggled.

" Are you sure the boys won't suspect anything?" she asked him softly. George smirked.

" Course not, all they ever do is stay anywhere but where 1st platoon rooms," George said and Catherine smiled gently.

" Thanks for coming, George, I just felt like I needed to see you," she whispered softly. George smiled.

" I know you've been a little stressed, plus I'm always here." George said back to her and Catherine smiled at him again. She smiled so much around him. Catherine slowly scooted closer as George wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he moved to his back and they gazed together towards the ceiling. Catherine nestled further into his warm side as George's arm kept an ever present heat around her. Catherine stared at the ceiling where the light from outside slowly trickled in.

" This home you're talking about, George," she said, " can it have a yellow kitchen?" She felt George chuckle.

" Of course," he answered.

" And a puppy?"

" Obviously."

" Can we hang up our Jump Wings? In the bedroom?" she whispered softly, playing with a string on his shirt. George smiled.

" Right next to each other," George said with a smile as Catherine grinned.

A life with George Luz, full of peace, happiness and love - she wanted that more than anything. If only it weren't for the Pacific theater, but it was nice to dream.

Many of the officers were slowly beginning to make their decisions of whether they were staying or leaving the company to ship out early to the Pacific. Like what Dick and Nix had discussed. But supposedly Dick had been turned down from shipping out early - the Colonel had suggested he stay with the company. Dick had told Catherine he wanted to ship out to get it over with. Catherine had just watched him warily.

All the war was getting to her head and she was so tired of it. She just wished the war could stop and they could go home. It was too exhausting to even try to comprehend and think about. On the 20th though, everything changed. Everything.

The 3 women had been enjoying lunch together with a few of the guys like Johnny and Babe, when Tab can running through the door, the frantic 1st Sergeant he currently was with Lipton just behind him wide eyed. They were both wide eyed. Tab slammed his hands down against the table and finally met the three women's wide eyes and the other three men's eyes.

" They know." Tab said.

What?

" Tab, you're speaking in tongues, can you jus-"

" America. They all know. About Operation Virago." Tab said and suddenly lunch wasn't as appetizing as it had sounded.

Everyone looked at each other and Johnny slowly let out a low sigh.

" What do you mean the know?" Catherine hissed as Tab and Lipton slid in beside Hazel across from Lizzie and Catherine.

" They just know," Lip concluded, " and they have known for weeks, there's a full blown article that we just received." Catherine's eyes widened as Hazel felt suddenly sick to her stomach.

They knew?

America knew?

Hazel hadn't thought this far into Operation Virago. It had been kept secret for so-long that she hoped it'd trickle away. But from the tension radiating from Catherine, she knew she'd say something.

Catherine felt strongly for Operation Virago more than anyone, as a passionate patriot of women's rights and equality, Hazel knew that the reports best be scared when Catherine McCown comes walking right up to their faces.

" When do the reporters get here?" Catherine asked with a stealthy eye.

" Soon enough, they know each group that has Virago members," Lip said and Catherine narrowed her eyes.

" Well they can talk to me whenever they please." Catherine grumbled out, " I fought in this stupid fucking war created by mankind, I almost loss my life, oh I'll talk."

" Hey, honey, it's okay," Lizzie said putting a hand to her arm," save that energy for when you start talking to them." Lizzie said with a growing smirk and Catherine grinned.

" They sat on their asses back in America creating boogus reports, I'll happily tell them what the real world was like for the past 6 years." Catherine said and Tab smirked proudly, he couldn't keep it from his face it seemed.

" Well, I will gladly sit in the back and watch them shit their pants," Tab remarked as Lizzie grinned.

Operation Virago was out, and the article that followed was written almost to exact detail - it seemed a Military member tied to the government and to the media had slipped. And everything was finally out in the open. 2 diverse articles had revealed themselves, from the military man who remained anonymous himself, and from a member of the media who seemed to tweek the story to his liking.

" This is the military member?" Lizzie asked.

" Anonymous as they call him, but whatever," Tab said, " it's actually like a good perspective, from someone who understands, you'll lose your mind reading the one from the media."

" Great," muttered Catherine as the three girls scooted close together to get a good read of the paper.

Operation Virago: The Covert Females of The War

Operation Virago was the most genius thing the military decided to ever do all war, and we performed some of the greatest battles there ever were. As I do not plan to reveal myself yet, I knew it was time to reveal the formidable plan that has encompassed the war since currently early 1941, when it was initially thought up, before we were even in the war. It was purely genius.

Pure genius.

On March 4th, 1941, after war had been raging in Europe for nearly a year and a half, America, remaining neutral at the moment, we working to ensure that if war were to come to us, that we were ready, that we had men ready to push out onto the front lines. At the same time, plenty of new opportunities for America's citizens were opening up, such as the paratroopers, codebreakers, things like that. And with that, other things, such as the WAC, WAVES, Red Cross, Nurses' Corps, SPARs, etc, were opening up for women, to have their own place in this war.

And then the idea was finally brought upon us all, sitting in our cushy offices on that fairly bitter morning. Operation Virago. Operation, as in a full fledge, secret and rather covert operation that slipped under the noses of the citizens of the United States and the law-abiding family members who didn't tell a soul what their daughters were doing. Virago as in a woman of heroic and exemplary qualities. Sound familiar - the Amazon Warriors of Ancient Rome, per say, to all you history nerds?

Shall I repeat?

A woman with heroic and exemplary qualities, 250 of them.

That's right. 250 women, who in their own ways expressed those qualities to us as military directors were handpicked to showcase themselves in Operation Virago and no one even suspected a thing until March 1945 - I was surprised no one suspected earlier actually.

From each national military service for women, 250 women were picked and selected for an intense 15 week training that took place at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, hidden up in the mountains in a little place called Camp Athene. Athene -> Athena? Sound familiar to my history professors?

Athena, the goddess of wisdom and of war, and a highly respected God herself - she had a city in Greece named after herself - a powerful one, where some of the most fantastic and fearless leaders of the time came from. And Camp Athene was where our 250 Viragos went.

Might I had she surpassed EVERYONE in both her wisdom and her waging of war combined? The 250 women were trained for 15 weeks on the plot of line, where they were not allowed to leave the camp grounds - Camp Athene's grounds - for those 15 weeks, and were not allowed to interact with paratroopers of the 82nd, or soldiers and Special Forces members that Fort Bragg housed. And that's what made them as elite as they were.

Many believed they wouldn't make it through training without a group of men to aid them, but they came out 250 strong, unlike many of the other departments because these women wanted to fight and we were willing to fight, each with a certain fire that burned deep within them ready for war and for equality, something I had long believed should've been brought upon earlier.

And if I were to publicly say that, I would be looked upon by the rich as if I were a scoundrel, someone who undermined them, but you all know it's the truth that women should've been equal to men long before we ever needed to decide Operation Virago should be a thing. Women are capable of the things men can do and are capable of change, of power, of leadership, of comfort. All of it. Too many people are too entitled in this day and age to even bring about change for it.

Who is your mother? A strong woman who managed to raise you.

Who is your sister? The young girl who looked up to you as a young girl and always believed in you.

Who is your grandmother? The one with the kind words and gentle messages.

All women - all women that matter in your life and are in fact women who deserve equal opportunity. It's why the Virago women deserved a chance as well.

Training was hard on them, but it didn't change the fact that they were strong and capable women. Then they were split off into even more focused training, where some continued to the Army, the Marine Corps, the Navy, the Coastguard, the Air Force, and then to even smaller subunits, like pilots in the Force, paratroopers in the Airborne, Captains in the Army, one even a Major in the Marine Corps.

These women fought tooth and nail for the independence, peace, safety and democracy of our country. And if someone believes that it were wrong to say that, then what are you even considered then. They are soldiers, sailors, airmen, people, American citizens, fighting in this war - they are human beings. I'm sorry if you can not respect a human being fighting for your freedom and your human rights. Because in Europe it was not that way for many people. There were women who were shot down from planes, engulfed in flames on D-Day in their planes before they made the jump into Normandy, others who lost limbs, lost their lives, fighting for our country. Respect the fact they did, that they fought, fought for your country where many people already had their rights. Women are still not equal, but still respect the fact they fought and that many of the people who will go against this article and Operation Virago are the ones who ended up sitting home, gambling and wasting away, doing nothing for the war.

These women fought the war of our lives, respect that. And they did it knowing that people may never even find out, that they could die, lose their lives, lose limbs, their sense of self. They still fought - respect that.

- anonymous writer

Catherine slowly sat back from the article and gulped. Her hands were shaking and she slowly looked at Hazel and Lizzie who were quiet looking at the article as well. Whoever this was, had put people in their places, rightfully so.

" Holy shit," Catherine whispered as Tab nodded, Lip watching softly.

" Published a week ago, no shame either, supposedly he's hoping to reveal his name when the war ends, really let people get a piece of his mind." Lip said gently. Catherine looked at the paper. And he seemed genuine and truthful and firm in his words. He wanted people to get a piece of his mind, something many would have trouble swallowing, but they'd need to read. Because it had happened. Women had died in this Operation and plenty others had gotten injured because of it. And the truth was hard for many people.

" Stupid bastards," muttered Johnny, like it were a bad taste in his mouth.

" They'll have to learn to accept this, you know I read an article 2 months back about some bullshit with this just a way to get them all called. I just about it had with the news." Babe grumbled.

" You read that, too?" Lizzie said and Babe nodded.

" Whole fucking thing, Lizzie, I wasted a good 20 minutes reading it. And you know what, by the end of it, my opinion didn't change, nor would it ever, some bullshit it was." Babe said.

" It was horrible really, the guy couldn't even connect basic ideas together," Lizzie said in disgust.

" Well get this, there's that other article, from the meda." Tab said laying it out in front of them.

" Let me guess, it'll be some made up crap about women in the war and it's not their right, some same dumb thing they keep saying in every article, which isn't true." Johnny said peeved.

" Yeah, bunch of bullshit, and it's barely half a page too," Tab said pulling open the page, " it's not even on the front page. This anonymous guy sent WAVES through America, I'll bet ya." Hazel gently opened the paper more before the trio began reading again.

Operation Virago: A Mistake

" Typical title," snorted Lizzie as the group laughed lightly.

Operation Virago simply was the plan for women to go to war secretly under all of our watching eyes. And guess what? The military and government's plan didn't work, people still died.

" Alright well, I think I'm done," Lizzie said sitting back and nearly snorting into her coffee.

" Does this guy even know what war is?" Hazel said, looking at the four with a raised brow, " Death is practically inevitable for the human population in the end, some earlier than others, and war brings death. I mean, I don't want to read the rest of it." Catherine grinned and so did Lizzie.

" Me either," Catherine said, " it won't affect my life." Lip grinned.

" So, when the reporters finally show up in Zell Am See, I'll be sure to wear my uniform, a smile on my face, and plenty of strong words for them to write down in their stupid notebooks to go write some bullshit article. Nothing new." Catherine said as Hazel quirked a smile.

" Oh boy, they're about to get a slice of Lieutenant McCown." Tab said as if he were a small, excited child. Catherine smirked.

" Oh honey, I'm giving them the whole pie."

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YOOOOO SO YALL OK. i knew i was going to have this operation coming out soon, so you just WAIT for this next chapter, it is pure gold and honestly one of my favorites that i've ever written in my life, just the entirety of it, i'm so so excited for it AHHH OMG!! bc u know these ladies will not take any piece of it - and catherine and george IM SOFT!!! <3 thanks!! :)