Disclaimer: Myron Goldman, Johnny McKay, Zeke Anderson and Scott Baker as well as Tour of Duty tv series belong to Zev Braun, the girls belong to me. Or that's what they let me think anyway!

"Hey My, wait up!" Becky called to him. Myron scowled at her as she came up beside him. He really hated that she called him by that ridiculous nickname. (He would also die the death before he would admit that it would upset him even more if she didn't.) "I need to speak to you."

"So speak." he said, wishing for the hundredth time that she didn't smell, look, sound so good. He also really resented that no matter how hot and humid it was she always managed to look immaculately groomed. It made him feel like no matter how much he showered and changed he still looked like a slob.

"You need to sign that affidavit on Phu An -" splash! Down she went in a mud puddle! Now, why that should strike her as being particularly funny, Myron had no clue. But there she was sitting on her fanny in a mud puddle and laughing her self silly. The people around them started to laugh as well, but that wasn't from derision anywhere near as much as it was because Becky's laugh was so infectious. Unfortunately, Myron didn't get that.

His cheeks were turning red from embarrassment as he bent down to help her back up. "Can't you go five minutes without -" SPLASH! He caught the glint of unholy glee that had come into her eyes too late. Like two seconds before she grabbed his hand and pulled him down into the mud as well.

She jumped up and said "There, and let's hope that cold water cools down that bad temper of yours!" He got up and advanced on her menacingly. "Now My, I was just..." she squeaked, thinking she was going to be tossed back down into that puddle - face first this time.

But that's not what happened. Oh he did advance on her menacingly and she did try to get away, but what he did next not only shocked her and everyone who was watching but it definitely shocked the heck out of Myron himself as well.

Because after all, wasn't it the last thing that anyone would expect that he would pull her roughly into his arms and kiss her?

"Now, are you going to behave?" he asked her, enjoying seeing her speechless for once.

"Uh huh," She nodded.

"Good, I'll be by to sign that affidavit as soon as I change."

"Okay," she croaked. He turned and went towards his hootch to fetch a clean towel and change of clothes. She went all but skipping back to her hootch to do the same thing. Myron didn't notice the silly grin on her face and she didn't notice the smug little smirk on his face either. And neither of them paid any attention to the cheers and catcalls of the men who had witnessed the whole thing.

"Hey Baker, where you been man!" Scott cringed as his buddies (the whole lot of them from the looks of it) descended on him and Julie.

"Hey man, way to go!"

"She got a sister?"

"Nice of you to tell us!"

"Any more where she came from!"

Scott was ready to bash a few heads together by the time they had settled down and ordered beers for themselves. And why should it come as such a shock to them that Scott could get a date, Julie wondered. He was sweet and charming and totally focused on her. A very refreshing change from the usual macho G.I. Julie sat back and watched as Scott handled his friend's nosiness.

Which she had to admit was in a pretty impressive manner. He handled them quite simply by completely ignoring them. "So were you ever able to get up to Petaluma? We went camping on the beach up there a lot," she asked to help him out.

"No, mostly we stayed down around Malibu where we lived. I hear it's nice up there though." He couldn't believe his good luck at finding a girl who loved surfing and being outdoors as much as he did and she was from California too. Oh man, why did the guys have to show up now?

"So sweet thing, how's Baker here treating you?" said Marcus Taylor. Taylor had never been one to pass up an opportunity with a woman.

Unfortunately, Julie wasn't as impressed as other girls had been with Marcus's smooth style. "Very nicely, thank you," and though this was said to Marcus she looked at Scott while she said it with a big smile. He turned beet red and grabbed for his orange juice. (He never did acquire a taste for beer.)

"Yeah well, if you ever get tired of the big lug you just be sure to look me up, I can treat you real nice too." Marcus told her, more than a little put out at her being more interested in Baker (of all people!) than him.

"I don't think that will be necessary, but thanks anyway." she said dryly. And she winked at Scott when she said that. The other guys were loving seeing Taylor get pulled down a peg or two, he could really be annoying with all his bragging about his conquests. "Anyway, I've got to be heading back to the infirmary now." Julie got up and had to suppress another urge to smile as all seven men politely stood up also. So, they weren't a bunch of Neanderthals after all! "I'll see you later, okay?" she asked Scott.

"Sure, that'd be great," he said eagerly. He might as well hold on to this lucky break for as long as it lasted. No telling when it would come to an end.

That's when she overheard Taylor's crack about "dumb jocks". That did it. She'd show Mr. Chick Magnet Taylor just what she thought of dumb jocks herself! She reached up and wrapping her arms around Scott's big shoulders, she kissed him within an inch of his life! Satisfied that she had let it be known just where Scott Baker stood with her, she smiled at him and told him that she would try and meet him for supper. She then walked nonchalantly out of the restaurant to her jeep, not giving in to her laughter over the hoots and whistles of the guys congratulating Scott until she got outside.

Johnny was getting more annoyed by the minute. First he did something to make Beth mad at him (and he still hadn't figured out how he'd managed that) and now she was leaving to go back to Chu Lai without one word of goodbye to him.

As best as he could figure it, he had to have said something during dinner. Though, what it could have been, he didn't know. (But knowing Beth, it could have been just about anything.) Well, she was just going to have to come down off that high horse of hers and tell him how he managed to screw things up this time. Dammit, he wasn't a frigging mind reader and she was just going to have to figure that out for herself.

Ooh, he just makes me so mad! Beth thought. No letters, not even a quick note hello in the last two weeks and she wasn't supposed to be upset! As obtuse as Johnny was even he should be able to figure this out at least! MEN!

It's amazing how women can have their perspective of things changed by the slightest, sometimes most insignificant things. After all, how common a sight was it for slicks to be landing on the flight line? Beth saw the usual scrambling out of the huge birds and as always paid as little attention to it as she did the influx of wounded being triaged at the hospital. (It had become too common a sight to take any real notice of anymore)

That was until she saw the pilot being helped out of the cockpit by a medic and transferred to a jeep to be rushed to the base infirmary, possibly to be sent on to Chu Lai. She had a moment of insight that though it embarrassed her to think how blind she had been; she would also be eternally grateful that she had had it. What was a few letters compared to his coming home to her safe and whole? And what was more important to her? His writing to her or his concentrating on keeping himself safe and whole?

Well if nothing else, being over here had made her grow up and discover what was really important in life and that did not include gratifying every whim and fancy of hers.

If she wanted a lasting relationship with Johnny McKay then she was going to have to act like it. And she could start by being more concerned about him then herself. But here was the slick that would be taking her back to Chu Lai (and away from Johnny forever?)

Forgiving him for concentrating on staying alive instead of pandering to her ego would be good to begin with.

"So, here it is," she said as she got in the slick and turned to say good-bye.

"Yeah," he said, still ticked. He noticed she was a lot less indignant, which was something. But what had made her get over her snit?

"I'll try and call later this week," she said and she did not nag about his writing to her. Johnny noticed that too but the pilot was signaling for Beth to get on board and she was scrambling into the recesses of the big bird. Suddenly, she turned and threw herself into his arms and in front of the shocked pilot and grinning co-pilot she kissed him like no tomorrow! Now where the heck had THAT come from!? WOMEN!

"Oh for pity's sake, where is he?" Jennifer thought. Zeke had said his flight was scheduled to land at five and it was going on six now. He had written her that he was being rotated back stateside after his fourth tour and now that Lt. Goldman and all of their men were safely back (including Taylor and Col. Brewster) he could come back with a clear conscience. Jenn had wondered at times if she had made the right decision to wait for him to come back to her (or if he ever would), but the minute his letter had arrived she knew she had. He had seemed so eager to get back to her and so full of plans for the future and she was laughing just as hard at his jokes and quips after having read it twenty times as she had the first. Yes, she definitely loved the big lug and always would.

Finally! The announcement of their arrival. Jenn hurried to the gate and waited for the passengers to disembark. But then she was hit with an avalanche of doubts and fears. What if he had changed his mind? What if he really didn't love her after all? Oh why hadn't she checked her hair and makeup? And why had she worn her peach dress instead of her blue one when she knew his favorite color was blue and she had no idea what his opinion of peach was; which led of course to her realizing that she had forgotten to take the steaks out to thaw before she left. What was she going to do if they didn't thaw out in time for dinner and he didn't want to go out to eat? Because of course he wasn't going to want to do anything tonight but relax and oh gosh where was he?

Zeke was having as bad a time of it as Jennifer was, she could have decided that she didn't love him after all, and what was he going to do if she wasn't here? Oh man, why hadn't he thought to change or at least wash up on the plane. He didn't even want to think about what he must look like, let alone what he must smell like. And what kind of excuse was he going to come up with to stop for flowers? He had been planning for three months to bring her roses and not one flower stall in any airports between here and Saigon!

He hadn't changed his mind after all Jenn decided, if the toe curling kiss he was giving her was any indication. And she would manage something for dinner, if they even got to dinner that is!

She still loved him after all Zeke decided, if the toe curling kiss she was giving right back to him was any indication. And he could order flowers for her tomorrow, if he got anywhere near a phone that is!