Okay… So I wrote like four different starts for this one. My document has a page-length block of yellow lined text, half a page with purple lined and almost 2 pages of green lined text, because I hate to delete stuff. Much better to just leave it out of what I'm going to post…

But this has definitely been the hardest one to start…

I would like to thank Gib, for letting me run wild with her characters. –Thank you!- (And as usual I hope I don't screw them up… (too much))

Also, needed something to switch over to from 'Michelle'. (Relax, that story will probably go on for some time, but I needed something different to play with too…)

Charlie sat on his bunk, an old Oakland Raiders cap turned back over his dirty-blond, sun bleached hair.

"Come on Lea, you're gonna make a move or not?" Bryan pressed.

"As soon as you learn how to say my last name… It doesn't sound like Lee," Charlie shot back, "It sounds like Le(h)-ah…"

"It's not my fault your family name is next to impossible to say!" Bryan frowned.

"It's easy!" Charlie shrugged as he studied his cards. "It's literally just three letters! All the others here can say it!"

"No! You and your Viking ancestors are making it hard for the rest of us!" Bryan groaned, earning himself hollering laughter from both Boxer and Jack. "It's no fun, your name is hell to pronounce and you're too damn tall!"

The last sting had Jack wiping his eyes. It was the truth, Charlie was tall. Taller than the rest of the team, easy.

"Now, that's a low blow…" Charlie winked, "But just what you'd expect from a guy topping off at 5'4"…"

"I'm 5'6"!" Bryan corrected, glaring daggers at the tallest member of their unit.

"Now, kids…" a deep bass voice sounded from the other side of the tent, it was their leader Jerry Kammer. "Play nice to each other…"

"Okay 'dad'…" Charlie scrounged up his nose, before he directed his attention back to Bryan again, "Chances are, I won't be the tallest one in my family in a few years…"

"Huh?"

"My kid brother, he's at least as tall as I was when I was 11…" Charlie shrugged, "He's skinny though, probably won't be much of a soldier…"

Bryan shook his head and lit up another smoke. Took a deep pull to calm himself, more from Charlie's teasing than the missiles raining down a few miles east.

He blew the smoke out, directed at Charlie.

"Easy there Tiny…" Charlie laughed, as he waved the smoke away, "Don't take it personal!"

Bryan stood up and pointed a finger at Charlie, "Don't look down at a medic, you never know when you'll be looking up at one…"

"I would have to be layi… -Oh… Yeah…" Charlie nodded, suddenly realizing what Bryan was actually saying. "Copy that… Sorry…"

Another set of bombs and missiles went off in the distance. Causing all of the five younger Delta operators to quiet down.

"That one sounded closer…" Johnny frowned, sitting up straighter.

"Yeah well… We're only 22 miles from hell…" Jack sighed.

"That was a lot closer than 22 miles…" Bryan frowned.

"I think what cowboy number one there is saying is that we're 22 miles from the CENTER of HELL…" Charlie grimaced, rubbing his neck.

Jack nodded.

"You should get some rest boys… I got word that we're going to 'hell' tomorrow…" Jerry shot in from where he was resting on his bunk with a book.

The rest of the team chose not to acknowledge him.

"Charlie… I think you're wrong…" Jack leaned forward with a sideways grin.

"What?"

"I don't think your kid brother will stay as skinny as he is…"

"You've seen him, he's a twig…"

"Now, I saw old photos of you when I visited. You didn't exactly scream brute force back in the day."

Charlie shrugged, "okay, I might have gained a few pounds of muscle…"

"Gained a few pounds?" Jack laughed, "More like doubled your bodyweight!"

"He was that skinny?" Bryan asked, pointing at Charlie. "How the hell is that possible?"

"Dunno…" Jack chuckled, "He gained a lot of mass when we were training…"

"You could say I hit 18 and suddenly my body knew how to build…" Charlie shrugged, "But I wasn't that skinny!"

"Take a good long hard look on those pictures next time you're visiting your mama. You looked like a stick figure!" Jack chuckled, Boxer nodding along.

"Box…" Charlie groaned, "Come on, man! I wasn't…"

"Yeah, you were!" Boxer threw back his head laughing, "It was like seeing the human reincarnation of a fluffy dog when it's wet!"

Charlie frowned as the rest of the squad laughed, and looked over at Boxer, "Look now Claude Ma-"

"Shut your face!" Boxer called out, throwing the closest item he could find at Charlie.

Charlie laughed as he removed the crumpled t-shirt from his face. "Relax, I wouldn't… No need to throw Wyatt's stinking laundry at me!"

"Hey!" Jack shot in, just as another bomb hit close to their camp, ensuring that the squad quieted down. Again.

"Look, kids…" Jerry sighed, "We're going out there tomorrow. Quit busting each other's balls and get some rest. You're gonna need it!"

Okay. That was the first chapter. I tried to write a few chapters before I posted this one. Made it to 1 ½… Then I couldn't behave myself any longer…