After getting through one of the most uncomfortable briefings in Steve's history, he and Bucky got the details they needed to go on with their next mission, along with a few hand-picked ragtag soldiers the duo had recruited for their courageous acts during the Azzano break-out, and they started loading up their supplies into the back of the truck they'd be taking to their next makeshift camp.

The two soldiers were taking down their cots and rolling up their blankets on the ground when Steve was asked a question he'd been dreading to answer since Bucky's surprise proposal.

"Back when Angie and I first left New York, you were shouting something to us from the dock..." Bucky left the sentence hanging there as he tied up his rolled blanket with a thin piece of twine and slung it over his shoulder. Steve halted his actions for a moment, pausing mid-bow as he was finishing up tying his own blanket, then cleared his throat and continued nonchalantly.

"Did I?"

"You suck at lying, Steve."

The Cap sighed in resignation and smirked ever so slightly as he slung his tied blanket over his own shoulder and got to his feet. Not for the fact that what he'd shouted caused him any sort of glee, more due to Bucky knowing just how obvious it was when Steve was trying to hide something. He shouldn't have even tried.

"I know."

Bucky followed Steve out to the truck, the engine already running with their new comrades packed in the back, and tossed their small amount of belongings over the vehicle's tailgate. 

"Care to elaborate?"

Steve just shook his head and kept his line of sight away from Bucky's face by picking at his worn, brown, finger-less gloves he'd already broken in during the Azzano raid. With the fabric becoming frayed at the hems, they were perfect targets for Steve to use as a cheap excuse to avoid eye-contact.

"It doesn't matter, trust me. Things changed."

Bucky didn't buy it at all, but he knew that when Steve said something needed to be left alone, it was best to just trust his word and move on. Better to let some things die than keep it alive to cause trouble.

As Steve walked back to their tent to grab his new shield, Bucky watched him walk off and slid his hand back down to his pocket, where he kept his rings and now the paper that held Angie's vows. She'd always been a hopeless romantic, but then again, so was he. Buck figured that was why he'd fallen so hard for her in the first place, among a laundry list of other reasons just as important.

The sting of remembering just how close they'd been to sealing the deal jabbed him in the chest and threatened to push the air from his lungs, but the sergeant closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip. It hurt, and it was going to hurt until he saw her again, but he couldn't let that get in the way of the here and now. Angie wouldn't have wanted that for him, not when they both had jobs to do.

He climbed up into the truck, took a seat next to one of his new pals, and hauled Steve into the vehicle with him once he returned with his shield. Before the truck let out an enthusiastic honk and began to rumble down the road, Buck felt the rectangular container in his pocket and watched as the camp shrank with each passing minute, til it disappeared in the distance. 

**********

As nice as that new car was, the trio weren't surprised when the soldiers on duty believed that they were the enemy and readied their weapons. Before anyone could make a fatal mistake, Howard stopped the shiny car a few yards away from the lab's entrance and slowly got out with his hands up, along with Peggy, and Evangeline, though she couldn't put her hands in the air since she was a little preoccupied with their new captive. Upon the sight of their allies exiting the vehicle, the guards put down their guns and a group of men dressed for combat walked out to meet them.

There were five in all, each one cleanly shaven and dressed for war, their guns slung over their shoulders with leather straps and confused expressions on their faces. The man leading the group was obviously in charge, Evangeline could tell from the confident way he held himself, while the others had a demeanor more so of a pack of trained dogs, ready for whatever their master would want them to do.

"What the hell, Howard?" The leader of the five asked in a tone of puzzlement. "What happened to your car? We almost shot you on sight."

The leader was an extremely tall man, definitely over six and a half feet, built with layers of muscle all over his body. He wasn't the most attractive person they'd seen, considering the ragged scars that covered the left half of his face, his lack of hair, his bulbous nose and squinting eyes. But what he lacked in looks he made up for with pure, unintended intimidation. 

"There were some complications." Howard gestured towards the unconscious soldier Evangeline had thrown over her shoulder, carrying him like a sack of potatoes. "We were attacked a few hours ago. Evangeline Harris, Peggy Carter, this is Joseph Murray, head of security." Mr.Stark introduced the ladies to this new individual.

"Pleasure to meet you," Peggy said politely and extended her hand for a handshake. Though the big giant seemed a bit unsure, he took her hand in his and gave it a firm shake. Subconsciously, Peggy and Evangeline's eyes widened as he wrapped his enormous fingers around her hand, almost doll-like in comparison. If anyone had just seen the handshake, they would've thought it was a grown man greeting a toddler.

"Same here," Angie grinned and shook his hand with her free one. She had no idea why, but the sight of a near-seven-foot, bearish figure put a smile on her face she just couldn't get off. It felt like the three had just jumped into 'Jack and the Beanstalk', though the giant was on their side instead of trying to eat them. The idea of the Germans facing off against this enormous wall of flesh only increased her giddiness.

"You need to see the doctor immediately," Joseph stated at the sight of Peggy's blistered cheek and the bullet holes in Evangeline's chest. "Take these three to Doctor Harrison, I'll deal with the prisoner." He instructed the soldiers behind him and the large man plucked the Hydra captive from Evangeline's grasp as if he were a jacket she'd nonchalantly slung over her shoulder after getting tired of wearing it. 

"We'll see you at the meeting!" Howard called after the towering individual as he carried the unconscious enemy into the laboratory. Joseph replied with a thumbs-up and disappeared into the building. "You guys are going to love him. He looks like a monster but is the biggest softy you've ever met. Don't even get me started on how excited he gets at the mere mention of puppies."

As excited Evangeline was for getting to know their new friend, she faded out of the conversation at the sight of the massive establishment before them. It was smart that they'd hidden it among the mountains, considering the fact that it in itself could've been identified as one of the Appalachians. Despite its size, it appeared to be much more promising than Azzano had been, with its enormous windows and American flag waving in the wind a few feet from the front door, Angie knew that this place was going to be much better than the torturous Hell she'd been put through. Anything was better than Azzano.

So she followed the group into the building and closed the door behind them.