"How many of you are ready to help me and Red Angel sock old Adolf on the jaw?" Steve asked, garbed in bold costume on stage. The hundreds of men seated in the dirt stared back at him in their drab uniforms in silence. "Okay, uh..." he said gracelessly.

"The awkwardness," Scarlet winced to Steve's agreeing smile.

The collection was five miles from the warfront in Italy, and it was November of 1943. He attempted to recover from between the columns topped with golden eagles and the bright USO stars and stripes, "I need a volunteer."

"I already volunteered – how do you think I got here?" one shouted to others' laughter.

Scarlet stilled in preparation for the taunts about to be publicly focused upon Steve.

"Bring back the girls!" another inserted to a chorus of enthusiastic cheering.

"Yeah!" The soldiers shouted.

"Or have little Birdie up there do a show for us instead!" Another soldier called and cat calls and whistles were heard.

Scarlet wanted to kill them all. "I think they only know the one song, but, um... Let me. I'll see what I can do." She snapped stepping up to the microphone as Steve cast his gaze offstage.

"You do that, sweetheart," a soldier jeered and then wolf whistled at her.

"Это будет так легко, просто пристрелите их всех." Scarlet grumbled speaking in Russian so no one could understand her. ["It'll be so easy, just shoot them all."]

"Nice boots, Tinker Bell!" Hodge mocked to tittering mirth.

Scarlet scowled. "Или я могу просто сломать им шеи, одну за другой." {"Or I might just break their necks, one by one."}

"Should knock that guy out," Scarlet advised with a sneer.

"Come on, guys," Steve coaxed. "We're all on the same team here."

"Hey, Captain!" another shouted, standing and turning his back. "Sign this!" he called as he lowered the waist of his pants to expose his behind. Steve glanced away at the sight and guffawing as he pulled his slacks back up, another standing to hurl a tomato at him. Beneath the banner proudly stating that 'The Hollywood Overseas Committee presents CAPTAIN AMERICA AND RED ANGEL', the man hid behind his shield pulling Scarlet behind him.

"At least the shield came in handy," Scarlet inserted.

Another two of the ripened fruit were used as projectiles to Steve's exit as the soldiers hollered and clapped. All they saw was a pretty woman.

"The next person to harass Captain America will have to deal with me personally!" Scarlet shouted as a sickly sweet smile etched on her face. The audience silenced. They knew who she was.

She then turned and walked off the stage.

"Bring back the girls!" The soldiers hollered. The showgirls skipped out onto the stage to uproarious applause as the piano began the jaunty tune for 'The Star-Spangled Men with a Plan' again.

"Don't worry, pal, they'll warm up to you – don't worry," the senator's assistant reassured as the two passed the ladies rushing to begin their number. He objected in silence and walked away, down the steps in his tan leather boots.

Scarlet rolled her eyes as Brandt's Aide walked away and she made her way towards Steve. "I knew we shouldn't have come," she stated. "Why would soldiers need a man dressed in tights to come and speak to them?" Steve glared at her. "Sorry, it's just the truth."

"I know..." Steve sighed as he took off his helmet. "I just believed that coming here would do some good..."

"No. You believed that by coming here, you would see some action. And don't try to lie to me, Steve. I know you better than anyone else, sometimes even yourself. You just agreed to this tour to try to have an opportunity to fight."

"Can we drop this right now?" Steve questioned as he pulled on his trench coat and grabbed his sketch book. "All I want is some quiet."

"You're literally this huge guy," Scarlet remarked, "they should put us to work! We went through the same training as those other guys."

Steve just gave a slight shrug.

_________________________________________________________________

Steve sat with a notebook on his knees, the left page sporting an outline of Italy and Sicily with a train streaking from the mountains and trees alongside Rome that filled the center of the country.

He sketched a fiercely grinning monkey on the right page, bearing a striped shield and wearing a sweater with a star in the center as it held an umbrella and peddled a unicycle before a crowd of clowns. Heavy rain fell to the mud around him as he curled at the edge of the deserted stage area.

Scarlet narrowed her eyes and frowned at the self-depreciation, no matter the accuracy of the circumstances.

"You okay, Red?" Steve's voice caught her attention, and Scarlet looked over at him.

She gave him a forced smile. "Never better, Steve. Why do you ask?" she countered, crossing her legs.

He frowned at her, turning so he faced her. "Don't think I'm so blind, Scarlet. I see the way you act after our shows - it's as if something's bothering you," he told her.

Scarlet clenched her jaw, rolling her eyes and looking away. "Why would something possibly be bothering me?" She hissed sarcastically as she rolled her arm.

Steve's frowned deepened. "Scarlet, you know you can - " She cut him off by jumping up suddenly, kicking back his chair.

"It's been 2 years! 2 years, Steve - that we've been marching around like damn puppets to please the public! And throughout those 2 years, I didn't get a single piece of news from Bucky! Not so much as even a letter!" Scarlet yelled. Steve sat there, shocked at her outburst, but he didn't say anything as she continued her venting, her body shaking now in rage - but also as she fought back tears. "This is not how I wanted my enlistment to go! To-to be somebody's personal flying monkey! Okay?! I...I-I wanted to be by Bucky's side - and yours - as we go out into war and actually fight for our country! Like I did twenty one years ago!"

Scarlet quieted down, lowering her head, and she clenched her hands into fists. "Now....he's out there, fighting for his life in a way we should be partaking in with him ... and I have no idea if he's even still alive."

Steve noticed that she was wearing an Egyptian coffin charm around her neck. "So that's why you've been phoning James ever night." He realised. "Scarlet! He's a kid."

Scarlet scoffed. "So, what he's a kid? He feels like I'm the only person he can trust beside his own aunt and uncle." She snapped back. "I gave him my word that I would come back to him after this fucking war ends!"

"He's the one that gave you the necklace." Scarlet only nodded.

"Hello, Steve, Scarlet."

The duo turned at the female voice to find Peggy standing behind them with jacket folded over her arm. "Hi," he answered in surprise.

"Hi," She repeated.

"Agent Carter," Scarlet greeted.

"What are you doing here?" Steve questioned.

"Officially, I'm not here at all," Peggy responded as she threw her coat onto the trunk behind him and perched on the edge. "That was quite a performance."

"Yeah, uh-" Steve furrowed his brow as he turned away, looking down. "I had to improvise a little bit. The crowds I'm used to are a little more, uh..." he gestured uselessly. "Twelve." He finished despondently.

"True," Scarlet nodded.

"Well, I understand you're 'America's New Hope,'" Peggy quoted.

"Bond sales take a ten percent bump in every state we visit." Scarlet crossed her arms over her chest.

"Is that Senator Brandt I hear?"

Steve paused. "At least he's got me doing this. Philips would've had me stuck in a lab and he probably would of sent Scarlet off to fight alongside Sergeant Barnes."

"Which would be a waste." Scarlet said. "An Even bigger waste than this."

"And these are your only two options? A lab rat or a dancing monkey?" Peggy interrogated with a look to his drawing. "You were meant for more than this, you know."

"Oh, he knows," Scarlet muttered. "He just wishes he was out there fighting instead of dancing."

Steve opened his mouth before hesitatingly closing it again. "What?" Peggy queried.

"You know for the longest time I dreamed about," Steve shook his head, "coming overseas, and... being on the front lines... serving my country. I finally got everything I wanted." He stared up as thunder echoed in the distance. Scarlet flinched. "And I'm wearing tights." He muttered.

Scarlet found this more depressing than humorous; the statement served as a reminder of all Steve wished to accomplish, the effort he had put into his training, and the risks with the serum. And he ended up as a stage performer instead of one of the soldiers on the front lines. "I'm wearing tights right here with you Steve." She told him.

"Yeah, but you actually look good in them."

A car horn beeped to their turning to a truck with the white flag of the Red Cross rolling up to a long tent bearing the same. "Move it, move it!" Soldiers and medics called, the injured carted out on stretchers.

Scarlet looked over and her mind instantly flashed back to World War I. She remembered seeing all the bodies; most of the soldiers without limbs, all the blood. Tears formed in Scarlet's eyes as the possibility of Bucky ending up that way. At the possibility of him returning to her in a coffin. She still blamed herself for Lance Corporal Blake's death.

"They look like they've been through hell." Steve commented.

"These men more than most," Peggy acknowledged. He looked to her and she stared at him searchingly in consideration.

"What happened?" Scarlet asked, unable to look away from the wounded men.

"Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him, and less than fifty returned. Your audience contained what was left of the 107th." Steve's eyes flicked up abruptly. "The rest were killed or captured." Peggy finished.

"The 107th?" Scarlet repeated.

"The 107th?" Steve restated in fret.

"What?" Peggy pressed.

Steve looked at Scarlet. The 107th was both Joesph and Bucky's Division. It had also been Scarlet's during the Great War.

Steve ran from the shelter into the downpour as Scarlet ran in the direction of the medical tent.

"Come on!" Steve beckoned as Peggy followed, jacket hastily held over her. They crossed into another tent.

_________________________________________________________________

Scarlet burst through the flaps of the medical tent. "Sergeant Barnes?!" She called out but nobody responded. "Has anyone seen James Barnes?" she asked as she looked around in the tent.

"Sergeant Barnes, have you seen Sergeant Barnes?"

Scarlet was approaching every soldier she could, asking them if they had seen Bucky, or if they knew where he was.

No one had an answer to give.

"He must have been taken."

"Everything happened so fast."

"How do you know him? Are you his girl? No, I haven't seen him. Sorry, doll."

She couldn't stop looking. Searching for any sign that Bucky was alive and in the camp. Maybe he was simply badly wounded and they hadn't brought him back. Or maybe she just hadn't seen him yet. He wouldn't be expecting her, so he wouldn't know to make himself known. He was there. He had to be. She just couldn't find him.

"He's not here." A female voice said and Scarlet turned around to see a girl, tan skinned, long dark hair and brown eyes, wearing a nurse uniform standing near by. "Unfortunately..." she said as she sniffled. "Sorry...but what do you want with James?"

"I'm his wife." Scarlet answered. "May I ask your name?"

"Grace Fallon, Miss." She replied.

"Scarlet Silverthorne-Blake-Barnes." Scarlet introduced and the two girls shook hands. "Also known as Captain Silverthorne of the 107th Infantry during the Great War. So how do you know Bucky?"

Grace bit her red lips. "Well...a few months ago, he was brought to a medical tent for a concussion and a grazed shoulder. I was the nurse that was taking care of him. And we ended up talking and eventually he told me about you."

"Sorry, I better be going. It was nice meeting you Grace."

Grace nodded back. "And you, Scarlet." And with that, Scarlet left the medical tent.

_________________________________________________________________

"I'm sorry." Colonel Phillips said when Scarlet finally went to him.

Scarlet shook her head. "No. No. There's a mistake. He's...he's...no." She couldn't accept the idea that Bucky hadn't survived. She wouldn't accept it.

"Colonel Phillips." Steve addressed.

"Well, if it isn't the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan and his Winged Friend," he greeted mockingly from his seat at a small desk. "What is your plan today?"

"I need the casualty list from Azzano."

"You don't get to give me orders, son," he bit as Peggy lowered her coat onto her shoulders.

Scarlet's hands slammed down on the desk. "List now."

"I just need one name: Sergeant James Barnes from the hundred and seventh," Steve pleaded.

Phillips darted his narrowed gaze onto Peggy and indicated her with his pen. "You and I are going to have a conversation later that you won't enjoy." He then looked at Steve. "You and your friend think alike. She's been asking the same question."

Scarlet's eyes flashed red. "Agent Carter has done nothing wrong. All you need to do is look for one name and tell us if he's alive."

"Please tell me if he's alive, sir. B-A-R-"

"I can spell." A tense silence pervaded until Phillips' eyes lowered and he sighed. He stood with sheaf of papers in hand and turned away. "Take a look at your friend, son. Does she look like she's been told that your friend is alright?" He seemed to realize how harsh that came out, and changed tactics. "I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count..." he explained and then he shook his head and laid the forms down, facing them with hands on his hips. " But, as I told your friend, the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry."

Scarlet let out a pained cry as her vision blurred, tears spilling down her cheeks faster than the rain outside, hand coming up to cover her mouth as she held in a sob.

"Shh, shh." Steve soothed, pulling her closer to him, stroking her sopping wet hair.

"Why? Who's Barnes?" Colonel Phillips asked seeing her strong reaction.

"Her boy-" Steve quickly corrected himself. "Husband." He smoothed down her hair.

"Oh," Colonel Phillips realized. "I am sorry darlin'." He rested a hand on her shoulder.

Her husband was gone. He was dead. God, Scarlet wondered how her parents-in-law were going to react once they got the letter. Scarlet wiped her cheeks as tears began to leak from her eyes. Hearing it confirmed twice was like a punch to her gut. Bucky was gone. He was never coming back and they were never going to see each other again. To her, it was like losing a piece of herself again.

"What about my brothers? Lieutenant Gabriel Silverthorne of the 107th? And Joseph Blake of the Devonshire Regiment?" She asked.

Colonel Phillips handed over a letter of Condolence from the top of the stack of papers.

Scarlet took it with trembling fingers. "He can't be..." she whispered.

'I regret to inform you that Lieutenant Gabriel Joseph Silverthorne has been killed in action in performance of his duty and in service to his country. The department extends to you its sincerest sympathy in your great loss.'

The blood pounded in her ears. Her heart thudded in her chest. Her hands shook. Her feet tingled. Her vision disfigured, as if she were looking through a fish-eye lens. She had to get away.

"Here's the last letter he wrote." Colonel Phillips added, handed Scarlet a folded letter. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Scarlet took the letter shakily, trying to hold back more tears not wanting to stain the last letter her brother wrote. She opened the letter.

'Dearest Anastasia,

I want to say I love you so much. You were always there for me even though I would never talk about my problems.

I remember the night of mom's death, there was a storm. You came into my room terrified and I held you the whole time.

Sorry I haven't written more but the weather is against me. You can't write out here when it rains hour after hour.

I love you with all my heart. I don't want you to worry about me. (I know you will cause I'm your brother). Scarlet, baby sis, I'm not afraid to die for something that is right ... I just hope that I made you proud, and if I don't come home for any reason I just want you to know I'll always be with you. 

Should I go under, therefore, I want you to know that I went without any terror of death, and that my chief worry is the grief my death will bring to those so dear to me.

Remember how proud I have always been of you, please don't permit my death to bow your head.

My personal belongings will all be sent to
you. May God bless and keep you, dear heart, and be kind to you.

I hope to see you and James soon but if that doesn't work out I just needed you to know how I felt. I Love you and Miss you. Take care, you're always in my thoughts.

Your Loving older brother;

Gabe'

Colonel Phillips handed Scarlet her brother's rings and dog tags.

Scarlet cried harder, her chest growing tight as bile rose in her throat. With shaking hands, she slipped her brother's tags over her head letting them fall on her chest underneath her shirt, she then put her brother's rings on her left hand on her middle finger and index finger.

The ring on her index finger was an exceptional, fine and impressive antique signet ring that had been crafted in 9 ct yellow gold. The ring had a rectangular shaped anterior surface; this vacant plateau allowed for a personal engraving to be applied if so desired. The tiered ring shoulders blended seamlessly into the hallmarked ring shank. The ring was deeply hallmarked to the interior of the shank with the maker's mark (L.W & G), the 9 ct gold fineness marks (9.375), the London Assay Office hallmark (leopard's head) and the date letter for 1935 (u).

When she realized the other ring was her present to her brother, she started crying again. It was a solid 18ct yellow gold ring engraved with the family crest of a dragon.

Steve's expression crumpled as he let his head fall, before he composed himself. "What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?" He asked under a blanket of shock. He also didn't want to show his hurt or weakness, though he held onto Scarlet tighter.

"Yeah, it's called winning the war," Colonel Phillips retorted.

The blond's gaze pinned him in accusation. "But if you know where they are, why not at least-" he objected after a moment.

"They're thirty miles behind the lines, through some of the most heavily fortified territory in Europe – we'd lose more men than we'd save," Phillips informed from in front of a detailed map.

Scarlet could hear the regret in his voice. She couldn't imagine how difficult his position had to be. How devastating it was to be in charge of the lives of so many people. Especially when the lives were being lost by the hundreds but regardless, she glared daggers at the man. "You would knowingly risk their lives?" She scoffed, a angry look setting itself on her face. She'd heard this excuse before.

Colonel Phillips turned to deride. "But I don't expect you to understand that because you're a couple of chorus girls."

Scarlet almost had to literally bite her tongue to stop herself from shooting a defensive remark to the colonel.

"I think we understand just fine." Steve replied with a clipped tone.

"Well then understand it somewhere else." Phillips strode past. "If I read the posters correctly, you two got someplace to be in thirty minutes." He remarked.

Steve leaned closer in inspection of the pins marking the yellow line of English and American defenses before the triangular HYDRA base beyond. "Yes, sir. We do."

Peggy watched him exit, astounded, before her eyes widened at the particularizing of the map. Her mouth fell open before Phillips pointed to her from behind at her silence. "If you have something to say, right now is the perfect time to keep it to yourself." He ordered clearly. She faced him for a second and then turned frantically back to the chart.

_________________________________________________________________

"Steve, wait!" Scarlet called running after him.

"I don't have time. I've got to get going. Those men need saving."

"You're not thinking clearly."

"Actually, this is the clearest I've thought in months."

"Steve-"

"He could be alive, Red." He said, turning sharply to look at her. "All we know is that he didn't return to camp. That doesn't mean that he's dead."

Scarlet stared at him for a few seconds, her mind going over what he had just said. Who was she to stop him from doing a rescue mission to save Bucky. "Then I'm coming with you."

"Absolutely not."

"There's no way you're going by yourself. So I'm coming." Scarlet told Steve, a small tiny spark of glimmer of hope filling her chest.

"If by that, you mean going to rescue those troops, then yes." Steve replied with an unsure smile.

"Good." Scarlet replied simply as he steered her towards the costume tent.

"You don't have to come with me, Red." He said, trying to talk her out of it.

"I'm coming with you and there is no way you are going to stop me. He could be out there, Steve. I have to know for sure." Scarlet told him, her husband slipping into her mind again.

"Okay, then let's get ready." He told her.

_________________________________________________________________

Steve packed a backpack in the costuming tent with green khakis over the blue leggings of his costume while Peggy entered, the rack of red, white, and blue showgirl dresses blocking the faint light of the opening. "What do you plan to do, walk to Austria?" She questioned sarcastically.

"If that's what it takes," Steve responded distractedly.

"You heard the Colonel. Your friend is most likely dead."

"You don't know that," Steve countered with a shake of his head.

"Yes, we don't," Scarlet cried. "But if you go in there, you'll most likely die too. And then where does that leave me?"

"Even so, he's devising a strategy. If he detects-"

"By the time he's done that it could be too late!" Scarlet yelled. She raised a hand and pushed the button to turn the handles. The underlying arm mechanics and motors sprouted out of the watch like tendrils wrapping around her arms while the armor plates slid into place to be deployed. The leg and waist armor plates slid down and began wrapping around the underneath assembly. The armor plates slid down the assembly and into place before rotating flat to cover the different sections of her body such as her legs and arms. As the arm plates flattened, the gauntlets fitted into place. The chest plates slid across and flattened to provide torso, waist, and back protection while her nuclear power cell began feeding full power to the suit. The shoulders and neck plates slid and locked into place as the helmet pieces were brought up from the back and fitted around her head.

Steve pulled a brown leather jacket over his arms and grabbed the sack at his feet.

"'Steve! Scarlet!" Peggy called as the duo ran out, following them.

He threw his stage shield and bag into the back of a truck, pausing to turn to her. "You told me you thought I was meant for more than this. Did you mean that?"

"Every word," she declared.

He glanced down in absorption. "Then you gotta let me go," he announced moving around the side of the vehicle and pulling himself into the driver's seat.

Scarlet clambered into the passenger's seat of the car.

Peggy trailed to brace one hand on the door and the other on the windshield as he turned the keys to start the engine. "I can do more than that."

Scarlet approved of the aid, the support while the Captain was presented with an oppourtunity to make a difference promising.

_________________________________________________________________

The females of the USO campaign hurried past each other backstage. "'On stage, girls. Five minutes!" A coordinator pronounced as one ran to grab her helmet from the shelving, painted with a white 'U'. Another removed her 'S', and a third approached only to flounder at its absence.

"Where's my helmet?" She inquired peeking at the row of plain blue helmets above.

"Has anyone seen Rogers?" a man summoned. "Or Silverthorne-Blake-Barnes?"

_________________________________________________________________

In the dark of night, a lustrous metal airplane flew through the sky, the orange of internal illumination dimly showing through the window panes. "The HYDRA camp is in Krausberg," Peggy described over a map, "tucked between these two mountain ranges. It's a factory of some kind." Steve sat across from her with helmet emblazoned with an 'A', adjusting the straps of his parachute.

Scarlet checked her suit, her palms glowed bright white.

"We should be able to drop you and Scarlet 'round the doorstep," Howard called from the cockpit as he steered.

"Just get me as close as you can," Steve yelled back. "You know you two are gonna be in a lot of trouble when you land." He warned Peggy.

"And you won't?" Peggy disputed.

"Where I'm going if anybody yells at me I can just shoot 'em."

"They will undoubtedly shoot back," Scarlet warned. Steve sighed, giving her a sad look. She simply looked away.

"Scarlet's right." Peggy commented.

"Well, let's hope it's good for something," Steve remarked, twisting to knock on the shield propped up beside him.

"It's just common sense to carry a shield as well as a weapon," Peggy interjected, suggesting to Scarlet, "You should attach one to your suit."

"A collapsible one, maybe. They're too cumbersome." Scarlet mumbled.

"Agent Carter," Howard called suggestively. "if we're not in too much of a hurry, I thought we could stop off in Lucerne for a late-night fondue."

Peggy shifted uncomfortably as she averted her gaze before glancing up to Steve as he adjusted his gloves while meeting her eyes, then back in reference to Howard. "Stark is the best civilian pilot I've ever seen. He's mad enough to brave this airspace – we're lucky to have him."

"So, are you two- Do you..." Steve stuttered, gesturing uselessly as Peggy threw her gaze to Howard before quirking an eyebrow in question. He nodded and finished. "Fondue?"

Scarlet giggled before she started chuckling, Steve shifted in awkwardness.

Peggy furrowed her brow minutely before lifting a device from her lap and handing it to him, explaining, "This is your transponder, activate it when you're ready and a signal will lead us straight to you."

"Are you sure this thing works?"

"It's tested more than you, pal," Howard commented.

"What isn't?" Scarlet snorted.

Abruptly bright shots streaked through the night sky from turrets stationed in the forest below, Howard maneuvering the plane in avoidance as Peggy lifted her arms to grip the back of the seat on either side of her as Steve grabbed his shield and stood.

Scarlet grabbed her seat and squeezed it as hard as she could, wishing more than anything that she was anywhere but where she was.

"Get back here," Peggy ordered in protest as she worked to balance herself as she shadowed him. "We're taking you all the way in."

He opened the exit door in the side and crouched down. "As soon as I'm clear you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!"

"Steve!" Scarlet followed him, grabbing her helmet and securing it on her head. The jump was coming and she was praying for the adrenaline to get her out of the plane.

"You can't give me orders!" Peggy countered from his side.

"The hell I can't," Steve responded, "I'm a Captain."

"You ready?" He called to Scarlet.

She swallowed down the bile that had risen to her throat. She wasn't ready. There was no way in hell that she was ready to do this. But this was what she had agreed to do. She squared her shoulders and then jumped over Steve, free falling from the plane before her backplate opened up allowing her wings to unfurl. She turned and shot upwards towards the plane. "You coming or what?" She questioned, hovering in the air.

Steve turned and smiled, pulling the goggles on his helmet down over his eyes and diving out. Peggy eyes widened and she lurched forward to watch him descend, his form falling until a parachute was released amidst the surrounding shots.

The airplane banked sharply away, Scarlet flew down after him.

_________________________________________________________________

Steady, gloved hands inserted rectangular, shining azure components into a wheel laid flat on a table, another two men carrying a completed circular piece across the space.

"As you can see, production of the Valkyrie is progressing on schedule – even with components of this size." Zola reported to Schmidt. He gesticulated to the part born past in example as they walked, Schmidt surveying the pieces assembled through alignment of them along wide rods.

"Increase the output by sixty percent," Schmidt commanded, "and see to it our other facilities do the same."

"But, these prisoners," Zola began in objection, turning to face him. "I-I'm not sure they have the strength."

"Then use up what strength they have left, Doctor. There are always more workers." Schmidt replied.

Zola looked down as he moved away, furrowing his brow. He dismissed the worker who approached with a clipboard. "Not now." he uttered in frustration. Zola walked through the sprawling area and the workspace of the aircraft.

_________________________________________________________________

On a lower level, faint, pale light streamed down through the grating above into the holding cells of the HYDRA base. A line of captured soldiers was herded through an aisle by the darkly armoured men, a thickly mustached man shoved in the shoulder by the HYDRA agent's baton before the entrance to a cell, then had his shabby bowler hat knocked off.

"You know, Fritz," he started from the interior, replacing the hat on his head, "one of these days I'm gonna have a stick of my own."

The male behind, wearing a beret watched as he confronted him, and then the bars were shut.

_________________________________________________________________

A mist coated the dark of a thick forest as Steve ran quickly through, keeping low to the ground. Scarlet flew above the trees. Her armour glinting in the light. Form obscured, Steve slowed to a stop and stood to note the open gate of the enemy base under the watchtower with bright spotlights swiveling to search the ground, the shouting of agents in the distance. At another source of rumbling, he turned and crouched down, motorcycles and cargo trucks navigating the road towards him.

Scarlet lowered herself onto the ground, crouching down beside Steve. As they passed the duo broke cover, sprinting after the last truck to reach and catch hold of the rim of the box and throw himself into it. Steve helped Scarlet into the truck. He rolled under the flap to sit staring up at two HYDRA agents.

"Just our luck," Scarlet drawled.

"Fellas," Steve greeted in the lapse of their surprise, before they charged with a yell. The impacts of a fight sounded as the top of the anchored tarp flared with thrown bodies, and then the first, and the second, agent was tossed unconscious onto the road behind.

The trucks rolled through the guarding sentries into the encampment, turning and reversing to park and unload their cargo. An agent lifted the flap of the last vehicle to face a brightly striped shield, and Steve thrust it forward to knock him backwards into the warehouse. He swiftly jumped out to land lightly on his feet, then dashed away from the numerous workers at the other trucks. Scarlet fled the trucks, taking the sky once again.

General instructions were ordered over the P.A. as he weaved through the packed cars in the yard, glancing around as he kept low before running across the space to climb up the side of a tank and onto a low roof. He darted forward towards another, seeking a way into the long, tall building that was a fortified factory.

_________________________________________________________________

The shadow of Steve's helmet and shoulders showed through the window of one of the reinforced doors inside the structure, and he knocked three times on the surface. An agent strode to the door and opened it to peek around, and the metal was slammed against his head before a punch hit his face. He fell to Steve's dragging of him into the hallway, and then the blond crept into the large room.

"Curiosity is the bane of most sentient beings," Scarlet commented.

Steve moved past a crate of explosives marked in German 'fragile' with caution and glanced at the armed agent whose back was to him and the men garbed in grey lab coats, then ran across the aisle to pause between some machinery and look around again. He drew his gun as he stole carefully through the weaponry, then stared curiously over the wheel of assembled azure pieces laid on the table to his right. Several components were left on the surface alongside, and he approached to lift and examine a small rectangular device that shone as bright as each other piece. He inserted it into his pocket and directed his eyes to the levels above.

"Holy cow," Scarlet whispered as she saw the weapons of mass destruction that had been created. "This is insane. How are these being created?"

"I don't know."

Scarlet shook her head. "We need to split up."

"What? Are you crazy? No."

"We can cover more ground if we separate. Here," she handed him a radio Stark had given her. "I have the second one."

Steve seemed to realize that there would be no arguing with her, and reluctantly took the radio. "Be careful."

"You too." She smiled, and split off through the lab, slipping between shelves to stay out of sight. She didn't really know where she was going. All she knew was that she probably needed to go deep. She stopped every now and then to examine the weapons that were being made, her mind hurting as she viewed technology that seemed impossible.

_________________________________________________________________

Armed HYDRA agents walked along the grating covering the circular cells, one moving to the partition between two to ensuing clangs and him falling onto the bars below, unconscious. James, Gabe, Jacques, and Dugan glanced up, standing as Steve relieved the guard's keys with a rattle.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Gabe asked.

"I'm-" Steve began as he glanced around, finishing awkwardly as he panted. "Captain America."

"I... beg your pardon?" James questioned incredulously.

Laughter sounded. "The costume and name are a bit much," Scarlet noted. "Hi boys." She added.

"Scarlet!" James cried out.

"Who's Scarlet?" Gabe asked.

"It's Bucky's gal!" Dum Dum Dugan replied. "Red Angel."

Scarlet snorted. Steve ignored the inquiry and unlocked the doors.

"What? Are we taking everybody?" Dum Dum Dugan as he faced Jim, released from another cell.

"I'm from Fresno, Ace," Jim retorted as he tugged out his dog tags.

"Is there anybody else? I'm looking for Sergeant James Barnes," Steve whispered as he led the group through the area.

"There's an isolation ward in the factory, but no one's ever come back from it," James answered.

"All right," Steve said slowly before suggesting, "The tree line is northwest, eighty yards past the gate. Get out fast and give 'em hell." He turned back to inform, "Scarlet and I'll meet you guys in the clearing with anybody else we find."

"Wait," Gabe interrupted. "You know what you're doing?"

"Yeah, I've knocked out Adolf Hitler over two-hundred times," he replied.

"It's true." Scarlet added.

Dugan turned to the others in question as Steve ran off, the group of men watching his exit with bright starred and striped shield on his back. Scarlet followed closely behind.

Scarlet snorted. "I can't imagine what they're thinking." Steve looked at her puzzled.

"I split myself in two components; this is my liquid metal form which continues to use my current appearance. My other half is also a liquid metal form but it's my appearance before the experiment so I don't have the metal arms or legs."

_________________________________________________________________

The soldiers pushed open a pair of doors to confront the agents stationed outside, Jacques grabbing the front of Jim's shirt and pointing off to the side for them to run to while James punched the first encountered. Dugan darted in front of him to lead from the structure, hitting another before a couple of agents began firing. Two soldiers were shot, the others rushing over them, and before more than a limited number more were hit the agents were overrun and attacked.

Jacques rushed an agent with a glowing weapon as Jim circled to his side, the one grabbing hold of the device as the other kicked the man in the knee. Dugan ran up to the side of a tank and clambered up the wheel and onto the top of it. Jacques punched the captured agent in the stomach before Jim seized him around the neck and twisted his head, throwing him onto the ground with bared teeth.

Jacques picked up the glowing gun,

"Do you know how to use that thing?" Jim asked.

Jacques shrugged and shook his head, pulling the trigger to fire a ray past the other, who held up his hands in defense, to impact and explode a wall in the distance. Jacques stared at him. "Okay." Jim conceded.

_________________________________________________________________

Schmidt stood within the factory, an explosion calling his attention to the camera's surveillance that captured the escaped soldiers' fight. "What is happening?" he questioned as he stepped back, firmly pressing a button in the control center that sounded an alarm as Zola rose from his seat behind and moved forward in anxiety.

_________________________________________________________________

Dugan slipped into the hole behind the turret and seated himself in the tank, Gabe entering behind him.

"Hey. Not exactly a Buick," Dum Dum Dugan informed him needlessly as he gripped the foreign steering.

"That one: 'Zundung'," Gabe instructed with a point, moving to his side. ['Ignition']

"Zundung?" Dum Dum Dugan repeated as he pressed it, the engine starting. "Ooh," he admired with a laugh.

"Get this thing going, Dugan!" James yelled as he leaped over the lip of the entrance.

"I didn't know you spoke German," Dugan said to Gabe.

"Three semesters at Howard, switched to French, girls much cuter."

"Didn't ask for the resume."

The vehicle was propelled into motion, James gripping the turret controls firmly above and swivelling it to shoot a beam at a truck. It exploded as the back end was ripped apart. Dugan yelled in exhilaration as he drove through the camp, James firing again.

The doors of the base opened on the interior and the soldiers streamed out, running with guns in hand. HYDRA agents were shot and left groaning on the factory floor. "On your left!" Rang out along with the occasional "Up top!" with regarding the agents entering to rain fire down.

_________________________________________________________________

The alarm sounded to Schmidt's watching of the surge attacking the agents, and then he manipulated one of the cameras further in to magnify the footage of Steve and Scarlet. The blond darted to hit a man across the chest, then backhand him away to Schmidt leaning forward in interest. Steve used his shield to knock another out of his path, and Scarlet used her wings and a strong kick to one more who stood in front of her. Fighting on his own with only Scarlet for backup, Schmidt gazed on thoughtfully before turning to flip open the covering of a switch and pull it down. He pressed the button beside and the numbers displaying 07.00 began to flip, 06.59, to count down the seconds making up the minutes.

He repeated the action on the pair of controls beside, and then the next, as Zola rushed to him to grab his hand. "No, no! What are you doing?" Zola protested.

06.58-57-56-55

"Our forces are outmatched," Schmidt explained with a look to the screens. He continued as the timers ticked, Zola staring at Steve's progress through the factory with the slamming of his shield. Scarlet was beside Steve using her her wings and her magic to knock out anyone standing in her path.

_________________________________________________________________

Outside, Jacques fired the innovative weapon while Jim shot automatic rounds. "Keep moving! Grab those grenades!" Jim ordered.

The sticks were grasped and hurled forward, the agents opposite bombarded with the explosives.

_________________________________________________________________

Zola darted away as Schmidt approached the end of the row of identical controls, pulling open the door and running over the bridge with a glance over his shoulder.

_________________________________________________________________

Steve thrust a leg out and kicked an agent in the chest, the man hurled backwards over the rail. Steve rushed to lean over, casting his eyes on the factory floor below before drawing his gun and jogging across the bridge.

_________________________________________________________________

Schmidt turned the handle protruding from a container, and the interior shell began to raise, an azure cast set to the lit surroundings. He grabbed the handle and removed the clear case holding the Tesseract.

Zola hurriedly stuffed papers into a briefcase, grabbing blueprints from the surface of the desk in the office and shoving them in before it and a folder were jerked away. The folder was inserted before he threw out a hand to peel another sheaf from the side of a cabinet as he exited, the map of Europe framed on the wall displaying the six HYDRA bases established.

He stumbled into a hall with jacket over his arm and briefcase in hand, Steve and Scarlet at the other end pausing at the sight of him. Zola moved back several steps before turning and running, Steve beginning to pursue before he slowed as he levelled with the door from which the doctor had come. He turned away from him and crouched, sneaking into the rooms.

_________________________________________________________________

He passed shelving of cans and containers into a dimly lit room, the grimy daylight shining in from the window onto books and binders.

Steve ran forward. Hearing muttering coming from one of the rooms.

_________________________________________________________________

Scarlet peaked her head into a room and noticed her other liquid metal half stood in the room. She quickly and quietly made her way over and the two merged together, she stumbled forwards grabbing onto whatever she could get her hands on to support herself.

"Sergeant. 32557..."

"Bucky?" She ran to the table and looked down at him, thrilled beyond belief to be seeing him. He wasn't dead. He was alive. He was in front of her. "Hey, hey." She placed her hands on his cheeks, turning his head slightly. His eyes weren't focusing on her and instead seemed to simply slide right past her and focusing on Steve. "Can you hear me?" She took a moment to examine his body. "Oh my gosh. What did they do to you? Buck, are you with me?"

"Bucky," Steve exhaled as he circled his side, Bucky's eyes fluttering open above the thick strap over his chest pinning him onto a flat table. "Oh my god..." he said.

Steve darted his eyes over him, ripping the ends of the restraints apart. Bolts clinked off the ground as Steve threw the material from around him, Bucky staring at the ceiling over the heavy, intricate machine suspended with needles pointed down at him.

Bucky slowly looked at her, his eyes still struggling to focus. "Is it..."

"It's me," Steve answered as he gripped his shoulders. "It's Steve."

"Steve?" he repeated.

"Come on," The blond urged.

"Steve!"  Bucky said in relief.

"And Scarlet." Scarlet bent over him and placed her hands on his cheeks again. "It's Scarlet."

He stared at her for a long second. "Doll? What...how are you here? I'm dreaming, aren't I? I'm dreaming that you're here." A dopey grin spread across his face. "Those are always the best dreams." He kissed her. "Are you real?"

A rush of butterflies passed through Scarlet at those words, but she couldn't allow herself to dwell on it. She had to focus on getting Bucky up and out of there. "You're not dreaming. I'm really here." She frowned then touched his face. "I'm as real as it gets."

She leaned down and hugged him.

Bucky wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck inhaling her perfume; it was a rich, sensual, floral fragrance with the endless brilliance of a rare jewel. "God I love you."

"Not as much as I love you." Scarlet told him as she took his hand.

He stared at her for a few more seconds, still smiling. "You're so beautiful."

"Okay. Come on, soldier." Scarlet commanded.

Steve helped him sit up before pulling him to his feet, bracing him as they held each other at the biceps. Steve moved his hand to the side of his neck before returning to hold him up, breathing heavily.

"I thought you were dead." Steve declared.

Bucky ran his eyes over him in bewilderment as he straightened from his slump. "I thought you were smaller."

He then looked at Scarlet. "Wh-what happened to your arms and legs?"

Scarlet rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. "Got injected with a serum. Needless to say, I now look like cyborg."

An explosion sounded and Steve turned before glancing back and looking into the office, map across from him detailing the triangular pins of where HYDRA was stationed. Gunfire echoed and he pulled Bucky's right arm over his shoulders and embraced him about the waist. "Come on."

Scarlet flinched at the sound of a large explosion going off. "We have to get out of here."

"What happened to you?" Bucky questioned as he lurched alongside Steve's leave-taking.

"I joined the army."

"Both of you?"

"You told me to look after him. I couldn't do that without joining up as well."

Steve pulled away to walk in front, causing Bucky to lean more on Scarlet.

_________________________________________________________________

Shots sparked off of the rims and panels of the tank commandeered from the guards under the watchtower before James fired and the pillar and gates were destroyed in a burst of flames.

_________________________________________________________________

Bucky stumbled behind Steve. "Did it hurt?" He asked trying to support himself.

"A little." Steve distractedly replied.

"Is it permanent?" Bucky shot in concern.

"So far." Scarlet replied.

The group exalted at their exit as they drove and ran over the scattered flames in the dirt, escaping the compound.

_________________________________________________________________

00.04-03-02-01-00

Explosions rocketed through the factory floor to the bright white flaring and plumes of smoke ripping through the constructions and mechanizations of the weapons.

00.02-01-00

Clouds of debris flew through the air as pounded metal sheets and wired devices toppled onto what was left of the flooring.

_________________________________________________________________

Flashes flickered blindingly as Steve and Bucky came to the rail overlooking the nearing destruction, explosions appearing close and forcing Steve to raise his shield and Bucky to turn away as they flinched back. The blond rushed to the stairs behind with Bucky faltering in harried pursuit as they sought a higher crossing.

The ruin continued as they raised a level, and Steve threw his eyes from side to side before running right with Bucky tripping over his feet to execute the same sharp turn.

"Captain America! Red Angel!" Schmidt hailed from the other end of the bridge.

"He's not what we need right now," Scarlet muttered.

"How exciting!" He handed a thick, armoured briefcase to Zola. "I am a great fan of your films!"

Bucky braced himself weakly against the rail with pursed lips as Steve straightened and raised his chin in confrontation. Schmidt and Steve walked to close the distance between them.

"So, Doctor Erskine managed it after all." They met in the middle. "Not exactly an improvement, but, still, impressive." Johan Schmidt simultaneously derided and complimented at the same time.

Steve reeled back a fist and threw it at Schmidt.

"'Oof." The man impacted as he lowered his head and held the rails on either side of him.

"You got no idea," Steve responded fiercely.

Schmidt rose with a gloved hand to his cheek, hair tossed over the skin around an eye, loosened to reveal a rich red.

Scarlet leaned forward in interest.

"Haven't I?" he interrogated, moving a fist back as Steve raised his shield to punch the metal and dent the shape of his knuckles.

Steve stared at the imprint in shock before he reached to pull out his gun, but Schmidt punched him across the face and threw him onto his back to the firearm dropping to topple off the edge.

"Steve!" Scarlet attempted to move forward to help him, but Bucky caught her wrist and held her back.

Schmidt advanced as Steve gathered his legs and kicked out, knocking him back as well. Zola bit his lip and drew down the lever in front of him, separating the two components of the bridge and the two enhanced men over the explosions of the building's self-destruct.

"No matter what lies Erskine told you, you see, I was his greatest success!" Schmidt pronounced. He moved his hand to reach across to the underside of his jaw and began to pull up on the skin. Steve and Bucky stared as the organ tore and was dragged over his clenched teeth to expose taut, red skin. Steve's eyes narrowed as his mouth hung parted.

Schmidt held his false face by his side as he ripped the remaining piece at his nape away. His head was bare of hair with the cartilage of his ears minimal, heavy brow, sculpted cheekbones, and absence of the triangular tip of his nose depicting a skull-like visage from within his eyes glowered and teeth bared.

"You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asked, numb.

"Ew, what? No." Scarlet chorused in reaction to the startlingly red pigment.

"You are deluded, Captain, Lieutenant Colonel." the Red Skull stated. "You pretend to be a simple soldier, but in reality, you are just afraid to admit that we have left humanity behind."

Zola watched as the skin mask was thrown down into the plumes of explosions. Steve gazed at him as he walked away, a blast sounding like thunder in the background. "Unlike you, I embrace it proudly," Zola stepped back, eyes still lowered, as Schmidt drew closer to the exit behind and gestured to himself, other hand grasping his briefcase as another bang echoed, "without fear."

"Then how come you're running?" Steve challenged. Schmidt merely smirked as he and Zola stepped into the elevator and he pressed one of the lift's buttons, the doors sliding shut.

A series of explosions detonated to the whirling of scrap through the illuminated, cloudy air, and Steve raised his shield before searching for an exit, Scarlet immediately shielded Bucky.

"You know, doll." Bucky said, looking at her. "It's supposed to be the other way around." Scarlet gave him a confused look. "I'm supposed to be protecting you."

Scarlet rolled her eyes. "Now is not the time, Buck." She told him. "We have got to go."

A shut, reinforced door was on the floor above, a beam of scaffolding bridging the two sides.

"Come on, let's go – up," Steve ushered Bucky, gripping his shoulder and moving to push him forward as he lowered his head and shoved Steve in front as they moved.

_________________________________________________________________

"Sir? Are we going to the roof?" Zola asked, gazing up at Schmidt. He glanced over his form before the doors opened to reveal the top of a ship. "What about me? Where will I sit?" He questioned apprehensively.

Schmidt lifted and dropped a car key into his hand. "Not a scratch, Doctor," he ordered as he walked out. "Not a scratch." He moved across the bridge to the doors shutting.

_________________________________________________________________

Blasts boomed as Steve, Scarlet and Bucky came to one end of the support, the metal bouncing on either side of the hinge in the middle before falling still again.

_________________________________________________________________

Zola entered the garage to spotlights on the sleek, grey, supercharged V16 Coupé and hurried around. He tossed his briefcase into the back seat with a grunt before twisting the handle of the door.

_________________________________________________________________

The elongated ship outside pointed heavenwards as three arms stuck out as propellers at its middle and their ends powered up to spin them around. The bridge retracted as the protrusions increased in speed, a shield moving forward to secure Schmidt inside the small cockpit.

_________________________________________________________________

The engine of the vehicle rumbled as Zola sat behind the wheel, and the double doors were pushed open with a screech of its tires as it was driven out of the enclosure, headlights blazing.

_________________________________________________________________

The aircraft gradually rose into the clouds.

_________________________________________________________________

The work floor was covered in flames that continued to spur destruction as Steve helped Bucky over the rail above. "Let's go. One at a time." Steve instructed as he helped steady Bucky.

The Sergeant cast his wide eyes from side to side at the heated air he was suspended in.

Bucky crouched at the end before releasing his hold on the support behind, creeping forward as the opposite end shifted back and forth at its attachment.

"You can do this!" Scarlet called.

Bucky walked, glancing and wincing at the explosions that reached up from below, the end falling a foot with a screech. Scarlet's breath caught in her throat as she gripped Steve's hand in anxiety.

Bucky's arms flew out for balance as he gaped, then he composed himself and turned his body forwards to move over the center piece.

With one foot slightly raised the beam fell again, and he lowered his leg and stepped on before hurrying to run and leap as the metal dropped out from under him. His hands gripped the rail as he hooked an elbow over as well, Steve flinching back as the support plummeted down. Bucky rolled over the rail onto the grating of the floor to look back at Steve and Scarlet across the gap.

"There's gotta be a rope or something!" Bucky pleaded with hands spread.

"Just go! Get out of here!" Steve implored as he waved him on.

"No! Not without you!" Bucky insisted with a slam onto the metal.

"Hell," Steve muttered as he looked at the bent piece of rail in front of him, gripping the one on his other side to force it out and away with grit teeth.

"Are you serious?" Scarlet questioned rhetorically, turning to narrow her eyes at him.

Blasts ballooned fire through the remaining tall lights reaching just beneath them as Steve hurried back across the space with the opening to the fall in front of him.

Scarlet stepped back, steeling her nerves whilst climbing up onto the railing, balancing before launching herself onto the other side. Her fingers latched onto the top of the railing as her body smacked into the rest of the walkway. She groaned, realizing she probably shouldn't have done that as she pulled herself over the edge with Bucky helping her over. Scarlet collapsed on the walkway, catching her breath as she felt a long bruise starting to form across her torso where it hit the edge of the walkway.

"Are you okay?" Scarlet asked, looking up at him

"Yeah," he replied shakily offering her his hand.

Scarlet smiled and took his hand pulling herself up off the ground. "Oh my gosh," She whispered as she realized what Steve was about to do. She reached for Bucky's hand and squeezed it, keeping her eyes pinned on Steve.

Steve glanced down, winced with a slight shake of his head, and sighed as he barred his teeth, looking at Bucky and Scarlet before sinking down to lunge forward and run. He met the ledge and jumped with legs and arms pumping over the cloudy space, explosions shooting up.

_________________________________________________________________

Hands were poised over and pressed into the keys of a typewriter as Colonel Phillips enunciated for print. "Senator Brandt, I regret to report that Captain Steven G. Rogers and Lieutenant Colonel Anastasia E. S. Huntington-Montgomery-Blake-Barnes went missing behind enemy lines on the third." He read from a small notepad in front of him. "Aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful. As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers and Lieutenant Colonel Huntington-Montgomery-Blake-Barnes ... killed in action," he concluded, propping his hands onto his hips. "Period."

Peggy entered the shelter of the tent with photos in hand, looking through the few images as Phillips turned to her. "The last surveillance flight is back," she justified, placing the sheets down. He sorted through them. "No sign of activity."

"Go get a cup of coffee, Corporal," Phillips ordered to a prompt,

"Yes, sir." The Corporal replied.

Colonel Phillips moved away from Peggy as the typewriter exited, sighing. "I can't touch Stark, he's rich – and he's the army's number one weapons contractor. You are neither one." He turned to her.

"With respect, sir, I don't regret my actions," she replied. "And I don't think Captain Rogers and Lieutenant Colonel Huntington-Montgomery-Blake-Barnes did either."

"What makes you think I give a damn about your opinions?" Phillips countered, advancing to her. "I took a chance with you, Agent Carter, and now America's Golden Boy and America's Golden Girl and a lot of other good men are dead – 'cause you had a crush."

"It wasn't that. I had faith."

"Well, I hope that's a big comfort to you when they shut this division down."

She met his gaze for several seconds before the constant movement of others behind outside drew Phillips' attention. "What the hell is going on out there?" he wondered gruffly as he moved past her, Peggy relaxing her jaw and straightening her shoulders as she turned to follow.

The two walked amidst the other soldiers of the camp, gathering to look out at the road that stretched on.

_________________________________________________________________

A white and red bar was lifted as the men that escaped HYDRA marched up the hill, Steve taking point with Bucky, James, and Gabe flanking on one side and Dugan, Jim, and Jacques on the other. The men moved leisurely with strong postures, weapons in hand and leading dozens, a tank rolling in the center as they persevered through their injuries.

"Look who it is!" One called in sight of Steve and Scarlet, those parting for the group pointing and clapping. Steve exchanged a smirk with Bucky and lightly slapped his back, Hodge, a member of the camp, called out, blinking and moving to view the group.

_________________________________________________________________

Steve and Scarlet marched to the center and stood in front of Phillips, halting to raise their hands in salute. "Some of these men need medical attention," Steve reported.

"Medic! We got wounded," a soldier aided.

"Right over here." Another directed.

Bucky nudged Scarlet making her look up. "Like we practiced, Doll."

Scarlet sighed, biting her bottom lip. "We'd like to surrender ourselves." She began referring to herself and Steve before giving Bucky a look, to which he urged her to continue. "For disciplinary action."

"That won't be necessary," Phillips answered, looking at the numbers he and Scarlet had retrieved.

They shared a small smile. "Yes, sir."

"Faith, huh?" Phillips questioned as he strode around Peggy.

Peggy stepped up to observe Steve, and then meet his eyes. "You're late."

Steve reached into his pocket and pulled out the transponder she had given him, a shot having torn through a portion. "Couldn't call my ride," he defended. She glanced at the item before meeting his gaze again.

"Hey!" Bucky yelled, calling the group's attention. He looked back to Steve. "Let's hear it for Captain America and Red Angel!"

"It sounds so much worse when you say it," Scarlet said awkwardly, embarrassed by all the attention. Bucky grinned and went to lean in for a kiss.

Triumphant cheering resounded around them, pats extended and hats raised.

Steve went to protest about the two showing affection in front of him when Peggy stopped him.

"Steve," Peggy laughed. "They're both old enough to do what they want."

"Yeah, Steve. Listen to the pretty dame," Bucky teased. Scarlet smacked his chest. "No one's as pretty as you though, doll." He smiled done at her, kissing her head. "No one will ever beat you."

The tears came flowing again as she hugged him as gently as she could in case he was injured and instead he hugged her as hard as he could.

He pulled her in and kissed her gently, carefully, but it wasn't gentleness she wanted, not now, not after all this time, and she knotted her fists in his shirt, pulling him harder against her. He groaned softly, low in his throat, and then his arms circled her, gathering her against him.

"Keep this act up and I'll make sure you won't be able to walk tomorrow." He whispered in her ear. "My hero." He added softly, just loud enough for her to hear.

Scarlet chuckled. "Good luck with that Sergeant Barnes. I'm mostly made of metal now." She replied with a wink. "Don't you worry...I'm fine. Let's go get you looked at." She told him leaning more on him than he was on her.

Bucky leaned down and kissed her. "Are you real?"

Scarlet frowned then touched his face. "I'm as real as it gets."

Bucky hugged her gently this time and buried his face in her neck. "God I love you."

"Not as much as I love you." Scarlet told him as she took his hand, "I'll show you where to go."

Bucky squeezed her hand and let her lead him to the med tent where a nurse came over to them.

"Jennifer, I'd like you to meet my husband... James, he was one of the POWs." Scarlet told her. "I want you to give him the full workup"

"Yes ma'am, come over here James."

Bucky reluctantly let go of Scarlet's hand and Scarlet followed them to one of the more private beds.

"There is a chair over there if you want one." Jennifer told her pointing in the direction.

"I'm fine but thank you." Scarlet told her as Jennifer started to examine Bucky.

After 20 minutes, Bucky could tell Scarlet was in pain. "Baby come here."

Scarlet looked at him with glassy eyes. "What?"

"Come here." He said as he moved so she could sit next to him.

Scarlet gently sat next to him, "How's he looking Jen?"

"Abrasions, broken ribs but they appear to be healing well, concussion... I'm going to draw some blood for a full workup. Were you one of the soldiers in isolation?" Jen asked.

Scarlet looked at him as he cleared his throat and nodded.

Jen patted his arm and walked away.

"So... it's obvious you're in pain, what happened?" Bucky asked as he put his arm around her.

Scarlet sighed, "Well obviously now you can tell I don't just work in DC."

"Obviously." Bucky said with a frown.

"I work for something called the SSR, the Strategic Scientific Reserve. We are the first line of defense to Hydra." Scarlet told him. "Long story short, I went in on a reconnaissance mission with Peggy and...got on the wrong end of one of Hydra's weapons. Guy was a coward and shot me in the back. Thankfully Peggy was close enough to see the weapon light up blue before he shot and it only grazed my left side and back but it was enough that it damaged the muscles on that side of my back pretty good. My left kidney isn't fully operational now but my right kidney is fine so not worries. But until the muscles fully recover and strengthen... I'll be in some pain. But Buck... that's nothing compared to what you went through."

Bucky shrugged as if he didn't want to talk about it as Jennifer came back to draw his blood work.

"Right now there are no tents for the soldiers, we are getting more-"

"He will be with me." Scarlet told her. "Are you done?"

Jennifer nodded. "Just have him check in with the Colonel."

"Yes ma'am, thank you." Bucky told her.

"Nice to meet you James." Jennifer told him.

"Let's see if we can find Steve at his tent." Scarlet said as they walked out of the tent.

Scarlet opened the flap to Steve's tent. "Stevie! Did you miss me!?"

Steve groaned from his spot on his bed.

"Damn, they basically gave you a real room." Scarlet said looking around.

"Perks of being Captain America." He said with a grin.

"Hasn't gone to your head much has it Steve?" Bucky asked.

"Shut it Barnes." Steve said with a grin as he rubbed his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Alive... and safe for the first time since September." Bucky told him as he helped Scarlet sit down on Steve's bed.

"You didn't want to talk about it coming back. What happened?" Steve asked.

"We were ambushed at the beginning of September. They took us to this factory and forced us to help them with their weapons. A lot of men died, trying to fight back. I was trying to organize... revolutions I guess you'd call them... so they...took a lot out on me." Bucky told them as he sat down next to Scarlet as she squeezed his hand. "Eventually I got sick... I lost track of how long it was into everything but Morita said I had pneumonia and it was either push through it or die. So the last clear thing I remember was working on this one weapon and... I must have passed out, probably from the fever."

Scarlet laid her head on his shoulder and sniffed.

"When I woke up, I was strapped to a table and they were injecting things into me. It was like fire going into my veins... and I passed out again. I do remember seeing a paper saying that it was October 5th before I passed out." Bucky told them. "After that it's hazy... I wasn't sure what was real or was in my head. It literally was like they pulled me out of my body and stuff me back in wrong then pulled me out again. I have this constant headache. All I remember is the injections, the beatings and something with electric. I think I was zapped a couple times."

Steve bit his lip, "I was talking to Phillips... from what he has heard, you were one of seven taken into isolation... you were the only one to come out."

Bucky put his head in his hands. "I just wanted to get home. Whenever I was conscious I'd be literally screaming 'Let me go home!'... that's all I really remember."

"I talked to Phillips and he said that you have a choice. You can be discharged, honorably, or you can have two weeks R&R or longer if you feel that you need it." Steve told him.

Bucky frowned. "I want to stay with my men. If they don't get discharged I don't want to be."

Scarlet pulled his forehead to hers. "You think I'd let you and Steve have all the fun without me? We are the Three Musketeers. Remember?"

Bucky kissed her then sighed as he looked at Steve.

"How about you guys take my tent and I'll take yours Scarlet. You guys should have the real bed." Steve offered.

Scarlet smirked. "So Stevie... how do they carry this around from show to show? You have to carry this mattress on your back?"

Steve just rolled his eyes as he grabbed his bag. "Goodnight." Steve said as he kissed her forehead, "Love you kiddo. Glad to have you back man."

Scarlet looked over at Bucky as the tent closed. "You need sleep."

Bucky gave her a small smile. "Yeah... good luck with that."

Scarlet got up and tied the flap on the tent shut, then stood up unbuttoning her blouse.

"Let me." Bucky said as he walked over and worked the buttons slowly down to reveal a white tank top underneath.

Scarlet moaned as he leaned in and kissed her neck then breathed in.

"God I missed you." Bucky told her inhaling her scent.

Scarlet let her blouse fall to the ground then let him run his hands down her back to the trousers to slide the zipper down so that her trousers met her blouse on the floor.

"Damn." Bucky said as he saw her in just the tank top and panties.

"Like what you see Mr. Barnes?" Scarlet asked with a grin.

"Very much, and I'd love to... re-explore." Bucky said he pulled her to him. "But... you need to get to bed."

"Me? You do more than me." Scarlet told him as she pulled the shirt over his head. "It's going to be cold tonight... I wouldn't mind keeping warm by body heat."

Bucky pulled up the covers and Scarlet laid down. Bucky quickly climbed in with her and pulled her to him.

Scarlet ran her fingers over his own scars and kissed each individual one then looked up at him. "Get some sleep."

But that night, neither of them got much sleep. Their sleep was ruled by nightmares and pain instead. Bucky ended up getting up in the middle of the night and walking to Scarlet's tent to tell Steve, the whole truth about everything. Even the details that he did not want to burden Scarlet with.