Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter VIII - Tsunamis and Canyons

The soldier in the first cot watched as Peggy entered the tent for the second time that day. The first time she entered she'd brought water. This time she'd brought lunch. He smiled at her as she patted his arm.

"Sergeant Matthews, how is she today?"

His smile fell a little.

"Same as yesterday, and the day before, and pretty much the whole week. She doesn't take a break. She smiles only when she's talking to one of us and then it disappears faster than it appeared when she turns away. If you ask how she is she deflects. If you tell her she needs some rest she tells you she'll rest when she's dead or the war is over, whichever comes first." His eyes followed Elizabeth as she made her way from bed to bed, checking charts and cleaning wounds. "She's holding it together by avoiding it Agent. And I don't know how long she can keep it up."

Peggy nodded as she passed him his payment: a flask of hot chocolate.

"Maybe this afternoon will distract her a little, huh?"

"Maybe. God knows she needs a break Agent. She was here all night too." Sergeant Matthews smiled at Peggy as she made a start to move. "Hey, Agent?"

"Yes Sergeant?"

"Any way you can get him to sign something for my kid? I figured he's more likely to say yes to you, all things considered."

Peggy grinned as the soldier winked at her. She should have known that after bribing him to spy on Elizabeth he'd also probably listen in to their conversations about the Captain too.

"Sure thing. Now get some rest, and don't tell the others about that. I took it from Colonel Phillips' personal supply."

As Peggy approached Elizabeth she painted a huge grin on her face. If she was honest, the smile wasn't entirely true. Was she excited? Of course she was. But she was also terrified of upsetting Elizabeth further by being so excited. Her stomach was also doing somersaults every time she thought of him being on base.

"Elizabeth, come on. You need a break and you promised you'd come with me."

Elizabeth slowly closed the chart she was reading and clipped it carefully on the bunk of the sleeping boy. Despite the fact his chart stated he was twenty, he was clearly no older than sixteen. Her heart hurt. She looked at the boy for a moment longer before turning to Peggy with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Check in number two is complete, Peggy. You can go now. I'm fine."

Peggy smiled again and handed Elizabeth a sandwich.

"No. You're not getting out of this. You promised you'd come with me and I kind of need you. You are the only person I have spoken to about Steven and I am so nervous right now that I could be sick. So, put the dressings down, change out of your uniform and come with me. The show starts in ten."

There was a sea of unimpressed faces staring up at Steve as he recited the lines he was given. Mindlessly he ran through the choreography and let the awkward silence of the crowd seep into the space around him. The girls, as always, did their part seamlessly. They at least got some reaction from the men, and Steve understood. Here he was: safe, well fed, warm, well groomed and putting on a silly little show, while these men had faced the war up close. Even he hated himself for this performance.

He scanned the crowd as he finished up his speech about bonds and bullets and things that none of these men wanted to hear. He just wanted to see her.

When his eyes fell on Agent Peggy Carter he relaxed. She sat laughing with another woman and he smiled as he watched her hair bounce around her shoulders as she leaned in to the woman and whispered something. The woman she was with laughed too before looking up at him. Her eyes didn't quite fit with her laughter.