Winter's First Snow

Home Bound

         Bucky sat in a small tent, alone, cold and soaked to the bone. He never received dry or clean clothes. The wound on his shoulder had finally stopped bleeding. It had
been a few hours. Finally a man he recognized as the major, walked into the tent and handed him a shirt and a leather coat. No pants but it was a start. "James Barnes right? Of the 107th. Your team was ambushed in the forest about two weeks ago, can you remember anything?" Bucky cleared his throat as he peeled of his wet shirt and snuggled into the dry one. It's a miracle that the water in his shirt hadnt
frozen, December in Germany was a tough one. "The last thing I remember, I was crouched behind a tree waiting for orders. There were none so I went to look for my captain and then everything went dark." The major nodded his head and began pacing the tent. it was a small tent and not very pace worthy but he tried his best.
"Before we can let you go home we have to make sure
that that arm of yours is safe." Bucky nodded. "Do you have
full control over your metal arm?" Bucky looked at it. He
flexed his fingers, opened and closed his hand. Rolled his
shoulder back, and then forward. "Yes sir i believe i do." The major nodded in a way that seemed to say: 'good
riddance' "Would you ever be bribed into becoming a spy
for the german military?" Bucky gave the major an offended look. "Not once in my damn life have I ever even thought of fighting against my country. Pardon me sir but fuck no. In fact that's just a ridiculous question and I'll pretend that I didn't hear it." The major smiled a little at Bucky's incredulity. "One last question I guess before we get some food in you and get you in ship shape for your journey home. How are you going to deal with that arm of yours?" Bucky looked down at his arm and sighed. How was he ever going to be able to go back to work with this. people would think hes fucking crazy. Steve would flip. Imagine your boyfriend comes home after he's supposed to be fucking dead and hes half robot now? Like what the hell. Bucky shook his head and looked back up at the major. "I don't really know sir. I plan on going home, eating some good food and taking a dame out dancing."
The major didn't look quite convinced but poked his
head out of the tent and told one of the men to get Bucky
some food. Bucky was left alone to his own devices for the
rest of the night. He ate the measely pile of potatoes and
the crackers that were put on the tray as well. But he really didnt know what to do with himself. Should he sleep, should he be nursing his wound. Eventually he got
bored and left his tent in search of a medic. He found the tent fairly easily and stooped inside out of the cold to seek some form of medical treatment. The women there were so busy tending to the injured men who lay all over they didn't notice Bucky standing there. Some were on cots others were sitting on the ground leaning against posts that were put up to support the tent.
He walked up to one of the nurses and simply asked for a wet rag and some alcohol to take care of his own wound. The woman nodded curtly and handed him a dirty looking rag and a bottle of rum. Well it's better than not trying to clean it at all right. Bucky took the bottle and rag and made his way back to his tent. It was half a bottle of rum and surely he wasnt about to use half a bottle on just his wound. Bucky glanced at his shoulder one more time, uncorked the bottle and poured a little bit onto the rag. He began to clean up some of the blood in the area
surrounding the actual wound. He took of swig of the alcohol before actually beginning to clean the wound. Trying to be slow about it as to not irritate the skin and cause an infection. He grimaced when it started bleeding again. He sighed and simply held the rag against it and took another drink. It burned going down, rum was never Bucky's favorite. In fact Bucky didn't really drink at all... Steve hated when bucky used to get drunk. So he stopped getting drunk and eventually just stopped drinking altogether. It was easy, with steve everything was easy.
"Shit stevie... I sure hope you're okay.." Bucky put
the cork back into the bottle and set it on the ground. He
kicked off his boots and pulled his socks off and laid back on the cot and let his eyes droop. He woke the next morning of his own free will. No master sergeant to yell at him and no captain to give him orders. Just a pile of clean dry clothes. New socks, new boxers pants shirt the whole nine yards. Bucky dressed quickly and made his way out of the tent. It was late morning, the sun was warm and the snow had just started to fall. Nasty weather to be fighting a war in. Bucky walked to the tent where the major sat at his desk with a map behind him. The major
looked him up and down and nodded him a good morning.
"You slept like a baby Sergeant, I presume you're well
rested." Bucky laughed a little and replied with the cordial 'yes sir' and waited for some form of instruction. "You're going home a little early sergeant. we cant put you out onto the feild with that arm. So were sending you home today. The car will be here to pick you up very soon Barnes. So gather whatever it is youd like to take with you. Your old clothes or whatever. Good luck with that arm Sergeant." Bucky nodded his thanks and walked back to his tent. He grabbed his old coat as well as the new one he was given. As a last second thought he grabbed the bottle
of rum from where it had rolled underneath the cot and waited outside for a car to pick him up and take him to a plane that would take him home. Home sweet home Brooklyn, New York.