Alchemy Jones → Bucky Barnes [1]

24|THE SHADOW

When the SSR granted Ally permission to take Quaker and Peter with her on missions, she felt a certain clarity that made everyone realize that that was a good decision. Steve had his Howling Commandos and Ally had her Brooklyn Boys. At least, that's what Quaker called them, Peter didn't like that name much.

Along with Steve, the group of super soldiers had made global headlines, taking down HYDRA bases one at a time. This mission in particular, was nothing new and unexpected. As far as anyone could say, the base was located on the outskirts of Amsterdam.

Ally slid down from rooftop to rooftop in search of finding one of the last bases HYDRA ran. She had the swiftness of a swan and the agility of a cheetah, jumping between buildings as Peter and Quaker followed on the ground below. She had grown more comfortable with her new role. Bucky out of all people came up with it and it was rather genius at that. Captain America and the Alchemist.

The region of Amsterdam she was in had been evacuated months ago so she assumed the base was nearing.

She stopped on a peaked roof and swung one leg over, trying to get a better view at the incoming buildings. In an attempt to contact her companions below, she threw a rock at them.

"Hey!" Quaker grumbled, rubbing the spot the rock hit. "What was that for?"

Ally put a finger to her lip, signalling them to be quiet. Peter noticed before Quaker and crouched down. "Running engines?"

"We must be close," Ally grinned, sliding down the roof and landing beside Peter and Quaker. "Notify Steve that we've found it."

These routine missions were beginning to feel less like a 'routine' all the time. Ally had begun to grow rather comfortable with her role as the SSR's shadow but still defy women stereotypes. The complexity of this mission wasn't anything new and with Stark's state of the art equipment, Ally and the Brooklyn Boys were becoming experts.

"I notified Captain Rogers," Peter informed, ducking down as a group of HYDRA planes flew over them. "Now that I can really get a look at it, I see smoke rising in the distance."

Ally rested her hand on the bridge of her nose, which was covered in black war point. "Now we wait."

The world around them was becoming cold. The last few days of Autumn was coming to an end and Winter would be coming. Ally had spent so many Christmases with her family, she wasn't sure what she was going to do this year.

"I see headlights," Ally whispered, blowing into her hands to warm them. "They're here."

The three of them stood up as Captain America and his Howling Commandos arrived in the dead of night. All of them exchanged a quick gratefulness that none of them had been harmed or caught by HYDRA.

Ally wrapped her arms around Bucky and without thinking, planted a tender kiss on his lips. "I'm glad you're safe." as they parted, Ally noticed the dark bruises forming around Bucky's cheek. "What happened?"

"Just a little mix up with some HYDRA agents, I'm fine doll," it was his turn to be concerned, carefully dragging his thumb over a scratch on Ally's forehead. "What's this?"

"Same as you," she breathed. "But I'll be fine."

"I know," Bucky told her. "I'm not sure about me though, maybe you should kiss it better?" Ally smirked, leaning up on her tip-toes to gently kiss his purple bruise.

"Alright, we get it, you're in love," commented Dum Dum. "I'm not sure how much more of this I can take."

"I second that," Piped Gabe. "Can we get the mission done? I'm hungry."