Soldier (A Bucky Barnes Fanfiction)

Chapter 10

|Allied Base, Southern Italy|
|Friday, March 24, 1944|

It had been exactly one month since Bucky's death. Adeline, for the most part, got back on her feet. Steve was always good help when he was around. He had changed though. He was always so focused on Hydra. It had turned into his personal goal to eliminate the whole organization. Adeline supposed that she wasn't the same either. She continued to fight for the cause, though it wasn't for the glory or the liberty of the world, it was for her revenge. She loved the feeling whenever she was sent out in the field. Over the past month, she resorted to training as much as she could. It took her mind off of Bucky and Steve when he was gone. She always had the ring on her. Either on her left hand or, when she was working out, on her dog tags. She never quite let herself forget about him.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead as she hit the punching bag again. This base was one of the more permanent ones with the good pillows, the better food and only the occasional rat. Her favorite was the training room. The room was empty, causing the hits and gasps of effort echo off the wall. If she was lucky, she would be able to see Bucky leaning up against the wall, smiling at her.

"Do you ever sleep?" A voice broke Adeline from her concentration. She huffed, stopping the bag from swinging. She looked over to see a young man with dark hair and a groomed moustache.

"No," Adeline said, returning to the punching bag. Howard Stark was the 'brightest mind' in the war. Adeline couldn't deny that he was bright in the sciences, but when it came to leaving Adeline alone, he failed miserably.

"You know, your reflexes and agility don't match up to your stature," he said, walking in further, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his trousers. Adeline punched again, trying to ignore him. "Especially if you haven't been eating or sleeping," he continued. Adeline stopped to look at him. "We've all noticed." She gave Howard a wary look before focusing her gaze back onto the punching bag, raising her wrapped fists, but she didn't punch as Howard's eyes were still on her.

"What are you really here for?" Adeline questioned, dropping her hands to her side.

"Steve went out on another assignment," Howard said. "I figured you could benefit in some sort of companionship."

"Well, thanks, but I'm good. Great actually," Adeline said, not meaning it. "I'd be even better if you had an assignment for me."

"I just ... I figured since he didn't tell you ..."

"Steve never tells me anything anymore," Adeline said bitterly as she sat down, unwrapping her hands. "He's not exactly the same Steve I grew up with in Brooklyn."

"War changes people," Howard said, sitting next to her. "It's changing you."

"You think I haven't noticed?" Adeline asked, tossing the wrappings to the side.

"Then what keeps you here?" Howard asked. "Go home. Have a life of your own."

"That's what ... James wanted me to do," Adeline admitted. Even now, his name still hurt. She played with the ring absentmindedly on her dog tags. "He wanted me to find someone else back in the states. But, he's the only one I loved and I think I ever will love. I should've told him how much he really meant to me." She laughed humorlessly, shaking her head. "It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," Howard insisted. "It's human."

"You know, it's been one month," Adeline reminisced. She figured he knew, but it didn't feel real even as she said it out loud.

"Yeah, and you need some sleep, some warm milk, and a bath, come on," Howard said, standing up, holding out his hand for her to take. She accepted it and they walked out of the training room. She couldn't help but see a bit of Bucky in him.