Eunoia [Bucky Barnes]

chapter 7

Ava gave Steve a couple of hours by himself before walking around the camp, trying to find her friend. The rain had started again, making Ava wipe the drops off her face as she ducked through tents whilst on the look. She was about to give up when she noticed him sitting on the ground, sketching in a notepad. She smiled slightly before seeing Peggy walking to join the man. Ava knelt down in the background, it now being her turn to support Steve the same way he'd done for her and Bucky.

"Hello, Steve." Peggy spoke quietly, making Steve turn his head to see the agent standing behind him. He almost took a double take, not realising she was also here in Italy.

"Hi." Steve said enthusiastically, now fully turned to speak to the girl.

"Hi." Peggy repeated, before moving to sit beside Steve.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned her, looking confused.

"Well, officially I'm not here at all. That was quite a performance." Peggy told Steve, bringing back memories of the disaster that had happened hours before.

"Yeah. Uh.. had to improvise a little bit. The crowds I'm used to are usually a little more, uh.. twelve." Steve trailed off as he tried desperately to think of a nicer way to compare the polar opposite reaction he had had back home.

"Well, I understand you're 'America's New Hope'?" Peggy enquired, trying to take his mind away from the thoughts he was having.

"Bond sales take a ten percent bump in every state I visit." Steve answered while looking straight ahead at the war vehicles in front of him.

"Is that Senator Brandt I hear?" Peggy smirked a little.

"At least he's got me doin' this. Phillips would have had me stuck in a lab." Steve just said solemnly.

"And these are your only two options? A lab rat or a dancing monkey? You were meant for more than this, you know?" Peggy pushed him to believe in himself and 'Captain America' a bit more. Steve opened his mouth to reply to her before hesitating and pausing once again. "What?"

"You know for the longest time I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines. Serving my country. I finally get everything I wanted.. and I'm wearing tights." Steve almost joked as he glanced around at the camp he was in. Peggy was about to say something before a loud beeping sound alerted them of an ambulance arriving. This also caught the attention of Ava, who turned completely to watch what was happening. "They look like they've been through hell." Steve added, looking as a man was hoisted out of the van.

"These men more than most. 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. The rest were killed or captured." Peggy replied quietly. At the mention of the battalion, both Ava and Steve now stared right at her. Ava bolted up from her hiding spot and ran to stand in front of the other two.

"The 107th?" She asked Peggy, not looking at Steve's shocked face when he noticed she'd been spying on them.

"What?" Peggy answered her as confusion grew on her face. Ava didn't waste a second as she grabbed onto Steve's arm and began dragging him toward the largest tent.

"Come on!" She heard Steve shout out to Peggy as the agent started jogging after the pair with a cover over her head to keep herself dry. "Colonel Phillips!" Steve called out to the man as they ducked under the material to gain access to the tent.

"Well, if it isn't the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan.. and his assistant." Phillips added, glancing at Ava before turning back to the super soldier. "And what is your plan today?"