1941 {Bucky Barnes x OC}

29.

I look around for the nearest Humvee then speed off.  There's only one pilot dense enough, yet bold enough to take civilians over enemy territory.

I drive quickly to where I know I'll find their Pilot and sure enough they're loading up the small plane. Peggy sees me and puts her head down quickly, knowing I'm fuelled with anger. Steve spots me and his expression drops in disappointment. Howard looks at me and glares.

"Why are you here?" He asks me with distaste.

"Why are you the ring leader of something so incredibly dumb?" I ask back.

"Betty, I was trying to protect you." Steve sighs. "I don't want you at risk. Buck would kill me if anything happened to you."

"You," I point at Steve "...are a super soldier. While I think your plan is not very bright and I'm worried about you, I know you'll survive most anything. I'm more concerned about my two other friends who are very much human."

"We'll be fine." Peggy assures.

Howard walks over and takes my hand before dragging me out of earshot of Peggy and Steve. "You cannot be here."

"Me? What about you? About to fly over god damn Nazi Germany." I flick the side of his head. "On top of the fact that none of you mentioned it to me."

"Hey! They were at the base with you. Not me." He groans.

"You're the dummy flying the plane. You're my best friend. I don't care what it takes, before you put your life at risk like this, you tell me!" I scold.

"I'm sorry Elle." He looks down at our hands, still connected and sighs, his depressed attitude giving me access to his mind. I wanted to be her hero.

I sigh and hug him, my frustration faltering with him. "Howard, I love that you are so good to me. I don't want you to think I take that for granted for even a second. I just hate the thought of you doing something for me without telling me and then I never hear from you again because something happened."

"All I want is to keep you safe Ellie."

"I'd settle for being kept in the loop." I smile at him before we walk back over to our friends. "So what's our plan?" I ask.

"No chance Betty." Steve shakes his head.

"Don't even try Steve." I scowl at him.

"He's right Ellie. You're not coming along and being even more at risk." Howard agrees. "I will always protect you any way I can and the best way to keep you safe is to keep you hidden."

I look to Peggy and she nods. "Elizabeth, James would not be pleased about this."

"Wouldn't the best way to protect me keeping me with you? They're already after me. That's why James was captured. A moving target is a hell of a lot more difficult to hit than a stationary one. I will not sit on the sidelines." I tell them.

A moment of silence lingers in the room. Each of their thoughts chaotic as they all try to come up with different plans to get me to stay before realizing they won't be able to fight me on it.

"Betty please think about this..." Steve sighs.

"Steven, I trained you." I tell him. "Do you really think you can take me?"

"I just need to prepare some things before take off." Howard says before ducking into the plane for a few minutes while I scold Steve for vanishing on me.