Carousel of Time - An Alternative Bucky Barnes Story

Chapter 2. D-Day Begins (Sexual Content)

The day after the portal failed to appear the Howling Commandos were sent to France as an advance force for D-Day.  Prior to their leaving Dum Dum Dugan had somehow scrounged up some flowers for Kate and waited until Peggy appeared to give them to her.

"The others and I just wanted her to know that we're thinking of her," he said.  "This is a tough break for a nice lady.  Do you know what will happen to her now?"

"No, but Howard Stark is going to put her up at a hotel in London while she deals with her loss," replied Peggy.  "This was very thoughtful, Dum Dum.  Thank you on her behalf."

Bucky had also hung around the tent where Gail was in seclusion.  He had only wanted to tell her how sorry he was but to her he was a reminder of what she had lost and she told Peggy she didn't want to see him at all. 

"I messed up the timeline," she said to Peggy.  "I let him get too close and now I'm lost to James and Steve forever.  I can't forgive myself and seeing him hurts too much."

Peggy came out of the tent to see Bucky and broke the news to him.  She felt sorry for him as it was obvious that unlike all the other women she ever saw him with Gail had touched his heart.  Her grief was felt just as strongly by him.  It took Steve ordering him to get ready to go before he left his vigil outside their tent.  Peggy was also poised to go to France in a couple of days and the word was that the camp would be torn down.  As Peggy disclosed to Dum Dum, Howard offered to put Gail up in a hotel suite in London that would allow Goldy.  She turned him down at first, concerned he was making the offer with strings attached but he made his intent clear.

"I feel like I failed you," he explained. "I couldn't help get you home and now you're trapped here without your family.  It's the least I can do."  Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a piece of paper with an address on it.  "I also asked a trusted source about these sorcerers and I have the address of their London location.  They call it a sanctum and there's one in New York as well.  They're a secretive bunch but apparently are known to certain individuals high up in the government.  Perhaps they can help you determine why the portal didn't work."

Gail agreed to accept his help and he procured a driver for her trip to London.  Before she left he handed her the portfolio containing the Howling Commandos portraits and told her to sell them.  They were hers, after all.  She cried when he advised her that he had opened an account at a London store for her to buy more time appropriate clothing.  Once again she said she couldn't accept but once again he insisted that he wanted only to make sure she was okay.  He and Peggy saw her off and she looked out the back of the vehicle until she couldn't see them anymore.

Upon arrival in London Gail purchased several outfits in the higher end store that Howard opened an account in.  The sales lady helped her pick out two wrap around dresses and a victory suit that would continue to fit as she grew during her pregnancy.  As she tried them on in the change room she could hear the voice of the sales lady that helped her as she spoke to another.

"Looks like Howard Stark got someone in trouble," said the first woman.  "She's in there now trying on some clothes.  Said she lost everything when her house was bombed.  A Yank she is, and a ginger at that.  Wish I had a rich American buying me clothes."

When Gail came out of the change room to say the clothes fit she looked intently at the first woman.

"I lost my British husband and my son," she said.  "Howard Stark has been a gentleman and I don't appreciate being gossiped about as if I were his mistress.  Now, do you also have undergarments for I truly have nothing except what I was wearing when my house was bombed while I was out.  I also need some shoes."

The woman blushed but took Gail over to the ladies undergarments department and told the person that an account had been set up for this widow who lost everything in the last bombing raid.