✔𝚨 𝚸𝛐𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 ➳ 𝚩𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝚩𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬

Chapter 14

With Steve in the lead, they made the thirty-mile trek back towards the base, and Melora was slightly fearful of what might await her when she returned. Surely the Colonel could not be too angry as she had brought back the men, but she had still disobeyed.

"Did you ever get to finish that book?" Bucky asked her as morning arrived and the conversation of Dugan and Montgomery no longer interested them. Gabe and Dernier were speaking in French, so no chance of butting in on that.

"The Hobbit?" She asked, looking up at him, and he nodded with that everlasting kind smile on his lips. Melora sheepishly shook her head in slight disbelief. He did not need to do anything else than send her that smile for her cheeks to flush.

"Yeah, that one," he grinned, seeing her cheeks reddening as he nudged her slightly, their hands still intertwined.

"I did – it was better than I expected, amazing use of the language," she said, sheepishly smiling down at her feet.

"Tolkien has a way of creating a magical land, and I gotta admit, even if it's meant for kids, I really like it," he spoke, eyes slowly filling with light as the sun rose around them. "What do you think of how lucky Bilbo is?"

"Oh," she said, a little confused by the question. "It's not what I first thought of, but I suppose luck is the key to everything..."

"I think it creates a nice parallel to the real world," he chuckled and shook his head as if being ridiculous, but she thought the opposite, watching him as his hair swung freely from side to side.

Bad luck was the only reason that he was here, shit getting thrown at him over and over again while all he could do was try to make the best of it. All he could do was wait and try to see what he could make of something so awful getting thrown at him.

Melora squeezed his hand, trying to comfort him in the only way she could for the time being. There was no doubt in her mind, he would hate it if she attempted to coddle him right now, but there would be no chance of her doing that anyway because of the men behind them.

"Well, your bad luck made sure you were here with me," she smiled, giggling a little to herself and from her feet, she looked back up at him.

There was a newfound glow in his eyes, no longer the slate and teal she was used to. In his blue eyes, a softness had risen, the warmest hues of orange, sweet threads of caramel expanding from his pupils, infinite hues illuminated by the sunrise.

"God, you look beautiful when you blush. It always makes your eyes shine," he spoke with a voice laced in soft clouds, watching nothing but her as she quickly glanced away from him. Melora still felt the embarrassment, she could not help it really.

"Shut up, Buck," she grumbled, not coming off the way she wanted, and he let out a hearty laugh.

"Just telling the truth, Angel," he said with a wink as they came up the hill towards the camp.

The weather had turned slightly, no longer as cold, and the rain had stopped as well. A large group was in the midst of gathering in front of the gate to the base, soldiers staring at them as the men presumed deceased returned from the dead.

Melora instantly spotted the Colonel out and about, standing ready to most likely yell at them as they entered the camp. The gate was opened as the surprise etched into their faces, not quite believing what they were seeing while the tank rolled forward.

She continued after Steve, not wanting him to be alone with whatever Phillips had planned for them, but she was not alone in her decision. Bucky, stayed by her side, of course, but Dugan, Gabe, Montgomery and Dernier did not budge either.