An Epitaph to War

08

While waiting for Steve, Bucky drank and sat alone in his thoughts.

What had been done to him? Where was his wife? Was she alive? Was she dead? He could only hope that she was still alive and fighting with everything she had.

Steve watched his friend for a moment, then joined him as people sang There's a Tavern in Town.

"See, I told you," Bucky said. "They're all idiots."

"How about you?" Steve asked. "You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?"

"Hell, no. That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I'm following him. But you're keeping the outfit, right?"

"You know what? It's kind of growing on me."

The singing in the bar ceased as Peggy, in a tight-fitting, deep-red dress, walked in. "Captain."

"Agent Carter," Steve said.

"Ma'am," Bucky greeted.

"Howard has some equipment for you to try," Peggy told Steve. "Tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds good," Steve replied.

"I see your top squad is prepping for duty."

"You don't like music?" Bucky asked.

"I do, actually," Peggy answered. "I might even, when all this is over, go dancing."

"Then what are we waiting for?" He would've much rather preferred to dance with Liesl, but he supposed she'd forgive him for dancing with someone else.

"The right partner. 0800, Captain."

"Yes, ma'am," Steve said. "I'll be there."

Bucky, referring to the rejection he got from Peggy about going dancing with him, said, "I'm invisible. I'm... I'm turning into you. It's like some horrible dream."

"Don't take it so hard. I know you miss her."

"That obvious, huh?"

"Buck, I'm sure she's alive. She's survived a lot."

"I hope she is. But not knowing if she is or not is much worse than the confirmation."

"I know."

He walked back to the bar and sat once again. Whatever had been done to him prevented him from getting drunk. And that was all he wanted to do in the current moment.

How cruel life was.

---

The next morning, Steve entered a base and noticed a blonde woman. "Excuse me. I'm looking for Mr. Stark."

"He's in with for Colonel Phillips," the woman, Lorraine, replied absentmindedly turning to look at Steve. She smiled. "Of course, you're welcome to wait." She held up a newspaper which showed the article about Steve saving the little boy. "I read about what you did."

Steve leaned against a table awkwardly. "Oh, the... Yeah. Well, that's, you know. Just doing what needed to be done."

Lorraine stood. "Sounded like more than that. You saved nearly 400 men."

"Really, it's not a big deal." He clasped his hands, resting them in front of him.

Lorraine walked towards him. "Tell that to their wives."

"I don't think they were married."

She smirked. "You're a hero."

"Well, that depends on the definition, really." He really wished she'd back away, as she was making him uncomfortable.

"The women of America, they owe you their thanks. And seeing as they're not here..." She pulled him behind a bookcase and started kissing him.

"Captain!" Peggy called. "We're ready for you, if you're not otherwise occupied."

"Agent Carter, wait," Steve said.

"Peggy that's not what you thought it was."

"Then what was it?"

"What about you and Stark? How do I know you two haven't been fondue-ing?"

"You still don't know a bloody thing about women." She walked away.

"Fondue is just cheese and bread, my friend," Howard told him.

"Really? I didn't think..." Steve trailed.

"Nor should you, pal. The moment you think you know what's going on in a woman's head is the moment your goose is well and truly cooked. Me, I concentrate on work, which at the moment you and your men do not get killed."

Howard held up a shield. "Carbon polymer. Should withstand your average German bayonet. Although, HYDRA's not going to attack you with a pocket knife." He gestured to Steve's shield. "I hear you're kind of attached."

"It's handier than you might think," Steve said.

"I took the liberty of coming up with some options." He lifted one up. "This one's fun. She's been fitted with electrical relays that allow you to..."

Steve noticed a circular shield and picked it up. "What about this one?"

"No, no, that's just a prototype."

"What's it made of?"

"Vibranium. It's stronger than steel and a third of the weight. It's completely vibration absorbent."

"How come it's not standard issue?"

"That's the rarest metal on Earth. What you're holding there, that's all we've got."

Peggy walked up and asked, "You quite finished, Mr. Stark? I'm sure the Captain has some unfinished business."

Steve held up the shield. "What do you think?"

Peggy, still angry with what had happened between Steve and Lorraine, picked up a gun and shot the shield. Steve held it up for fear the angry agent would shoot him.

"Yes," Peggy said. "I think it works."

Steve lowered the shield and stared at her with wide eyes.

Peggy walked away.

Steve moved closer to Howard and handed him a paper. "I had some ideas about the uniform."

Howard took the paper. "Whatever you want, pal."