Finding Love in France

Part 41: Out of Commission

Back at the infirmary, the splint came off and the fracture was confirmed on x-ray. Mila insisted on setting and casting him herself, as the staff had so many others to work on, some in pretty bad shape. The medics were happy for the help and left her to it.

"Did I miss anything else while I was gone, Mils? I thought you were only allowed in here as a volunteer until you take your tests?" Bucky asked as she was cleaning up his leg.

"My international board exams start next week, actually." She was trying to hide her disgust at how filthy he was. "Apparently, once I pass those, I can get my medical license here in England, then apply for one in the States." She smiled. "The infirmary is running short, so they'll take all the help they can get."

"You'll be running this place in no time, Doc!" He was trying not to wince as she worked on him. "Are you sure you're up to working?" He beamed at her and nodded towards her stomach.

"My darling, women have been having children forever. Are you going to be this concerned the entire time?" She laughed at him. "Other than the vomiting, I am absolutely fine. Nothing to worry about. Now please, try to hold still, you are fidgeting!"

"Can't help it, Mils! It's so exciting!" He bolted upright when she got closer to the fracture. "Shit! Sorry!"

"Have you had anything for pain? Let me get you something before I set the bone." She got up and he grabbed her hand to pull her back.

"I can take it, Mils. Just don't leave, okay?" His fear was palpable. "Please don't leave." The weeks of exhaustion and stress were catching up with him.

"My love, I will leave the curtain open so you can see me walk down the hall, alright?" She kissed his hand and pulled out of his grip. "I promise to come right back."

She was gone less than 10 minutes. When she returned, he was almost asleep. "Get some rest, my darling. Here..." she injected him with some pain killers and got down to casting his leg. He was fighting to keep his eyes open to watch her, but eventually succumbed. "Thank you for coming back to me, James." She murmured and finished up the leg.

He woke up to find her asleep in a chair next to him. He smiled and tried to shift around in bed without waking her. He failed, as the hard plaster cast banged against the metal bed rail. "Damn it! Sorry, Mils...just gonna use the bathroom."

"Here, let me help you..." she yawned and handed over his crutches. "How are you feeling?" She helped him steady himself and take a few steps.

"All things considered, pretty damn good" He kissed her cheek. "Can I please use the facilities now?" He smiled and hobbled another few steps.

"As long as you don't fall asleep in there!" She laughed and sat back down. When he returned, she wanted to hear all about the mission.

"You know I can't really talk about it, Mils. But I can tell you how this happened..." he pointed at his leg. "You're gonna get a kick out of it, really!"

She laughed and helped him back to bed. "Tell me, Sergeant Barnes, who robbed me of the honor of breaking your leg!"

He was trying to get comfortable in the bed when he realized how dirty he was, there were smudges on the sheets where he had been. "Wow, that's gross..." as he settled in. "If I'm good, will you give me a bed bath?" He winked at her. She slapped his arm and he started the story. "So, we were coming back from finally getting the intel we'd been sent for, when one of the guys thought he saw something. We took cover, but it turned out to be a bunch of damn deer!" He was laughing. "So we get back to it, cracking up and messing around, and I wasn't paying attention." He looked around sheepishly. "I tripped on Steve's giant feet and fell in a ravine..." He laughed hysterically. "You should've seen him! He thought he killed me by the look on his face!" Tears were clearing paths through the grime on his face as he laughed. "That big jerk carried me on his back like a kid, he felt so bad!"

Mila laughed a little, but didn't find it nearly as funny as he did. "Did he have to carry you the rest of the mission?"

"Luckily, this just happened yesterday, so he got off easy!" He was still laughing so hard he was red. "Can you imagine if he had to cart me around like that for an entire month?!"

"Well, my love, I had the pleasure of carrying you once for nearly 20 kilometers, so, yes, I can imagine that..." she chuckled.

As if on cue, Peggy and Steve stepped into the room with meal trays. "Mind if we join you?" Peggy asked as she pulled up a chair.

"Not at all! In fact, I was just telling Mila how I got into this predicament, Steve!" Bucky laughed at his clearly embarrassed friend.

"Oh? I thought you fell in a ditch?" Peggy inquired.

"Yeah, after I tripped on this guy's enormous feet!" Bucky was back in hysterics.

"Sorry, Steve, he's had some pain killers..." Mila tried to ease his guilt. "Everyone else alright?"

"Thankfully, yes. Some of the guys were a little touch and go, but at last check, everyone is listed as stable..." Steve sighed. "...even this punk." He sneered jokingly at Bucky.

As they sat down to eat, Peggy was all questions for Mila. "How are you feeling? Are you still working? When are you due?"

Mila laughed and said "I'm fine, I'm working, and June, thank you." She turned the conversation back to them. "When are we all going to be able to make any plans? Are you guys ready to finish this thing yet?"

Peggy sighed. "We're getting there. After this next mission, we should be much closer." She winked at Mila. "Fortunately for you, Bucky is out of commission for that one."