Finding Love in France (Alternate Version)

Part 25: Mess Hall

When the women arrived at the mess hall, Steve, Bucky, and Howard were already eating.

"Nice of you to wait for us, boys." Peggy laughed. "Mila, come with me, I'll show you where the trays are."

Bucky's eyes were glued to Mila as the women walked away. "What's her deal again, Steve?" He asked between bites. "She's a doctor, right?"

"Trauma surgeon, actually, which was lucky for me." Steve laughed. "But she can do all that other stuff, too. She even delivered a baby in the town we were in. She's really smart."

"She better be, I'm about to offer her a job!" Stark chuckled. "She helped make you, big guy, she's gotta be pretty bright."

"Wait, she worked on the serum? I don't follow." Bucky was still staring in her direction. "How'd she do that from Germany?"

"She worked with Erskine before we got him, kid." Stark chimed in. "She's a big part of the reason this guy's like this, if dear old Abe Erskine wasn't pulling my leg."

"What did he tell you, Howard?" Steve was curious. "You might know almost as much about her as I do."

"Well, I know she was his protege, she figured out how to make you see better, run faster, and take a couple of bullets without croaking." Stark reported. "He tried to get her to come along when I finally convinced him to leave Germany, but she wouldn't leave her family...and we know how that turned out."

"What happened to her family?" Bucky asked, confused.

"Buck, her family died in the camps..." Steve tried to explain. "She spent a couple of years in one, too."

"Camps? Like Hydra?" Bucky was getting nervous again at the thought of what happened to him.

"No, kid, the big camps, the death camps." Stark put a hand on Bucky's shoulder. "The ones you guys try not to believe are real..."

"Jesus...how did she get out?" Bucky was stunned. "Nobody makes it out of those places."

"She escaped and made it to France, where she joined the French Resistance, which is how she saved me." Steve sighed. "She's been through a lot, Buck. Give her a chance."

The women came back with their trays. Peggy sat across from Steve, while Mila sat across from Bucky. She was avoiding making eye contact with anyone.

"Hey, Doc, don't worry, you get used to the food!" Stark joked. "But if you come work for me, you might be able to grab a bite off base once in a while..."

Mila's head snapped up. "Mr. Stark, are you offering me a job?"

"I do believe I am, Doc!" He chuckled. "What say you, Dr. Abrams?" He raised an eyebrow at her, smirking.

"When can I start?" She asked, eager to have something to take her mind off things. "Where's the lab?"

Stark laughed. "The lab is right here, on base. Accommodations courtesy of the U.S. Army, Doc. You can start tomorrow if you want." He elbowed Steve. "We got a deal?"

Mila stuck out her hand to shake on it. "We certainly do."