Out of Time (Book 1)

Teamwork and Travellin'

1944

The first assault the Tac Team went on resulted in the destruction of a Hydra warehouse and fortunately there were no injuries to treat, but Betty checked them over anyway, more for her own reassurance than anything else. She was on pins the entire time they were away and the relief that she felt when they all arrived back at camp was palpable.

It was the depths of winter and there was snow on the ground, making conditions rather miserable. In the main camp, the large barracks tents were equipped with cast iron stoves, and they spent most of their down-time huddled around those, wrapped in their overcoats, hats, and blankets. Steve wasn't as bothered by the cold as the rest of them, his super soldier metabolism making him run hotter than average. Bucky too, seemed not to be as cold, which she thought was a little odd, but never really had time to think too deeply about it. She more than welcomed having her own personal heater.

As they travelled further south, the weather improved a little and the snow melted. Betty was waiting for them to return from another assault, this time to disrupt a supply line, before launching an attack on a major Hydra base. The booming sound of Dugan's laugh signalled the Team's return, so she grabbed her medical kit and went to meet them. Although they were in good spirits, she distinctly saw Dernier wince as he walked.

"Où as-tu mal?" She asked him, looking the small man up and down.

"Ce n'est rien." He replied, waving her off.

"It's not nothing, Jacques. Gabe, what happened?" She asked, knowing that he would be more forthcoming than the Frenchman.

"He put a bomb underneath a transport."

"Ok..."

"While it was moving." Gabe rolled his eyes at the antics of his friend.

"Bordel de merde. On the bed, Jacques, take off your shirt. Enlève ta chemise." Betty ordered.

Sucking his teeth in annoyance, he did as she asked, and Betty sighed at the scrapes and grazes covering his back.

"Ton dos est un putain de gâchis, Jaques." She cleaned them off and covered them in a Stark-developed ointment.

"Emmerdeur, don't do that again." She rolled her eyes and tapped his shoulder, letting him know he was free to go.

She was tidying up after fixing Jacques' back when she felt a pair of arms around her waist and a chin rest on her shoulder.

"Hi Baby" she said, a smile in her voice.

"Hey Doll."

"You OK?"

"Yeah, just needed some love from my best girl." He sighed, looking a little forlorn.

She turned in the circle of his arms and pulled him close.

"Aww Buck, baby," she said, with affectionate sarcasm, rubbing his back and making soothing noises.

Kissing the side of his head, she made to move away but he pretended to whine and wouldn't let her go. Giggling she leant back into him, and he kissed across her jaw towards her mouth. She met his lips with her own, their kisses becoming deeper and more heated, and Bucky tangled his fingers in her hair.

"I didn't know that was part of the service," came an unfamiliar voice from the entrance.

Their heads whipped towards the sound in shock, and they saw one of the cameramen, a salacious grin on his face, pointing his movie camera at them.

"Fuck off!" growled Bucky, throwing a roll of bandages at him. The guy just chuckled and moved away.

"Where were we?" he mumbled in her ear.