Out of Time (Book 1)

Holidays and Heartbreak

A/N: Yeah, we all knew this had to come and I'm so sorry...

Almost a week had passed for the Team and, whilst they waited for intel about their next mission, they settled into life in the chalet more than any other place they'd been before.  Steve spent most of his time during the day with the other officers, planning and strategizing, often accompanied by Bucky and Dugan.  The guys, being so grateful for Marghi's hospitality, made sure that the wood pile outside was always full and that any repairs around the chalet were done for her.

Betty, having sorted through her equipment and replenished her stores from the regiment's medics, started on mending their uniforms, patching holes, and repairing seams.  She'd go to the market with Marghi and help her around the kitchen, the language barrier becoming less and less apparent as the Team became more familiar with the darling old woman.  She could tell that the entire Team was starting to relax, Steve was more animated and the banter that the group shared was easier and less sniping.  Being able to spend nights in a proper bed with her husband was the icing on the cake.  It was the happiest Betty had been in a long time.

The two women struggled through the door of the chalet with their parcels from the market.  It was a chore keeping five men and super soldier fed.  Monty and Dernier jumped up from where they had been sitting at the dining table to help them.

"Danke, danke," nodded Marghi, smiling at them.

They put the groceries in the kitchen and Betty wandered over to the group surrounding the table.  Steve was perched on the edge, leaning over a map.  He had his compass out, the picture of Peggy on view, and was heads-together with Bucky, who was emphatically pointing to a spot on the map.  Gabe and Morita were across the table, poring over a sheaf of papers, feeding bunches of numbers to Steve and Bucky.  Betty sighed heavily.  It looked like their bubble had finally burst.

"Hey guys, I take it the intel has come through?"  Betty asked, a little sadly.

"Yeah, they're packing up a train.  Looks like they're gonna run."  Steve supplied.

"Best get to it then boys.  Am I stayin' here, or do you need me closer to the action?"

"It's probably better if you stay here Bets, it's a quick extract-and-destroy.  We shouldn't need med support."

"OK."  Betty nodded.

Dugan burst through the door, stamping snow off his boots.

"Transport's organised fellas.  2100hrs."  He boomed.

"You're goin' tonight?"  Betty asked.

"Yeah, if we travel overnight, we can be set up for the ambush tomorrow morning." Steve said.

"Well let's make sure we have a good dinner tonight then."  Betty smiled, trying to make the best of the situation, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. 

She went over to one of the large chairs in the corner and tried to distract herself by darning the hole in someone's sock, she didn't even know whose, but she had one ear on the conversation that continued around the table.

"Run us through the play then Cap?" Dugan asked.

"OK.  We set up the zipwire across the track, Morita and Gabe are on comms, Monty's on watch for the train.  Frenchie gives the signal and Me, Buck, and Gabe slide down to the train.  It's gonna be tight for time but we'll manage it.  We'll move along the train, Buck and I will enter the back, Gabe further forward.  We can corner Zola and extract, job done."

"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?!"  Betty exclaimed, rising from her seat, and stalking towards the table.  "You're goin' to zipwire onto a movin' train?  Have you forgotten that only one of you is a super soldier?!"  She felt anger bubble through her.