The Great War || J.B.B.

4: wounded warriors

We are in the winter months now, snow was lightly falling outside and the underground base was colder than usual. Steve, Bucky and the rest of the Howling Commandos were on a mission to hopefully find and capture the doctor that Schmidt keeps close to him and the mystery girl he's been keeping around. No one still hasn't found out who she is.

While everyone was occupied with helping the men with the mission, I found myself looking more into the girl Steve so desperately wanted to save. Apart from the description we've gotten, there was a file from Norway back in 1942 stating that a girl had been reportedly taken and hasn't been seen since. The name was Lillian Rune. There was no family trying to look for her either, that I could find. It was all strange.

I was so deep into the research that I didn't notice everyone had come back from the mission until Steve showed up in front of my desk. He had a sad look in his eyes. Something was bothering him. He asked if we could go somewhere private so I agreed. And like in the past, once it was just just two alone, he let out all of his emotions and cried into my shoulder.

"Bucky's gone," he said through his sobs. "I tried to save him but-"

He couldn't finish the sentence. There was a huge wave of grief that hit me in the heart. There's no way Bucky died. My gut feeling is that he's still out there somewhere, alive.

"Steve, how can you be so sure? I mean sure, he fell from a high point but what if he's still out there waiting for someone to find him?"

"Rose, it was a five story fall from a mountain. There's no way he survived. But the good news is that we got that doctor. And the girl. Maybe she'll talk."

I didn't want to admit it out loud that Bucky could be gone. He'd think I'm crazy if I denied a "fact" that he was still here on this side of the living. I'm letting it go for now and make my own plan of finding him later.

"Oh, speaking of her. I got a name. Lillian Rune, the Red Skull captured her in Norway back in 1942. And what's strange is that her family is not looking for her. Like they're non-existent. To be honest, I don't think we could trust her."

"What do you mean not to trust her? Rose, the look on her face when she was coming back with us was relief. I'm pretty sure she's grateful for us helping her."

"Steven Grant Rogers. She's been by that man's side for the past three years. Allegiances can change in that amount of time. I should know. I have personal experience in that department."

"You're not even gonna give her a chance? I can't believe you."

"Well believe this, I'm gonna go find Bucky and bring him back. You can't stop me." I'm upset by this point. I could've broken anything fragile in my path.

As I was leaving the base, I saw the girl, Lillian. She had looks that could persuade any person into believing any story she tried to spin to gain anyone's trust. Was I being harsh? Maybe. What I'm focusing on is getting Bucky back.

I was going at this alone, I don't need anyone's help. As I was gathering my things for the solo journey, the childhood picture of Steve and I popped out. I gave our conversation from earlier a second thought. I didn't want him to be mad at me for the rest of our lives. I wrote him a short letter apologizing and telling him not to worry about me, that I was gonna be safe.

I managed to see Peggy before I left and asked her to give the letter to Steve next time she saw him.

"Wait, Grace. We need you here. You can't just leave," she said. The people around us were staring and listening in.

"I'm doing what I feel is right. Please don't stop me. I'm doing this for me and Steve. You just wouldn't understand-"

"If she wants to play the hero, let her, Agent Carter. When she leaves that front door, we are no longer responsible," Phillips said. He had a tray of food for the doctor he was about to interrogate.