Steve Rogers went back to the past to reconnect with his true love, Peggy Carter. That's what everyone in 2023 thought. The truth is he went back to right a wrong, several of them in fact. He went back to save his friend, James Buchanan "Bucky" B...
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There's a lot going on in this chapter as they reach a turning point in the fight. Content warning: Description of an execution by firing squad.
Throughout the rest of May, June, and into July the two squads continued to attack HYDRA bases. Some had been openly built, openly displaying HYDRA's tentacled beast, in a blatant attempt to impress upon the local population that they were now under the control of the organization. The attacks on those bases were satisfying as many of the locals had been coerced into almost slave labour. Propaganda leaflets encouraging the locals into revealing the locations of HYDRA facilities had allowed the Commandos and the Patrol to find them as they used partisans to infiltrate the areas and pass on the information shared with them. Once the locals realized that their deliverance was at hand they joined in the fight, with an anger that proved people were done with the authoritarian movement.
Still, for as many places as they destroyed, they received reports of more and it stretched the two squads to their limits. After just returning to Frankfurt for a few days respite where Bucky had a chance to catch up with Gladdie's letters, learning that he was going to be a father, they received a radio report from a partisan group in the Balkans of a suspected HYDRA lab, with some of their own people kept as prisoners. Wearily, the two squads regrouped and flew out, landing at a partisan controlled landing strip. When they exited the aircraft, a large truck was waiting to transport them to a secure location where they could launch their mission from. It was a rough drive, and they were bounced around a lot. Although, most of the crew handled it, Peggy had issues and admitted to feeling nauseous. Once they arrived at their destination, she seemed better and insisted she was fine.
A plan was drawn up with the partisans, and the decision was made to advance on the lab well before sunrise. After eating some of the rations they brought with them, and checking their weapons, everyone took the opportunity to grab some sleep. Steve staked out a corner for him and Peggy, letting her rest her head on his shoulder, while he covered them both up with a blanket. With it being cool in the mountainous area she was thankful for the warmth radiating from his body.
Their sleep didn't last long as they were all shaken awake by the sound of a HYDRA tank cannon round hitting the building they were in. As well trained as they were there was still an element of chaos for a few moments as people woke up, finding themselves caught under rubble. The various super soldiers, except for Steve, were the first to make their way out, literally pushing their way out of the debris, then diving back in and pulling chunks of the building off their comrades. Steve, who automatically protected Peggy with his body, couldn't move without a large piece of the building falling on her.
"It's okay, I'm not going anywhere," he told her, as she tried to focus on him, seeming dazed.
It was then, when he moved his hand from behind her and saw the blood on it that he began yelling for help. Grant and Bucky followed his voice and while one of them held up the side of the building the other removed the large piece that trapped the couple and helped them out. Carrying Peggy in his arms, Steve brought her to an open area and started pulling her clothes off of her back to check the wound. By this time, she was fading, and he desperately spoke to her.
