Love and War

Captain America

   It only took a few days to get back to the 107th camp. Mostly cause I insisted on walking and only rested for five minutes at a time.
   We stopped outside the gates. The soldier guarding them looked up.
   "Well I'll be damned its Private Rogers." He said. I nodded.
   "Please let us in sir it's urgent."
    "Well sure we all thought you were dead." He said pushing the button to open the gates. They swung open. I marched threw them. I handed John Filch to Quincy and Ryan.
   "Take him to the infirmary." I ordered. They grumbled a bit but complied. It was good to not have to carry him anymore I have to admit.
The troops were gathered around a stage set up in the camp. They were all from the 107th my division. There weren't many of them. At least some of the 107th escaped.
There were girls dancing around on the stage singing something about war bonds. But no Captain America. He should be here though. I saw advertisements about it. I easily snuck back stage. I found a man in a spangly outfit sitting talking to a pretty woman with dark brown hair and eyes. She was clearly a trainer. I could tell by her uniform.
She gave me a puzzled look. The man seemed to notice her confusion and looked at me as well. My jaw dropped when I realized who it was.
It was Steve. My little brother. Who was now super muscular and a good head taller than me.
"Steve?" I asked amazed.
"Katie?" He asked just as surprised. I ran up to him and hugged him. It was weird that he was bigger than me now. But I didn't really care at least I had my brother. The drill director looked a little crest fallen.
  "What is going on?" The woman asked.
   "This Peggy is my sister Katie, Katie this is Agent Peggy Carter." Steve explained.
  I nodded at Peggy. "Nice to meet you." I said.  I turned back to Steve, "what the he'll happened to you?" I demanded.
"The night you and Bucky left I got recruited by a man named Dr. Askin. He was doing a super solider thing and he picked me to do it. So now I'm a super soldier but when Askin was killed by HYDRA my choices weren't battle and glory it was lab rat or dancing monkey." Steve explained.
  I cringed, "and you chose dancing monkey?"
  "Not voluntarily."
  "I guess I can't blame you I've been made into a lab rat myself. HYDRA injected stuff into me but I have no clue what it does." I explained my side, "so you can fight?"
  Steve grinned stupidly "I'm a double threat Captain America the dancing monkey and I can fight."
   Steve's smile faded, "so HYDRA treated you like dirt huh?"
  I nodded. "Yes but other men have gotten worse than me including Bucky." I fought to choke back tears.
  Steve's expression hardened. "I'll kill them all." 
I composed myself.
"Steve the rest of the 107th is in trouble they're trapped at a HYDRA base. A base I just escaped from Bucky is there too." I said urgently.
  "Is Bucky alive?" Steve asked.
"As far as I know." I replied.
  "Let's get on it then." Steve jumped up. Peggy held a jacket over her head for it started raining cats and dogs.
  "What's going on?" She asked.
   "You'll see." Steve assured her. I followed Steve to the Colonel's tent. Steve marched right in.
  "Well if it isn't the star spangled man with a plan what is your plan today?"A familiar voice droned when we walked in. It was Colonel Philips. He looked genuinely surprised to see me. "Private Rogers!" He exclaimed.
  "Thought you were dead." He added to clear up my confusion.
  "That's it you think all of the 107th is dead?" I exclaimed angrily.
  "Pretty much." Colonel Philips admitted.
  "Well they aren't." I spat.
"Do you have a rescue plan?" Steve asked ignoring my outburst.
Philips looked up at him annoyance was written across his face like usual.
"Yes, it's called winning the war." He shot back.
"Sir if we know the location of the base why not do something?" Steve pressed.
"That's a suicide mission we'd be losing more men than we'd save our best bet is winning the war." Philips replied.
His response made my blood boil. "So that's it? We know this won't be easy yes it's a suicide mission but I'm willing to take my chances. Were the American army when things get tough we don't just cower behind our desks." I spat.
  Philips looked to agent Carter, "you and I are going to have a talk later that you won't enjoy." He said.
"What? Most of the 107th is alive in that base!" I yelled, "you mean to tell me that when my division didn't come marching back immediately you just assumed we were all goners?"
"We had strong reason to believe that."
"This is ridiculous! I order a rescue mission now!" I yelled.
"Something tells me that you don't want to do this just cause it's the right thing to do." Philips said calmly.
I lowered my gaze a little. Thoughts of Bucky still in that cell rose to the front of my brain. I choked back tears again.
"Listen you two don't run things around here." Philips reminded us.
"Sir we just need one name Sergeant James Barnes from the 107th." Steve interrupted. It killed me hearing Bucky's name.
Philips looked even more frustrated and annoyed.
  "Please sir just one name B-A-R" Steve tried again.
  "I can spell." Philips snapped.
Things went silent a moment. Philips got up. He sifted through papers.
  "I've signed more of these condolence letters I could care to count."
  "Wouldn't have too if you weren't faithless." I muttered.
  Philips ignored this and continued.
  "But the name does sound familiar," he looked over at us mainly at me," I'm sorry."
  Hot tears threatened to spill from my eyes. "No! No! He's alive!" I shrieked.
  "I saw him just a few days ago!" I continued to cry.
  Steve wrapped me in a hug attempting to calm me.
  "You thought I was dead! He's still out there! Please! Please!" I screamed.
  Philips said nothing he just gave me a sad look.
  "Sir," Steve pleaded.
Philips held up his hand. "I told you we'll handle this just not the way you want. Now it's my understanding you have somewhere to be in half an hour Rogers?"
  Steve nodded. "I understand."
  "Great now go understand somewhere else and lady Rogers you might want to go to the infirmary you look terrible.

Steve led me out of the tent.
  "Were not giving up are we Steve?" I asked regaining my composure.
  "Now why would you think that?" He asked. Steve started loading things in a jeep. I started to get in as well.
   "You two can't be serious!" Agent Carter exclaimed, "you'll get killed! You have no strategy!"
  Me and Steve ignored her and continued on.
  "What are you going to do walk to Austria?" She exclaimed.
  "If that's what it takes." I told her.
  "Did you mean it?" Steve asked, "that you think I was made for more than just being a monkey in a spangly outfit?"
  Agent Carter nodded, "every word."
   "Then you have to let us do this." Steve said sternly.
  Agent Carter looked at me, "you're an inspiration you know. You're friend Lizzie Atwell looks up to you. I'd think you'd have more sense than your brother though. But clearly you're both thick headed and too brave for your good."
  "Do me a favor, tell Agent Atwell I say hi?" I asked.
  Agent Carter nodded, "of course but I think I can do more than just let you go."
  Steve gave me a questioning look, "who is Agent Atwell?"
  "A friend, I'd hook ya up if I didn't know about Carter." I teased.