Helena Stark: A WWII Widow

chapter eight: Captain

"Looks like they've been through hell." He said as he looked at the men.

"These men move the most. Schmidt sent out a force to a zone. Less than fifty returned. Your audience contained what was left of the 107th. The rest were killed or captured." I said sadly.

"The 107th?" Steve questioned, I nodded and he jumped up and started to walk away.

"What?" I asked confused as I started to follow him.

"Come on." He prompted as he found the Colonel. "Colonel Phillips."

"Well if it isn't the Star Spangled Man with the plan. What is your plan today?" Phillips asked, glancing up for maybe a second. A moment later Peggy joined us looking confused.

"Helena? Why are you soaking wet? I told you to stay out of the rain, you're still sick." She chided as I waved her off.

"I need the casualty list from Bolzano," Steve asked.

"You don't get to give me orders, son."

"I just need one name. Sergeant James Barnes from the 107th."

Phillips glanced at myself and Peggy with a glare. "You and I are going to have a conversation later that you won't enjoy."

"Please tell me he's alive, sir. B-A-R..."

"I can spell." Phillips snapped. "I've signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But, the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry."

"What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, it's called winning the war," Phillips answered.

"But if you know where they are, why not..."

"They're thirty miles behind the lines. Through some of the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We'd lose more men than we'd save. I don't expect you to understand that, because you're a chorus girl." Colonel Phillips said making me roll my eyes.

"I think I understand just fine," Steve said with a cold look.

"Well then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you've got someplace to be in thirty minutes."

"Yes, sir. I do." Steve said before storming out.

Peggy and I shared a look as she ran after him, but I opened my mouth to say something to Phillips. "If you have something to say, right now is the perfect time to keep it to yourself." I gave him a glare as I ran out to follow Peggy who was standing in front of Steve like a wall.

"What do plan to do, walk to Austria?" I asked as he moved past Peggy and started to speed walk.

"If that's what it takes," Steve answered as we followed him.

"You heard the Colonel, your friend is most likely dead," Peggy said trying to stop him, but it obviously didn't work.

"You don't know that." Steve and I said together as I gave Peggy a look.

"Even so, he's devising a strategy, it takes time." Peggy tried.

"By the time he's done that, it could be too late," Steve said.

"Steve," I said grabbing his shoulder.

"You told me you thought I was meant for more than this," Steve said. "Did you mean that?"

"Every word," I replied without hesitation.

"Then you gotta let me go," Steve said as he found a jeep and jumped in.

Peggy gave me a nudge as I put my hand on the wheel. "I can do more than that."

~*~

"The Hydra camp is in Krossberg. It's up between these two mountain ranges. It's a factory of some kind." I explained to Steve.

"We should be able to drop you and Helena around the doorstep," Peggy said.

"Helena isn't coming with me," Steve said.

"You need someone to get you in and out, and who understands HYDRA's facilities and weapons. I'm the only person who does and is trained." I told him.

Steve glared at me, "you're not coming."

"See! Someone agrees with me!" Howard shouted from the front.

"Be quiet Howie!" I shouted back.

"Don't call me that!"

"I will call whatever I want Howie!"

"Helena!"

"Howard!"

"You should listen to him!"

"You can't order me around!"

"Helena Anne Winifred Stark!" Howard shouted annoyed as I went over and smacked him.

"What have I told you about using my full name Howard Anthony Walter Stark," I said in a deadly tone, which got him to shut up, I turned to Steve who also looked at me slight fear. "And you are not arguing with me Captain Rogers, or I will not let you leave."

"Just get us as close as you can," Steve said, not daring to argue with me. "You know you two are going to be in a lot of trouble when you land."

"And you won't," Peggy responded.

"Where I'm going if any anybody, yells at me I can just shoot them," Steve said simply.

"And they will undoubtedly shoot back, so please don't get hit," I said.

"Well, let's hope this is good for something," Steve said as he held up his shield that he uses for the stage performances.

"I have put my life in the hands of a super soldier showboy and a shield, my daughter is going to laugh a lot when I tell her." I muttered as Howard turned around giving me an 'I told you so look'. "Don't be cocky Howard."

"Agent Carter. If you're not in too much of a hurry I thought we could stop off in Usurea for a late night Fondue." Howard said as he ignored me.

"Stark is the best civilian pilot I've ever seen. He's mad enough to brave this airspace. We're lucky to have him." Peggy said ignoring Howard.

"The only thing he's better at than me," I said lightly.

"That's a lie!"

"Oh shut up Howie!"

"So you two?" Steve asked Peggy. "Do you? Fondue?"

"I did not need that mental image..." I whispered as Peggy plowed on.

"This is your transponder, active it when you're ready. And the signal will lead us straight to you." Peggy said as she handed it to Steve, I have a bad habit of losing small objects.

"Are you sure this thing works?" Steve asked, not convinced.

"It tested more than you, pal," Howard said, making me resist the urge to smack him again. I thought Rosemary was the child and Howard the adult. I jumped as we entered a bad piece of airspace and the plane was rocked. Steve opened the plane door and slipped on his parachute, I followed his actions, but Peggy was not happy.

"Get back here, we're taking you all the way there." She shouted at Steve.

"I'm jumping this plane, turn this thing around and get the hell out of here," Steve shouted back.

"Bye Howie!" I shouted as I went in front of Steve.

"Helena! No!" Peggy shouted as she grabbed my arm, then turned to Steve. "You can't give me orders."

"The hell I can't. I'm a Captain." Steve said before standing behind me.

"Don't worry about me Peggy, besides if Howard jumped out, well he wouldn't last a day."

"Ladies first," Steve said politely since he saw no way to stop me.

I gave him a smile, "why thank you, good sir." Then I jumped, out of a perfectly good airplane.

~*~