An Old Friend

chapter 8

        He knew by the next morning that if he hadn't seen Evelyn, she never made it back.  He was pacing around his tent debating on if he should go back to find her or just accept that she's gone.

        He had on his suit, with the helmet off.  His shield was on the floor propped up against  a bag.

        Why was it his partners that he kept loosing.  Why couldn't it have been him.  He should have fallen off that train.

        He grew up with Bucky and they were friends til, well, the end of the line, they always said.

        He could always see similarities between Bucky and Evelyn.  They were both tough, always ready to head into a fight, now if only she would have listened like him.  She would probably be there with him now.  He couldn't help but somehow blame himself for it.

        He'd grown close to her.  In fact he thought that he liked her, like, really liked her, more than a partner on battle grounds.  He was to awkward around women however.  He kept telling himself that she was a partner like Bucky so he didn't have a problem around her.

        He finally stopped pacing and sat down, bouncing his knee up and down.  It would be right to go look for her, but is it worth the risk again.  The place blew up.  There is no way that they would stay there.

        He gets up and rushes out of his tent and though camp.  Peggy notices him and goes over to him.  "Steve!" she shouted out to get is attention.  He stopped and looked back at her.  It was nice to know that Peggy was still here for him.  "Where do you think you're going?" she demanded more than asked.

        Once she was at his side he kept walking, which she wasn't expecting and had to catch up to him again.  "I need to go find Evelyn.  She's out there.  I know it"

        "Steve she's not out there," Peggy insist on him.  She grabs his arm making him stop and turns him to face her.  "A few men went to see if they-who ever they are-were still residing there and I asked them if she was there and they said there was no living body.  If she's alive she's not there.  They didn't even see her body.  We don't know who they are to track them to find other bases.  Phillips announced her dead.  I'm sorry."

        Steve didn't know what to say.  His stomach was an empty pit.  It was just like when he watched Bucky fall off the train.  The feeling may not have been as strong, but he knew what it was that he was feeling.

        He left Peggy and she didn't bother to ask where he was going, cause she was sure that he wasn't sure either.  Best to let him blow off the steam.  He's lost two partners in the matter of months.  Peggy went back to do what she was doing before she saw him walk out.

        He walked between the trees for a while.  He wanted to see her again.  It hadn't even been a day since she went missing in the Hyde camp.  Now he was pretty sure that he'd fallen for her.  He wishes her could have told her, too late now.  Unless if she's alive and her rescue party is "Winning The War".  He hated that "rescue party".  He didn't want to have doubt that they would lose, but it could always happen, and besides even if they win the war, doesn't mean that soldier will be rescued, because there is no way the enemies are just going to let them go.

        He leaned against a tree.  He must have been wondering for an hour at the minimum.  He just didn't want to go back right now.  He wanted to see her golden eyes.  Even when it was dark out you could still see them shining.  She may have been vicious at times but she had a warming smile, that is, when she didn't mean business.  She was always able to contribute as well.  She was better than most of the guys on the base, that's for sure.