Phantom ▷ b. barnes [1] ✔️

vi. transferring and goodbyes

"Because the strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength and knows compassion." -- Dr. Erskine

~ ~ ~

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" Steve sat up straight as she entered the tent again. Smiling, Sam shrugged.

"I wasn't sure I'd see you again either."

"What happened?" The young man leaned forward, his voice dropping to a hush. "Was it because of the fight yesterday? Are you in trouble?"

Sam's mind went back to the many conversations she'd had in Peggy's tent. Everything from the woman's warning about life on the war field to giving her tips in keeping her ongoing cover a secret. She'd spent the entire day in the agent's tent and had been sorry to leave, feeling for the first time like she'd made a friend like Meg. "No, no trouble. It was just a warning."

"Hodge should have been the one getting the warning," Steve muttered, shaking his head. He looked back up, relief in his eyes. "I'm glad you're okay, though."

Sam smiled and for a split-second, was almost tempted to tell the man everything. She trusted him fully-- she trusted he would keep her secret.

But she kept her mouth shut and resisted the urge to hug him. "Me too. Did I miss anything important?"

"Only an entire day's worth of running the course," Steve muttered, rubbing at his neck with a wince. "Trust me, you might have been luckier getting chewed out."

"Sounds like it," she looked at him in sympathy. "Just gotta get through the next week. Is there a certain infantry you're hoping to be assigned?"

Steve perked up at that. "The 107th."

Sam blinked, the name striking a memory. Suddenly, she was back at the recruitment center on the night of the carnival, talking to his brown-haired friend. Bucky, she remembered. "Got a friend there?"

"Yeah," he looked sad for a moment, though the look was quickly gone. "He wouldn't believe I made it in."

"Looks like you're proving people wrong left and right," Sam chuckled. Steve grinned, looking proud, and once more, Sam wanted to tell him everything. She was going to miss the man when basic training was up, she already knew that much.

"Yeah, well," Steve smiled with a shrug. "Sometimes the war needs the little men, right?"

Smothering a snort, Sam elbowed him in the ribs, pushing away her depressing thoughts. Little did he know... "I'm still bigger than you, Rogers."

He only chuckled.

~ ~ ~

The week passed too quickly. In addition to the watchful eye that Peggy kept on their group, Sam began to notice the appearance of an older, quiet sort of man, who often watched from the sidelines and sometimes took notes.

Mostly, she noticed how his eyes stayed the longest on Steve and documented almost his every move. She could help but be intrigued, even while having promised Peggy to stay down and low.

The last day of basic training, Steve approached her with a troubled look in his eyes. He almost looked guilty, lingering at the end of her bed while she was reading.

Slowly, she closed her book, arching a worried brow. "Steve? Is everything okay?"

"Hey, Sam," he pressed his lips together for a moment, then ran a hand through his hair. "I, uh, got some news."