Women In War

6

"Hey, isn't that--"

"MAGPIE!"

Maggie turned away from the car on the stage and scanned the crowd. "Bucky?" she murmured to herself.

Bucky ditched his sister and best friend to push through the crowd. He came up behind Maggie as she stood on tiptoes and looked for him in the other direction. Maggie screamed when he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor.

After a second or two, Bucky let her down again. "Bucky Barnes, you almost gave me a heart attack! Estúpido, pedazo de mierda, gilipollas, polla, perra desagradable, dolor en el culo!"

"Lo siento, mi amor."

Maggie hugged Bucky tightly, standing on her tiptoes again. "I hate you."

"Nah."

Maggie let go of Bucky after a few seconds and stood with both feet firmly on the ground.

"I didn't know you'd be in town, Magpie."

"Oh, I. . ." Maggie trailed off as she noticed Bucky's uniform. "Did you. . . are you . . . when do you leave?"

"Sergeant James Barnes with the 107th. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

Bucky tilted his head slightly. "I'll be back, Magpie."

Maggie shrugged. "I've seen what the war does to soldiers, Buck. Not everyone makes it back okay. A lot don't even make it back. Sometimes bodies don't even get to be buried."

"I'll come back okay. For you."

"You can't know that for sure."

Bucky shrugged. "I have faith and a good reason to get back home safe and sound."

"Really, now?"

"Oh, yeah. Steve would die without me."

Maggie laughed. "Oh, so you're still an ass, then?"

Bucky leaned his forehead against Maggie's. "You could come with me," he murmured.

"That's ridiculous," Maggie said, closing her eyes.

"I heard the stuff Howard used to say to you. I know you're working with the army now. You could try your hand being on the field. You could come with me."

Maggie thought about Erskine and her work with the super soldier serum. "I can't," she whispered, "I can't follow you into battle, Bucky."

"Don't follow me. Walk with me, next to me. I know you want more than what they've given you."

Maggie hated when other people were right about her. She hated it when Howard did it, she hated it with Becky or Peggy did it, she even hated it when her own father did it. She absolutely loathed it. "I'm needed where I am, Bucky."

"I need you more."

Maggie smiled slightly. "I'll speak to Howard," she eventually said, "see if he can get me moved to your unit."

The jingle startled them both. Bucky let go of Maggie as if she were on fire. Both turned to the stage as Howard was introduced and Steve and Allie caught up to them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won’t even have to touch the ground at all?"

Bucky's eyes widened as the ladies on stage left with the car's wheels.

"With Stark robotic reversion technology, you’ll be able to do just that." Howard sought out Maggie in the audience, sending Bucky a grin when he noticed the man, before he flipped the switch.