Disclaimer: I own nothing


Danielle Marsh is 19 years old during the start of World War II, and when a few of her friends are interested in joining the "USO camp shows" she tags along...but quickly loses them down a crowded hallway. At the intersection...Dannie can go either right or left. This is Dannie's, and the Avengers, lives when she decides to turn…RIGHT


An Unhappy Unit

"How many of you are ready to help me sock old Adolf on the Jaw?"

The silence that followed Captain America's enthusiastic question was…disheartening, to say the least.

"Okay. Uh." Steve looked down for notes he no longer used: he'd done this so often he no longer needed a script…he WAS the script. And for the first time in what felt like a lifetime…Steve didn't know his lines.

The longer Steve didn't speak, the louder the audience's grumbles became. Finally, a soldier yelled out, "Bring back the girls!" and the other soldiers began to cheer loudly.

"I think they only know the one song," Steve warned, "But, I'll see what I can do,"

"Do that sweetheart," a voice drawled out, another cupping his mouth to be heard, "Nice boots Tinkerbell!"

The crowd roared with laughter, and Steve sighed. "Come on guys, we're all on the same team here."

"Sign this!" The crowd roared again at the childish antics of the soldier currently pushing his pants down. Steve was so distracted he almost didn't get his prop shield up in time to deflect the tomato that an audience member flung his way.

"Hey!" The voice was loud and commanding, and unlike Steve's words, the soldier who yelled, with his hat pulled low over his face, caught the audience's attention immediately and they fell silent.

Steve braced himself for whatever stupid comment this man felt like saying, but the soldier pointed a finger at the man who'd thrown the tomato. "Do you want to die?"

The soldier was defending Steve, which was a nice change of pace…but an odd one.

The soldier who'd commented about Steve's boots scoffed. "This princess a friend of yours or something?" He hollered, arms crossing.

"Worse." The soldier removed his hat and shot Steve a grin that was half amused, half-surprised. "That idiot is my best friend."

Steve's smile grew unbidden across his face. He didn't even notice the crowd reluctantly settle as his feet moved eagerly towards the soldier, who moved just as quickly towards Steve.

"Bucky!"

"Steve." Bucky Barnes was exactly as Steve remembered, cocky grin right where it should be, eyes bright. "Weren't you…smaller? What happened?"

Steve shrugged smiling helplessly. "What can I say? I joined the army."


A Drink and a Plan

"No Seriously. What's with the makeover?" Bucky leaned forward, glass of beer in one hand, eyebrow raised.

Steve rolled his eyes as the duo sat in Steve's quarters, catching up.

"I'm trying something new," Steve drawled. Bucky chuckled.

"I can't say it's going to well for you." Buck tilted his head. "Maybe it has to grow on you?" But Steve shook his head.

"Time doesn't help." And Steve meant to say that in a joking manner, to continue the back and forth that was so familiar and yet so different, but Steve's voice had lowered and his eyes had dropped and Steve felt suddenly, unexplainably, tired.

Bucky's smile slid away, a serious expression taking over. He tilted his head.

"And is it everything you dreamed of?" Still a joke, because Bucky was still Bucky, Steve observed, but this was also serious Bucky, a Bucky who wanted to know.

Steve shrugged. "I'm in the army." He acknowledged. "I'm a soldier."

"And you're wearing tights." Bucky added, and Steve sighed and leaned back. "You've got everything you've ever wanted, and you're still not happy."

"Maybe the American dream is just one big lie," Steve said sadly. Bucky took a large drink of his beer.

"You want to know what I think?" He continued without pause. "I think you're a pretty poster boy the big wigs are using to make money to buy guns. And like the good little, well," Bucky smirked, "not so little anymore, boy that you are, you're following the rules and stuck wearing tights." Bucky paused. "But I don't think you were ever meant to follow the rules." A grin grew on Bucky's face. "I think you were born to be a fighter…to break the rules."

Steve had known Bucky for decades. They'd been through everything together, and if anyone could say they knew Steve, it was Buck. Likewise, Steve knew his best friend almost better than he knew himself.

And Buck was right…about all of it. But Buck also had some sort of plan.

"I'm assuming you have a rule or two in mind worth breaking then?" Steve guessed.

Bucky finished his drink and stood. "I might." He said cheerfully. "And for this one…you're going to need the tights."

Steve narrowed his eyebrows. But he found himself standing, following Bucky as he hurried towards his bunk, leaning close to hear the whispered explanations and the plan.


The plan was crazy. BUCKY was crazy…but the situation was so surreal, that Steve went along with it without question.

Usually it was Steve dragging Bucky into fights they couldn't win.

Guess it was Bucky's turn this time.


"You're about to do something stupid."

Steve looked down at the helmet he'd stolen from the singing girl, and he shot Carter a wry grin.

"I'm going to save lives and take down some bullies," he corrected lightly. "In other words…I'm doing my job."

Carter tilted her head. Then she smiled.

"Well then. You're going to need some help."


"You know these people how?" Bucky leaned over to whisper in Steve's ear never taking his eyes off the pilot, who spoke easily to the woman seated nearby.

"Oh, we go way back." Steve shrugged.

"How much do they know?" Bucky pressed, eyes narrowed.

Steve huffed. "They know we plan on liberating soldiers and attempting to take out a viable threat."

"So nothing." Bucky surmised. "Perfect." He shot Steve a sly look. "I like this new you, soldier boy."

"That's captain soldier boy to you," Steve joked. Bucky rolled his eyes.

"Bite me."


Rescue Mission

Breaking into a highly protected enemy base should not have been as easy as it was. It should not have been so easy that Steve felt he could hold a conversation with his best friend while doing so.

And yet…

"So tell me about the soldier who's got you planning mutiny just to rescue them."

"Ah, you know me." Bucky huffed, trying to keep up with Steve's easy steps and talk at the same time. "I always need someone to watch out for. Marsh is about your size, just without all the medical issues. He got in easy. But it took a while to prove himself to the others."

"And soft-hearted as you are, you decided to be a friend to the outcast," Steve summarized, jumping around the corner and attacking the two guards posted there.

Bucky rolled his eyes and took a second to catch his breath, whirling on the third guard and slamming him to the ground. Then he continued.

"Pretty much. It didn't take long for Marsh to prove worthy of being here, but by then we were friends. Though Marsh wasn't welcomed here right away, Marsh refused to give up." Bucky smiled. "Reminded me a lot of you, actually. And if Marsh hadn't had my back, it would be me locked up, and I might not have ever gotten to see you again."

Steve stopped and turned to his best friend. They didn't have the time, they were close to the cages and needed to free the soldiers and Marsh as quickly as they could, but Steve stopped all the same.

"If you'd been taken," Steve vowed. "I would have come for you. Even when we're apart, I've got your back. I'll always be there for you."

"Yeah, yeah, till the end of the line." Bucky grinned and moved forward, patting Steve on the shoulder as he passed. "I've got you and Marsh watching my back now. I'll be fine. Let's just make sure Marsh is just as fine…alright?"

"He's alive," Steve promised. "We'll get him."

"Course we will." Bucky agreed cheerily, as if he weren't worried… But the tightness of his jaw and the anxious light in his eyes told a different story.


Bucky's shoulders tensed when Marsh wasn't with the other soldiers, and his brow creased when someone warned that those who were taken away never came back.

But Steve was as determined as Bucky now to rescue the illusive Sergeant Marsh, so the duo delved deeper into the base, fought their way through enemies, and soon enough Bucky was standing over a slim body tied to a metal table.

"Marsh you son of a bitch," Bucky muttered, hands hovering over the body on the table.

Brown eyes fluttered for a moment before focusing.

"Right back at you Barnes." The moment the raspy voice hit Bucky's ears, the tension in his shoulders and jaw eased. Steve stood back a ways and gave the two a second. "Who's your friend?"

"That's the punk I was telling you about." Bucky muttered under his breathe, fighting to get the straps undone.

"The tiny one?" Marsh's head lifted, and brown eyes caught onto Steve. "I pictured you…smaller."

Steve smiled half-heartedly. They room they were in was some kind of lab, and the tubes and wires attached to Marsh didn't look promising. And then there was the other thing. But Steve ignored all of it for a moment.

"That's what they all say."

"Well, why don't you put those biceps to use and get me outta here?" Marsh suggested, voice still raspy with pain. "Sounds like there's a fight outside…and I'm missing it!" Bucky huffed and moved back, Steve made quick work of the straps, and then Bucky was hauling Marsh off the table and throwing an arm around the soldier's waist.

"We're ready then?" Steve shot Bucky a look, who winced, but nodded.

"I can't feel my legs, but I'm sure it'll be fine." Marsh confided. Despite the obvious weakness, Marsh's eyes were bright.

"Alright." Steve nodded. "Let's get out of here."

Getting out wasn't as easy as it had been getting in.

For one…everything was on fire.


"Seriously? You had to set everything on fire?" Marsh scolded. Steve huffed.

"Actually, that wasn't us."

"Huh." Marsh left it at that.

For another, there was the guy with the detachable face.

"You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asked.

Marsh laughed…then started coughing.

Third…where there used to be a bridge was now nothing, and the fire roaring directly below them did not make any of the three feel reassured about their ability to survive.

"The three of us won't make it." Bucky shook his head.

"Losers first!" And Marsh found enough strength to push Bucky forward. Bucky used the momentum to jump across…but he just barely made it to the other side.

Marsh and Steve shared a look.

"Screw it." Marsh shrugged, stepped back a bit, then took a running leap.

Marsh should've plunged to a fiery death. Marsh shouldn't have made that leap…but did. After a moment…Steve followed suit and jumped.

He made it fine…but that part was expected.

Steve and Bucky shared an incredulous look, but Marsh was already gone, hurrying towards the sound of fighting.

Steve and Bucky hurried to catch up.


Marsh regained equilibrium quickly. Which was a good thing, because a lot of people were hurt, and many were angry, and Steve did his best at corralling the group he'd found himself in charge of, but Marsh was a strong force in the background, quieting dissent and rallying the troops.

Steve had pulled Marsh aside nearly immediately after the battle, asking what had been done in that lab.

Marsh had simply shrugged. "I can't even begin to explain. At this point, I'm alive, and I'm still me. So whatever it was that they'd tried to do…they failed." But Steve thought of Marsh's jump, and he wasn't as confident.

But Marsh's words proved true. Nothing that could've happened in that lab slowed Marsh down…Marsh did anything and everything that needed doing, and the troops slowly found themselves moving towards where the 107th had last been camped.

No one questioned Marsh's authority. They listened and obeyed, unwaveringly loyal.

They were respectful to Steve, but Marsh was who the soldiers were following. Steve was baffled. Bucky shrugged.

"That's just Marsh," was all he'd said when Steve had asked. "You get used to it."


Punishments

When the group walked into the 107th base, they were met rather quickly by Col. Phillips.

Steve spoke quickly, explaining the situation, then ending with willingly accepting any punishment Col. Phillips deemed necessary.

"I also submit myself for disciplinary action." Bucky added quickly, "For abandoning my post."

"And myself as well." Marsh stepped forward. "For….being female?"

Steve shot Marsh a look. Col. Phillips raised an eyebrow. "My enlistment papers read Daniel Marsh, sir. Must have been a typo." Marsh saluted. "Sergeant Danielle Marsh, of the 107th."

Col. Phillips shook his head. Then he shot everyone a hard glare. Then he shook his head. "All three of you….get out of my sight."

"But…disciplinary actions?" Steve asked slowly. Bucky and Marsh shot him dark looks.

Col. Phillips just shook his head. "That won't be necessary."

Steve finally realized what was happening, and he smiled.

"Let's hear it for Captain America!" Bucky roared, and the crowd of soldiers quickly began to cheer.

Steve smiled awkwardly at the praise, his smile becoming more genuine when he caught sight of Marsh rolling her eyes next to Bucky. Steve was distracted for a moment by Agent Carter's gentle chiding at not calling his ride, and by the time he looked up, Marsh had disappeared.

But it was fine. Steve was sure he'd see her around…and they all had bigger things to worry about.

You know…like the war.


The Team

When Steve was granted the opportunity to set up his own teams, just days after his first battle and hours after his debrief with the colonel, he knew just who he was going to ask.

He wasn't surprised by their quick agreement. They were soldiers. He WAS surprised by the catch. And mostly that it didn't come from Buck.

"So let's get this straight." "Dum Dum" Dugan took a large swallow of drink.

"We barely got out of there alive, and you want us to go back?" Gabe shook his head.

Steve shrugged. "Pretty much."

"Sounds rather fun, actually." The British James Montgomery Falsworth grinned.

Jim "from Fresno" burped loudly. "I'm in."

Gabe spoke a few sentences in French to Jacques, then the two laughed and shook hands. After a moment, Gabe looked to Steve. He gestured to himself and then to Jacques. "We're in." He said simply.

Dugan shrugged. "Hell, I'll always fight. But you gotta do one thing for me."

Steve tilted his head. "What's that?"

Dugan shared a look with the rest of the table, and they nodded. Steve's eyebrows narrowed.

"We'll go if Marsh comes." Steve sat back in surprise.

He thought they'd ask for more beers. Not for Marsh. Steve hadn't actually seen Marsh since she'd walked off with Carter a few days ago.

But…Marsh WOULD be a great addition to the team.

So Steve nodded. The men in front of him cheered, and Steve stood to get them more beers, even if they hadn't asked for it.

Bucky stood against the bar, oblivious to the fact that Steve had decided to add a member to their team, and Steve quickly got lost in the easy banter between himself and Buck, and then Carter had shown up, and it was easy to forget to tell Buck that Marsh would be joining them.

But it wouldn't be a big deal, right? Bucky and Marsh were friends.

Except…Steve would have to find Marsh first.


Steve found Marsh manning the desk in front of the Col.'s office.

"Secretary?" Steve asked in disbelief. Marsh looked up with a grunt, and Steve took a step back.

Marsh looked like…a girl. Her hair was pulled back and neat, and though her face was devoid of the cosmetics so many other women on base wore…Marsh looked significantly different without dirt streaked on her cheeks.

Marsh grimaced. "This is what happens when you lie on an enlistment form" Steve winced when he thought of his own form, and Marsh's eyes narrowed. Steve looked around, then leaned forward.

"You actually miss the fighting?" Steve asked in a low voice.

Marsh rolled her eyes. "Duh. Why?" She leaned forward, so Steve and Marsh were inches from each other.

"I can get you back in the action," Steve explained. "But only if you're interested."

Marsh grinned. "This is my interested face." She promised, and Steve grinned and straightened.

Carter turned the corner just then, pausing at the looks on both Steve and Marsh's faces.

"You're about to do something stupid again," Carter predicted. She shook her head and held up a hand when Steve opened his mouth. "This time," She said severely, though the corner of her mouth quirked up, "I don't want to know."

Steve and Marsh shared a conspiratorial look, and then Steve made his way to Col. Phillips office to make a case to free Marsh from her paper prison.

Col. Phillips was all too happy to give Steve responsibility of Marsh, and the rest of the team, named the howling commandos, was thrilled. Bucky was the only holdout.


"Steve!" Bucky's eyes were narrowed and his face as red. "You're letting Marsh come with us? Are you insane?"

"Probably." Steve shrugged, because really, who knew?

"She's going to get herself killed."

"Not if you're doing your job right." Steve threw out. Bucky leaned back. "You watch her back, she watches yours, I watch everyones, everyone watches mine, we all survive." Steve crossed his arms. "She lied for months to everyone to get here, to fight, and she's good. She deserves to be here. You really expect her to sit back and watch us go off without her?"

Bucky shook his head. "Of course not! But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Steve grinned. "Don't let her hear you say that." He warned.

"Too late." A few feet away, Marsh stood with her arms crossed. "You're a son of a bitch, Barnes."

Bucky winced. "Noted."

Marsh turned to Steve. "When do we leave, Cap?"

Steve caught sight of the rest of the team headed his way and grinned.

"Now."


The Fights

The Howling Commandos worked together like they'd been fighting together since birth. Marsh, the team had happily nicknamed "The Doe," as in most plans she was their secret weapon, Steve coming in the front guns blazing, with Marsh picking them off one by one from the other end. By the time they realized she was there, it was too late.

Steve led the team, and Bucky was Steve's right hand, but Marsh was everyone's second, after Steve. When Steve was unavailable, Marsh stepped forward, and Bucky moved seamlessly between the two. When the tip about the train came in, everyone knew their roles.

Marsh was coming in from behind, and Steve and Bucky would take point.

That put Marsh exactly 300 feet from Bucky when he dropped.

That didn't stop Marsh from blaming herself.

But it did stop Steve from blaming himself…he was too busy making sure Marsh didn't do anything stupid…like storm Schmidts mighty tower alone.

No…Instead, he didn't tell her about his own plan to storm the mighty tower, and she was left behind.

When Steve went into the ice, he went in alone…and maybe in an alternate universe, alone would've been his only option.

But it hadn't been in this universe.


The End

The war ended quickly after Steve's Ice Dive.

The records were quickly published, and Steve and his Howling Commandos were heralded and those that had been lost were mourned.

But the records weren't complete.

Sergeant "Daniel" Marsh wasn't included in the list of howling commandos.

Sergeant "Daniel" Marsh WAS included in the list of casualties.

Sergeant Danielle "Doe" Marsh, was included in no records, and after the war, she was never heard of or seen again, as if she'd never even existed.

Rumors of "The Doe," a vigilante with morals, began years after the end of the war. Many of the unexplainable incidents can be laid at "The Doe's" doorstep, the strange figure who'd stopped the JFK assassination, the unidentified individual who'd been unable to save Howard Stark, but had managed to drag his wife out of the burning car before she'd been killed, of the one who righted injustices and saved lives but who didn't exist otherwise.

Many believed "The Doe," wasn't a real person, simply a myth people made up in order to explain away the unexplainable.

"The Doe" was only ever spoken of in whispers between secret governments. "The Doe," didn't exist.

But then again, neither did "The Winter Soldier."


Steve's "Wake"

Steve Rogers woke up in a bed.

And Danielle Marsh laughed at him.

There was a radio on the dresser, Steve noticed, but it wasn't on. There was a bed, he wasn't wearing his uniform, and it was pleasantly warm.

And Danielle Marsh continued to laugh at him.

She stood at the foot of his bed, arms crossed and eyes crinkled, one hand clasping a small brown journal.

She looked tired.

She wore odd clothes, tight black pants in an odd fabric, a white shirt that had a v neckline and clung to her body.

Her hair was longer than he remembered, pulled back into a tail at the top of her head, the dark hair cascading down her back.

She looked tired, her hair was longer, and she wore odd clothes.

But other than that, he looked exactly as he'd last seen her, before he'd left to go storm a base and end a war.

"Where are we?" Steve asked, voice hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken in years.

Danielle Marsh grimaced. She flung her book against the wall, and the wall detached itself and fell to the ground with a dull thunk. The removal of the wall revealed a large lab-like room, sterile and metal-colored. Three men in navy uniforms stared in shock at the fallen wall, and then at Steve and Marsh.

"They wanted to ease you into it." Marsh spoke for the first time. Her voice was deeper than Steve remembered, and had a cynical edge that hadn't been there before. "I don't think we have the luxury for that. You remember the ice?"

Steve remembered the plane, and then the crash. He remembered the cold…and then nothing. He nodded. He remembered the ice.

Marsh began walking, and after a moment, Steve followed. Marsh passed the three men, and they didn't stop her. She made it to a set of stairs, and Steve followed her.

"The ice was a long time ago." She looked over her shoulder. Her eyes were…sad. "Everyone looked for you…but it took a while to find you." Marsh continued down the stairs, and Steve followed. Occasionally they passed a person, who simply stared at them and left them be.

"How long is a while?" Steve asked, mind whirling. Marsh hadn't changed too much physically, so it couldn't have been too long, right? Maybe a year….or two?

Marsh didn't answer, continuing down the stairs. She stopped in front of a large metal door. Steve paused at her shoulder.

"How long?" Steve asked again.

Marsh didn't look at him.

"70 years."

But that couldn't be right. That would make Marsh 92 years old, and Steve 96? Steve looked down at his hands.

No wrinkles. No age spots. So…he'd heard wrong?

But then Marsh opened the door and pushed Steve through and Steve's eyes widened as he found himself on the sidewalk of New York, blinded by the lights and deafened by the sounds, the sights making Steve go speechless.

"70 years ago you fell into the ice." Marsh said loudly, to be heard over all the noise. "Two weeks ago they pulled you out." Marsh spread a hand out.

"Welcome to Hell."


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~CLC~