NOVEMBER 1943

"What I wouldn't give to be back where it's warm," Liv lamented to Peggy as they huddled in the tent, trying to not shiver as the rain swept through the Italian countryside.

Liv stared into the grey sky as she pondered the last five months. She hadn't intended on this living overseas with her cousin amongst Army men in the middle of a war.

When she had wired her father to let him know of the colonel's request, Cole Yardley had responded to her that she needed to serve her country more than she needed to herd cattle. They would survive without her and he told her to make him even prouder than he already was.

So here she was, generally sitting around, offering very little to the war effort. Nevertheless, Peggy had repeatedly told her how glad she was for the female company.


When they heard the USO was coming to Italy, Peggy lit up at the prospect of seeing Steve again. After the show, she sought him out with Liv in tow.

"And these are your only two options? Lab rat or dancing monkey? You were meant for more than this, you know," Peggy said as Steve bent over his drawing pad.

"I finally got nearly everything I wanted and I'm wearing tights," Steve wryly said as an ambulance drove up with its horn blasting.

"Your audience contained what was left of the 107th. The rest were either killed or captured," Peggy commented as she watched Steve glance into the distance.

"The 107th?" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet and dropping his pad into the mud.

"What about it?" Liv asked.

"C'mon," he shouted, motioning for the women to chase after him, as he sprinted into the pouring rain toward Col Phillips' tent.


"You heard the colonel. Your friend is most likely dead," Peggy said as she and Liv followed Steve into the chorus tent.

"You don't know that," Steve said, ignoring them as he swapped clothes.

"Even so, he's devising strategy …" Peggy added.

"By the time he'd done doing that, it could be too late," Steve interrupted, pushing past her.

Liv grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Let me help," she said, looking into his angry blue eyes. "I'll go with you. You need someone watching your back."

"No!" Peggy said, looking at Liv.

"I can't let you do that," Steve agreed, shrugging off her hand as he marched toward the Jeep and tossed in his shield.

Liv cursed under her breath, grabbed her lariat, and leapt into the Jeep's passenger side, daring Steve to throw her out. He glared at her as Peggy piped up.

"Oh, alright!" she said exasperated. "I've got an idea."

She jumped into the Jeep behind Steve.


"We should be able to drop you on the doorstep," Howard said from the cockpit as they neared Austria.

"Just get us as close as you can," Steve said, glancing at Liv. She strapped on her lariat under her parachute pack and nodded.

"You two are going to be in a lot of trouble," Steve said, glancing at Peggy as he clutched his shield. She shrugged before giving him a knowing smile and touching his knee.

They both had seen their share of trouble together, so this only seemed par for the course.

Liv rolled her eyes at the two of them.

"How about me and you fondue later?" Howard called out to Liv.

"Let's see how this goes," she replied with a cheeky grin.

Enemy fire shook the plane and everyone sobered up.

Steve made his way to the side door with Liv right behind him. Peggy tried to stop them.

"Get back here! We're taking you all the way!" she shouted.

"As soon as you can, turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!" Steve shouted as he prepared to jump, Liv at his heels.

"You can't give me orders!" Peggy retorted.

"The hell I can't! I'm a captain," Steve replied with a big grin, giving Peggy a peck on the cheek before leapt out of the plane. Liv grabbed her cousin and squeezed her before diving out behind Steve.

"Be safe," Peggy whispered as she watched their parachutes deploy.


Once on the ground, Steve and Liv darted through the woods toward the base, ducking when armored trucks drove by. They rushed behind the last in the convoy, catapulting into the cargo compartment where they were greeted by Hydra soldiers.

"Fellas," Steve said before punching them and tossing them out. Liv grinned at him.

Once inside the camp, they clambered out of the truck and stealthily headed toward the main building. Steve knocked out the soldier guarding the door and they scurried inside.

They located the American soldiers, trapped behind bars, and quickly worked to unlock the doors.

"Well, hello there!" Dum Dum said, looking up at Liv as she peered down at the men. She smirked at him, saying nothing.

"I'm looking for Sergeant James Barnes," Steve said as members of the 107th exited the now-open cages.

"Some have gone to the factory, but no one's ever come back from it," Falsworth commented, looking Liv over.

"What?" she retorted.

Steve pulled her close to his side.

"Get everyone out of here, past the gate. I'll meet up with you with anyone else I find," he quietly instructed her. Liv nodded.

"Be careful," she softly said to him before facing the men.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" she ordered, waving them forward. Dum Dum looked at the others and grinned real big.

"I like her style!" he said. The others murmured in agreement and ran for the exits behind Liv, who led the charge, her lariat in hand.


The men and Liv gathered in the woods, watching the compound go up in flames.

"Come on, Steve," she muttered to herself as she anxiously awaited.

"So, sweetheart, any plans when we get back?" Dum Dum asked.

"What did you have in mind?" she flippantly replied, glancing at the mustached man at her side.

"Anything you want," he said, smiling.

She started to tell him what she really thought when Steve emerged from the tree line with another man in tow.

"You made it!" she exclaimed, walking toward them and refraining herself from giving him a hug. He smiled at her and tipped his head toward Bucky, who stepped up next to him and appraised Liv with a bewildered expression.

"Liv, this is Bucky," Steve proudly introduced. Liv smiled at Bucky.

"I'm glad you're not dead," she said.

"Me, too," Bucky warily replied.

"Not to break up this reunion, but could we get out of here?" Gabe interjected.

Steve nodded and guided the troop through the woods, Bucky on one side and Liv on the other.


"I surrender myself for disciplinary action," Steve said when Col Phillips emerged from the throng of soldiers surrounding the freed ragtag troop. Peggy directly stood behind the colonel.

The colonel looked at him, then Liv, then Bucky, then back at Steve.

"That won't be necessary," Col Phillips said before walking off.

Peggy came up to Steve, grabbed the lapels of his jacket, and outright kissed him on the lips in front of everyone. Steve blushed as Bucky stared in surprise.

"You're late," she muttered where only Steve and Liv could hear.

"We missed our ride, cuz," Liv said, pulling Peggy into a hug.