I am so sorry guys. I did not plan on having such a long wait in between chapters. If you think your wait is bad you should check out the poor people who are waiting for another chapter in my story Love Amongst the Stars. The reason for the delay is mainly because my deadline for my novel crept up on me up to the point I panicked. Thankfully I was able to catch up. I should be finishing up my revisions, but I decided that I needed a break from that. So here's the next chapter – enjoy!

"Well that's the last of it," Steve said slamming up the tailgate of the last of three five tons. "He head out in ten."

Dum Dum, Jones, and Jim (the Howling Commandos who were assigned to the mission) nodded their heads before scattering to do whatever errands they needed to run before the convoy headed back to the camp.

"We did well here today," Vivian said as she strolled up. Steve nodded his face a flame as he remembered the scene he had come upon. Vivian flashed him a smile before climbing into the passenger side of the five ton. "You know," she said after she closed the door, "being here is really making think about some things."

"Like what?" Steve asked.

Vivian didn't answer him. She just gave him an absentminded smile, propped her feet on the dash, and settled down to take a nap leaving Steve to only speculate about what she meant. He filed her comment away to ponder later, Dum Dum wanted his attention.

"I have a bad feeling about the return trip," Dum Dum grumbled. "Comin' here was way too easy…"

"You think they'll attack us on the way back?" Steve asked. Dum Dum nodded. "They wanted to draw us out."

"Most likely," Dum Dum shrugged. "I guess they figured if they harassed these people long enough we would show up. Maybe they hope we'll be less vigilant on the way back."

Steve pursed his lips, thinking. Dum Dum made some good points. It couldn't be helped. There was only one way back to base from the hospital. That's why the supply caravans kept getting hit. The surrounding landscape was heavily wooded and littered with large boulders and caves.

"There's no helping it," Steve said calmly. "We just need to maintain constant vigilance. Bucky should ride in the middle vehicle."

"Why?" Bucky joined the conversation. He wanted to ride back with Vivian.

"It'll put you in a better vantage point for the convoy. You are our best shot," explained Steve.

Bucky's manner changed completely. He went from lovable Bucky to deadly solider in a matter of seconds. Although Steve would never say it out loud, it always bothered him to see that switch. "Are we expecting trouble?"

"Most likely," Dum Dum said, chewing on the end of his cigar. "You gotta problem taking point?"

Bucky shook his head. "We need to make sure that all civilian personnel are moved to the last vehicle, though. The first two are the most likely targets." He wanted Vivian to be as safe as possible.

Steve shook his head. "They could attack any vehicle. I've seen the end of caravans hit just as much as the first. We should scatter combatants equally amongst the three. That way not all of us are taken out."

Bucky frowned but agreed with Steve. Dum Dum went to share the plan with the other people who would be riding back in the convoy. For the first time in a long time, Steve and Bucky stood awkwardly. Bucky knew that Steve wanted to say something to him but didn't know what it was about, and Steve didn't know how to broach the subject of Vivian.

"You should ride with Vivian," Steve stuttered out, rubbing the back of his head. Bucky gave him a sharp look before a slight blush crept over his cheeks. "She's a great girl. You two are great together."

Bucky thought about denying it for two seconds. He sighed. Trust Steve to learn about something he didn't understand fully. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling heavily through his nose. "She is," he simply said. But that was all that Steve needed. In those two words, enough had been said.

Steven clasped his friend on the shoulder, smiling. He never thought that he would see this day. Bucky's face burned hot as pushed Steve's hand off.

"Don't make me hurt you," Bucky muttered before he walked away.

Steve laughed. "As if you could."

Bucky shook his head and then went off in search of Vivian. In the end, Steve and Dum Dum rode in the first vehicle. Bucky, Vivian, and the camera crew road in the second with Jones and Jim brought up the rear. The hospital staff stood outside and waved their saviors off.

The first few hours of the convoy went pretty smoothly. With that being said, no one could relax. They would be on pins and needles until they crossed the camp borders. After a quick break for lunch and to stretch their legs, the convoy resumed. They were navigating an extremely rocky terrain when everything changed.

An explosion took out the last vehicle. Vivian screamed as the driver of her truck fought to maintain control. Smoke and debris fell down on them like snowflakes, making it difficult to see their friends. Then the gun fire came. Bucky shoved Vivian down into the floorboard, using his body as a shield for hers. He scanned the landscape in front of him, attempting to locate from which direction the gun fire was coming from. A scream from behind made Bucky turn around in fright. He saw Vivian covered in blood. It took him a second to realize that it wasn't hers; it was their driver's.

As soon as their driver had been shot, Vivian sprung into action. She reached for the first aid kit underneath the seat, pulling out gauze and field dressings. Her fingers shook as she pressed the bandages up against the drivers bleeding neck. She was not used to caring for wounded in a fire fight. This was her first fire fight. She knew that she had to try and remain calm but it was hard. Her mind kept going to the last truck that had held many of the doctors and nurses who had accompanied them on this little good will mission. All of them dead. Instead she focused on trying to save the life of the solider in front of her. She was shocked to realize that he was younger than she was. He probably got drafted as soon as he was eligible. Fear and panic were evident in his eyes. He tried to speak but nothing came out; well only more blood.

Vivian began to cry. She knew that he was a lost cause. The young solider tried to speak again. Vivian leaned in closer, hoping to catch his final words. It was the least that she could do.

"Tell my momma," the young solider gasped. "Tell her I love her."

"I will," Vivian promised, tears in her eyes. She held onto his hand until the light faded from his eyes and his skin went cold.

The driver side door to the truck was ripped off its hinges, startling Vivian and Bucky. Steve saw the dead solider and the tears on Vivian's face. The battle hardened lines on his face softened slightly before becoming harder than before. Vivian found a small comfort in that. Those they lost today would be avenged.

"We have an escape route," Steve said holding out his hand for Vivian. "Buck can you give us some cover fire?"

"Sure thing," Bucky replied reloading his rifle. "You alright?"

Vivian swallowed her fear and her pain and shook her head. "Not in the slightest, but I can keep going."

Bucky looked at her strangely. He leaned forward and kissed her hard on the mouth. Vivian was taken aback. This was hardly the time or the place for such actions; or maybe it was. Maybe Bucky saw the emptiness creeping into her eyes and wanted to remind her that there were some things still left to fight for. His kiss chased away the growing coldness that had begun to fill her after the young soldier's death. She returned it with equal amounts of passion.

Steve stood awkwardly outside the vehicle watching the pair, yet trying not to. He cleared his throat, causing the two to break apart. "Uh, gather what you can and head to the first truck." Steve gave Bucky a small smirk before leaving to help the others.

Even though bullets continued to fly in the air, Bucky could only grin like an idiot. Vivian found herself smiling back. "We will talk about this later."

Bucky laughed before handing her a spare helmet. His face turned serious once more. He returned fire onto the enemy while Vivian scrounged up what she could. When she had all that she could carry, mostly medical supplies, Bucky once again used his body as a shield as they made their mad dash towards the rest of the survivors.

Vivian was pleased to see that all the Howling Commandos had made it. She was slightly annoyed to see the producer. Her stomach dropped when she realized that he was holding onto the camera for dear life.

"Where's the camera man?" Vivian asked him as she checked him for injuries.

"Blown up," replied the producer. "But I was able to save the camera." He stroked the camera lovingly. "Hate for all this to go to waste."

Vivian hauled back and slapped the producer as hard as she could. The resounding smack caught the attention of everyone around them. "Bastard!" she spat. "He was your friend. He had loved ones that he wanted to go back too. His life is more important than that damned camera and the stupid propaganda that crocked senator is trying to spin!" She snatched the camera out of the producer's hands and with a grunt, threw it into the air. Everyone watched at it soared in an impressive arch before smashing to pieces when it hit the ground.

"You bitch," snarled the producer. He made a move to lunge at Vivian to only find himself looking down the barrel of Bucky's rifle.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Bucky said coolly although his eyes were blazing. The producer backed down but his eyes promised that it was not over.

They wasted no more time. All the survivors piled into the truck. How Dum Dum drove them to safety, no one will ever know. He saw paths through the woods that no one else did. Steve had the remaining civilians cowering in the back of the truck, nearest to the cabin while he and the other Commandos fired nearly all their remaining bullets at the enemy, keeping them pinned. Eventually the return fire stopped and everyone breathed a little better. They wouldn't be completely safe until they got back to camp but at least they were no longer perused.

Bucky remained near the back of the truck, watchful for any signs of trouble. Vivian walked over to sit next to him. Someone had found a stash of blankets and she had one of them wrapped around her shoulders. "You wanna share?" she asked holding one edge out.

Bucky shook his head, not taking his eyes off the road. He did, however, hold out his arm allowing Vivian the space to snuggle up beside him; which she did. The rest of the trip in was much nicer.

oOo

Bucky groaned and rubbed his head. The truck that he was in had hit a pothole. He caught Steve smirking at him.

"We almost home?" Bucky asked, shifting his gear around. The ride hadn't been the most pleasant but he had learned to sleep whenever he could. But nothing compared to his own bed. He also wanted to see Vivian again. The Commandos had been thrust right back into the field shortly after the visit to the children's hospital. There hadn't been time to talk about their kiss on the battle field. But they were slated for a bit of R and R before their next mission.

Intel had come across some information that needed to be verified before anyone was sent out. Listening to them, you would think that what they had, if they ever figured it out, would be the turning point in the war. Bucky didn't care about any of that. All he wanted to do was spend some time with the most beautiful woman he has ever known.

"About ten more minutes," Steve replied. "The first thing I'm going to do is have a hot bath, a hot meal, and then sleep for twelve hours straight." Bucky chuckled and opened his mouth to give his list of first but Steve stopped him. "I know what you're going to do first," he teased. I'm sure she's just as anxious to see you too."

Bucky frowned and bit his nail. "I haven't received anything from her at all this month."

Steve shrugged. "Letters get lost. There is a war going on. Don't you worry Buck, I'm sure she'll be waiting for you right at the gate."

Bucky tried to take comfort in his friend's words, but his gut was telling him that something bad had happened. It was the same feeling that he got whenever Steve had wondered off to do something stupid before he got all jacked up. Bucky knew that he wouldn't feel better until he laid eyes on Vivian and made sure that she was safe.

She wasn't there at the gate, but Bucky hadn't really expected her to be there. He did, however, notice that the guards were acting strangely. They looked visibly anxious and would not look them in the face. There were no shouts of greetings. In fact, the whole camp seemed eerily silent, as if everyone in it was holding their breath. Something had happened. Bucky looked at Steve to see if he had picked up on the tension in the air; he had. With a quick nod to one another, they leaped from the truck, not waiting for it to stop. Steve went off in search of Peggy while Bucky headed straight for the medical tent, apprehension growing in his stomach with each step.

His anxiety grew when he walked through the tent flap. Every single nurse and doctor froze, fear evident on their face. Bucky's stomach turned to lead. "Where is she?" he croaked.

No one answered him. They looked to one another for guidance. Finally a nurse timidly spoke up. "The Colonel took her the day after you left. She hasn't been back since."

The world fell away from Bucky's feet. NO. The Colonel wouldn't dare. He may be rough around the edges but he was a good, honorable man. But then again, Vivian had repeatedly refused to give what she knew. She had undermined his authority time and time again. She had formed close relationships with the few people who carried more weight than the Colonel or the Senator. She had also destroyed the film and assaulted the producer. She had made herself an enemy.

Bucky turned and fled from the tent without a single word. Each heartbeat was like a stab in the chest. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't keep his feet on the ground. He stumbled and almost landed in a puddle, when a strong hand clasped his arm. He looked up and saw Steve holding on to him with Peggy grabbing his other arm.

"They took her," Bucky chocked out.

Peggy gave him a sympathetic look. "We didn't know what they had planned when they came for her." She closed her eyes and breathed deeply in an attempt to keep control over her emotions. "When we realized that something untoward was happening, we tried to find her."

"We?"

Peggy nodded. "Her doctor friends, myself, Howard, and a few of the others around camp. I was able to locate where they are keeping her, but…"

"But what, Peg?" Steve prompted.

"They have guards that I do not know," she said with a grimace. "I have been trying to find a way to get past them without causing any harm to her."

"Leave that to us," Bucky gritted out. He unholstered his pistol, griping it tight enough to turn his knuckles white. Peggy nodded. Between the three, they formulated a plan to infiltrate the bunker that Vivian was being held captive at. While Steve was attempting to save her with the most minimal amount of damage, Bucky didn't care who he had to kill to get to her. He swore that make the people who had hurt her to pay for their crimes.

Three unfamiliar guards stood in front of an unassuming pair of metal doors. Behind those doors, Vivian was being subjugated to unknown levels of pain and suffering. Steve, Bucky, and the other Commandos all hunkered down behind various boxes. They needed to remain out of sight until they got the signal.

Soon, Peggy and the nurse who had spoken up came into view carrying a couple of trays of food. Peggy smiled brightly at the guards and started to speak but she was too far away for the waiting Commandos to make out what she said. The guards relaxed a little and accepted the food with thanks, their eyes roving over the two women. The nurse looked a little uncomfortable, but Peggy played them like a champ. In a flash, she struck, knocking one guard out with a single punch and kicking another in the genitals. The remaining guard was too stunned to react properly, allowing the nurse to take him out with a syringe. As he fell to the ground, the nurse pulled out a small bottle from her pocket and refilled her syringe. Peggy pulled a similar one out of her pocket, filling it when the nurse passed the bottle to her. They medicated the last two guards and then proceeded to drag them out of the way. Peggy reached into her pocket again and pulled out her compact. She opened it and applied some make-up to her nose. That was the signal.

The Commandos slipped out from their hiding places and walked over to the bunker as casually as possible. It only took a few moments to locate the keys and unlock the doors. The nurse left to prepare for Vivian's arrival. The plan was to get her free and treated as quickly as possible. From there, they would hide her in Howard's vehicle. He would take her all the way to London and put her up into a MI6 safe house that wasn't in use. They didn't know what they were going to do from there, but they would cross that bridge when they get there. Right now, they just needed to get Vivian out of the bunker.

The air was dank and smelled slightly of blood and human waste. The Commandos tensed as the smell hit them. It did not bode well for Vivian, who all thought of as a friend. Bucky and Steve took point, guns held at the ready, just in case. Down and down they went, not seeing another soul or hearing a single sound. There were no other doorways or hallways, just a seemingly never ending stair case. After an eternity, they made it to the bottom of the stairs. The door was metal with a sliding bolt for a lock.

Steve reached for the bolt and gave Bucky a slight nod, letting him know that he should be the first one through the door. Bucky swallowed and shouldered his rifle. He gave Steve a nod. Steve slid the bolt back and wretched the door open. Bucky rushed in smoothly searching every inch for enemy forces but saw none. What he did see was much worse.

Vivian laid on the cold hard ground, curled tightly in the fetal position. Her once vibrant whiskey colored hair was matted with dirt and blood. Her clothes were torn and filthy. Every inch of visible skin was molted with bruises and cuts, some of which looked inflamed. She did not react when Steve opened the door or when Bucky rushed in. If it wasn't for the slight rise and fall of her shoulders, she would have been thought dead.

"Vivian?" Bucky said barely above a whisper.

Vivian shot up, alarmed. In her hand, she held a self made knife. In the back of his mind, Bucky was proud of her fighting spirit. But that faded when he got a good look at her face. One of her eyes was swollen shut and her lip had been split multiple times.

"Bucky…"

Bucky's rifle fell to the floor with a clang. "I'm hear baby." He knelt down, gently taking her face in his hands. "Don't worry we're gonna get you out of here and someplace safe."

Her one good eye brimmed with tears. "The Colonel…"

"Don't you worry about him," Steve said from the doorway. "He won't get away with this." Steve tossed a set of keys to Bucky. From above, shouting could be heard. "You might want to speed things up, I think we have company."

It took only a few seconds to free Vivian from her shackles. The areas where she had been clamped were raw and chaffed. One more set of injuries to hold the Colonel accountable for. Steve took point as they made their way up the stairs. Vivian held onto Bucky for support. When they exited the bunker they squinted in the bright sun light. Once their eyes adjusted they saw a tense standoff between Peggy and the other Commandos and the Colonel and his men.

The Colonel's men lowered their guns slightly at the sight of Captain America but only for a moment. They had their orders and would follow them, no matter how much they hated them. Steve put himself in between the two groups. He would defuse the situation if he could. Meanwhile, Bucky shifted Vivian in his arms so he could shoot if need be. She hissed as he jarred some of her injuries, but refused to take her eyes off the Colonel. Her eyes blazed with rage and retribution.

"Step down son," Colonel Philips ordered.

Steve stood still. "I don't think so, sir. This is wrong and you know it."

"We're at war. We have to sometimes do things that we're not proud of."

Steve shook his head. "Then you're no better than the enemy we fight. I swore to uphold the Constitution and to defend the weak from all threats."

"That's a boy scout answer," sneered the Colonel.

"That may be," Steve said raising his pistol at the Colonel. "But at least my conscious is clear. Can you say the same?"

Colonel Philips looked like he would love nothing better that to punch Captain America in the mouth. But he knew if he did that, then he would lose all control over his mean and that was more important. He huffed and turned, waving his hand in dismissal. "Miss Weaver, you are no longer welcome on my base. I'll give you one day to get your things and leave."

"Don't think this is over," spat Vivian.

"Oh I don't believe that for a second," Colonel Philips replied. The other soldiers followed the Colonel with a mixture of awe and apprehension.

They rushed Vivian to the medical tent to treat her wounds, which turned out to be extensive. Three broken ribs and another four bruised. Nearly all her fingers were broken and had to be reset as to heal properly. Thank god for morphine. By the end, she was more bandages than person. Peggy and couple of nurses packed Vivian's limited belongings with an efficiency that would impress any military leader. Colonel Philips may have given them a day's grace period, but they wanted Vivian off the base as quickly as possible.

Bucky never left Vivian's side the entire time she was being attended to. He held her hand and gently ran his thumb over her battered knuckles. This had happened to her while he was away playing hero. He hadn't even wanted to be part of the military in the first place. He didn't feel comfortable letting her out of his sight again, but had no choice. She wasn't military; he was. His only consolidation was that in two days he would be given leave to head back to London. Howard had promised not to leave her side until then. It would have to be enough.

Vivian turned slightly in her sleep, smiling slightly. The doctors had given her as much morphine as they dared. A small respite from all her pain. Bucky found a smile of his own on his face. Despite all the bruising, she looked peaceful. Once again, he thought about how wonderful it would be to wake up to that face, minus the bruises, for the rest of his life.

Vivian was still knocked out when Howard pulled up in his vehicle. As gently as he could, Bucky lifted her from her cot and carried her over. She grumbled in her sleep and clung tightly to his shirt. He kissed the top of her head. He settled her in the back seat as best as he could. She started to fuss.

"Peggy and Howard are going to take care of you until I can get to you," he murmured into her ear. "Then you'll have me for a week. How does that sound."

Vivian smiled and fell back into a deep sleep. Peggy finished stowing away Vivian's belongings and climbed into the passenger seat.

"I'll watch over her with my life," she promised.

Bucky shook her hand, thankful for her help. He stood stoic as he watched Howard speed away with Vivian. It took everything in him not to say "to hell with it" and go with them. When the war was over, they would need his military benefits. He would walk through hell itself for Vivian. But for now, he had to not kill a Colonel.

Well there you go another chapter. Again, I do apologize for the long wait in between chapters. My manuscript is off at the editors now, so until that comes back I have plenty of time to devote to fanfictions. As always please rate and review. Mainly review. Your thoughts help me to become a better writer. Until next time!