Yey, chapter 10 Thanks to everyone that's read this story for this long, you rock! :D
Same old same old... :V
Ch.10 Friends
Glad to see Bucky was alright and smiling, made Steve release a breath he didn't know he was keeping. Walking closer to the two and knocking on a table nearby, he got their attention.
"Ah, Steve! You won't believe what Stark has here!" Barnes excitedly turned to Cap.
"None of it will get done, if I don't have any peace and quiet," Howard chuckled and looked up from his latest project. Something… Rogers didn't even want to try and guess what it as.
"I think he's right Buck… Give the man some privacy," in all honesty, Rogers didn't want to take his friend from here if it made his happy.
"I was joking… I'm coming," Barnes smiled, waved goodbye before leaving the lab with Steve.
"Are you feeling better?" the Super Soldier asked as the two walked.
"Yeah… walking around camp, I saw I wasn't the only who lost a friend… Then I went to check on Howard and saw all his gizmos," Bucky nodded.
"Ah, okay," Steve sighed in relief inwardly.
"Don't tell me you were worried," James glanced at the blonde, a knowing look on his face.
"You weren't yourself… I just wanted to make sure you didn't do something stupid," Cap shrugged.
"Right, because how I managed to keep myself and you alive this long is unbelievable," he rolled his eyes, knowing the two of them could joke like this.
"Well, last time I checked, you needed me to save you from HYDRA… I think that makes us even," Steve felt a ping of guilt and remorse brining that up, but if it bothered the sniper, he didn't show it.
"Yeah, for maybe a few times I saved your sorry ass."
"Let's just get back to the others… You won't believe what you'll see."
"I'm pretty sure nothing would surprise me anymore."
"Let's find out shall we?"
"I can't believe it," Bucky couldn't close his mouth as he stared at the drunken Commando.
"He got drunk?" the others were struggling not to laugh.
"Told you so," Rogers felt so proud, finally besting his friend at something.
"And you played poker without me?" fake sadness covered his face as he looked at the table.
"Yeah well, some of us would like to win every now and then too Barnes," Gabe smirked as he took the many coins pilled on the center of the table.
"Toss me the box of cookies then," Bucky sulked and sat on one of the chairs, observing the game.
"They're biscuits. British made," Monty gave a slight glare, before reaching for the requested box.
"There you go," the Brit then threw it to the sniper, but it went a bit too high, too fast and hit Captain America dead on the head. The impact even opened the box, causing the goods to fall out.
"Ouch!" Steve winced, more from the surprise than pain.
"No!" Falsworth and Barnes called horror on their faces.
"Be more careful next ti-" Rogers planned to continue as he bent to pick the goods, when he took a quick breath inhaling the dust, before sneezing all over the cookies/biscuits.
"Why are you doing this?" the two James' sulked before a glimmer of mischief shone in Bucky's eyes.
"Oh and God bless America," at those words, the barrack went very quiet, very quickly, before it erupted in uncontrollable laughter.
"That… *sigh* It's not that funny," Steve was red in the face as he watched the Howlers dying of laughter. He knew he'd regret the name because of Barnes.
"Hey… mind keeping it down?" the now-awake member of the team called, slowly sitting up.
"An, morning," Dernier managed to say, before holding his stomach.
"What I *burp* miss?" Dugan blinked, taking in the sight before him. For a few seconds, he thought he was still dreaming.
"Nothing," Steve quickly answered before anyone else could get it together.
"How do you feel?" Morita was still chuckling as he came closer to Dum Dum.
"Like a bus hit me," Timothy took a hold of his head and let out a groan.
"Yeah, well, that's what you get for drinking so much," Jones couldn't stop smiling.
"I guess… but I had the weirdest dream…" the giant mumbled.
"And what's that?" Barnes raised an eyebrow, chin resting on the back of the chair.
"I was talking to Peggy… she reminded me of someone and I said some weird stuff," Dugan searched through his aching head, trying best to remember.
"Reminded you of Ana?" Frenchie asked, tilting his head.
"How do you-"
"It wasn't a dream," Jim looked sympathetically at the transport specialist.
"Oh God…" Dum Dum put his face into his hands and swallowed.
"You know we are here for you right?" Monty said gently, not wanting to sound forceful or that he said it just because he thinks he has to.
"Yea, I know…" he muttered into his hands, as his body was slightly shaking.
"You told them?" even without looking at anyone, everyone knew that was directed at Steve.
"…I did, I'm sorry… I know I should have asked-" Rogers had a whole speech ready, but Timothy looked up and nodded.
"No, it's fine… Saves me part of the explanation…" his eyes were red, voice sounded choked, as he sniffed before looking at the others.
"Cap's right… Ana's is… or was my wife," he started, thinking anyone would interrupt, but they were silent, yet clearly paying attention.
"We… we had a few problems… and we got into a big fight right before I left for the war…"
"Tim! Tim where are you?" Ana called, holding a baby in her arms.
"Here!" the called man rushed to her, worry on his face.
"You got your answer today," tears were dripping down her cheeks as she bit her lip.
"Oh honey…" he moved closer, hugging her but watching out not to hurt the baby.
"Why… Why do they need every man?" she closed her eyes, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"You know I'd stay if I could… but-" he tried to comfort her, but she couldn't listen.
"Can't you say anything? You have a baby, 6 months old! I – I need you here," Ana was begging, lips and body trembling as she spoke.
"Ana… they need me. They need everyone," he tried again, but it did nothing.
"They can miss one man! Y-You just want to play the hero again don't you?" anger was now mixed with the sadness as she gently put the baby in the bunk.
"Ana, you can't compare that to this. I just doing what was right. That man had to be stopped," his own breathing was getting stuck in his throat.
"I almost lost you! And if you go now, I will lose you… and I can't lose you too," she covered her face, sobs escaping her.
"You think I really want to go out there? I'm scared Ana. I want to stay here, home, with you and Jimmy, but I don't have a choice," Timothy clenched his fists and tried to keep it together.
"There's always a choice! You just chose to leave!"
"I just told you, I don't want to go! But if I don't, they'll force me to! I don't want to play the hero!"
"It's not fair…" she whispered through the sobs.
"Ana… I'm sor-" he moved a bit closer, trying again to calm her down.
"Save your apologies!" she shouted, making him freeze.
"Ana, you know it's not my fault…" now even he was shaking.
"…It doesn't matter… The first war took my father, now the second one will take you… I can't believe this…" she didn't even really hear what he said.
"Look when I get back, everything will be normal again alright?" he smiled tightly.
"…You won't come back…" her words pierced his heart as his body felt numb.
"Ana…" he whispered mouth wide open and eyes glassed over.
"Go! Go to your war! Just don't say anything…" she closed her eyes and hung her head.
Needing a minute to fully comprehend what happened, Timothy closed his mouth, nodded and went to get his things, before leaving home.
"We… we haven't talked since then, but I'm pretty sure they sent her a message that I got caught… She probably thinks I'm dead," Dugan swallowed, looking at the ground.
"But if you tell her someway, I'm sure-" Jones tried to help but Dum Dum shook his head.
"I think it's better this way…" he forced a smile and then noticed Bucky staring at him, suppressing a smile, but failing.
"What is it Barnes?" he raised an eyebrow, wondering what was so funny.
"Your son's name… it's Jimmy right?" the smile grew slightly, as the others realized the same thing.
"A – It – I didn't call you that because-" the mood suddenly changed as the giant struggled with words while his face went red.
"I think it's adorable," Morita nodded in agreement.
"*It makes sense,*" Dernier smirked.
"Man, you guys sure know how to change the mood don't cha?" Timothy laughed and shook his head. It felt like a heavy burden was taken off his back.
"Well, as long as you feel better," Steve smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I do… I haven't really told anyone, so that I finally got to do it, makes me happy."
"I think I know what would make you even happier," Gabe grinned, shuffling a deck of cards.
"Poker huh? Is Ji-Bucky playing?" Dum Dum smirked, getting off the bed.
"Nah, I'll pass. I wanna see how you guys play without me," Barnes shrugged before adding: "And if you want, you can call me Jimmy… promise I won't get too mad too often."
It wasn't that they wanted to change the subject or that they didn't care. It was just the opposite. They knew these things were a bit hard to swallow and harder to say, so they kept themselves occupied. It was a sign of trust between them.
"Hey, Cap, join us?" Gabe called when he saw the people who got ready for the game.
"Oh, I'm not really that good at poker," he answered honestly, even a bit embarrassed.
"It's alright, I'll help," Bucky grinned and leaned forward.
"No!" the other called, not wanting Barnes anywhere else than watching.
"Aw c'mon! We have more than a week of forced break. He has to win at least once!"
Huh, no translations. Anyway, tell me what you think and I hope you enjoyed :D