Hey guys, I've got some news!

As of this week, I'm going to be working every Monday, so it's likely that I won't have time to update as I'll be too tired! So, from now and at least until Christmas, I'll be updating every TUESDAY.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters that may be used or any Marvel storylines or arcs.

Claimer: I only own the character Elizabeth Jones and her story past, present and future.

Recap

On the last but one page, there's a list of injured and dead names and normally on the Howling Commandos reports, it's empty but one name decorated the page in this report.

Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, killed in action.

Elizabeth had to sit there in silence to come to terms with Bucky's death. So many men had lost their lives, on the Allied side, the German side, on every side fighting this war, so many men had gone.

But Bucky's death had hit her hard. Bucky had been Steve's best and only friend for a long time and she knew how much Bucky meant to him, hell, Steve had been about to walk to another country just because there was a slight chance his best friend was still alive.

When the Howling Commandos returned to London with fewer members, they had to have the formal de-briefing but Steve was nowhere to be found.

Elizabeth approached the group with a sympathetic look on her face, she offered her condolences and then asked where Steve was, if they knew.

"He disappeared as soon as we hit UK soil, Ma'am." Gabe replied, "He took it to heart." He glanced at the rest of the Howling Commandos and then looked back at her with a sigh, "We all did. It was hard." He added.

"It's always hard losing someone you work so closely with." Elizabeth said, she found it hard to comfort these men. "I think I know where Captain Rogers is."

"You should go to him, Ma'am." Jim Mortia said slowly.

Elizabeth nodded her head, "Cover for me?" She asked, she glanced behind her at Colonel Phillips.

"Anything for you, Ma'am." Timothy Dugan said, grinning at her.

Elizabeth nodded her thanks and she hurried from the bunker. She grabbed her coat and bag as she left.

The sky was already darkening and the chill grew in the air, she tightened her coat around her as she stepped through the rubble.

London had suffered more stray bombs than anyone would have thought possible, yet the spirit of the city survived and carried on going. Rubble decorated the streets, some of the buildings were crumbling and with holes in them.

Another air raid siren went off in the distance and she was reluctant to leave the safety of the bunker, which hadn't been affected by the bombs at all.

Elizabeth knew her way to the Whip and Fiddle, even if the sky was darkening by the second and the street lights had been dimmed to almost nothing.

She reached the pub easily, she had known that the pub had taken some beating with the bombs but she hadn't expected the gaping hole in the side of the pub. She stepped through carefully, trying her best not to trip on any of the rubble loose on the floor. Elizabeth spotted the table that she and her friends had sat at for their drinks, the table was in pieces and the cloth chairs were shredded.

The bar was still intact and surprisingly, there were still a few full and half full bottles on the shelving. There was glass on the floor and her heels made hollow noises on the wood beneath her feet. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as she walked around the bar to the other side.

The tables and chairs were scattered, some destroyed, others thrown about the place but she picked her way through. She side-stepped a fallen wooden beam and spotted Steve sitting with his back to her at a table, a half full bottle of whisky in front of him and a glass half full in his hand.

He probably had heard her enter the building but he didn't look around as she took another step closer. She stopped at the corner, her heart beating fast, everything she had been planning to say just simply disappeared from her mind and she was left blank. She didn't know what to do or say to a man in grief, despite all she's been through.

Slowly, Steve turned his body to look at her and in the dim lighting, she could make out the tearstained face and his look of sorrow before he turned from her again.

"You shouldn't be out here. It's too dangerous, the sirens are going off." He said, his voice sounded tight and strained, as if he was forcing himself to keep calm.

"I wanted to check on you." Elizabeth said gently.

Steve let the silence hang in the air for a few moments as he took a sip of the whisky.

"Doctor Erskine told me that the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would affect my cells too." Steve said with a sigh, "My cells seem to create a barrier around themselves so they regenerate faster." He continued, Steve took a large gulp of his drink, downing the rest of the contents of the glass in one. "Which means uh… I can't get drunk."

Elizabeth felt his pain, it mirrored her own, but getting drunk only covers the sadness, it doesn't help with recovery or the grief. She's seen it happen so many times over the years and she doesn't want it for him. She noticed the upturned chair just by the bar and she reached for it. Elizabeth placed the chair at the table and sat down, watching him carefully as he poured himself another glass of whisky.

"You wouldn't want to be drunk at this time." Elizabeth said, she watched as Steve looked up from his drink, his eyes brimming with tears. "Being drunk is basically pulling a thick blanket over your head. It numbs the pain but it comes rushing back ten times worse."

"You talk from experience, do you?" Steve asked, he almost sounded sarcastic, he dropped his eyes to his glass and he took another large gulp.

"I do." She breathed. His eyes went back to hers quickly, "Open your heart and talk, Steve." She continued. "What happened to Bucky, it was not your fault." Elizabeth said, she reached across and placed her hand on his forearm gently, his eyes followed her hand.

"You must have read the report. You know it's my fault." Steve said sourly. He downed his drink in one and pulled his arm from her hand and angrily poured himself another drink.

Elizabeth took her hand back and sat back, watching him carefully. "Losing someone to something you feel like you could have controlled and prevented is the worst feeling a human being could ever have to live with. I understand how you feel, Steve, I know it all too well. The grief is hard enough, don't try to drink yourself into forgetting." Elizabeth said gently.

Steve didn't take his eyes away from the glass in his hand but a single tear escaped his eye and trailed down his cheek slowly, he didn't move to brush it away. Abruptly, he got to his feet, took a step towards her and towered over her.

She inhaled sharply as she looked up at him, he looked intimidating, half of his face was shadowed and the height didn't help.

Her eyes followed each movement he made and fluidly, he cupped her face in his hands and bent so his lips brushed hers, she felt a single tear drop fall onto her cheek.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, she had a feeling that he wasn't saying sorry about kissing her. He pressed his lips firmly to her again and her eyes fluttered closed as his thumbs caressed her cheeks. She moved one hand to his shoulder as she blindly got to her feet and they straightened up. Her other arm snaked around his waist, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss.

Slowly, he leant back and looked at her, he moved his arms to around her shoulders and drew her closer.

"I'm going after Schmidt. I'm not gonna stop until all of Hydra is dead or captured." Steve said, holding her tightly in his arms.

She rested her head against his chest, "You are not alone in this Steve." Elizabeth whispered against his chest. She smiled to herself and took in his scent.

Steve shifted his weight and suddenly, he jumped back from her with a sharp yelp and he rubbed at his chest.

"Ow." He yelped, Elizabeth looked at him with wide eyes. "What have you got around your neck? Something jabbed me." Steve asked. Elizabeth reached under the neckline of her cream blouse and pulled out the necklace that Steve had given to her and immediately, his facial expression relaxed and he grinned.

Before Steve could speak, Elizabeth opened her mouth and months of words just spilled out in some form of apology.

"I haven't taken it off at all." Elizabeth began, "I don't care that you kissed her. I don't care if you kiss ten other girls-"

"It was a mistake." Steve said, cutting her off before she got in too deep. "Bucky liked you. Not in the way I like you, but he told me, when I visited him in the medic tent in Italy just after I left you, he told me that he liked the way you made me smile."

Elizabeth smiled down at the floor and she stepped forward again, she slid her arms around him again and rested her head on his chest. His arms went around her once more.

"He said that I was my happiest despite all that had happened, in years. You make me a happy man, Elizabeth." Steve breathed.

"I'm so happy to hear that, Steve." She breathed. "When you were on your missions, all I could do was worry for you. I missed you."

"I missed you too." Steve replied.

It's only a short chapter, I'm sorry! I hope you all enjoy though!

Thanks to all those who have read the story, followed and favorited!

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