A/N: Hello there! Sorry for the wait. Main A/N at the bottom of the chapter explains why. Just a heads up saying this is a semi-filler wrapped around a dialogue chapter, flavoured with a hint of violence to keep it from getting too …blah.

Chapter Sixteen

Sunrise was still hours away. Buffy could tell without even looking at the clock. There was hardly any light coming in through the threadbare curtains. The only sound in the room was the faint breathing coming from beside her. She wasn't sure what had woken her. Everything the room seemed so still and silent.

Fighting the temptation to lift her head just so that she could watch Steve sleep, she settled on tracing her fingers across his chest. Lightly caressing the soft skin, feeling the warmth radiate from him. The steady comforting beat of his heart. She shifted herself slightly, resting her ear against his chest. So, she could hear the strong steady beat herself.

It was so different from the fleeting cold embrace she had experienced from Angel. Even Riley's hadn't felt this warm and comforting.

She immediately shied away from thoughts of her ex-boyfriends and pushed them to the back of her mind, where they belonged. At least for now.

But still the memories of the past brought her to another problem. It had been years since Buffy had done her nightly patrols of Sunnydale. Her slayer duties had become a bit more … adaptive, with her displacement. But she wasn't that much out of practice…. She should have seen the vampire attack on the village party coming. She should have known vampire attacks were a risk. The war had enough of the world in shambles, it wasn't surprising the vampires and demons would be taking advantage of it.

But with the attack brought up another issue.

Bucky had become a walking wall… only more brunet. He still smiled and joked with the other Howlies, but there was a shadow that sometimes entered his eyes. As if he was reliving something… or remembering…

Something had happened to him at Azzano. Something had affected him… physically as well as mentally.

"We need to talk to him." Buffy said to herself. The statement was softly spoken, but it still seemed to pierce the darkness of the room.

"Talk to who?" Steve muttered, moving slightly. He'd obviously been close enough to awake to hear her. His arm curled tighter and pulled her in closer. Buffy took a moment to enjoy it, almost hating breaking the comfort with her worries.

"Bucky." She whispered, into the darkness. Almost not wanting to give voice to the thought that… something wasn't right with Bucky. "We need to talk to him. Something happened to him at Azzano, they did something to him. He shouldn't have to deal with whatever it is alone."

Steve made a slightly amused sound, reaching to touch and twist a lock of her hair. "Talking about Bucky while in bed with me, Sweetheart? A fella could get issues."

Buffy's melancholy faded and she thumped in on his rock-hard abs.

"Oof." He sounded, but she doubted he really felt it. "Buffy, I know we have to talk to him. Trust me, I've seen how different he's been. But you don't realise just how stubborn Buck can be."

He went still for a moment before added with almost sad resignation, his earlier playful tone fading. "We can't force him, he'll just clam up."

"Worse than he already has?" Buffy challenged, arching an unseen eyebrow.

"Doll, you ain't seen nothing yet."

Buffy sighed, resting her head back against Steve's bare chest. For a moment just soaking in the warmth of him. His strong steady heartbeat thumped soothingly in her ear, almost lulling her back to sleep.

"He can't out stubborn me." Buffy announced, her words slowed and mumbled by oncoming sleep.

"Oh Sweetheart…Of that I have no doubt." Steve agreed, reaching up to run his fingers gently over the fine hairs at the base of her head. Sending little waves of tickling comfort down her neck. She squirmed, trying to bury herself deeper into his chest. He sighed, in an obvious relaxed contentment.

Letting them both just relax and be, far away from the fighting. At least for the moment.

Morning came almost too soon. Neither Buffy nor Steve required a lot of sleep, but both of them seem to loath leaving the bed. Buffy lent over Steve, both hands reaching up to frame his face. As she pulled him into a soft kiss.

"We need to get up." Steve managed to say between the continuing kiss. "We have troops coming in the reinforce this position."

"Let someone else do it." Buffy suggested, leaning back to give him a quick smirk.

"I wish." Steve replied, before pulling her back in for one last firmer kiss.

After a moment Steve pulled himself free of the tangled sheets. Buffy watched as the faint light of sunrise, shone across the skin of his naked back. Soft light highlighting the solid muscles that flexed as he moved around the tiny room, as he sorted his way through their discarded clothing.

It took him a moment to separate his uniform from hers. The only differences between the Captain America uniform and the American Dream one, was the size.

Buffy bit her lip to stop herself from laughing, as Steve held her smaller top up, trying to judge its size against himself. He quickly switched to the larger one. Apparently, she didn't quite stop the sound from escaping. Because Steve cast a quick look in her direction.

He arched an eyebrow at the sight of her just sitting there.

"Are you just gonna sit there and watch?" He asked, his serious tone undermined by the playful smile on his lips. "Or are you gonna get dressed to?"

"Can't I do both?" Buffy asked glibly.

"You're not doing both 'though." Steve pointed out.

Buffy bit her lip to prevent herself from outright grinning at him and ruining the mock serious exchange. It was hard, given the growing feeling of joy and warmth that was building inside her. Until she was fighting the urge the tackle Steve back into the bed and never leave it.

She managed the fight the urge… just… and instead heaved her best put out sigh and climbed to her feet. Pouting up at him, as Buffy reached out to take the uniform Steve held out for her.

The cold morning air had managed to sneak into the old and probably not well sealed window. Pebbling Buffy skin and forcing her to move around quickly to get ready. It wasn't long before she noticed Steve was standing there watching her.

"Are you going to get dressed?" Buffy echoed back at him. "Or just stand there and watch?

Steve's answering look was equal parts smug and sultry. "I'm doing both too."

#SC#

The wooden stairs thumped under her red combat boots, as Buffy made her way down the stairs. The villagers had put the Howlies into an empty house for the night. Buffy had told herself not the think about what had happened to the original owners. Save for the fact that they must have fled a while ago. At least that's what she was telling herself. But Buffy knew enough about darkness to ever believe her own comforting thoughts.

At the end of a little corridor was a small kitchen. It was quaint and cute with all the modern comforts of the 1800s. Dum Dum was in there already talking to someone through the open backdoor.

"'Orning." Buffy said as she made her way across to the kitchen table. The word 'morning' was muffled and mumbled around the chin strap of her much contested, Phillips enforced helmet, she held between her teeth. Both her hands worked quickly behind her head to style her hair into a braid.

Some saint or disguised Angelic figure placed a black coffee in a battered mug down in front of her.

"Thanks." Buffy said, dropping the strap from her mouth and smiling up at the celestial Dum Dum Dugan. "My hero."

Dum Dum's moustache smiled at her.

She took a large fortifying gulp of coffee, before turning around to scan the tiny room. Morita was standing in the doorway, talking to Dum Dum.

"Where are the others?" Buffy asked after a moment. She knew Steve had gone to check on the sentries and to probably walk the perimeter. The others had all but disappeared last night.

"Jones' and Barnes were on sentry this morning." Morita answered, from the doorway. "The others tagged teamed it through the night."

Buffy nodded and went about quickly drinking down the rest of her coffee, so she could join the others outside.

"You were a little…" Dum Dum voice suddenly cut off and Buffy turned towards him. Watching as he frowned slightly under his ever-present bowler hat, before apparently settling on what to say. "occupied last night to notice huh?"

Buffy froze, her coffee mug halfway to her lips. Was she about to get the disapproving 'What were you thinking…You should know better' speech, the one Giles and Xander had been so fond of?

"What are you getting at Dum Dum?" Her voice came out flatter and icier than she intended. But she wasn't about to fight with Dum Dum about her right to be with the best thing, in this new life she'd carved out for herself.

"Hey, no judgement here." Dum Dum held his hands up in surrender. Buffy blinked at him in confusion. "You and Cap are together. We all knew that."

"So…." Buffy's questioned trailing off, as she wondered… If he knew all this, why was he mentioning anything.

"Some others might have… opinions." Dum Dum shuffled uneasily, before looking back towards Marita. The other man flicking his hand, in a get-on-with-it gesture. Letting Buffy know that this was more than just Dum Dum's thoughts on the matter.

"Look Dream…" Said Dum Dum finally, his shoulders strengthening as did his voice. "you're an unmarried woman on the battlefield with a bunch of rowdy army men… people are gonna talk."

"People can kiss my…" Buffy cut herself off and rolled her eyes, thumping her mug back down on the table harder than necessary. She fought to pull on her armour, built from years of shrugging off gossip and harsh words she endured since becoming a Slayer. "Let them talk. I don't care."

It couldn't have been much worse than high school, right?

"I know you don't." Dum Dum agreed in a way, that made Buffy think he didn't agree at all. "But we do… because we're worried about you. You saved our lives with Cap, you're out here fighting with us… You're our Dream."

The name which she had endured somewhat grudgingly until that moment, suddenly took on a new meaning for her. No longer a silly pet name she'd been saddle with, but an expressive endearment.

Suddenly Buffy was hit with a realisation that this wasn't a reprimand or a talk about bad judgement and how she should have known better. It was spoken from concern.

Concern for her.

The tension she hadn't even realised was there, finally relaxed in Buffy shoulders. She exhaled a deep breath as it eased away. Her gaze flicked from Marita to Dum Dum, before giving them a smile. "Look, I appreciate the concern. But I can handle a few negative things said about me. But, thanks guys… for caring."

"Always." Came the dual answer.

#SC#

There was a surprising large number of villagers up and about when Buffy made her way down the cobbled path. Not that it was surprising that they were up and about, only that they all seemed relatively unshaken from the vampire attack the night before.

It made Buffy wonder if the wilful ignorance of her hometown to the supernatural, that she and her friends had dubbed the 'Sunnydale Syndrome." Had been less of a Sunnydale thing and more of a mankind one.

Or it could have been that these townsfolk had been through so much that nothing was phasing them. Imprisoned by an evil cult to make glowy blue death rays… attacked by a group of vampires. … Nothing to see here, let's move along.

When Buffy finally found Steve, she found herself pausing on the pathway. So caught up with the sight, all Buffy could do in the moment was just stare, In the morning sun, his red, blue and white outfit seemed brighter.

The other Howling Commandoes had gathered around him, listening as he gave his orders. Steve had always had come across as larger than life, now he had the physical body to back it up. He seemed to tower over the men surrounding him.

He was completely in his element, doing what he was always meant to do.

"Hey, there you are." Steve called as he spotted her. He waved the others off, making his way towards her.

"Didn't want to leave the warm house?" Bucky's voice remarked from behind her and Buffy whirled towards him with wide eyes. "Spare some sympathies for some of us, that had to spend the night outside in a sniper's nest."

Buffy continued staring at him wide eyed.

For all her belief that they needed to speak to him. Suddenly being faced with him, seemed too soon.

The problem being…she hadn't really thought of what to say. Despite her attempt at practicing in front of the mirror that morning, after Steve had left. Buffy hadn't gotten that far beyond. 'Bucky, we need to talk…' and she wasn't even happy with that opening.

"You alright?" Bucky asked, tilting his head at her.

"Bucky, we need to talk." Buffy cringed as the words left her mouth, watching as Bucky's eyebrows jumped in surprise.

Mentally cursing herself, she cast a pleading look towards Steve. Only to find the man looking at her with a similar look of surprise.

Buffy's shoulders dropped and she fought the urge the let her whole-body sink to the ground.

"Okay…Not the best start…" Buffy admitted. "Didn't mean to make a thing out of this."

"This being…?" Bucky questioned, before eyeing Steve. Who seemed to eye him right back in return.

"Straight to the point…." Buffy said mostly to herself, before diving straight in. "I've been fighting vampires since I was fifteen and, in that time, yeah I've seen regular people fight them. But I've never seen one, punch a vampire over, especially on their first encounter!"

There was twin silence and incredulous looks from the two men, before finally Steve asked in a stunned voice. "You were fifteen?"

"Not the point right now Steve!" Buffy deflected quickly, before adding softly. "...But yes."

"Look Doll. I'm not sure what you're getting at." Bucky's confusion seemed real enough.

"Bucky." Steve said, and Buffy almost cheered in relief. Happy that Steve was taking point on this… and dropping the questions of her past. "We know something happened to you at Azzano."

"It's fine." Bucky denied. "Nothing happened. Both of you got us all out."

"Bucky it's okay." Buffy said at the same time as Steve's. "We're just worried about you."

It was almost as if a physical shut down came over Bucky. His face usually so quick to offer a smirk or smile, might as well have been carved from stone. His blue eyes looked like twin shards of ice.

"Hey..." Buffy said softly, as if talking to a spooked animal. "If something did happen to you at Azzano, that may have… changed you. We're probably the only two people here that's going to understand what you're going through."

Bucky looked away, glaring off into the distance. Steve and Buffy shared a dismayed look. Both believing that Bucky was closing off on them. Which was why they both almost jumped in surprise when he started talking.

"They took people from the cells one by one." Bucky's voice was so quiet had they been anyone else they probably would have missed it. Bucky turned back to them, his face pale but his expression open. He almost looked surprised that he had spoken.

He gave a grimace and sighed, then like a flood gate had opened, the words started tumbling out of him. "People would go… and we'd never see them again. One day, it was my turn."

"Bucky…." Buffy didn't know who said his name in such stunned horror, her or Steve. It might have been both.

"They took me to this little Hydra scientist…. Zola!" Bucky continued as if they hadn't spoken, his face blank but his eyes blazed as he all but spat out the name. "He did something to me. Injected me with something that made my blood burn. Thought I was going to die."

"Noticed a few things had changed after that. The cold didn't affect me like it had before. I wasn't as tired. I was faster, stronger… I wasn't me." Buffy watched Bucky's face as he explained everything that had happened to him. He seemed almost… relieved to be finally able to say it.

Had he been worried about how they would have reacted? Buffy wondered.

"Oh Bucky." Buffy said softly, ducking her head to try and meet his eyes, as he stared down at the ground. "You're still you… just stronger."

There was a moment of silence before Steve sighed and stated. "Sounds like Zola figured out Erskine's formula. Or at least part of it."

"Sometimes it was easy to ignore." Bucky admitted, as he gave a careless shrug. Trying to act as he wasn't obviously shaken by what had happened to him. "Pretend it hadn't happened, that I'm not a freak or some kind monster."

"Buck!" Steve's rebuke almost came out as a yell. Before he continued with a softer voice. "You're not a monster. What they put in you, is similar to what was put in me. Am I a monster?"

"No!" Bucky turned wide in disbelief at the thought of Steve being a monster. "But…"

"If I'm not one, neither are you." Steve's voice left no room for argument. Bucky's shoulders suddenly relaxed, as all his tension seemed to leave him.

Silence came between them, as the three of them stood there simply scanning the fields around the village.

Before as one, both men turned to look at Buffy and asked. "…Fifteen?"

#SC#

It was almost midmorning when the reinforcements arrived.

They rumbled into the village in an almost endless procession of army jeeps and trucks.

Gabe came running towards them with almost breathless excitement.

"Guys, you'll never believe this." Gabe informed them with a grin. "It's the 107th."

The gathered Howlies exchanged surprised looks. Not unexpectedly amazed about this. Especially after Azzano, where a large chunk of the unit had been held prisoner, and while Steve and Buffy had rescued quite a few of them. None of them had been sure where they had been deployed too.

"Not only that." Gabe's grinned turned positively giddy. "There's a camera crew with them."

That brought a mixed reaction from the group, from slight apprehension to thinly veiled excitement. All of them however set about fixing their hair and clothing.

Buffy however reached up to make sure her helmet was still sitting firm and straight…then she fixed her hair.

With the vehicles came large groups of green clad soldiers. They approached the village, before branching off and taking up positions. Although none of them approached the Howling Commandoes more than one felt no compunction about simply staring at them.

Steve led the way, Gabe and Bucky following closely. Buffy trailed a bit behind, as they all walked towards the approaching Jeep carrying the new commanding officer.

Buffy wondered about the Colonel that had replaced Phillips. Was he the same kind of man? Buffy recoiled from her own thoughts. She wasn't sure if she could deal with two Phillips'.

Buffy was too busy scanning the new Colonel, too preoccupied to notice Steve giving the man a textbook salute. Gabe and Bucky each giving one or their own.

Buffy placed the new Colonel in his late forty's early fifties, his salt and pepper hair was mostly salt at this stage. His face lined with wear from years and probably stress…and then she seemed to realise he was staring at her. Buffy blinked at him in confusion before the moment of dismayed realisation hit her and she quickly gave the Colonel her own awkward but passable salute.

Phillips was probably somewhere out there laughing at me, Buffy thought.

"Lieutenant." The Colonel greeted. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh?" She inquired brightly, before noticing the reaction of the men around her and added swiftly. "Sir."

"Colonel Potter." The man introduced himself almost cheerfully, turning his attention back to Steve. "Colonel Phillips debriefed me on your band of merry Commandoes. Taking the fight to Hydra and all that… Never was one for the cloak and dagger myself. I was in the mounted infantry during the last war. We rode horses straight into battle."

Buffy bit the inside of her lip, as she fought the urge to smile. Not so like Phillips then, she realised.

Buffy stepped back, trying not to draw any attention to herself. She was ready to take the win, of the not-Phillips like Colonel. But that didn't mean she was going to tempt fate. Instead she decided she was going to avoid his line of sight.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Steve gesture for her to come and stand by him. Buffy wilted. Potter might have come across as the most cheerful person on the battleground. But with her luck, even the most cheerful person could be a secret Freddy Kruger…literally.

Potter gestured to one his aids and the young soldier begun unrolling a map across the Jeep's bonnet. The Colonel spent the whole time talking about something his wife Mildred had told him…Buffy wasn't sure what, she had stopped listening at that point.

"We are here." Potter stated, pointing to a teeny tiny mark to match the teeny tiny village they were in. He moved his finger across the paper, tracing down and around to an unmarked section of the map. "Reports place that the Hydra base was around here."

"That's right." Steve agreed. "It's a few klicks south of here."

"I sent patrols into here and here." Potter continued, pointing to other places on the map. "That just means if we are going to secure this area, we need to scout out this woodland area here."

The two of them conferred over the map. Pointing at one place or another. At one point Steve pulled out a silver compass. That Buffy knew, had once been his father's.

At this point the camera crew had focused on the little briefing scene. Moving in and around to get close ups of people's faces. Buffy gave them a wary side eye as the lens scanned over her.

Stepping closer to the Jeep, so that they couldn't get all up in her face. Doing so gave her a clearer view of the maps and Steve's compass. Buffy was surprised to see the little photo tucked into the lid of the compass. Her photo, the one taken for her file, complete with the olive-green army uniform. Slowly she looked from the photo to Steve.

He didn't seem to notice though, as he turned his attention back to Colonel Potter.

"The Howling Commandoes will be happy to help." Steve offered steadfastly.

Potter gave him a beaming smile in return and a sharp nod. "Good."

The camera started doing a circling pan around them. Causing Buffy to stiffen when it stopped behind her. A creepy shiver ran down the back of her neck, it was like the feeling of being watched times a thousand.

It was better than what Steve was doing, as he stared down the camera with a frosty look. Before reaching out to grab his compass. He snapped the lid shut and tucked it away into one of his many belt pockets. He quickly glanced in her direction.

Buffy almost wished she hadn't been wearing the mask, because the inquiring eyebrow arch she gave him was completely wasted.

He didn't say anything, nor did he look particularly embarrassed about being caught. His clear blue eye met hers. A feeling of warmth flooded her, spreading through her limbs to settle right in her chest. Buffy's lips twitched with an urge to grin at him. Beyond flattered and pleased at the knowledge that he carried her picture around with him.

Even if it was her military file photo.

His lips twitched in return. Before he turned to Gabe. "You can catch up with friends if you want. But meet me back here shortly."

"Got it Cap." Gabe agreed, with a quick salute. Steve nodded and turned on his heel, before marching off through the gathered crowd of soldiers. No doubt off to find the other Howling Commandoes. Buffy watched him go for a moment, almost ready to follow him. When she spotted that the camera crew had trailed off after Steve, apparently deciding a Captain America doing something, was more interesting than the rest of them just standing around.

Not the Buffy could blame them, she was in complete agreement. She could stand there and just watch Steve for ages. But not only because of that… it also took the camera off her for a moment. Buffy watched the news crew move across the camp with an almost dark look.

A stark contrast to her apprehension was Gabe Jones almost happy bouncing.

"I'm gonna be on film." He told her with a grin. "You think they'll show this on the newsreels? My Mama might see this."

"Oh, this is not gonna end well." Buffy lamented. She could already hear Phillips' rant about her keeping a low profile. She heaved a sigh and announced probably louder than she intended, unable to stop the sudden rush of words. "You know what. I'm not gonna worry about this. This is me being worry free. Phillips can deal with the fallout, that and…and probably drag me into that little grey room again… lecturing me…. glaring at me disapprovingly."

"What?" A chuckling Gabe shook his head at her. "Seriously Dream, it'll be fine. They'll take a few shots and go on their way… what's the worst that could happen, huh?"

"Stop!" Buffy ordered, staring at him in wide eyed fright. Unable to believe that those dreaded words had been said… in her presence. It was almost daring the universe to do something. Buffy stared at him in horror, before breathing out a disbelieving "How can you say that?! You'll jinx us all!"

"You're overreacting." Gabe grinned at her, obviously too amused to see the seriousness of the situation. "How bad can it be?'

"Oh my God! Stop talking!"

#SC#

It was funny for Buffy watching the Commandoes integrate back into the unit they had originally been a part of.

Gabe had ditched her with a fond head shake and a muttered 'Goodluck', before going off in search of some familiar faces. Buffy watched him go for a moment. Still waiting for the asteroid to fall from the sky and hit her. A rampaging demon to suddenly appear. Or a portal to hell to open under her feet.

It soon became apparent that the universe was holding back its answer to the jinx challenge. But it would come, Buffy was sure of it. As sure as she was, that she would be the first to say 'I told you so' to Gabe Jones.

There weren't any familiar faces for her. Even if a few of them seemed extremely interested in her. Given that they started talking about her as she walked passed them.

"Is that the benefit of joining the Howling Commandoes?" One Private asked the other. Not really caring about his volume and the fact that not only she but everyone around him could hear.

"What? A pretty little Dame that travels around with them?" Replied the other. Loud suggestive laughter echoed between the pair.

"Should have tried to join up myself." Said the first man.

"You don't want this one fellas." A third man commented, and Buffy turned slightly in recognition. He stepped into Buffy's path, preventing her from following her original plan and just keep walking. "She's a bit of a freak."

Scratch that, there were some familiar faces, just not ones she'd called 'friends.'

"Hodge." Buffy greeted simply, giving an already weary sigh. "I see you're still embracing every sexist jerk cliché there is."

"You know her Hodge?" One of the soldiers asked.

"Sadly." Hodge scoffed.

"Oh, you've got some minions now?" Buffy asked, injecting a light false brightness into her words. If he wasn't going to let her keep walking, she might as well tell him what she really thought. "Whatcha do? Take out an ad in the newspaper? 'Looking for likeminded misogynistic jerks. Must enjoy tormenting innocent woman. Intelligent people need not apply.'"

Whether or not Hodge listened to, or even understood Buffy's taunt was unknown. But clearly one word stood out to him.

"Innocent?" He echoed, with a derisive snort. "You're no innocent. Bet you sleep with Roger's to get a position on his team. You probably slept with Phillips, to get your rank."

The noise that escaped Buffy in answer was a mix between, a strangled scream, a barely suppressed gagging and the sound of a dying animal.

More than one person heard the cry, as people around then turned to look. Buffy felt her cheeks flush red for more than one reason.

"Phillips?" She managed a horrified whisper. "Oh God. Bleach… I need brain bleach. Seriously?! What the hell is wrong with you?! To suggest that?! To even think that?!"

She gave a violent full body shudder. As if to shake the very thought off herself.

Buffy looked from Hodge to minion one then over to minion two, before back to the man himself. Settling herself into a deep 'I am not amused' glare. The minions must have picked something up from her glare because, they sent a look to each other, before turning back to her… each looking extremely uncomfortable.

Or maybe they were realising that Hodge was a douche, Buffy thought.

"Hodge, as much as I'm enjoying this witty and frankly horrifying exchange." Buffy said, starting off a sweetly as she could before dropping her tone into a freezing temperature. "Go crawl back under whatever rock you came from, before I show you exactly how I got my position."

"Propositioning me now, are you." Hodge sneered. Buffy's eyes narrowed at him, as she wondered how the people around her would react if she were to just give in and throw Hodge across the camp.

"Problem here fella's?" Dum Dum's voice asked. Buffy turned to watch the man approach slowly, his eyes scanning the men almost surrounding Buffy. "You 'right there Dream?"

"Fine." Buffy muttered, crossing her arms with a huff. "Just reminding these guys about minding their manners. That's all."

"Fair enough." Dum Dum replied nodding in agreement. He tilted his hat back slightly so he could clearly glare at each man. "Shouldn't have to remind them 'though. They are after all talking to a lady… Not to mention a Lieutenant."

Hodge's minions exchanged a quick look, as if these facts hadn't really occurred to them. Hodge however simply scoffed at them, before giving Buffy a mocking salute.

"Lieutenant." Hodge said, before turning on his heel and marching off. His minions trailing after him.

"Hodge!" Dum Dum called out. "I hope you understand, I'll have to report this."

Hodge shot them a venomous glare and kept walking.

"Ass." Buffy muttered, before giving a quick pre-empted stop to the 'I told you so,' that was obviously building on Dum Dum's lips. "Shut up."

Dum Dum's laugh was short and soft, as he shook his head at her. Before looking off after Hodge.

"Hey Dream…." Dum Dum asked, he waited until Buffy made an acknowledging sound, before saying simply. "I told you so."

"Couldn't resist could you." Buffy replied, a sardonic smirk on her lips. "And I stand by my statement… They really can kiss my ass."

#SC#

The woodland was full of toweringly tall trees and dense underbrush. A thick icy mist hung close to the ground, making it hard to see the person next you. Let alone most of the surrounding area. The teams moved slowly, not wanting to rush into what could be a trap or an ambush.

Steve's red, white and blue massive form could be faintly made out in the distance. It stood to reason if Buffy could clearly see him, he could see her. Buffy wondered if that was the reason behind the outfit design. Patriotic, inspiring… eye catching.

Buffy twisted her head slightly to glance behind her, spotting the second line of troops that had been set up to guard their back. So, enemies didn't sneak around at shoot them in the back, a plan Buffy whole heartily agreed with.

It was getting darker and colder as they walked. The ground covered in a fine dusting of snow and ice. When Buffy gestured for her team to stop, she scanned the darkening woods. Her instincts yelling at her. She gestured quickly at the men behind her, when barely a split-second later gunfire and shouts rang out along the line of soldiers signalling enemy contact.

Buffy ducked behind a tree and waited until the first enemy soldier walked passed her. Her adamantine blade sliced clean through the barrel of his rifle, before she twisted in a kick that slammed him face first into the tree she'd just been hiding behind.

Already moving before his body hit the ground. Buffy closed the distance between herself and her next target as quickly as she could. A regular uniform Nazi soldier was aiming his weapon at a fallen Allied soldier.

Bone crunched under her foot as she kicked his legs out from under him. German curses and yelling, was quickly cut off as Buffy kicked him away, sending him rolling a few yards.

Stunned green eyes met hers for a moment, as the private she'd just saved, pushed his helmet back so that he could stare at her better. Buffy blinked in surprise, at the sight of one of Hodge's minion speechless.

"Th… thanks." He stuttered.

"Get up!" Buffy ordered, gesturing to him probably more harshly then she should have. But now was not the time to be laying around… and the man had been a jerk to her.

He scrambled to his feet and turned to her, only for his eyes to widen again. This time in horror instead of surprise. "Lieutenant!"

#SC#

Their enemy was Nazi soldiers, instead of Hydra troops. Which was fine by Steve. Both were groups that needed to be stopped.

Steve raised his shield to block the sudden onslaught of bullets that were fired in his direction. All the while, closing the distance between him and the Nazi that was shooting at him. Steve shoved him hard with his shield, sending the Nazi flying backward into a tree.

Two more enemy soldiers dropped nearby, one right after the other. Matching bullet hole blooming almost dead centre. Steve chanced a glance backward, spotting Bucky lower his rifle as he turned to find another target. Another target for Bucky's increasingly deadly shooting.

Steve and his team's area had mostly been cleared, so he turned to send a quick look Buffy's way. Knowing that she could handle herself was one thing. But he needed to see for himself she was alright.

What he saw stopped his heart for a second. Somehow the enemy had gotten in and around to flank her. A large number of Nazi soldiers moving in to surround her.

"Buffy!" He called through suddenly breathless lungs.

"Follow me!" Steve called to his group, before taking off running in Buffy's direction. The icy ground might have slowed the others down but not him. Head down, shield up he ploughed across the battlefield. Focused entirely on reaching her.

Steve saw the moment Buffy realised she'd been surrounded. Watched her shove the Private to the ground and turned to face the enemy. He pushed for more speed and begged to make it in time. As the blood in his veins seemed to pump colder than the air around him

Buffy was fast and strong. With skills that even he, couldn't completely explain. But he didn't think she could outrun multiple people… with machine guns.

He wasn't about the let her face it alone.

Even if… he wasn't going to make it in time.

"Buffy!" He called again, pulling his shield off his arm and throwing it. The red and white disc shot across the distance in a spinning blur, slamming into the back of one of the Nazi's surrounding Buffy. Before bouncing off him and… Buffy jumped up, grabbing the shield out of mid-air. As she landed tucked herself behind it as the Nazi's around her opened fire.

It didn't stop her though. Covered with the shield Buffy closed the distance between her and the enemy. Kicking one Nazi soldier away with enough force that he flew backward into a tree, before spinning around to back hand another man with Steve's shield. He flipped head over heels before landing hard on the ground.

Buffy turned to face the others, Steve's shield and one of her weapons ready. Steve was surprised no one turned to run from sheer intimidation alone. She looked like an ancient warrior, a shield in one hand a blade in the other.

Her stillness lasted only a moment, before Buffy shot forward with almost an explosion of movement. Tearing into the surrounding Nazi's as if they were cardboard cut-outs.

Steve had taken her lessons to heart. He'd picked up the skills of fighting, better and quicker than most people. Buffy herself had said so. But still he felt like a brawler next to her.

By the time Steve had made it to her side, there was no one left to fight. Save for one groaning man that was trying to get up. Steve kicked him as he moved passed.

A little harder than probably necessary.

"Thanks." Buffy said calmly with a smile, handing him back his shield. As if she hadn't almost been riddled with bullets.

Steve reached out to touch her blond hair where it came out from under her mask, before running a finger down her jaw. Needing a moment… just a moment to tell himself that she really was fine.

"Are you alright?" Steve asked, scanning her for any obvious injuries.

"Fine." Buffy replied, giving a quick nod. But her mask did little to hide her confused look as she glanced around. "Wondering where the other Nazi's came from 'though."

"Me too." Steve agreed, sending an accessing look to where the rear defence line should have been.

"Lieutenant." A voice gasped out as a young private ran towards them. His eyes wide and skin pale, underneath the splattered mud and dirt. "I'm so sorry. We were meant to be guarding your flank… But Hodge pulled us back, saying we over run. It all happened so quickly."

"Hodge?!" Steve demanded, scanning the surrounding faces for the bully he remembered from Camp Lehigh.

The man himself stepped forward, his face completely blank of any expression.

"Sorry Captain…and Lieutenant." Hodge said easily. A little too easily considering what had almost happened. "We got overrun."

Steve's jaw clenched, looking down at Buffy. Her attention was fixed on Hodge, her eyes narrowed. After a moment, her green eyes flicked over to meet his. She shook her head with a sigh.

Maybe Hodge had been telling the truth and they had been over run. It was easier to believe then someone of their own side deliberately putting Buffy in danger.

"I'll still have to report this to Colonel Potter… and Phillips." Steve told him. Just as he turned to move away. Steve caught Hodge's expression crack for a split second. The Private's nostrils flared, and something burned like hate in his eyes.

A bad feeling settled in Steve's stomach, resting there like a heavy stone. And he promised himself that he would be keeping an eye on Hodge.

#SC#

"Are you sure you're alright." Steve asked, when they made it back to the village. The field surrounding the buildings, had been converted into a massive green tent city.

Buffy just nodded as she turned to Steve. She really was fine, but there was something that had been bugging her for a while now.

Curiosity got the better of her and without a word she reached for one of the pouches of his belt. Steve let her, watching her with an almost questioning expression. Buffy pulled free his compass and flicked open the lid. She stared at her little black and white image.

Finally, she looked up from the picture to meet Steve's gaze. His blank face had cracked finally with a hopeful smile.

"You couldn't have picked a better picture?" Buffy asked finally, with a playful huff.

Steve's smile widened, before he replied truthfully. "I like this photograph of you."

"Oh yeah." Buffy replied, returning his smile. "Nothing says beauty like a personnel photo. Especially in that uniform."

"I think you look beautiful in the uniform." Steve told her, reaching out to touch a strain of blond hair, that had come free of her braid. "I think you look beautiful all the time."

A passing Dum Dum made a throat clearing sound and when she glanced to him. He nodded with his head towards the gathered soldiers. Buffy followed his gesture, spotting more than one soldier giving her slightly awe filled looks.

Apparently more than one-person had seen her fight.

"Well that's something." Buffy remarked, turning a decidedly smug grin at Steve.

#SC#

It was a few weeks later that they got recalled back to England. Ready to debrief and redeploy.

It was night-time when the troop transport finally landed in London.

The military base however was still bustling with activity. Large floodlights lit the grounds around them, making the wet concrete gleam. Buffy and the others made their way across the runway, towards the expected transport back to headquarters.

What they hadn't been expecting was Howard Stark waiting for them.

"Howard?" Steve said part greeting part question.

"Steve." Howard replied, smirking at him slightly as if he knew something they didn't. Which was a common occurrence, so no one really gave him much notice. That was until he stepped forward towards Buffy. "Hey Dollface. I wanted to be the one to tell you… That footage of you on the Newsreels got a lot of people talking."

"What did Phillips have to say?" Buffy asked with a gloomy tone. Casting some serious side eye at Gabe. She still hadn't forgot his potential jinx.

"Not Phillips." Howard corrected shaking his head, his enjoyment of the situation practically beaming off him. "I got something for you."

"Oh?" Buffy replied, arching a wary eyebrow at him.

"Ahuh." Howards smug smirk grow, as he reached into his coat and pulled out something. "Fresh off the stands."

Confused Buffy took it from him. Realising as she unfolded it, that it was a comic book. A Captain America comic book, given Steve's comic book self, drawn on the cover. But he wasn't on it alone…

Standing beside Steve's comic counterpart was a woman. A woman with long blond hair, wearing a skin-tight red, white and blue outfit over …generous curves. Buffy stared at it for a moment, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. She realised belatedly that it was meant to be her. That it was her… or rather the comic book version of her. If that wasn't enough to confirm her horror, the title that blazed across the front was.

'Captain America and The American Dream'.

Buffy rolled up the comic and used it to thump a laughing Gabe on his jinx inducing head.

"See I told you, you'd jinxed me!" Buffy pointed the comic book weapon at the laughing and smiling men around her. "This is all your fault. You hear me! I'm blaming you all!"

A/N: I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to update. It has been a strange time for me, (For everyone really) my job (Essential I guess…) remained active during lockdown. I did end up having some time off, however. Due to a reduce in workload. But believe it or not, my computer died. I had a minor freak out… ok a major freak out, when I realised the parts had to be ordered in. It did take a while for them to arrive… I feel so sorry for the postal services, they look so frazzled. Now, what did I do in my home isolation without a computer?... I took up knitting…. That is not a joke. Plus, I made a quilt. So, I was kinda productive.

Now my computer is up and running… and I'm back to work. With a massive backlog we have to get through. Already understaffed because a woman went on maternity leave… Only to have one of our junior/ Trainees quit under the stress of everything.

So… that's what happened to me. Hopefully, you'll hear from me soon. Until then take care and stay safe.

P.S To say sorry for the wait, here's a small something. A completely AU little oneshot… Not to be taken seriously… and not to be thought to deeply into.

#AU# During the Battle of Wakanda

"I told you…" Thor all but snarled into his enemy's face, reaching out to grab hold of the massive alien's head. Forcing the rolling titan's eyes to meet his. He pressed down hard on his weapon. Almost relished the sound Stormbreaker made as it dug deeper into Thanos' chest, bringing the massive alien to his knees. "You die for that."

The yell of pain was almost music to Thor's ears.

"Y…ou… shoulda…" Thanos' eyes rolled back into his head in shock, but still he fought to get the almost mumbled words out. He seemed to muster his strength then. He stared up at Thor with growing intensity, as he growled right back at the Asgardian King. "You should have gone for the…..Ack!"

Thor was momentarily blinded by a sudden spray of hot viscous fluid. He stumbled slightly backwards, feeling the sudden loss of weight he'd been holding onto.

When he finally cleared his vision of the unexpected shower, his mismatched eyes widened at the sight of the massive titan's body swaying slightly in front of him before slumping over. He looked almost bewilderedly at the enormous severed head still clutched in his hand. He dropped it quickly, watching it bounce and roll a little before settling next to the rest of its body.

Slightly confused and a little dazed Thor turned to the figure standing behind what was left of Thanos. A slight figure dressed in simple jeans and a sparkling top. An outfit that he knew from the Lady Jane and the Lady Darcy was more suited to a night out dancing, then on the battlefield.

The blond woman-child stood before him, nonchalantly resting the strange red axe she wielded on her shoulder. Ignorant or uncaring of the wickedly sharp edge, that dripped with the titan's purple blood.

"Basic Slaying 101." Buffy Summers told him with a serious look. "Always go for the head."