When Steve returned, Hermione was sleeping again, wrapped in a fluffy towel like he had been before duty came knocking and he had to put his uniform back on. Bucky was clearing up the empty dishes with a puzzled frown, shooting glances at his girl now and then.

"Everything alright?" Steve asked.

Bucky dropped the plates and cringed as he checked he hadn't woken up Hermione, before scowling at him.

"Did they make you half-cat, too? Jeez, don't startle me like that."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to."

He had exceptional balance on top of everything else, and had to make an effort to be heard when he walked around.

"Hermione's fine. She ate and fell asleep a few minutes ago."

"Still dopey?"

Bucky nodded and looked away.

"I know that look. What did she do?" Steve needled, trying not to grin while he took his boots off again to join Hermione in bed.

"You don't want to know."

"'course I do. Has to be funny when she's in that state."

Bucky gave him a dubious look, mouth twisted before he gave in.

"She said she loved me."

Steve waited for something akin to jealousy to hit him, but he was comforted in what he had been thinking all along: the three of them belonged together.

"You don't seem happy about it," Steve said, because he'd been so sure of Buck's feeling for her, at least, and hopefully for him too.

Bucky narrowed his eyes at him.

"You don't seem angry about it," he shot back. "Anyway, she said it like you say you love ice cream, or a dog, y'know? She even patted my head."

"Oh."

"Oh? That's all? I expected more of a reaction, or are you two… you two didn't break up or something, right?"

Steve shook his head and patted the bed next to him so Bucky would stop pacing all over the place. He huffed, but sat down.

"No, we're fine. More than fine. But you know we love you too, right?"

"Yeah, but that's different."

Bucky seemed sure of himself, as if it could never be any other way. Steve hesitated once more, but in for a penny...

"Does it have to be? Can't we just love you the same way we love each other?"

"But that's not… normal?"

Steve sighed. Maybe he would have thought the same, once upon a time. But along came Hermione, the super-serum and all the changes that came with it, and the war, the blood, the death, the violence... It was destroying what he had been, putting things into perspective, changing what he thought he'd once known of the world... especially when he thought he had lost his two sergeants. But not for the worse, he didn't think. These past months were shaping him into someone who lived and loved more fiercely than ever before.

"There's nothing normal about any of this, Buck. I'm a lab experiment, Hermione's not even from this world, we're fighting nazis with space guns in a world wide war... What could possibly be so wrong about loving someone?"

Bucky had no counter argument. Or at least, he opened his mouth as if to speak a couple of times, then thought better of it, and shook his head.

"Just kiss already," Hermione mumbled from behind Steve. "Or do I have to show you kids how it's done?"

Steve laughed at hearing Hermione fling Bucky's teasing words right back in his face. He too chuckled once he got passed the surprise.

"Okay, I deserved that," Bucky said. "But I don't know… Can I think about it?"

Hermione mumbled something indistinct from under her hair while Steve nodded. Bucky hadn't brushed him off, or been angry at what he was suggesting, which had been his biggest fear. He knew Buck wouldn't rat him out to the authorities. They had been friends for years. They even knew of a real queer in their neighbourhood because he'd made a pass at Steve once, and even if Bucky had threatened to punch his teeth in, he'd never talked about denouncing him to the police. Coming from his own childhood friend though, Bucky could have been disgusted or kept his distance from then on out, but no, he'd simply asked to think on it... so he was actually considering it. Steve's heart skipped a beat at the thought. His attention returned to the two people who meant so much to him. Bucky had dug Hermione's face from under her wild curls, asking if she was feeling better.

"Food helped," she muttered. "Head still... you know," she finished with her index finger twirling right in front of Bucky's nose, making him go cross-eyed. "I'll make them pay for that."

Steve smiled fondly at them.

"Sleep will help too. We have the last shifts on watch duty, Buck, so we'd better catch some shuteye now. You're exempt, Hermione. So is Morita, since we'll be back on the road again tomorrow and need you two on your feet."

Bucky groaned and Hermione's hand stopped twirling drunkenly to pat his dark hair head. Buck then looked at him with a see-what-I-mean expression that made him chuckle.

Sleep sneaked up on them without another word. Yet, Steve woke up a few minutes before it was time for him to relieve whoever was on watch. On top of everything else, his body had acquired an in-built Swiss-clock more precise than any watch he'd ever owned. He reluctantly pushed Hermione away from him to slip out of bed, but by the time he'd put his boots on, she had turned around and latched onto Bucky. They looked so peaceful, his heart mellowed into a puddle of goo at the sight of them. He knew he would do just about anything for them. Forcing himself to look away, he exited the large bedroom without a sound, and found Falsworth patrolling.

"All clear?"

The Brit gave a sharp nod.

"I was surprised there was a second group of Hydra spies amongst the prisoners, but I doubt there will be a third."

"Can't be too careful.," Steve replied. "What's Jacques always saying? Jamay de sand twa?"

"Indeed. And your French is just as horrendous as his English. How is our Lady faring?"

"The drug she was injected was pretty strong, but I think she'll be back on her feet by the time the Colonel gets here."

"He'll know Hydra is after her."

Steve glanced at Falsworth, but his blank expression gave nothing away. The man was too smart by half which is why Steve consulted with him for most of the strategy. Yet, he wondered if Falsworth thought Hermione was making their group too much of a target. Steve only nodded at the other man's conclusion, hoping his own face was not giving anything away.

Falsworth broke into a smile, his mustache twitching, before he spoke again.

"Or we could omit who they were after specifically."

"So... just after any one of us to sabotage our team?"

"Sounds believable. Phillips will not pull the whole team out..."

But he would have no qualms about pulling out the only woman on the team, for her own safety and that of the team, of course. It was not said, but heavily implied and something Steve had worried about ever since she had been kidnapped. There were too many witnesses and dead bodies to hide the evidence from the Colonel, but a little misdirection was possible.

"It's risky," Steve warned. "If he finds out we willfully lied to him…"

"He won't. The others agree and Hermione is much too useful to be locked away somewhere."

Steve snorted.

"I'd like to see them try."

Falsworth smirked.

"I pity the fool who does."

Steve knew the Colonel did not get to where he was by being an idiot, not whilst still being alive, but with his whole team serving him the same story that Hydra spies were targeting any and all of them, not one in particular, he couldn't very well call them out on it. That was the Colonel's problem with having such a tight knit group under his command. On the other hand, that was his only problem with them. As Falsworth predicted, Phillips let them go with a mere admonishment to always stay in pairs to avoid another such incident. A measure they had already put in place, but Steve nodded and saluted, ready to leave off at the soonest before the man changed his mind.

He found Hermione chatting with Peggy while the agent was piling parcels into her arms. He was glad Hermione had made herself a lady friend. He sometimes worried about having dragged her into a group composed exclusively of men, having only them for company for days on end, sometimes weeks, but she'd sworn she was quite used to it.

"Need a hand?" he asked, offering his arms to take the parcels.

"It's fine. It isn't heavy," Hermione assured him.

"It's lady things," Peggy added in a stage whisper.

Steve blushed and dropped his arms.

"You're right. He is cute when he blushes," Peggy said with a wicked smile. "But I do have mail and toiletries as well as a spare uniform for everyone if you don't mind delivering them for me.

"Sure, I'll stash them on the jeep and we'll sort through them tonight. Gabe just caught a Hydra movement on the radio so we'll be leaving as soon as we've resupplied."

"Sounds a bit… coincidental," Peggy said.

Hermione was frowning too at the news. Steve nodded.

"The Colonel thinks so too, but it's too good to pass up on the off chance it is a trap. Worse case scenario, we cut down their numbers. I think they're still underestimating us, despite getting the upper hand every single time over them."

"Typical villains," Hermione agreed.

They walked to the back of the jeeps in silence until Hermione apologized out of the blue.

"I don't remember everything, but I know I did, and said, a lot of stupid things last night. I did the one and only time I got drunk off my rocker anyway. Or so I'm told."

"No. It was cute, really. And it was just me and Bucky there so you have nothing to worry about. Actually…" He gave Hermione a searching look. He was pretty sure he was right, but he really should have talked about it more in detail with Hermione since they had only hinted before at Bucky being more than a friend. "I might have done something stupid and I didn't have the excuse of being under the influence."

"You? Really?"

"I told Bucky we love him."

"Well, yeah, we do."

"I also asked him if he wanted to be… uhm… well… more?"

Hermione's eyes widened. Had he been wrong after all?

"That's really forward thinking of you. How did Bucky take it?"

"Wait, you are alright with it, right? We should have talked about it before, but you told Bucky you loved him and then we were talking and I-"

Her finger came to rest on his lips, cutting him off. He was babbling. He always did when he was nervous.

"It's fine. I thought this might happen, but... further down the line. Is Bucky alright? He's not acting weird again, is he?"

Steve chuckled in relief and kissed her finger, before glancing around in alarm. He'd almost forgotten the Colonel was around.

"He said he'd think about it."

"That's good, then. Maybe we'll finally get him to sleep in the middle for a change. Bloke needs more hugs, he's been quite moody for a while. I think there's something he's not telling us."

Sleeve nodded. It was difficult not to notice Buck wasn't the happy-go-lucky guy who had left New York, but that was war in a nutshell. None of the boys who had left would return the same.

"You haven't told us everything either. No, no, I'm not saying you should, but you can understand better what he's going through. Maybe you can help where I can't."

Hermione promised to try and that was all he could really ask.

Once they approached the small Hydra convoy, they all had widely different ideas about how to deal with it. A rarity, because they didn't usually argue plans, although he was always open to advice. This time was different, however. If it was an ambush, their aim was to make a grab for Hermione, for sure, so it stood to reason she should sit this one out on the sidelines, and not take unnecessary risks, or make them take unnecessary risks to protect her.

"So you're saying I'm a burden?"

"No!" he exclaimed, because she always pulled her own weight, and that wasn't easy being the only woman on the team.

"You kinda did, pal," Bucky said and several others nodded.

"He's right though," Dum Dum argued. "We walk into their ambush or ambush them, and they will go straight for you, Lady, at any cost. We've seen how fanatic they are. Suicide missions are a given."

"What if you leave me behind and they expect it and nab me while you're busy with their fake ambush, hu?"

"Yes, well, we won't leave you behind on your own, obviously."

"Oh. So you want to attack them with only half our numbers while the other half is babysitting?"

Dum Dum huffed and threw his hands in the air in aggravation.

"Maybe you should have stayed with Colonel Phillips after all."

Hermione gave him a hurt look.

"And the next time too? And the next? What if they target the Captain, next? Will you leave him behind too?"

An uneasy silence settled over the team. They all knew they wouldn't do that, but none of them was brave enough to admit it, nor the reason why.

"Alright then, it's settled," she decided. "And I happen to have the perfect idea so I'm not a target. It will give us an element of surprise over them, too. Morita, this is your moment to shine!"

Hermione pulled the poor guy towards the back of the jeep with no idea of what was going on, but they soon heard him protest quite emphatically. Then rapid fire arguments came from Hermione, no doubt confusing the hell out of Morita. Ten minutes later, Hermione returned dressed as Morita, only cleaner. His spare uniform, Steve realized with dawning comprehension, and sure enough Morita appeared right behind her wearing her uniform.

"They'll be surprised sure enough," Bucky chuckled.

"Hey, don't you get handsy," Morita warned, pointing a finger at Buck. "Nor you," he added turning his glare and finger towards him.

"It honestly wouldn't have crossed my mind," Steve said. "I'm not sure they're going to fall for this."

"Yeah, you make for one ugly woman, Jimmy!"

The team ribbed him good-naturally and it wasn't until Hermione had pulled the hood over Morita that he thought this might actually work. Hermione, on the other hand, was oddly appealing in the other man's uniform. Her preference had always leaned towards practical clothes, and Morita's cap helped hide her own features and hair. Yep, this might just work. Her subterfuge was going to throw those Hydra idiots in for a loop.

The last communication Gabe intercepted were so clear, they had to be nearby their target. They decided to continue on foot so their vehicles wouldn't give away their position. If only they could get the drop on them, it would be perfect. Steve preferred storming a base by far. It might be bigger, have more defenses, and men, but at least it waited there for them, like a plump fruit waiting to be picked. Not knowing who was going to attack first, or when, was making him antsy.

Steve froze and raised a fist, stopping the team at his back before they all went belly down on the ground. It had been brief, but he had seen movement. He pointed at his eyes then at roughly ten o'clock through a crop of trees in the nearby woods. Bucky nodded and checked through the scope of his rifle, his fingers calling the number and position of their targets. About a dozen that he could see, but there were no doubt more lying in wait. Hydra was treacherous by nature, but for an ambush, they were poorly hidden and surprisingly disorganized. Had they been wrong all along? Had they overestimated Hydra? Given their current position, they could simply take them out from afar using Bucky's sharpshooter skills and Hermione's magic. The rest of them could then pick off those who made it too close. It almost seemed… too easy. Everyone agreed with the plan though. They crept deeper into the woods for added cover and Bucky chose a tree Hermione helped him up in. They all hid around his position while he started picking them off, one by one, each shot signing the end to one more Hydra fanatic. Three, four, then shouts began to echo around the woods and gunfire was returned in kind. They all leaned in then, gun and shield and magic. If they hadn't been Hydra, Steve would pity them, the way they were being steamrolled by his team like ants beneath a boot, right up until the point where the ant bit back.

Steve grunted as he fell against the tree giving him cover. He clamped a hand over the shoulder that had been hit… from behind. Damnit. Where had these guys come from?

"Dum Dum! Jacques! Gabe! Behind you!"

They held their fire only long enough to turn around. Hell was being unleashed on all sides after that. Soldiers surrounded them on all sides. Those in view had only been bait and they'd walked right into the ambush after all, and now, the net was closing in around them. How could he have been so stupid?

Sensing opposition was stronger on their left flank now that Jacques had created quite a bloodbath at their back with his grenades, Steve directed Hermione's powers over there.

"It's not working!" Hermione called back.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I can't lift them. I think they tethered themselves."

Well… dang it! They were getting smarter. And at the rate they were advancing, his team would get swarmed in a few minutes. Bucky was already too busy judging by the rate he was shooting at. Where the heck were they coming from?

Steve threw his shield, gritting his teeth through the pain of the bullet lodged in his shoulder. The vibranium sang as it sliced through the cold wind and knocked out two more soldiers before ricocheting back his way. But it wasn't enough. One nazi went down and two took his place, until they were fighting in close quarters and they made a grab for Morita. He in turn used his trusty greaser gun to put them down, which they had obviously not expected from Lady Liberty. Dum Dum then took care of the next wave with his two shotguns. Hermione was largely ignored dressed as Morita, but she finally drew attention on her when she had to levitate grenades thrown her way back at the enemy. German shouts rang throughout the woods and Hydra soldiers were now focusing on her.

"Hide!" he ordered her as he tried to fight his way towards her.

"But-"

"Do it!"

Thank God she had kept training her self-levitating. It was a bit wobbly, and slow, but she flew up and disappeared in the pine branches. Relieved he didn't have to worry about her being taken again, he focused on the fight, crushing one soldier after another. Falsworth was hit next, but it couldn't have been too bad because he managed to take cover before collapsing. One down, one in hiding and one out of ammo if he could believe Bucky's silent rifle. Steve hoped that was all it was, but it was still a big blow when they were so largely outnumbered. Jacques threw himself down next to him with the others in tow.

"Un ange passe," he said with a grin.

Steve puzzled over what angels had to do with anything when grenades started falling around them. Blasts detonated close enough to cover them in dirt and make their ears ring, but far enough they were safe from harm. The detonations continued to shake the ground in an ever growing circle, until the woods were as silent as a graveyard. Hermione then dropped in their midst, holding the Frenchman's empty bag. Jacques's face dropped at the sight of it.

"You owe me, mademoiselle," he scolded her.

"I'll ask Stark to send you new toys, Jacques." Steve picked himself off the ground, dusting off his uniform. We should do a perimeter check."

"You should get yourself sorted out," Bucky said, glancing pointedly at his bloody sleeve. "Jacques, can you tend to Falsworth? I'll take care of this big lump. Those of you who aren't injured, do what Cap said."

Dum Dum saluted mockingly, but everyone went their own way. Even Hermione, despite her looking a bit green around the gills and like she'd rather take care of him herself.

"Sit," Bucky ordered.

Steve obeyed, feeling like the times he'd come back home from an alley brawl, only to find word had already reached Bucky. He would be waiting for him with his first aid kit and a scowl on his face. Steve shouldn't have enjoyed those moments. The rubbing alcohol always stung worse than the cuts, and Bucky's lectures stung worse that the rubbing alcohol, but Steve knew it meant he cared enough to bother. Just like now.

Steve winced when he moved his shoulder to unzip the top of his uniform, so Bucky swatted his hand away.

"Let me do it," he muttered, reaching for the zipper.

He slowly pulled it down, then peeled the right side off his arm, exposing where he had been hit. Bucky walked around him and whistled low.

"How can you even move your arm?"

"It hurts," Steve said with a shrug, regretting the motion immediately.

Bucky chuckled.

"You haven't changed one bit, have you? You're one stubborn son of a gun."

"Hey! That's my Ma you're talking about."

"Just proving my point, buddy. Okay, take a deep breath, this is gonna hurt worse for a bit before it gets better."

Steve did, but in all honesty, nothing would ever be as painful as what he had experienced during his transformation in the coffin. Once Bucky had removed the bullet though, he immediately felt better. The little bugger must have lodged itself in just the wrong place. The rubbing alcohol still stung, and Bucky still knew how to scold him good for not watching his six, but Steve basked in the moment, in the bitter-sweet taste of home.

"Done. You can get dressed now… unless you need my help?"

Steve froze, because he knew that tone of voice. His eyes too. Bucky was giving him the smoulder, and he could see why so many ladies fell for it. And yet, Steve didn't know whether he was ribbing him, or if he had seriously considered becoming a part of their couple.

Steve was the one who had started all this, but he had no clue how to go about it, so he made a note to himself to ask Hermione if this "arrangement" was something common in the future.

"Maybe some other time, Buck." He squeezed his hand that had lingered over his shoulder. "We're still in the middle of a Hydra trap, remember? Even if our girl did blow most of it up."

The smile Bucky gave him was so much more like his old self, Steve thought everything might turn out okay in the end.