Hello, hello! Thanks for follows and favourites last chapter! I'm updating from my phone again, so I apologize once more if there's formatting issues.

I FINALLY present to you the chapter in which our mains meet. It definitely isn't what you think it will be, but I do have a little treat for you all in the next chapter, if you all stick around to read it.

Also, I don't know how to a line break in the app :( So continuous hyphens will have to do. Sorry if it's a little sloppy.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Marvel.

Warning: Slight mention of violence, nothing too terrible though.


Chapter IX

It had taken Lucy awhile to finally find Captain McCormick's operation tent. When she arrived, Charles was right beside her and both of them were carrying all the belongings that had brought with them to the war in the packs on their back. It had taken them the better part of over half an hour to find the operations tent, and she was sure they looked a little odd when they arrived.

So odd that Captain McCormick had to do a double take when he saw a woman other than a nurse accompanied by a small, chubby, sidekick. "Are you folks lost? You are aware this is a military base, right?"

"Yes Sir, my name is Lieutenant Lucy Heinrich. I'm the doctor of archaeology that was urgently requested from Egypt. And this is... Well, he's a nothing in the military. But he's my assistant, Charles Tenabum. I was told to report here for a mission briefing."

"Oh, perfect. I'm glad you arrived safely. I was expecting... Well, someone else. Perhaps a man. With an assistant who was... I don't know. Taller, maybe? Anyway, it doesn't matter. Take a seat." He told her.

Lucy listened and handed her pack to Charles. Unlike her, he chose not to sit. Instead, he stood and listened, yanking out a yellow notepad to take notes for Lucy to go over later.

"So... This is what the army is doing to me now?" Captain McCormick sighed as he opened a folder which contained her briefing, "Apparently, the Allied governments are more concerned in saving art than lives. Fantastic. I'll be frank with you, Doctor. I didn't request you. I was told to bring you on by my superiors as someone who would document historical landmarks and save artifacts and art before it gets destroyed. If I'm being honest, I think it's a waste of resources. But, the people high up in the government who pull the string want it and there's nothing I can do about it. However, there is someone who thinks your job is of value. There's a Colonel here who belongs to the S.S.R. Division. His name is Colonel Phillips. He's brought with him a British intelligence officer named Agent Carter. They think you can help them with a highly sensitive mission. A mission so sensitive even I don't know what it is." He sighed, clearly thinking that involving her was necessary. "But while they're not working with you, I'll be your Captain. I oversee the 107th infantry, and you'll be traveling with them from town to town and doing what you do, and blah blah whatever archaeology stuff you want. There are a lot more details in this folder." He instructed as he passed it over. "You will be staying within the women's camp with the nurses. And although I don't like it, you have access to whatever you need in order to complete your job, including a team. Now, how many people will you need in order to do your job effectively?"

Lucy liked Captain McCormick. Although he insulted her and obviously had little respect for what she did, she liked his no-bullshit attitude. "Six should do it," She said.

"You can have two." He shot back, "Now, you can go set up in the women's camp and go over your briefing. Tomorrow you meet with Colonel Phillips and Agent Carter. Have I made myself clear and are there any questions?"

"Crystal clear, Sir." She stood up.

"Good, I like that." He said, "Dismissed."

Lucy saluted him and then began to walk out of the tent with Charles, "Hold up!" She heard the man say again. She turned around and Charles gave her a look, she nodded for him to go and he exited, leaving her behind.

"Yes, Sir?"

"I know the government wants this, and it's important to them to preserve culture and history and whatever other bullshit there is. But stay out of our way, alright? Let the hero work be done by the soldiers, and you stick with academics. And whatever you do, don't interfere with their jobs."

"Understood, Sir." She nodded and then also exited, waiting for Charles at the base of the tent.

"Well," He sighed and then looked at Lucy, "He was pleasant."

"I get it," She said, "I wouldn't want me strutting into this camp either and taking up time, men, and resources for something that seems insignificant in the large scale."

"But Dr. Heinrich, I heard you on the train in Egypt discussing why our job is important." Charles tried to rationalize, frowning and wondering why Lucy was now going back on what she said.

"I know what I said," She didn't like her words being used against her, "But not everyone feels the same. We'll just do our job for McCormick and complete our mission with Colonel Phillips and keep our head down in the meantime." Lucy instructed him, "This place is different than Egypt, we just need to keep our head down and stay out of trouble let people do their jobs."

Charles raised his eyebrows and scoffed, "You stay out of trouble and keep your head down? Now I know you've lost it!"

She knew he was right. Traditionally, Lucy didn't know the meaning of the words of 'keeping out of trouble' and she never had been good at keeping her head down.

———————————————————————

When Charles and Lucy had separated, Lucy headed to the women's camp. A signed marked the entrance, alerting men to announce themselves before entering any tent. Lucy had been given an assigned tent, and she made her way over to introduce herself to whomever her new tentmate would be.

A very tall woman emerged from the one Lucy was intended to be staying in. She was tall, even taller than Lucy, with reddish brown hair, and slight freckles gracing her cheeks. She wore a man's uniform, with a white sash around her arm with a Red Cross, showing she was a nurse.

"Hello," Lucy said and the woman smiled. "I'm Lucy Heinrich,"

"Elsa Hardy, you must be the other girl sharing my tent with me," She shook her hand.

"That would be me," She said, returning the handshake.

"Come on in and I'll give you the tour." Elsa joked, smirking. Lucy entered, and Elsa pointed out the 'bedroom' and 'living room' which backed into a lovely view of the field hospital.

"Great, I'll take it!" Lucy laughed. "Does it come with a pool too?"

"Actually, it does!" Elsa laughed and opened the tent flap in the back to reveal several very large puddles several feet away. "So, where you from Lucy? And how long have you been nursing?"

"I'm from Queens, and I'm actually not a nurse. I'm a Doctor of archaeology, I'm in charge of saving and recording some artifacts and stuff." She explained, unpacking some of her things and then placing everything back on her bed cot. "Where are you from?"

"Wow! That's... very impressive! I've never met a doctor before who was a woman! How long did you have to go to school?" She said and then quickly answered, "Oh, and I'm from Nebraska! Sorry," Elsa answered her question and giggled.

"I went for nine years," Lucy said, "It would have taken my ten but my fiancé helped me. He also had a Ph.D. Saved me from having to do a couple papers," She laughed but her smile soon faded upon mentioning Daniel. "I called it cheating but he said I was 'utilizing my resources.'"

"You're engaged? Me too!" Elsa giggled and then showed Lucy the ring she was wearing on a chain around her neck. She clearly chose not to wear it so it wouldn't hinder her ability to perform medicine, or so she wouldn't get blood on it. "He's a surgeon serving in France, they wouldn't let us be deployed together. Which... I don't know. I suppose that's alright? It keeps us from getting distracted. I had never done medicine without him before and he taught me a lot. It was scary at first, but I eventually developed enough confidence on my own. We're getting married after the war, perhaps in the summer! We haven't planned it too much though. Do you know what month you're getting married after the war?"

"I umm, I'm not getting married anymore," Lucy explained, paling a bit. Her stomach twisted in knots as she explained it to Elsa.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What happened?" She asked her, "You don't... have to answer if it's too painful. Was it the war?" She asked her.

"Yeah," Lucy exhaled shakily and grabbed some of her notebooks out of her bag and some pencils, trying to get everything ready for the report she realized would have to make after briefly glancing her briefing folder. "He was a Partisan in France. He was captured last year, so..." Lucy tried her best to explain, "He's probably dead."

"Well, you don't know that for sure! There's still hope." Elsa tried to be positive, giving Lucy a look of sympathy.

Lucy shook her head, remembering how in London she awoke in the middle of the night, unable to breathe. She sobbed until the light of morning had shown through the curtains. She didn't know why that night had been different than the other difficult nights where she had awoken crying after learning of Daniel's capture. Something happened that night, and she couldn't explain it. But deep down she knew he was really dead. Before, she had been able to pretend, or at least be hopeful he was still alive.

After that night though, Lucy had known that there was no way he could survive all the Captain and the Lieutenant had told her. But hoping for it was too painful, and if she held out for him until the end of the war and she discovered he really was dead Lucy wouldn't be able to bear it. It was easier to try to accept it now and move on. "No," Was all she answered and then said sadly, "I know he's not."

"I'm sorry," Elsa said quietly, "That must be so awful. I can't even begin to imagine."

Lucy still hadn't been able to open his letter. She would read it when she was ready to move on from him, but that moment wasn't the time. She wasn't sure there would ever be a time, honestly. Daniel was her first and only love. She was positive she would never feel anything like what she had felt for him ever again. He was like no other man she had previously ever met. He wasn't threatened by her intelligence or her drive, he was inspired by it. Often, men found her intimidating. And although Daniel admitted he found her intimidating too and used to joke about it, he was proud to call her his partner.

Often, many of Daniel's coworkers had criticized her attempting such high academic pursuits. They had told him to keep her on a leash and questioned why she would even bother with such a process when she would only have to give it up to be a mother. Daniel would always respond the same. He didn't own her, she was her own person. He also was proud of her for driving for such goals. After all, she was his best friend. 'Why would I not want to see my best friend succeed?' He would ask. And when it came to children, neither she nor Daniel ever wanted any. To each other, they were more than enough and Daniel didn't feel it fair for either of them to give up their careers to have a family.

Many teased him for thinking this way, and they even suggested that Lucy must have kept his balls locked in a drawer and Daniel would only roll his eyes and ignore the comments. He wasn't oppressed just because his fiancé wanted to make something of herself.

Deep down, Lucy knew she would never again find a man like that. He was far, far, beyond his time. And after that night where she awoke crying, she promised herself to never fall for someone so deep and so hard ever again.

"It's fine," Lucy finally replied to Elsa after a long pause. She hoped that if she told herself everything was fine for long enough, she would begin to believe it.

———————————————————————

Bucky could still hear the echoing in his ears of the radio going. He could hear the static, coming in like white noise until there would be a squeal of it trying to pick up a channel.

There had been gunshots in the back, and a man's voice yelling into it saying, "We need reinforcements! We need —..." more squealing and then static. It would come back in as though it was a wave crashing, all sudden and at once, "Jesus fucking Christ! We're dying up her—," It would be drowned out with the firing of shells. He couldn't mistake a man crying in the back and the harrowing, echoing screams of a human being in agony. More static cutting into his thought process like a knife as his mind races a million miles per minute, wondering just what was happening to those boys attempting to take the edge of Rossano.

"We're fucking dying! Please! We need—," more crackling drowned out the pleading "I repeat, we need reinforce—..." Silence.

That's all Bucky could think of as they walked through the ruins of the struggle that had commenced earlier in the day. Fires still burned through the town, and as he walked into the church of San Marco, he saw that a large portion of it laid in shambles.

Dust flew in the air not only from the collapsing of the stone but also from the shell fire that had happened earlier. The smell of smoke filled his nostrils, and Bucky tried not to notice the bodies of several of his fellow soldiers in the corner.

"What a fuckin mess," Dum Dum said as he shook his head.

Bucky wiped some soot and dirt from his forehead with the back of his hand. He was sure he looked like something straight out of hell. The first initial battalion that attempted to take the outcrop of the city where the church was had been ambushed. The Germans and Italians had been waiting for them, trying to make their final stand on the very edge of the city. Hiding in homes and apartment buildings, a number of men had been cut down by the enemy they couldn't see.

When they had finally gotten the radio message through the blocked signal, they had already been too late. Heading up in trucks, the 107th had been part of the reinforcements.

When they had finally gotten to the part of town where there was the heaviest fire, Bucky had been given the command to get his men out of the trucks and walk on its sides. One by one, they had their weapons raised, sweating so hard that it ran down the back of their neck. At one point, Bucky's hand shook so hard it felt as though it would fall off.

Sounds of a firing weapon rang out, and a few men in front of him dropped to the ground, their skulls caving in as a bullet went straight through their eyes from a pair of snipers hiding on the top floor of a house. Its windows were open, dents in its sides from the heavy fire it fell under from attempts to take out the snipers who hid inside. It's red clay roof tiles missing pieces here and there. It looked to be straight out of a painting. One that was horrible, and evil, and vile.

It had been a struggle, and only bodies piled up were already too high to count. However, they had finally taken the outcrop of the town. Yet it was at such a high price it hardly seemed like a victory to Bucky.

Kicking some stones, he looked out of a broken stained glass window and saw how the smoke had made everything grey. Red flames danced, and a horse ran through a wreckage without a rider. Flames licked the sides of the buildings, and he could hear a woman's wail. The smoke was so dark that it made the day appear like the dawn. His surroundings looked like a scene right out of hell, and Bucky knew that this imaging would haunt his nightmares for years.

It wasn't until he heard another truck parked right outside the church doors that his attention finally focused on something other than the horror surrounding him.

He could hear a commotion outside, and new voices suddenly filled the church halls. Readying his weapon, he knew they were allies but he was still on edge from earlier. One didn't just stop being paranoid following scenes such as that.

Immediately, something caught Bucky's attention as a team of people burst through the doors.

A woman rushed forward, nearly at a run, desperate to find something. She was clad in a forest green jumpsuit which despite being in rough shape still looked surprisingly put together. She had a smudge of dirt on her cheek and deep colored eyes.

Her dark brown hair was twisted in a low, knotted updo, and she wore a pistol on her hip. There was something beautiful and brave about her. For a moment, Bucky almost thought he knew her, but quickly shook the idea out of his thoughts.

She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the ceiling was still partially intact, displaying a mosaic scene. "Oh, thank God," She breathed out a deep exhale and placed her hand on her heart. "It's still there." And then she smiled.

Bucky hadn't seen a smile display so much alleviation before. His eyes immediately drew to her, and she turned to a small man who was following behind closely, saying something he couldn't hear.

"Excuse me, Ma'am." Dum Dum went forward to talk to her, "This a war zone, you can't be here. Citizens are strictly expected to stay clear."

"It's alright Sargent, I'm a Lieutenant." She said quickly before looking back up at the ceiling. She was amerced in it, not even giving Dugan a second glance as her neck was stretched so she could look up easily. "Clear your men out and take your belongs, I'm taking over this location." She looked over at the bodies in the corner as she said that, leaving a sour taste in Bucky's mouth and causing rage to well inside of him. Anger filled up inside him, and suddenly the illusion she presented was shattered.

"What was that? Clear our men out?" Bucky intervened, wondering who the hell this woman thought she was. Did she not notice they were exhausted? And not to mention, that would mean they would have to move the bodies out too, which his men weren't ready for. But, of course, she didn't think of that either.

The woman's eyes shot to him, taking notice of him for the first time since she entered the church. "Under Colonel Phillips and Captain McCormick's orders." She presented him a piece of paper, clearly it read what her mission was.

Bucky snatched it out of her hand, grabbed the sheet and his eyes skimming over immediately. A frown appeared on his brow and Dum Dum saw his expression and immediately muttered under his breath "Oh, boy."

"Bullshit." Bucky ripped the piece of paper in two, the pieces of if floating toward the ground lightly.

"I beg your pardon?" The woman gasped, fire suddenly igniting in her eyes.

"I had men—good men die trying to secure this church! We're not just going to abandon it! And for what? So you can... Do art or some shit?" He hadn't read the full letter, he'll admit. He had skimmed it at best. But what she was asking them to do was ludicrous and he refused.

"For your information, Sargent, I'm saving the art! And I'm ordering you your men to stand down! I'm your superior officer—," She began and Bucky cut her off again.

"No no no, no you don't. How did you even get that title of Lieutenant, huh? You sure as hell didn't earn it like the rest of us! My guess is that you're some fancy high up lady who's pulling the strings of some government official and that's how you go it." It was a cheap shot, he already knew that. But he didn't like how she stormed in there and suddenly started demanding things. Especially after so many of his men had died, she hardly seemed to care what it cost to gain this location.

"Umm, Buck?" Dugan began, looking a little uneasy at the situation. "I think we best do what the lady says."

Her eyes narrowed more and then she suddenly dropped her cold facade. She did something surprising and smiled. Bucky had to admit, she was a complete knockout even with her pompous attitude superiority complex. "Sargent, what did your name was?"

He frowned and only scowled before answering "Barnes."

"Perfect, okay. Good to know, Sergeant Barnes. Charles," She turned to the chubby man who was standing behind her and watching their interaction with wide eyes and looking slightly concerned for Bucky. "Can you please get Private Green to grab the radio from the truck? Also, bring out a few boxes with Foster, will you? We need to move some of this shit out." She told him, cursing. He didn't expect her to be so crass, and each moment she surprised Bucky more and more.

The little man, who Bucky was assuming was Charles, moved so quickly he could have sworn the place was on fire. In the meantime, Lucy turned her attention to both Bucky and Dum Dum before saying with a sickeningly sweet tone, "Gentleman, I understand you had issues with giving up this church. You fought hard to gain it, and I respect that. You did your job wonderfully, and I'm sure you're very proud. However," He tone dropped and so did her facial expression, turning serious and scowling, "Let me do mine, and stay the hell out of my way."

Bucky scoffed, "Listen doll, I don't know who the hell you think you are—,"

"It's Doctor or Lieutenant to you!" She snapped, slinging the brown messenger bag she had on her shoulder around to her front, grabbing a camera out of it.

So he had been right. She was clearly some higher up lady who didn't know fuck all about war, and probably had every high ranking officer around this place wrapped around her finger. Not Bucky though. No Sir, there was one officer she wouldn't be able to control.

"Doctor, whatever." He rolled his eyes, "You can't just march up in here all high and mighty and start bossing me around like you own the place. We have dead here that need to be taken care of first before you do whatever the hell you do," That was mostly what angered Bucky. That they paid for those grounds with their very lives. And there she was, showing up after all the heavy lifting took place and bossing him around. Meanwhile, she didn't give two shits about the bodies in the corner, and she expected them to 'move out' and gather their belongings? Their belongs were what exactly? His dead comrades? "I don't care who gave you your commands or what the hell they had to say!"

"Well," She rose a quick eyebrow and gave a quick smirk, "Let's find out what they have to say, shall we?" She said as another man came running over with a large radio set.

"Doctor, you requested me?" The man panted. Bucky noticed another man carrying in a large wooden box with the small man he had seen behind the woman earlier. They looked like cargo boxes, ready to be packed away with something.

"Ah, yes. Private Green. Please radio me Colonel Phillips."

"Right away," He nodded, putting in headphone and began turning knobs and dials.

"Sarge, I really think this is a bad idea," Dum Dum grabbed his arm and said lowly, under his breath. "I know you don't like it but we have orders."

"I don't give a shit!" Bucky hissed, the woman stared at him and rocked on her heels as if this were a game. She had a smug look on her face that angered him to his very core, "Move our men out and take our 'belongings' away? You have got to be fucking kidding me! Those men—" He pointed to the bodies, the metallic smell of their blood was still fresh in the air. "Gave their lives to secure this place and the blatant lack of disrespect—,"

"Colonel Phillips," The Private, whose name was Green, said into the device used to speak in, promptly interrupting what Bucky was about to say. Private Green looked at the woman, unplugged the headset after a moment of listening to Colonel Phillips and then told her "Go,"

"Colonel Phillips this is Doctor Lucy Heinrich, the Lieutenant in charge of the art and site preservation tasks. We met earlier today regarding my mission?"

She was German, he realized from her last name. As he thought she couldn't surprise him anymore, and there she was; a fucking Jerry.

"I hear you, Doctor. Talk to me." The Colonel replied, his voice filling the church and echoing loud off its stone walls.

"Sir, permission to strip a Sergeant Barnes of his rank?"

Bucky's eyes widened, "Are you fucking kidding me? You can do that!"

"Shit!" Dum Dum hissed quietly, watching with big eyes.

Even the Colonel sounded surprised, "Due to what cause?"

"Blatant insubordination, questioning of authority, refusing to take a direct order and getting in the way of my mission, a gross display of sexism, and for being a grade-A asshole."

"Sir, Sergeant Barnes here requesting to also strip Dr. Heinrich of her rank as Lieutenant as well!" Bucky interjected, making eye contact with her as they both glared at one another.

"Good God, you two! I don't have time for this level of childish bullshit!" Colonel Phillips "Barnes, give the lady whatever the hell she wants or you will be written up. Dr. Heinrich, I expect a higher level of professionalism. Don't make me regret taking you on." The radio went dead.

The four of them only stood around after static from the radio echoed in the church's hall. Lucy only smugly rose her eyebrows at Bucky, clearly overly pleased about her slight victory. "I told you," Dum Dum hissed at Bucky. He didn't want to be reminded.

"While you're at it, I'm going to need some of your help." Lucy revelled in her win, if she could really call it that. "Full cooperation would be appreciated. Now, I have a job to do." She said and then focused back on the roof. Bucky was shocked to see her change in focus, and he watched as she grabbed the camera she took out of her bag and began snapping pictures immediately, clearly not wasting time. She turned to her assistant, "Charles you can begin the diagrams and drawings. I saw old plans of the church and I think there might be a few halls and catacombs underneath. We'll take a look at it, so we'll need some lights set up. Green and Foster, take whatever art you can find and place it in boxes. And you..." She turned to Bucky, looked at him. "You just gonna stand there looking pretty? Or are you going help unload the truck?"

Bucky wanted to tell her to forget it, but he couldn't. He only scoffed and head over to where the truck was in the front, scowling the entire time.

She was infuriating, absolutely pig-headed and stubborn. He had never met a woman such as her before, and he hoped he never would again. He knew in those very moments that Lucy Heinrich would be the bane of his existence, and he was not looking forward to it.


Ugh, honestly I wasn't huge on this chapter. But, you will soon understand why I have to make them hate one another, and I also wanted to establish Lucy's friendships with people other than Charles and Daniel. Hence, the intro of Elsa Hardy! Who, by the way, is a nice change of pace to write considering Lucy is a little dark and damaged.

The despite the crumminess of this chapter, the next chapter is one of my favs and I promise none of you will hate me as much once you read it. We're finally getting into the good stuff and I am LIVING for it.

Thanks again lovelies, and please REVIEW, FOLLOW, and FAV because you definitely don't want to miss the next chapter.

- Amelia