I awoke with a buzzing in my brain, just as I expected. It seemed everyone else was still asleep, I took the opportunity to go take a shower in peace, I grabbed my fresh binding and uniform and made my way to the shower block. It was quiet everywhere; I was able to have a real shower with warm water. I bound my chest, put on my uniform and got back to my bunk, by the time I got back everyone was waking up. I started to pack my backpack readying myself for the long trip. Slowly everyone was ready and packed and waiting at the front of the barracks for our orders.
It took two weeks on a ship to get to Italy, two weeks of sea sickness, a tiny bunk and minimal rations. When we were off-loaded, we were put into trucks and driven to our new base, that took over an hour, our general had a small packet of ginger biscuits which we shared out with us, it settled any lingering sickness.
I kept myself tucked away and hunched over, my bindings were becoming loose from the travel and lack of privacy over the last few days. We all got unpacked and fed into the new camp, we were assigned a bunk block and told to take the rest of the day to rest, which was almost 5 hours. In the morning we were meeting our new sergeant.
"Mike come on! Wake up, we're gonna be late!" I woke with a jump, Bart shook me, "You slept in, let's go!"
"What? How?" I jumped up, spinning away from Bart remembering I took my bindings off through the night,
"We all pretty much did, I guess we needed the sleep," He laughed scratching his head, "Get ready, we're meeting the Serg in like 5 minutes!"
"Okay, okay!" I grabbed my uniform and ran to the shower block for some privacy, "I'll be back!"
I dashed in, hid in a cubby and wrapped by bindings as quick as I could, it was sloppy but it'll do. I threw on my uniform and cap and checked my reflection, I look like a boy, a 12-year-old boy. I sighed before running back to the block, Bart was waiting for me.
"Throw your stuff in your case, I made your bed, you owe me big time,"
"I really do owe you! Thanks!" I did as he said I met him back outside, just in time for the general shouting for our block.
"Let's go! Get to the community block, your sergeant is waiting!"
We walked quickly in an orderly queue to the block, walking in I kept my head down, we were ordered to sit in the rows of seats provided. I sat in the second row from the front, dead centre. When I finally looked up, I froze, my heart was pounding, standing next our General was Bucky - half of the duo I followed into this situation. Oh God, I can't have him recognise me, I pulled my cap over my head, covering my eyes.
"Good morning, men!" His voice was as smooth as I remember, "I am your Sergeant; Sergeant James Barnes. Sergeant Barnes is fine. From this moment on you all report to me, you will be joining the 107th, which is a privilege! It's almost unheard of that a full troop is brought into a regiment, you must all be good... which I will be testing. Any questions so far?"
"Serg! Private Cal Thoms, when will we be... fighting?"
Bucky laughed, looking to the general and back to Cal "Don't worry about that, we've got plenty to keep you busy here if that's what you're worried about. Any other questions?" He paused "No? Great. So how about we start the day with a 15-mile run, a tour of the camp?"
Groans sounded around me, I smiled, Bucky is quiet the hard ass.
"Moaning really? 20 miles! Let's go!" Bucky pointed at the door, I stood up ready to go, no else seemed to move, I froze and couldn't help but look up, catching Bucky's eyes. I felt my eyes widen and everything move in slow motion. He frowned. "Let's go ladies!"
At that everyone stood up and moved outside, did he recognise me? I moved with everyone else, hiding myself in the crowd.
"Dugan! Over here!" Bucky shouted to a solider across the grass, "Lead the troop, around the camp, 20-mile run, I'll hold up the rear"
"Bastard," The man called Dugan muttered passing us "Right, come on soldiers, follow me" And the run started.
I stayed close to Dugan, as far away from the back as possible, I couldn't risk Bucky seeing me again. I enjoyed running so this was easy for me, in fact I loved it, by the end I felt energised and fresh and on top of the world. Cal and Bart finished the run a minute or so after me, they walked up to me heaving.
"Mike, you look like you could do that again, what the hell?" Bart puffed
"I like running, what?"
"I got to admit that was impressive. Are you an athlete?" Dugan asked as he walked up to us
"No, sir, just like running."
Dugan laughed, "Okay then, I'll let Serg know of your time, no one is normally able to keep up with me"
"What are you letting me know?" Bucky walked up behind us, he stood directly behind me
"This private kept up with me, could'a beat me I think!" Dugan laughed, grasping my shoulder,
"What's your name, Private?" Bucky asked, his breathe hit my neck, I had to face him. I turned keeping my head down, I took a quick breath and deepened my voice,
"Michael Stevens, Serg."
Bucky held a hand out to shake, "Well, Private Stevens, it's nice to see someone can knock Dugan's ego down a bit," I shook it, staying quiet, Becky squinted I could feel his eyes on me, "You don't like eye contact?"
I sighed, damn. I looked up "Sorry Serg,"
"Hey you look familiar, where you from?" Oh crap, I could lie but I only know Brooklyn, I've never been anywhere else, and Bart and Cal are right there, they know I'm from Brooklyn. Damn.
"Brooklyn, Serg"
"Oh yeah, where abouts? I'm from Brooklyn." He smiled encouragingly,
"Near Brooklyn Bridge, Serg"
"I get it, you don't want to share that, a lot of my guys are like that, keep their home life out of the army," He smiled,
"Yeah, that's it, thanks, Serg" we held eye contact for a minute.
Dugan nudged Bucky, "Come on, Buck, everyone is back, let's send them to the mess hall and we can catch up with the guys"
"Yeah" He broke contact, waving at the troop "Soldiers! Get yourself to the mess hall and get some breakfast, meet me at your block in an hour."
With that he walked away and I let out a breath, with Cal and Bart in tow we walked to the Mess Hall and ate, Cal and Bart talked between themselves, I needed to silence.
After breakfast, Bucky and Dugan met us at the block, we spent what was left of the morning doing target practice, Bucky told us he was observing us and rating our skills. After lunch we were observed running an obstacle course, and then observed on another run, and then observed doing jumping jacks, and then push ups, and then press ups. Bucky seemed to hover over me the whole time. I hope I was doing well. After a hard day of work, Bucky instructed us to get ourselves some food, a shower and an early night.
Once we finished our rations, the troop walked as one to the block and then to the showers, there was no way I'd be able to shower with all of these men... As everyone started entering the shower block doors, I made a quick left and hid behind the building.
"I can smell you from here, Private, why aren't you showering?" I jumped at the voice; it was Bucky.
"Oh, I, I'm," I stuttered,
"You're Mary" He frowned with a sigh,
"Wha-" I was stunned, I couldn't finish.
"Tell me I'm wrong" He looked me in the eye
"I can't" I whispered.
"I knew it, as soon as you looked me in the eye," Bucky muttered, "What in the world are you doing here? Where, How, Why.."
"I couldn't bare to see you and Steve leave me..."
"So you followed me into a war!?" He took a breath, "You could be killed... and if they find out you're a girl you'll be thrown in the nearest jail, this is illegal." He dragged a hand over his face.
"I don't care, I only have you and Steve." I pulled off my cap, "Don't be mad, I cut all my hair off to follow you here, don't be mad at me when I look so dumb"
Bucky let out a small laugh, "Your beautiful hair, I can't believe it's gone, honestly if I hadn't seen those eyes, I'd never have recognised you... God forbid when Steve sees what you've done!"
"Steve?! Where is he?" I blurted out grabbing his arm.
"Wait, I just realised, you said you couldn't bare Steve to leave you, where did he go?"
"He was enlisted, that night at the Stark Expo, he tried again and he got in..."
"What. How." Bucky rubbed his eyes, "So not only do I have to worry about you, I have to worry about Steve and where the hell he is!"
"Clearly you don't have to worry about me, I've been fooling everyone for like 2months and I'm the fastest in my troop, you've been watching me all afternoon, tell me you're not impressed?"
"I was," He smirked, "Never would I ever have imagined you being a soldier."
I smiled, for a second, I forgot where I was, I wanted to stare into Bucky's eyes forever.
"Okay, let's think, I've got to get you out of here and back home somehow"
"What? I'm not leaving Bucky"
"Yes you are, you don't belong here,"
"I belong with yo- with Steve and you," I muttered blushing, "I'm not leaving, I'm going to fight and find Steve and then we'll all go home together"
"You're so stubborn! Always have been." He frowned, the doors to the shower block opened, the troop were heading back "You're going to have to head back... We need to talk though, sneak out, meet me behind the mess hall at midnight, okay?"
"Okay, okay, I'm going to go." I walked quickly to my block, joined Bart and Cal, "Fellas" I greeted.
"Where'd you go? Did you shower, you don't look like it!" Cal laughed
"Oh yeah, I had to skip I remembered I had to post some letters."
"Letters?" Cal frowned, and nudged Bart "Sounds like Mike's got a pen pal..."
"Come on, Mike, holding out on us, that's not fair!" We all laughed and settled into our bunks.