19th May, 1969, Dong Ap Bia, South Vietnam.

It was sweltering in the jungle.

Mud clung to her legs, invading her boots, and she was sweating already. Adeline swatted at her neck, where another mosquito had attempted to take advantage of the exposed meal. Her hand came away smeared with bug. She scowled, rubbing her hand against the soiled fabric of her cotton shirt, and continued her tramping expedition through the jungle, towards the US encampment below the hill.

Jumping across a rivulet of muddy water, she heard the crack of bracken, and landed ready.

The soldier that shoved through the brush was so surprised by her sudden appearance that he fell right back into bush with a startled yell. Adeline raised an eyebrow, her hands finding their way to her hips as she watched the man struggle to right himself.

"Holy shit!" he gawked at her, "What's a lady doin' out here?" With a sigh, she tugged at her jacket, revealing the commander insignia on the lapel. His eyes widened and he snapped a salute so quickly he almost hit himself in the face. "My apologies, Commander! I didn't think you'd be… a woman. I mean, um. Sorry, ma'am."

"At ease, Private." She said easily. She hadn't been in active combat for some time, but she was also no stranger to pulling rank. Having government officials as friends also got the job done. "I'm here to see a Private Howlett."

"H-Howlett?" the soldier stuttered, a sudden fear filling his face.

So he was here.

"He doesn't stay with us. They camp further west." The soldier swallowed nervous, pointing to his left. "Commander – I should warn you. He's not – not natural." He whispered.

Adeline raised an eyebrow. "I see." She said shortly. She forced a smile. "Well, thank you very much." She nodded to him, and he saluted back. She could feel his eyes on her as she disappeared back into the jungle.

It had been years – years, since she'd started her search for him.

It had been Thomas – who had actually initiated it. He had told her how their ally had gone back for him, when it had all been over, how Howlett had escorted him back to his men, before he went AWOL. She hadn't known how much it had bothered her friend, until he had pulled out his folder. He had years of information on Howlett, photographs, military death certificates, the works. He had traced him back past the American Civil War.

Thomas was 44 this year – and he'd been married for the past decade. He couldn't come with her to find Howlett, but Adeline knew his heart was with her.

She wasn't entirely sure what she'd find. Who he was.

He had been a passing ally, a strange friend, a momentary connection – and here she was, half-way around the world, almost chest-deep in another war – trying to find a stranger.

She passed the first signs of another camp; a pile of charcoal, where a fire would have been. Then, ahead, she saw two tents. Army issued, the scene standard in everyway – apart from the two men lounging around another fire-pit in front of the tents.

They both jumped up as she stepped into the clearing, both of them instantly in a defensive position. Adeline halted in her progress.

"Who the hell are you?" the taller and more aggressive looking of the two – snarled at her. From where she stood, she could see the inhuman sharpness of his canines. She didn't recognise him, and ignored him.

The man she had been looking for had dropped his posture, and was staring at her, almost squinting. "Do- Do I know you?" he asked roughly, taking a step closer.

Adeline almost laughed. She supposed she did look a little different. Without a helmet or blood on her face, she could have been anyone. And it had been twenty-four-years. "We knew each other a very long time ago, James Howlett." She said smoothly.

James took another step forwards, ignoring his companion's low growl of warning that Adeline could only just pick up with her enhanced hearing. She waited patiently for him to approach, watched as realisation passed over his face, making his jaw drop and eyes widen. Yes, she knew those green eyes.

"Adeline Wolfe. You're still alive."

Adeline did smile now. "And so is Thomas, if you care to know."

"Thomas…" he clicked his tongue, something like delight crossing over his face, "Yes – Thomas! He would be… what, in his forties now, right?"

Adeline inclined her head, and the action seemed to irritate his friend further, as the imposing man marched forwards. "You know this… woman?" he hissed angrily.

"Yeah, uh, Victor – this is Commander Wolfe." James smiled slightly. Adeline raised a hand at Victor, how looked as if he was having a conniption, jaw working furiously. "She and I were at Normandy together."

"The good old summer of 45'." Adeline said sardonically, making James chuckle. "A pleasure, Victor."

Victor was staring at her. "You got an accent." He said. "I don't trust foreigners." With that, he turned in place, and stomped off into the jungle. Adeline watched him go. She did not feel threatened by the man. He gave off a chaotic aura – but an untrained one.

James looked apologetic. "I'm sorry about my brother." Adeline fought a surprised look, instead waving him off airily.

"Not the first time I've received that response." She said. James led her over to the over turned log they'd been sitting on. "You're still in it then."

James looked around the make-shift camp, lingering on the discarded rifles. She had given them a cursory glance before. They didn't look like they got much use – and considering the weapons James possessed, she expected he fought a little differently to every other soldier in their Division. The fear on the other soldier's face wasn't unfounded. "My brother and I are good at it. There's not much else we can do." He sounded almost defensive.

"I'm not judging." Adeline said, stretching out her legs. "I thought the same." She sent him a knowing look.

"Yeah, and I'm sure your life is oh so normal." He glowered at her. Adeline smiled slightly, thinking back to her rooms at Howard's mansion, the weight of Thomas' children in her arm, Maria's cooking, Peggy's letters. The picture of Steve in her locket.

"My life is more peaceful than I deserve." She said, with a faintly sad smile. "More peaceful than any killer's life should be."

"Must be nice." His face had taken on a sort of longing, and his eyes were far away. "Feels like war is all I'll ever know."

Adeline swallowed thickly, and looked away from his sea-eyes. There were memories there, memories she had realised would affect her so much.

"Thank you, Howlett." The night air on her skin, blood rushing already – her face to the West, her heart already there.

"My name is James."

A pause. A connection.

"I'm Adeline."

25th December 1969, Hanoi, Vietnam.

The phone ringing through the smoke and sex hazed room made both of them stir.

James groaned, rolling away from her body, taking the sheet with him. It was hot enough in the cheap hotel room, that all it did was make her sweat-slick skin cool. She sat up as the ringing continued.

"Didn't you tell them to 'not disturb'?" James mumbled, turning his face further into the pillow before reaching for his still smoking cigar on the bedside table.

Adeline sent him a glare before she stood up, crossing to the rotary phone still ringing shrilly, and picking up. "Call back later, I'm the middle of an impor-"

"ADDY!" The loud yell cut off her angry tirade, and she startled, almost losing her grip on the phone. "We have some brilliant news!"

"Wh- Howard?" Adeline blinked stupidly. James had sat up to face her, sheet falling away from his naked torso, and Adeline was distracted for a moment.

"Yeah, yeah, Merry Christmas, doll – but listen, Me and 'Ria have something fantastic to tell you, don't we honey, you-" there was a crash, and Howard let out an exasperated yell, but then Maria Stark was screaming down the line; "I'm pregnant!" Howard whined; "We're pregnant, honey- ARE YOU THE ONE CARRYING THIS CHILD? – Well, no, but- I'M PREGNANT!" Adeline was frozen. After a minute of bickering, Howard took the phone back. "Adeline, are you there?"

"I – yes, I'm here." Adeline tracked James' fall back into the pillows. His face had shuttered off. "Oh, Howard… that's-"

"Amazing, right. I'm…" there was a sniffle.

Adeline cracked a smile. "Are you crying?"

"What?" A sob, "No – I'm not-" Another shuffle of the phone. "he is." Maria said smugly. "Anyway, when are you coming back home? As the godmother, I thought you'd want to be a part of the babyshower…"

The rest of Maria's sentence faded into a dull buzz as Adeline's heartrate picked up.

Godmother. A baby.

Adeline had held a child only twice in her life. Once, in flames and blood on Kristallnacht. Second, on Thomas' son's third birthday, with laughter and joy – and no expectations, no danger.

Adeline looked over at James.

"I'll… call you back okay?" she said abruptly, and put the phone back in the receiver. James was watching her, smoking casually. Behind him, their uniforms were draped over a chair, the khaki soiled with blood and mud, and full of bullet holes. A life that she knew. A life that; in finding James – she had slipped back into as easily as breathing.

"You're going back." James said.

Adeline felt a surge of guilt. They had been together since May, both on the battlefield and off it – in every sense of the word. At first, it had been an escape, because she hadn't expected her violent reaction to being back in active combat. Then, it had been a drunken escapade, and now…

Now it was familiar.

Another nauseating surge of guilt, because she still loved.

She loved, and yet, here she was – decades later, pretending that this pseudo relationship was normal.

"I – you could come." She tried. "You could come back with me. Howard and Maria – they'd be happy to have you, happy to see me happy."

"But you're not." James said simply, and she blanched. He shrugged. "I've been with a married woman before. You've got that same guilty look sometimes. And you told me – back when we met – you 'have to go find someone.'" He repeated her words from so many years ago, and her heart ached. "You found him, right?"

"Yeah." She admitted, sitting down heavily on the bed. "But he-"

James shook his head, smiling sadly. "Love has no expiry date, bub. It's the only thing that lives as long as us." Adeline bowed into him. It was a mark, perhaps, of how good he was, that he didn't push her away – that he held her again, for one last time.

She got dressed silently, called reception for a car, then further for a plane. Pausing at the door, she looked back at him. He'd found his pants at least, and looked like the same man he always did; a little rugged, a little tired, and a little too knowing.

"I'll miss you." She told him honestly, and he let out a little fond huff, crossing to her. He didn't touch her, but she stretched out a hand, bringing him closer and kissing him goodbye.

The hotel disappeared from view down the busy road quickly – but Adeline wasn't looking back.

They'd see each other again.

She was sure of it.