February 1944

The Commandos continued on, taking down Hydra bases one by one in the region, crossing into the Austrian border, taking camp in the forest near Zell am See.

Steve received informations of the rendezvous point where they would be able to intercept a Hydra train carrying Zola. All of them set up camp deep into the mountainous range, darkness surrounding them. A fire would draw too much attention deep in the enemies territory, the only thing lighting their camp casted by the luminescence of the moonlight.

Bucky, Steve, Jones, Dugan, Sawyer and Pinkerton slept around in a circle around the center where they kept their packs. Christiane, Falsworth, Morita, Dernier and Juniper sat around at each point of the circle, keeping watch during the night, their weapons in hand.

Morita started drifting off, a quiet snore as Falsworth sent him a glare, closing his eyes briefly during the watch while Dernier and Juniper scrapped a piece of wood pointed to its end. Christiane sat watching the group, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Dugan turned around on his side, a loud snore coming from his mouth as Bucky moved beside Christiane's side, throwing shoving Dugan onto his other side as the snoring stopped.

Christiane looked down to Bucky, eyes sleepily watching the sky as slowly got himself up, leaning against the tree trunk Christiane was on, moving her up to lean against his chest, wrapping his arms around her.

"You should be sleeping," Christiane whispered, smiling softly to him.

"I can't when Dugan's snoring like that," he rolled his eyes, taking her hands into his, kissing her gently on her cheek, his voice a low whisper, "Besides, you need some rest. I can take over."

"No no, someone's got to replace Jim," she pointed her chin to the direction of Morita, slumped halfway off the trunk he was leaning on.

"God knows how can that man sleep anywhere," he chuckled softly, pulling Christiane closer against him.

They sat in silence, the quietness of the forest almost calming and haunting, the winter's cold sinking into their bones.

Bucky leaned his head back, looking up to the stars, a brief patch of clear sky edged by thick grey clouds, "This," he breathed out, "This'll be the last mission and I'm done, I'm asking for a discharge."

Christiane leaned back against his shoulder, turning her head slightly to his, looking into his eyes, the blue icy against the moonlight, his whole heart and soul looking to her.

"I won't be leaving Steve, I just think it's time we finally get married if you want?" He looked to her, searching for an answer.

She nodded, "The moment we get back to London."

He let out the breath he had been holding in unknowingly, closing his eyes smiling as he let his head against the tree's trunk.

"All that time ago, when we sat in the park in Brooklyn covered in snow, talking about our future."

"The house with a swing, a cherry tree, a family together," she smiled to him, her heart aching about the daunting thought of her scare back in London - she was certain she was not carrying their child, four months since Zola's experiments, since the night together in the village and yet she still wasn't showing, she only hoped she could have the family she wished for with him. The only thing she noticed with herself and with Bucky was the slight muscles forming on her arms and legs, whilst Bucky grew stronger, his body adjusting to the new muscles and power he had.

"I'd want a girl and a boy," Bucky chuckled softly, his thumbs going over Christiane's hands.

"Twins!" Christiane turned to him, eyes full hope.

"That'll be a handful," he laughed, his eyes looking to her eyes, the green an emerald tinge, the blue-grey like storm brewing over water, a small sliver of gold.

"William and Julie?" He cocked an eyebrow to her.

"Nicolas and Amélie?" She shrugged, a smirk on her lips.

"Nicolas and Julie," he smiled goofily, leaning back up to the sky.

Christiane thought to herself, her voice almost inaudible had it not been for their proximity, "I thought I was pregnant, after our night together in the village."

Bucky looked at her, eyes searching hers as she continued, "Our bodies have changed so much after what Zola did to us that I don't know if I'd ever be able to have children. My…time of month hadn't come for three months since that night, and it still hasn't, but by now surely if I was carrying our child, I'd be showing?"

She didn't realize she had been holding her breath in, trying to keep tears from falling as drops streaked her cheeks.

Bucky squeezed her hands, wiping the tears from her cheek with his thumb, "All the times after we've been careful," he lifted her cheek to him, gently in his hand, "Christiane, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know for certain, but I'm sure I'm not. I'm just…I'm afraid that the other possibility is whatever Zola put into me, it won't allow me to have children." She looked down, trying to keep easy her breathing and tears.

He lifted her chin up, kissing her softly, "If we do, or if we don't, I just want to spend the rest of my life with you." He hugged her tightly, his arms enveloping her as she felt a sense of safety and wholeness, love.
"Whatever happens, to you, to me, to us, we'll figure it out together," kissing her gently on the top of her head as he shielded her from the world.

They sat in the darkness, breaths in unison, cheek against cheek, fingers intertwined, looking up to the stars together.