Hey all I want to apologize for the delay. I've been really busy lately but I haven't given up on this story. I had two midterms this week along with an essay and a ton of reading so this took a little longer to finish then I would've liked but hey better late than never right? Any way I loved reading your comments and they're what got me through the last couple of weeks and inspired me to continue writing. As I've mentioned before I've been thinking about starting another story but wanted to know if anyone had any ideas for one. I was thinking a Hawkeye/OC story since there aren't many but wasn't sure. Feel free to PM me or just comment any ideas. I look forward to hearing from you. So without further ado here it is.
Two days later we woke up at the crack of dawn and headed to the docks. We we're using a cargo ship to get to France where the French resistance had managed to secure a port in a small town. From there a pilot the SSR had under cover would secure a plane and fly us over to Greece where we would parachute out and walk the rest of the way or as Dugan suggested, we "borrow" a car.
Gramps had finished all of our new uniforms a day ago and made us come in to try them on. He surprised me by having the arc reactor symbol embroidered on the right sleeve and the new symbol of the team, the wing symbol from Steve's Captain America uniform on the left. Apparently the entire team had an unspoken agreement to make that our symbol because everyone had it on their uniform.
We woke up and I went straight to my old room to go shower. Bucky and Steve had surprised me by asking me to move in with them. I retorted that I already did live with them. So when I went out for a quick errand, they moved most of my things into their or should I say our room.
I took a pretty long hot shower in the other bathroom. I figured it could be a while before I would be able to take my time like this or even have warm water so I should enjoy it while I can. I dried my hair and put on my bra and panties before walking out of the bathroom to the kitchen and getting started on breakfast.
Apparently Bucky and Steve had the same idea because they were already making breakfast. When I walked in they just stopped what they were doing and stared at me.
"Morning," I said walking over to grab a piece of toast.
"Uh, Morning." Steve said blushing.
"Morning Doll," Said Bucky coming over to kiss my cheek while looking me over.
"What's for breakfast?" I said leaning over the counter.
"Eggs bacon and toast. Coffee's almost done." Bucky said since Steve had lost the ability to speak and couldn't stop staring.
"Sounds good. I'm going to finish getting ready." I said walking back to the room, "Oh and Steve, you don't have to be embarrassed about looking, its nothing you haven't seen before." I said before walking into the room.
I left my uniform on the bed so I quickly got dressed. We didn't have any weapons on us. Peggy was going to meet us at the docks to deliver them to us before we left.
I finished getting dressed and went to go eat with the guys. After we were done we cleaned up and left the apartment. They sent a car for us so at least we didn't have to walk. We arrived at the docks and Peggy and Gramps were already there waiting for us.
"Morning Gentlemen, Nora." She said giving me a small smile.
"Morning Peggy, Morning Gramps." I said smiling at both of them.
"Morning kid, I got you coffee and a croissant from that place you like." He said handing me a cup and a bag with the croissant. "Coffee and Bagels for you two," he said passing Steve and Bucky they're own coffee and treats.
"Okay so you three need to sign these forms." Peggy says handing us each a form.
"What is this?" I had been signing so many forms the past few days; I was done yet I still had to sign more.
"Equipment release form, It just says that we did our jobs and sent you with all the equipment we said we were using our funds for." She explains. I look over at the med kit and weapons and sign the form before handing it back to Peggy.
"How do you feel kid?" Gramps asks while Steve and Bucky are talking to Peggy about some arrangements.
"Okay I guess," I said taking a sip of my coffee.
"Nervous?" He asks.
"Not right now." I said, "Why, are you worried?"
"What? No." He says trying to play it off. The rest of the team arrived a few minutes later. After gramps distributed everyone's equipment he came back to talk to me and this time he looked serious.
"So I…" he started before I interrupted
"I need a favor." I said.
"What is it?" He asked.
I took my hand out of my pocket and said, "I need you to save this for me." I said handing him my arc reactor necklace. "I forgot I had it on this morning and Peggy just pointed out what a bad idea it is to take expensive jewelry in the battlefield considering it could be used to strangle me in a fight."
"Of course I'll keep it safe." He said putting it in his coat pocket. The ship captain called out to tell us it was time to board.
"That's my cue, Take care Gramps, try to stay out of trouble." I said with a small smile.
"You're the one going off to the battlefield, shouldn't I be telling you that?" He says with a smirk.
"Like you said I'm going to the battlefield its kind of a given I'm walking into trouble." I say before Gramps surprises me with a hug.
"Be careful, just because you heal faster doesn't make you invincible. I don't want a the Marshalls at my door." He says. This is the most serious I'd ever seen him.
"Don't worry it won't come to that, Just make sure you don't get into trouble, I want to be born Gramps." I said
"I promise to not get into too much trouble." He says giving me a smirk.
I sigh before saying, "I'll take what I can get." I say walking over to Steve and Bucky who were talking to Peggy.
"Remember, Pierre Gerard will get you to the plane, and Peter McAdams will be your pilot. After that you are on your own." She said before turning to me. "As for you, if you need more supplies any camp or field hospital will restock you."
"Okay." I nodded.
"Pegs I know he drives you crazy sometimes but can you keep an eye on Gramps."
"Nora he's a grown man." She says.
"That still acts like a kid at times, just make sure he stays alive, you know, no one kills him, and that he eats and lives of something other than coffee and scotch. My life kind of depends on it."
"I'll do what I can." She says finally caving.
"Thanks." I said normally I would've tried to hug her but she's not really a hugger.
"Good Luck." She says before walking over to Gramps. We grab our packs and get on the ship. I really hope no one's gets seasick. We had to take the long way around since there had been reports of U-boats fighting in the area so it took twice as long to get across the channel.
I had never been so happy to be on land. Don't get me wrong, I find swaying at sea relaxing and didn't get seasick but being cooped up for three hours in a storage container without fresh air was making me claustrophobic. Once we were at the dock the ship's captain from before let us out of the container.
"Where to now Cap?" Gabe asked.
"We go meet our contact." Steve said, "Agent Carter said he'd meet us at the pub closest to the docks so keep an eye out."
"Did she say which one?" Said Morita pointing out two pubs that were directly across from each other.
"She said we'd know if we were right when we walked in." Steve said.
"So which one do we go in?" Bucky asked. I looked at the signs of each pub one had a picture of a serpent and the other had a shield with a bird as a coat of arms.
"I'd bet on that one." I said pointing to the one with the shield logo.
"Really?" Dugan said looking at it skeptically.
"Yeah call it a gut feeling." I said with a shrug, "If I'm wrong we could just go check the other one out."
"If you're wrong you're buying the first round when we get back to London." He said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
"Fine but if I'm right you're buying." I said.
"Deal," he said as we shook hands.
"Let's check it out. Stay alert." Steve said walking over to the entrance. We walked into the pub in pairs. We walked in at the place was empty except for one middle aged lady standing behind the bar. The place was dimly lit making the dark green walls seem even darker.
"Good morning gentlemen and lady, wonderful weather we're having." She said not breaking eye contact with Steve.
He looked confused for a bit before he said, "Yes but I always carry and umbrella." That was strange it sounded a bit, rehearsed?
She walked out from behind the bar, and then walked over to the door and flipped the sign so it said she was out for lunch. "This way," She said walking toward the back storage room. Once we were in there she moved a carpet out of the way and revealed a hidden door on the floor. She pulled the latch and there were a set of stairs leading down into what I guessed was the basement. "I you go," She said with an accent. "Stay on the path." She said handing Steve a lantern and letting him go down.
"Thank you" He said on the way down. We all gave our thanks before walking down the stairs into a dark tunnel. We walked for what seemed to be an eternity before we finally saw a light in the distance. When we finally made it there was nothing there.
"Captain Rogers I presume" A man said with a thick French accent.
"Yes, are you Pierre Gerard?" Steve asked skeptically.
"Oui, this way please." He said leading us out of the tunnel and through the forest.
We walked through the forest. If it wasn't for the fact that we were technically in enemy territory, I could have stayed there and admired the view of the town in the distance. We were walking in pairs. Steve was in front still talking to Pierre and Bucky and I were towards the back.
"You all right?" Bucky asked.
"Yeah, just keeping an eye out." I said looking around.
"We're in the clear, if we were going to be attacked it would have happened already from a tactical stand point we have the advantage. So relax." He said.
"In other words, you've been looking since we got out of the tunnel and still haven't seen anything and the camp is right there." I said looking in front of us.
"Pretty much." He said with a grin.
"You all can share these three tents. The arrangements have been made and we leave at midnight. Get some rest while you can." He said.
"Thank you." Steve said as Pierre walked away and into another tent.
"We should get some rest while we can." Steve said. "Get some rest and be ready to leave."
"Sounds good." Everyone nodded in agreement and split up into the tents. The tents were small enough for two of three sleeping bags. Luckily the weather was cold enough that the three of us didn't mind cuddling. We let Steve sleep in the middle and Bucky and I. The guy was a freaking space heater he was always hot. Half the time we slept without a blanket since we would just overheat with Steve sleeping next to us. Right now though we're not letting him go anywhere.
"You're so warm." I said nuzzling into his chest.
"And you're a good pillow" Bucky mumbled.
I was starting to fall asleep when there was a scream followed by a lot of yelling. I sat up along with Steve and Bucky.
"What's going on?" Steve asked.
"Something's going on outside and whatever it is it's not good." I say hearing someone yelling for help.
"Let's go." Bucky said opening the entrance to the tent.
As we exited the tent all we could see were people running around a group of soldiers carrying an injured man and them leaning against each other.
"What the hell?" I think out loud.
"Some of our men were out on a scouting mission close to the front lines and they were ambushed." Said Pierre. When the hell did he get there? "Our medic was captured, do one of you happen to be a medic or can help out at all?" He asked.
Time to get to work. "That'd be me." I said stepping forward.
"I have basic first aid training." Said Morita.
"We could use all the help we could get. Please follow me." He said jogging towards a tent. I'm guessing that was their makeshift field hospital.
As soon as we walked in we were each pulled in different directions. The tent was packed with patients and nurses and medics running around yelling. They were overwhelmed and had no idea where to start. The camp had limited resources and a lack of organization would cause more problems in the long run. I stopped walking and whistled making everyone stop what they were doing.
"Everyone stop what you're doing," I said.
"We have to help them now, many of these men will die if we do nothing." One of the nurses argued.
"I know that but we have limited resources and not all of these men are gravely injured." I said "We need to triage them. If they can walk on their own they can wait. If they're bleeding or missing a limb they take priority."
"Who are you to tell us what to do?" One of the doctor's asked in a pretentious manner.
"I'm someone who understands the gravity of the situation and knows you don't have the time or the resources to waste. We need space to work, clear out those that can wait and get started with the more serious cases." They just stared at me.
"Now," I said giving them a look snapping them out of it. The nurses were checking everyone out and moving those that could wait to another tent.
I moved to the beds and started to look over patients. I treated a couple soldiers with bullet wounds. Those were fairly easy cases. The only complication was a gunshot that caused some internal damage and forced me to remove the man's spleen but other than that everything went well. There were a few losses. A few people that were too injured and had gotten here too late. After the majority of the injured were treated and stabilized I took a small break to get some water.
"Tired?" I heard Morita ask.
"A bit just needed some water and air before I head back in." I said handing him a canteen. "What about you?"
"I learned first aid from my sister. She's a nurse back in Fresno or was before all this happened." He said sadly.
"Where is she now?" I asked.
"Last time I saw her and my Ma was eight months ago before I left Manzanar for the front lines." He said. Manzanar why does that sound familiar? That's when it hit me. Manzanar Relocation Center in California. Shit.
I was about to ask about her when there was a loud scream. "Duty calls" I say before walking back in." I walk back in and head to the back of the tent to where the surgeries were performed.
Standing next to the makeshift table was a man with an open leg wound being held down by the nurses. The doctor attending him was the rude man from before. He had a saw in his hand and he was slowly lowering it to his leg.
"What's going on in here?" I ask.
"Help please help!" the patient on the table screamed out in French.
"What does it look like? I am saving this man's life." He said rudely.
"It doesn't look like it. Why have you not administered any anesthesia?" I said I got closer to the table and looked at the wound. "And why haven't you removed the debris from the wound."
"There is no time to waste the patient is gravely injured there is not point in cleaning the wound when we have to amputate." He responds.
"How do you know that if you have not cleaned the wound and seen it up close?" I asked getting annoyed with this man. The patient could lose a limb or get an infection because of this man's arrogance.
"You are no one to tell me how to do my job." He said lifting the saw to the patient's leg.
"Don't you dare. You don't have to amputate. There is still healthy tissue the leg can be saved but we have to start now." I say.
"We cannot. It is too far-gone. We have to stop the bleeding and amputate."
"No I will not leg you cut off this man's leg when it can be saved."
"I don't have the time for this."
"Then move. I won't let you cut off his leg."
"Fine see if you can to better you chatte." He said with the last part in french.
"Better than an arrogant sexist butcher." I said as he left. "Well ladies, now that he's out of the way, can either of you please get this man some anesthesia or morphine." The nurses looked at each other. "Oh and some saline to irrigate the wound during the debridement." They looked confused. I guess they don't speak English.
"quels sont vos noms?" What are your names? I asked them.
"Nathalie." The shorter of the two nurses answered.
"Brigitte." The older one said.
"Ravi de vous rencontrer, je suis Nora. Je peux sauver sa jambe, mais je vais avoir besoin de votre aide. J'ai besoin de lui sédatif ou si pas de morphine pour soulager sa douleur." (Nice to meet you, I'm Nora. I can save his leg but I'm going to need your help. I need him sedated or if not some morphine to ease his pain." I explained. "J'ai aussi besoin de solution saline pour irriguer pendant le debridement" (I also need some saline to irrigate during the debridement).
"Oui." They both said before they started moving
"Aidez-moi, s'il vous plaît." I heard the patient mumble.
"Hé, ça va aller. Restez aussi calme que possible." (Hey, its going to be okay. Just stay as still as possible." I told him.
At that moment Brigitte and Nathalie came in with everything I asked them. They handed me the vial of morphine.
"Donnez-lui 1,5 cc de morphine s'il vous plaît, c'est mieux s'il ne peut pas sentir ce." (Give him 1.5 cc of morphine please it's better if he can't feel this) I said handing the morphine and the syringe to Nathalie.
"Brigitte quand je vous dis que je veux que vous versez quelques mL de solution saline dans la plaie. Essayez de l'obtenir près de l'endroit où je travaille." (Brigitte when I tell you to I want you to pour a few milliliters of saline in the wound. Try to get it near where I'm working.) I said.
"Oui," She replied with a nod.
I sat down and got a set of forceps. I waited for Nathalie to administer the dose before getting started.
After and hour I had finished with the debridement and now had a better look at the tissue. That moron was going to amputate a perfectly healthy leg. If he had taken the time to remove the debris he would've seen it. I got a needle and started to stitch the tissue together. I had only seen this done a handful of times and done this once before but my professor told me he couldn't have done a better job himself so I guess I did all right. I closed the wound and dressed it. I told Brigitte and Nathalie to monitor him closely. The dressings had to be changed every few hours. At the first sign of infection they were to administer penicillin.
They both looked shocked at that statement. They told me that it was only administered for syphilis infections. I told them it would also be effective in case of an infection.
After that I left to go see if anyone else needed help but by then everyone had already been treated. I didn't realize how much time had passed until I went outside and saw the sun had started to set. I saw Morita walking towards me.
"How's the patient?" He asked.
"I'm guessing you heard?" I asked.
"I think the entire camp heard. There was a very angry Frenchmen talking about a crazy woman who was criticizing his ability as a doctor." He said with a smirk. I could tell he probably edited out a few colorful words.
"He wanted to amputate a leg, I said we could save it, he said he didn't have time for that. I did so he left," I explained casually.
He chuckled, "We should go meet up with the rest of the team, we're supposed to be leaving soon." He said.
"Yeah lets go and maybe grab something to eat while we're at it." I said as we started walking.