Hey everyone! Welcome back :)

So, I realized I did some things out of order. First off, in the MCU, Bucky isn't apart of the Howling Commandos until AFTER he is experimented on by Hydra and is saved by Captain America. In this story, the Howling Commandos already exist, and Bucky is apart of it. Also, Colonel Philips is on base where Bucky came back to, which is why he is involved. Normally, Philips wouldn't be here... But I love the guy.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

"NO!" A feminine voice screamed.

Bucky's eyes widened as he felt a woman grip his shoulders. Repeatedly, she pulsated towards him as bullets rammed into her backside in the Kasserine Pass. A cry dryly escaped her throat as she shielded Bucky's body. She cradled him, holding him close to her shaking form and refusing to let go as every bullet pushed at her backside. She was protecting him.

A warm, soft glow shimmered on her black suit, creating shapes that looked like the insides of a machine. Circles and lines, connecting to one another, growing in aqua-toned brightness in contrast to the noir background.

Bucky's face was plague with fear as he watched the woman flinch in pain. The gunshots died out, and Bucky could feel himself gasping for air out of fear. He was ambushed. He glanced at the woman before him, only to find her limp body fall down to the ground before him. The blue lights disappeared, gone, just like her life. Blood pooled around her, and her pale cheeks no longer showed any sign of movement. He chest no longer rose, and her body laid their, dead. Bucky's hands fell to her shoulders, shaking her.

"She's dead?" A voice whispered.

Bucky gasped,"What?"

He glanced up from the woman, only to find someone he never wanted to see in the war. Steve Rogers stood there in front of them in the center of the Kasserine Pass. He wore a buttoned up shirt, slacks, and his beige coat. He wasn't dirtied by war, but his expression was pained. It was so odd seeing such innocence in contrast to the smokey darkness of the Kasserine Pass. Wind whipped around him, blowing his golden hair and jacket. His bright blue eyes watched the scene in horror.

"You said nothing would happen," Steve grimly spoke,"You said you wouldn't kill anyone!"

"No, Steve, she's alive!" Bucky pleaded, shaking his head.

Steven frowned deeply,"No, she'd been dead. Even when she's alive she's… dead."

"Wh-what are you talking about Steve?"

"Look at her eyes, Bucky. It's all black. There is nothing there."

Bucky's body jolted awake. A light layer of sweat beaded on his forehead, soaking through his shirt in random places. His chest was tight, constricted, and his mind was reeling from the nightmare. Steve.

The soldier threw his face into his hands, buckling over as he let his nerves slowly die down. A sign escaped Bucky's lips as he used his backhand to wipe away his sweat. He never had a… dream with Steve in it before. Steve was the face he never wanted to haunt him in his dreams.

He tried to remove the kind, gentle thought of Steve away from the blackened, dark world of war. The only time he thought of Steve is when he needed hope, and yet here he was. Bucky groaned a bit, rubbing the palms into his sockets as he re-imagined the pained look of Steve's baby blue hues. Steve— always willing to fight.

Bucky attempted to base his reasoning to fight on Steve's morals. Protect, save… Fight even when no else will because it's the right thing to do. You did things to help others, no matter what the cost. You knock the bully down, save the weak, fight for justice. You don't let anyone die. It was why Bucky ran in after Agent S last night in the Kasserine Pass.

Sometimes, Bucky would think about his best friend and how he was doing back at home. He was on his own, and that worried Bucky to no end. The little guy always got into brawls, but no matter what happened, he never backed down. He never let the bullies win, even if it meant a broken rib and a black eye. Bucky also knew that Steve would not stop trying to enlist, even if it was the last thing he'd do.

And it killed Bucky.

It killed Bucky to know that Steve couldn't… fight for himself, despite his spirit. He promised Steve that he would come back the same Bucky, and if he killed someone, he knew he wouldn't be. Bucky had seen death. He saw it raw and uncensored. He also saw back at home weeping mothers and daughters. He knew that what happened here in war also destroyed lives back in the United States.

He couldn't let someone die. Not at least without a real cause. Like Hitler, he deserved to die. But a person for the sake of winning? No, that he wouldn't do.

Bucky let his breathing return to normal. Another sigh escaped his lips as he wearily glanced up to the gurney. His heart sunk deep into his chest.

Of course, Agent S was gone.

Bucky darted out of the tent, searching for the missing woman. How in the world could she walk? Maybe she was kidnapped? Or perhaps she was never really hurt to begin with and stole something. Sweat brimmed on his forehead as he dashed further away from the tent.

"Ah, Barnes, you're awake," a strong voice spoke.

Crap.

Bucky whipped around, before saluting his superior. Colonel Philips, one of the highest ranking officers in the army, was walking towards him. Bucky didn't even know Philips would know his name, better yet be right there when he was least expecting it.

Colonel Philips frowned deeply as he approached his subordinate, immediately standing tall once coming to a halt. Philips needed a few words with Bucky. First off, it wasn't often someone from 107th came to reside here. Bucky, as well as his Howling Commando's pack, had stopped off here instead of infiltrating another Hydra unit because of the presence of the woman. Philips did not really know Barnes, with the exception of knowing that he was an excellent marksman.

Philips knew he had a dangerous wager with the woman staying on base, but there was always the chance he'd just put her down and find out what made her so special. It wasn't every day you see a Sergeant from a different infantry running into his office, sweaty, bleeding, and saying a woman fell from the sky and lived after the entire nazi army shot her.

Philips had his own agenda, while Bucky was internally panicking.

Should he tell one of the commanding officers of the US army about the fact that a potentially threatening person had escaped his watch? Bucky sucked in a tight breath when the Colonel directed with an unreadable gaze at him,"Walk with me."

"Yes sir."

Crap.

The Colonel's hand clasped his other worn appendage behind his back. The two walked in silence for a moment, before the Colonel began,"I'm sure you kept our guest comfortable."

"Yes sir."

"She seemed rather hostile, from what I understand."

"Yes sir… she was very confused when she first regained consciousness."

"Understandable. Have you deemed if she is a threat?"

Bucky inhaled sharply,"I don't believe she is, sir. She claimed she was not going to kill us."

"I see. And you take her word?" The Colonel's eyes burned into Bucky's, his jaw tight and his words smooth.

Bucky nearly choked,"I am alive, sir."

Philips stopped and turned to Bucky, studying the Sergeant's face,"That you are, son. Which is why you're going to do something for me."

"Yes sir?"

"Fine out why she was in such a deadly warzone. If she isn't killing Americans, and wants to kill Nazi's, then she isn't a problem to me."

"Sir, I will get right on it." Bucky bluntly replied, trying his best to hide his nerves as he shifted uncomfortably. Colonel Philips had a hell of a aura, and Bucky nearly felt suffocated.

Colonel Philips pursed his lips,"Do you have a problem with that, Barnes?"

Bucky shook his head meagerly. Philips roared,"Use your words, Sergeant."

"NO SIR." Bucky shouted, correcting himself and standing with posture he lacked before. He felt his palms sweat under his clenched fist and awaited for Philips to speak once more.

Colonel Philips cold eyes stared him down when as he ordered,"I'm not going to have a spy in my camp, if that is what she is. I want her story, Barnes."

"Yes sir," the soldier robotically responded.

"Has she awoken yet today?"

"Uh-" Bucky began, but then, he froze. He heard the sound of a familiar voice.

"I'm awake."

The two men turned to face none other than a walking Agent S. Her pale cheeks had returned to a normal, pink tone. Her brown hair was tied up in a wild bun on top of her head. On her body was a cargo short-sleeved shirt, unbuttoned enough to see the top of her wraps by her breasts. The wraps also were seen coming down her arms, all the way to her wrists. On her bottom was slouchy pants that seemed to run a little bit larger for her smaller frame. Her shoes were cargo boots, like any other soldier. Her eyes were bright, and no makeup plastered her face. She looked almost innocent.

Bucky noticed that her face scarring and neck, were nearly gone. If not, completely. He could faintly make out discoloration on her neck, but mainly, he saw the white porcelain skin peaking out around. She walked with little to no limp, her hand resting on her stomach.

"Ah, I see you found the clothes we set out for you," Philips said aloud, greeting the woman.

Bucky shook his head in disbelief. There she was, almost as good as new and… smiling.

The woman easily replied to the Colonel,"Mine just need some washing. These will do just fine in the meanwhile."

Philips' expression relaxed, nodding his head. His bright eyes, worn with age and war, seemed to glimmer with interest. He then turned to his soldier,"Sergeant Barnes? Show the lady around so she can get her sea legs working again. You feel up for it?"

Bucky stood up straighter, taking in a deep inhalation through his nose as if to prep for his answer. His jaw tightened immediately as he gazed over to the woman. "Yes sir," Bucky responded with as much gusto as he could muster.

"Wonderful," Philips replied easily, giving a nod to the woman,"If you will."

Agent S playfully bowed her head to answer the man before returning her attention to Bucky. A smile trickled across her mouth, and she noticed his expression was anything but happy. In fact, it was stone cold as his eyes watched the Colonel stride away without even a second glance.

"He seems like a asshole," Agent S bluntly spoke aloud, her white teeth flashing with amusement as she moved in front of Bucky. The soldier didn't respond. In fact, he stood still and simply watched her. It clearly wasn't a comment he could respond to. She gazed up at him. He was a bit taller than her, and he was sweating a bit. Nervous? Afraid? Bucky's bright eyes searched hers for a moment, before his expression rested into a frown.

"Why the long face?" Agent S remarked, beginning a stride along the path beside the medical tent. Her hands remained cooly by her hips, resting inside the over-sized cargo pant pockets.

Bucky joined her immediately in pace,"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're pouting."

"I am not," Bucky defended, putting in the least emotion as possible.

"You're upset."

Bucky tried his best to not frown,"No."

"Aggravated?"

"Negative."

Agent S pointed,"Constipated? You know what they say about food here—"

"What are you talking about?" Bucky snapped, watching the road widen out before him to the basis of the training camp. He could see soldiers performing their morning drills, running back and fourth across several lengths of a field with a captain leading the way.

"And you're being defensive. My god, Barnes," Agent S raised her eyebrows as she chuckled.

"Don't talk to me like you know me," Bucky replied coldly,"I am simply doing my job."

"Like a good soldier," Agent S murmured, crossing her arms. She began to widen the step of her pace, almost exaggerated as her heels scuffed the dirt beneath them.

Bucky immediately paused and turned to face the woman. Agent S stopped, cocking her head in amusement. Bucky's expression was frustrated, concealed(barely), and rather tired. Sweat was beading on his head, and it seemed that he hadn't shaved in a few days. The bags under his eyes showed he was barely sleeping, and the twitch in his shoulder only aided the fact that he was struggling.

His arms came to rest on his hips and he seemed almost angry,"How are you awake right now? You were gushing blood less than 8 hours ago from every point of your body."

Agent S shrugged,"Guess I wasn't that badly hurt."

"Like hell, you were hurt," Bucky hissed, his eyes narrowing,"I carried you back from the Kasserine Pass and I thought you were dead."

The woman rocked onto a hip, before she let a smirk rest on her lips,"Don't get angry, Serg. No use wracking your brain over things you can't understand."

"Why don't you explain then, hm?"

"If I could, I would."

"You come in here, wave a gun around and threaten everyone's well being, and then immediately get first class treatment. Doesn't that seem odd to you?" Bucky plainly spoke, his lack of sleep clearly reading on his face with a mix of anger.

"Not particularly," Agent S responded, her smile fading. Agent S' face grew less cheerful,"They want to see if I'm going to kill you."

"What?" Bucky spat.

"They know I can walk. They know that if I plan on killer Hitler I'm more than capable of killing a man, so you're the lab rat," Agent S challenged, her bright eyes skimming across Bucky's. Her hand raised upwards and without permission, rested on the base of Bucky's neck. She felt him tense under her touch, but she knew he wouldn't move. He was warm, and she felt like ice.

"If I kill you, I'm the enemy. If not, I'm useful to knock a few more nazi's off the radar. If I wanted you dead, Barnes, it would've happened last night when I had the shot. I don't hesitate. Makes things… emotional," Agent S explained cooly, before she felt her hand swatted off his neck. Bucky stormed away as he whispered,"You're disgusting."

"If only you knew," she spoke to herself, only then to start tracing behind Bucky.

Agent S remained silent for the rest of the 'tour'. Bucky found himself explaining in very vague terms the locations of the camp and the functions of it all. Agent S simply nodded or stared at him, giving him a small smile instead of using her words. Bucky bit back his sarcasm, despite wanting to thrown her back into the Kasserine Pass. She was never openly rude, but rather, she was blunt. She didn't hide anything and yet, she hid everything. And now, she was back to being quiet as if to mock him.

As they walked in silence, Bucky began to think. The first thing on his mind was how annoyed he was with her. She was far from the beautiful, conventional woman back at home with windswept curls, cherry lips, round faces and beaming smiles. She didn't talk about the pot pie she made, or the new dress she bought at the downtown store. Agent S, when she did talk, spoke about killing people, what she couldn't say, metaphors, war, and death. It was almost as if the topic of death followed her.

He wondered if she had a husband, or if she killed her husband. Could she actually love someone else? She even said she hated emotional things, so why even make the commitment. He felt back for the sucker that fell for her act.

In fact, Bucky pondered how in the world she was up walking on her feet as if it were just another day. It was far from anything normal and her behavior was just plain weird. She was sporadic, almost manic, and yet something about her was sickly sweet. Like she was hiding anything that was true about her and wouldn't talk about why she healed so damn fast. Or the fact that she was glowing. Maybe she was an alien? Maybe one of Stark's experiments went wrong and produced some wasted that ended up in her baby food?

Who knew.

"And that, over there, is I'm sure your favorite part, the weaponry lodge," Bucky announced, pointing into the distance to a medium sized building. Men were unloading boxes from several trucks, bringing them inside. One could assume they were of guns.

Bucky glanced back to Agent S, who wasn't even really paying attention. She was looking at everything else but the lodge, and appeared bored. She was scuffing her feet again. Bucky noticed she did this when she was unamused. In fact, the only place she didn't do this was when he pointed out the cafeteria. She stared at it for a fraction of a second longer than anything else, so Bucky warned her to stay put. Within seconds, he had two ham and cheese sandwiches in a bag when came back to Agent S.

Agent S continued to scuff her brown boots on the ground and Bucky lead them to a small clearing besides the camp. It was a tiny plot of open land, but big enough for a few people to come for a gathering. He knew it was risky bringing her away from a public spot, but he also didn't need eyes watching him babysit a potential threat. Here, he could neutralize her without harming others if needed be. Bucky, leading the way, moved to a shady spot by some trees and took a seat, "People often spar here, but for now, this is our spot for lunch."

Bucky let the scarce grass and rough soil rub under his legs as he slowly adjusted to the seat. He leaned back into the coarse tree trunk, and opened the paper bag. He withdrew two sandwiches and glanced up from his seat to find Agent S still standing. She was observing the open area, as if taking a mental note of it, before turning around to Bucky. Her body sat down next to his, and Bucky noticed she did so carefully. It was the only indication she was still hurt.

When she was settled, he handed her the sandwich. "Thanks," Agent S spoke lowly, taking the food from his hands and bringing it into her lap. She stared at it for a long moment, before bringing the food to her lips and taking a hesitate bite.

"It's not gonna poison ya'," Bucky commented, noticing her odd behavior as he munched through his own.

"I know, I'm just thankful."

"Excuse me?" Bucky nearly choked, shaking his head,"I'd hardly think you're the religious type."

Agent S sighed,"No. It's just nice to know I can eat a sandwich." And that I'm not some form of goo, or dead.

Bucky shifted slightly, giving her a hard look before asking,"Did you expect to die?"

Agent S grinned painfully as her crystal blue eyes locked onto Bucky's,"I always expect to die."

"Look at her eyes, Bucky. It's all black. There is nothing there."

The soldier's gaze focused on her eyes. They held… nothing. They were blank. She spoke the hymn of death without even a glimmer of anger, or regret. It was as if the concept of death was something she expected. She… lived to died. Her eyes were expressionless even as she chanted her own end, marking it on her arm as someone would their own heart. She had nothing behind those eyes, and if she did, it wasn't about to be shown.

Bucky looked out into the clearing, the sun beaming overhead, and the faint signs of life peaking through the soil. "That's not a way to live."

"I don't call what I do living," Agent S mused, taking another bite into her sandwich.

Bucky frowned,"I pity you then. You're so young, and yet all you see in the world is how bad it is."

"It's a place of bad people, Barnes. No matter where you go, they'll always be there."

"Not always," Bucky spoke, a smile pulling at his cheek,"My friend Steve, back at home, sees the world of bad people and never gives up. The small guy never puts down his fists to the giant."

"Heart of a soldier," Agent S remarked,"never backing down to a fight."

"He doesn't have a choice— both parents a dead. If he stops fighting, he might as well—" Bucky trailed off, taking the last bite to his meal. He noticed Agent S staring at him, her eyes washing over his face.

"I couldn't see him in battle," Bucky admitted, his hands falling on the edge of the brown paper bag and playing with the edges,"Not after all those years of protecting him."

Agent S frowned, bringing her knees into her chest as she took another bite into her mouth. She swallowed thickly, before replying,"Then teach him new tricks so he can protect himself. You won't always be there, if you can't tell that by now."

Bucky felt his shoulders tense,"Steve's got a heart of gold, but I don't know if I have it in me to teach him to kill."

Agent S remained quiet for a moment. She leaned deeper into her knees and gave them a hug, her hand falling limp with her sandwich. "You should teach your friend how to fight, not to kill"

"Steve Rogers fighting? He knows how to fight, he doesn't know how to win," Bucky chuckled, shaking his head as he brushed a few stray strands of hair away. He didn't notice; however, when the sandwich fell from Agent S' hand to the ground.

"Steve Rogers," Agent S repeated, knowing very well the name. She also knew that they found Steve Rogers in an ice berg, alive, breathing… and very much alive. He 'died' crashing his plane and was frozen for half a century. Steve Rogers was also the experiment of Stark Industries using Gamma Radiation, the same stuff that made the hulk. Steve Rogers was no ordinary man, but then again, time tells everything. And Agent S is living in the age before the timeless Captain America.

"Yeah, the brat," Bucky shifted,"Hey, Agent S? You dropped your sandwich."

"Ah," Agent S murmured, picking it up from the ground,"Wrist still doesn't know how to work and all. And uh— Call me Essie."

Bucky's eyes narrowed, before he spoke,"What?"

"Agent S… Essie… I'm not being an 'Agent' right now, so why the title? Essie is fine," the woman remarked plainly, letting her knees straighten out as she placed the dirty sandwich beside her on the ground.

"Essie," Bucky let the name run on his lips. He watched the image of her, and thought how she just gave him the name to humanize her just a bit more than before. It was a little bit of something, and it was… odd. Why was she giving him a little bit more of herself? Even a name, something more personal than the stoic 'Agent S', was something.

Essie sighed a bit,"Regardless of what you say about your friend, it's the inside that counts. Maybe he'll change the world someday— all he needs is encouragement."

"I never knew girls were psychologists nowadays," Bucky sarcastically remarked, taking her dirty sandwich and putting it inside of the brown paper bag. He then placed it beside him.

Essie snorted,"I need the psychologist."

"Tell me about your feelings?" Bucky coaxed onwards, bringing his hands up to rest behind his head. His shirt melded to his body, the slight wetness of his sweat darkening under his arms from the heat of the day.

The woman instantly turned to face Bucky, excitement filling her dull eyes, but not enough to give them meaning— just enough to show interest. "My feelings? They don't exist."

"How so?"

"If you haven't figured it out, I'm not exactly the stay-at-home mom type," Agent S licked the corner of her lip before she flashed her teeth.

"Right, of course. You and your secrets. Hey, is that was the S is for? Secret?"

"It's for stealth, secrecy, seduction, strength… So many good 's' words," Essie rambled, relaxing into the same position as Bucky. She let her head rest into her hands, exhaling as the tension of the past few hours released. "So, what is it your Infantry focuses on?"

"Our focus?"

"Well, yeah. What are your missions centered around, if you don't mind me asking," Essie pestered, looking at the soldier carefully. She wondered if he would tell her, and at what price it would cost.

The Howling Commandos. They focused on infiltrating Hydra units and destroying them, as well as finding out all they could to help predict the next Nazi movement. "Uh, classified?"

"Classified," Essie repeated, laughing,"won't be for long."

Bucky shook his head, letting his fingers scratch the back of his head as he chuckled,"What are you, a Secret Agent S? Like Secret Agent Secret?"

"That sounds ridiculous," the woman laughed, shaking her head,"No. Look, Barnes, I told you that if I could tell you, I would. There is a reason to my madness."

"Why was I assigned to deal with this madness?" Bucky murmured playfully, turning to face her. He saw her doodling on ground beside her in the dirt. She was drawling circles, connected by lines, and creating other circles within circles. It almost looked like a circuit. Bucky tilted his head,"Hey, those drawings. I saw them on you when I found you."

"Did you?" Agent S responded mindlessly, before brushing her hand over the symbols and erasing them in the dirt. However, Agent S' eyes widened. Her fingers began to grip the soil, digging deeper into it as she watched the ground. Bucky took no notice to this and continued on without a second thought,"Are you a robot or something? Did Stark send you or—"

"The camp," Essie choked, her eyes widening with urgency as she shot a look to Bucky,"There is going to be an attack."

A little cliffhanger for you! Get ready to see some butt-kicking coming up next! Please review for me :)