See Chapter One for Disclaimer
First Fight
"Is this your first fire fight then, sweetheart?"
Steve winced, opening his mouth to warn the pilot that one didn't talk to Dannie that way and survive, but Dannie beat him to it.
"Is this your first time talking to a woman, then, honeybunches?" She snapped.
Instead of being offended, the man laughed. "Touche." He flicked a few buttons on the controls and Dannie and Steve turned to Peggy, who debriefed them quickly on their mission.
When their plane hit fire, Steve opened the plane door and then turned to Dannie.
She shot him a wide-eyed look. "Jumping out of a plane then? Sure, no problem. I've always said that the best way to get over a debilitating fear of heights is to jump out of a plane." Steve opened his mouth, to say what he really wasn't sure, but Dannie was already running forward and making a mad leap out of the plane.
Peggy laughed. "I get why you like her," She yelled as Steve hurried after Dannie. "Because she's YOU."
Peggy's words rang in Steve's ears as he and Dannie snuck into the base and reached the soldiers. When they asked after Bucky and Dannie's brother, the answers they got weren't comforting, but still Steve and his backup dancer moved forward.
"Wait! Do you know what you're doing?" A freed soldier questioned as the two hurried away.
Steve paused and turned. "Yeah." He assured. "I knocked out Adolf Hitler over 200 hundred times." Steve tilted his head. "And she did once."
Dannie nodded brightly and hit her fist lightly into the palm of her hand. Then she and Steve shared a look, shrugged, and then hurried off.
"Cute." The soldier said after a moment before making his own escape.
Steve and Dannie found Bucky strapped to a table. The two quickly started to unstrap the man.
"He looks kind of out it," Dannie reported. "Talk to him anyway."
"Buck?" Steve leaned over. "It's me. It's Steve."
Dannie snorted, but Bucky seemed to brighten at that. "Steve?"
"Come on," Steve and Dannie helped the man stand.
"Steve," Bucky said again.
"I thought you were dead." Steve shook his head as the three hurried from the room.
"I thought you were smaller." Bucky said seriously. Dannie snorted, and Bucky turned a curious gaze her way. "Who are you?"
"I'm his back up dancer." She answered. "I've heard a lot about you. My names Dannie Marsh."
"Marsh." Bucky furrowed his brow. "I know that…that was the other guy."
"Where is he?" Steve asked, but Bucky shook his head.
"Guy didn't make it."
Steve felt Dannie falter, but only for a moment. She picked her pace up quickly.
"Dannie," Steve said, but Dannie interrupted him.
"It was always a possibility." She said briskly. "We still got this one we can save. I'm gonna focus on that for now."
Steve nodded quickly.
Bucky, not noticing the tension, turned to stare at Steve.
"Did it hurt?" He asked innocently.
"Yep." Steve answered.
"Is it permanent?" Bucky asked after a moment.
"So far." Steve rolled his eyes, and Dannie snickered.
The three of them paused at the edge of the metal bridge, staring down in shock as the building below them began to explode.
"Up." Dannie said immediately. "Up!" The three of them began to climb up the staircase, pausing as a loud voice began to speak with them.
"Captain America! How exciting!"
Steve frowned, and began to move towards the sound of the voice.
"I vote for NOT following the sound of the creepy voice," Dannie muttered, but neither of the men heard her, and with a sigh, she followed them. The voice continued.
"So Dr. Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement," The man the voice belonged to stood in the middle of the bridge, a mocking smile on his face. "But still impressive."
Steve marched forward and punched the man in the face.
"You've got no idea." He retorted.
"Nein." The man hissed, and punched Steve's shield so hard it left a dent in it.
Dannie and Bucky shared a wide-eyed look as the two men fought. Once they had separated, the smaller man pressed a button and the bridge separated, Steve and his friends on one side, and whom could only be Johann Schmidt on the other.
"No matter what lies Erskine told you, I was his greatest success!" Schmidt removed his face, and Dannie screamed.
"Sorry." She apologized when everyone looked at her. "I just…wasn't expecting that."
"You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asked Steve.
Steve grimaced, and Schmidt continued to speak.
"You are deluded Captain. You pretend to be a simple soldier but in reality you are just afraid to admit that we have left reality behind! Unlike you…I embrace it proudly."
"You're right about that." Dannie snickered under her breath. When Schmidt shot her a look, she spoke up.
"You're trying to compare yourself to Rogers…but the only monster I see is YOU."
Schmidt's eyes narrowed, and he moved back toward the bridge, which Schmidt's ally reluctantly reconnected.
"And who is this?" Schmidt sneered at Dannie, though he spoke to Steve. "Your sidekick?"
"Wrong." Dannie took a step forward and leveled her gun at the man. "My name is Dannie Marsh." She raised an eyebrow. "Michael Marsh was my brother."
"Ah. One of the experiments who did not survive." Dannie's hand clenched around her weapon, but she didn't move. Schmidt chuckled. "I believe he was the one who couldn't handle the heat." He turned to his little sidekick. "He burned from the inside out, did he not?" The man shook his head. "It wasn't a pretty sight."
"You're not a pretty sight," Dannie retorted, darting forward to hit Schmidt with the butt of her rifle. The scuffle was short, and ended with Dannie held three feet above the ground, Schmidt's hand clenched tight around her neck.
His eyes narrowed. "You're a spirited one." He brought her face closer to his. "Perhaps you could handle the heat?"
Dannie spit in his face, and with a snarl, Schmidt threw her. She flew backwards, and Bucky caught her at the last second.
"Perhaps you're a bit too spirited," Schmidt snarled.
Dannie snapped her teeth at him a few times, snarling as Schmidt made his escape.
"Now how do we get outta here?" Bucky asked seriously.
"Good question." Steve huffed.
"Idiots." Dannie took a running start, then jumped, landing on the other side of the bridge. After a look and a shrug, Bucky and then Steve followed suit.
"Whatever happened to your fear of heights?" Steve asked as they ran out.
"It died along with my brother." Dannie muttered.
Steve left her alone after that.
Secretary Marsh
Steve and the soldiers he saved made a triumphant return to the base.
It was very heroic…if one discounted Dannie, who Steve carried piggy back.
The Col. Approached the captain and did his best not to smile.
Carter smiled freely.
Dannie shot a glare at the both of them.
"Some of these men need medical attention." He announced immediately. Dannie raised a hand, causing her to begin to slide off Steve's back, and he rolled his eyes. "And women." He adjusted Dannie so that she was no longer sliding off.
"I also surrender myself for disciplinary action." He added.
Dannie raised her hand again and once more began to slide off Steve's back.
"I don't surrender." She said seriously. "I never surrender." Steve did his best to keep her from falling, but it was a losing battle. With a smirk, Bucky moved forward and hefted Dannie into his arms bridal style.
"Also," She continued, hanging limply in Bucky's arms, "I don't work for you."
Col. Phillips stared at Dannie for a moment, trying to figure her out.
He gave up.
"You do now." He finally said, before nodding at Steve and then marching off.
"Wait." Dannie wriggled out of Bucky's arms, balancing on one leg, as the other was bandaged heavily though it was bleeding through. "What does that mean?" She hobbled after the colonel, loudly asking questions.
Steve sighed. "Marsh!" He barked, hurrying after her, "Stop walking on your leg, you're going to damage it further!"
Bucky shot Carter a smile. "It's been like this the whole trip." He admitted. Peggy shook her head, and Bucky turned to the soldiers, both those that had just returned, and those who had gathered to welcome the others back.
"Let's hear it for Captain America!" He yelled, and cheers erupted, loud enough that Steve and Dannie, who were arguing loudly a few feet away, could hear it.
They both shared a smile…but they didn't stop arguing.
Of course.
"They're giving you a team then?" Dannie toasted the Captain. "That's great." She winked at Bucky. "You're going with him to make sure he doesn't kill himself?"
Bucky rolled his eyes. "Of course. Can't let him go off alone, who knows what would happen."
"Really?" Steve asked exasperated, and the two laughed. "I regret ever introducing you two to each other."
"Calm down, friend," Bucky clapped Steve on the shoulder. "I'm not trying to steal your girl." Dannie made a face, and Bucky smirked. "I can't help it if she can tell I'm far superior to you."
Steve shoved his friend as Dannie smirked.
"Knock it off," He chided, turning to Dannie. "So what has Carter got you doing?"
"Because I assume the singing and dancing thing is over." Bucky spoke up. "Are you stuck doing secretary work?"
"No, actually." Dannie smiled. "I'll be helping form strategies with the howling commandos and leader," Dannie winked at Steve, "when they're here, and when you guys are off saving the world I'll be helping develop tech with Stark or working with Peggy or doing really whatever I want." Dannie switched her empty beer with Steve's full one. Bucky noticed and raised his eyebrows.
"So you're not upset to be missing all the action?" Steve teased. Dannie scoffed.
"Please, I'll leave all the dirty work to you and your friends. Besides, everyone knows who the real boss is." She stood and shot Steve a pointed look. "If you're not sure, let me say right now: It's me. I'm the boss."
Steve saluted. "Sir yes sir," He said, face serious. Dannie rolled her eyes and stepped away.
"I'll see you idiots later." Steve watched her walk away with a smile on his face.
"So that's how it is then." Bucky shook his head.
"What?" Steve turned to his friend, and Bucky made a suggestive look. "What?! No, it's not," Steve turned back to where Dannie had paused at where his team sat, laughing and speaking with them. "It…just is." He said after a moment.
Bucky was smirking when Steve turned back to look at him, and he shoved his friend.
"Shut up!"
Bucky just laughed.
Undercover Boss
As the war progressed and Steve and his howling commandos fought valiantly, the group fell into a routine.
In between missions Captain America and his howling commandos would debrief and strategize at base, with Col. Phillips, Howard Stark, Agent Carter, and Dannie Marsh.
Because she'd successfully helped save over 400 soldiers, Col. Phillips had granted her a rank and Sergeant Marsh turned out to be an excellent strategist.
When the team was on break, and those were few and far between, Dannie and Steve without fail found time to spend together. More often than not Bucky was there as well, and Dannie and Bucky got along extremely well. Which was wonderful, but sometimes Steve wished they didn't get along SO well.
Before Steve and his team left on any mission, Dannie would see them off, wishing everyone well. Then she'd turn to Steve and poke his chest.
"I know you give the orders out there, but here, who's the boss?"
And Steve would grin and answer, "You are."
Dannie would nod and then say, "And what's my number one rule?"
"Come back alive." Was Steve's answer, though more often than not, the rest of the Howling commandos would answer as well, they knew the routine so well.
Dannie would grin. "And all in one piece." Then she would pat Steve lightly on the chest, nod significantly, then step back.
"Dismissed!" She would finish, and Steve would salute her and then usher his team off.
This exchange would happen every time. Without fail.
Except for the one time it didn't.
"Dude." Bucky looked around. "Shouldn't she be here right now?"
"Yeah." One of the howling commandos nodded. "She should be making eyes at Steve and threatening him at the same time."
Steve made a face, but he was confused as well. Where was Dannie?
"About that." Peggy smiled at Steve and at the howling commandos, as well as at the back up soldiers that were required for the mission. "Unfortunately, she is unable to see you off, as she has business to attend to." Steve's face fell, and Peggy's smile turned sympathetic. "She did ask me to inform you that she expects a very large gift when you return."
"How's he supposed to get a gift?" Bucky asked realistically.
"Get her Schmidt's head on a stick!" One of the back-up soldiers yelled, and the rest of the group cheered in agreement.
"Alright." Steve rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll do that then."
And Steve ordered his men to move out, though he sent one last look around the base, as if he would see Dannie standing in the corner.
He didn't, and his men moved quickly.
Among them, disguised as a man, was one Dannie Marsh.
"You knew." The moment the team had returned, Steve had sought out Peggy.
His voice was carefully controlled, so Peggy thought nothing was wrong.
She sighed and looked up from her report.
"She heard Schmidt might be at this location. She wanted to be there in case he was." Peggy explained simply. "There was no harm in letting her go."
"So why the disguise?" Steve asked, voice still low, still carefully controlled. Peggy's eyebrows furrowed.
"She thought you wouldn't approve."
"Damn RIGHT I wouldn't have." Steve slammed his fist onto Peggy's desk, then turned away breathing harshly.
Peggy stood slowly. "Is everything alright?" She asked. "Where is Dannie?"
Steve shook his head, and Bucky entered the room, eyes bloodshot.
"She's gone," He said hoarsely.
"Hydra took her."
The Train
"Remember when I took you on that ride at Coney Island?"
Bucky grimaced at the zipline in front of him.
Steve grunted. "Yeah, and I threw up?"
"This isn't payback, is it?"
Steve shot his best friend a look.
Since Dannie had been taken, spirits had been somber.
But rumor had it that there was an important package on that train.
Everyone was hoping it was Dannie.
"Now why would I do that?" Steve smirked lightly, and Bucky shook his head.
He'd take what he could get.
Right in the middle of the battle wasn't exactly the best time to stop…but Bucky had found the package.
"It's Dannie!" Bucky yelled even as he was reaching for the limp body and throwing it over his shoulder.
Steve didn't stop fighting, but he grinned.
"We always gonna meet like this?" Dannie's voice was slurred, but she was conscious.
And she was joking.
It was a good sign. They'd deal with the rest later. Bucky moved Dannie to a closer, slightly safe location, then moved quickly to back up his friend.
It was less than two minutes later that Bucky was dangling over a cliff, hanging precariously onto a rickety piece of metal. Steve was close, but he wasn't close enough.
But Dannie was.
Before Bucky could plummet to his death he found is wrist in a tight grip, and his body being hauled back onto the train.
Bucky locked eyes with Dannie, who looked terrible, except for her eyes. Her eyes were bright.
"You're welcome." She quipped.
Bucky huffed out a big breath. Steve, standing above Bucky, laughed.
Dannie smiled.
And then a large brute of a man that no one saw coming slammed into Dannie's body and threw the both of them over the edge.
"No!" Steve yelled.
But there wasn't time for Steve to do anything.
Dannie was gone.
Again.
The Plane
Steve opened the door to the cockpit slowly, approaching the pilot's seat slowly. A voice had him pausing.
"Really?" Steve froze at the sound of her voice. "You decided knocking on the front door was the best plan?"
"What can I say?" Steve turned with a grin. "My strategist took the day off." His smile fell when he caught sight of her.
It was Dannie all right. But her face was pale and wan, and her usually thick hair was pulled tight out of her face. She was wearing a hydra uniform that oddly enough didn't have sleeves, but the costume made more sense when he caught sight of the black brace that wrapped around her left arm.
"I'm not the boss anymore." She chuckled weakly. "Someone else is giving the orders now."
"I understand." Steve said slowly.
"No you don't," She bit out, pointing her gun directly at his forehead.
Steve's brow furrowed, and Schmidt chuckled. "I believe you recognize my copilot?" He mocked. "She was much too valuable to leave downstairs. MUCH too valuable."
Steve understood what Schmidt was trying to say when Dannie grimaced.
"I guess he really did pick the wrong Marsh," Steve muttered.
Schmidt smiled and then snapped his fingers, and Marsh - Dannie, dropped the gun to charge Steve.
Dannie wasn't a skilled fighter like Steve, or even like Schmidt was.
But Steve remembered that Dannie had told him she had twelve brothers.
She fought like she had twelve brothers, which really just meant that she fought dirty.
And she was strong. Stronger than made sense, unless Schmidt's little experiments had finally paid off.
"You could have the power of gods yet you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations!" Schmidt spoke gleefully as he watched the two fight. "I have seen the future, Captain! There are no flags!"
"That's not my future," Steve retorted, and Bucky appeared from behind Schmidt's chair and leveled a gun at the man's head. Dannie paused in fighting Steve to whip a gun in Bucky's direction.
Schmidt chuckled and Bucky made a face. "Don't tell me THIS guy is the new boss."
"I wasn't really there for the interview process." Dannie admitted tightly. "Plus, the punishments for refusal to act are," Dannie rotated her left shoulder slowly, "Shocking." Dannie's hand began to shake, and sparks began to come from the black band around her arm. She gritted her teeth. Her gun lowered. "But it's so worth it."
Schmidts smile fell from his face. "I made you," He hissed.
"And I'm going to end you." Dannie retorted. She stormed towards Schmidt pulling him from his seat and to the floor, where she proceeded to smash his face into the floor.
All the while her arm band sparked and burned into her arm.
"Okay." Steve said after a moment. "I think he's dead."
"He's not." Dannie grunted. "I can still feel his essence. It's gross."
"Dannie." Bucky reached to touch her arm, and she growled, raising her arm to shoot the gun in her hand. Steve dodged out of the way, and the bullet hit the cube instead.
"Oops." Dannie dropped the gun, with a wince. "Sorry. I just feel all sorts of crazy right now."
"I bet." Steve smiled despite himself. "Hi."
"Hi." Dannie smiled back.
"Gross." Bucky said after a moment.
Dannie shot him a look, then moved towards the cube. "Somethings happening," She said, tilting her head.
"Don't touch it." Bucky warned as she got closer.
Dannie scoffed. "I'm not stupid. I'm not going to touch…it." Dannie paused as her hand closed around the cube.
"oops." She said again, and before the two men could move forward, the cube was sparking and and reacting, and in a rush of blue light, Dannie was swept away.
The two men covered their eyes, and when they looked back, the cube was sitting innocently on the floor of the plane…and Dannie was gone.
An Unscheduled Landing
Bucky stared dumbly at where Dannie had just been standing.
"What the hell?"
Steve slammed the dash of the plane.
"Are you kidding me!" He slammed the dash a few more times.
"Captain, I hate to interrupt your hissy fit," Carter spoke over the planes communications system.
"I lost her!" Steve shook his head. "Again!"
"My condolences." Peggy said seriously. "What do you aim to do about the plane?"
Steve turned to look slowly at Bucky.
They both knew the options. And they knew what their decision would be.
"I'm with you." Bucky vowed.
"Till the end of the line." Steve finished. He smiled. "Looks like we have an unscheduled landing ahead of us." He informed Carter.
"Surely there's another option." Carter tried.
"There's not." It was Bucky that answered. "At least this way we're going together."
"And only two people die, instead of thousands." Steve added.
Peggy was silent. Then she pulled her trump card.
"What about the bosses orders?"
Steve chuckled lightly. "Boss aint here." He said after a moment.
"She wouldn't approve." Peggy added.
Steve was silent for a long moment. "Yes she would." He corrected. Then he turned off the comms and pushed the steering wheel of the plane all the way down.
Steve turned to Bucky, who stood a good ten feet away.
"Do I smell?" He asked dryly.
Bucky shook his head quickly.
"I'm making damn sure that when they unearth our bodies in a million years that we're not found spooning each other."
The comment was so unexpected, Steve burst out laughing.
And the plane hit the ice.
Naptime is Over
Steve opened his eyes for a few moments, then turned his head.
Bucky was lying in a bed next to Steve's. His eyes were open, and he was watching Steve.
When he noticed that Steve was looking back, he grinned.
"We're not spooning." He informed. "You're welcome."
"We're alive." Steve said after a moment. "How?"
"Good question." Bucky sat up. "I don't have an answer."
"Of course you don't." Steve sat up as well, and swung his legs over the side of a bed. "Do you know where we are?"
"No clue." Bucky stood and began to pace the perimeter of the room. "Maybe it's the future?"
Steve snorted and threw his pillow at Bucky.
The pillow missed and hit the wall. The wall fell with a loud thud.
"Well." Bucky said after a moment. "The future really needs to work on their level of quality." Bucky and Steve moved forward to peer out the empty wall. A group of men with large weapons stood on the other side.
Bucky and Steve shared a look and then came to a mutual agreement…it was time to get out of there.
"At ease soldiers," Bucky and Steve whirled towards the voice, pausing in their escape plan, surprised at the sight of a black man in all black leather striding towards them. He looked perfectly harmless, so Steve and Bucky let the man approach them. He smiled apologetically.
"Look I'm sorry about that little show back there, but we thought it would be best to break it to you slowly."
"Break what?" Steve questioned.
The man with the eyepatch sighed. "You two have been asleep. For 70 years."
Steve stared dumbly at the man, but Bucky took in the sight around them. "Well." He said brightly, clapping a hand to Steve's shoulder. "I guess naptime is over." He shot the man in front of him a look.
"Now let the nightmares begin."
Add one little character, and the whole movie gets all sorts of screwed up, doesn't it? Eh - I kinda like it!
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