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"The capacity for friendship is God's way of apologizing for our families."

Jay McIrnerey

Chapter Seven - Budding Friendships

The bar was noisy with roudy drunk men when Clara walked in, but quietness down significantly upon her entry. But Clara did not notice the men's reaction. There was only one man she was looking for.

Her face broke out into a smile, when she found him conversing with Steve and Peggy. She rolled her eyes at her husband's obvious flirting, knowing that it was completely harmless. He always was a charmer. Besides, Peggy only had eyes for Steve.

"0800, Captain" said Peggy, turning and walking past Clara

"Yes Ma'am" called out Steve, "I'll be there"

"I'm invisible" said Bucky, "I'm turning into you, it's like a horrible dream"

"Don't take it so hard" said Steve, patting Bucky on the shoulder, "Maybe she's got a friend"

"Don't worry, soldier" said Clara, sauntering up to him, "I see you, perfectly clearly"

"That's all I need" he said, grabbing onto her hand, "C'mon, I'll introduce you to all of the guys"

"Oh, so you've made friends" she teased, "And here I thought all the other soldiers would be mean to you"

"No, you're the only mean one" he said, throwing his arm around her shoulder, smirking down at her, as he led her towards a table full of men, "Clara, this is Jim, Monty, Dum Dum, Gabe, and Frenchie" said Bucky, pointing to each of them, respectively, "Guys, this is Clara"

"Well, she's even prettier then you said" said Dugan, winking at her, "We've heard lots about you"

"Only good things I hope" she said

"There's only good things about you" said Bucky, pressing a kiss to her forehead

"Ah, you've got him wrapped around your finger" said Dugan

"That was my aim" she joked

"Elle est très jolie, vous ne pensez pas?" (She's very pretty, don't you think), Jacques said to Gabe,

"Ce est une bonne chose Bucky ne peut pas parler français" (It's a good thing Bucky can't speak French) Gabe replied, grinning and shaking his head

"Merci" said Clara, grinning as shock crossed over their faces, except for Bucky, who was smirking proudly at her, "Vous êtes pas mal vous" (Thank you. You are not half bad yourself)

"I like her" announced Jacques, as the men began to laugh,

"Where did you learn French?" Asked Gabe

"My mother, it's a bit of a family tradition" she told them, "My great grandmother was French"

"Où était-elle?" (Where was she from?) Asked Jacques

"I...I'm not sure where she was from actually" she said, frowning, "But, I know she met my great grandfather in Paris. She was assigned to be his translator, so he pretended he didn't know French to keep her around"

"Ah, sounds like my type of guy" said Dugan

"Yes, he was quite the charmer" muttered Clara, "So charming in fact, that he convinced her to marry him and move to America after only a month"

"Took me three years" said Bucky

"What, scared of her father?" Asked Jim

"No, he loves me" said Bucky, "Her grandmother scares me"

"She scares everyone" muttered Clara, "She really is the in-law from Hell. Actually, she's the family member from Hell"

"Well, thank God you're here and not her" said Dugan

The men continued to drink and talk long into the night, well after Bucky and Clara retired.

"Sergeant Barnes says you're quite the shot" said Colonel Phillips, holding out the handgun to her, "Care to prove it?"

"No problem" she said, raising her eyebrows as she took the gun, "Is there something in particular you want me to aim at? Because I somehow don't think you'd chance it and have me shoot at anything in case I hit someone. Not that I would"

"Get her a target board" he told one of the agents, "Follow me, Mrs Barnes"

She shot Bucky a look, but he just shrugged , grinning smugly. The rest of the men followed behind her, all intrigued, wanting to witness her skills.

"Ready, Mrs Barnes" said Phillips and she nodded, "Then go right ahead"

Clara lifted the gun with both her hands, aimed at the board, and fired. Two shots to the heart and one to the head. She let her hand fall back to her side, her eyebrow raised as she turned to look back at Colonel Phillips.

"Alright, I'm impressed" he said, "You can stay. Just try not to die"

"Always my aim, sir" she replied

The rest of the men all looked on, both surprised and impressed, "Well I'll be damned" said Dugan, clapping Bucky on the shoulder, "She really is a good shot"

"Where did you learn to shoot?" Asked Monty

"My Uncle lives on a farm, we used to spend summers with him, he taught my siblings and I" she explained, "My older brother was good, but he didn't enjoy it, and my sister didn't excel in the slightest. My cousins were too young, so my Uncle used to take me hunting with him"

"Phillips is quite impressed with you" said Peggy, "And that's a difficult feat"

"Well, I'm an impressive person" she joked, "You must have impressed him a lot, not many men are very accepting of women working in jobs they deem to be for men. Which is of course most jobs. And then, you're expected to stop working after you get married. Even my own family disapproved of my choice to keep working after I married Bucky"

"You didn't listen to them?" Asked Peggy

"I don't listen to people that try to hold me back" she said, "I'm quite good at being a nurse, and I enjoy it. I'm not going to stop just because it's expected of me. I don't think either of us are ones that do something simply because it's expected of us"

"Can you defend yourself?" Peggy asked her, "What are you like without a gun?"

"Well, according to my ex-boyfriend I've got a mean right hook, and that was before Bucky taught me how to punch" said Clara, "But I was always discouraged from getting into fights by my parents. Though I ignored them on multiple occasions"

"I could help train you" Peggy offered, "If you'd like"

"I think that'd be good" she said, "Now, do you want to tell me what's the story with you and Steve? And don't tell me there's no story, I've seen you two together"

"Steve is..."

"Steve is Captain America, but you don't like him because of that" said Clara, "You like him because he's Steve Rogers, and you would still like him if that's all he was. Not many people have been willing to look past physical appearances and see what's underneath"

"He's a good man" said Peggy, "Probably the best person I've ever met"

"Well, I have to say, I would much rather have a double date with you and Steve then the last one we had" she said, causing Peggy to raise her eyebrows, "My best friend. And don't get me wrong, I love her to death, but she places far more importance on physical appearance then I do. Personally, I think you and Steve are quite cute together"

"Thank you" said Peggy

"Ah, Miss Barnes, it's wonderful to see you again" said Howard, "How have you been?"

"Delightful until I saw you" she said sarcastically,

"You must be glad to be reunited with your husband" he said

"I am" she said, "What about you? Anyone special?"

"Serious relationships aren't my thing" he admitted, "It'd take a very special women to make me reconsider"

"I figured" said Clara, "So, what do you do for the SSR?"

"Design their weapons for them" he said, "I actually designed Steve's shield for him, Vibranium, strongest metal in the world"

"Strong enough to stand a woman's rage I heard" she said

"Well, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" said Howard, "A lesson I've learnt many times"

"Clearly not well enough if you keep repeating it" she said, "Speaking of lessons, I'm sure my husband would love to teach you one if he found out you were flirting with his wife"

"I prefer the term playful conversation" he said

"Goodbye Howard" she said, smiling as she shook her head

"Goodbye Clara"