Chapter 1

This fic will take place in present time. However! We need a little back story first.

The air in the tent cooled as the sweat dried on their bodies.

"I have to go." Oakleigh whispered, not wanting a passing solider to over hear a females voice coming for them Sargents tent.

Bucky ran his hand up and down her bare back. Savouring the warmth of her body, the feel of her naked cures against him. This was the worst part of falling for someone in the army, in his opinion. The quickies in his tent, the stolen kissed when no one was around. They never seemed to have enough time.

Oakleigh was a trauma nurse, at least she learned to be one on the job. Her father was her only living family and from what she shared with him, the guy was a piece of work.

She ran away from home when the draft happened, she knew they would not accept a women as a solider. Forging medical document was the only way to get her out of California. As the universe would have it, she landed in the same place he had.

When Bucky first laid eyes on Oakleigh all he could think was, she did not belonged in a war zone. She was twenty four, up to her eye balls in blood, but still she seemed a lot more mature than most of the soldiers twice her age.

"I thought you were taking the graveyard shift for Mikel?"

Oakleigh kissed Bucky's chest, pulling herself into a seated position. She was not going to find her clothes if she continued to lay in his arms. Bucky sat up with her, kissing at her bare shoulder and caressing her hip.

"I am. Samson needs to see me, his back is still bothering him."

Bucky froze, "We've been sleeping in cots for over two months now. Everyone has back problems, the guy just wants a look down your shirt."

Oakleigh laughed, "I remember you doing the same thing while I tended to your busted up knee."

Bucky flopped back on his cot. "That's different, I actually liked you. Samson's just a dick, his burns don't even need ointment anymore."

"If taking a look down my shirt is going to get Samson back in the field and watching your ass sooner, then I'm all for it."

"My ass is just fine Darlin'." Oakleigh was all dressed, tank top back in place, button up over her shoulders.

Bucky sat up, blanket falling around his waist. He grabbed the ends of her button up and pulled her body to him. Oakleigh watched in amusement as Bucky buttoned every single button, until the material closed over her throat.

Let's see Samson or any of those other degenerates try and get a look down her shirt now. Bucky thought to himself as he dropped his hands to her hips.

"You know how hot it is out there? I'm going to pass out from lack of ventilation in this material."

"Drink lot's of water." Bucky smirked.

Oakleigh rolled her eyes, in this heat they both knew she would be stripped down into her tank top in under the hour. Hell Oakleigh would work in her bra if it would not put her in a dangerous position with the other men in camp. Plus her being half naked would not be something that Bucky would appreciate. She did not really care to have that fight.

"See ya later Barnes." She kissed him, when she started to pull back he pulled her in for one more.

"Be safe O."

She made a face at him before slipping out of his tent to go and fine Samson.

Bucky really need to get up too, he had a debrief that he needed to be ready for. He just could not get him mind to focus on anything besides the beautiful girl who just left his bed. He wrote home to Steve about her, the little punk told him not to screw it up.

He knew Steve had been joking, but there was some truth to the words. Bucky to date had not been one for relationships, and now, in the middle of a war is when he decided to give it a shot. Finding himself falling quickly in love.

For him, this was not a I may die so I'm going to take what I can get. He was in deep with this one, and he hoped she felt even one shred of that for him. Oakleigh had not given him the time of day when they first met. She was polite out of general manors and tried to avoid as much male attention as she could.

Clearly that had not worked on him. Had not worked with over half the male population in camp in fact. He heard soldiers talking about her all the time, most conversations crude or graphic, making him see red. While the two of them were keeping their relationship a secret, there was nothing for him to do but walk away in those situations.

Bucky was worried he might break his jaw one of these days, trying to hold his tongue. Bucky never pegged himself for the jealous or possessive type, until now. He wanted to stamp 'property of James B Barnes' across Oakleigh's forehead. Not that it would detour most of these animals.

As soon as his time was up, Bucky was going to take Oakleigh and get the hell out of here. Hopefully she would come with him, hell he would follow her anywhere she wanted to go.

"Barnes! Get your ass outta bed, briefing in five." Someone slapped at his tent as they passed.

Groaning, Bucky pulled himself up. Time to see what kind of shit they have planned for him now.

.

"Donna we need more gauze."

Oakleigh had just spent her last hour cleaning puss out of a soldiers ankle wound that got infected. The same was enough to turn her off the the sandwich someone had brought her earlier.

"We are going to have to start taking scraps from old uniforms, we are all out." The blonde held up two dingy army colored shirts.

"How are we out already?" Oakleigh snapped, "We just got our shipment two weeks ago."

Donna came and sat next to her friend, "Because the guys keep getting sent out for bullshit runs and come back with bullshit injuries. All could have been avoided if we had any freaking idea what we were doing."

Donna and Oakleigh became fast friends, Donna had actual training. 10 years as a nurse pre war, she spent a lot of their first month together teaching Oakleigh everything she could. It was clear to her that the younger women did not have any medical training.

"We aren't going to be keeping anyone alive with dirty old shirts." Oakleigh held the mud covered garment up in the lantern light. "Give me all we have, if you don't mind covering my shift for a couple hours, I'll run to the river and give these a proper wash."

"No problem, I had three cups of coffee earlier, I'm not sleeping for a while." Donna had dark circles under her eyes, but it was clear she was wide awake.

"Perfect." Oakleigh grabbed one of their supply bins and filled it with unusable shirts and pants. "If we cut this up in small enough piece we might last until next months shipment."

"Let's hope so, the men will die if they keep letting their cuts get infected." Donna went into the back room and then came back with a hunting knife. "Take this with you O. Incase you come across any bears."

Oakleigh paused, "Not funny." But added the knife into her bundle of laundry regardless. "I'll try to be back before the sun goes down."

There was about two hours left of sunlight in their day. Oakleigh really did not want to be down by the river after dark. The water was going to feel nice on her heated skin for now, but once that sun went down she could freeze. The wild life and possible enemy soldiers in the woods, less of a concern.

The river was only a ten minute walk from camp, which made water runs and baths a lot more convenient. Luckily for her Oakleigh did not come upon any naked soldiers out for a late evening bath. This time.

Oakleigh found one of the biggest rocks she could and a smaller one to hold in her hand. She started beating the mud from the clothes. She tried not to waste time on being too meticulous, the clothes did not have to look brand-new. Blood and dirt stains were not something she could fix with a rock and rushing water.

The sun had been down for over an hour, but Oakleigh had been too close to finishing to give up and go back. After she was done and on her way back to camp she realized her mistake.

Because Donna had been covering for her, there had been no medical staff at the debrief. Which means when they sent someone in search on them, the General found out she was out of camp. Meaning that Bucky found out she was out of camp, after dark no less.

"Miss Blake we have camp boundaries and guards on duty for a reason. It seems you may not be aware, there is a war going on."

Oakleigh show the general her best sickly sweet smile. "Sir, it seem you may be the unaware one. The medical staff does not fall under your charge. Seeing as I was out of camp for medical prepossess this 'meeting' is unwarranted."

Beside the General was Bucky and a couple other Sargents. Oakleigh did her best to keep her eyes on the General and avoid the narrowed gaze of her boyfriend. She could tell he was not pleased with her.

"Everyone in this camp is under my watch Miss Blake. You and the other medical staff are here to keep my men in good condition, if we start losing medical staff we might as well go home."

"All due respect General, I was out of camp cleaning old and discarded clothes so that we would have something clean to dress your soldiers wounds with. You may not be aware, seeing as it's not your responsibility, we are running low on most medical supplies. When that happens we need to be creative until the next delivery, and who knows when that will be and how much we will be given."

The General looked at his Sargents, seeming to silently be asking for help. Bucky stood a little straighter, stepping forward.

"If the medical staff need to leave camp for any reason, I volunteer my squad to accompany them Sir. I will happily accompany them personally."

Oakleigh opened her mouth to tell the General that she did not need a baby sitter, but Bucky finally caught her attention. His eyes were blazing, she bet her could burn a hole threw her head if he stared long enough. His gaze was enough to keep her from opening her mouth.

"Miss Blake, you reach out to Sargent Barnes and his men if any of the medical team need to leave the camp again. For any reason."

Oakleigh bit her tongue to keep for saying anything else. She was dismissed and quickly got up to head over and start her shift in medical.

"Miss Blake." Bucky called after her. "I'd like to talk with you, set up a schedule-"

Oakleigh tucked some loose curls behind her ear. "Another time Sargent. I'm late for my shift in medical."

"I'll walk you." Bucky said threw his teeth.

Oakleigh smiled politely, the other Sargents and his General watching their exchange.

Bucky held his composure until they were far enough away from the Generals tent. His pulled her behind the cooks tent, knowing no one would be in there at this time of night.

"Buck I wasn't kidding, I really am late for my shift."

"Donna can wait, she's already covered for you once this evening."

"Don't blame Donna, it was my idea to go down to the river. We needed more supplies, you can't be mad at me for doing my job."

"Can I be mad that you took a stupid risk? The Generals an ass but he was right, we are fighting a damn war here O! We aren't that far away from the action, and the Nazi's have spies everywhere."

"Look, they could bomb our camp tomorrow and we could all be dead anyway. I don't see what the big deal is, people go to the river all the time alone."

"We have guns and schedules so people know where we are."

The volume of their voices started to rise as Bucky's anger and Oakleigh's frustration started to boil over.

Oakleigh balled her fists up. "Donna knew where I was, and I took her knife with me."

"A knife isn't going to do shit against a bullet." Bucky took a deep breath threw his nose, and breathed out his mouth. "Would you please just- if you need to go out of camp again, please tell me or bring one of my guys with you."

"The General already demanded it, so I guess that's what i'll be doing." She huffed.

Bucky put his hands on Oakleigh's bicep to stop her retreat.

"I'm sorry you're angry, but I'm not going to feel bad about protecting you."

"I'm a big girl."

He smiled down at her, "I'll remember that next time you ask me to kill a defenceless little spider that crawls into your medical kits."

Oakleigh rolled her eyes and shove him playfully out of her way. "Goodnight Barnes."

.

"O it's your break, you should take it while you have it. You know as soon as the boy get back there will be lots for us to do."

Oakleigh shook her head, "I took my break earlier."

"And then Samson came over and talked you up all the way threw it, you haven't even eaten your lunch and it's almost supper time."

Oakleigh was not feeling overly hungry, her stomach was killing her. You would think in a war zone things like periods and cramps would fuck off.

"You could take an early supper if you want, then maybe a nap before you have to come back tonight."

Donna looked at Oakleigh out the corner of her eye. The young women just seemed like she needed a distraction. Donna knew about her friends relationship with Sargent Barnes, while she knew they had a tiff a couple nights ago, she had seen them sending each other moon eyes across the mess hall.

Something else was bothering her friend, she would give her a couple more days to come out with it. If she did not confide in her by change in shift Thursday, Donna would pry.

"Donna?"

The blonde stopped in her tracks.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"What are you supposed to do about what?"

"Bucky."

Donna's mouth fell open and closed a couple times. "You aren't- you guys are being careful right?"

"I'm not pregnant Don. I just, nothing bad has really happened. We've been seeing each other for almost three months, our one fight was about me leaving camp unattended. That ended with him teasing me about hating spiders."

"What's so bad about that?"

"I'm falling in love with him. He's just too damn perfect."

"You're waiting for the other shoe to drop?"

And it did. The other shoe dropped in a big way, when Bucky and his men were taken and tortured by the Nazis. Steve Rodgers, Captain America had shown up not too long after.

The blonde looked nothing like that Bucky described him as. When Bucky got back to camp, he pulled Oakleigh into his arms in front of everyone and kissed the hell out of her. He was dirty and slick with sweat but she did not care. He had come back to her in one piece.

After that Steve, Bucky and a couple others started tracking down Hydra bases. That was what lead to their second fight.

"They could use me Bucky!"

With a clenched jaw he shoved his finger in her face. "You were supposed to be falling back with the others."

"They have Donna! Our General doesn't have anybody. That close to the action, you don't think there will be a wound or several?"

"They pulled their last medic out of Germany."

Oakleigh rolled her eyes. "Because he was forty-seven with a bad knee, not because he was injured! They need someone down there, I can do a lot more in Germany than I can headed back to the city with everyone else."

Steve jumped out of the tank engine, he'd been fixing it up when Bucky and Oakleigh stumbled upon him.

"Guys, maybe you might want to take a second and a couple breaths."

Steve could get both sides of this argument. Oakleigh did not want to sit around the city when she could be doing something to help. Bucky did not want his girl running and ducking from bullets in the middle of a gun fight.

"I'm not going to be there to protect you. You won't make it out there with no body watching your back."

"You think I'm just helpless don't you? That I can't handle myself. Is this about last week?"

Last week Oakleigh had a really bad day. She had lost everybody she tried to save. Everyone she touched just kept dying. She tried to set a broken bone and it just shattered in her hands. The blood loss killing the guy within minutes.

Donna had to go retrieve Bucky to take Oakleigh to bed. She was inconsolable for most of the night. Sobbing and throwing pillows and blankets and snapping a rubber band on her wrist.

Bucky had stilled her hands multiple times, before he ripped the band from her arm. She had felt so weak and helpless that night, she had lost over a dozen men. Then her dad flooded her mind, sending her spiral even deeper. She was having flash backs of him in her face, him pushing her down and throwing a glass bottle at her head.

Finally she had hyperventilated so much that she passed out. Bucky tried to walk her threw it, but it was like she could not see him. All he could do was stand near her and keep her from hurting herself.

"I don't think you're weak. I think you are jumping into this without really thinking of what could happen to you." Bucky snapped his fingers. "That is how long it takes you to get your head blown off, don't you get that!? Or what if you get caught huh? Do you know what they do to women over there?"

"Buck!" Steve snapped, they had all seen that photo in the news paper a month ago.

"That could happen to me anywhere." Oakleigh hissed. "Keeping me from where I'm meant to be does not lower my chances. Evil people aren't just on the other side of this war Bucky!"

He squinted at her. Oakleigh was the most stubborn women he had ever met, he had loved that about her, until this moment.

"I could get you ordered back with Donna and the others."

Oakleigh shoved at his chest. "You're threatening me now!?"

"You bet your ass. You aren't getting in that damn truck tomorrow, you can kick and scream as much as you want. It's not fucking happening, I don't care what I have to do."

Oakleigh shook her head, "I don't take orders from you or your damn General. Sargent."

Bucky smirked, licking his teeth. He did not even get his mouth open before Steve shoved at his chest making him take a step back. The blonde had seen that look on his best friends face before, usually before he said something malicious that he would not mean moments later.

Getting in between them, Steve took Bucky's glare as they stared each other down.

"Hey. Let's take a walk." Steve pushed Bucky again, making him take another step.

Oakleigh waved them off. "Have a nice walk boys. I've got some packing to do."

Bucky's nostrils flared, Steve shoved him hard to keep him from following the retreating trauma nurse.

"She's not going anywhere tonight." Steve reminded. "Let's go talk man."

Bucky rubbed his hand down his face, kicking the wheel of the tank. His body trembling with the amount of emotions he was trying to contain in his body.

"She's gonna get herself killed Steve." Bucky slammed his hands against the hood.

"You think pissing her off is the best way to keep her from going?"

"The hell else am I supposed to do, let her go into the heart of Germany? She never belonged here in the first place, something that pure doesn't belong on a battle ground."

"Maybe that's exactly why she should be there. To take care of the souls who need her."

"I need her!" Bucky groaned. "I've never wanted to have, protect anything as much as I have her. You, my mom and my sister, were the only people in this world I ever gave a rats ass about."

"Let me guess, you'd trade us all to keep her from getting on that truck tomorrow?"

Bucky rolled his eyes. "No ya idiot. Maybe just you." He smiled. "Fuck Steve, what do I do?"

"Start with 'I love you, and I'm sorry I was an ass' then go from there."