Sweet chuckled as he watched them, leaning back against a truck with Mole who pouted, "Why am I not famous?", and Sweet replied, "Because they are more charismatic than you, Mole, that's why.", with a smirk as he fiddled with his wedding silver ring he bought in one of the towns on the march, intent to show all the military women and such of color that he's already taken.
Steve, Bucky, and Mole were more than shocked when they heard his story, and at the end of it, after asking questions here and there, they congratulated him for fighting to stay alive, and his marriage/mateship.
Sweet, somehow feeling more connected than ever, is still amazed that he's technically settled with the only and permanent love of his life, and knew sooner or later, after everything settles down, he will have to return back to America, see if Whitmore can talk to the Navy for borrowing the former Atlantis sub-evac, talk to his parents if they want to go with him...Of course, after explaining that he got hitched, having a wife to boot after such a long time of being a doctor and such.
Of course, he had time to look through his wife's memories in his dreams every night since for the whole week, and he can say that he had no regrets as he is more and more in love with her upon technically getting to know her thoroughly in the memories.
He then saw Peggy coming through the crowd as other people are helping the marching soldiers fill into through the gates and such and raised an eyebrow as he saw someone else somewhat familiar with her, and heard Mole's voice, "Whoa, Audrey got hot.".
Sweet looked at him, "What did you say?", as he hasn't seen Audrey Ramirez for at least a year and half, and Mole nodded, "Oui, you heard me. That's Audrey Ramirez...She is Bucky's gal, giving him her crystal.", and Sweet widened his eyes as he earlier had noted the crystal on Bucky after the whole rescue mission.
He watched Peggy and Audrey weaving through, with some of the men politely moving back to give them space, and Mole giggled, "They in for a talking to!".
"And so are you...", Sweet gave him a stink eye as he pulled Mole away before he could say anything about Audrey to her face. "Steve!", Peggy called out as Steve turned to see her and smiled before taking her into a hug when they got close.
Steve exhaled, his muscles relaxing from tension as he held her, and Peggy smiled at him with a relieved look before becoming annoyed, poking a finger at him, "I thought I told you exactly what to do with the radio receiver, Steven Rogers, you were supposed to call for a pick-up.", and Steve gave a sheepish smile, " Sorry, ma'am. It got destroyed in the rescue mission. Sweet is healthy and free, and probably trying to keep a leash on Mole from flirting with the secretaries in this crowd, and of course, we got others free too...Is that a good apology for my mistake?".
Peggy raised an eyebrow, "You're lucky that you're a Captain, Rogers. Still, you better make up to the General. He ain't pleased, no lying about it.", and Steve nodded, "I had a feeling there.", fighting the urge to kiss Peggy on the spot, but he knew he can't afford to risk her reputation further than this, especially if the crowd is prone to saying rumors and such that Captain America got a gal...
Through it doesn't mean he could still ask as he spoke lowly under the loud chatter of the crowd, "You miss me so much for a kiss right here or wait until we're alone?", with a soft smile. "We can wait... barely.", Peggy told him as he nodded, "Alright then.".
"Besides, I think it might be a better idea to get Bucky and Audrey alone too; your jaws are going to hit the floor when you see her... the crystal really was stunting her...", Peggy smiled with a giggle.
Steve raised an eyebrow, and glanced at Bucky who was laughing with a couple of men, and before Bucky knew it, he was punched on the arm hard, "That was for making me worry, James Barnes!".
Bucky chuckled as he rubbed his arm before turning and going wide eyed when he saw Audrey, "A-Audrey?", as he was practically flabbergasted.
"Late growth spurt.", Audrey smirked. "Obviously, you probably know why...", she said under her breath to where he could hear but nobody else.
Bucky looked over her with an awed look, and then smirked, "At least your personality is intact...", as he then said under his breath where she could hear too, "It did you wonders...", as her new clothes are still baggy and all, but he can notice things now than before.
"Don't get any ideas...", Audrey reminded him. "I'm not that type of girl you've dealt with...", with a snort.
"I know, I know, not very quick to rush into things when it comes to relationships... yeah...", Bucky rubbed the back of his neck as she smiled, "Still... I'm glad to see you're alright...".
Bucky smiled with a grin, "Yeah, mission accomplished. I think this is gonna be a crazy day and night for those people to settle in, figure out things and get ways back home to friends and family if they want to, as I couldn't blame them after everything back there, but I think most of them would want to stay and fight for the end of the war.".
And then the crowd quieted down as General Phillips came through the crowd, moving back in respect, and he looked at Steve, "I see you got a lot of stranglers, Captain America. How many exactly can you say, if we are to have room for them all?".
"Nearly over 200 men; a lot of them can spread out through liberated parts of France, go back to their homes, some others are still in German hands but sooner or later we'll push through there.", Steve explained as Phillips nodded.
Phillips replied, "Good. Corporals, group out what you can into the barracks and everything, and report later on the folks who wants to leave for their liberated homes and all, and colonels, list up everyone else who wants to stay here and fight for freedom and justice! And as for the stolen tanks, trunks, drop them into the hangers, and take off the shit so they belong to us, and the weapons, put them into the ammunitions room near the shooting range! Go, go, before anyone in town gets any idea as we have to close the gates!".
Everybody cheered as they followed the general's orders, quickly heading into the main part of the base, with the tanks, trucks, and such plowing through the gates before they closed, which took a few good hours.
And after that, as a reward and seeing that the march took a toll on everyone, Phillips were quick to give the entire base a weekend break, starting tonight, and so, most people took advantage to take so much needed sleep, really good showers, and some took advantage to celebrate by going to the few bars in town.
But as for the gang, they went to have their own personal party/reunion in Steve's personal barracks tent as it is now officially the home of the Howling Commandos with Steve as Captain, of course, since it turns out his former barracks is now filled with some of the 200 men.
"So, wait, you were talking English with Nola in her bedroom, yet in the interrogation room with the bastards, you were talking Atlantean, and they didn't understand none?", Audrey asked as she is sitting on Bucky's bed, sitting closely to him, sipping diluted wine as she is finally old enough to drink small amounts of wine, as Audrey and Peggy are listening to Sweet's story, while Peggy is sitting between Steve's legs, sipping ginger tea for her nightly nausea as he held her from behind on his bed, glad that the newbies of the team earlier had left for the bar, and that Mole, being the weird guy he is, had dug his tunnel bed just outside of the barrack tent, drunk asleep after drinking too much wine.
"Has to do with the crystal and all.", Sweet said. "That's the only explanation I can think of. Probably regarding the danger that I was in. Honestly, I wouldn't be here right now without it. Their torture probably would've been too much and killed me. But I would've taken Atlantis to the grave with me, I promise you all that.".
Peggy replied, "I know you would've, Sweet...And now you got a mate/wife in Nola. Weirdly enough, I wouldn't imagine anyone better than her as she is practically the equivalent of a very expert doctor, yet she has a different personality to match wits with yours.".
Sweet chuckled with a smile, "Thanks, Peggy. Still, it would be harder to explain to my parents until I take them to Atlantis if they want to retire in a warm place than Kansas...yet they're her parents-in-laws...Damn, first time I ever said that.", with a shake of his head.
Bucky laughed, "Ain't blaming you, man. Parents always somehow pry the info out of you sooner or later. My sisters would've taken longer than my folks could have done...Jesus, I just realized, guys, we have family to consider talking and take to Atlantis, except for you, Steve, no offense...".
"None taken...", Steve said. "I've got new family now.", he chuckled. "But he does have a point... a lot of us still have close family that live outside of all the Atlantis stuff; and for some of us... we still have a lot of connections to the surface...", Peggy said.
Audrey replied, "And we'd have to consider the timing, and of course, we can't force them to come if they don't want to...After all, Atlantis don't have exactly cars and such for Papi to enjoy and fix, though I could be wrong as it's still tech, as he might find a new hobby...My sister might enjoy the brawling matches that the hunting teams do to keep fit, but she would want to stay up here and be a wrestling/boxing champion and role model for Mexican girls and all, to show that women isn't fragile and all...Can't say much about the rest of the family.".
Peggy replied, "I would want my children to know their grandparents, and they might need to come to Atlantis if they are in danger from knowing if any of my children got at least some of their father's super strength and all, in babysitting and such...", with a sigh.
Steve replied, "I can't deny that...", with a nod as he gently nuzzled Peggy's neck, kissing her temple, and Bucky nodded, "True, and of course, people know me as Steve's best friend and brother, and I'm famous for being a Ranger, and fighting amongst him...Sure, my sisters are in America like Audrey's family, but there could be Hydra spies, like those fellas that nearly done you all in that volcano.".
"Perhaps I can check in on them with Whitmore's help, to check on your sisters, and Audrey's papi and all once I get back to America sooner or later, but I have a feeling that for some time, Germany is going to fight back for that fiasco, and I can heal the injured inauspiciously enough.", Sweet replied.
Peggy then replied, "And we got Phillips via the SSR to check on my parents...Yes, I think that's even better than we would plan, right, Audrey?", and Audrey chuckled, "Yep, I feel better with that plan of Sweet checking on my family and Bucky's sisters.".
"It's probably the safest way of doing things... if HYDRA has many spies left in America; I know Germany's spy network in both the US and UK is a shambles; I swear, it feels like the head of their intelligence is activity sabotaging them if even half the stories I've heard is true.", Steve chuckled.
"Well, it certainly would be nice to go back home to the states... been too long.", Sweet smiled. Audrey smirked, "And then of course, get back in your wife's arms.", as Sweet blushed, "I swear, even if you are just about 18 years old now, you are still snarky, Audrey!".
"Personality is intact, Sweet. Live with it.", Audrey grinned, and Bucky smiled, "And I wouldn't have it any better...", and Audrey blushed, "Bucky...", as Sweet smiled, amused to see his sort of niece being a gal with Bucky, happy for her.
Later on, after Sweet headed to sleep, both couples headed out, with Bucky escorting Audrey back to her and Peggy's barracks, while Peggy took Steve to the solitary room, as it was practically empty and all, making slow and tender love in that bed, making up for time, while Audrey took Bucky to the shadows behind the barracks.
"Umm, Audrey, I promise I an't getting any ideas, but I thought you don't want to rush this thing..", Bucky said, and Audrey replied, "And I appreciate that, Bucky, but wouldn't you be glad if we at least made out?...I...I haven't really tested this body out, including kisses, that is...It was hell for me all week...All the aches from the pains of growing a few inches, assets getting more...prominent...And...I have to admit...I'm self-conscious now...I heard whispers that I...I am a hot dame, cleaned up really nice and all...I mean...I got used to being a tomboy, being short and being called as a plain, sweet-looking girl until they saw my tough sass and all...".
"You still kept a lot of your old self...", Bucky said as she rolled her eyes, "Attitude wise, sure, but the rest of me... I swear, I almost don't recognize myself in a mirror these past few mornings...".
Bucky smiled gently, brushing a few strands of hair over her ear, "You don't have to be self-conscious about this...Think of it as growing into it, and they weren't much wrong about the comments, as you're beautiful, Audrey...".
Audrey blushed, biting her lip, "Could you keep saying things like that?...I know I said no flirting or sweeping me off my feet, but I feel like I need to hear things from you, Bucky...to know that I...-", stumped to say what she is trying to mean.
"You're not just seen as an object?", Bucky suggested; thinking maybe that was what she was wanting to say. I mean, since she developed her curves in a hurry; obviously many an eye was coming in her direction.
Audrey nodded softly, "Yeah, that's it...Stupid, huh?", glad now that she is on a manageable sightline and equality to Bucky, no more looking up.
Bucky shook his head. "Not in the slightest... why would you ever think that?", he asked as she shook her head then, "I don't know... never really had this sort of attention before... hell, these whole feelings... never was self-conscious before.".
Bucky replied, "And you want me to sweet-talk you into thinking that you're not an object or anything?", in surprise that she's giving permission for him to be a bit of his old self, and Audrey blushed red as she whispered, "I know it's a shock, but can you please, along with having a makeout?".
"A-Are you sure?", Bucky hesitated a bit there. "I mean, I don't want you to hate me or want to ruin anything we've been kinda building up so far...", he told her as she chuckled.
"I think you, right now, have proved you've changed quite a bit; just by the sheer fact that you didn't immediately try to turn on the charm.", Audrey smiled.
Bucky exhaled, "You're the first and only woman to ever make me respect you by putting me down hard, Audrey, and now to put my charms on...Heck, I only thought of you when the march went through towns and all, even when we rested for the nights.".
Audrey looked at him proudly yet surprised to hear that, "Bucky...You know, I think your ma would have been proud of you...Now, please, turn on the charm and sweep me off my feet, starting with a proper kiss.".
"Alright then...", Bucky smiled as he took her into his arms. "You want a simple kiss, or shall I really go all out and lean you bac-", Audrey just had enough and leaned forward to kiss him on the lips as they held together, not breaking the kiss for even a moment.
After a minute, Bucky chuckled as they pulled back, "Your lips are adorable and full and so perfectly heart-shaped...So soft and wonderful...", and Audrey blushed, "Say more, Bucky...", her hands just brushing his hair.
"You are so cute when you blush like that, Audrey...", Bucky whispered before moving in to kiss her back as he leaned her back, gently teasing her lips with his tongue, causing Audrey to shiver and moan softly in pleasure before opening her lips to follow his lips in a slow, passionate dance as their tongues touched, tingling her teeth as she felt his hands brushing through her hair.
After two minutes of light moans of pleasure and pants, they pulled back, with Bucky smiling, "Your teeth are wonderfully strong and healthy, your tongue is very flexible and very sensitive, and your sounds of pleasure from this French kiss, they are marvelous, and your hair is so lush and gorgeous, and the color mirrors to the beautiful dark night with barely seen stars and no moon.".