Sweet nodded, "I know...But at least you'd have to admit that they would want to see Bucky for proof...Perhaps a reunion at the same time as...as Mole's burial...", with a bittersweet nod, and Audrey blinked at him, "Paris? You'd have to talk with Phillips. I am keeping to my promise and stay here for him to see me as the first thing after he comes out of it.".
"Agreed.", Sweet replied, and it was an hour of cleaning, disinfecting the stump, and bandaging it while wrapping the finally freed amputated arm in preserved wraps, touched by his crystal, and putting it in a hospital case bag. And so, Audrey stayed by Bucky's side, sitting in a chair as the hospital bed wasn't fit for two to even snuggle or such while Sweet went to inform Phillips.
Back in Britain, in their apartment home, Steve is sleeping on the couch, his hand protectively resting on his daughter's back as she slept on his chest, having gone through a storybook, with Peggy taking up a long, deserved soak in the tub.
Thanks to instincts and habits, Steve woke up to a sharp knock on the door, and he glanced at Brookyln, cooing and yawning as she slowly awoke, and gently holding her as he got up from the couch, he headed to the door, looking through the peephole, and immediately opened it to reveal Phillips, "General Phillips, sir.", saluting him, as Brookyln looked sleepily surprised to see one of her favorite visitors, apart from her grandparents and such.
"At ease, Rogers. We're not in my office, you know.", Phillips nodded as he walked in, and Steve replied sheepishly, "Sorry, sir, habit.", as he closed the door, and Brookyln babbled, giggling at her daddy, becoming a bit more awake as she gave a yawn again.
Phillips replied, "I hope I haven't interrupted anything.", and Steve shook his head, "No, not really, sir. Just my daughter and I sleeping away after storybook time. And Peggy is occupied right now. Do I need to put Brookyln away if you need to talk to me alone?".
"Eh, up to you there, not like she's going to blab to the Germans about anything.", Phillips said as Steve motioned for him to take a seat. "Nothing really confidential about what I want to say to you and Carter, but I thought you two ought to know. It's... good news and bad news.", Phillips admitted as Steve felt a pit in his stomach by hearing that.
Steve sat on one of the other chairs, facing Phillips, holding Brookyln a bit protectively as she can feel her daddy's apprehension, hugging his neck gently, and Steve spoke softly, "What happened?".
Phillips took a deep breath, "For starters, I got a secure phone call from Dr. Sweet. He was called into an emergency, an amputation emergency that is, and the patient in question pulled through, thankfully, thanks to being found and brought back. Your brother survived the fall, Steve.".
Steve leaned back and took a deep breath; honestly stunned by the news but relieved. He honestly didn't know how to truly react at the moment. Obviously, there was issues, amputation so obviously, Bucky clearly must have been really messed up by the fall. "So... Sweet had to cut some things off?".
"From what I've heard from Sweet, part of his right arm below the elbow had to be removed. Along with broken bones and such, but honestly, I'd say just losing an arm after all that is lucky.", Phillips said.
"He's probably steaming though that he'll have to probably sit out the rest of the war; unless you're willing to allow him to keep fighting even with one arm. He's still pretty accurate with a pistol, hell, that's what I normally use.", Steve chuckled.
"Yeah, but you could easily carry anything else in that free arm of yours, I've seen you on the range one arming a BAR and barely dealing with any sort of recoil or loss of accuracy from holding it one handed.", Phillips nodded.
Steve blinked, nodding, "True...Audrey?", worried about the state of Audrey, as he had a feeling that she was looking awful while thinking about Bucky.
Phillips replied, "Over the moon, and beyond relieved. Bouncing back to herself, though she is sad as well...", before sighing, and looked at Steve, "Most of the recovery went well, and he, along with Mole, was quiet and careful and such, and they were under the Germans' nose literally by being underground, from what Barnes said roughly before he had to take anesthesia for the amputation...Then as they were getting into no man's land, barely, finally getting through the last of the German lines, there was a Nazis scouting patrol who snuck on them while they were having the border gate of France in sight over no man's land...Mole had tricked the scouts into a trap together, and threw a grenade he had on himself, killing the scouts immediately, but in the middle of it...he was shot in the lung/rib...He strived through the pain and internal bleeding, ignoring it as he was determined to bring Bucky home over the border into France...Died peacefully on the earth in the hospital tent, surrounded by friends in Barnes, Ramirez, and Sweet...".
"Shit...", Steve felt that pit come right back, now knowing exactly why Phillips admitted that it was good and bad news. Good that Bucky would live... but bad that Mole didn't.
"I'm sorry, Rogers, I know you rather not have heard that part... that it all went well with the recovery and all...", Phillips sighed, frowning softly, looking at Steve.
Steve gave a nod, taking a deep breath, feeling Brooklyn patting softly at his jaw, and he glanced at her, "I'm okay, Brooke...", kissing her on the forehead, and looked back at Phillips.
His heart pained at losing a friend, and yes, Mole may have been loud, unusually enthusiastic, a prankster, and unique, but he always had meant well, and was loyal to all friends he held dear to heart, and now, he's truly a hero...True, he was in the background, saving Atlantis and all, but this...
"Is... Has Sweet spoken about Mole's last wishes?", Steve asked, and Phillips replied, "Only one, and that he deserves to be buried in Paris, no fancy funeral or such, but where you two, along with the little one, could go, and reunite with the others, and see Bucky while paying final respects to Mole in a few days...I wish I could come along, but I'm still working, if you know what I mean.".
"Yeah, obviously we have the war on... plus Zola...", Steve sighed as Phillips turned his head. "Sir?".
"Steve...", Phillps shook his head. "No, better to discuss it with Carter here too. You two need to hear it... and I promise you, you're not going to like it.".
Seeing the serious look in his commander's eyes, Steve nodded, "Okay, give me a few minutes, sir...", before getting up, rubbing Brookyln's back as he gazed at her, "I know you got woken up in the middle of your nap, sweetheart, but I need you to go back to sleep, eh?".
Brookyln cooed, grasping the air in a reach out to the bathroom, and Steve smiled, "Oh, I see...Okay, hold on...", before opening the door slightly, peeking in to see Peggy dozing on a bundled towel on the edge of the tub, soaking in the water, "Peggy?".
Peggy blinked, looking up, "Steve?", and Steve replied, "General Phillips is sitting, waiting at the dining/breakfast table, wanting to talk to us...Brooklyn got woken up in the middle of her nap, and she is getting fussy, wanting a warm bath to help lull her to sleep, and wanting some warm milk too while you do your lullaby after you get out of the tub. Can you do that while I prepare a cup of coffee for Phillips as we wait?".
"Oh, of course. There's something else, is there? I can see happiness yet sadness in your eyes.", Peggy replied as she received Brookyln who squealed happily, wiggling her feet into the warm water, splashing her little hands gently.
Steve sighed, "Well, Phillips came to inform us that... Bucky's alive...". Peggy's eyes widened as she looked on the verge of cheering with excitement. "He's pretty roughed up, lost an arm but he should make it. Sadly, we lost Mole who died from an ambush right when they were close to the frontlines... according to Phillips; he survived long enough until he got Bucky to Sweet.", Steve finished with a weary look.
Peggy widened her eyes even more, "Oh, my...", shocked. Sure, Mole was sometimes a bit too much, and his attempts at wooing ladies in his native language was a bit across the line, but he was truly a good friend...
And to save Bucky, bringing him to Sweet...Peggy looked at Steve, "When?", and Steve replied, "It's taking a bit of processing, but he is going to be buried in Paris a few days from now, and Phillips are letting us go to pay our last respects and reunite with Bucky and the others...".
Peggy nodded softly, and replied, "Go on, Steve, make some coffee...I will get Brooke to bed soon enough.", and Steve nodded, kissing her on the lips gently, and left the bathroom as Brookyln kept splashing the water, giggling amongst cuddling to her mummy.
Steve returned to Phillips, walking into the kitchen, nodding, "Be a bit, sir...Coffee?", and Phillips nodded, "Sure. Black, one cream, and one sugar.", and so, Steve went to prepare the coffee, starting up the machine, grabbing mugs, while they waited, listening to Peggy's lullaby faintly.
Peggy smiled at her daughter as she giggled and squealed, enjoying the water, soon yawning once more, and she got out of the tub carefully, holding her up to her breast as she used a towel to dry themselves somewhat, staying on her lullaby as Brookyln latched into it, suckling.
She is glad that she learned to do multiple things at a time, thanks to her job and eventually, her daughter as she cleverly and single-handedly put her underwear and skirt, and slipped on the robe as Brookyln is slowing down now on her breast, sleepy.
She held her shirt and bra hidden to her robe as she walked out of the bathroom, using the motions of swaying her daughter, singing slower and quieter, and went next door into the nursery, as Brookyln let go, yawning, rubbing her eyes, sleepy, as she's warm, clean, and fed.
Peggy laid her gently in the crib, smiling as she got to the finale, putting her bra back on and her shirt after taking off the robe, glad that the curtains are closed, and tucked her daughter as she finally fell asleep, kissing her gently on the forehead, "I love you, sweetheart...", listening for a moment before nodding to herself, and left the nursery, closing the door.
She still can't believe that Brookyln was smart to have her pillows and teddy bear from the crib as a soft landing after getting over the crib, and use the cabinet next to the door, using the drawers as steps in a way, and opened the door, and had accidentally destroyed the lock on the bedroom door hence the sound that day.
Peggy saw General Phillips sipping at his coffee as Steve is twirling his coffee and Peggy's coffee in their other mugs, and she nodded, "Afternoon, General.", as Steve looked over, smiling as he picked up the mugs, giving her mug to her, "There you go, Peggy.".
"Thank you, luv.", Peggy smiled as they got to the table, facing Phillps as they sipped at their mugs as well, sitting down, and Phillips nodded, "Afternoon, Carter, and I must admit that you truly have a talent of seeing things through. You must be proud of having a fine little one like Brookyln who adores you.".
Peggy smiled, "I am, and I don't regret it one bit.", beaming, before sighing, "Steve told me what happened, with Bucky and Mole...And now, we are both here, because you aren't done yet, as there's something else.", as she looked at Phillips.
Phillips nodded, "Yes, there's something you two should know that I'm sure you're not going to like it...". He took a deep breath, "We already have our hands on Zola, but thanks to also our spies within the Third Reich, we've learned that German weaponry research is much more advanced than we originally thought; even outside of HYDRA. There is one field that as of recently we're far surpassing as far as we can tell, but I can't say anything else to that and even then, it might not make much of a difference if the Nazis outproduce us on these more conventional advance weapons.".
"What's the issue?", Peggy asked. Phillips sighed as he continued talking.
"There's rumors in Washington... the days of the Third Reich look to be in doubt now even if they're still able to hold us back for now. The tide in the Atlantic has shifted and more and more forces are landing in Europe to the point we'll be launching major offensives in France soon while also landing in Italy at the same time... two for one blow and all. But it's clear that once this is all over, Europe's probably going to find itself split between us in the West and Stalin in the East."
"The Russians?", Steve raised an eyebrow.
"Our intelligence is clearly showing that the Soviets are recovering much quicker from the devastating losses they suffered during the first year and a half of the Nazis invasion than we thought. And the issue that we'll be trading one dictator for another in terms of European's future. A showdown with the Soviets is going to come sooner or later, if not in all out conflict than at least a geopolitical chessboard. And if that's the case, then we're going to need all the help we can get... even from less than savory types. It's still in the planning stages but if we soon find ourselves dashing across Germany itself in a race with the Red Army...", Phillips pinched the bridge of his nose.
Peggy widened her eyes, "Germany is going to try to retake France and part of Italy again? After what Steve and everybody else did?", and Phillps nodded, "Indeed, and now, with Hydra dominating the Third Reich mostly all but of name, it's a waiting game. The good news is that they are still being pushed back... but it's taking a lot longer than we'd like".
Steve frowned, "What about the captains of the Hydra patrols we captured after destroying their cyanide tooths? Did the colonels and such under you interrogate them already?".
"I and others have been working on that, but Schmidt; he's built a hell of an organization, that's for sure.", Phillips answered. "Sir, please, what's wrong?", Peggy asked as now she was getting worried before Phillips finally spoke.
"Like I said, planning stages... but the War Department and Washington are planning to get whatever advantage we can against the Soviets; and that means recruiting Nazi scientists and engineers and bringing them back to America to try and give us the edge with whatever it is they know and have been working on.", Phillips finally said.
"You're joking...", Steve shook his head. "You mean just letting a bunch of them off? No matter what they've done? A lot of those programs have been built off the backs of forced labor; hell, some have used POWs and others as test subjects.".
Phillips nodded, "The way Washington sees it; if they don't come to us, then the Russians will easily sweep them up and Stalin doesn't have as many reservations of using what they know despite what they've been doing in the Third Reich. What I know will really set you off though, and why I was hesitant... is that I get the honest feeling they might give the same offer to Zola. Pardoning of crimes, employment in research departments in exchange for his knowledge and work."
Steve growled deeply, "What the fuck?!", as Peggy glared, "That's not right! He damn led his department to make horrible weapons, tortured people, and brainwashed people into having no feelings, no sympathy! Sweet got tortured, Bucky got gunned down, and they captured people from every squadron of the Allies including ours!".
"Yeah, well, I'm afraid that the War Department doesn't see it fully that way. They see what advances that Zola and HYDRA have made and are fearful of it. So, it's either we get our hands on it, or let it fall into the Russians hands and suddenly, we're gonna find ourselves up against the wall with little hope of victory in an eventual showdown.", Phillips sighed.
"But surely Zola's too... extreme even for them to contemplate it. It's not like tank, sub or aircraft designers; I could see how some might see them as having fairly clean hands, but Zola?", Steve said.
Phillips shook his head, "I have to agree with you, but I'm just a general...", and Steve narrowed his eyes, "And I'm just a captain, sir. But there's one we can convince together, sir.".
Phillips looked at him for a moment before his eyes widened, "Roosevelt.", and Steve nodded as Peggy looked at him in slight surprise before exhaling, "Steve's right...The President is the one in charge, higher than the War Department.".