Steve Rogers sat by the fire, nursing a bottle of whiskey, an old photograph in his right hand. The tears had not dried on his face. Scenes from the train played over and over. The blast. The attempt to save his best friend. The snapped handle. The fall into the gorge. He tried to figure out how it had come to this. How had he survived and his best friend had not. Steve and Bucky were supposed to survive this war together. They were so close. This wasn't supposed to be the end of the line.

"Till the end of the line." Bucky's voice rang in his ears. Tears started again.

"Captain?"

Steve looked up to find Jack Falsworth standing in front of him. The super soldier didn't respond. Jack sat down opposite Steve, "You know, I lost my best friend as well. We were in France. A mortar shell landed between us and exploded. I dove away in time. He didn't. There was nothing left of him. It's been five years and I am still struggling with it."

Steve found his voice, "Dunkirk?"

Falsworth's voice grew softer, "Yeah, it was. A lot of people didn't know but there were companies of men who stayed as long as they could to hold the line against the Nazis. I was one of the lucky ones that got on the last boat back to England."

"Watching him die and knowing I couldn't do anything was," Steve choked, "was the hardest part."

Jack sighed, "No, that's not the hardest part. The hardest part is going back and explaining to your best friend's parents why you survived and their son did not."

Steve looked up at Jack. That thought had not occurred to him. How was he going to explain to George and Winnifred Barnes why he was returning and their beloved son was not? A slow breath escaped Steve's lips, "Did they receive a letter before your visit?"

Jack threw a stick at the fire, "They did but they wanted to hear it from me because I was there."
"What did you tell them, Jack?"

The men locked eyes and the Brit answered evenly, "Their son was a hero who died in service to his country. Not much else needed to be said. There was no reason for them to know the manner in which he died. It wouldn't do them any good to know there was no body for them to bury because he was obliterated into a fine mist. All they needed to know is that there would be a marker at Dunkirk with his name on it at war's end. That is the same thing you will tell Barnes' parents. There will be a marker for him in Austria and he died a hero."

"Does the pain ever go away, Jack?"

As Jack poked at the fire, he replied, "No, Steve. It doesn't go away but it does get better. All you have to remember is what we're fighting for. That helps ease the pain of their sacrifice."

Steve took a sip of whiskey that he knew would do nothing for him, "What are we fighting for? I thought I knew. Now, I'm not so sure."

Jack Falsworth straightened. The fire shone a light on the flash of something in his eyes. As quickly as Steve saw it, the look was replaced by determination. Jack's mouth drew into a hard smile, "That we will have peace in the world. That this conflict will be over soon. That the Nazis will lose. That is why we fight."

The fire began to dim but a soft orange light still filled the air. A distant bugle made both men look to the east. The beginnings of sunlight peaked over the horizon. Jack stood up, "We will be moving out soon. Remember that we're headed back to London for a regroup and to get our next orders. You will want to get some rest on the way back."

"Jack?"

"Yes, Steve?"

"Thank you."