Raindrops landed on my face, relieving my hot skin. I opened my eyes, the gray sky was above me, and trees surrounded.

"Hey, Frosty." 

I looked to my immediate left, Bucky. This was the first time that I had seen him in full light. He smiled down at me, his eyes sparkling. He had certainly recovered. I looked to my right, Steve's backside. I looked down, the dirt ground and Bucky's walking feet. I was still being carried. 

"She awake?" Steve looked behind him at me and Bucky. 

"Yes, and probably confused," Bucky replied. 

"Have we been walking all night?" I asked, leaning my head back to look at the prisoners. Some of them had guns in their hands, and a little way back there was a tank with men sitting atop it and a truck. 

"We have," Steve replied. 

"Was I carried the entire time?" I questioned.

"Yes, Steve and I took turns," Bucky answered. 

"Can I be set down now, please?" I asked.

I wasn't used to being carried around like this, especially by a man. I also felt bad that Bucky and Steve had to carry me all night with no rest. 

"I could set you down, but your legs are weak, and you would fall down," Bucky replied, then he made a face of realization. "Oh, do you feel uncomfortable?" 

"Sort of..." I answered, embarrassed. "It's not every day that two men take turns carrying me." 

Bucky laughed and looked up at Steve. "Hey, Steve, I think now would be a good time to rest."

"Alright." Steve stopped walking and turned to everyone. "Let's take a quick rest right now, the Ally Camp isn't far from here." 

Everyone stopped and Bucky set me on my feet, his arm still around me for support. He slowly lowered me to the ground and held my back as I sat up. Steve kneeled down in front of me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. 

"Groggy," I said. "Hot, like I have a fever." 

Steve took my hand and held it in between his palms. "Your hands are cooling down, that's a good sign." 

"They were red earlier," said Bucky. 

"Do you think you can stand up?" Steve asked. 

"Maybe," I replied. "Let's try." 

Bucky and Steve got on either side of me to help me stand up. My legs were shaky and felt like jelly, but that soon went away. A cold feeling washed through my legs and a circle of frost spread from my feet. Steve and Bucky quickly let go of my arms and stepped away. I started laughing and took small steps out of the circle of frost. 

"You two were so scared," I laughed at them. 

They smiled and Steve turned to the prisoners. "Let's move on!"

I started out with slow and small steps, Bucky walked alongside me, then I came to a normal walking pace. We walked in silence, and there was one question that was throbbing in my head that I wanted to know since my failed rescue mission. I looked at Bucky, he stared straight forward as he walked, habits of a soldier. I glanced forward and breathed out. Here goes nothing.

"What did they do with Wes's body?" I asked. 

"Your friend?" Bucky looked at me. I nodded. "Well, after the fight, they shut us back into our cells. Wes's body was still on the ground, he had been, uh, kicked around a bit." I clenched my jaw, feeling that lump in my throat. "But, the soldiers took him, held him up in front of us, and said: 'If this ever happens again, this is what will become of you.' Then they took him away, and we assume they burned him. I'm sure they did, along with the two others that were with you." Bucky looked down at me and I quickly wiped away a tear, hoping that he didn't see, but he probably did.

"Were you two close?" He asked. 

"Yeah, a bit. He was one of the first soldiers who saw me as human at Basic Training. Not some weird girl with ice powers." I said. "He has a family in the U.S, I had to write to them, tell them the news." 

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I can't really imagine." Bucky said. 

"Thank you," I said. 

"What?" He looked at me. 

"For helping me anyways, getting me out of there," I said. "You knew you had the chance to get out of there and be free, but instead you sacrificed yourself and the other prisoners to get me out." 

"I had a feeling you'd be back," Bucky replied. "But never did I think you'd bring a new and improved Steve Rogers with you." 

Steve laughed and turned to walk backward. "Hey, the gate is right up ahead." He pointed with his thumb before turning back around. Bucky and I stepped forward to stand on either side of Steve.

Ahead of us, a crowd of soldiers stood behind the gate, watching us march down the road to return. The gate opened and we walked into the camp. The soldiers split apart creating a path for us. 

"Look who it is!" A man shouted and the soldiers began clapping.

Steve looked at Bucky and patted his back, he then looked at me and smiled. We walked through the camp with lines of soldiers on either side of us. Then we came face to face with Colonel Phillips, he did not look pleased. 

Steve and I saluted, ready for whatever punishment we were about to receive. Something told me it wasn't going to be twenty push-ups. 

"Some of these men need medical attention," said Steve. "I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action." He then looked at me. "And for taking another member of the unit into a line of danger." 

"That won't be necessary," said the Colonel, looking at the freedmen. 

"Yes, sir." Steve nodded. 

Colonel Phillips turned around to face Peggy who was standing behind him. "Faith, huh?" He said to her before leaving. 

I felt a hand clap on my shoulder and I turned to face Bucky. 

"How are you feeling?" He asked. 

"Better," I answered. 

"Good," he nodded. 

A soldier walked up to us and looked at me. 

"How- how do you do that, uh, ice thing?" He asked. 

A few other soldiers turned with curious eyes, waiting for my answer. 

"I'm not entirely sure myself, I've been able to do it since I was little," I answered. 

"You did a good job, Frostbite," Bucky said. 

"It was all Steve's idea, you gotta hand it to him if he hadn't gone to that HYDRA base you all would be dead," I replied.

"Ellie," I turned to look at Peggy. "Why didn't you radio?" She asked. 

I looked at Steve who was holding his radio, there was a bullet hole in it. 

"My radio." I looked down at my uniform. 

"It must've fallen out when I threw her," Steve said. 

"We just got lucky that we survived, I guess." I smiled. 

"Hey!" Bucky got everyone's attention. "Let's hear it for Captain America!" 

Everyone began clapping, so did I, Steve looked at Bucky, who smiled and shrugged. Freed soldiers were patting Steve's back as he looked down at Peggy. Bucky put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed them. 

My rescue mission had been completed.

~.~.~

Steve sat on his cot in his tent, his sketchbook propped onto his knees with a pencil in his hand. On the cot next to him, Bucky lay on his back with his hands folded over his stomach. He stared at the ceiling, both men silent following their conversation. Bucky had told Steve what he could remember, but he left out a few parts to save Steve the pain. He didn't need to know what all happened, it didn't matter. A bandage covered Bucky's left ear where there had been some bleeding, though his injuries were healing quickly. At the moment, something was on his mind.

"What's her full name, again?" Bucky asked Steve. "She told me but I forgot." 

Steve paused, wondering who he meant. Then furrowed his brow when he got it. "Eleanor Flint." 

A smile crept across Bucky's face. "Eleanor Flint." He repeated. "It's a pretty name..." 

Steve exhaled through his nose. Yep, Bucky had recovered. "If you think she's so pretty, go tell her," he said, not taking his eye off of his sketchbook. 

Bucky sat up and turned his head to Steve. "No, Stevie! What if she doesn't feel that way?" 

"I'm sure that she'll accept the compliment," Steve assured him. 

"You think?" Bucky squinted his eyes in thought. Then his eyes widened. "She's never talked to a fella before has she? And now she's surrounded by them in the army- No one has gone doll dizzy for her, have they?" 

"I don't know, I don't pay attention to that sort of stuff." Steve shrugged. 

"Steve! Start paying attention!" Bucky exclaimed. "I need to know, I don't want to start being nice to her if there's a guy with his eyes on her already." 

Steve furrowed his brow, as Bucky usually was never this nervous about talking to a girl. 

"Jesus Christ, Buck!" Steve exhaled. "Do it yourself!" 

Bucky laid back onto his cot, holding his hand to his ear in an attempt to subside the throbbing. "I guess you're right..." 

"I'm surprised, Buck. Usually, it's me asking for girl advice..." Steve said. "You been away from them for too long?" 

"No... Well, yes I have," Bucky replied. "But that- she's different Steve." 

"Yeah, she can create ice." Steve laughed. 

"Not like that!" Bucky laughed as well. "She's not like other girls that I've talked to, I can't get a read on her... It's amazing, really..." 

Steve looked at Bucky again with a face of concern. He knew Bucky too well and began to feel worried. "Bucky, I swear to God, if you smit with her then drop her when the war is over-" 

"God, no, Steve!" Bucky threw his pillow at him. It was a childish gesture, but he was making a point. 

The pillow hit Steve's face and he threw it back. "I'm just saying, you're known for that-" 

"I'm not going to drop her-" 

"Are you sure?" Steve looked him in the eye.

"Yes, I really fancy her. And I don't plan on it being short-lived," Bucky replied. 

"I'm going to take your word for it." Steve readjusted himself on the cot. "But if you do drop her, don't expect me to be nice to you. She's kind and she doesn't deserve that." 

"I know she doesn't, and I won't." Bucky held his pillow to his chest. 

"Promise?" Steve asked.

"I promise." Bucky placed the pillow behind his head and laid down again. "Eleanor Flint..." 

There was a moment of silence between the two. Steve continued his sketch and Bucky hummed to himself. Steve glanced at Bucky's daydreaming face and snorted. 

"Buck." 

"Hm?" 

"Make a move. Because she sure won't be the one to do it. If anything, she won't catch on for a while," Steve said. "She's not dumb, she's just never... You know, talked to a guy like that." 

"Okay." Bucky nodded. 

"You could take her dancing," Steve suggested. "Do you think she likes dancing?" 

"All girls like dancing," Bucky replied like it was no big deal. 

Steve scrunched his face. "First of all, that's not true. Second, you just said that she's not like other girls." 

Bucky let out an exasperated groan and covered his face with his hands. Steve smiled in amusement. 

"Steve, please don't mention anything in front of her." Bucky looked at his friend. 

"You're gonna do it all yourself?" Steve asked. Bucky nodded, but he did not look so sure of himself. "You're gonna talk to her." 

"Mhm." Bucky nodded again. 

Steve laughed and reached over to the kerosene lamp on the desk next to his cot. "Goodnight, Buck." 

"Goodnight, Stevie."