The Captain, the Sergeant, and the Nurse || B. Barnes

Christmas

Dugan smiled and nodded his head before turning to leave for the kitchen. "I'm sure you do," he teased and left the room just as quickly as he had entered it.

Allie rolled her eyes at him as he walked away, but smiled nonetheless. Jim was the next to walk past her, stopping briefly after noticing her reaching a hand out.

"How is your arm feeling today?" she asked she looked the sleeve of his shirt. She had been checking on him daily since he had been injured.

"It still hurts like hell if I move it wrong, but like I've said, you did a good job," Jim reminded her. Allie was almost convinced she was irritating him every time she asked. "But thank you."

"I'm just checking," she reminded him with a small grin. "You know it's the same as always. Let me know if something happens and it begins to feel worse than before."

"Will do," Jim gave her a small smile as he left in the direction of the living room.

As Allie began to relax after having cleaned up, Steve walked up to her with a smile. "How do you feel about a trip into town?"

"Is this a siblings day or a Commandos day?" she looked over at him.

"Commandos," he began. "Christmas shopping."

Allie nodded and smiled. It didn't sound like a half-bad idea. "Let me change into something warmer and then I'd like a trip out to town."

Walking upstairs and to her room of the house, she slipped inside. Looking through a few of the dresses she had, she chose one of her blue dresses and grabbed a warm coat from her closet. She took what little money she had to spend and placed it in a pouch she kept in pocket of her coat. Walking back downstairs, it seemed that at least a handful of the Commandos had decided that they would also go into town. The others were content to stay behind.

Bucky, Steve, Dugan, and Gabe stood ready at the front door together in their coats as Allie joined them. The small group bid the others farewell as they walked down the sidewalks that led to the shops in town. Dugan and Gabe had been having a debate they quickly brought Steve into as Allie and Bucky walked side-by-side behind them. Allie had wrapped her arm around Bucky's shortly after they had started walking, and even without saying a word, the two were content.

Entering town and looking at the shops around them, the Commandos went in different directions. Bucky parted from Allie as he looked to the shop signs for inspiration. His eyes had settled on the window of jewelry store and he made his way towards after having said goodbye to her.

Allie had noticed a small shop with pencils and papers in the window. Thinking of how he had sat on the couch that night with his sketchpad and pencils, she wondered if she could find him anything that he could use for his art. Deciding to try her luck, Allie went inside the shop.

Walking through the different aisles of papers and pencils, Allie noticed a small set of paints she wondered if Bucky would like. Thinking for a moment, she gathered the small set of paints, a bundle of paper, and a new set of pencils for him. She didn't think it was very much or very grand, but she knew he could use what she had gotten him. Thanking the clerk as he bagged the items, Allie made her way to other shops to purchase presents for Steve and the other Commandos.

Bucky hoped that Allie wouldn't walk outside and see him from the window of the jewelry shop. He didn't know how long he had been scouring through the different pieces, wondering what would be the best choice to purchase. She had earrings and she didn't necessarily wear bracelets. A ring would have been too much, he was violently aware of that. The shop did have beautiful necklaces, and he wondered if she would like them.

He wanted it to be perfect. Just as he began to feel disappointed, thinking he hadn't found anything he thought she might like, he finally saw a beautiful locket. It was silver, the shape of a heart with beautiful rose-like engravings on it. Something within him told him to purchase it, and so he diid.