N-701124 {b. barnes}

XIV

"We're almost there." Belle squeezed Liz's shoulder. "Then we can rest again. Maybe we'll have a few days off."

"That's unlikely." Jane muttered. "We're always doing something."

"It's what we signed up for." Belle shrugged. "Did you expect everything to be served to you on a silver platter and to not get your hands dirty?"

"No, but I wish this would all end soon." Jane sighed. 

"You and all of us." Liz pressed her lips together. "We've got to be done fighting soon. The radio says there's more troops coming yet. We've got to win this."

"Imagine if we don't." Jane sighed. "All this work would be for nothing. All those long days with little to no food or sleep would go to waste."

"I know." Belle touched her forearm. "We'll win this. We have to."

"I wish I knew how you stayed so optimistic, Belle." Liz shook her head slowly as they approached their unit's main base.

"Well, when you're all alone and you've got people to prove wrong, being optimistic is all you can do."

"I suppose." 

The group followed the soldiers into the camp, then parted ways without another word. Belle claimed an empty tent and sat down on the edge of the cot. She pulled her necklace off and held it in her palm, turning it over. She admired her ring the same way she had over the last couple of days.

Belle knew nothing about the ring changed since she looked at it last, but she couldn't help but admire it over and over. She knew Bucky's family was well-off with their money, but she felt guilty he'd spend a staggering amount of money on her, even if it was an engagement ring.

"Belle?" Someone, Liz, called from outside the tent. "Where are you?"

She quickly slipped the chain back on and poked her head out. "I'm in here, why? What's going on?"

"The soldiers are all gathering near the stage. I want to see what they're looking at but I don't want to go alone."

"Oh." Belle walked out. "Let's go look, then. Now I'm curious, too."

The two walked over to the center of the field, where most of the soldiers sat or stood. 

"They're our soldiers." Belle pointed out. "I wonder what they're waiting for."

"And why we weren't told about it." Liz added.

"That too."

The two lingered near the back and watched as a group of girls, dressed in red, white, and blue, took the stage. They danced and sang, earning cheers and claps from the soldiers.

"Who's strong and brave, here to save the American way?"

Someone stumbled out from behind the curtain, holding a very patriotic shield, wearing an outfit to match.

"Not all of us can storm a beach or drive a tank. But there's still a way all of us can fight."

"Who vows to fight like a man, for what's right, night and day?" The girls sang.

"Series E Defense Bonds. Each one you buy is a bullet in the barrel of your best guy's gun."

"Who will campaign door-to-door for America? Carry the flag shore to shore for America? From Hoboken to Spokane, the star-spangeld man with a plan. We can't ignore there's a threat and a war we must win." 

"Each one you buy is a bullet in the barrel of your best guy's gun."

"He looks uncomfortable." Liz whispered.