Steve has been touring the US for five months when he gets told he is going to Italy to rally the troops.
The show is a disaster and he basically gets booed off the stage. When he signed up for the army, he thought he would be doing more than this.
Later, he was sitting in a tent with his sketchbook. It is raining which felt very fitting for Steve.
He looks at the photo from the photo booth that he took with Lizzie and Bucky so many years ago. Where were they now? Lizzie is probably at home right now. Well actually, she is probably at work since she spends more time at work then home.
Bucky is the harder answer. For all he knows, his best friend is dead. He prays he isn't dead for both his sake and Lizzie's.
He sighs and puts the photo away. There's no way of knowing what is going on with Bucky so there is no reason to linger on it.
He flips to a fresh page and begins to sketch. He ends up drawing a monkey on a unicycle dressed as Captain America because that's how he feels most of the time.
"Hello, Steve."
Steve turns around and sees Peggy Carter standing behind him.
God, he forgot how beautiful she is.
"Hi," Steve says.
"Hi," Peggy responds.
"What are you doing here?" He asks.
She makes her way towards the steps and sits next to him.
"Officially, I'm not here at all. That was quite a performance," she says.
Steve feels uncomfortable knowing that Peggy watched that. Wearing spandex isn't the best way to attract a lady.
"Yeah, I had to improvise a bit. The crowds I'm use to are usually more, uh, twelve," Steve explains.
His reception here is very different then how it is in the states. He already feels like a joke when the crowds loved him, now he feels even more ridiculous after preforming in front of the soldiers.
"I understand you're America's new hope," Peggy says.
He feels like he has to defend his actions to Peggy. He has to explain why he chose to do what he is doing.
"Bond sales take a 10% bump in every state I visit," Steve says.
"Is that Senator Brandt I hear?" Peggy asks.
"At least he's got me doing this. Philips would have had me stuck in a lab," Steve explains.
"And these are your only two options? A lab rat or a dancing monkey? You were meant for more than this you know," Peggy says.
Steve wants to do more but he doesn't know how. He feels like Peggy might believe in him but she has about as much power as him in this regard.
"You know for the longest time, I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines, serving my country and protecting my sister. I finally got everything I wanted and I'm wearing tights," Steve says.
Steve's thoughts are interrupted by a car horn and Steve and Peggy look over to see a medical truck rushing injured soldiers into a tent.
"They look like they've been through hell," Steve says.
Maybe Steve could have saved some of those men if he was allowed to do any fighting.
"These men more than most. Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him and less then fifty returned. Your audience contained what was left of the 107th. The rest were killed or captured," Peggy says.
Steve looks over at Peggy. The 107th? She has to be wrong because if she is right...
"The 107th?" Steve asks urgently.
"What?" Peggy asks confused.
Steve was obviously panicked but she didn't know why.
Steve gets up and starts running towards Colonel Phillips tent. He enters the tent and the whole time he is praying that Bucky is okay.
He knows he wished to know what was going on with Bucky but apparently no news is good news.
"Well, if it isn't the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan. What's your plan today?" Phillips asks.
Steve doesn't have time to listen to Phillips mocking him.
"I need the casualty list from Azzano," Steve says.
"You don't get to give me orders, son," Phillips says.
He doesn't have time for this. He needs to know if his best friend is dead. He needs to know if his twin sister is a widow.
"I just need one name, Sergeant James Barnes from the 107th," Steve says.
Phillips looks at Peggy sternly. He's a busy man and because of Carter, he know has to deal with both her and Rogers.
"You and I are gonna have a conversation later that you won't enjoy," Phillips asks.
Steve was beginning to get desperate.
"Please tell me if he's alive, sir. B-A-R,"
Phillips interrupts Steve.
"I can spell," Phillips says bluntly.
Phillips realizes he's being a bit harsh. Surely, Barnes is important to Rogers.
"I've signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry," Phillips says.
Steve looks at the pile of condolence letters and realizes that one of them will be going to Lizzie. She's going to have to learn from a piece of paper that the love of her life is dead.
He knows that he may not be able to save Lizzie from that fate but maybe he can save other loved ones back in the states from that same fate.
"What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?" Steve says.
Steve feels like falling apart right now from grief but he needs to focus on the others right now.
"Yes, it's called winning the war," Phillips says.
Steve is shocked. How can he just leave those men to suffer and die? They can do something about it so why won't he let them.
"But if you know where the are, why not at least."
Phillips interrupts Steve again.
"They're thirty miles behind enemy lines through some of the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We'd lose more men than we'd save. But I don't expect you to understand that because you're a chorus girl," Phillips says.
Steve understands what's right and he knows it's wrong to leave those men there. If Phillips won't fight for them, Steve will.
"I think I understand just fine sir," Steve says.
Phillips looks very unimpressed with Steve's attitude towards him.
"Well, then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you got somewhere to be in 30 minutes," Phillips says.
Steve looks at the war map in the tent, noting the location of the hydra base.
"Yes, sir. I do," Steve says.
He knows it's improbable that Bucky is alive but he has to at least try. He also owes it to all the men that risked their lives to at least try to rescue them.
Steve walks back to his tent and begins assembling his things. He's going on this mission, with or without help. While he's packing, Peggy walks in.
"What do you plan to do? Walk from Austria?" Peggy asks.
He really really likes Peggy but nothing can stop him at this point from going.
"If that's what it takes," Steve says briskly.
"You heard the Colonel, your friend is most likely dead," Peggy says.
"You don't know that," Steve says.
He knows she's right but he also knows that Bucky would never leave him if the situation were reversed.
Even if he is dead, he would also like a body that his sister could bury instead of an empty coffin. She deserves that closure.
"Even so, he is devising a strategy," Peggy says.
"By the time he's done, it could be too late," Steve says.
If Bucky is alive then minutes may be the difference between his life and death. He won't gamble with Bucky's life.
Steve finally finishes packing supplies and heads for a jeep.
"Steve!" Peggy yells after him.
She catches up to him just as he places the things in the car.
"You told me you thought I was meant for more that this. Did you mean that?" Steve asks.
Steve is nervous for her answer. He desperately wants her to believe in him. He's never been one to seek approval but for some reason, he desperately wants hers.
"Every word," she says intensely.
"Then you got to let me go," Steve says.
He moves to get into the car but Peggy follows him to the driver's side.
"I can do more than that," Peggy says.
In less than in hour, he's on an airplane on the way to rescue Bucky.
Peggy sits with him in the back and explains where the exact location of the base is.
"We should be able to drop you right on the doorstep," Howard says as he flies the plane.
"Just get me as close as you can," Steve responds.
Steve really appreciates Howard and Peggy's help but he can't help but feel guilty for dragging them into this. This is his fight.
"You know you two are gonna be in a lot of trouble when you land," Steve warns them.
"And you won't?" Peggy responds.
"Where I'm going, if anybody yells at me I can just shoot them," Steve says.
Steve doesn't relish in the thought of killing another human being but he'll do it for his country. He'll do it for Bucky.
"They will undoubtedly shoot back," Peggy responds.
Steve looks over at his shield. It's not the most durable but it will leave some coverage.
"Well, let's hope it's good for something," Steve says.
"Agent Carter, if we're not in too much of a hurry I thought we could stop off in Lucerne for a late night fondue," Howard says.
Steve looks between the pair of them. He thought the two of them had a platonic relationship but he must have been wrong. In all honesty, he thought that Howard annoyed Peggy.
He should've known a woman like her wouldn't be available. And how could Steve compete with a billionaire?
Peggy doesn't respond to Howard and they sit in silence for a moment.
"Stark is the best civilian pilot I've ever seen. He's mad enough to brave this air space. We're lucky to have him," Peggy says.
He knows he shouldn't ask but he wants confirmation to what he already assumes.
"So, are you two... do you... fondue?" Steve asks.
Peggy doesn't respond to him so in his mind, that's a yes.
"This is your transponder. Activate it when you're ready and the signal will lead us straight to you," Peggy says.
He takes the transponder from Peggy and looks towards Howard.
"Are you sure this thing works?" Steve asks.
"It's been tested more than you pal," Howard responds.
Suddenly the plane shutters and they can hear gunfire. Steve knows that if they stay in this area any longer, they could all go down but he can't turn back now.
He gets up to prepare to make the jump.
"Get back here! We're taking you all the way in!" Peggy yells.
Steve opens the door and slides to the edge.
"As soon as I am clear, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!" Steve yells.
"You can't give me orders," Peggy says angrily.
"The hell I can't! I'm a captain!" He responds.
He then lowers his goggles and jumps out of the plane.
He just prays his friend is still alive and he gets there in time to save him.