In the chaos of the war almost everyone had found a night off and made a trip to the closest pub. Since we were all back in England, for the time being, Peggy welcomed me to her temporary home. It was a modest house, nothing too fancy. I had planned a night out for just the two of us. She wasn't really feeling up to it since we still had to do some work.
"Oh, come on, Peggy. Just one night. We can finish this tomorrow," I said to her, practically begging.
"Autumn, we can't. Besides, you still need to finish up that report I gave to you yesterday."
"And I finished it yesterday. I even handed it to you! How do you not remember this?"
She looked over on her desk, and there the file was. Staring right at her. "Nevermind. Just go out without me. And pass along the message to your brother that he needs to be here first thing in the morning."
I grabbed her by the arm away from her work. "Nope, you're gonna tell him yourself. Let's get dolled up."
She was hesitant at first to hit the streets with me. I eased her mind telling her that I'm not like a wild one on a night out. In fact, I'm quite the opposite, given my history with John.
Her closet wasn't filled with too many dresses to choose from. I found her a stunning red dress that I know Steve would love. And I found myself a blue dress that fit me surprisingly perfectly. With our makeup on, we headed out to the pub where all the men were.
Steve had chosen Bucky and a few other men that he rescued to be his team on his missions. They were dubbed the Howling Commandos.
We held our heads high as we walked through the pub. All eyes were on us as the music stopped playing and the men stopped singing. It was a little intimidating, not gonna lie. She found Steve and Bucky in a back room.
"Captain," she greeted him.
"Agent Carter. Agent Rogers," Steve replied.
I smiled at him and felt Bucky's presence hovering over me from behind. He's been particularly protective over me since he came back. Then the silent reminder of him telling me how all of the soldiers would talk about me.
"Howard has some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow morning," Peggy said to Steve, looking at him only. I guess I didn't have to pass along the message now.
"Sounds good," he replied.
I managed to see what the other men were doing during their leisure time. "I see your top squad is prepping for duty," I said.
"Since when did you become a buzz kill, Grace? You love music," Bucky said to me.
"Yeah, I do." I turned to him to look in his eyes, "So does Peggy. Don't you?"
"It's true. I might even, when this is all over, go dancing." She was still looking into Steve's gaze.
"Then what are we waiting for," Bucky said while draping his arm over my shoulder and oblivious to the fact that she's not talking to him.
"The right partner." Her eyes finally left Steve's and to mine dragging me out the door. "0800, Captain."
As we hit the town to a classier place to have wine, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. I knew it couldn't have been Bucky, he was with Steve. The presence felt dark and menacing.
I didn't want to be the downer on a night out when I suggested it. I know Peggy would take the opportunity to go back and work all night.
"Hey, Peggy, um this might be a weird question but, do you see anyone staring at me?"
She looked around the room subtly and then nodded. "It's a man, on your five o'clock, quite good looking if I say so myself. You should talk to him, you're single aren't you?"
I turned and saw the last person who I ever wanted to see ever again. His face had a sunken look to it, like he lost some weight. And of-fucking-course he was drinking. Nice to know that some things don't change. "Yeah, that's a hard pass."
He must've heard us talking about him. Before I knew it he tapped me on the shoulder and gave his fakest smile and acted like it was the first time meeting me.
"What are two lovely women like yourselves doing out all on your own? Surely, you must have a beau waiting for you at home," John said. His breath reeked of alcohol.
"Oh, we're just having some time to ourselves, right Grace," Peggy said to him.
I only nodded and smiled. I have no more words for a vile man like him. I felt so trapped. He sat down between us and landed his glass of scotch in the middle of our table. Adding to my anxiety, he made sure I didn't get up by holding the back of my chair firmly to the ground.
He introduced himself by his full name to Peggy. "It's so nice to know that Autumn-Grace has made a friend out here."
I gave a pleading look to her so we could leave at the best time we could. I hope to god that she was picking it up.
"Yeah. I've made quite a few. Even got a boyfriend," I said, finally looking at him. I knew it wasn't gonna stop him but it was the best thing I could think of.
"Oh, really? What's his name?"
"James." I lied to him, for the first time. It felt good.
"James what? He's gotta have a last name, sweetheart."
"Oh you wouldn't know him. He's from here, not New York."
Peggy finally caught on to my plan and went with the lie saying it was her brother. She is saving my ass and I'll be forever grateful for it. I tried to excuse ourselves away from him saying that we had work early in the morning.
His grip on the chair tightened, not allowing me to scoot it back. He whispered in my ear, "If you leave one more time, I swear to god, I will stab you right here."
It was a bluff. It had to be. "I'm sorry, Mr. Emmonds, but we really need to get going. Hopefully we'll see you soon." I mustered up the courage to push hard on the chair and got up. I didn't dare look back at him while leaving, bringing Peggy with me.
She asked me how I knew the man so I told her everything, well, almost everything. It wasn't fun to have to relive some of the things he's done, but it felt good to finally tell someone. Even if it wasn't who I wanted to tell.
~~~
Morning rolled around at the base. It was quiet. I kept my head down for most of the early morning. I just wanted to stay here where it was safe. Who knows if John followed us home, I certainly don't. Peggy reassured me that he didn't and kept an eye out for him while we walked.
It was mid morning when I heard from Peggy that Steve got a kiss from one of the office ladies and on top of that he thought that she and Howard Stark were a thing. The fondue thing he insinuated was funny, not gonna lie. She still seemed pretty mad about it all considering the whole place heard her fire off three gunshots at him and hit some shield Howard had made.
"Now, I'm no expert in love, but to me, it seems like jealousy. Also don't put all the blame on him for the fondue thing, you're the first woman in his life besides me and our mom who he treasures." I said to her.
"Really?"
I nodded in response. It might have given her the clarity she needed.
Weeks had passed and the boys had gone to do two missions for the search of Hydra's bases and eliminating them from the face of the earth. And every time they'd come back Bucky was the first one to see me, beating out Steve everytime.
It just felt natural to be by his side and talking with him how the mission went and him insisting that he needed 'his nurse' like the flirt he is. He's always been a flirt when growing up but never with me until the night after John found me on this side of the pond.
Even when I worked the late nights, he made sure to walk me back to the flat and to the base. I'm sure Peggy told Steve and then Steve told Bucky about John being here. His protective nature is in hyperdrive, at the very least.
It was a lunch break when I invited Steve and Bucky with me to go to a restaurant I wanted to try out. Nothing too fancy, but someplace nice. We were enjoying our conversation with no worries until an all too familiar voice shouted my name from behind. I didn't have to turn around to see who it was, it was pretty obvious.
Bucky rested his arm on my chair and pulled me closer to him subtly for no one to really notice. I could still smell the cologne he put on this morning. There was a hint of cinnamon mixed with his natural scent, it was divine.
"Autumn-Grace, so nice to see you again. And Barnes? What a surprise," John said, sitting down across from me and next to Steve. "Nice to meet you, pal. I don't think we've met."
Is he dense? Trick question, he is. "You've met him, Mr. Emmonds. It's Steve, my brother."
The look on his face was priceless. I wish I was able to take a picture. Since Steve has a much larger stature now, John was a little weary around him. Good, he should be scared.
"When did you get here, John," Bucky asked.
"Oh, just not long after she did," he said nervously. He shuffled through his front pocket and pulled out the ring I left, "I wanted to give her the ring back. But then a couple weeks ago she said she has a boyfriend already. Surely it's a lie, right fellas? I haven't seen her get cozy with anyone here. And the name she gave me, doesn't exist. I checked."
I turned away from all three men showing how uncomfortable I was. That ring is gonna haunt me for the rest of my goddamn life.
"So, you're admitting to stalking her," Bucky asked. "That's really weird John."
"It's not stalking if I'm wanting to see my fiancée, Barnes."
That's bold of him to say in front of the two of them. All three of them stood up, standing their ground ready to fight. The last thing any of them need is assault charges on their records.
I stepped in between Bucky and John trying to break it up. Looking up at Bucky, silently begging him to stop.
"Leave her alone, Emmonds. She hasn't been 'yours' since the night she left you," Bucky said. His tone was something I haven't heard since the time he confronted his sister's school bullies when we were fifteen.
"Buck, let's just go," Steve said, walking us away from the table. He turned back around and said something to John that we couldn't hear.
I just wanted to get back to base and forget about this day. Bucky took my hand gently and asked me if I was okay. I nodded for my answer.