[movie canon: the return]

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Previously:

"Just tell me I'm not wearing tights."

Another condolence letter.

Sure, it's couched in official terms, one commanding officer reporting to another, but it's a condolence letter all the same.

Rogers's next of kin is listed as James Barnes, who, of course, is also missing, presumed killed in action. After that is his sponsor, Senator Brandt, so he's the one who will receive the letter and have to break the news that America's New Hope is gone.

Philips's voice is as steady as it ever is while he dictates the letter.

"Senator Brandt, I regret to report that Captain Steven G. Rogers went missing behind enemy lines on the third. Aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful. As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers killed in action. Period."

Agent Carter pauses in the entrance to the tent, bracing herself as Philips dictates the end of the letter. She brings in the latest report, her expression professional, her demeanor calm. "The last surveillance flight is back. No sign of activity."

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

Times like these, Phillips misses Erskine. Scientist or not, he'd have known how to deal with a statement like that.

All Phillips has to deal in is raw truth.

"I hope that's a great comfort to you when they shut this division down," he grits out, but before he can follow it up with anything else, the sounds of shouting and of soldiers running gets his attention.

"What the hell's going on out there?"

It's rhetorical, and he doesn't wait for Carter to answer before striding out of the tent.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Peggy stands for a moment, waiting for an official dismissal, then turns to follow. Half the camp has left their tents, it seems, to see what the commotion is about.

Striding up to the gate is ... a miracle.


The remaining soldiers of the 107th--and more besides--are coming home.

[nerves_of_ice]

It's been a long night.

Thirty miles from the factory site to the border through enemy territory, then another five after that. They'd been luckier all the way than any men ever had the right to be, given how heavily fortified the area was supposed to be-- maybe everyone'd cleared out when the factory went up in flames, who knows.

They'd stayed low, ducked to the side and frozen still as needed when engines overhead warned of aerial reconnaissance, and made it the whole way without any serious skirmishes.

They may be tired, they may be wounded, but they're on their feet and moving as a unit -- and when they march up the rise toward camp, Steve leading the way, Bucky's right there at his side and barely half a step behind.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Look who it is!"

Up the road that leads to the camp, and by the time they're through the gate the road is lined with soldiers, smiling, applauding, cheering.

Steve looks at Bucky and pats his back. They're almost done.

Steve leads them to the center of the camp, where, as he expected, Col. Philips has come to meet them. Steve salutes. (Just a chorus girl, huh?)

First things first. "Some of these men need medical attention."

"Medic, we've got wounded," says someone behind him, and the medics take over, leading the wounded to the medical tent.

With that taken care of, Steve adds, "I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action."

[nerves_of_ice]

Phillips's jaw works.

"That won't be necessary."

Bucky blinks as the colonel's face crinkles up in a hint of a smile before Phillips turns away.

Who'd have thought?

Just then, a pretty brunette steps up to take Phillips's place, and Bucky watches with interest as she looks Steve right in the eye and informs him, "You're late."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve takes out the busted transponder.

"Couldn't call my ride."

And if he didn't know better, he'd think Agent Carter is giving him one of those looks he didn't know about before the Bar.

[nerves_of_ice]

Nice going, Steve.

As the thought strikes, Bucky goes with his gut impulse. He looks away from them and around at the crowd of soldiers milling about, both those that'd made the trek out of Hell with them and those who'd been there in camp all along, and raises his voice in a hoarse shout.

"Hey! Let's hear it for Captain America!"

The roar of cheers and applause that goes up breaks over them all like a wave, startling the birds from the trees.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve didn't expect this.

He looks at Bucky--What're you trying to do?

[nerves_of_ice]

He shrugs a little, and raises his eyebrows as he answers Steve's unspoken question with a wry smile.

What do you think? It's time for everyone to see you the way I do.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

He smiles quietly and looks out at the cheering men again, as they slap his back and cheer his name.

It's like the applause in the movie theater when they show his serial.

Only a thousand times better.


Peggy's here. Bucky's here.


A million times better.