╔══════≪≫°✺°≪ ≫══════╗
01|Freya Stayed on Earth...
╚══════≪≫°✺°≪ ≫══════╝

Up until the second of april 1942, Freya Odinsdottir and James Buchanan Barnes were at the hight of their relationship. They were happy and in love, war was yet to claim their love. The dark forces of rebel groups bloomed into a war that involved Asgard, Freya didn't have the time to say goodbye before she had to join the frontline. She had to protect the innocents. Back on Earth, war engulfed the word, waves left from Nazi Germany and drowned all the countries it could. Bucky Barnes left to fight the world war, he had to help the innocent victims.

Wars lasted years and when Asgard started to slip back into peace, Freya hurried back to Earth. There she spoke to Rebecca Barnes, who had no idea when or if Bucky would return home. She left for Asgard again, assuming Bucky would either die in his war or of old age. She picked up her princess duties and continued her life in court. After betrayal and death, Freya returned to Earth to help her brothers. Then she became a hero, joined the Avengers, connected with her dragon, found Bucky, became a mother and the queen of Asgard. But in another universe....

ஓ๑ ✪ ๑ஓ

"The truth is...." Rebecca trailed off, she wrung her thin wrists. "I don't know when or if he will return. This war has claimed so many men and women," Her voice cracked. Rebecca had lost one of her brothers and her father to the front lines. Her mother crossed the ocean and went to Europe to help troops as a nurse, Rebecca's mother had returned without legs. "I haven't heard anything from Bucky."

The turmoil in Freya's mind was clearly visible on her features. She had only returned to Earth in hopes of finding Bucky and explaining to him where she came from. The people of Asgard needed their princess to act like a diplomat and help settle the peace. She did not have time to stay on Earth.

Thor couldn't take over her duties for her, he had always been the warrior while Freya and Loki had been the true born diplomats who preferred words over weapons. Thor couldn't, but maybe Loki could.

"Would you like to stay with us?" Rebecca asked softly, she tucked her brown knotted hair behind her ears. Freya smiled. "Yes, I would like that very much."

That one choice created a whole new universe.

The war raged on, claiming lives where it could. It reached out to the Barnes again, and took hold of Thomas Barnes. Thomas was the second oldest Barnes son and he was laid to rest in unknown French hills.

With the departure of Thomas, that left two Barnes men. Bucky and Billy, both of whom were fighting in the war. Even Steve was there. But the chances of any of them being together were small.

So Freya made a decision and left to join the Women's Army Corps. Training was easy for her, in all her years she had learned diplomacy and war strategies, hundreds of years of training had left Freya with toned muscles, her Asgardian blood allowed her to have better stamina and to heal faster.

Training on Puerto Rico was vigorous and out of the thousands several hundred were selected to join the WAC's. Further on in their training the brave women were divided over three main groups, the Army Air Forces, Army Ground Forces and Army Service Forces.

When Freya was called into her superiors' office, Freya felt nervous. Perhaps they had found out she wasn't human. Before knocking on the door, Freya brushed off her army uniform that consisted of a long skirt and blazer before making sure her white hair was still in it's elegant roll.

"Come in," Mrs Colvin's voice sounded. The woman looked up from the papers on her desk to see Freya standing before her. Mrs Colvin was a mother of four and had already been married two times, each husband had been claimed by one of the wars before Mrs Colvin decided to take matters into her own hands and became an officer in WAC. Tackling racism and sexism along the way.

"Miss, I have to stay your results are quite outstanding," Mrs Colvin muttered while leafing through Freya's file. Said woman smiled and whispered a thank you before Mrs Colvin continued to speak. "Now I want you to be honest with me, do you want to go to the front? And I don't mean as someone to woman the telephones, as a strategist."

There was no hesitation as Freya answered with yes. Mrs Colvin had smiled and stamped Freya's file.

A quick telegram to the Barnes women and swift packing later, Freya was being hurried to a small cargo plane. Mrs Colvin was standing by the entrance and as Freya approached her, she gave Freya more information on her role across the sea.

"You are to report to Captain Nick Johnson, he is heading to Italy where you will join the Strategic Scientific Reserve and report to Colonel Chester Philips." Freya nodded at the older presenting woman. Mrs Colvin took in Freya's appearance, almost as if she wanted to remember one of her best staff members. Then she reached into a pocket of her blazer and produced a small black pack.

"Here, honey," Mrs Colvin pressed the pack into Freya's small palm. "It's uniform for all the women at the front. We may be soldiers, and we will always be women," Mrs Colvin smiled at Freya and squeezed the pale woman's hands. "Don't let them convince or treat you as less."

"I will not. Thank you for everything, Mrs Colvin."

"Mary. Call me Mary."

Freya smiled and bowed her head to Mary Colvin. "May we meet again, Mary," Freya said before she turned to board the plane, leaving Mary behind while shaking her head. "What a strange thing you are Freya," Mary whispered to herself. Her voice held both pride and disbelief at what the small, white haired woman from Norway had accomplished in the WAC.

In the plane, Freya wiggled herself into the small seat between all the cargo. Now was one of those times that she was happy to not have a stature similar to one of her brothers, both of whom would have not been able to fit comfortably.

The pilot, a young Colombian man named Fabio Cortez Lopez, had made some small talk with Freya before he said he had to focus on taking off. Fabio could not be older than 18, he was young. Too young in Freya's opinion. Fabio had greeted Freya with a pearly white smile that stood out against his tan skin before he gave some details about their flight.

In the black pack that Freya had gotten from Mary she found four things. A lipstick, nail polish, rouge and a small mirror. The three make up products the same shade of red. Victory red. Within seconds Freya's lips were coloured the bright red and her cheeks were grazed with rouge before she worked on her nails. A task that was significantly easier with telekinesis.

ஓ๑ ✪ ๑ஓ

Hours later and a journey across the Atlantic Ocean, Freya and Fabio arrived in France. There they were met by cold rain and hollering soldiers who refused to provide them information beyond catcalling or racist slurs. "I hate white men," Fabio murmured under his breath, Freya took a deep breath and rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Ever so often some aren't as bad."

Almost as if it had been a calling, a kind soldier approached them. "Good evening, I'm Daniel Sousa. Can I help you two?" His tone wasn't ignorant as others had been. He saw their uniforms and spoke to them like they belonged at the front, which in some sick manner, they did.

"Hello," Freya spoke up. "My name is Freya Odinsdottir," She gestured to Fabio beside her. "This is Corporate Fabio Cortez Lopez. We are to report to Captain Nick Johnson, would you know where we might find him?" Freya asked. She tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear to keep it from sticking to her face.

Daniel Sousa smiled warmly at her. "Follow me," He nodded in the direction of a building. "I'll also get you some towels and tea." With that, he turned on his heel and walked ahead of the two women.

"Maybe you're right," Fabiola whispered into Freya's ear with a giggle.

ஓ๑ ✪ ๑ஓ

In the captain's office, Fabio and Freya had been offered seats as Nick Johnson checked their papers. He hummed ever so often while breathing out the smoke from his cigarette. "Alright," He sighed deeply. It was quite obvious he didn't want a woman travelling with his infantry. He was supposed to be leading reconnaissance scouts, it was a dangerous job and many of his men would never return home.

Now, Nick Johnson's reasons for not wanting female company weren't rooted solely in sexism. WAC had long struggled to get the right to pay their soldiers while they were overseas, and if they died, their parents could not collect any death gratuity. While President Franklin Roosevelt had recently made the WAC an official part of the army and granted them army rights, Nick knew there were cases about parents being badly informed about their daughter's death.

"We leave for Italy tomorrow so I suggest you both get some sleep. Miss Knight will show you to your room."

At the mention of her name, a woman entered the room. She had dark brown eyes and brown hair that was neatly rolled and pinned back. She wore no uniform nor rank.

ஓ๑ ✪ ๑ஓ

Maria Knight opened a door that opened a way to a cream room. There were two bunk beds shoved against two opposite walls, a desk between them. The rest of the walls were lined with a bookcase and various filing cabinets. Papers and notebooks were skewed around, various formulas and sketches on them.

"Did you design a plane?" Fabio questioned while holding up a paper. Maria turned to the boy and grew flushed and snatched the paper out of the boy's hands. "It's nothing important," She spoke, British accent clear as day, while gathering her things to make space for her two roommates.

"Are you a kind of Howard Stark?" Fabio asked again, it was getting clearer by the minute that the boy didn't really know when to keep quiet. A snicker left Maria's lips. "I would hope not, he is a babbling baboon with an ego the size of the Big Ben."

Freya quirked a brow. "Who is this Howard Stark?" She sat down on one of the bunks and took off her shoes. Both Fabio and Maria looked at her bewildered for a moment. How could she not know the Howard Stark?

"He is an arrogant scientist who thinks he is the new Leonardo da Vinci..." Maria trailed off as she saw Freya's ever confused look. "Never mind, all you need to know that he is smart and arrogant."

ஓ๑ ✪ ๑ஓ

Days flew past as they marched south towards Italy and as they neared Colonel Philips' position, Maria, Fabio and Freya grew closer. So when they arrived at camp, Maria was faced with a choice and she decided to stay at Colonel Philips' camp.

It was around that time that the Howling Commandos were returning from a mission. It was there that Freya Odinsdottir heard the familiar laughter of her Bucky.

"Bucky," Freya breathed out. She swung her legs over the long benches, her two friends watching as she got up.

There she saw a group of men and one woman approaching camp. Amongst them was a young brunet man with crystal blue eyes, he was laughing, an arm slung around a familiar blond.

"Bucky!"

Finally this caught the brunet man's attention. "Freya!" His brothers-in-arms were forgotten as he started to sprint towards his love. Freya in turn had also started to run, some pins fell from her hair, making some strands of her hair fall around her face. As Bucky ran, he dropped his two bags.

The two met in a spinning embrace. "It's really you," Bucky whispered as he held Freya up in the air, his head buried in her hair. "I am so sorry," Freya breathed out into his ear. They pulled apart just far enough to kiss.

"So that's Freya," Dum Dum hummed as he watched the reunion. "Yes?" Steve answered, still trying to come to terms that she was alive and back. "I will admit, I did not believe she was real," Monty commented, the other commandos hummed in agreement with him, Frenchie muttering some French in disbelief.

"I did," Peggy piped up, making all the men look at her with raised brows. "I've only heard men talk as passionately as him when they speak of war." She shrugged and continued to walk, leaving her friends to maul over her words.

ஓ๑ ✪ ๑ஓ

With Freya proving her strength not only in strategy, but also on the field, she quickly joined the Howling Commandos. Together they fought against HYDRA, taking down all the bases they visited. When they received intel on a HYDRA train, the Howling Commandos banded together. In one universe this meant the birth of the Winter Soldier, in this one...

"The engineer just radioed ahead. Hydra dispatch gave him permission to open the throttle," Gabe Jones slipped off his headset. "Whatever's on this train, they must need it bad."

"Well, they're not going to get it," Jim Morita spoke up, his gaze was set on the train in a scowl.

Monty was peering at the train through his binoculars. "I wouldn't be so sure... Because they're moving like the devil." He sounded uneasy and Freya rested a hand on his shoulder, making him look down at her. "We will stop them." Her red smile matched his red beret and pale smile.

On the edge of the cliff, Bucky and Steve were peering out over the snowy landscape. "Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?" Bucky asked. "And I threw up while you and Freya were in the photo booth?"

Bucky gulped and nodded. "This isn't payback, is it?"

With a grin in his face, Steve looked up to his best friend. "Now why would I do a thing like that?" Hearing the amusement in Steve's voice, Bucky sent a death glare in Steve's direction. "Jerk."

"Punk."

They had a few more minutes before they had to zip-line towards the train and Bucky was feeling uneasy. So he walked up to Freya who was chatting away with Jaques in French. "Doll," Freya turned up to look at him with expectant eyes. "Can I borrow you for a minute?"

Freya's forrest green eyes flickered back to Frenchie who nodded at her, saying he wouldn't stand in the way of love. So the couple walked a few meters away from the group to chat in private.

Bucky took Freya's left hand and trailed over the small wounds that littered her skin, most of which had been caused by her own nervous tick. "Is something the matter?"

"I just..." Bucky licked his lips and rolled his shoulders back. "I'm just nervous," He lied, Freya noticed. She moved to stand on the tips of her toes and cup Bucky's cheeks. "My dear, what is the matter?" As the words left her lips, Freya took off her scarf and wrapped it around Bucky, who was a little cold.

And instead of telling her his fears of dying on the mission to come, he reached into his back pocket. "Freya Odinsdottir, I have loved you for many years and I will love you for many more. I would like to dance with you until we're old. Will you marry me?" He produced a vintage ring that had belonged to his mother once upon a time.

Just as Freya was about to respond, Monty's voice rang through the nipping ice wind. "All aboard, gentlemen! Mind the gap!"

Bucky looked from Monty back to Freya and started to turn and walk towards the edge of the cliff. "James!" Said man looked back to see Freya swooping him into a short but passionate kiss. "Of course I will." The newly engaged couple smiled giddily at each other and Bucky slid the ring onto Freya's right ring finger.

"Hurry up lovebirds!" Dum Dum called. Freya pressed a peck to Bucky's cheek, leaving a red mark, before the two jogged to the edge of the cliff.

Steve, Bucky, Freya and Gabe attached their t-bars to the line, readying themselves to jump. Steve was at the front and turned his head to speak over his shoulder to his comrades. "Okay, this is a very short, very fast train. We've got a ten-second window, tops. Mistime it and you're a bug on the windshield!" His voice was barley audible over the harsh winds.

Dum Dum checked his train and made sure the train was on time. "Better move it, bugs." With the signal from Jaques, the group of four jumped off of the cliff and raced towards the train.

One by one they landed on the roof of the train. Steve and Bucky went to the front as Gabe and Freya moved to the back. Freya dropped down between the coach and opened a door, a gun was clutched in her right hand. "There is nothing here."

Gabe peeked into the compartment and entered behind Freya. "I don't like this one bit," He groaned. Just then, a metal door slid down and soon after all the possible entrances were sealed off. Something whizzed to life and Gabe pushed Freya aside just in time so a blue blast missed them.

"WHAT THE HELL MAN!" Gabe exclaimed, in sheer panic he started firing his gun at a robot that was getting ready to blast them once more. A gasp left Freya's lips. Both her and Gabe's bullets were of no use. There was only one way they could survive this.

With a flick of her hands, Freya put up a shield that blocked the blast. She rose to her feet and started to move her hands and arms with practiced perfection and threw the robot and it's buddies out of the side of the train.

"Am I dreaming?" Gabe asked to no one in particular. "Gabe, Gabe!" Freya's snap was enough to get the younger man to focus on her. "I promise you I will explain everything later, right now I need you to trust me. Can you do that?" Silently Gabe nodded and allowed Freya to practically drag him to the gaping hole in the side of the train.

Freya jumped out into the white landscape but didn't fall. Instead she hovered by the hole, Gabe watching her with his jaw on the floor. "Come, please. We must help Bucky and Steve." Hesitantly Gabe shuffled forward, his dark eyes looking at the ground below in fear. While holding onto the train he reached out and clasped Freya's hand, and when she pulled him into the air beside her, he screamed.

Dum Dum and Monty took off their binoculars in shock. "I believe Freya is flying," Monty breathed out as he blinked multiple times, trying to process the impossible. "Bucky really scored," Dum Dum laughed, making Monty look at him bewildered.

"Que?" Jaques asked, fearing he misunderstood his two English speaking friends. What.

Just as the side of another train coach was torn open, Freya and Gabe flew in. Immediately the women threw up her hands, creating a shield around her and her boys. Both Bucky and Steve looked at what Freya was doing flabbergasted.

The white haired woman slammed her fists together, making all visible robots fly out of the train and plummet down. Once she was done she turned to the three very confused men. "I swear I will explain everything later. Are you both alright?"

Bucky and Steve nodded and Freya helped Bucky to his feet as he dropped Captain America's shield. He watched as she moved her hands and stopped the train with little effort and as the train came to a halt, one of the crates in the compartment creaked open.

None of them noticed in time and a robot shot a blast before it was destroyed by Steve throwing his shield. But it was too late.

Freya's knees gave out as blood gushed out of a gaping hole in her chest. "No no no no no no no no," Bucky cried as he caught her, he pressed a hand to her chest. A futile attempt at stopping the blood.

Steve rushed towards the couple and dropped to his knees, a glance to the wound was enough for even Steve to loose hope. Gabe clasped Steve's shoulder as they both cried.

"Doll, doll. Look at me, you are not dying!" Bucky screamed. "Ste-steve help. Help me. Please." He looked at his best friend with broken blue eyes, but Steve couldn't do anything. "Please," Bucky croaked.

With a shaky hand, Freya reached out and cupped Bucky's cheek, staining it red with her blood. "Bucky, look at me," Her voice wavered, death was already claiming her. "James." The man looked down at his fiancée. "I love you and I am sorry." Those were the words she said and that the other two men heard, no one but Bucky realised that she was using her fleeting powers to comfort him.

"Don't— don't," Bucky was sobbing at that point as he cradled Freya's body. No more words left Freya's lips, but life did leave her and her soul was taken to the Halls of Valhalla. Bucky continued to wail as he clutched Freya's lifeless body, he rocked her in his arms and didn't move for some time.

Eventually they returned to their base and Freya was carried by Bucky. Howard, Maria and Peggy had been waiting for the Commandos to return, but when they saw how the Commandos returned, the trio mourned.

Soon the news of Freya's death spread, but not of her powers. Those were kept a secret between the Howling Commandos, Howard, Maria, Fabio and Peggy. If word got out that Freya had come from the stars, governments and organisations like HYDRA would try and claim her body. They would experiment on her. Bucky just knew that those experiments would be wore than the ones HYDRA did on him.

From Brooklyn, to Puerto Rico, to Europe the people mourned Freya Odinsdottir. Hours after her death an army of Asgardians led by Thor, Nanna and Loki showed up. When they were told who were responsible for their princess and sister's death, Asgard joined the Allied Forces and the war soon ended.

Those who had known Freya were forever haunted by the lack of her life. Freya was taken back to Asgard to receive a proper funeral, but a gravestone was erected on Earth. Freya became known as the first S.H.I.E.L.D. agent to die in duty and later, when her brothers became Avengers, as the first Avenger.

She became an inspiration for people on Earth and Asgard alike and no one ever forgot her. Especially Bucky Barnes. As it seemed, their relationship was doomed across several universes. Some things just cannot fully change, even if it's hard to accept.

a/n:
as much as this chapter made me cry, i honestly love it.
i'm just so excited to share all these what if... style stories with you all.
i hope you will enjoy them. but ugh 40s freya and bucky were just so sweet.
and just imagine wac freya (i am very gay for that idea). IMAGINE PEGGY
AND FREYA AS BESTIES! you cannot convince me that they wouldn't be.
alsooooo, fabio is who you think he is!

sad post

when i watched this scene in agent carter... to say i
was sobbing would be an understatement. ALSO WHEN
HOWARD UNDER HYPNOSIS AND WAS SO HOPEFUL TO FIND STEVE
JUST AHH! YOUNG HOWARD IS AMAZING and makes me cry.
the show just makes me cry... just marvel in general really.

date published: 13 september 2021
word count: 4042