3rd Person's POV

Steve reaches the corridor. At the far end, Zola scurries out of his room with files pressed to his chest. Zola sees Steve. As Steve advances, Zola runs the other way.

Steve stalks inside Zola's experiment room, wary. Past the scattered files and specimen jars, he sees... the large cage atop a rusty drain. A prisoner lies slumped against the bars. On hearing Steve's footfalls, he calls out wearily.

"Barnes, James Buchanan. Sergeant. 32557038."

Steve gapes, stunned. He can't believe it.

"Bucky?"

Silence fills the room. The prisoner doesn't respond for a minute.

"Who...who is that?"

Steve races to the cage. We can now clearly see a beaten, grizzled Bucky Barnes staring out. Bucky squints, unable to focus. He seems to have aged 10 years.

"Is that..."

Steve smashes off the lock. He holds out his hand, grinning.

"It's me, Buck."

Bucky studies his friend's face, "Steve?"

"I thought you were dead."

Bucky frowns while cocking his head to the side, "I thought you were smaller."

Steve gently helps him down from the cage. Buck gapes at his transformed, much taller friend.

"What happened to you?"

"I joined the Army. What happened to your hand?"

Bucky looks down at his hand that he had wrapped in a piece of his ripped shirt.

"Schmidt."

Steve frowns feeling angry he hadn't come in contact with Schmidt. He hoped he would be able to take him down.

"Alright well let's go get the rest of the prisoners and get out of here."

As Steve pulls him down the corridor, Bucky stops, "Wait, we have to go get her."

"Who?"

Steve turns to ask Bucky, but Bucky was already halfway down the opposite way of the corridor.

"Bucky wait!"

Steve finally catches up with Bucky, who is standing infront of a big metal door that has a small square barred up window in the center.

"Are you crazy Bucky? Save who?"

Bucky nods to the door smiling slightly. Steve frowns in confusion then opens the door to reveal Sammie Todd.

Sammie is on the floor with a bruised eye and a broken ankle. Steve runs over to her then picks up her body while caressing her face. She moves slightly then opens her eyes.

"Steve?"

"Sammie?"

"You saved me again." Sammie smiles while pulling him into a tight hug.

"I-I th-thought you were dead." Steve mumbles into her shoulder.

Bucky watches the two in awe. Never had Steve ever been this close to a girl. This girl was different. Different enough for him.

"They took me then blew up the house, making it look like I died in the fire-"

"Guys we can talk more when we're safe. Let's go." Bucky pulls the two up and then waits for them by the doorway. Steve holds a shield while pulling Sammie up.

"Wait I need something."

Steve and Bucky watch as she limps over  to the mattress and grabs a pillowcase then hops back over to them without another word.

"Alright let's go."

Steve and Bucky stagger as the blast shakes the room. As they head out, Steve spots a huge map, featuring a series of HYDRA symbols spreading across Europe. Steve and Bucky help Sammie limp down the corridor as more bombs go off.

Bucky glances over at Steve looking him up and down, "Did it hurt?"

"Little bit."

"Is it permanent?"

"So far."

Bucky glances over at Sammie and smirks then looks at Steve.

"You are going to get so many girls."

Steve looks over at Sammie who frowns at Bucky. Bucky shrugs, "What it's true?"

"I don't need them. I already have someone in mind."

Sammie looks up at Steve who is already staring at her with a smile. She feels her face heat up, then looks away from Steve while quietly laughing to herself. Bucky looks between the two and smiles, knowing something good would come out of all this.

............................................................................................................................................................................

"Ugh are we almost there?"

"You insisted on not being carried Sammie. Steve said he would and you said no. Deal with it." Bucky replies as he helps Sammie try to walk.

"I know but now I wish I said yes."

Steve smiles slightly as Sammie and Bucky talk. His best friend and hopefully his soon to be gal.

While the two argue Steve swipes Sammie up into his arms. Sammie gasps in surprise as she is lifted into the air.

"Steve! Put me down! I'm probably really embarrassingly heavy."

"You're fine Sammie." Steve chuckles.

................................................................................................................................................................

Phillips stares out his window, stoic, "Senator Brandt, I regret to report that Captain Steven G. Rogers went missing behind enemy lines on the 3rd of last week."

He looks down to read the rough draft on his notepad.

"Aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful. As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers killed in action."

The corporal stops typing. Phillips turns to see Peggy standing in the door, red-eyed and tired.

"The last surveillance flight is back."

She enters and lays down aerial pictures of the disintegrated Hydra camp, "No sign of activity."

Phillips gazes at the photos. Then he looks to the corporal, "Corporal. Why don't you go get a cup of coffee?"

The corporal nods and leaves the room.

Colonel Phillips turns and frowns at Peggy, "I can't touch Stark. He's a civilian... and the Army's number one weapons contractor. You're neither."

"You'll have my resignation in the morning."

"I can probably make it so that you'll avoid a court martial."

Peggy turns to leave and then stops and turns back around, "With respect, sir, I don't regret my actions. And I doubt Captain Rogers did, either."

"What makes you think I give a damn about your opinions?"

Peggy goes cold. Phillips steps forward.

"I took a chance on you, Agent Carter. Now that boy-and a lot of other men-are dead, because you had a crush."

Peggy frowns while shaking her head, "It wasn't that. Definitely not. I had faith."

"Well, I hope that's a great comfort to you when they shut this division down."

A commotion builds outside.

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

Soldiers run by Phillips' window. He and Peggy move closer to look. Phillips and Peggy step outside to see dozens of soldiers hurrying toward the camp entrance.

The soldiers part, revealing Steve Rogers walking up the road while leading a squad of P.O.W.'s. Ragtag vehicles follow carrying the rest. Steve's uniform hangs filthy and torn. His shield is battered and bent but his head is held high. G.I.'s cheer and more come running.

Hodge steps out of the barracks, drying his hair. He stops, stunned, "Rogers?"

Amazed, Phillips looks to Peggy, who wipes away tears. The stunned crowd parts. Steve salutes Phillips.

"Colonel, some of these men need medical attention. And Peggy so does this one."

Steve moves aside to show Sammie being helped out the vehicles behind them.

"Sammie?" Peggy asks in confusion with tears in her eyes.

Sammie glances up upon hearing her name and sees her best friend, "Peggy!"

Peggy runs over to Sammie and hugs her. The two hold onto each other for a while, then Peggy asks her if she's okay twenty times and looks over her injuries; as if Sammie were her little sibling.

Phillips looks at the gaunt faces of the men. He nods to the medics then they rush in to help the P.O.W.'s.

Steve looks at Phillips with determination, "I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action."

Phillips looks at Steve's battered, burned shield, then at Sammie and Peggy, and lastly at all the P.O.W.'s.

"That won't be necessary."

"Sir?"

Steve's face changes to absolute confusion.

"Just how many orders do you plan on disobeying, Captain?"

Steve and Phillips lock eyes. Steve smiles.

"Yes, sir."

Phillips turns to Peggy, smiling wryly, "Faith, huh?"

As he turns to walk away someone clears their throat making him turn around.

Sammie smirks, "Do you remember a conversation you and I had a while ago? I do very clearly. Crystal clear actually."

Phillips frowns at her then looks over at Steve. He clears his throat, "Rogers I am sorry. And thank you."

Everyone, soldiers and nurses even, look at Phillips amazed. Phillips turns to Sammie slightly smiling.

"You're lucky you remind me of myself Todd."

And without another word he marches away.

"Okay what just happened." Bucky says as he glances back from Phillips retreating figure to Sammie.

Sammie smiles, "Tell you later Buck."

Peggy helps Sammie limp over to Steve. Steve turns to smile at Sammie then he looks down at Peggy. She has to stop herself from squeezing him into a hug.

"You're late."

He pulls out the Stark transponder. It's shot to pieces.

He smiles, "Sorry, couldn't call my ride."