[ WWII AU ] Chantez, compagnons, dans la nuit la liberté

[from_the_outside]

There's nothing strange about Yvette Rheaume or the credentials she provides to Monsieur Lavigne when she arrives to replace Amelie. "Her mother is ill," Lavigne explains to the girl. "You will fill in for her duties until she returns, yes?"

Yes, of course. And it's a relief when the girl proves both capable and well-mannered; he simply cannot afford to force Herr Schneider to wait. If the facility were to cancel their monthly orders, he'd lose hundreds, thousands of francs in profit, money which assuages his guilt at assisting the enemy. He explains the process to the girl as they ride in a jeep towards the facility, and impresses on her the need for perfect discretion. "I will expect you to take clear and comprehensive notes," he reminds her. "We cannot miss any opportunity to re-supply."

"Yes, sir," she promises, and dutifully notes his instructions.

His ears are ringing by the time they reach the facility and Herr Schneider steps outside to greet them, his sharp eyes resting for a moment on Yvette. "Who is this lovely creature?" he asks, and Lavigne hastens to assure him of her loyalty and credentials. The German nods and politely ushers them inside. Lavigne is too relieved and too focused on the robust order to come to pay much mind to the way the man keeps half an eye on Yvette.

But she doesn't miss it. Not a single glance.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

"I was just telling them about how you came driving up," Gabe starts, but Bucky interrupts him.

"No, you've got to go back further than that to get all of it." He leans forward over the table, drawing their attention, while Steve hides a smile in his glass.

"There I was, up on the ridge, watching as she comes out with Schneider and Lavigne. Cool as a cucumber, I swear, not even a flicker of nerves when she pulled out her little compact and flashed us the warning while fixing her lipstick. They didn't see it. I'm sure of that."

[from_the_outside]

She settles back into her chair, holding back a laugh as Bucky starts his story. "I didn't get the sense they did, either," she points out. "Schneider was a little suspicious of having a new face around, but by the end he'd mostly forgotten about me."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Of course he had," Bucky agrees. "Meek as Mary's little lamb you were, following them around with your notebook and pen like the perfect secretary."

Jim shakes his head. "Boy, she really had them fooled." Knowing the unwritten rules, he pours Bucky a refill. "So what happened?"

"Well, something put the wind up," Bucky sighs, with a nod of thanks for Jim. "Nothing I could see, so maybe Schneider was suspicious for some other reason. Anyway, no sooner had they taken off in the car, Lavigne and Sharon and his driver, than Schneider was signaling a team of thugs to go after them."

[from_the_outside]

"Lavigne had been asking a few questions," Sharon muses, lifting her own drink. "Could be Schneider thought he was getting too curious."

She takes a swallow, then looks over at Bucky. "A team? How many?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Four," Bucky tells her, and something dark passes through his glance for a second before he turns a bright grin back on the rest of them. "As you guys might figure, I was pretty well stuck. Luckily, Dernier chose that second to set off the explosion, which covered my shots pretty well. I got the loading dock door jammed and knocked down two of the retrieval team, but that left two more speeding after them, weapons hot and ready and no kind of fun at all on their mind."

"Merde," Dernier mutters, and Bucky nods to him. "Exactly. So as you can guess, Steve and I were pretty worried when we went after them. And what do you think we found?"

[from_the_outside]

Jim glances over at her as she sets an elbow on the table and rests her cheek in her hand, thoroughly enjoying Bucky's retelling of what happened. "I bet Agent Carter can tell us," he points out, and she shakes her head, laughing.

"Absolutely not. I want to hear this, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

"A surprise," Steve says, dryly, and Bucky gestures at him with an exaggerated wave. "Exactly!"

He shakes his head, looking around at the others. "We come around a curve at top speed, pushing hard to make up the distance, and what do we see but Lavigne's car, shot full of bullet holes, two wrecked motorbikes, four prisoners tied up in a big heap -- and Agent Carter sunning herself on the hood of the car while she waved a sidearm at them to keep them in line."

[from_the_outside]

"To be fair, I'd already taken out the first two when the others showed up," Sharon says, amused. "I don't think any of them were happy about it, though."

[nerves_of_ice]

Dugan's loud laugh rings through the room as he raises his glass to her. "To Agent Carter!" he calls, and everyone else joins in without hesitation, glasses clinking and beer sloshing with the enthusiasm of the toast.

"Agent Carter!"

[from_the_outside]

She can feel the warmth of a blush in her cheeks, and lifts her own glass back to them, her eyes dancing. "To the Howling Commandos," she suggests.

"And another successful mission."

[nerves_of_ice]

Steve leans forward to clink his glass against hers. "Another successful mission," he agrees, and looks around. "And a great team."

[from_the_outside]

"Hear, hear," says Falsworth, and the men lift their glasses in a cheer, all of them grinning and delighted. She sips at her own beer and tries not to think about Bucky, sitting so close to her side, while Jim is right there at her other shoulder.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky takes a swallow of his own beer and leans back in his chair, careful not to make any physical contact with Sharon and ceding the role of storyteller to someone else. "So how'd it go down on the other side and the inside?" he asks.

[from_the_outside]

Dugan takes over smoothly, knowing that Steve's unlikely to do so himself.

"Those trucks and the open loading dock were a windfall," he adds. "We could get in without having to fight our way through the front of the facility. They weren't expecting us, that's for damn sure."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Always a plus," Bucky agrees, cheerfully. "Here's hoping we keep giving them all kinds of surprises."

[from_the_outside]

"Agreed," says Gabe, fervently.

Sharon sips at her beer and listens as they talk, the familiar feeling of tired, wired satisfaction humming through her. She blinks back into herself when she realizes Jim had said something, and turns to him as she sets her drink down. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I was wondering if you felt like dancing tonight," Jim asks her, and she gives him a slightly rueful smile.

"Maybe not tonight," she admits. "But next time, for sure."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It's been a long day," Steve says, sympathetically. "Listen, fellas, I'll put another couple of rounds on the tab for you, but I think I'm gonna call it a night myself."

[from_the_outside]

"I'll walk out with you," Sharon tells him, doing her best not to look over at Bucky as she does. "I just wanted one drink and to catch up with you all."

Jim looks disappointed, and she laughs and pats his shoulder. "We'll have a dance tomorrow night, Private. How's that?"

[nerves_of_ice]

For a second he considers going with them, but decides against it in the next. Although it wouldn't be strange for him to leave with Steve, he doesn't want to do anything to make Sharon feel pushed in any way.

"I'll catch up after the next round," he says, tipping his head back to give Steve a quick smile, and hoping Sharon understands what goes unsaid.

[from_the_outside]

Steve nods and waits politely as Sharon finishes her drink, then helps pull her chair out for her as she gets up.

"Then good night, gentlemen," she tells them, smiling. "See you later."

She lets her glance rest just a second longer on Bucky, hoping he'll realize she's not planning on going straight to sleep, then beams at the others as they chorus their good nights before she falls into step with Steve and makes for the tent exit.

[nerves_of_ice]

Farnsworth's the one who goes and retrieves the next round, bringing back a couple of pitchers, and they settle in for more stories and camaraderie. Bucky sticks it out for another glass and a half, but bails out with a grin when Dugan starts up a round of drinking songs.

He starts toward Steve's tent first, wanting to check in.

[from_the_outside]

"I really did appreciate your help today, Agent," Steve says, as they stroll towards her tent. "And I believe, if you're willing, there will be other opportunities for you to work with the team."

"More than willing, Cap," Sharon promises him. "This is what I do. I don't want to put a pause on who I am, just because of my situation. As long as I'm here, I'm at your disposal."

"Glad to hear it," Steve tells her, and smiles as they draw to a halt before her tent. "But for now, get some rest. Good work today."

"You, too," she smiles back, and heads into her tent, checking the time.

[nerves_of_ice]

As he'd figured, Steve's still awake when he swings by. His best friend looks almost relieved to see him for some reason when he pokes his head in. "Hey."

"Hi." Steve smiles. "Heck of a day, huh?"

"Sure was. I'm surprised Schneider didn't bite one of those stupid cyanide teeth," he says, taking the camp stool for himself as Steve shifts to the cot. "Guess we'll see if he knows anything or if he's like a contract guy or something."

"Mm-hm. We'll find out." Steve gives him a searching look. "Sharon did pretty well, don't you think?"

"She did," Bucky murmurs. "She really did."

[from_the_outside]

It's a relief to get out to the field, to breathe in the cool night air and look up at the stars. She doesn't expect a portal to open, and none does, but for the first time, she feels a little more connected to her home time, anyway.

"Hey, boss," she tells the absent Fury. "I know you're working on bringing me back, but just so you know, I'm doing okay. We got some good work done today. It's different, but still good. And I'll keep doing what I can, until you and the eggheads bring me back."

[nerves_of_ice]

He hangs out with Steve for a while, chatting easily about this and that as they unwind. Eventually, though, he takes his leave and turns his steps in the direction of the field.

He goes quietly, heading for the tree where he’d been when the world had changed, but makes no effort to hide his approach.