The Dove & The Strongman

Breakfast was an awkward affair.

Jarvis wouldn't look at them, he would turn beet red whenever one of them spoke to him, much to the amusement of Stark. Lyla of course was highly confused until Stark explained it.

"When Jarvis and I came back from the bar, he tried to go into his room," Dugan watched Lyla cover her face, her cheeks turning pink, "He found it occupied, of course. Next time, we'll work out rooms beforehand."

"Howard!" Lyla yelled, cheeks turned from pink to full on red.

Dugan glared, "Stark, you're an idiot sometimes, you know that right?"

He shrugged, "Just trying to help break up the awkwardness. I'm not sure it worked though."
Scrambled eggs hit him full in the face.

Timothy nearly fell out of his chair laughing, "Oh, I'd say it did."

Howard wiped the eggs from his face and turned to Jarvis who stood there holding the now empty plate looking pleased as punch.

"That was my breakfast."

"That was crude and uncalled for...sir." Jarvis harrumphed and went back into the kitchen.

"What about my breakfast?"

"Cook it your un-civilized self!"

Lyla giggled, "You made him upset, Howard."

The man in question shrugged, "Ehh, it happens."

Dugan looked up when the clock started to sound.

It was seven o'clock.

He had to get back to base and get ready for the mission.

Lyla's hand gripped his and he looked over to her.

"Lyla?"

"Let me finished getting dressed and I'll go with you to the base."

He squeezed her hand, "It'll make it even more difficult to say goodbye, sweetheart. For the both of us."

"Timothy." Her voice wavered and he closed his eyes in pain.

Howard cleared his throat, "I'll uhh, just go make myself something to eat...umm...yeah..." He quickly fled the room taking the same path that Jarvis took just a few minutes earlier.

"Dove, I would love to have you see me off, but if I don't come back-"

"Don't say that. Please?"

"I'm not going to get your hopes up so high that you crash and burn if I don't. If I don't, I would rather this be your last memory of me. This and last night. And this morning too."

She blushed again.

"I want you to have happy, normal memories of me, not of me geared up and walking onto a plane away from you."

She sniffled and he could see tears pooling in her eyes. He quickly got up and kneeled down by her chair and brushed her cheek softly as the first tears began to fall.

"Lyla. I love you. I really do. So please, for me, stay here and remember me like this. Okay?"

She nodded. "And if you do come back?"

His hand froze against her cheek, He didn't know what to say. He hadn't really thought about it much. What if he does come back? What would that mean for the both of them? He studied her features, the pale expanse of her neck and down her slight frame. Her hair was still loose, falling in soft waves around her shoulders. Her cheeks were still flushed and her hands were starting to fidget in her lap. He liked being able to see her like this, just as herself. Just as Lyla.

"Tim?"

He still didn't say anything, just continued to study her, committing how she looked right now, in that moment to his memory. If he didn't come back, he was damn well going to die with this as the last image in his mind.

"Timothy, say something."

He only brought up his other hand and tangled his hands in her hair and drug her forward with every intent to kiss her softly, but she grabbed his shirt and slammed her mouth into his. It sent every nerve ending in his body up in flames but ended up knocking him off balance and he fell onto his back. His hand fell out of her hair and gripped her hips to steady her.

Her lips kept pressing into his, hardly letting him breathe until finally she pulled back.

'Good God.' Was the only thought on his mind as he looked up at her.

He smiled, "Dove, when I get back, I damn well intend to marry you. Well...if you-"

Her mouth pressed against his again before kissing down his jaw, before she stopped and whispered in his ear, "Well, then you damn well better come back."

He laughed, "I promise, dove."

They untangled from each other and when he was standing again he leaned down and helped her up to her feet. The tinkling of metal against metal caught his attention and he looked down at the tags around his neck.

He grinned and quickly took them off, grabbing her hand and turning it so her palm was facing up. "Dove, I'll get you a ring when I get back," he pressed the tags into her hand and closed it around them, "so this will have to do in the meantime, okay?"

Lyla brought the tags up to her lips and kissed them before slipping them over her head.

"You're never getting these back, you know?"

Dugan snorted, "They look better on you anyways."

She sniffled, "I'm not going to say goodbye, Timothy. Just kiss me and go, so you can get back here to me."

"Yes, ma'am." He leaned down and captured her lips in a soft kiss. He placed a kiss to her forehead before taking a step back.
He stood there looking at her standing there in just a robe, with her hair down, tears in her eyes, and his tags around her neck.

That was an image he wasn't likely to ever forget for as long as he lived.

Dugan stood there for another few seconds before wiping at his eyes.

She didn't want any goodbyes, so he silently turned and walked out the room, down the hall, and finally out the door.

/ ~ / ~ / ~ /

"Well there he finally is! Thought you'd never turn up." Morita laughed.

Dugan rolled his eyes as he walked into the barracks.

"Shut the hell up, Jim."

Monty walked out of the showers buttoning his jacket and smiled when he saw Dugan standing there.

"Well, how did your night go?"

Dugan shook his head, "I'm not telling you animals anything."

Monty laughed, "Well it must have been quite the night, considering you still have lipstick on the neck of your shirt and dare I ask about that love bite by your jaw? And wait a second, where are your tags?"

He smiled wide and just laughed. Whistling, he shoved his hands in his pockets and strolled past the two men and left them with their mouths wide open in shock.

"Hey, there better be hot water left!" He yelled over his shoulder.

Monty and Jim locked eyes and after a beat, bust out laughing.

/ ~ / ~ / ~ /

Steve had been fine when he walked into the barracks, but once he noticed the mark on
Dugan's jaw, he couldn't look him in the eye. He was quite sure his sister had left that mark.

Which means they had...his sister and Dugan had....and he had let them. His hands shook.

Peggy stopped right beside him and laid a hand on his shoulder, giving him a soft smile.

He gave a little smile back before turning to his commandos.

"Alright, check your gear here and once more before we load it. Make sure you have everything, because once we're in the air, we're not going to be able to come back for anything forgotten."

He didn't expect Dugan to stand up and speak, a serious look in his eye.

"Cap, a word?"

He was confused, 'Why does he want to talk to me?'

He nodded, "Follow me."

They stopped just outside the building and Steve held his breath, not sure what was going to come out of the other man's mouth.

Dugan took a deep breath. He seemed nervous.

"Cap, I know you don't like me much at the moment but I love Lyla. I do, more than anything. That's why I asked to talk to you now. You're her brother and the only family she has. And well, when we come back from this mission....well, " Dugan rubbed the back of his neck, "...I'm asking your permission to marry Lyla."

Steve was stunned.

He hadn't expected that.

/ ~ / ~ / ~ /

They were loaded up and in the air, onto the biggest mission they had had so far.

This was it.

The Red Skull.

The main brain behind Hydra and none of them were stupid enough to believe he didn't already know they were on their way.

That meant he was more than likely going to be prepared for them.

Dugan swallowed nervously.

'Then you damn well better come back.'

He smiled, he made a promise and he had to keep it.

The smile slipped into a frown as he looked over to where the Cap was sitting. He hadn't given him an answer, he had just turned and walked away from him. Telling him that they would discuss it later.

'Well, it's later, Cap.'

He shook his head and tugged at his front vest pocket, pulling the piece of fabric from it. He lifted it to his nose and breathed deep.

"So that's where the smell came from."

He looked up and locked eyes with Monty and chuckled.

"I didn't do a good job at hiding it, did I?"

The other man shook his head. "No chap, you didn't. We all knew after that package came with the cigars in it."

Timothy sat up in shock. "What?!"

Monty laughed, "You laughed when you saw the cigars and the others just put two and two together. And of course there was an MP that was very talkative after seeing you two ducking out of that room together."

Jim grinned, "You are a sad sorry mess of a man."

Dernier nodded and added, "l'amour malade, make mind mush."

Dugan leaned forward and put his head in his hands. "God, Aren't I an idiot and a half."

Gabe slapped him on the back, "Don't beat yourself up over it, big man. All we ask is that we're invited to the wedding, of course."

The others dissolved into laughter at the statement.

Dum Dum shook his head. "Like hell."

Monty choked mid-laugh at his reply and looked at him shocked.

Morita sputtered, "W-what? Don't tell you're actually-"

Dugan nodded and jerked a thumb at the Cap. "Just asked him before we boarded the plane."

"Wait a bloody minute. You mean to tell me, the gruff, bowler hat wearing, shotgun wielding soldier for hire just asked Captain Bloody America if he could marry his sister?!"

Dugan grinned and nodded again.

Gabe held out his hand, "I do believe you have just proven you have bigger balls than the rest of us."

He took the outreached hand and shook it.

"I'll make sure your names are on the invitations alright? If there are any."

Monty slapped him on the shoulder.

"Give the Captain time to process the information, Dugan. I'm sure he'll warm up to the idea eventually.".

Dugan place a cigar in his mouth and lit it, glancing at Steve as he took a puff.

He sure hoped the Cap would give him the answer soon.

He knew that if Steve ended up saying no, it would do more than hurt Lyla.

It would hurt him as well.

Notes