The Dove & The Strongman
Given & Received
It had stopped snowing just at daybreak, but still the group moved towards their objective.
Dugan paused when Cap raised his hand and knelt when he did.
He motioned to the left and to the right.
Dugan nodded back and motioned to himself and then to the right. Cap nodded back. Gabe touched his shoulder and nodded, silently saying, 'I'm with ya.'
The Captain stood up and made his way down the middle and he could see Morita and Dernier going left. Which left Barnes and Falsworth to follow the C.O.
In the distance they could all see a large wall with a single gate.
Dugan grinned.
'Wahoo!'
/ ~ / ~ / ~ /
Dum Dum slumped to the ground and groaned as his sore muscles protested. He looked down at his shoulder.
'Aw hell.'
"That son of a bitch sure did get a lucky shot in."
He looked up at Barnes and shook his head.
"Yeah, lucky shot..."
Barnes knelt down next to him and nodded to the wound.
"I'll take a look at it, if you want?"
"Nah, its just a scratch anyway."
Bucky snorted.
"The back of your shoulder is soaked, Dum Dum."
"Alright."
He grunted in pain as he shrugged his vest off, revealing the whole wound to Barnes, who let out a low whistle.
"Damn, Dugan, if that had been any further over...."
'You'd have been dead.' He mentally finished.
But Dugan knew he couldn't die, not just yet.
"Hey, we ran into a courier a mile back. Mail is in boys!" Morita yelled out.
Timothy jerked forward at the news causing Bucky to swear at him.
"Just wait a damn minute, Dugan. I'd think you were waiting for a letter with the way you're acting."
Dum Dum stilled and didn't say a word.
Bucky laughed, "You are, aren't you? Well about damn time something perks you up, big guy!"
"Shut the hell up."
Morita stops right in front of Dugan. "Dugan! It seems you got a letter here, pal."
The wounded man straightens up and he grabs it, tucking it into his shirt pocket.
Morita laughed.
"It must be from a woman, he's hiding it. Well, the envelope sure smelled nice."
Timothy glared at the smaller man until he turned and continued delivering the rest of the letters.
"Who's it from?"
"None of your damn business."
"Easy big guy. I'm just happy for ya. All of us are. We'd just like to know who the lucky gal is."
'Not finding that out any time soon. I'd at least like a shot at her first before I'm shot.'
He looked down at his wound. 'Again.'
"And what she looks like!"
Morita yelled from the other side of camp.
"Well, I'm not saying anything about her. That dove is going to stay off your radar."
Bucky laughed.
"Dove? Hey Morita, you hear that, he calls her dove!"
"Dove?! How sweet!"
Dugan pulled himself to his feet and stomped off out of camp.
Bucky yelled after him, "oh, come on Dugan, we're just yanking your chain."
"I'll handle the wound my damn self!" He found himself yelling back.
He found a fallen tree trunk and lowered himself down onto it.
The walk out and the sitting down aggravated the wound again, making it throb.
But he didn't care about that.
He pulled the letter out of his pocket.
She wrote him back.
He opened the letter and brought it up to his nose and inhaled. 'Lilies. She got the flowers.'
It was further proved when a lily petal fell out and landed on the ground at his feet.
He smiled, then took a deep breath and started reading.
"Dear, Mr. T.A.,
I hope this letter finds you healthy and happy."
'I'm happy now, dove.'
"Thank you for you lovely gifts and the flowers. Lilies are actually my favorite flower, in case you didn't know. I also want to tell you that I will be using the new brushes and paints immediately after finishing this letter, so thank you for them.
I was initially confused at getting a letter and such wonderful gifts. Usually the only one that sent me letters was my brother's friend Bucky. Now him and my brother are both fighting in the war. You might know them, Steven Rogers, and Bucky Barnes, they're in your same company. The 107th."
Dugan snorted.
'Yeah, I know them.'
"I had Mrs. Jarvis read your letter to me again before we started this letter here. I am sorry that you felt so alone at times. I know what it feels like. You see I lost my sight when I was 7 years old. I was just a normal little girl then, running and playing, and following my big brother and his friend everywhere. One day, I tripped running down the stairs from our apartment and fell. Steve and Bucky found me 4 flights down. I had hit my head bad. Steve ended up carrying me all the way to the hospital and at that time he had severe asthma. My brother the hero, huh? I of course survived but would never see again. I felt so lonely in the beginning T.A, so lost, but I realized that I wasn't. I had my mother and my brother. I also had friends, like Bucky that helped me too. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if this letter finds you well, then don't hesitate to send one back. If these letters can offer some small measure of comfort to you in the hellish battle that surrounds you, than I will offer it without a second thought."
His face felt damp and when he wiped a hand over it, it came back wet.
'Good god, what a woman.'
He shook his head and starting reading again.
"On a side note, I would like to know at least your first name, if I may? It is so strange hearing myself say T.A., much like saying 'ta, ta' and I wouldn't want you to think I'm laughing about your name. I would feel awful about that. Well, until the next letter, keep healthy and don't forget that you have friends. Including me."
Yours Truly,
Lyla Rogers
Dugan laughed before jumping to his feet and whooping for joy.
The twinge of pain he felt afterward did nothing to dampen his good mood.
He walked back to camp with a smile on his face and a whistle on his lips. Much to the shock of the others.
Even more shocking was when he asked the Captain for a couple sheets of paper and a pencil.
He had a letter to write and he wasn't going to disappoint his gal.
Ever.
