Beth groaned as she finally finished her shift, ready to go home and get out of her shoes, more than anything to just relax. She was just about to leave the lab when her phone rang. As soon as she heard Anaconda ringtone she cringed, she'd forgotten about her promise to go out to a Halloween party with Nicole.
"Hello." Beth didn't try to hide the exhaustion in her voice.
"Oh no no. You promised me. You can't back out on me now, please tell me you're not backing out!" Beth rolled her shoulders before she started shutting off lights.
"I know, I know I promised, and I will be there. I just might be late." As she stepped out of the lab and locked up she hoped that would pacify her dear friend, but she knew in reality that is wasn't going to happen.
"No, you're not going home to take a quick nap. You don't take quick or little or tiny naps. You will go home and pass out for the entire evening. Look I know you work hard, and that my friend is why you deserve a night out. I will meet you at your place and we will get ready together, alright?" Beth sighed, of course she wasn't going to win this argument, and Nicole was right, if she went to sleep her eyes wouldn't open until the following morning.
"Fine. I'm leaving the office now, so I'll see you there." Beth locked up and left, finding it was already dark outside as she hailed a cab, knowing she didn't want to risk taking the train this late.
As she arrived home she found Nicole already inside getting ready. They had agreed to go as nurses, but after seeing Nicole, Beth started to have doubts.
"So, you're not looking very nurse like there Nicki?" The dark-haired beauty just laughed as she shrugged.
"Okay, so a little change in plans. You're still a nurse, just a world war two era nurse. Me on the other hand, I'm going as a pin-up girl. You know, like the ones guys used to paint on the side of their planes." Beth couldn't help but laugh, Nicki was the type who never really made up her mind until the last-minute.
"Alright, but do you expect me to do my hair like yours? I mean I don't do much outside of down, ponytail, messy bun and just woke up remember." Nicki smiled as she finished her mascara, knowing her best friend had gotten into a comfort zone and was unwilling to leave it.
"I know, that's why I'm here sweety. I'll get your hair done while you do your makeup, if possible, then we will dress and away we will go." She pulled Beth into the bathroom, setting her down as she started getting her hair ready for victory rolls. Beth caved in, letting Nicki doing her hair while she attempted to do her makeup.
"Where is this party exactly?" Nicki only smiled as she kept doing Beth's hair, taking her time to get it just right. Beth stopped doing her makeup as she looked at her friend, knowing her well enough to know that it was at O'Malleys, a pub that the two had been going to since they were still in high school with fake I.D.s. "We're going to O'Malleys?"
"Yes. Shut up. Look you know that guy Sam I've been crushing on? Well he's going to be there tonight and I thought you know, if I was there then I'd have a chance at being seen." Beth couldn't really stay mad at her, knowing Nicki had been really liking this Sam for months now and he'd yet to ask her out, even though the two flirted like no other.
"You could have told me it was about Sam. You really like him don't you? He's seems like a great guy, what I've heard of him, and you should go for it. What's the worst that can happen, he turn you down. So what, we'll drink, eat some gelato and cry. Then we find you Mr. Right, not Mr. Right Now. Sound good." Nicole looked at Beth, small smile on her lips as she nodded.
"You think there is a Mr. Right for me?" Beth knew this whole thought of finding Mr. Right stemmed from Nicki's ex-fiance leaving her just weeks before their wedding. After Victor left two years ago Nicki had a string of one night stands and week-long relationships but now, she was ready to try to have a real relationship once again and Beth was going to do all she could to help her friend find that person who made her happy.
Soon the two girls were dressed up and ready to go, taking a cab in the damp night air. The cab ride was short and as they arrived at the pub Beth could feel her body relax, it was nice to get out for once. They walked inside and it only took Nicki seconds to pull Beth to the bar so she could do a shot of liquid courage. The two girls threw back two shots each and Beth watched as Nicki scanned the room.
"There he is. Other side of the bar, oh shit he just waved. Act natural he's coming over." Beth found it adorable how her friend seemed to freak out like a junior high school girl over this guy. Soon a tall handsome guy was standing next them and Beth could see Nicki was nervous.
"Hello Nicole, Nicole's friend." Beth elbowed Nicole slightly before holding her hand out to Sam.
"Hi, I'm Beth. It's nice to meet you, Sam right?" He shook her hand and smiled as he nodded.
"I guess you've heard of me." Beth laughed as the slight worried look in his eyes and she gave him a grimace before laughing again.
"All good things I promise. And while Nicki is unable to talk at the moment, I just want to say Thank you not only for your service to the country, but with more recent matters." He scowled slightly as he took a step closer to her.
"What do you know about more recent matters?" He asked in a deep husky whisper and Beth never once broke eye contact with him.
"I'm a technologies specialist with Stark Industries, my boss and I have spoken about it." Sam could tell she was being truthful, and he took a step back before his smile returned. He joked with the two for a minute before asking Nicki to dance.
Beth turned around and faced the bar, ordering a drink as she thought about the conversation she and Mr. Stark had about the safety of anyone who attempted to go up against Hydra. That was her job after all, design and development of safer weapons and defense systems. That was when she noticed him, a familiar face in the crowded bar. He was tall with sandy blond hair and those blue eyes that could pierce you from across the room. He turned and their eyes met, a slow smile formed on her lips as she raised her glass to him followed by a shy, almost innocent smile crossing his lips. The two shared looks across the bar for several minutes, a quiet conversation shared in glances and smirks.
Beth looked up again, this time thought he wasn't there and she looked back down to the whiskey and coke she was nursing thinking perhaps he'd left. She picked up her drink and took a long sip, mentally kicking herself for not going over to at least say hello.
"Two of what she's having please." The voice was gentle but formidable as she smiled, preparing to turn down whatever creep was standing next to her until she turned and looked up into those blue eyes.
"Oh, hello. I thought you had left." he smiled as the bartender brought the drinks over and he slid a few bills across the bar.
"I only thought no gal as beautiful as yourself should be drinking alone." He watched as her smile turned shy as she faced him, bringing her glass up in front of her.
"Well then, here is to no longer drinking alone thanks to a real hero." He raised his glass to hers before taking a drink and wincing at the taste. Beth couldn't stop herself from giggling, having to wipe her mouth from some of her drink.
"Sorry, it's whiskey and coke, not just soda." He nodded as he sat his glass down, his cheeks turning a slight tinge of pink as he looked at her.
"I, um, I just wasn't expecting something so strong. Not that girls can't drink strong drinks, it's just that where I'm from it's not that common. Not that there's anything wrong with it, I'm not saying that. I just wa," He didn't finish as she barely touched his arm, talking softly to him.
"Look, it's fine, I took no offence. Really. I do know who you are, and what you've been through and I want to say thank you, for what you do. Look I know that it has to be hard living a normal life, especially now so that is the last I'll bring it up. From this point forward, you're just that cute guy from across the bar. I'm Beth by the way." Steve smiled as he looked into her eyes, something about them seemed unpretentious and so comfortable.
"I'm Steve, it's nice to meet you Beth." She smirked as she took a sip of her drink, looking around as to check on Nicki who was still dancing with Sam. She assumed that Steve and Sam would have came together, but she asked him anyway, hoping it would help him relax.
"So Steve, are you here alone? To be honest you really don't seem like the bar type." He shook his head as he took a sip, glancing over at Sam to make sure he was having a good time.
"No. A friend of mine asked me to come out, even though it looks like he's not having any problems talking to the girl he's carrying a torch for." She laughed as she nodded raising her glass again.
"Looks like your not the only wingman to be left behind tonight. My friend dragged me here for the same reason, but here I sit alone, well not anymore thanks to you." Steve smiled at the reference, something he understood.
"So Beth, what is it that you do?" She had been waiting on that question, hoping her answer wasn't going to push him away.
"Actually I work for Stark Industries. I'm a technologies developer in his defense department." He could tell by her tone that she wasn't wanting to talk business, but he couldn't understand why, unless it was something Tony was hiding. He decided to step around the subject lightly, not asking her about it directly.
"Mr. Stark seems like a good man, a bit wild, but all in all a good man." Beth couldn't help but laugh at Steve's mild judgement of her boss, after all Tony Stark didn't hide who he was.
"Wild is an understatement. Mr. Stark is arrogant, eccentric, egotistical and rude, but with that being said his heart, or lack there of, is in the right place. He wants to correct any mistakes made by his family. Plus I think Ms. Potts keeps him on a short leash." Steve liked how she was able to speak her honest opinion of her boss.
"Do you enjoy the work you do?" She took a long sip this time, nodding before she began speaking.
"I do. Knowing what I do will hopefully make a difference, save some lives, it's rewarding. The hours are long and sometimes it sucks but the payoff is well worth it. A very wise and attractive man once said 'The price of Freedom is high and it's a price I'm willing to pay.' I think to myself that one day the projects I'm working on will hopefully drop the price of freedom, keeping some of the bravest men and women on this earth a little longer." A slow smile spread across his lips again as he leaned closer.
"If you can do that, then I'll stand by your side and offer you any help I can." As she sat her glass down and looked into his eyes she licked her lips slowly, thinking to herself that she'd like to know what his lips would feel like pressed against hers. He took notice of how her tongue slid across her lips and he cleared his throat before taking another drink.
"So, what do you do for fun Steve?" He sat his glass down and he pulled out a small notebook from his pocket, opening it up and showing it to her.
"I try to catch up on things I missed out on." Beth looked over his list and giggled, reaching for his pen but asking permission first.
"May I?" He nodded to her and she added a few movies to his list, including Goonies. She then slid his notebook back to him as she smiled up at him. "If you ever want to catch up but don't feel like doing it alone, I'd be happy to join you, plus I've got tons of movies you could borrow if ever you want." He couldn't help but feel so drawn to her, like he should know her somehow, but he pushed that feeling aside as Sam walked over.
"OH, Steve I see you've met Beth." She tilted her head as Sam whispered to Steve, seeing the look on his face change. Sam then patted his chest before turning around to say goodbye to Nicki, kissing her softly before he headed to the door. Steve looked down at Beth, hating that at this moment his duty to his country was calling him.
"I have to go, I'm really sorry but I'd like to see you again sometime." He was just about to ask for her number but Sam popped his head back in the door and called his name out over the crowd. Steve quickly leaned down, kissing Beth's cheek softly before pulling away and rushing out the door, glancing back at her from outside one last time before he disappeared with Sam.