Hello There, Folks!
This is my first fan fiction that I have ever published for the wider populace so I have some butterflies!

This story is set after the events of the FIRST Avengers, but before Winter Soldier.
I have changed some scenarios that have taken place in the existing movies, most of all the role of Agent Carter. This has been in order to introduce the OC, but I have paid homage to her part in The First Avenger in many ways.

Other than that, I have tried to keep it all as accurate as I can.
Hope you all enjoy!

Here we go...

CHAPTER 1 - What Once Was Lost.

Classified Location, 2013

"Okay guys..." Captain Rogers hesitated a moment as he stood before his strike team, his peripheral vision spying Natasha as she shifted her feet a little and crossed her arms. "And ma'am. This ship has only just come up on SHIELD's radar as it's pretty good at staying off it."

The captain jabbed at a touch screen monitor that was mounted on the fuselage of the high speed aircraft, the light of the various satellite images illuminating the darkness and the faces of the team.

"It's a very large research facility, and its work is so secretive that it never docks. It just stays on the move at all times and somehow bounces radar to remain undetected. They are good. Very good, with professional help to guard it around the clock."

"What kind of research are they conducting, sir?" Asked one of the team members. "Will it affect the mission?"

"We believe that the entirety of the ship is for one purpose, one single dedicated experiment which centres around a particular candidate that is being held against their will to be tested on."

"The hostage is being held for experiments involving gene therapy and radiation." Natasha added, taking pity on Steve's war time education and lack of understanding when it came to complex technology and science. She knew he wouldn't be able to fill in the more scientific blanks as he was still trying acclimatise to 21st century life and technology. "They believe the candidate holds something special locked in their DNA, and they are trying to replicate it for implantation in others. We don't know for what purpose but we are treating it as malicious intent. The man we held for questioning just said that the characteristic they were trying to splice was powerful, super-human even, but he wouldn't tell us what exactly."

"Right, so we treat this as an unknown and use the utmost precautions." Steve finished. "Our mission is to extract the hostage and retrieve and/or destroy all research data. If we can, then we are also to detain the head scientist by the name of Richards. Dr Erwin Richards."

The Captain tapped the screen in the corner and a photograph sprang to the forefront, displaying what seemed to be an ID picture of the head scientist. Steve didn't particularly like the look of the man. He had short dark hair and sharp facial features beneath small simple spectacles which was nothing untoward, but it was the obvious battle scar that ran the length of his left cheek and jaw that set Steve on edge and told him that there could be a hidden vicious counterpart lurking behind the doctor's academic shell.

"Other than that we are to assume that everyone else is a hostile." He continued. "Incapacitate, kill only when necessary. I want this done quickly and quietly. Team Beta and Delta will be concentrating on neutralising the crew and securing the engine room and bridge, as well as disabling the power. We'll be going in via the ships aft. We can't be sure where they will be keeping the hostage or where Richards is, so we split into two teams whilst Beta and Delta secure the ship. We go floor by floor and by the numbers. When they are found, we meet at the rendezvous point for pick up. SHIELD already has ships closing in to take custody of the facility once it's taken. Communications is on channel seven. Any questions?"

"No sir." They answered together, all military hard men. And one casually tough woman.

"Suit up, boys." Said Natasha, moving to the rest of her gear with Steve following.

"Appreciate it." He whispered as he fitted his ear piece then strapped on his helmet.

Natasha Romanov smirked as she finished fitting her own ear piece. She knew he was referring to her stepping in and saving face when it came to the science explanation, "No problem."

"So did Fury actually tell you what we're doing here?" Asked Steve with his usual lack of fear for telling things how they were, including pointing out any lies and deceit.

"I only know the same as you, Rogers." She said, stepping into her parachute and strapping herself into it over the top of her leather combat body suit. "What makes you think he's hiding something?"

"I dunno." He replied, his brow furrowed beneath his mask as he placed his hands on his hips in thought, keeping his voice low to avoid the other men overhearing his doubts. "There just seems to be something missing. A gut feeling, I guess."

"Could just be indigestion." She smirked, trying to lighten the mood as she finished tightening the last strap on the chute's harness.

Steve just smiled, swinging his Vibranium shield onto his back to connect with its magnetic harness, and tried to put his troubled thoughts to the back of his mind. There was a mission to do that potentially involved an innocent life at stake. That took priority right now.

"Two minutes, Cap!" Called one of the pilots from the cockpit.

Steve marched to the back of the aircraft, his path illuminated by the red glow of the ambient lighting, and hit the large button to open the main loading hatch. It unfolded with the loud but slow mechanical hydraulics which were muffled by the instant whoosh and howl of the nights wind and rain as the sturdy tailgate lowered into the loading position and clicked into place.

"Line up, gentleman, we're on!" Called Natasha, taking position at the front as two lines formed behind her to face the open hatch, all dressed in dark tactical gear and weaponry.

Captain Rogers briefly glanced out of the back of the plane, spying through the faint clouds that rushed by to spot the slight shadow and glitter of the target ship.

"You're up, Captain!" Shouted the pilot.

Steve looked back briefly before smirking at Natasha, "See you down there!"

He then casually leapt from the aircraft into the darkness as if he was merely diving onto an air bag a few feet below. However, they were several thousand feet up... And he was not wearing a parachute.

"Hate it when he does that." Natasha mumbled with a sigh before she led the team out after him to glide through the night towards the ship at furious speed.

Captain Rogers spied the various mercenaries on the deck as he controlled his decent with his body positioning before diving rapidly towards the black waves of the ocean, firing a small but powerful grapple to bite inconspicuously into the hull as he neared the water. He quickly attached it to his belt before tucking back out to plunge feet first into the sea for a perfect entry. Fortunately there were perks to being a super soldier, and his enhanced physiology coped well with the impact and sheer cold. Then again, having been frozen in ice for almost seventy years would also grant a certain level of tolerance when it came to freezing temperatures.

Steve began to haul himself in using the grapple, fighting against the rush of the sea as the ship dragged him along. He needed to take out the mercenaries on the deck before the others could land, otherwise the element of surprise would be gone, and the mission would be doomed to fail.

His muscles tensed and flexed, his teeth gritting with the monumental effort to pull himself up the grapple line against the unrelenting waves the ship caused, but fortunately he was out and hopping stealthily over the rail in under a minute.

Keeping his strides long but silent, he unhooked the shield from his back and slipped his left arm through the handles in preparation for battle. He had spotted six to take out on the aft deck, and this was where his team would be landing soon. He had about two, perhaps three, minutes to take them out before their arrival, and he had to do it without raising an alarm. Average evening for him really.

Steve quickly leapt out at the first mercenary that was facing away from him, stealing the knife from his belt before knocking him overboard. As the falling man screamed on his descent, it grabbed the attention of the other five who were all armed. Steve turned and threw the knife with the momentum, sending it soaring into a guards chest to fling him backwards over the rail from the force. Captain Rogers did not wait for them to attack, instead pressing his advantage by speeding up to the closest man, knocking his rifle away and then slamming the shield hard into his face. As the mercenary crumpled to the deck, Steve launched the shield at two men standing together as they took aim, the metal disk cracking ribs as it rammed the first man off his feet. Rogers slid beneath a piece of machinery that was bolted to the deck to swipe the feet of the other guy before he could fire, catching the shield as it rebounded off the ship to smack the floored guard in the face and throw it at the last mercenary. However, Natasha cut loose her chute and dropped hard onto the last merc's back, making him slam face first into the deck where she tasered him for good measure.

As the rest on the team quietly landed on the deck, Steve picked himself up and nodded to Natasha as he joined her to lead the team to find the hostage, picking up one of the mercenary's radios as he passed to gain any intel or forewarning. Steve could already hear the Beta and/or Delta team dealing with the rest of the mercenaries, clearing the deck towards the bow of the ship.

"Davis, you lead the second team down the starboard side. Radio if you find anything." Steve ordered. "The rest of you come with me down the port side. Quietly. I don't want any major fights getting their attention."

"Aye, Cap." Davis confirmed, shouldering his rifle and motioning for five of the team to follow him in the search.

Steve and Natasha led the remaining four men of the strike team into the belly of the port side of the ship, taking it floor by floor and disposing of anyone they came across that could alarm the facility of their presence. Natasha fortunately took out a member of the security that had an electronic map of the ship in his possession, and after a few moments of scrolling through the blueprints they found an area marked as the facility laboratories on the bottom level in both port and starboard beam as they were very extensive. Steve immediately directed Davis' team over the radio to meet them there.

"Top deck and bridge secured, Captain." Said a male voice over the ear piece.

"Good work, keep it that way and get the engine room secured too." Steve replied quietly, maintaining tactical formation with his team as they descended the metal grated stairwells, a few straggling mercs being taken out stealthily with the aid of the silencers on the rifles. "We're heading to the labs on the bottom level. Stand by the security feeds and inform me of anything happening. Keep an eye out for Richards."

"Affirmative."

"Davis, do you copy?" Asked Rogers.

"I hear you, Cap."

"What's your ETA to your position?"

"About two minutes. We stopped for directions when you said the security had maps on them."

"Tell me when you're in position. We clear the labs together."

"Affirmative."

It wasn't long before they found the clinical white hallways leading to the labs, a contrast to the metallic roughness of the rest of the ship. If Steve didn't know better, he would have thought he had just stepped into a hi-tech hospital. Whatever they were doing down here obviously required clinical conditions, and to him that suggested a sort of experimentation that set his teeth on edge with anger.

Finally reaching a metal door marked as 'Lab A: Priority Access Only.', they took formation on either side of the entrance as Natasha got to work on the control panel beside it.

"Davis, your position." Whispered the Captain.

"We're here, Cap. Ready when you are."

"Beta, are you on the bridge?"

"Affirmative." Replied the Beta team leader.

"I need you to be my eyes. How many hostiles inside the main lab?"

"Looks to be two armed pros either side of both the entrances, five scientists working at their stations. There's been no sign of Richards."

"And the hostage?"

"I can't see the hostage directly, Cap, but the 'coats' seem to be working around a shielded capsule in the middle of the lab, and I can't see any other possible candidates on security feeds."

"Engine room is secured." Another male voice interrupted.

"Good, be ready to cut power." Steve replied.

"On it, Cap."

"Davis, did you copy that?" Asked the Captain quietly.

"Affirmative." He answered over the ear piece.

"On my mark, Delta will cut the power. We open the doors and use the flash grenades for the guards. Secure the room quickly, no stragglers. We still haven't seen Richards and he could be in there too. Check everyone."

"On your word, Cap." Natasha said quietly, stepping back from the control panel to press against the wall.

"On my mark... 3... 2...1..." Steve tensed in anticipation, his grip on the shield tightened as he looked to his other team mate on the other side of the door who was at the ready with the flash grenade, poised to pull the pin. "Mark."

Natasha hit the button and the metal door slid open. Steve heard the guards respond to the motion but the flash grenade had already been rolled in the moment a gap had emerged. Steve momentarily shielded his eyes against the blast of blinding light, the harsh explosion reverberating through the space, not only on his side but also across the other side of the lab from Davis' team.

The guards yelled with the assault, briefly distracted before Steve rushed in and hammered them both quickly to the floor as his team surged into the lab with authority and commands for the bemused and reeling scientists.

"On the floor now!" Yelled his team, their weapons threatening with martial force if the hostiles didn't comply. "Hands up, Hands up!"

The Captain marched into the space, the smoke from the grenade dissipating as the emergency lighting glowed around the stations and equipment. Davis' team was securing the other half of the room as Natasha immediately got to work on retrieving any data from the computers. The power for the lights immediately sparked to life again.

Captain Rogers quickly scanned the confused faces of the scientists on his side of the room. Richards was not amongst them, and Davis confirmed that he wasn't with his group of hostiles either as he led them over to kneel together in one confined and guarded group before they began to cable tie their hands behind their back for security.

"Steve." Natasha called, beckoning him over to a computer to stand next to her. "Looks like the candidate is a woman, but she's just referred to as C42. She's currently sedated in that chamber there."

Steve looked at the capsule that was slanted backwards and dominated the lab, unable to not notice the resemblance to the machine he was placed in when he was made into a super soldier all those years ago. However, this looked far more hi-tech.

"I'm not exactly Bruce, but I think they were measuring her immune response after the latest test." Natasha added, continuing to talk as she typed whilst Steve wandered around the capsule with an odd intrigue. The capsule was mounted on a central grated dais that had a rail surrounding it, only one set of steps leading up to the test subject that was encased in a steel cocoon. Thick tubes and cables were being fed from it, snaking down to beneath the dais and into various machinery which seemed to then send feedback and results to the vast array of computers in the labs.

"Is it safe to remove her?" He asked.

"Working on it. The system controls are still rebooting after the power cut."

"Beta, is there any sign of Richards on the security cams?" Asked Steve over the ear piece channel.

"None, Sir. If he is here, then he's good at hiding."

"Keep your eyes open, and confirm with SHIELD that they are clear to come in for a sweep of the ship. Also let them know we'll be retrieving the hostage and bringing her up soon, and to have a med team on standby for her arrival."

"Affirmative."

Steve looked back at the chamber, wondering who could be inside and for what purpose. He didn't know much about new technology. For all he knew this could be a modern and humane form of recovery, but as he stood in front of the capsule at the bottom of the dais steps, there was something about it that made the hackles on his neck stand on end. It looked sterile and without feeling, as if these scientists did not treat her as a human being but rather as a piece of meat; A novelty to be exploited for their gain, or something that could not possibly express emotion or feel the pains of their tests, confirmed by designating her with a coded number rather than a name. It made his stomach contort with rage, but he kept it together for the sake of the mission.

"Okay, I think I got it..." Said Natasha, as she finished pressing buttons on the computer keyboard and a small warning beep began to sound from the chamber, announcing it's imminent unlocking.

"Good." Said Steve, quickly trying to occupy his thoughts to be more professional. Looking away to see the various team members that were guarding the hostiles on the floor, he saw the fear and uncertainty in the scientist's eyes. However, what made him curious was that it was directed at the opening of the capsule. They were frightened of the woman inside being released. And rightly so in his opinion. He could only imagine the horrors they might have performed on her in the name of science, so it was only logical to think she may harbour some hatred for them. "Delta and Beta, I want you to leave a skeleton team in the engine room and on the Bridge, and begin to sweep the ship up to the deck to meet with the incoming ops."

The two teams confirmed the order over the secure channel in a disciplined fashion.

"Davis?!" Called Steve.

"Sir?"

"Take your team to escort the hostiles up to the deck for retrieval by SHIELD."

"You got it, Cap." Answered Davis. "Okay, you heard him, on your feet!"

The team marched them out of the lab in an organised single file, always with the command of their rifles aimed at them for emphasis and persuasion.

The capsule hissed for a moment before the locks disengaged and the steel cocoon began to swivel out of the way, grabbing Steve's attention as Natasha joined him at the base of the grated steps.

However, as the metal shifted back to reveal a glass tube beneath, the Captain felt his heart clench and seemingly slam to a complete halt when he saw who lay inside. His jaw went slack, his blue eyes wide and on the verge of misting as he took one tentative step forward with disbelief.

"You okay?" Asked Natasha, seeing his shocked reaction. "Rogers?"

Steve stood frozen, unmoving and aghast at the impossible sight which lay strapped inside the capsule, sedated and silent. His lungs and chest felt like they were being squeezed without mercy, his legs weakening, his hands beginning to tremble until his shield fell from his numb fingers, clattering with a metallic ringing against the floor.

The woman inside the glass chamber had died in 1943. Yet... he could see her breathing.

New York, 1943

The familiar sting of a punch in the face was still present as Steve walked into his old familiar bar, nodding to the barman to make his way to the back table where his best friend was waiting for him with a scotch.

"Sorry I'm late." Said Steve as he sat down.

"You know," Bucky began as he assessed his friend's appearance and scooped out an ice cube from his drink. "I'm beginning to think you like getting punched."

"I had him on the ropes."

"Sure you did. Put this on your lip, slugger." Bucky replied, tossing him the chunk of ice.

"Thanks."

"So, where you from this time?" Asked Bucky, taking a sip of his bourbon and nodding at the obvious enlistment card that was poking out of Steve's beige jacket pocket. He just tucked it away out of sight and took a drink of his scotch. "You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form."

"So when you getting your orders?" Steve ignored, purposely changing the subject as he took a napkin from the table and wiped away any blood that was left on his face.

"Will probably be in a few days."

"I should be going."

"What's the problem, ace? In a few days you're gonna' be the only eligible bachelor left. You know there's two and a half million women in New York."

"Yeah, well, I'd settle for just one." Said Steve, taking another sip of his scotch and wincing as the alcohol caught his split lip.

"Good thing I've got that sorted then." Smiled Bucky, lifting up his bourbon.

"Right. What did you tell her about me this time?"

"Just the good stuff. Tomorrow, double date. It'll be fun."

"Yeah sure it will. I seem to remember the last one."

"Well maybe you'll have better luck this..." Began Bucky, though his attention was suddenly caught elsewhere, somewhere behind his friend and further out into the bar. "Holy cow, would you get a look at her."

Steve turned in his chair with a sigh, prepared to see yet another girl that Bucky could win over with a click of his fingers. However, what he saw made him choke a little on his scotch and his gaze bulge in awe. There, standing at the bar on her own, was the single most beautiful woman he had ever seen outside of a movie or billboard commercial. Her rich auburn hair was long, unusually so for the current short style fashion, waving down passed her shoulder blades to the middle of her back. She wore a figure forming burgundy dress which stopped just below her knees to show off her smooth calves and stylish cream heels, but overall the dress hugged to every sensual hourglass curve. She turned to look fully towards his end of the bar, revealing the full red lips and effortless beauty of her face. To Steve, in a word, she was literally stunning.

"Now that is a dame." Said Bucky.

Steve couldn't help but stare as she sat down on one of the bar stools and elegantly crossed her legs as the friendly barman passed her a glass of wine. When she smiled her thanks, Steve thought he felt his back muscles tense.

For a short while, the sat in silence, watching as time after time soldiers would go up to her, lean on the bar with a smug grin and try to woo her. And every time she would smile and politely decline, not realising that they all belonged to the same group of friends and it was becoming a game for them to see who could bag the hot girl.

Steve grit his teeth with annoyance. He couldn't stand jerks like that, treating a lady with so much disrespect like she was a prize.

He could see her nervous irritation forming as she tried to remain civil, her fingers flexing on her glass of wine as she stopped even looking at them when they approached her. The group was laughing in the corner, encouraging the latest would-be conqueror as he sauntered up to the bar and leant next to her. It was the moment that he reached out and moved her hair from her shoulder, forcing her to slap his hand away, that Steve jumped up from his seat and marched towards them.

"I said I'm not interested, now will you please just leave me alone!" Exclaimed the woman in a courteous English accent.

"Come on, princess, we just want to have a chat with you and maybe buy you a drink or two. Where's the harm in that?" Pressed the soldier, smugly trying to play with her hair again.

"Don't touch me."

"Don't be like that..." He crooned, brushing a finger over her shoulder.

She immediately pulled away, sliding off the other side of the bar stool to stand and defiantly threw her wine into his face, "Think of that as my final no."

"Why you little bi..."

"Hey!" Yelled Steve, getting in between them. "The lady said she's not interested. Now why don't you and your buddies just call it quits and leave."

"Who the hell do you think you are, you little pipsqueak? This ain't your business!"

"It became my business when you tried to assault a lady in front of me. Don't make this worse than it is. Just go."

The soldier laughed, turning to his buddies for encouragement who then joined in with the chuckles. The trooper was about to launch a punch towards him when something happened that made Steve blink for a double take, unsure of what he just saw: The barstool in front of him had skidded a little across the wooden floor to hit the soldier in the crotch, making him double over on the seat for a moment. Did he really just see that? No, it must have just been a trick of the eye. The idiot probably just walked into it.

The angry soldier knocked the stool out of the way, making it clatter onto the floor as he stepped forward for the assault again. It was then that a solid baseball bat slammed into the hard top of the bar, clattering the glasses that stood on it.

"You!" Yelled the barman, a stocky man to say the least, pointing the bat at the loud mouthed trooper. "Out of here now. And take your friends with you. I've already called the MPs."

"You're lucky, punk." He shot at Steve, wiping wine from his nose as he backed up cockily towards the door. "Let's go guys, we can find some better tail elsewhere!"

They continued their hooting and hollering as they walked out of the door.

"You okay, miss?" Asked the barman as he put the bat under the bar.

"Yes. Thank you." She replied with an uncertain smile.

Steve could see that she was a little bit shaken, her hand on the bar was shivering slightly.

"Frank, would you mind pouring the lady another glass, please?" He said, unravelling a note from his pocket and tossing it onto the wooden surface.

"Oh you don't have to..."

"I insist." Steve smiled, picking up the toppled bar stool. "A soldier's face is a terrible waste of wine."

She smiled genuinely, and his heart almost quivered to a stop. He didn't get much opportunity to speak to gorgeous women, they always seemed repelled or more interested in his eligible friend, Bucky. So far though, he thought it was going well. He just needed to not make a fool of himself.

"Thank you." She said. "That was very brave of you considering he was much...erm..."

"Bigger than me? Yeah I get that a lot."

The red haired beauty looked curiously at her unlikely hero. He was small and slender, a couple of inches shorter than her due to her heels so she assumed that without them they would be level at five foot and four inches. He had a sweet face with wonderful blue eyes and sandy blonde hair that was cut in the popular side parted style. Even though he had a split lip, he seemed quite gentlemanly to her.

"I'm Cora." She said, offering her hand politely. "Cora Elizabeth Pritcher."

"Steve Rogers." He offered in return, gently shaking her soft hand and silently revelling in her smooth accented voice. "Pleasure to meet you."

The barman slid her a new glass of wine with a smile.

"Thank you."

"Erm... Would you like to sit down?" Steve asked. "It tends to be quieter towards the back of the bar."

Cora's eyebrow lifted with amusement, unsure if she had just heard that correctly.

Steve immediately realised what his proposition might suggest, "No, I mean... You're just less likely to be bothered at the back. If you wanted to sit down for a quiet drink with me. Well, not even with me, if you just wanted to be on your own then..."

"You don't speak to women much, do you?" Cora interrupted with a quiet giggle.

"What gave me away?" He smirked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"The fact that you're steadily turning red."

He chuckled, looking down at his shoes with embarrassment, "Actually I think this is the longest conversation I've had with a woman."

"Well then," She smiled, picking up her coat from the stool next to her to drape it over her arm, taking her drink and purse from the bar. "Let's not break the lucky streak just yet."

Steve watched in shock as she turned around and walked to the back where it was quieter. It took him a moment, and some avid silent encouragement from Bucky at his table, to follow her over. Bucky stealthily passed his scotch to him as he walked passed by towards the small table for two in a solitary corner.

"Is here a good spot?" She asked.

"Absolutely. Here, allow me." Steve quickly walked ahead, placed his drink on the table and then pulled out a chair for her. She smirked sweetly, gratefully accepting before he sat down opposite, noticing the scent of her luscious fresh perfume.

Steve had thought she was beautiful before from a distance, but now that he was merely two feet in front of her, he could feel his hands sweating. She was astounding.

"So, Steve." She began, taking a sip of her drink. "What do you do with yourself when you're not rescuing ladies?"

He smiled, trying to control the flush of his cheeks and withholding the fact that if the barman hadn't intervened he would probably be a bloody mess on the floor by now.

"Actually, and I hope you won't hold this against me, I'm intending to enlist."

"Oh." Said Cora. "I wouldn't have guessed you wanted to be in the army."

"Well I figure that men are joining and laying down their lives every day for their country. I don't see why I shouldn't serve as well."

"Because they are dying every day."

"For freedom." He said, his gentle passion and conviction showing through to draw her in. "So that we can walk down the street, and go on dates, and go to sleep in our own beds and wake up again knowing that no-one can tell us how we should live our lives. If it has to be that way, then I don't see any nobler way to die than for your home and loved ones to live without fear."

There was a moment of silence where she just looked at him with a slight smile on her full lips, and he wondered if perhaps he had come across too strongly.

"You know, you're the first person I have spoken to about the war effort whose words I actually believe. Most of the time men will lie about how they fight for freedom and the American way, but that's all just for show to win over the more naive girls. Mainly, men will become soldiers for the women they'll attract. Or for the money, or so they can satisfy their own barbaric natures to kill and blow things up. You are the only one I have met since I came here who I believe wants to fight for the right reason. Colour me impressed."

"Thank you." He said, taking a sip of his scotch and refusing to mention how many times he had already been exempt from service due to poor health.

"You're welcome. I hope you get accepted soon. I think the army would be greater for having you a part of it."

Steve grinned and flushed, forcing him to look away for a moment, "So, judging by your accent, I'm gonna' go out on a limb and say you're originally from England."

"Spot on." Cora replied. "I moved here last year to study."

"Study?" He perked up as she was steadily getting more interesting. "New York University?"

"Yes. In Art."

"That's great. I don't know many beautiful dames who would choose higher education."

Her eyebrow quirked again with amusement, and it was the instant indication that Steve may have just insulted her.

"I mean... a woman... not a beautiful dame..." He flustered, trying his best to back track. "Though you are very beautiful, of course, I..."

Cora chuckled, "Breathe, Steve. I wasn't offended, I'm just playing with you. I'm sorry, that was mean."

"No problem." He said with relief. "I'm just glad I didn't insult you. I just meant that most women seem to not want to study. They either want to be a housewife or in show business or work as part of the war effort."

"True. I will admit that I am the only woman in my class. It can be a little daunting sometimes."

"I'm not surprised with the amount of attention you attract."

Cora smiled, a slight blush tinting her soft cheeks as she took another sip of wine. Steve was pleased with her reaction to his spontaneous compliment.

"If I wasn't set on the army, I would have taken up art myself." He added, enjoying this new dynamic of her persona. She certainly wasn't just a kind pretty face. She was educated too.

"Really? Or are you just trying to beguile me with familiarity?" She taunted with a mischievous smirk. Fortunately, Steve saw her game this time.

"Yes ma'am." He replied playfully. "Beguiling attractive women is my speciality."

Cora chuckled, happy in the knowledge that he was playing back and responding to her humour. There weren't many men around that enjoyed her intelligent playfulness, preferring just a silent decoration on their arm. Well, in her recent experiences anyway.

"Ok, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt to prove it."

Steve dug into the inside pocket of his jacket and removed a leather bound book. Opening it up in the middle, he passed it over to her, "They're just small doodles really, but I enjoy doing them from time to time. I don't seem to get around to doing bigger pieces."

Cora looked at the lined pages of the notebook, grinning whilst she took in every talented detail of the small drawings that decorated the papers as she slowly flicked through. Everything from frogs to elegant eyes to stylish pin up girls.

"These are wonderful." She said in awe. "You should have taken your skills further, you certainly have a gift for it."

"Maybe when the war is over, I will."

"And if you do, I will be the first to buy your work."

"If I do, you'd be the first I'd want to draw." He said before he could stop himself.

Fortunately, she was smiling at him with that sweet blush on her cheekbones again, "I would consider it an honour."

"Cora!"

They both looked towards the bar to see a brunette woman in a wide brimmed hat waving at them. Cora waved back and held up a gentle finger to ask for a moment.

"My friend is here." She said, a little sad at having to leave. She was enjoying the conversation with this intriguing stranger. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to go."

"Of course." Steve replied, a little disappointed but trying to hide it as he stood up politely before she did and watched her put on her tan wool coat.

"I really enjoyed talking to you, Steve." She smiled, doing up her coat buttons before picking up her leather purse.

"Me too. With you, I mean."

Cora giggled at his nervous nature. She was getting very fond of it.

Picking up his notebook from the table, and looking at it with endearment for a moment, she politely passed it back to him, "Don't let your talent go to waste."

"I won't. It's the only one I have." He joked.

"Oh I doubt that." She smirked, and for the first time their eyes perfectly locked together.

Steve struggled to keep himself steady and cool as he noted every sumptuous colour of her eyes: a soft green hazel with a warm amber burst around the pupil and a striking ring of slate around it all. They were nothing if not hypnotic.

"Well, thank you for being such a gentleman." She said, forcefully cutting off their gaze to glance down before she could flush bright red.

"You're welcome."

"Good night." She smiled, lingering for a moment before walking passed him and heading towards her waiting friend.

Steve watched her go with both joy and disappointment fighting for supremacy. He had just met a remarkable, intelligent, beautiful woman who didn't treat him like a whelp, and now she was walking away from him, probably never to look back or even know him if he happened to pass her in the street.

A small spark of courage began to rise inside of him, and he was about to spur himself after her to ask for a date, when she suddenly slowed down and stopped halfway to the bar.

Cora stood for a moment, biting her plump red lip with thought. She had only met him a little while ago, barely anything to base a friendship on. However, he had a sense of respect and civility about him. There was kindness and compassion, a strong conviction and bravery for doing what was right. And he made her laugh and feel at ease without even having to try. Cora finally decided to take a chance.

She turned around and walked back to a surprised Steve, who stood with his hands in his pockets.

"I was wondering..." She began as she stopped to stand in front of him again. "Would you happen to be here tomorrow night? Perhaps... around seven?"

Steve couldn't move, couldn't talk and was fighting the need to reach for his inhaler. Did she really just ask him for a date? Or was he just assuming? After all she could just like talking with him. Either way, he'd take it.

"Sure." He said finally with a smirk, not trusting himself to say any more than that.

"Great." She beamed. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes, ma'am."

Cora chuckled lightly, liking how he often gave that polite response. It sounded so cute from him. Jumping in for another risk on a spur of the moment, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and leaned in to place a soft kiss on his cheek. He had risked much and asked for nothing in return that evening. The least she could do was thank him with a peck on the cheek.

"Good night." She said again as she stood up, amusingly seeing how stiff and dumb struck he seemed.

Steve cleared his throat slightly, looking down at his shoes to try and think of cold thoughts, "Good night, Miss Pritcher."

"Cora." She corrected, handing him a clean handkerchief that she collected from her coat pocket. "Here. I've left a mark."

Steve's hand immediately reached to his cheek and when he looked at his fingers he did indeed have the remnants of her red lipstick staining them. He smiled and gratefully accepted the embroidered offering. Giving his face a quick wipe to his silent dismay of having to get rid of it so quickly, he offered her the tinted cotton.

"Keep it." She smirked shyly. "Will remind you not to be late tomorrow."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Seven." She confirmed, starting to turn away.

"I'll be here."

Steve watched once again as she walked over to her friend. Before she left, she threw him another smile that made his feet feel light. He looked down at the soft handkerchief in his hands, bundling it up neatly to fold around the delicate embroidery of her personal initials.

"Pal, we gotta' talk." Bucky suddenly said, dragging his best friend back to their table in a hurry. "How did you do that?"

"No idea." He answered with a fond grin as he leant back in his chair, "But you're gonna' have to cancel that blind date tomorrow."