"There is no way you can go out on the field in that thing!" I turned around and stared at Steve, who was blushing furiously, while Howard stood there gaping at me.

"Sorry, dad. But I have to ask why not?" I turned back to the mirror and examined the look of the outfit. It wasn't like a second skin, but it was tight enough to feel it hug every dip and curve of my body like a bed sheet tangled around me. There was a utility belt in ivory with a white rose design on the buckle. The boots were black, like the rest of the suit and ended a few inches below my knees, but had no heel to them they felt like a pair of socks with rubber on the bottom.

"Did you expect me to fight in a dress?" I turned back around and I saw Steve's stern and reddened expression. I sighed, "You know, if it makes you feel better, I can wear some fatigues when we're not invading HYDRA." I grabbed my red jacket and threw it over myself, "That alright with you, Captain?" He managed to nod.

"Besides, I'm the scout; HYDRA won't see me as well if I don't have any extra cloth hanging around." I gestured to the concealed costume as I spoke. "And I don't have any shame in showing myself off a bit more either. But if it makes you comfortable, I'll wear some."

"No, you shouldn't have any shame in it." Howard finally managed to speak, "In the way you look." I rolled my eyes, "And I'm sure that the rest of the men won't either. Hell, I'd follow you into a HYDRA base without a second thought."

I laughed, but I could see that Steve was a little concerned, "What if they give you hard time?" Howard had gone to get Steve's uniform, so that left Rogers and I alone. "Do you think you can handle yourself?"

I arched an eyebrow at him skeptically. "I think I can handle myself. If you recall what my reaction was when you called me a flirt." There was a falter in Steve's gaze, "And I haven't fallen under Howard's spell, either." I gave myself a moment to think, "I should get a medal just for that." Steve smiled. "I'm pretty sure I'll be okay. Besides, I'm not here to be eye candy, and I'll be sure to prove it to them."

"Alright, Cap. Following what you drew, here are your things. You can change in the same room as Rosie, unless there's something indecent there." Howard stared at me, and I smirked.

"It's clean as a whistle, Steve. Go ahead." I displayed the dressing room with my arm and let Steve go in. "Hm." I say, once I know that he couldn't hear what I was going to say.

"What?" Howard looked up as I sat down on one of the chairs and crossed my legs at the knee. "What's so interesting?"

"Oh, nothing." I looked at the floor. "Just observing how blatant you can be." I looked at Stark with harsh eyes. "We both know what Erskine said, but I hardly think that this is the time for a relationship."

"I know." Howard walked forward to me and rested a hand on my folded ones. "But there's no problem in being friendly."

"We started from scratch." I said as Howard sat down next to me. We were in the tailor's shop from before, apparently they dealt with plenty of our requests, the uniforms for Steve and I was no exception. "He's a really nice guy. Abraham was right." I sighed, "But he's got an eye on someone else." Howard gave me an inquisitive look, "Oh, don't play coy; you know who I'm talking about." I shook my head, "He seems so keen on her, and I don't want to make it complicated for him. I'm happy with just being platonic with him." Howard nodded and looked up; apparently Steve had entered the room.

I stood up and looked behind me. "Wow." I felt my eyes widen as Captain Rogers stared at me.

"Is it that bad?" I stared at Steve, "I know that it was a little silly, but I thought-" He looked so upset. I felt like I had to do something. I stepped towards him.

"No, that's not it at all." I smiled at him, "You look great." I raised an eyebrow at him, smirking as I eyed him, "I'd take orders from you any day." I winked at him and he blushed. "You really do look good, Steve." I grabbed his shoulders and turned him to the mirror. "It's not so bad. Actually, it's pretty slick." I stepped from behind him, opening my coat just a bit. "I feel like we should both be on bond posters." I looked up at Steve, "Well, maybe I'll stick to pinups and you can keep doing the bonds."

"You did pinups?" I nodded to Howard, and looked between the two of them as they gaped in shock.

"Oh, get over it. It was a job and it was for the troops." I slid my jacket off and grabbed my folded clothes. "I couldn't say no." I stepped into the dressing room and changed out of the uniform into my black pencil skirt and red blouse with red heels. I folded the uniform and grabbed my boots before I stepped out. "I'm also not embarrassed, it was very tasteful and I kept the fatigues I wore." I smiled at them as I rested the clothes on the table.

"That's why you looked so familiar!" Howard walked forward for a moment, inspecting me before reaching behind me. "I wasn't sure so I found a copy of it."

I looked at him in shock, while Steve stared between the two of us. "You have one?! They meant to send me a copy so I could see what they picked, but they never mailed it." I grabbed the page and smiled, "It's not too bad." I shrugged my shoulders. "Care to peek, Rogers?" I dangled the picture at him. His eyes widened and had to hold back a giggle. I turned back to Stark, "You don't mind that I keep this, do you Howard?" I bit the inside of my lower lip, while he shook his head.

"Not at all. Consider it yours, my dear." I smiled at him and thanked him with a hug. "Is that all I get for a picture of you, a hug?"

"Yep. But if you try and push your luck, you might get a punch in the face." I placed the picture on top of my uniform and smiled at Stark sourly. I looked between the two of them. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to go talk to my brother." I grabbed my coat, uniform and picture, sliding them into a brown paper bag with handles. "I'll see you soon, Stark. And I'll see you in the morning, Captain." I patted Steve's shoulder before I walked out of the tailor's.


"So it's a no, then?" I asked as William handed me back the file. After a long explanation, until I cut him off, my brother had told me that he wasn't fighting with me.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Jo. It's just I'm so tired of this war already, and they offered me a desk job at a recruitment office back home in Omaha." Will looked a little upset as he said it; I could suspect something was wrong.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "That's not the reason why, though, is it?" I looked at him as I put the file in my paper bag. Will squirmed in his bed. That's why. "Mom called, didn't she?" He nodded, "What'd she say?"

"That you were 9 types of crazy, but there was no way convincing you. So she focused it on me. She knows I give in to her all the time, Josephine." I nodded; I was the most headstrong out of the two of us. When I had told my mother that I was moving to the east coast, she tried to open her mouth in protest, but shut it, knowing that she wouldn't change my mind.

"I get that, Will. But this is your life, not Mom's. If that were true, you'd be the one owning the bakery and quietly resenting me for 'abandoning the family'." Will gave me a doubtful, "Don't give me that, we both know that it's true." I sighed before turning to my big brother. "Are you sure you don't want to join?"

"Can I get a moment to myself? I'll call you back in." Will knew that I would fight for him to be there with me, but I knew that I couldn't. This was his choice, not mine.

I nodded, "Of course." I patted his hand. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee and a doughnut. Do you want anything?"

"No, Josie. I'm okay." He smiled, "Go on. Get out." I smiled and rose from my chair, shaking my head as I left the hospital room. I shut my eyes for a moment, and walked to grab a piece of paper and a pen from the nurse's station. I got to the cafeteria and got a coffee and two doughnuts.

Sitting near the window at St. Bart's, I began to write a letter. "That for anyone in particular?" I paused my writing to look and see Captain Rogers standing there, pointing to the doughnut.

"If you want it, it's yours." I said, not even smiling as I continued to write. I sipped my coffee for a moment, and Steve sat down across from me.

"Who's the letter for?" I looked up again and saw jelly on Steve's face. I picked up a napkin and dabbed it off his cheek.

"My meddling mother." I said haughtily as I put the pen down. "She called Will and tried to get him to come home." I sucked in my cheek before taking the other doughnut. "I mean, I know it's been hard for her these last few months, with my dad and her children overseas. But controlling my brother's life, a capable person who can make his own decisions, is crossing the line a bit." I tapped the letter with my nail, "And because of the time difference, I decided to write her instead of calling."

"What did your brother say? About joining us on the frontlines against HYDRA?" Steve sat at the table with his hands folded.

"At first, he said no. But I, being a little too determined, told him to think over what my mom said and what I said and let him decide in his room without someone whispering in his ear." I shrugged my shoulders as I finished the letter. "That's the fair thing to do." I placed the pen on the table and folded the note. I looked up and took another bite of the donut, and saw Steve staring at me. "Is there something on my face, Cap?" He seemed to snap out of his trance before actually looking at me.

"No, I was just thinking how much of an old soul you are." With that comment, I gave him a skeptically confused look. "I mean, you seem wise beyond your years."

I smiled at the table as I folded my hands "Well, I don't know about that assumption, Steve." I looked up at him with a smirk. "You could be completely wrong about that, you know."

"I guess I'll find out tomorrow." Steve smiled and stood from his chair, and I did, since he was my superior after. "Lieutenant." He saluted, which I did right back.

"Captain." I waited until he turned around and started walking away. "You owe me for that doughnut, you know. Don't think 'cause you're all cute now you can get away with stealing my food." I called after him, I heard him laugh as he shook his head, continuing to walk away.

I sighed and grabbed the letter and the rest of the coffee. I slowly walked back to Will's room, afraid that his answer hadn't changed. But he's a fighting spirit like me, like Dad was. I pursed my lip and knocked on the door before entering.

"You seemed to be gone for a while." He looked at what was in my hands and his face dropped. "Please tell me you're not scolding mother in that." I arched an eyebrow at him.

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to do that?" I slid the letter into the bag I'd brought and sat back down in the chair. "I simply said that what you do is your own decision, and that if you take the job in Omaha, I'd be okay with it." I bit the inner part of my lower lip. "Along with the part that I was made a lieutenant and I'm fighting alongside Captain America."

"You didn't tell her? At all?" Will did not seem too happy when I told him, "Are you crazy? That's why she seemed so shocked when I talked to her on the phone and I told her that I saw you."

My eyes widened and my mouth dropped. "I thought Phillips sent a wire to Mom. I told him that he should or else he's gonna deal with two mad women." I narrowed my eyes, "And for the crazy part? Most likely, or else I wouldn't be here." I stood up. "You have until 0600 hours, Sergeant. Make your choice wisely." I huffed as I grabbed my things and stormed out of the room, furious that he scolded me for something completely out of my control.

"When I get my hands on Phillips, I swear that man' gonna have his head spinnin' six ways to Sunday." I mumbled as I continued to walk down the streets to my quarters.


"Hey get up." I looked through tired eyes to see Barnes and Steve standing over me still in bed. Steve flushed with a stern look on his face and Bucky smirking at me. "It's 6:30."

I took the bed sheet and held it across my chest, rubbing my face with my hands and groaned. "Give me seven minutes." I looked between the two of them; neither moved. "Get out!" I yelled throwing a pillow at them. They both turned and closed the door behind them. "Christ." I muttered loudly as I threw the covers off and pulled out my uniform.

"Such a dirty mouth." I heard Bucky comment. I rolled my eyes and began to change. With two minutes to spare, I pulled my shoulder-length blackish brown hair back into a ponytail and colored my lips with red lipstick. I swung the door open and looked between the two of them. Steve had no expression but one of annoyance, while Bucky was drooling over how I looked.

"I'm ready now, are you happy?" I eyed Steve, who started turning the color of my lipstick. I grabbed my uniform jacket and closed the door behind me. "Good, let's go." I walked past them hastily, not really caring if they were following me.

"We haven't told the rest of them yet." I turned to see that Steve had caught up to me and Bucky wasn't far behind. "You appearing may come as a shock to them." I looked up at him skeptically, feeling that I was shorter at my 5'8" than his 6'2" without my heels.

"I think it'll be a good shock for them, to get their blood flowing." I turned to Bucky, "Am I wrong?"

"No, ma'am." He smiled at me. I rolled my eyes and smirked at Steve. We continued walking to the war room. I grabbed the ends of the coat as we walked outside into the cooler air of London. I buttoned it only at my waist, showing off a conservative amount of my outfit.

"Captain Rogers, Lieutenant McKenna, Sergeant Barnes." I saw Colonel Phillips walk forward. We saluted him, "McKenna, may I speak with you privately?"

I nodded and stepped towards him. "Sir?" I asked when we were both out of earshot of Steve and Bucky.

"I received a call from, your mother." I felt my eyes widen, and my mouth drop. "She was, uh, deeply discouraged that her daughter hadn't told her about the fact that we went overseas." I tightened my mouth quickly.

"Well, sir. If I can recall our first encounter in New York, you had mentioned that everything had been taken care of." I said tightly. "And she's not the only one who's a little upset over this small fiasco either, Sir." I eyed him, "I had my brother yell at me in his hospital bed last night because he blamed me for it, sir." I bit my lip before speaking again, "It would be bad to look into something so small, sir, when we have much more pressing matters ahead." I looked behind him to see Peggy walking in from the street.

Phillips cleared his throat. "That will be all, McKenna."

"Sir." I saluted and turned back to Steve and Bucky, shaking my head, "Stupid, got what he deserved." I mumbled as I looked between the two of them. "For a colonel, he sure can miss some pretty important things." I turned to Steve, who looked disgruntled. "If you knew my mother, you'd understand." I said, "She called and chewed him out like a dog with a bone." I widened my eyes, "Hate to listen into that."

"Do you think you'd miss something like that?" I looked at Bucky, who was eyeing me smugly. I smirk and rolled my eyes not missing a beat.

"I can say that with confidence, I will work my way up until I get the same rank as Phillips. And be as good a colonel as him." I winked at him as I saw a few more men walk out of the war rooms. "So, when's your cue, Cap?" I smiled up at him, and Bucky turned to him in astonishment.

"You've got her calling you pet names?" He shook his head, "Man, what did you do to get her to do that?" Steve blushed and I rolled my eyes.

"Captain Rogers didn't get me to do anything, Bucky-boy." That stopped his smirk short. "It's just a little thing that I can get away with." I looked behind him and saw William. "Excuse me a moment, gentlemen." I smiled and walked to my brother.

"I guess you were right." He said, smiling at me, "I'm already here, I want to see HYDRA fall, and I need to be sure you don't give the rest of them too good a show."

"That's ridiculous." I hugged him tightly. "But I'm glad you decided to look after me, solider." He looked at me confused, so I pointed to my shoulder, which held one silver rectangle, the symbol of my ranking.

"First Sergeant William McKenna reporting for duty, Lieutenant." He saluted me and I withheld a laugh as I saluted him back.


Hi guys, I'm back! My computer problems are over! So I will be going back to a regular posting schedule and I have been writing the next sections and panned the rest of the story out. Thanks again for reading, hope you have enjoyed!

Holly