Disclaimer: Don't own anything related to Captain America except my characters
Howard had, of course, pitched a fit befitting of a five year old brat denied a sweet when he learned that Fenrir was tagging along for the ride. Evelyn just pouted at him until he folded. It was a known fact that no one could out pout her. She was queen and Howard would just have to deal.
Surprisingly, or not depending on how you looked at it, Stark led them to an army issued truck instead of a limo. Seeing her raised eyebrow Howard rolled his eyes, "Sweetheart do you even know where camp is? Let me tell you, it isn't all concrete and steel structures. We're going to get down and dirty." A smirk ended that statement in which Evelyn could imagine all the innocent thoughts that were currently flying through his head.
Hustling her and Fenrir into the back, Evelyn started in surprise at the others already there before Howard gently pushed her to sit and plopped down next to her. Still staring at the group incredulously she said (stupidly), "Who are these guys?" Roaming a lazy eye over the men Howard shoved the hat he had on over his eyes before mumbling, "My team." Well that would explain why none of them looked like soldiers. Evelyn rolled her eyes as the one scientist closest to Fenrir started to slide down the bench while eyeing his teeth as her poor wolf panted from the heat. Wimps.
Slapping Howard on the knee to get his attention she asked, "How long will it take to get there?" He shrugged in response before settling and crossing his arms behind his head. Evelyn sighed.
Over the next couple of hours Evelyn amused herself by alternating between petting Fenrir and counting how often the science brigade twitched/pushed their glasses up their nose. She started to get less amused and more worried when the number began hitting the low triple digits. She hoped they weren't going to be doing anything too important. Like soldier's lives hung in the balance kind of important.
Evelyn was getting to the point where she felt like she was giving Fenrir a bald spot from how long she had been scratching him when the truck slowed to a stop. Standing up she shot from the truck with a "Finally!" Flopping on the ground she rolled over onto her back and said, 'I have never been so bored ever!" The end of her statement was muffled as Fenrir trotted over and started licking her face. Pushing him away she sat up and stared at Stark as he hopped down from the back. His gaggle of twitchy nerds followed after him like ducklings after their mother.
"How are you a scientist?"
"Hmm?" Howard looked over his shoulder before turning to her and hooking his thumbs under his suspenders. "What can I say? I'm just incredibly talented all around," he waggled his eyebrows before leaning forward to help her up, "Let's go get you settled." Throwing his arm over her shoulder he dragged her over to the plainest building she ever saw with Fenrir shadowing their feet. Opening the door he continued, "I had to pull a good deal of strings dame in order to get you down here with me," he paused to eye Fenrir, "the colonel is not going to be happy about the dog, (Evelyn bristled, "He's a wolf moron!") but I managed to convince him that I was completely and utterly useless without my assistant around to keep me on the straight and narrow," here he winked at her, "that's where you come in Evelyn." Stopping in front of a random door that looked like all the others he directed her inside. Letting go of her shoulders he crossed his arms over his chest and said, "Congratulations. You are officially my assistant. Just pretend you know what you're doing and it should all go smooth."
Throwing her bag on the cot shoved into the corner she turned to Howard rocking on her heels. Biting her lower lip she stared at him for a moment before launching herself at him for a hug. Giving him a squeeze and a quick peck on the cheek she smiled up at him saying, "I means a lot that you are doing this for me Howard. I really appreciate it and I'll somehow make it up to you." Howard's ever present cocky smirk softened into a smile as he gently squeezed her back before letting go. Making his way towards the door he threw over his shoulder, "Be ready at six tomorrow babe; science sleeps for no one." With a jaunty wave he disappeared down the hall.
Dropping down on the bed Evelyn said to Fenrir, "Well I guess this is the beginning." Cocking his head Fenrir let out a bark like he was agreeing. "Not too sure what it is the beginning of, but it sure as hell is the beginning of something." The rest of the evening was spent putting her stuff away and curling around Fenrir once it was time to sleep.
Morning came wayyyyy too early. Evelyn knew they were going to have an amazing time here at camp when the soothing sounds of the morning bugle woke them up at precisely dawn. Fenrir had started to let loose a howl before she clamped his muzzle shut. Wouldn't do to have too many people find out about him.
Rolling out of bed and not giving two whits about her hair or appearance she shuffled blearily down the hall where she assumed Howard's lab thing was. The first thing that greeted her once she pushed her way through the double doors was Howard's smiling face. Evelyn could feel her face twitch at such a blatant show of awakeness for 5 am; how they hell was he so perky? Waking up early was the bane of living. "Ah, Evelyn there you are. Let's get started shall we?"
Five hours later she could feel her eyes start to glaze over. Howard had been yapping away about something ... something ... hell she couldn't even tell when he had started on this topic. The only words she understood was the thes, ands and sos. Everything else was french to her. She just kept nodding her head and smiling whenever Howard looked her way in the midst of his rambling to make it look like she was following. The nerds were flocked around Howard with their hands under their chins, stars in their eyes and hanging onto his words like he was Jesus speaking about salvation. Evelyn rolled her eyes. Seriously what were they there for? It was pretty clear that Howard had everything under control. Were they his military approved fans or something? Her stomach took the moment when Howard paused enough to breathe to let her (and the world) inform them that she did not in fact have breakfast and that lunch was closing in soon. Howard blinked for a moment looking like he was trying to remember what the sound of a growling stomach meant before clapping his hands and announcing that it was lunch and time for a break. Evelyn jumped when the ducklings had all turned as one to glare at her from disrupting his holiness. Hooo boy.
"Evelyn I'll show you to the mess hall," Howard said shucking off his lab coat as the other scientists dispersed. Grabbing her arm he started to drag her (again) when she put her foot down. "Howard!" yanking her hand out of his she planted her hands at her hips and asked, "Are the recruits eating right now in the mess hall?" Raising his eyebrow and staring at her like she had lost it he nodded slowly, "It is lunch you know." Rolling her eyes Evelyn snorted, "First of all the only reason you know it's lunch is because of me. Second of all, the real reason why I asked was to know if Steve could be in there. I don't want him to see me just yet."
"Oh."
The next two days passed in pretty much the same manner. Howard yapped, Evelyn nodded, the nerds stared in rapture. By the third day Evelyn knew she had to move around and get away from the science talk and catch a glimpse of Steve before she lost it. It was around three or so during one of the rare moments Howard had his back to her and was hands deep in the belly of some machine when she had her chance; she made a break for it.
It was quiet on the camp grounds as she made her way through the buildings. In fact, where the heck was everybody? Shrugging she wandered around taking in the grounds. It was pretty much what she imagined an army training camp would look like. Very spartan.
After around her thirty minute mark of being away from the mad scientists Evelyn figured it was about time to head back before Howard sent out a search party. As she stood there trying to figure out which direction the stupid science building was she heard the roar of an army truck coming into camp. Ducking near some crates, and rolling her eyes (why was she hiding? the colonel knew she was here) she was about to stand up all suave like and walk like she did belong there when she caught sight of who it was that was in the truck.
Evelyn would swear until her dying day that her heart stopped for a half a second when she caught sight of Steve in the back row of the truck with a self satisfied grin hovering around his mouth. Roaming her eyes over him to make sure he was ok (because why else would he be in the truck) she paused as a bit of movement caught her eye and giving a quick glance to see who was in front of the truck, her heart stopped for a second time. And definitely not for the same reasons.
Who. The. Hell. Was. That!
Evelyn narrowed her eyes as the truck stopped and the brunette hopped out with Steve shortly following. They conversed for a few minutes before Steve headed off to the barracks, to wash off Evelyn guessed. Now she wouldn't have a problem with Steve conversing with other dames, not one whit; but as she stared at the brunette who in turn was staring at Steve wandering off she knew exactly what the gleam in her eyes meant. Evelyn almost launched herself over the crate, but held back. She would have to do some surveillance first which meant she had to pull Howard away from whatever he was currently doing and grill him. Little Miss Uniform over there was going to have to find her own man, because she wasn't about to share.
"HOWARD!"
There was a slam like something was closing before she could hear Howard cursing. As she rounded the corner she saw him nursing his hand and glaring in her general direction. "What Evelyn! You almost made me loose my good mechanic hand!"
"Howard that's not important. Who is that brunette lady?! The one in an army uniform?," she paused to squint at him suspiciously, "Weren't you complaining that it would take a miracle to get my here? Then who the heck is she?"
Howard seemed to forget all about his abused hand to stare at her in confusion. "Who?"
"Don't who me. The girl! In the uniform! Who. Is. She?!"
Howard continued to stare blankly at her while Evelyn stared back expectantly. She could almost see the lightbulb go off over his head when he snapped his fingers, "Oh! The British Dame. Yah I've seen her around. Heard she's from across the pond. I guess things are done a bit differently over there. What about her?"
Freezing Evelyn took quick stock of how this might look (desperate, that's how it looked). Toning back, she smiled sweetly at Howard and asked, "Now as a complete non sequor is there a rule between fellow soldiers, you know, seeing each other?"
She watched as Howard's eyebrow made a steady climb to his hairline as he responded, slowly, "Nooo, I don't think so. Seeing as how all of them are men."
Evelyn felt her right eye twitch in response.
