Christmas morning came swiftly after that. The boys arrived at Rosie's apartment, gifts in hand, bundled up in their coats and scarves. Rosie let them in, a smile on her face wider than the atlantic as she hugged them both and kissed Steve on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas boys," She said, closing the door and gesturing to the usual hook where they hung their coats, as she passed them each a drink.

"Is this whiskey?" Bucky asked as he took a sip, Steve gave it a quick sniff then took a sip himself.

"Sure is! I thought we should really celebrate," Rosie clinked her glass against theirs and took a swift swig, walking over to the small tree that Steve had helped her decorate.

Under it sat a few presents, one for each of the boys and a few Rosie had received from friends at the zoo. Her contract was almost up with them, she had been signed on for a single book in the end but she seemed to have some traction in an opportunity in war propaganda. They needed artists to help make posters and other material. She'd be sad to see the end of working with the zookeepers, they were all lovely to her, but she was used to making quick friendships and had made her peace with the fact she was only meant to know some people briefly long ago. She learnt that when she squired under Lancelot, her first ever jump really was a teaching moment in so many ways.

Rosie and the boys ate christmas dinner like all the others, although their drinking made them a bit more merry then usual. Rosie debated telling them about her powers that afternoon, but decided against it. She physically couldn't tell them about the time travel, she figured that out long ago. Someone from the past knowing about time travel would change the future irrevocably and therefore time prevented her from doing it. She could tell anyone she wanted in the future, not that many would believe her, but not in the past. And while she thought about mentioning her telekinesis, she didn't want to scare the boys, or ruin a perfectly good christmas. They didn't have long left to be together, and she didn't want that revelation to take up any more time.

"So, are ya gonna let us give you your presents?" Steve asked as they all sat around the fire, toying with the red ribbon he had tied his gift with.

"Of course, let me go get yours first though!" Rosie dashed off, grabbing parcels from under the tree. Steve let his eyes wander to the smiling portrait of the three of them. Rosie had finally finished it and hung it in the living room, and every time he saw it it made him smile.

"Ok, this one's for Bucky, and this one's for you Steve," Rosie said as she handed them out, taking the two gifts from the boys in return. They had already exchanged thier gifts at their house this morning.

Rosie slowly undid the ribbon from Steve's gift and tied it in her hair, grinning as it softly fell with her curls to the midpoint in her back. She looked like a little doll with her ribbon and dress. She opened the tiny box and lifted out a pendant, a locket, with little roses blooming on the cover. She opened it to see a picture of Steve on the right, and a picture of Bucky on the left.

"I put the money from my newsagents job to good use," Steve joked, looking at her emotional expression. Rosie looked at him and giggled.

"Put it on?" She asked, and as he moved to do so Bucky couldn't help but joke.

"I don't think he'd look good in it Doll," Rosie swatted at him and gestured for him to open his gift, a handmade leather journal.

"Aw Rosie, didn't you know? Bucky can't read or write," Steve said as he gently lowered the necklace to her skin, chuckling as Bucky glared at him playfully, opening the journal and smoothing the paper.

"I thought you could use something to write your adventures down in, so you remember them all and can tell me all about it when you get home."

"And the picture?" Bucky asked, holding the picture that was sandwiched between some of the pages up, it was a lovely image of the three of them smiling, taken in the park by the photographer there. Rosie had made them all go and get it taken, even though it was meant for couples.

"Can't have you forgetting why you have to come home," She said with a smile, toying with her necklace. "Steve, open your's i'm dying here,"

"Ok ok, hold your horses!" Steve pulled his present into his lap, looking at the box with curiosity. It was the biggest one there, and when he lifted the lid his eyes went wide. "Rosie, you didn't,"

"I did!"

"You really shouldn't have,"

"I wanted to,"

"I thought I had you beat for best present with the necklace,"

"I still think you do, but feel free to try and outdo me again," She leaned over and kissed him. "Your sketchbook has some pictures in it too, by the way,"

"What is it?! I swear the pair of you speak in tongues." Bucky complained, trying to peer at the box. Steve lifted out a leather bound sketchbook with his name engraved on the front, and a box of paints, which even Bucky with his lack of artistic knowledge knew was a good brand. Good enough that he had even seen Rosie using it on client's work on occasion. "Wow, that sure is sweet,"

"Almost as sweet as the gal that gave it to me," Steve said softly, blushing as he said it.

"Open mine then, I sure can't outdo Steve's I should'a got you a picture of me like he did, it's what all the girls want," Bucky said, tossing his gift over.

Rosie opened it with a roll of her eyes and pulled out a jacket. It was a rough warm looking thing, with two patches on the arms, one of the british flag, then below it the american one. It seemed to be in the style of the standard issue army jackets she's seen boys wearing as they shipped out, albeit more feminine.

"Wanted you to feel like part of the crew," Bucky joked as Rosie slipped it on, smoothing down the arms.

"I'll make sure to add patches of wherever I go." Rosie promised, giving Bucky a hug. The three spent the rest of the day in a warm huddle by the fire, singing carols and playing games. Steve even painted a picture of Bucky and Rosie sat together, occasionally chiding at the two of them for not sitting still. Rosie tried her best, knowing how hard it was to draw moving targets, but she's never been good at sitting still. And Bucky was far too happy to sit solemnly.

The next morning Steve dropped off his forms, and a couple days later he was turned away after his physical. He tried again, but was once again turned away. By the time February rolled around Bucky got his conscription letter, a jarring difference from the pretty scented letters that Rosie still slipped through the door. When Bucky looked at him, regret and a hint of fear in his eyes Steve's heart broke. He didn't want him to go alone.

It wasn't until that night at theirs when Bucky told Rosie of his conscription that the fight broke out.

Rosie was aghast, knowing this was coming but hating it she hugged him and sighed, wished him luck and made him promise to send them letters. Steve had balked at that.

"I'll be going with him," Steve said, his brow furrowed.

"You were conscripted too?" Rosie asked, standing up and clutching her hands together so tight they went white.

"No, but I'll apply again," Steve promised, nodding his head. "They need men,"

"They need men here too." Rosie said. Her eyes flashing quietly as she walked a step towards him. "There's a reason you haven't been conscripted Steve, why try and trick them into it?"

"I have no right to stay home while other men fight and die for their country Rosie," Steve said firmly, looking at the girl he'd been dating for the last month.

"You have a right to live, Steve. That war, that battlefield, there's no glory in it! If you've been spared then take it as the lucky thing it is. Don't make me worry about the two of you. I can't handle losing you both!" She put her hand on Bucky's shoulder, he looked at his feet.

"If I die, it's to protect everything here,"

"You already seem so ready to toss your life away! Resigned that just because some idiot in the government says so that you need to die?! They haven't even said so! Steve, why are you putting yourself in harm's way?"

"Because someone has to,"

"Then let someone else! Wait till you're conscripted! If they make you then I'll understand, but you're purposefully stepping into this fight. It's like you don't value your own life!" Rosie said, her eyes tearing up.

"Maybe I don't, maybe I value this country more!"

"Then maybe you're a goddamn idiot Steve!" Rosie spat, turning on her heel and walking out the door. She didn't shut it as she left, but just let the wind blow through the hole, the bitter cold hitting the boys.

"She just doesn't get it. It's not about her, I have to do what's right," Steve muttered, shutting the door and sitting next to Bucky.

"She's right though Steve, you're running all over town, submitting applications to go to war like it's a holiday for hawaii," Bucky said, his head in his hands.

"I know it's not all sunshine and rainbows Buck! But I can't stay home! What if they win? What if they get here, they get to Rosie? Huh? What if someone kills a guy on our side that would have been alive if I wasn't a damn coward?"

"I wouldn't go," Bucky said, looking at him. "If I wasn't conscripted I'd stayed home and been goddamn thankful for it. I don't wanna go out there Stevie, and I don't want it for you either,"

"I know I'm small Buck," Steve said in a little voice, "I can't lift much or run far, I know that! But, I have to do as much as I can. I couldn't let someone else die in my place. You know that, Rosie knows that. She just needs to get used to the idea."

Bucky nodded sadly.

"I hope you're right Steve,"

So the lovebirds are fighting! Remember, right now Rosie has no idea Steve is Captain America, all she knows is that the war is an awful place with a horrific death toll, and the boy she likes is always about one cough away from his bed.