Hi everyone! So just want to give you all a heads up that this weekend is going to be a busy one, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do much writing. I've been trying to keep posting new chapters daily, but no promises on how much I get done this weekend. I will post as soon as I can, because I LOVE making this story come to life. And I know you all enjoy getting to read what happens next! Thanks again for all the follows and reviews I've been getting! You all fuel me to keep going and just know that I have so much appreciation for you! With that being said-here's the mandatory disclaimer that I do not own Marvel and it's characters. I hope you like this next chapter! Enjoy! Xoxo-NickyLynn
Rose stood across from Colonel Phillips in the tattered remains of the lab, Howard and Peggy on either side of her. Phillips had called them all in the next day to discuss the future of Project Rebirth and she couldn't help the anger that was beginning to burn within her as she stood listening to him. It seemed he cared more about what would become of the project than he cared about giving them time to mourn the loss of their friend.
"So, you're telling me that there's no other vials of the Serum?" he asked them, rubbing his temples tiredly.
"No." she told him, her voice sounding hollow, even to her own ears. "What was here in the lab was it." She said, gesturing behind her.
"And all that time working with him on this project, you never picked up anything? He never shared any part of the formula with you?" he asked her for what felt like the hundredth time. Rose's fist tightened as she turned her head in thought. She knew what he wanted. He wanted her to continue in Abraham's work and help the government create another round of super-soldiers. In truth, she was more than capable of replicating the serum, especially after he had passed onto her his notebook. But, after spending the entire night in deep thought over everything, she had been hesitant to say the least.
Rose kept repeating Abraham's last words over and over in her head, and she knew that without him there to have a say in how or on who his serum was used, weapons would be all the government would be concerned with creating. A heavy burden had been placed on her shoulders and she was being crushed under the weight of it. She chewed on the back of her lip for a moment before looking back over to Phillips. "I'm sorry Colonel, but that formula died with Dr. Erskine." She chose to tell him.
Phillips let out a sigh, running a hand over his haggard face. "Do you know how much time and resources went into this project…..all for what? One man is not an army. This project was a failure." He said.
Rose felt her anger spike with her heart rate at his words. "This project was Dr. Erskine's life's work. It was his legacy….and it most certainly was not a failure." She bit out, upset.
"Even so, this is where it ends. Thank you for your service, Ms. Rogers, but it's time for you to go home." He told her.
"And what about Steve?" she asked him, with furrowed brows.
"What about him?" he responded.
"What will you do with him? You may not have gotten your army, but you still got an incredibly gifted soldier." she said.
"Your brother will be sent to Alamogordo for training and further experimentation. He's not ready for battle and honestly, he's about as useless to me as he was two days ago." He told her earnestly, choosing not to spare her any hurt feeling his honesty might have caused her. "But your work with the S.S.R. is over and this is no longer a concern of yours. I'd like to thank you, again, for all that you have done, but your job is done."
Rose drew in a deep breath, nodding her head in understanding. "Sir, if I may ask a request from you?" she said, looking over at him seriously. "I joined this project because I wanted to do my part in keeping any more of our men from dying overseas. My work with Project Rebirth may be done, but I was thinking that there are still other ways for me to help out. Would you be able to get me enlisted onto the front lines as a medic?" she asked him.
This wasn't a request she took lightly. In fact, she had spent a great deal of time debating on what she should do with her life moving forward. Steve no longer needed her looking after him, Project Rebirth was dismantled and, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that going into the front lines…helping the wounded men who had been valiantly fighting to bring an end to this war…it was where she was needed most…where she could help the most. "I'd like to continue doing my part for this country." She told him.
"A bright mind like yours would be an asset on the front lines. God knows those men can get all the help they can get." He said, surprised by her request. "Are you sure about this?"
Rose gave him a stiff nod. "Yes, sir." She said with determination.
"Well alright then, I'll pull some strings and see what I can do." He told her, giving her a proud smile before turning and leaving.
"You sure about this?" Peggy asked Rose, looking over at the woman who had become her friend in concern. "You're sure you want to be sent out there….to the front lines?" she asked.
Rose nodded, crossing her arms in front of her. "I'm sure."
"You know you always have a place within Stark Industries, if you ever want it." Howard said, causing Rose to turn and look at him. She smiled over at him.
"Thank you Howard, that means a lot to me, but this is something I have to do." She told him, giving him a small smile. "Thank you for everything Howard." She said, eyes shining with unshed tears. "These last two years have meant more to me than you could ever know."
"Ah, come here." Howard said, taking a step towards her and pulled her into a tight hug. Rose returned the embrace, sighing into his warm hold. "Take care of yourself Rose." He told her as they drew apart.
"You, too." She smiled up at him before turning to look at Peggy. "And try not to drive Agent Carter too crazy." She added with a laugh.
"Oh, I assure you he already has." Peggy said with a chuckle. "Come on then, I'll give you a ride home."
"Thanks." Rose said, moving away from Howard and followed behind Peggy as they walked up the stairs and towards the exit. Rose paused at the top of the landing, looking back down at the lab one last time. Her eyes took in the image, her heart lurching with all the memories it brought. She drew in a deep breath before making her silent goodbye and turned to follow Peggy down the corridor, leaving the lab and the memories it was filled with behind her.
When the two women pulled up to the side of the road in front of Rose's apartment complex they sat in silence for moment before Rose turned in her seat to face Peggy. "You'll look after him for me, won't you?" she asked. "Steve, I mean."
Peggy looked over at her in slight surprise. "I'll do what I can." She promised.
"I saw the way you two look at each other, you know." Rose told her with a smile.
Peggy looked back out the windshield, refusing to meet Rose's gaze. "I haven't the foggiest what you mean." She told her.
"Of course not." Rose laughed. "Just look after him for me while I'm gone, okay? And yourself."
Peggy looked back over to her with a small smile. "It's been an absolute pleasure working with you, Rose."
"You, too. It's been nice….having another woman to show these men how it's done." Rose told her with a smirk before reaching across the small space and wrapping her arms around the British woman who had managed to worm her way deep into Rose's heart. "Give them hell for me." She told her as she pulled away with a wink.
"Always do." Peggy replied, smiling over at Rose as she reached for the door handle. "Goodbye, Ms. Rogers." She said as Rose pushed open the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk.
Rose turned around, hand still holding the door open. "Agent Carter." She said, bringing her hand up to her temple in a mock salute before dropping it and shutting the car door. Rose watched as the vehicle began pulling away from the curb and gave the woman driving it a wave as she drove away.
Later that night Rose received a phone call from Phillips. As it turned out, he didn't even have to pull many strings to get her enlisted. Medical help on the front lines was in high demand and she would be sent out on the next ship. He told her she had the rest of the week as a civilian but come Friday she would be on her way to Europe as an official military nurse. She thanked the Colonel before hanging up and dropped herself down on the couch. She drew in a breath as she came to terms with her decision and the impact it would make on her future.
By the time Steve made it back to the apartment the next day, Rose already had her suitcase pulled out and was packing up what she would be bringing with her overseas. She had the radio turned up in the living room, giving herself background music while she worked, so she didn't hear the door open, or Steve come in. Which meant when she saw him out of the corner of her eye, standing in her doorway, she let out a high-pitched scream and jumped nearly a foot into the air.
Steve couldn't help but laugh as Rose planted a hand over her heart, feeling the rapid fluttering within her chest from the sudden adrenaline rush. "Lord have mercy Steve! You scared me half to death!" she reprimanded. "I'm not use to you being so…" she trailed off, motioning a hand up and down his newly transformed body. "big." She finished.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to give you a fright." He told her, still smiling. His smile faltered as he looked down at her luggage and the pile of clothes she had strewn about on her bed. "You're going to London, too, aren't you." He said, crossing his arms.
"Wait. Who is going to London?" she asked him, confused.
"Peggy and Howard. Colonel Phillips gave the orders today. The S.S.R. is being reassigned to fighting Hydra in London." He explained.
"Oh." Rose said, blinking in surprise, this being the first time she heard the news. "No, my work with the S.S.R. is done. I didn't even know they were being reassigned." She told him.
Steve's eyebrows dropped in confusion. "Then where are you going?" he asked her.
"I've asked Colonel Phillips to get me enlisted in the military as a nurse. I'm going to Europe….to do what I can to keep our men alive." She explained.
"You're going to the front lines?" he asked her in a low voice, upset that she, too, was being sent to the one place he was fighting so hard to get to.
She nodded. "What about you?" she asked him. "Phillips told me that he'd be sending you to New Mexico for more training."
Steve shook his head and she could see the disappointment etched into his face. "No. Though the Senator offered me a position as a Captain." He told her.
A smile pulled up her lips. "A Captain?" she asked, impressed. Her smile fell when she noticed how upset he looked.
"You're looking at the new 'Captain America'-the new face of the nation…they want to use me as a promotional symbol to sell war bonds." He explained further.
Rose's smile dropped into a full frown. "You're joking, right?" she asked. By the look on his face, she could tell he wasn't. She let out a scoff at the ridiculousness of it. "Colonel Phillips is an idiot." She said, suddenly filled with the urge to smack some sense into the older man. "Abraham gave his life to creating this new and improved you! You were meant to turn the tides of this war!" she nearly shouted in anger.
"Believe me, I know." He said, equally as upset. "But they're not giving me a choice. They won't let me fight."
Rose let out a breath as she shook her head in disbelief. "I'm sorry Steve….this isn't….this isn't how any of this was supposed to go." She told him, her mind drifting over everything that had happened the last few days.
"I know." He said, before his eyes fell back on her suitcase. "You sure about this?" he asked.
Rose looked from the suitcase, back up to her brother. "Well, you don't need anyone looking after you anymore." She said with a small smile. "Most certainly not your sister. I know I could just keep working away at school, but I think this is just something I have to do." She said, knowing he of all people would understand. "I joined Project Rebirth because I wanted to do my part in ending this bloody war. The project may be over, but I still want to do what I can to keep our men from dying."
"They'll be lucky to have you." Steve told her.
She gave him a sad smile, it suddenly dawning on her that she only had a few days left with him. "Come on Captain, how about we go get a bite to eat at the diner…my treat." She said, wanting to spend some time with him.
He smiled down at her. "That sounds nice."
The siblings spent as much time together as they could over the next few days, but Friday came sooner than either of them would have liked and before they knew it, they were standing on the pier, staring up at the large vessel that would carry her to Europe. The dock was full of men in uniform, saying their own goodbyes to their loved ones as they boarded as well. Rose felt her hands growing sweaty as her nerves kicked up.
"Well, looks like this is it." Steve said from her side, drawing her attention over to him.
"I guess so." She agreed.
"You still sure about this?" he asked her again, feeling himself worry over her safety, once again.
"No." she replied honestly, feeling overwhelmed by her nerves as she stared up at the imposing ship. "But I've made my choice. I'm doing this." She told him with a nod as she tried to steel herself against her trepidation.
Steve wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. Rose wrapped her own arms around him and couldn't help but notice the drastic difference since the last time she hugged him. Where once she felt like she would break him should she accidently squeeze too hard, now she felt like she would be the one doing the breaking. She let herself cling to his tall form for a moment, very aware that there was a chance she would not make it out of Europe alive. The tears began to fall from her cheeks as they held each other, both of them holding onto the only family they had left. When Rose pulled back after several minutes, Steve wiped the tears from one of her cheeks with a sad smile.
"Take care of yourself, okay? And I'll write as often as I can." She said in between shaky breaths.
"Be careful over there, Rose." He said back.
"I love you, Stevie." She said, smiling up at him as brightly as she could.
"Love you, too." He responded.
Rose pulled him into one more quick embrace before pulling back and grabbing hold of her suitcase on the ground next to her. With their goodbyes being said, Rose turned around and started making her way over to the loading dock. She stepped into the line of boarding soldiers, doctors and other nurses, her heart beating so loud, she feared everyone around her would be able to hear it.
"Name?" a soldier with a clipboard asked her when she made it to the edge of the walkway that connected the dock to the ship.
"Rogers, Rose." She replied, shifting her grip on her luggage.
The man flipped through the pages in his hand for a moment before he found her name. "Welcome aboard Ms. Rogers." He said, giving her a smile.
"Thanks." She answered before taking a step forward onto the walkway. Her footsteps echoed around her, her steps vibrating through the metal flooring beneath her as she walked up the path. She paused, looking back over her shoulder as she realized once she stepped foot on the ship, her fate was sealed. Her gaze swept over the crowd on the dock below as she searched for her brother. Her eyes landed on Steve, who stood in the same spot she had left him. She watched as he waved up at her. She pulled up a hand and returned the gesture before facing the ship once again and finished making the small walk up to it. She stepped over the lip of the doorway and knew there was no turning back.
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