As the Avengers rose from their seats after dinner, Kayla scrambled to her feet to beat them to her assistant, causing Tiffany to look up at her with a look of confusion and nervousness.

"I need you to make a reservation at Plume, the restaurant at The Jefferson."

Tiffany shook a little in mock panic, making fun of her boss for her hushed voice and rushed words, "Okay? For six?"

"No." Kayla hissed back, giving her best friend a look of disgust, "No, for two. For me and him."

Tiffany's face stretched in understanding, as she let out a prolonged 'oh'. Kayla smiled up at the Avengers sweetly before yanking Tiffany away.

Natasha narrowed her gaze and asked, "Restroom?"

"It'll be just down the hall on the left!" Tiffany called to the assassin, then lowered her head and dropped her voice to speak with her boss, "Are you crazy? You aren't allowed to leave!"

"He's Captain America, I don't think I could be safer with anyone in the world!" Kayla whined and Tiffany opened her mouth to argue, but Bruce wandered up to them, causing both women to straighten and smiled, "Is there anything I can help you with, Doctor Banner?" Tiffany asked as Kayla clenched both her hands behind her back.

"I was just wondering if I could get a car back to the hotel after the press conference? I'd like to get some meditation in after the past couple of days, and between you and me, Stark's getting on my last nerve." Bruce said, looking over his shoulder with a grin as Tony made the First Lady laugh loudly at his expressive stories. Bruce looked back to Kayla, "I'd love to talk more about your work. Perhaps once things calm down a bit, we can have a meeting of the minds?"

"I'd love that, truly, Doctor Banner. It's been such an honor to meet you." Kayla told him honestly as she grabbed his hand in both of hers. He nodded his thanks, then wandered away, allowing Kayla to turn back to Tiffany and sneer, "Tiff, please. Make the reservation. Tell them not to say a word to anyone, and to reserve a private table in the back."

"What are you going to do? Sneak out of the White House?"

"It wouldn't be the first time!" Kayla whispered back, looking up to see her father talking with Steve. She melted a little at the sight of him, eyes roaming down his tall figure. "Look at him, Tiff. He's an Adonis." Kayla tilted her head a little, allowing herself a good look at his ass as her hair fell onto Tiffany's shoulder. "I need him."

"Say those exact words to your father, and I'll make the reservation." Tiffany laughed, already typing away on her tablet. She looked up at her best friend from under her lashes after a few moments and muttered, "Seven-thirty. They'll hold the Chef's Table for you and keep quiet about your presence until after you're gone."

"Sounds perfect. Now I just have to go convince my parents to let me go." Kayla raised her fist, and Tiffany bumped it before the blonde floated across the room to where her father and Steve stood talking.

"Hey Peanut." Mathew said, causing Kayla to cringe at her nickname in front of the man she hoped would ravish her later that night. The President saw the embarrassment grow on his daughter's face and continued, "Captain Rogers has asked for my permission to take you to dinner this evening at the hotel. I'm assuming that's something you'd be interested in?"

Kayla looked to Steve in surprise, but he stood with his hands latched onto the front of his belt, not a care in the world as he waited for her answer. "Yes. We spoke about it at lunch... I didn't think you'd let me go."

"Well, Steve here," Mathew pat Steve hard on the back, but the soldier didn't even flinch, "has assured me that he'll be a perfect gentleman and make sure you're well taken care of. I don't think anyone has asked for my permission to take you out since... ever really."

Kayla could tell her father was impressed, and that was something she didn't realize she wanted. "Well," Kayla looked up at Steve and the corner of his mouth turned up into a tiny smile, "I guess he's just a little old fashioned." Steve's smile disappeared and Kayla amended her statement by adding quietly, "It's refreshing, actually."

Matthew looked at his watch, then to his wife, "Honey, it's almost time. We should get moving." He then turned to Steve with a proud smile, "If we don't get to speak again, take good care of her tonight."

"Oh, I'm sure he will." Kayla teased and Steve's cheeks turned scarlet, resulting in airy laughter from Kayla, "I'm just teasing you! If it gets late, I'll get a room and stay over. Then a car can come collect me in the morning." Kayla told her father and he hummed as Sandra took his arm.

"I'll expect to see you in the morning, then." Mathew said coolly and Sandra shook her head knowingly, patting her husband on the arm. They led the way out of the dining room toward the front lawn, followed by Tony and Pepper and the other Avengers.

Only Steve remained with Kayla as Tiffany waited impatiently by the door. The man looked down and Kayla beamed up at him, "What time shall I expect you, Miss Ellis?"

"Meet me in the lobby at seven fifteen. Tiffany will make a reservation." Kayla told Steve, dancing her fingers across the place where his shirt-cuff met his skin. She looked over her shoulder, her blonde locks bouncing as she walked, "See you then."

The press conference had been long, and the photo shoot that followed even longer. Kayla had vanished after lunch, and Steve felt a void in her place. He'd spoken alongside the President, giving information about The Battle of New York and SHIELD's involvement. Steve had sworn that SHIELD, and the Avengers if need be, would be working around the clock to ensure a safer Post-Invasion world. President Ellis answered most of the questions, including the question from the dark haired reporter from earlier about whether Kayla Ellis had left her boyfriend to chase after Captain America.

The crowd laughed alongside Matthew at the question and he grinned into the mic as he addressed her, "You'll have to ask my daughter about that, but I couldn't complain if she took a liking to such a polite young man."

Steve blushed as the President turned to him with a grin, then Matthew shrugged and turned back to the crowd, "Only time will tell I guess."

By the time the press conference was over, the team was ready to retreat back to the solitude of their hotel rooms. Even Natasha and Clint, who had been joined at the hip all day, were ready to put some distance between them. As the President's aid, Travis, held open the door to the limo, Clint called loudly to Bruce, "Don't Hulk out! I know it's been a long day, but this is a nice ride."

Bruce didn't find his joke funny and exhaled loudly as he slipped in behind Natasha, leaving only Steve outside the car. He'd hoped he'd see Kayla again before he left, but she, nor her assistant, had been seen since lunch.

He ducked his head and settled in next to Bruce, looking out the tinted windows as the door was closed and they were sent away.

By 7:10, Steve was already in the lobby of The Jefferson, awaiting his date. He wore the same thing he'd had on earlier, hoping if it was nice enough to meet the President of the United States, it would fit the dress code of wherever they were eating. After admiring every framed photo and painting adorning the walls, he finally took a seat in a chair near the door, beginning to wonder if she would come in the back way to avoid attention.

By 7:20, Steve was beginning to worry that he'd been stood up. Perhaps she'd gotten cold feet, or her father had changed his mind and demanded she stay home. Either way, Steve would have appreciated the heads up if she wasn't coming.

By 7:24, Steve felt like an idiot. He'd put himself out there, really for the first time since before the serum. He'd asked girl's out before the war, they just always said no. He'd become accustomed to rejection, but he had to admit, it still stung. Once he became Captain America, women fell at his feet, but he was too busy to date. Only Peggy Carter had piqued his fancy, because she saw him as so much more than a super soldier. They had a date.

Last time Steve had a date, he was the one to not show.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, traffic was awful! So many people here after New York."

Steve looked up to see Kayla Ellis pull large black sunglasses from her eyes and shove them into her large black bag. She brushed back a few stray hairs that had caught the frames and fell in her face, smiling down at Steve where he sat. She saw him relax before he said, "I was starting to worry you wouldn't show."

"I was worried you'd think that." Kayla admitted as Steve stood to join her. She smoothed down her black dress, adjusting her belt as she squirmed under his gaze, "Come on, we only have a few more minutes before our reservation." Kayla took Steve's hand and they both looked down at the contact, but Steve wrapped his fingers around her smaller hand and looked up to her eyes, telling her it was okay.

She led Steve toward the most elegant restaurant he'd ever seen. They were greeted with wide eyes and frantic voices, then the manager arrived to lead them toward a small alcove under a skylight. Steve stared at an old fountain that now housed flowers. The host pulled out Kayla's chair for her to sit while the manager addressed her, "I hope this is alright Miss Ellis. We would have closed the restaurant if we had more notice you were coming."

"No, this is lovely. Thank you so much for accommodating us." Kayla said sweetly, and Steve noticed how surprised the host looked at her kind words while pouring them each ice water. Kayla looked around, pressing her chin to her shoulder as she looked behind at the windows looking into the main dinging room, "Would you mind possibly closing the drapes? I'd really appreciate it if we could keep this dinner private. I'll take photos after if you'd like me to promote the restaurant."

"Of course, Miss Ellis. Please let us know if we can do anything else for you. The chef will be right out." The manager said, shooing away the host quickly to give Steve and Kayla some privacy.

Steve settled into his seat, watching as Kayla studied the little alcove in wonder, "This is so beautiful."

"You should see it from where I'm sitting."

Kayla looked to Steve, seeing the color of his cheeks begin to redden as he smiled down at the table cloth bashfully. Coming from somebody else, that line would have been an effort to lure Kayla into a sense of comfort so they could woo an invitation into her bed as dinner ended. Steve didn't look proud of his comment, he looked embarrassed, which only made Kayla realize how much he meant it and how little he understood flirting. "Thank you." She said quietly, feeling timid for the first time in years. Kayla began to question if her confidence was the result of being an influential woman or if it was just a wall she put up to protect herself from those around her. With Steve Rogers, Kayla felt shy and unnerved, almost as if she was feeding off of his energy.

Steve cleared his throat as the chef arrived and Kayla looked up to greet him warmly. The chef listed off his specials and his recommendations and Kayla nodded along, pursuing the wine list she'd been given by the Sommelier. "I'd like the Eitelsbacher Kroneburg from 69 please. And whatever your favorite specialty is, I'd love to try it." Kayla ordered easily.

Steve scanned the wine list, recognizing the language first to find the correct section. When he saw the price, he looked up with wide eyes, "That's a three hundred dollar bottle-"

"It's rare." Kayla shrugged, handing back her wine list to the Sommelier, "If I'm going to spend my money at all, I want something I can't get anywhere else." At Steve's shocked expression she added, "You can try some if you want, and if you don't like it you can order your own?"

"That sounds great." Steve croaked nervously and the Sommelier grinned as he took Steve's wine list and scurried off to get their bottle. Steve ordered the steak and watched the chef leave, closing the door to the alcove to leave the two alone.

Kayla tapped her fingers against the table as Steve took a long drink of his water. "You're nervous."

"I haven't been on a date... in a long time." Steve settled, deciding that his failed double dates with Bucky could still count as dates. "This is all a little overwhelming."

"I'm sure it is. You've been through a lot." Kayla replied, folding her hands into her lap, but her gaze landed on Steve's hand closest to her. "If we breach any subject you're uncomfortable with, please let me know, okay?"

"I appreciate that. Thank you." Steve scanned Kayla's face, committing her to memory so he could sketch her later. She wore dark brown makeup that made her green eyes pop even more than they had earlier when he'd seen her. Her red lips were lined and sharp, but she rubbed them together, threatening to smudge the hue with her own anxiousness. Steve studied the smooth curve of her jaw and her soft looking skin that had a light layer of makeup covering it. He wondered if she felt as soft as she looked, but knew it was far too early in the evening to find out. "So, you speak German?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes!" Kayla exclaimed, realizing he was referring to her wine. She'd pronounced it far too smoothly for someone who wasn't familiar with the language, "I took two semesters in college, but I did a lot of self teaching in high school." She paused for a moment, "We can talk more about that later. Tell me about you. What was your life like before you were Captain America?"

Steve straightened at her question, noticing the Sommelier approaching from the corner of his eye. The man uncorked Kayla's bottle and poured them each a glass before setting it in an ice bucket beside them. Kayla thanked him and then turned back to Steve expectantly, waiting to hear what he'd tell her.

"Why?" was all he could eek out in response, "I wasn't really important."

Kayla frowned, taking a long sip of her wine as she watched Steve, "Everyone's important, Steve. Clearly you must have had something going for you to be chosen for Project Rebirth."

The soldier's jaw dropped a little. He hadn't heard it referred to that in seventy years, meaning that she really had done her research. "Wouldn't you rather hear about that instead?"

Kayla sat down her wine in front of her and leaned forward on her elbows, "Something I've learned, from talking to a lot of men who fought in World War II, is that they'll tell me war stories and tales of their victories, but they only really smile when they tell me about the girls back home. Tell me something I can't read in a history book, something about young Steve Rogers, the man before the shield."

Steve considered this, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he picked up his own glass of wine and drank it, feeling the strong flavor hit him hard. "That's strong."

"I have a high tolerance and your metabolism, in theory, should burn four times faster than the average man's. Potential side effect, you don't get drunk."

"How do you know that?"

"I'll tell you my secret if you tell me yours." Kayla countered playfully, wanting Steve to open up to her before she spilled out how obsessed she was with him. "Did you have any family?"

"No. My dad died before I was born, in the first World War. Mom died when I was eighteen. I didn't have any other siblings." Steve admitted, not having much to offer Kayla in terms of linage.

Kayla nodded slowly, taking in the information she'd been given, "What did you do for fun? I know it was the Great Depression, but you must have enjoyed something."

"Buck and I would go to Coney Island sometimes, if we could scrounge up the money. I'd go to the pictures. I went to art school."

"Really?" Kayla's eyes lit up and Steve thought his heart might burst right out of his rib cage at the sight. "I didn't picture you as the artist type."

"I like to draw." Steve said timidly, looking down at the wine in his glass, "When the war started though, there wasn't much need for artists. They needed soldiers."

"It was reported that you were denied several times before they finally took you, is that true?" Kayla pressed, her voice softening as the conversation steered away from Steve's hobbies.

"Yeah. I wanted to fight so damn bad." Steve swore, then grimaced apologetically, but Kayla just gestured for him to continue, "My father died a hero. My best friend was drafted, and they didn't want me. They didn't want me, and there was nothing I could do about it. If Buck was going to go oversees and get himself killed, I had the right to do the same."

Kayla took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling beneath the V neckline of her dress, taunting Steve into telling her more. She carefully opened up the large black bag beside her and pulled out a very old, leather bound book. She cradled it against her chest, disrupting Steve's view. "Eventually you were chosen by Erskine, at the Stark Expo, right?"

"Yes." Steve answered, eyes locking onto the book as his mind moved past what it hid, "You know a lot about my history."

"I studied you. Well, I studied Erskine, and you by association. And then Doctor Banner by association. It's because of this." Kayla shoved the tattered book toward Steve and he took it gingerly, running his fingers along the cover before opening it and reading the messy writing on the cover.

Eigentum von Abraham Erskine

Before Steve could ask where she got it, her explanation spilled out, "The first three-fourths of the book are in German. When I found the book, I couldn't read it, but I thought it was cool, so I took it with me. It wasn't until I got home and flipped through to the back that I realized who it belonged to and the significance of it."

"Where did you find this?" Steve practically growled, scanning the German quickly, "This is his journal."

"I know." Kayla admitted carefully, fiddling with her fingers beneath the tablecloth, "When my dad was running for Senate, we took a trip to New Jersey. SHIELD was moving from Camp Lehigh to a more state of the art base. My family all went, Dad said it could be educational for me." Kayla explained and Steve raised his brow and she shrugged, "No offense, but it wasn't. I was sixteen and instead of hanging out with my friends for the summer, I was campaigning with my parents. They were moving everything out and I noticed something fall from a box. This book." Kayla gestured to the journal.

"You didn't give it back?" Steve asked in shock, and Kayla's guilty look and possession of the book told him his answer, "You stole it."

"I was a teenager, and it was something to read on a boring ass political trail. And it's not like I didn't try! After I picked it up, I tried to figure out who dropped it, but I couldn't. I carried it out with me and nobody said anything. It wasn't until I Googled who Abraham Erskine was that I realized what I'd found. I saw that the end was in English, but I went back and I translated the whole beginning by hand. It took me until my sophomore year of college to finally understand everything he'd written, but the English part was the most fascinating. His work with Project Rebirth here in the states." Kayla reached out for her journal and Steve considered keeping it. He was the last person to ever see Erskine alive, and he didn't believe the man would want this young woman to have all his hard work and research to herself.

Kayla saw his train of thought and took his silence as a refusal, so she shrugged and continued to tell her tale as he held her most prized possession, "By the time I started college I knew what I had was worth something, and that if I had any chance of using Erskine's journal as scientific evidence, I needed to obtain the book officially. Tiffany used some of her mom's old CIA contacts to put it up for auction, explaining exactly what it was and leaving out how they got it."

"And let me guess, you were the only one who had enough money to outbid everyone else?" Steve supplied, taking another drink of the wine.

Kayla laughed, shaking her head, "I mean, yes, I was, I outbid everyone, but it was only because I had no money in the game. I already had the book, I just had to make it look like I bought it. Once I had it, it was mine."

"How come SHIELD never mentioned it to me?" Steve wondered, looking down at the worn cover, "Does it mention me?"

"Yes. In the end, in great detail. Every attribute of you that Erskine found to be a match for his serum." Kayla said slowly, "I'm very close to recreating it. The problem isn't the missing formula, it's the missing vita rays. That's why Doctor Banner used Gamma Radiation, as a substitute. Nobody is sure how to create the vita rays, which is what causes the serum to react properly. That's why Johann Schmidt happened." Kayla warned quietly, dropping the conversation and smiling grandly as the chef arrived with their food.

Steve handed the journal back to Kayla quickly and she studied him, surprised he gave it up so easily. They thanked the chef as he set their meal out before them before retreating to leave the couple alone. Kayla carefully slid the book back into her bag, then turned back to Steve excitedly, "So, vita rays. Nobody in the modern time can figure out what they are, but it's in the book. Early on, in the heap of German that nobody here bothered to read." Kayla mumbled, slicing her meal and taking a bite as Steve considered this information.

"So you're saying the formula for the serum is in that book?"

"More or less. There's the original formula, the one Schmidt took that wasn't ready. And then there are adjustments. It's not a recipe, it would take trial and error, but for all intents and purposes, it's spelled out right here." Kayla exclaimed and Steve's color drained from his face.

"Miss Ellis, you can't let anyone find it. You have to destroy it." Steve said evenly, feeling guilty about destroying Erskine's life's work. It wasn't worth the risk though. Some things were better left in the past.

"I know." Kayla said softly, scooping up some of her mashed potatoes, "But even if somebody found it, even if somebody translated it, they can't make the vita rays. We lack the knowledge to safely create the reaction."

"That's why Doctor Banner is the Hulk."

"And that's why all those mice in college I was supposed to dissect blew up without any cause." Kayla grumbled, finishing the last of her wine and pouring herself another glass. Steve's brow raised and she continued, "I'd never test it on live animals. Or people. Only the dead ones. Nobody needs to dissect another rat, I'm trying to perfect the human race."

"You said it can't be done." Steve replied, feeling more at ease with the blonde's failures. He was impressed with her dedication though. She'd worked hard to figure out Erskine's serum and she was passionate about it. Kayla fiddled with the salt shaker silently, avoiding Steve's gaze. He realized she was hiding something, "You said it isn't safe to use the vita rays."

"Not in their intended form, no. It's meant to be a gas, but... what if we could change its form? Its a reactor, right? So it's the same formula, but the reactor could be liquid or solid. In theory, if we could figure out how to translate the vita rays into a liquid, the serum could be drank and work exactly the same." Kayla explained slowly, setting down the salt shaker. Steve didn't look amused by her theory, so she sighed, "It's just a thought. I'm not allowed to 'play with chemicals' anymore, anyway. But think about what the serum could do for people. Think about how we could help people, the way Erskine helped you."

Steve had experienced knife stabs that hurt less than that remark. She was right. If it could be done, the serum could be used to help people, and she was right here with the book in hand and knowledge to use it. With Steve's help, she could crack the key to the original formula.

"It's not safe. I know that." Kayla finally said, reaching over and grabbing Steve's hand boldly, "If you say I should leave it be, I will. This is your life, your legacy, that he left behind. If you don't want anyone to find out how you operate, I'll destroy it. But I wanted you to see it first."

"How about I keep the book." Steve suggested and Kayla reached down to take it out again, "Keep it for now. After dinner you can bring it up to my room, and I'll make sure to keep it safe."

"Okay." Kayla accepted, giving his hand a squeeze, "Are you afraid of me?"

"No. I think you're an impressive woman." Steve told her truthfully, then continued on with his admissions, "I'll admit, you make me a little nervous with all of that," Steve gestured toward her bag, "but you might be the only person on the planet that actually understands what I went through, and why it was me."

Kayla nodded, eyes unblinking as she waited for Steve to continue, "So, you'll see me again?"

Steve laughed, "The night isn't even over yet. I haven't even gotten to my war stories."