March 2, 1942 – Prospect Park, New York City, New York

It was warm for March in New York City that day. Almost seventy degrees, rain drizzling lazily all over the town. The sky was gray, but there was light behind the clouds, signaling that yes, the sun was up there somewhere. I felt a bit overdressed with my rain jacket on, but I didn't feel like soaking head to toe, which was a weak excuse, considering the rain was barely coming down.

Beside me walked Frank Jackson, who had just gotten back last week from basic training in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I wasn't sure how it happened or how he found me, but we'd been spending quite a bit of time together since he got back. He'd showed up last Monday on the door step of the Recruitment Center in his army formal wear, looking handsomer than ever. I found myself agreeing to a date for the first time ever, which I knew was a bad decision.

Frank had informed me on everything that had happened in the past three months that he'd been gone. He'd be joining the 67th Infantry Regiment in the 9th Infantry Division. His lieutenant was apparently a big brute of a man who didn't take anyone's crap. Frank had been directly promoted to corporal by his staff sergeant and he really liked to show off his badge. They were being deployed in November to North Africa. Thousands of miles away.

I wasn't sure why that bothered me. He was a soldier. Soldiers got deployed. It wasn't like it was uncommon. Still, though, it rubbed me the wrong way.

We had just finished dinner and Frank was walking me home, back to my apartment in Brooklyn. It had been our fourth date in the past week. I wasn't used to spending that much time with a guy that wasn't my brother. It was odd, but I definitely didn't mind it.

I wasn't exactly sure how I felt about Frank. He was a sweet guy and very attractive, but he was my first date. My very first date, ever. I didn't know what to make of all of the emotions that were rolling around inside of me like a kaleidoscope while I was around him. On the other hand, he was the first guy that met all of my standards, and that had to count for something. Manners were a rarity to find and Frank was one of the few men I'd ever met that possessed them. He didn't treat me like a piece of meat, but as a human, and I wasn't sure if what I felt toward him for that was graciousness or attraction.

On the other hand, I supposed I had time to figure it out.

"AJ?"

"Hm?" I looked at Frank and it took me a second to realize we were no longer in Prospect Park. Cars rumbled down the road of the inner city and familiar buildings surrounded me. We were on the steps to my apartment building.

Frank smiled at me, all brilliant white teeth. He raked his hand through his blond hair, his gaze never breaking from mine. "We're, uh, we're back at your place."

"I noticed," I drawled.

Frank's expression seemed to turn a bit sheepish and his neck flushed a bit. "Right, so you have," he said. An awkward silence ensued, and it was the first time that it ever had between us. Frank and I just clicked, so I wasn't used to the strange quiet that enveloped us.

"So, listen, Adelyn, I've been meaning to ask you somethin'—"

"Whoa, hold up, take a step back there, cowboy," I interrupted, holding a hand up.

Frank froze, midsentence, his mouth hanging open. "Yeah?"

"Did you just call me 'Adelyn'?" I asked, a laugh bubbling up in my throat.

Frank's blush grew deeper, a shade of red so dark, that it contrasted violently with his olive drab shirt, making him look like an off-color Christmas tree. "Um, yeah, I-I guess I did. Is that alright?"

I was a bit caught off-guard by his response. No one called me 'Adelyn' unless it was my parents and they were angry at me. And then after that would follow 'Juliet' and then I really knew I was in trouble. I knitted my eyebrows together and cocked my head at Frank. "Um, sure, if you want, I mean."

Frank visibly relaxed, but only slightly. "Oh, good. Okay, so like I was saying, I've been meaning to ask you something." He took a deep breath and cleared his throat, wringing his hands.

Oh no. I knew that expression. It was the same one I'd wore before my graduation speech. The same hand wringing and nervous throat clearing. Frank was about to give me a speech. And I had a feeling that this wasn't going to be a speech I was ready to hear.

"So, we've spent quite a bit of time together these past two weeks, and I've had a great time with you, Adelyn. You're everything my mama told me to look for in a girl. Pretty, intelligent, with a dash of dry humor. 'That's what you want, Frankie,' she used to say. 'Find one just like that and never let her go.' And I don't intend on letting you go."

I opened my mouth to interrupt, a heavy blush settling on my cheeks as I realized what he was insinuating, but Frank held a hand up.

"Just...just let me finish. I know we've only been seeing each other for the past couple weeks, but I feel like we've come a long way. You opened up to me, which something tells me you don't do often, especially with guys. I really, really like you, Adelyn. I've took a few women out on dates, but I've never really felt something like this with them. You're special, AJ. Special to me, whether you think so or not.

"So I wrestled with the idea of how to ask you this for the past day or so and this speech was what I came up with."

"What—"

Frank reached out and took my hand, kissing it softly, effectively silencing me. The most physical contact we'd ever had was holding hands in the park and a quick hug as we'd said goodbye. He was close to me, closer than he'd ever been, a nervous smile playing across his lips. "So, Adelyn Juliet Frost...will you go steady with me?"

I was stunned. I'd never even been on a single date before Frank, much less go steady with anyone. Did he realize what he was asking me? To actually date-date him? Exclusively? I grasped for words to say, something, anything, but nothing was coming to mind. My thought process had shut down. I know it was stupid, it wasn't like he was asking me to marry him, but for little innocent me, he might as well have been.

I didn't get a chance to answer though as a convertible pulled up to the side of the road. My glassy eyes fixed on the driver as he climbed out of the car and pulled off his aviator sunglasses, sliding them into his chest pocket on his gray suit vest and started toward Frank and me. He came to a halt, eyes wide as his gaze flickered between me and the solider holding my hand.

"Am I interrupting?" asked Howard Stark, his tone suspicious, eyes narrowed at Frank.

"No," I squeaked out as Frank said, "Yes," in a slightly threatened tone.

"Okay...uh, Doctor Erskine believes he's made a significant breakthrough in the vaccine," said Howard, his gaze finally shifting to me. "He wants you to come in."

"A vaccine? You're working on a vaccine with Howard Stark? Isn't he an engineer?" demanded Frank. Before I could respond, Frank whirled on Howard. "Aren't you an engineer?"

"I am, but I'm funding the vaccine," said Howard smoothly. Howard and I had become quite the liars as we learned to cover up our work on Project Rebirth in the company of others. We had enough code words that we were able to have an entire discussion about the serum in public without anyone thinking twice about it.

But even though over the last few months Howard and I became close friends and impeccable liars, we'd never thought of the answer to one question. The question that Frank asked next:

"Vaccine for what?"

"Vaccine for what?" Howard repeated, somewhat confused.

"Yeah, a vaccine for what?" asked Frank again, looking a tad impatient.

Howard met my eyes over Frank's shoulder and gave me a look that said What do I say?

I shrugged, hoping to convey the message I don't know, don't ask me!

"Right, the vaccine's purpose. Why don't you tell your boyfriend here what the vaccine is for, Ms. Frost?" said Howard, gesturing broadly to me.

I shot Howard a downright murderous glare before Frank turned around. Once Frank was facing me and a smile was plastered on my face, Howard mouthed to me, Sorry.

"The vaccine is for...polio," I managed, proud that my voice didn't betray the lie. "And he's not my boyfriend," I added.

"Polio?" Frank asked, his nose screwed up adorably, but when he heard my next words, he seemed to deflate and I instantly felt bad.

I cleared my throat. "Polio," I confirmed. "They had a close one back in '36, but it didn't work. Stark's funding me and another doctor's work."

A huge smile broke out on Frank's face, the disappointment on his features dissipating completely. "That's wonderful, AJ! My little cousin has polio, I'm so proud of you!"

My heart broke as he spoke. I said a silent prayer that Frank would never find out that I wasn't actually working on a polio vaccine to help his cousin. Howard was staring at me in horror when he heard Frank's words and drawing a finger across his neck sending one message clearly: Abort mission.

I cleared my throat and looked at Howard. "So you need me then, Mr. Stark?"

Howard stopped jerking his finger across his throat as Frank looked at him. "Right, um, yes, A-Ms. Frost. We need you. Right now."

"Okay, I'll meet you in the car." I looked back at Frank as Howard retreated to his convertible.

"Can we talk about this later?"

"Later?" asked Frank, "But—"

Howard honked the horn as he started the vehicle.

"I'm sorry, Frank, really, but this is really important. I'll call you, okay?"

"Uh, okay," said Frank, dropping my hand, looking thoroughly defeated.

What happened next, I'm not sure why I did it. Maybe it was because I wanted to. Maybe I just felt bad for the guy. Whatever it was, it happened. I touched Frank's clean-shaven cheek and gave him a feather light peck on the lips, maybe half a second long. When I pulled away, I hurried down the stairs and climbed in the passenger seat of Howard's car.

Howard, who had put back on his sunglasses, pulled them down a fraction on his nose. "Did you just do what I think you did?" he asked, eyes narrowed.

I groaned. "Just drive, would ya?"

Howard chuckled heartily and pulled away from the curb, honking his horn. I glanced back at Frank, who was still standing on the stairs to my apartment building, a confused expression on his face, his hand in the air as a way to say goodbye.

_

The ride to the SSR base was, in one word, long. The silence between Howard and I was practically unbearable. The warm spring wind was blowing my hair in all kinds of directions as Howard had the car's top down. He drove with his eyes not leaving the road once to look at me, which Howard never did. He wasn't exactly a model driver, but today he seemed to be.

"Would you please talk to me?" I whined, my voice coming out much more annoying than I had intended.

Howard was silent. He turned his head to look at me slightly, and then his eyes went right back to the road. After a few beats of silence, I was about to say something, but Howard beat me to it. "Polio..." he said slowly. "You just told him you're working on the vaccine...for polio." He wrinkled his nose. "Couldn't you have come up with something less...I don't know, less groundbreaking?"

I flung my hands in the air. "I didn't exactly have time to come up with a quality lie, Howard! You kinda put me on the spot!"

"I suppose I did," admitted Howard. Then a disbelieving grin came across his face. "You told him you're working on a polio vaccine," he drawled, "and his cousin has polio."

I groaned and leaned back, my head smacking against the headrest. "I know, I know. I'm never living this one down."

"If they ever actually do come up with a polio vaccine and that guy survives the war? Yeah, you're definitely never living it down," snorted Howard between laughs. "And then...and then you...you kissed him!"

"Not a word to Erskine!" I growled lowly. "Look, Frank is just...just a friend."

"Seemed to be a lot more than a friend ten minutes ago."

"Is that jealousy I detect, Stark?" I teased.

Howard raised an eyebrow and I saw his eyes roll behind his sunglasses. "Not on your life, Frost. Not on your life."

"Whatever. He's a nice guy and I...I wouldn't mind going steady with him," I mumbled.

"Going steady?" said Howard, disbelief coloring his tone. He looked at me sharply. "Who said anything about going steady?" Understanding dawned on him a moment later and he stared at me as we came to a stoplight. "Did Frank...did he just ask you to go steady?"

"He might have," I said in an uncharacteristically small voice.

"And if I may inquire, what did you say?!"

"I didn't!"

"You didn't?!"

"I didn't get the chance to! That's when you pulled up and interrupted!"

"Aw, shoot, I ruined your moment didn't I?" whined Howard.

"No, no," I said quickly, "you were fine. Actually, thank you for that."

"Thank you?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome? I think?"

I sighed. "Look, Howard, I've...I've never actually dated anyone before, okay? That's why I'm so nervous. I know it's not a big deal, but it just is to me."

"Well, how long have you known this guy?"

I glanced over at Howard, whose voice had taken on a noticeably serious tone to it. There was no smirk on his face, no laughter bubbling up. He looked like he actually wanted to be helpful, which was mildly terrifying, especially since this was my practically nonexistent love life we were talking about.

Howard looked at my bewildered expression and rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to be helpful, AJ, don't look so surprised. You're like a little sister to me; it's my job to question you about boys."

"Please," I drawled, "I have enough big brothers to make my life a nightmare, I do not need one more."

"Too bad!" said Howard cheerfully. "Now answer the damn question before I change my mind."

I blew out a breath and combed my fingers carefully through my knotted curls from the wind. "I met him at the Recruitment Center. I was the nurse who ran his check-up. He had been really nice. And then just last week he showed up, outta basic and the rest is history."

"How many dates?"

I pursed my lips. "That was the fourth."

"How are his manners?"

"Geez, Howard, what is this, an interrogation?"

"Answer the question, AJ!"

"They're great!" I exclaimed finally. "He's amazing, Howard. He's polite and funny and sophisticated and he treats me like a princess. He's the first guy to ever meet my standards and they're pretty hard to meet."

"Then why are you so hesitant?" Howard asked, tilting his head at me as he parked the convertible on the curb. He lowered his sunglasses on his nose, his dark eyes searching mine for an answer.

"I don't know," I confessed, wringing my hands. "He's a soldier, you know? He's going to be shipped out in November and there's no guarantee he'll ever come back. I just don't want to get my heart broken. I don't know if I could handle it."

"Well," said Howard as he folded up the glasses and slid them his pocket. "That's the thing about love, doll. It's a risk. It's chancy. It's why I don't get involved in it, but I'm not exactly a Grade A role model. It's scary and I'm scared." He got out of the car, walking around to my side and opening the door for me. "But I also haven't found the right person. It seems to me that Frank could be the guy for you, AJ. Don't let him get away just because you're scared."

I stared at Howard as I got out of the car. My eyes were narrowed suspiciously as I looked at the engineer. "When did America's Mustachioed Casanova become so insightful on the topic of love?" I teased lightly.

Howard snorted lowly and shook his head. "About ten seconds ago." He jerked his chin to the little antique shop that hid the SSR base below. "We should get inside. Erskine's waiting."

"Big news?"

Howard grinned at me. "Trust me, AJ. We're closer than ever."

I smiled back. "Well, I'd like to hope so. Wouldn't want all this secrecy and a fake polio vaccine to go to waste."

Howard snickered a bit to himself and held the door to Brooklyn Antiques for me. "Shall we, Ms. Frost?"

I stepped in and curtsied lightly to Howard. "We shall, Mr. Stark," and we went to work.