June 15, 1943 - Camp Lehigh, New Jersey
"You are awfully quiet." Dr. Erskine observed. AJ kept her eyes focused on the line of men outside that were speaking with Colonel Phillips and Agent Carter. There, amongst the men, was someone very dear to AJ. And she didn't quite know how to feel about that.
Steve Rogers had heart, he had courage, he was brave.
But...he was Steve.
Initially when AJ had seen his name on the list of recruits Abraham brought in, she had felt a mixture of confusion and downright fury. Steve did not belong on a battlefield. And not because of his health or how small he was – it was because he cared too much. He would risk his life to save someone else's without giving it a second thought.
That's what we need, Dr. Erskine had reminded AJ.
But why did it have to be Steve?
"I'm not in the mood to talk." AJ replied as she kept her eyes on Steve.
They hadn't spoken yet but that was mostly because Steve didn't know that AJ was at Camp Lehigh since she had never shared with him her involvement with the S.S.R. In fact, Steve still believed she was working on a polio vaccine.
He wouldn't be happy with her.
But she wasn't exactly happy with him either.
AJ looked past Steve and saw Russell Caldwell in line with the candidates. He stood up straight his eyes forward as Agent Carter addressed them all. AJ had even seen Russell break into a smile when Peggy punched one of the candidates right in the nose. AJ had also smiled at that, too.
Being at Camp Lehigh was almost cathartic to AJ. Thankfully she would be working the entire week running tests in the labs with Howard and Dr. Erskine. She had also been scheduled to run a physical on each candidate at the end of every day until one of them was picked for Project Rebirth. It would keep her mind off of losing Frank or...well, Bucky.
Only a couple hours ago, AJ had been standing on the docks with Bucky saying goodbye to the solider. Now she was standing in New Jersey watching as his best friend competed as a candidate for Project Rebirth, something that would not just alter Steve physically but would change his entire life.
If he was chosen.
Five people would be making the final decision.
Dr. Erskine, Colonel Phillips, Agent Carter, Howard Stark and...well, her.
All AJ wanted to do was protect Steve from this war not throw him in the chaos of it!
"There are many candidates," Dr. Erskine said causing AJ to break away from her worries. She looked to him and raised her brow slightly. It was as if he had been reading her mind about worrying about Steve being a candidate. That or she had been thinking out loud. "No need to worry just yet, Adelyn."
The next few days were grueling for them all. AJ kept herself busy in the lab and only ever left the building to run a physical on each candidate after the end of each day and though she wouldn't have minded sleeping in her office, she did leave the lab each night to her sleeping quarters.
Steve had definitely been surprised to see AJ when he came in for his physical. The way his mouth hung open and his eyes grew large in shock might have been funny on different circumstances.
"How – you're, I, Jay, what are you doing here?" His words had all stumbled out.
"Currently?" AJ had tried to keep the moment light. "I'm about to give you your first physical to compare your vitals to the other candidates for Project Rebirth."
"You..." Steve seemed as though he did not want to put the puzzle pieces together she was handing him. He then furrowed his brows at her and his eyes narrowed in a glare. "-You said that you were working on a polio vaccine with Howard Stark – not this!"
AJ had cut him off with a sharp look, "And you said that you were visiting family in Philly for the week." She had sniped. "Now unbutton your shirt, I need to listen to your heart."
Steve hadn't argued with AJ, he only followed her orders.
AJ listened to his heart and noted that it sounded a tad bit irregular compared to the other candidates she had examined earlier today. She needed to be objective while analyzing everyone - especially with Steve. AJ couldn't be critical just because she was scared for Steve.
Asthma
Scarlet FeverRheumatic FeverSinusitisChronic or frequent coldsHigh blood pressurePalpitations or pounding in heartEasy fatigabilityHeart trouble
The list of Steve's health issues in his file went on and on and she couldn't help but shake her head as she read each one. How could Dr. Erskine look through Steve's file and think this was a good idea? How could he think that Steve would be a good candidate for Project Rebirth? If Steve's body couldn't handle the serum or the Vita Radiation from Howard's chamber his heart would give out and he would die. Dr. Erskine must know what a giant risk he was taking for even allowing Steve to be a candidate.
But AJ also knew Steve.
He had the biggest heart of any person she had ever met.
Tiny but mighty.
He was brave. So brave. And the kid had such courage.
Why wouldn't Dr. Erskine pick Steve to be a candidate?
He was exactly the kind of soldier that the doctor had in mind while creating the serum.
AJ understood his reasoning. She just didn't like it.
She had been upset and angry and scared because Steve was her best friend. But he wanted this. Who was she to discourage him?
"He did not," AJ laughed, pressing the diaphragm of her stethoscope to Russell Caldwell's back as he told her what Steve had done today during drills.
"I swear it," He laughed. "The kid is small, that's for sure. But he's damn smart." Russell went on. "Every single one of his tried to climb up that pole to reach the flag but couldn't. And then Rogers shows us all up by pulling the pin out from the bottom of the pole so it'd fall over and he could just...grab the flag."
AJ chuckled, shaking her head lightly. "Yeah, that sounds like Steve." She agreed while feeling pride for Steve in that moment. "Stubborn and a bit of a smartass."
Russell laughed again as AJ moved around his body to press the diaphragm to his chest now. "I wouldn't call him an ass. Just smart." He told AJ. "I think he'll beat us all for the spot." AJ visibly frowned and Russell seemed to have noticed her lips twitching downward. "What? Is there somethin' wrong with my ticker?"
"No," AJ told Russell as she took off her stethoscope. "You're as healthy as can be."
AJ began to write in his file while Russell buttoned his shirt back up only to look over her shoulder when the man cleared his throat to gain her attention.
She turned around to face him, holding his file in her hands. "You hear from Bucky?" Russell asked her. "I know you two both went off to Brooklyn, figured you might keep in touch."
She forced a smile and nodded her head. "He shipped out a few days ago." AJ said and opened up his file so that she could distract herself and not have to look Russell in the eyes while he asked her more questions about Bucky.
"England?"
She nodded again as she read over the same line in Russell's file for the sixth time .
"And how about that guy of yours? How's he doin'?"
Her silence was answer enough to Russell. She didn't have to vocalize that Frank had died to Russell seeing as the atmosphere of the room changed significantly after Russell brought Frank up. In fact, it almost felt as though the air in the room had gone cold for a bit.
"Oh, AJ, I'm real sorry." He apologized.
"Will you send the next person in, please?" AJ asked still not meeting his eyes.
He sighed. "Yes ma'am."
AJ let her shoulders slouch as she dropped her head while waiting for the next person to come in.
She didn't want to talk about Frank Jackson because all she felt when she thought about him was absolute guilt.
The door closed and AJ took in a quick breath to try and regain composure. "Unbutton, please." She instructed only to look up and see Steve.
They hadn't said much to one another since the very first day. Steve had been hurt that AJ had lied to him and AJ was equally upset that Steve was willing to risk his life to be a part of Project Rebirth. She was mad and he had been hurt so they didn't speak. But now, in this moment, Steve was only being silent to give her space. Well, that's what AJ chose to believe.
Steve nodded and headed over to the medical bench as he unbuttoned his army regulated uniform. AJ walked over to him and instructed him to take a deep breath as she pressed the diaphragm to his back. He did as she told him and inhaled deeply.
"Exhale." His exhale sounded more like a sad sigh to AJ and she couldn't help but frown as she removed the diaphragm from his back and quickly wrote his vitals down in his file. "So, I hear you outsmarted Sergeant Duffy today." AJ said as she stepped around Steve to look at him.
He chuckled a bit, closing his eyes as he smiled.
She moved to press the diaphragm to his chest and Steve flinched slightly causing her to pull it back. "Too cold?"
"I'll be fine." He sat up a bit more in defiance, almost sounding bitter that she had even asked him that question. AJ frowned but pressed the device back to his chest to listen to his heart. "Can I ask you something, Jay?"
AJ didn't speak but she nodded her head she she counted each heartbeat.
"Why are you so mad I'm here?" He asked causing her to look him in his sad blue eyes and she quickly looked away upon seeing the sadness. "Is it because you don't think I'm a good enough candidate?" Steve asked next in a whisper.
She sighed and removed her stethoscope from Steve's chest. "No, that's not it."
"So what is it then?" Steve made his voice sterner. "Why are you so mad that I'm here that you can barely look me in the eyes on the off chance that you are actually speaking to me? Because I can't think of any other reason other than you think I'm not fit for the job."
AJ looked up at him sharply and glared. "-I'm mad because you're the perfect candidate, Steve!" AJ let out her anger when she interrupted Steve. "God, I'm not even mad! I'm scared!" She yelled, "I don't want to lose anyone else that I care about and if you are picked," She stopped herself and had to take in a deep breath to calm down. Once her breathing was regular, AJ focused on Steve again. "There are risks that come with Project Rebirth that I am not willing to let you take."
Her eyes met his while he frowned. "That's not your choice to make, Jay." He reminded her in a soft tone. "It's mine."
But it was partially her choice...
She was one of the five people to make the decision.
AJ closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Steve, I don't think you're the wrong candidate." She admitted. "I think you're the perfect candidate. And that really scares me because if something were to go wrong-"
"I trust you, AJ." Steve told her, cutting her off. "I trust that nothing will go wrong because I trust your work."
Damn you, Steve.
She had to tilt her head at his words, shaking her head in disbelief that he was trying to flatter her in that moment. "You make it hard for a girl to stay mad at you, Steve." AJ said with a soft smile. Steve grinned at her and AJ threw his shirt back at him. "Now, tell me all about how you out-smarted all of the other soldiers because I would like to know firsthand what was going through your head." She teased him.
Steve laughed and then told AJ everything that had happened earlier today and everything that had been happening since he first arrived at Camp Lehigh. It was good to be talking to Steve again.
But it didn't make her any less worried about his well-being.
_
It was time for all of them to vote.
Colonel Phillips had been AJ's only ally when it came to finding another cadet for the super soldier serum as the final days ticked down. It was Agent Carter and Dr. Erskine who saw the most potential in Steve Rogers. Howard hadn't even bothered to come out to New Jersey to see the recruits himself, instead, he had AJ, Carter, Phillips, and Erskine send all the information they gathered on each candidate to him and so that he would make his decision based off of their analysis.
The votes all had to be unanimous. They couldn't have three votes for Steve and two for Russell Caldwell and then go with whoever had the most votes - it needed to be a decision they all made together.
AJ really wanted to protect Steve but the more she saw him out in the field, and as worried as it made her, the more she began to see what she had been trying to ignore for the sake of his own safety.
He was perfect.
There couldn't be a better person fit to do this.
Small but mighty.
And then Colonel Phillips finally witnessed what everyone else had been seeing as well. Phillip had thrown a grenade at the candidates while they were training and the colonel expected his own pick for Project Rebirth; Hodge, to pass the little test he had planned, like his candidate had passed every test so far. But each soldier ran away from the grenade, including Hodge.
But not Steve Rogers. The damn kid had thrown himself on top of the grenade and yelled for everyone to get back so that he could take the impact of the blow in hopes that no one else would get hurt.
It was reckless, absolutely stupid, and AJ was sure if Bucky had witnessed it he would have had a heart attack, but...to the people who knew Steve? It wasn't surprising.
"Is this a test?" Steve had asked when realizing the grenade was a dud. He looked to Agent Carter who stared down at him, marveling at his braveness. And then Steve looked to AJ who, as mad as she tried to stay, couldn't help it when her lips twitched upwards at Steve.
"Carter," Colonel Phillips looked to the British woman. "Your vote?"
She didn't even hesitate. "Steve Rogers."
"Erskine?"
"Rogers."
Phillips then looked to AJ. "Frost?"
Every single rational part of AJ screamed at her not to say his name so that she could keep him safe back in Brooklyn and far away from the evils of the world. But she needed to be objective and she needed to refrain from being biased in her decision.
AJ closed her eyes for a moment and replayed what had happened earlier out on the field. How Steve had willingly thrown himself on top of the grenade to protect everyone in the camp and how when Agent Carter had run over to him, he had shouted to stay back because the safety of everyone else was more important to him than his own life.
They needed someone who would make those kinds of decisions in a split second. Not run away and hide.
She opened her eyes and looked to Colonel Phillips.
"Steve Rogers." Adelyn answered with not doubt or regret in her voice. He was the right choice.
Phillips nodded and then turned to Howard.
"Rogers." Howard said without the Colonel even asking. But he made sure to look at AJ and gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know that she had made the right choice. "Now how 'bout you, Colonel?" Howard asked as he looked back to Phillips.
The man rolled his eyes and sighed. "Well, might as well make it unanimous."
Steve Rogers.
_
June 21st, 1943: Steve
Steve sat on a cot in the room he had been sharing with all the other candidates. It was now full of empty beds.
All the soldiers were all gone.
He was the only one left.
He, Steven Grant Rogers, had been picked for the super soldier serum. Never in his life had he ever dreamed of something like this happening. Good things didn't happen to Steve - the only good thing to ever come into his life was Bucky. And recently; Adelyn Frost.
She had voted for him.
Even after being so adamant that she did not want him to be part of Project Rebirth, AJ had still voted for him. When they had announced that Steve had been chosen he had looked over at AJ in shock.
AJ hadn't looked at him and instead kept her gaze focused on Colonel Phillips as he spoke to the other soldiers. He had watched her go over to one of the other candidates, touching his arm gently as they spoke quietly. The solider had given her a sad smile and nodded before leaving her standing alone.
That was when Steve walked up to her.
"You voted for me?" Steve said in surprise.
She had sighed when she looked over at him. "Yes."
"Why?" He was dumb-founded.
"I've been working on this project for the last two years." AJ told him. "Most of my life was consumed by it. I had to look for the right candidate while perfecting the serum and all the while the best candidate was right under my nose the entire time." She had sighed and shook her head a little. "Steve, I voted for you because even though it scares me, I know with every single part of me that you are the person for this. You are brave, you put others before yourself, and you risk your own safety to protect people. You are loyal, you are kind, and you have the biggest heart I have ever seen. I didn't vote based on who out of you all was the strongest, or could run a mile in less than three minutes time – I voted for the person who I would want standing next to me when the world goes to shit and I have complete faith and trust that that person is you, Steve."
Steve had smiled at that and AJ had rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Language."
There was a knock on the door causing Steve to look over his shoulder towards the sound. "May I?" Dr. Erskine had come into the room.
"Yeah," He said, setting down the book he had been trying to read for the last two hours but couldn't clear his mind enough to concentrate on the words on the page.
"Can't sleep?" Dr. Erskine asked as he walked over to the cot next to Steve and set down a glass on the little table near the bed while pulling out a bottle of alcohol from his coat pocket.
"I got jitters, I guess." Steve admitted.
Dr. Erskine laughed. "Me, too."
"Can I ask you a question?" Steve said as Erskine sat down in front of him.
"Just one?" The scientist faced him.
"Why me?" He asked.
Steve had gotten his answer from AJ but Steve still couldn't quite believe that any other sane person would have chosen him. The man was a scientist, he was rational - not that AJ wasn't. But Steve wanted to hear it from someone who was not biased.
"I suppose that is the only question that matters." Abraham said as he looked down at the bottle of schnapps he had brought with him. "This is for Augsburg." He said after a moment, looking back at Steve. "My city." He waited a moment before continuing on. "So many people forget that the first country the Nazi's invaded was their own." He reminded Steve. "You know, after the last war, the...my people struggled. They...they felt weak. They felt so small. And then Hitler comes along with the marching, and the big show, and the flags, and the...and the," He waved his hand in the air, not wanting to do the Nazi salute. "And he...he hears of me, of my work and he finds me and he says, 'You', he says, 'You will make us strong.'" Abraham went on. "Well, I am not interested. So he sends the head of Hydra, his division; a brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt."
Abraham had set the bottle of schnapps down on the ground and fixed his glasses, pushing them up more as he continued to tell Steve his tale.
"Now, Schmidt is a member of the inner circle and he's ambitious. He and Hitler share a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth. Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers, but for Schmidt, it is not a fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden in the earth, left her by the Gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So, when he hears about my formula and what it can do...he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man."
"Did it make him stronger?" Steve asked.
"Yeah," Abraham sounded half amused, half scared. "But, there were other effects. The serum was not ready. But more important; the man." He stressed. "The serum amplifies everything that is inside. So, good becomes great. Bad...becomes worse." Steve frowned. "This is why you were chosen." Dr. Erskine told Steve. "Because a strong man, who has known power all his life, will lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows compassion."
"Thanks," Steve looked back up at Dr. Erskine, "I think?" He smiled.
Abraham smiled and reached for the bottle of schnapps and motioned for Steve to pick up the two glasses on the table near him. "Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing." He poured the schnapps in the glasses Steve held onto. "That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect solider...but," He pointed to Steve's heart. "-a good man."
Steve smiled, holding up his glass to toast. "To the little guys."
Dr. Erskine chuckled and raised his glass as well, bringing it to his lips and then stopped, reaching out and near knocking the glass of schnapps out of Steve's hand. "No, no! Wait! What am I doing? No! You have a procedure tomorrow." He took Steve's glass from him. "No fluids." And then poured Steve's drink into his own.
"Alright," Steve nodded his head. "We'll drink it after."
Dr. Erskine made a face. "No!" He said. "I don't have a procedure tomorrow. Drink it after? Drink it now!" He swallowed the drink.
Steve smiled as he watched him, completely amused by the scientist, and moved by his words.
He would make him proud. He'd make AJ proud. He would make them all proud.
_
June 22, 1943 - Brooklyn, New York: AJ
She had arrived early with Howard to make sure everything was as it should be. Her heart was pounding a mile per minute each time she looked up at the clock on the wall knowing that soon Steve would be here. AJ had to remind herself that if anything went wrong, she was one of the people in charge of shutting it down. If she felt in her gut that Steve could not take it – she'd be the one to order Howard to stop.
And Howard knew not to question her gut instincts. The man had learned that early on.
"How ya feelin', kid?" Howard asked as he looked over at AJ who was now leaning against the railing while they waited for Agent Carter to arrive with Steve.
"Like I'm gonna hurl up my breakfast." AJ remarked causing Howard to laugh. "This is not funny, Howard!" The woman glared at him. "If we made any mis-calculation, if this chamber is not perfect,"
"Hey, the chamber is perfect!" Howard cut her off. "And we've gone over the math too many times for me to even count. Everything is gonna be fine." He tried to assure her only to sigh when AJ didn't relax. "Look," Howard walked over to where AJ was and leaned against the railing next to her. "I know you got a soft spot for the kid, Frost. But if I didn't think the chamber was ready or that the serum was wrong – I wouldn't allow this to happen. But everything is fine, Jay. Rogers will be fine. He'll be better than fine! In fact, your solider over-seas may have some competition for your affection."
AJ rolled her eyes and jabbed Howard in his side with her elbow. "Hush."
Howard chuckled and they stood in silence for a moment. "You hear from him yet?"
"It's only been a week." AJ told Howard. But saying the words out loud was also a way to reassure herself, too, a little.
"You care about him a lot, don't ya?" Howard took a step so he was standing in front of AJ.
She rolled her eyes dramatically at Howard. "He is a friend." AJ stressed.
Howard made a face, clearing not buying AJ's words. "I'm sure that's what you tell yourself at night."
AJ moved her hand up to punch Howard's arm but stopped when the room grew silent. She and Howard both looked to the top of the stair case to see Agent Carter standing with Steve. Peggy then walked down the stair to where AJ and Howard were standing. "Do I have to separate you two?" She asked them both.
"No, ma'am." Howard answered but AJ talked over him.
"Yes, please. Get him far, far away from me." AJ smirked at Howard. She then walked over to Steve and pressed her hands to his shoulders. "Are you sure about this?" He nodded. "Because for any reason if it's too much for you just tell us to stop, okay? If anything feels wrong just shout and we'll stop."
Steve smiled and shook his head, "Jay," He stopped her. "I'll be good."
AJ took in a deep breath and let Steve go. In that moment, AJ was sure that she was more nervous than Steve was.
When Steve had undressed and finally laid down in the chamber AJ looked over to Agent Carter who gave her a reassuring smile.
"Mr. Stark, how are your levels?" Dr. Erskine asked.
AJ watched as Howard walked up to the chamber. "Levels at 100%" Howard answered.
"Good." Abraham replied.
"We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we are ready as we'll ever be." Howard stood next to the scientist now while AJ stayed a little bit behind.
Dr. Erskine then looked to Peggy. "Agent Carter? Don't you think you would be more comfortable in the booth."
"Oh, yes. of course, sorry." Peggy said before she left, taking one last look back at Steve before heading up the stairs.
Erskine then looked to AJ. "I'm fine." She told him quickly, not even allowing him the chance to ask if she'd rather not be in the room. AJ walked over to Steve, looking down at him as Dr. Erskine addressed everybody. "You're going to feel a pinch at first." She began to explain to Steve. "And, it will burn once it's in your muscular system. The injections will cause cellular change immediately so you will feel quite a lot of pain."
Steve nodded his head as he took in all of her words.
AJ, with help from some of the nurses, got each vial of the serum, leaving only one behind. She tried to keep her mind busy by making sure everything that had to deal with getting the serum was administered correctly which meant taken some vials herself to the container so that they would be put in properly.
Dr. Erskine went over to where AJ was standing over Steve and handed over the penicillin. She cleaned his arm carefully with alcohol and then injected the medicine. Steve kept his eyes closed and his face pinched together as the needle entered his skin and the penicillin was injected.
"That wasn't so bad," Steve said when AJ was done.
She couldn't help but let out a little laugh at that while shaking her head at Steve.
"That was the penicillin." Dr. Erskine told Steve before turning back to the people who were observing the procedure up in the booth. "Serum infusion beginning in five, four, three, two," He looked over to AJ and then said, "One."
The serum was injected into Steve's body and AJ took a step back when Steve's closed eyes flew open and she saw nothing but pure fear in them.
"Now, Mr. Stark." Erskine ordered him. AJ looked over at Howard and watched him lower the leaver causing the chamber to move upright and enclose Steve inside.
AJ and Dr. Erskine both moved over to the now closed chamber. Abraham began to knock. "Steven...can you hear me?" He asked.
Steve didn't answer.
AJ took in a deep breath before she knocked lightly on the door. "Steve...are you okay?"
Steve answered. "It's probably too late to go to the bathroom, right?"
Both she and Dr. Erskine shared look as they both smiled. Only Steve Rogers would be trying to make someone laugh in this kind of situation.
Abraham looked over to Howard. "We will proceed." He and AJ both stepped back away from the pod.
AJ put on the glasses Howard had given her when she first arrived, shielding her eyes from the bright light as Stark began to manage the controls. "That's ten percent." Howard said, keeping an eye on the chamber. "Twenty percent. Thirty." The vita rays grew unbearably bright. "That's forty percent."
"Vital signs are normal." One of the doctors said and Howard continued.
"That's fifty percent. Sixty. Seventy."
Screaming.
Gut wrenching screaming coming from inside the pod caused them all to look at each other in fear as Steve continued to scream while receiving the vita rays.
AJ stood frozen in place as Dr. Erskine ran over to the chamber. "Steven!" He shouted.
"Shut it down!" AJ looked up when she saw Carter was out of the observation booth, screaming at them all to stop.
"Steven!" Erskine yelled again, knocking on the chamber door.
"Shut it down!" Agent Carter said again.
"Kill the reactor, Mr. Stark!" Abraham ran forward and moved past AJ who quickly climbed up the stool where Dr. Erskine had just been standing. "Turn it off!" Erskine yelled.
"Steve, can you hear me?" She shouted, hoping Steve could hear her over the shouts of Erskine and Carter. "Can you hear me, Steve?"
Her gut wasn't telling her to stop. It was telling her to keep going. And that scared her. If she could only see Steve – if she saw his face she'd know what to do.
"Kill the reactor!" Erskine yelled at Howard.
"NO!"
They all heard Steve yelled from the pod.
"Don't!" He yelled next. "I can do this!"
AJ took in a shaky breath and stepped down and away from the chamber. It was Howard that looked to AJ though for confirmation. "Do it!" She ordered him.
Stark went back to the reactors controls and continued to turn it. "Eighty. Ninety." AJ moved her hand to shield her eyes from the bright light. "That's 100%!"
Everything had started to overload, each machine bursting with sparks and smoke until the reactor closed itself down. They all stood there looking at the chamber almost in disbelief at what had just happened. It wasn't until Erskine yelled at Howard to open it that everyone started getting back to the job they were assigned.
The doors opened and Steve was now completely transformed into a super-soldier. AJ's eyes widened as she took all of him in. She didn't blink until Erskine was calling her over to help Steve get out.
"Steven," Erskine said quietly as he and AJ helped Steve out of the pod. The entire time AJ had to keep looking up at Steve in absolute disbelief. It had worked! The serum worked! "Steven," Erskine said again. Howard now helped Steve out as well as AJ moved to stand in front of Steve to make sure he didn't fall forward. But a fat lot of good that would do. If Steve fell forward right now he would topple her.
Steve began to mumble quietly. "I did it."
"Yeah, yeah. I think we did it." Dr. Erskine agreed.
"Steve, hey, open your eyes for me, okay?" AJ instructed him. He did and looked straight forward trying to look for her but probably only saw the top of her head. "Down here, big guy." She teased and his eyes widened when he saw that he was looking at her from above.
"You're shorter than me." He commented causing AJ to let out a laugh.
She smiled while covering her mouth with her hand. "It worked." She said happily and then looked over at Howard.
"We actually did it." Howard said in just as much disbelief as AJ had been.
AJ stepped out of the way when Agent Carter walked over to Steve, now standing in front of him. "How do you feel?" She asked Steve.
Steve was breathing hard, "Taller."
Carter nodded her head and reached out her hand out, touching Steve's pecs momentarily only to quickly recoil her hand. AJ smirked at her when Peggy looked over to her while grabbing the shirt she had brought for Steve.
"You look taller." Peggy agreed while helping Steve with his shirt.
As everyone began to shake the others hands, AJ leaped forward at Erskine and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He laughed while hugging her back. She pulled away and looked him in the eyes only to see him looking away from her after being completely distracted by someone else. AJ turned her head in the direction of where Erskine was looking when she saw his eyes widened but soon ducked her head after an explosion in the observation booth went off.
Dr. Erskine had pushed her down to the ground and shouted, "Stop him!" Just as AJ saw a man steal the last vile of serum. And then the sound of a gun going off caused a woman to scream loudly and AJ watched as Dr. Abraham Erskine dropped on the ground.
"No, no, no, no!" AJ moved up and pressed her hands down hard on his chest wound to try and stop the bleeding. She could hear more gunshots going off around her but didn't care. AJ needed to save Erskine, she needed to save the man who had quickly become her mentor. She had to save him. "Stay with me, okay?" AJ instructed him. "We're gonna get you fixed up, just stay." She stressed the word. "You can't die!"
Steve was next to her and AJ watched as Abraham's eyes drifted from hers to Steve's. He raised his hand and pointed at Steve's chest, jabbing him right where his heart would be. His hand fell limply to the ground and AJ watched as Dr. Abraham Erskine closed his eyes for the very last time.
It was Howard who managed to pull her away from Abraham's body. Her hands were covered in his blood, "Someone gets some towels, please!" He shouted. AJ looked to where Steve had been moments earlier only to just now realize that he was nowhere in sight.
He was going after the man who had shot Erskine.
There was no doubt in her mind about that.
The sound of people around her slowly became a whisper until she heard nothing at all and the faces of all the people who tried to talk to her was just a blur.
AJ didn't know how long she had been sitting but the room started to clear out and the only people left were Howard and Phillips. AJ blinked and she could see now that Steve and Peggy were now in the room, too.
"Blood." She told them.
"It's cleaned up." Howard said as AJ stood, grabbing her hands to make sure she stayed upright. She yanked away from Howard.
"No," AJ shook her head and then looked to Steve. "We need his blood." She explained herself. "I only ever worked on half of the serum. Without Abraham," She shook her head. "He never wrote it down because he was afraid someone might take it, steal it, he kept it in his head. We only ever worked together while the serum was perfected. Even with some of the things I do know, it won't be enough. We need his blood!" She now shouted, her anger getting the best of her. "The program is locked in his genetic code – without his blood, we cannot create more super soldiers, it'll take years! Decades!"
"Jay," Steve said softly as he slowly walked over to where AJ was now pacing. "Jay, Adelyn!" He stood in front of her and finally got her attention by grabbing her by the shoulders. "Just stop moving for a sec!"
"No!" She yelled at him. "No, this is Abraham's legacy! This is – this is what he has been working on for years! We can't – we can't just let his work," AJ sucked in air. "It would be disrespectful!"
Steve nodded. "I know," He agreed with her. "I know."
AJ finally looked him in the eyes and saw that they were red with tears too. She felt her lower lip begin to quiver and when Steve moved forward to pull her into his arms she pushed her hands against his chest and took a step away. "I'm not doing this." AJ told him and then walked away.
Adelyn Frost would not cry.
She would do her job.
And her job wasn't just to recreate the serum to honor Erskine.
AJ swore to herself that day that she would not let Hydra get away with this.
She would take every single one of them down.
She would avenge Abraham.
Even if it killed her.
