FEBRUARY 14th, 1944 - London, England

"Do you think it'll ever end?"

His voice caused her to open her eyes and turn her head a bit to look up at him. "Hmm?" She hummed, the sun warm against her skin on this February day. Her birthday. Bucky had gone to Carter and asked if he could take AJ out for the day to celebrate her birthday. Peggy worked her magic and convinced Colonel Phillips that she would need both Bucky and Adelyn for the day. When really, Bucky had the whole day planned where it was just the two of them in a part of London that hadn't been hit by the war too badly.

It was a nice little park, the grass still green, the pond in front of them was still and the tree they sat under had just the right amount of shade to keep the sun out of their eyes.

AJ had her back pressed against Bucky's chest, his arms wrapped around her middle as they sat in a serene silence. It was always so easy to just sit with Bucky and be comfortable with the silence. It was familiar, it was something she couldn't really understand. But sometimes as they sat together in complete silence, AJ wondered what it'd be like to do just that years from now when they were old and wrinkled.

The thought didn't scare her and it didn't surprise her.

Because even though it had taken her a long time to admit it (to even herself) – she saw a future with Bucky. And if there was one thing in the entire world that she was sure of, that she believed in with her whole heart; it was her feelings for Bucky. It was Bucky.

"The war?"

AJ frowned, her fingers skimming against his arm. "This war will end." She told him. "But do I think that this will be the last war ever?" She shook her head, "No. Sadly. The last war; the war to end all wars – It wasn't too long ago and yet here we are." She moved Bucky's arms up a bit so they fell just above her chest that way AJ could nuzzle her face against them. "I think that when there are people like Adolf Hitler and Johann Schmidt in the world, there will always be chaos. And chaos leads to war."

Bucky sighed, pressing a kiss to the side of her head causing AJ to close her eyes and hold onto his arms a little tighter, her lips pressing against his arm. "Maybe we'll catch a break." He said after a moment. "Maybe the next war won't be until we're old and gray."

AJ chuckled, pressing another kiss to his arm before she craned her neck to look up at him. She was smiling up at him and Bucky had an amused smirk playing on his lips. "I can picture it now – you and your gray hair."

He chuckled. "Would I still be handsome?"

"Still?" She teased causing him to playfully roll his eyes. "Yes, Bucky, you'll still be incredibly handsome – I don't know how any woman would be able to contain themselves around you with your gray hair and wrinkled face."

He smirked, "I only need one woman to think I'm still handsome."

AJ raised her brows up at him with an amused smile and then moved her face so she was nuzzled against his arm again, trying to hide the pink tint against her cheeks.

"What are you going to do when we defeat the Nazi's and Hydra?" Bucky asked next, and though she couldn't see his face, she could hear the smile in his tone.

"I'm not sure," AJ spoke honestly. "Howard said that he could use someone like me working for him - but...I kind of want to be my own boss. Or, someone else's. At Camp McCoy, even though it wasn't for long – I really did like being lead scientist. I liked that I wasn't questioned or looked-over by some man because I happen to have breasts. I know that I am smart, I know that I am capable of a lot more than anyone believes I am."

Bucky pressed a kiss to her head. "Anyone who thinks you won't change the world someday is a damn fool. You already have, Frosty, Steve is proof of that!"

"But it wasn't just me," She began to say, wanting Dr. Erskine and Howard to get the credit they deserved, but Bucky stopped her from saying anything further.

"I know how much Dr. Erskine meant to you, how much he still means to you – but if it wasn't for you? He would have never finished the super soldier serum. Your work is what helped create it. If you hadn't, Steve would still be a scrawny little punk."

She smiled, looking up at him again, squinting her eyes at him playfully before she moved up more and met his lips in a sweet kiss. "You're a flatterer, James Buchanan Barnes."

"And you're a genius, Adelyn Juliet Frost. And someday the whole world will know it – I'll shout it from every rooftop in Brooklyn if I have too."

AJ laughed, shaking her head a bit. After a moment, she asked him the same question. "What are you going to do when we defeat the Nazi's and Hydra?"

She felt his chest rumble and smiled, "Who knows." He replied. And then spoke again, "I'm going to build a house."

AJ moved herself out of his arm and moved so she was facing him. "A house you say?" She grinned.

Bucky nodded his head, moving forward to hold her hands in his. "A big house. With an apartment over the garage for Steve to live in." He added causing AJ to laugh.

"I got news for you, Buck – Steve is pretty smitten with Agent Carter and I doubt she'd ever want to live in an apartment over your garage." She teased. Bucky smiled at her, almost as if he was holding back from saying something. "I'm sure you wouldn't be entirely alone – that you'd have company over at your house." She looked down at their linked hands. AJ looked back up at him with a grin, "Frequently."

Bucky shook his head and grinned, moving so himself to lay AJ down on the ground where he hovered over her, his left hand running through her dark curls while the other hand kept him from falling right on top of her.

"Promise?" He smirked.

AJ nodded, her face serious, "Always."

"Happy birthday, Frosty." He whispered before leaning his face down, kissing her deeply.

It was probably the best birthday AJ had ever had.

Nothing else would ever compare.

_

MAY 2nd, 2012

Steve sat next to AJ on the jet that would take them to the ship-carrier, during their flight, AJ had given him what she called a tablet, where he watched footage of the man who had tried to replicate the super solider serum but had greatly failed.

The man; Bruce Banner, he morphed into something that some might call monstrous – something that could have happened to him if AJ and Erskine hadn't perfected the serum. He had picked up a military tank and threw it yards away. Not to mention that the man had turned green and much, much bigger.

When Agent Coulson walked over to where AJ and Steve sat, Steve finally spoke.

"So, this Dr. Banner was trying to replicate the serum they used on me?"

He didn't know who knew that AJ had worked on the serum – the military and the SSR had tried to keep that classified, not wanting her to be a target for Hydra. Though, in the end, they ultimately got to her.

"A lot of people were. You were the worlds first superhero." Coulson told Steve, but he kept his eyes trained on the tablet he held in his hands. "Banner thought Gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine's original formula."

AJ shifted in the seat next to him.

"Didn't really go his way, did it?" Steve frowned.

"Not so much." Coulson agreed. "When he's not that thing though, guy's like a Stephen Hawking."

Steve looked to the agent with raised brows. Stephen who?

"He's like a – smart person."

Steve looked over to AJ briefly to see her biting down on her lip in amusement.

AJ had been quiet since they took off from New York. He had asked her how her meeting with Tony went but she didn't say much. It was like she was lost in her own head, her brows pinching together like they would whenever he would walk into the lab at the SSR and find her trying to work what equations Erskine may have used while working on Project Rebirth.

"I gotta say," Coulson said, gaining Steve's attention again. "It's an honor to meet you, officially." Steve gave him a friendly smile. "I sort of met you, I mean – I watched you while you were sleeping." Steve raised his brows, looking to AJ briefly before he stood up, clearly uncomfortable, but finding the situation very humorous. "I mean, I was, I was present, while you were unconscious from the uh, ice."

Steve made his way over to the pilot, hearing AJ let out a little snort before whisper to Coulson, "Real smooth, buddy."

"You know, it's really – it's just a – just a huge honor to have you on board, it's..."

Steve looked out at the sea as they flew above it. Fury said that they needed him. That he needed to save the world again. What if he couldn't this time?

"Well, I hope I'm the man for the job." Steve said quietly, not wanting AJ to hear the doubt in his tone.

"Oh, you are! Absolutely. Uh – we made some modifications to the uniform." Coulson said, causing Steve to look at him again. "I had a little design input."

Steve was confused, "The uniform?" He said back. "Aren't the stars and stripes a little...old-fashioned?"

"Everything that's happening, the things that are about to come to light...people might just need a little old-fashioned."

AJ walked up to them just as the jet flew over a giant carrier in the ocean. "What do you think?" She pressed her hand to his back as she stood a little bit behind him. Steve turned and looked down at her, brows raised; she knew he had seen things like this during the war. "Pretty advanced, hu?" She smirked. He shrugged, not seeing anything special about the carrier other than some more advanced jets. "It's okay – I near fainted the first time I saw it too, you don't have to be embarrassed."

They landed and AJ walked out first before Steve and Coulson, walking up to a woman with short red hair. He watched as the red head smiled at AJ, pressing her hand to her shoulder before AJ walked past her and went on her way, leaving Steve alone with Coulson, and now the woman with short read hair.

"Agent Romanoff," Coulson said once they were standing in front of the woman. "Captain Rogers." He introduced them.

"Ma'am."

"Hi." She said briefly, the smile she wore for AJ masked now. "They need you on the bridge – they're starting the face trace, Adge is already on her way but another set of eyes can always help."

Coulson nodded, "See you there." Coulson said, leaving Steve and Agent Romanoff to walk to where ever they were going together.

"It was quiet the buzz around here, finding you in the ice. I thought Coulson was gonna swoon." She said causing Steve to give into a crooked little grin as they walked on. "Did he ask you to sign his Captain America trading cards yet?"

Steve looked over to Agent Romanoff, amused. "Trading cards?"

"They're vintage. He's very proud." Romanoff replied. "And yes, it is childish – as was him asking Adge to tell him countless stories about the forties, and yet he still did."

Adge? Wait...AJ?

Steve stopped walking and looked at the back of her head. AJ hadn't mentioned anyone other than Fury knowing she was from the forties – not while they were at the Retreat or since they had been back.

"-How,"

He stopped when he saw someone walking around, awkwardly bumping into people as he tried to observe the carrier. Steve recognized him – the man he was before turning into what his file had referred to him as; The Hulk.

"Dr. Banner." Steve said, walking over to where the man stood, trying to stay out of the way. Or calm?

Dr. Banner met him hallway, shaking his hand once he was standing in front of Steve. "Oh, yeah, hi. They told me you'd be coming," He continued to look around the large carrier.

"Word is you can find the Cube." Steve said.

Dr. Banner looked around before looking back to Steve. "Is that the only word on me?" He asked.

Do you know what I am? Steve was sure Dr. Banner was thinking.

"Only word I care about." He made clear, wanting to put Dr. Banner at ease.

Dr. Banner nodded and motioned around them. "Must be strange for you – all of this."

Steve smiled, watching men and women that he assumed to be agents doing drills he had done while in the army. "Well, this is actually kind of familiar."

Agent Romanoff interrupted either of them from saying anything further, "Gentlemen, you might wanna step inside in a minute. It's gonna get a little hard to breathe."

Steve and Dr. Banner both looked back at Romanoff for clarification, only to feeling the carrier rumbling and the sound of engines starting. Steve walked forward, hearing over the intercom; Flight Mode. Secure the deck.

Steve and Banner made their way over to the edge of the helicarrier after hearing the sound of loud whirring and clunking noises from down below.

"Is this a submarine?" Steve asked, still confused.

Dr. Banner let out a little huff of a laugh, "Really? They want me in a submerged pressurized metal container?"

Once they were at the very edge of the carrier, they both watched in awe (well, Steve, not Dr. Banner) as propellers began to emerge out of the water and spin – lifting the carrier into the air.

Steve took a step back, almost in a state of shock at what he was seeing, but Dr. Banner stayed put, shaking his head in amusement.

"Oh, no, this is much worse." Banner commented with a little chuckle.

Once they were safely inside, Steve and Dr. Banner followed Agent Romanoff into what she had called 'the bridge' where she left them to go off on her own, her duty to bring them in was over – so she went on her way. Dr. Banner wondered off on his own as well, while Steve shook his head with a little smile as he observed everything. It was all very busy, many SHIELD employees working at their various stations and communicating over their own ear pieces.

This was the Peggy, it was Howard – it was the future they had created. He understood why AJ so willingly joined SHIELD. Though, he wasn't as trusting – he could see what attracted her to the job.

Steve spotted AJ standing next to Agent Coulson, her arms were folded over her chest and her face was pinched in frustration. He frowned, not liking how stressed out AJ clearly was – especially in a room full of people who he knew had no idea what might happen when AJ can't calm down.

But he knew she could handle herself – this was her environment now. If she had been able to keep her powers a secret for over two years now, he was sure she could do it now too.

He made his way over to where Dr. Banner was, finding Fury there as well.

"Gentlemen," Fury addressed them.

Steve instantly pulled out some cash and slipped Director Fury a ten-dollar bill from their bet earlier about nothing be able to surprise Steve anymore.

Fury chuckled and Steve looked to back to where AJ had been, only to not find her where she had just been. He walked away from Fury and tried to locate her.

He found her crouching down next to Agent Romanoff, the two of them talking quietly as they looked at one of the screens, a picture of a man on it that they both seemed incredibly worried about.

"-We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet, cellphones," He understood now – the screen AJ and Romanoff was watching so closely was doing scan on the mans face, trying to match it. "Laptops, if it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes and ears for us."

"It's still not gonna find them in time." Romanoff said.

Steve walked over to where AJ was still crouched, watching the screen. "Who is he?" He asked, causing AJ to look up at him.

She swallowed, standing up and pulling Steve to the side. "He's an Agent with SHIELD." She explained.

"A friend, I assume?" Steve asked.

AJ nodded, avoiding his eyes. "One of the first I made here."

"The redhead as well?" Steve asked, "She knew about you – about the forties. As does Agent Coulson, apparently."

AJ narrowed her eyes at him, a way of telling him to quiet down. "Only a few people know. Coulson, Natasha, and Barton," she gestured to the screen where his face was still being scanned was, "-are one of the few that do. Because they were there when I woke up."

Steve was surprised to hear that. "You never mentioned them."

AJ sighed, motioning for him to follow her. He did and they stood off to the side where he assumed AJ believed no one could hear them, "I know what it's like waking up in the 21st century, Steve. I wanted my focus to be about you these past few weeks – after you first wake, it's a very vulnerable time, I needed to get you adjusted to the new world." AJ explained. She then smiled a little, nudging him a bit, "My social life would have been brought up eventually." She teased.

Steve blew air out of his nose as a laugh, shaking his head.

AJ smiled and then spoke again, "Have a look around – it'll blow your mind."

"Where will you be?" Steve asked her.

"I got to suit up." She said, motioning to her normal clothes compared to all the other SHIELD agents. He grinned as he watched her walk away.

He knew technology advanced – he saw the car AJ drove to the Retreat turn invisible – but a flying ship? That was something new. Not to mention everything inside the damn thing! He was so proud of Peggy and the legacy she and Howard had created.

Steve just wished he could have been there to build it with her.

_

It was odd having Steve around while she was working. He hadn't seen her in this type of setting before – yes, he had been around while she worked with the SSR – but he had never seen her in action. She stayed behind a beaker most of the time during her SSR days, and when she did go on a mission, Steve was someplace else.

Bucky had never seen it either – he never watched her fight and succeed, it was a side that neither of her boys had seen back in the 40's.

Her boys.

It's what they had been.

Bucky Barnes: the love of her life, and Steve Rogers: her very best friend.

AJ knew that anything thrown her way she would handle gracefully and successfully, if there was an attack and she had to fight – she believed in herself enough to defeat the enemy. It had been a while since she was able to properly train since Steve had woken up – but she doubted any of the men Loki took would be able to take her down.

Well... Clint might be able too.

He and Natasha did train her. He'd know her every move before she even did them. He knew her, knew her fighting style, but worst; he knew her weakness. AJ just hoped that she wouldn't have to fight against Clint – that somehow, they could bring him back to their side.

Whatever mind control Loki had both Barton and Selvig (and multiple SHIELD agents) under was strong. He had shot at Fury.

...But he hadn't taken the kill shot.

Maybe there was hope?

"Agent Frost, Loki has been detected by our scans. Meet at the bridge. You're going with Romanoff and Rogers." Maria Hill said through the comm.

AJ took a deep breath and shut her locker door closed after shoving the clothes she had worn on board in the metal container. She caught a look at herself before she left the lockers, dressed in her SHIELD uniform.

Whether Steve Rogers was ready for it or not – he was about to see Adelyn Frost in action.

_

STUTTGART, GERMANY

Using the quinjet, they arrived just as Loki began to wreak havoc.

Steve jumped out right as Loki aimed his weapon at an older man with the intent to kill. Steve used his SHIELD for the first time since he got out of the ice and saved the old man and caused Loki to fall to his knees. AJ let out a breath of relief knowing that the man was safe.

Natasha and AJ could hear Steve over the comm system.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else – we ended up disagreeing."

"The soldier-" Loki said in a snarl as he got to his feet. "-The man out of time."

Steve shook his head, "I'm not the one who's out of time."

The reflectors that kept the quinjet hidden disappeared, allowing Loki to see that Steve had help behind him.

Natasha began to speak over the speaker system while AJ typed in the controls to access the guns under the ship, pointing them right at the God of Mischief, "Loki, drop the weapon and stand down."

Loki was quick, aiming his scepter at the jet – but they had already seen that one coming and the jet moved swiftly out of the way to avoid the blast.

Steve threw his SHIELD at Loki as the people around them began to flee and charged at the God, balling his hand into a fist and taking a swing at Loki. He barely even flinched before fighting back, sending Steve flying into one of the statues outside the museum.

AJ held her breath as she watched Loki stand over Steve, his specter to his head, "Kneel," She heard Loki hiss.

"Not today!" Steve now fought back.

"Do we have the shot?" Natasha asked, knowing that AJ's attention was not on the screen.

Her green eyes quickly went to the monitor in front of her, seeing if there was any way they could fire at Loki without multiple people getting hurt in the process. "-No. Steve, try to get this guy to move a little more to the right," AJ said over comm.

"I'm a little busy, AJ." Steve grunted, still fighting Loki.

"Oh, is Agent Frost up there?" Natasha looked to AJ after Loki spoke, not knowing what to do. If they turned off the comms – they'd be silent to everyone back at the Helicarrier. Loki's tone meant that he knew AJ's secret – probably both of them. "Oh, Agent Barton has told me much about her." He chuckled.

Steve threw a punch so hard at Loki that he stumbled backwards.

"Oh – have I struck a nerve?" Loki laughed.

Natasha looked over to AJ and she could only reply, "He's right in the line of a bunch of people – we don't have the shot!" I can't shut him up.

And then they heard something come in through the comm system. "Agent Romanoff, you miss me?"

AJ recognized the voice just from the cockiness – Tony Stark was here. She looked down at the screens in front of her to see a message appear, 'PA SYSTEM OVERRIDE' and then vey loud music began to blast from the quinjet.

Natasha huffed out a laugh, "Stark."

"Quite the dramatic entrance." AJ replied while Tony flew down in his Iron Man suit and fired a repulse blast, knocking Loki down.

"Make a move reindeer games." They heard Tony say over comm to Loki.

AJ looked to Natasha in confusion who simple shook her head with a sigh, "Not a reference worth needing to remember, trust me."

Natasha flew the jet just above where Steve and Tony were standing over Loki, "Mr. Stark," Steve said, sounding out of breath.

"Captain."

The quinjet landed and Steve and Tony brought in Loki.

This was too easy.

Once everyone was on board, Steve walked up to AJ and told her to stay in the cockpit, not wanting her anywhere near Loki. "-Steve, I'm not a child – I'm not going to hide from him, that's not my job. My job is to bring him in and question him." She said, moving past him. Steve grabbed her by the wrist, trying to stop her, but AJ pulled away and made her way to Loki.

"He's fond of you," Loki said once AJ was standing in front of him. "Though, I can see why."

His smile reminded her of one she had seen in a movie that Theo had her watch one day – Alice in Wonderland – he had even rented it for her and after their mission, she had gone home and watched it just so he would shut up about it.

"Why did you come here, Loki?" She ignored his comments.

"That is a very good question – one I have wondered for quite some time. Why come to Midgard? I don't see why my brother loves it so much." He titled his head at AJ, "You were there when my brother saved your people – Agent Barton told me so," He did the grin again, "He told me many things about you Agent Frost," He put emphasis on her name.

He knew about her powers.

"You look quite well for your age – considering." He added. Okay, so he knew everything. "Very beautiful."

"Why. Are. You. Here?" AJ showed no emotion. "What are you planning to do with the tesseract?"

He sighed, leaning his head against the metal of the jet. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that just yet, darling. But you will see."

"-AJ, I need you up front," Natasha said from the cockpit causing her to look away from Loki.

When she looked back at him, he was grinning again. "I don't think they want you alone with me."

AJ walked away from Loki and walked up to the front of the jet where Steve and Tony were speaking to one another.

"I don't like this," Steve said once AJ was standing in front of him.

Tony spoke before she could, "What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"

"I don't remember it being that easy," His eyes met AJ's briefly, "This guy packs a wallop."

"Still, you were pretty spry, for an older fellow." Tony said and then looked to Steve. "What's your thing? Pilates?"

"What?" Steve said in confusion, then looked to AJ to explain.

"It's a type of workout." AJ clarified.

"Yeah, it's like calisthenics. You might have missed a couple thing...Y'know, doing time as a Cap-sicle." Tony said nonchalantly.

Steve was clearly not amused by the nickname, "Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in." He said and then looked down at AJ with raised brows. She shrugged, from their last talk – AJ honestly thought Tony wouldn't come.

"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you."

A bolt of lightning struck right in front of them.

Thunder.

Lots of thunder.

AJ moved past Steve and Tony and into the cockpit, looking up at the sky. "Where the hell is this coming from?" She sat down in her seat and began to go over the weather patterns. The storm just appeared out of nowhere.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightening?" AJ could hear Steve say to Loki.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows."

And then it came to her. She had seen weather patterns like this before – in New Mexico!

"Thor." AJ said as she looked to Natasha.

There was a thud on the roof of the jet and they all look up, even Loki who was still shackled. The jet shook and they were beginning to lose control over it. AJ helped Natasha, not paying attention to Steve and Tony while she focused on trying to not let them all die from the plane crashing. They were catching more speed but the storm surrounding them was making it impossible for AJ to see her surroundings – she yelled out commands to Natasha who followed them to try and get them out of the storm.

But then the back opened for the ramp to lower, "What are you doing!?" Both AJ and Steve yelled at the same time, but AJ kept her eyes focused on the storm in front of her.

She heard Tony's suit start up only to feel a thud against the back of her seat, her head turning to see that Tony was now on the ground. AJ watched as Thor grabbed Loki by the neck and jumped out of the jet.

Tony stood up, "And now there's that guy," He said in annoyance.

"That is Thor, right?" Natasha yelled over the winds to AJ, "That's not just some pissed off Asgardian – it's Thor?"

"It's Thor." AJ replied.

"That guy's friendly." Steve said, getting up after being knocked down when Tony was thrown by Thor.

"-Doesn't matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost." Tony said, walking to the edge of the ramp now.

"Stark, we need a plan of attack."

"I have a plan," He said once he was at the edge. "Attack." Tony flew out of the jet and Steve scrambled to find a parachute.

"Sit this one out, Steve." AJ yelled.

"-I can't, AJ." He replied, strapping the parachute on him. "You know that."

Natasha intervened, trying to help AJ. "-These guys come from legend, Cap. They're basically Gods."

"They are Gods!" AJ emphasized. "You won't win going against them by throwing a few punches."

Steve shook his head, "There's only one God, AJ, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." He said as he grabbed his shield and dove out the plane head first.

AJ took in yet another deep breath to calm herself down. The storm was clearing up and it seemed that it was her that would have to get used to going into battle with Steve, not the opposite. "He's going to give me a goddamn stroke." She said in frustration.

"Oh, come on, you knew him back then – does it really surprise you that he'd do something like that?" Natasha smirked only to have AJ narrow her eyes at the redhead.

"Exactly. The last time he did something that reckless was when he crashed into the artic in 1945 and wasn't found until a few weeks ago."

If Steve died again, AJ swore she'd kill him. And yes, she knew that was a contradiction – but she was pissed off enough to not care.

This is what Bucky must have always felt like before the war and Steve would pick a fight with guys twice his size – a constant state of stress, fearing that Steve would do something that would get himself killed.

She didn't like it.