Author's Note: Just in case you were wondering what Anya calls Christiane - "ma poulette" in French is a sort of nickname meaning "my little chick/chicken". "Bisous" is kisses - after saying goodbye or when you are about to hang up the phone, it's usual to say "bisous".

Also if there are any native Italian-speakers reading, I'm sorry if the Italian is wrong (I'm learning!).

November 1940

It was Friday evening, when the repair shop's phone rang. Lorenzo walked over, wiping his hands on his jumpsuit.
"Hello?" he eyed at Christiane who was working on the underbelly of a blue Ford Anglia.
"I see, just a second" he turned again to Christiane shouting in a thick Italian accent, "Cristiana! La chiamata è per te. (The call is for you.)"

Christiane pushed herself out on the roller seat, wiping her oily hands on her jumpsuits before taking up the telephone.
"Hello?"

"Coucou ma poulette!" came a voice on the handset, a voice she'd know anywhere.

"Anya! How are you?" she jumped, smiling as she turned her back on the boys in the workshop startled by her shouting.

"I'm alright, and I'm coming home tonight. I'll come pick you up at the shop in about half an hour, is that alright?"

"Yes of course! But how did you get this number?"

"You think I'd let my little sister be all by herself? I've got eyes everywhere." Anya laughed.

"Aren't you the suspicious one." She raised her eyebrows, "I need to get back to work, but I'll see you soon."

"Okay, bisous"

"Bisous bisous", setting the handset down.

Lorenzo turned around to Christiane with a puzzled look – "Who was that?"

"My big sister actually.", walking past Lorenzo to get a wrench from the toolbox.

"I didn't know you had a big sister!", he beamed, smiling.

Christiane smiled back, walking to the Ford Anglia and under.

Sure enough, half an hour later on the dot as Christiane sat at the desk filling out her papers for the day, Anya walked through the garage door with a duffel bag on her shoulder.
"Anya!", Christiane got up running to hug her sister.

"Ouf!" Taking the full force of her tall sister, "Have you gotten taller or am I shrinking?" she laughed.

"I think I'm still the same height", she pulled back, her nose scrunching up at the remark.

Anya cheeks were continuously red, something Christiane recognized as windburn from cold winds, and her hair's dark brown were now with lighter ends.
"You've been in the sun? Somewhere cold?"

"Austria." She nodded, smiling.

Christiane's eyes widened, "Austria? How the-" just as Lorenzo walked to the two sisters. Anya immediately turned and put her hand out, "Ciao, mi chiamo Anya Bougourd. Devi essere Lorenzo Savini!" (Hello, my name is Anya Bougourd. You must be Lorenzo Savini)

He took her hand, nodding as his lips curved into a smile, "Si signora." Before clasping his hands together, his smile widening, "È così bello avere qualcuno con cui parlare italiano! Dove hai imparato l'italiano?" (It's so good to have someone to speak Italian to. Where did you learn Italian?)

Anya put her arm around her sister, "Our mother's family is from the Alps, bordering with Italy. My mother taught me, but Christiane didn't quite pick it up. She got all the other languages except for this beautiful one." The sisters both smiled at each other briefly, remembering their mother, before looking back at Lorenzo.

"I see, Italian is the most beautiful language" he nodded, before looking at the sisters, "Well, it certainly is such a delight to finally meet you. I was worried Christiane didn't have any family, but luckily she has you."

"Likewise, Signore Savini, I hope my little sister hasn't been causing you any trouble?"

Christiane quickly glanced at Anya, nudging her before smiling and bowing her head down, "Anya!"

Lorenzo chuckled, "Quite the contrary, she is the one of the most efficient mechanics and the quickest learner I have ever met. She easily beats all the boys working here. Also, my wife absolutely adores her."

"I'm glad to hear that. Again, it was lovely to meet you and I hope you have a good weekend!", replied Anya.

"You too!" as he handed Christiane's handbag on the table to her before walking the girls to the door.

The girls walked back in the twilight, arms linked together. Christiane rested her head on Anya's shoulder before taking her duffel bag.
"No no, it's heavy!"

"Anya, you must be exhausted, let me carry it!"

"Look who's the big sister now" with Anya tiptoeing to rest her head on Christiane's high shoulder. "So, what should we have tonight?"

"I can make pasta and tomato sauce if you want?"

"That sounds delicious, you should see the food they give us down at the base."

"I'm not looking forwards to that…Also, is it alright my two friends come over for dinner? I didn't know you'd be coming back tonight so I thought I could invite them over. If you want I can reschedule with…"

"No! Don't be ridiculous. I'd like to meet your friends! Now tell me, how's school been?"

"Things I already learnt in Paris. Monsieur Trenet says I can graduate in five months' time." She walked, kicking up a pebble along with her shoe.

"And what about the others? When do they graduate?"

"In six months. But that's only because I don't have to take the Russian exam", the pebble flew forwards, out of sight.

"That's amazing! You're graduating a month before everyone else, that is something to be proud of!", her sister tightened her arm around her, smiling, at least trying to get Christiane to smile back.

"It's just, after that, I have to go train, don't I?"

"I'm sure we can find a way, what is it you want to do?", she looked concerningly to her sister.

"I want to work, get some experience in the real world, even if it means being a mechanic for a year. If the SSR really want me, shouldn't I have the best skills possible?"

"They can always train you there…", Anya said quietly.

Christiane took a deep breath, finally looking up at her sister. Her bright blue eyes filled with worry. "I just don't want to leave my friends, not yet… We left France so quickly, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to our friends, our neighbors or even go to maman and papa's grave. I'm not ready to go straight back into the war yet.", she continued.

Anya stopped, turning around and putting her hands on her sister's shoulders, "I just want you to be happy, poulette. And I know, I wish we could have said goodbye too. But, we are here today, and if this is what you want and you're not ready yet, that's alright. I'll talk with Peggy about it, and we will try to arrange something for you with Philips."

Her sister nodded giving Anya a tight hug. They pulled away, arms linked and kept walking home.

"Out of curiosity, does the SSR have many women apart from you and Peggy?", Christiane asked, her eyebrows furrowed together.

"Oh lord, it's men everywhere!", Anya laughed.

Christiane smirked, "And is there?"

Anya's laughter stopped, eyes wide, "A what?"

"A man!", Christiane beamed. She loved catching her sister off-guard especially when it came to the matter of boys.

Anya's cheeks turned a bright red, trying to hide a smile, "Well, there is one man."

Her little sister gasped, "Who is he!"

"Someone at the SSR, it's a secret.", still trying to hide her smile.

"You could get in a lot of trouble for that, Anya! Does Peggy know?", Christiane replied, now wide-eyed but with a grin of amusement.

"Of course, she knows, she saw the signs before I even did!", her smile starting to grow.

Christiane got closer to her sister, looking around to see if anyone was around out of habit and whispered, "What's his name?"

Anya's eyes were filled with adoration, now as if smiling to herself, "Howard."

They reached the door of the apartment building, Christiane grinning again, "And will I ever meet this Monsieur Howard?" she mused in English with an intended French accent.

Anya stepped up the steps, face to face with her little sister smiling in amusement back, "And what about you? Any boys hmm?"

Christiane tried to reply back but couldn't. She was speechless. Looking down to her shoes as she opened the door wider for her sister to come in, she mumbled, her lips pouting, "Okay, you win."

"Ha! You know you can't beat me in this game!" They started up the stairs to the apartment, "But honestly Christiane," she looked to her sister who was trying to hide a smile again, "Is there someone?"

She nodded quickly, "But he doesn't know I like him.", before scurrying up to unlock the apartment door.

The water boiled in the pot, the water salted and the tomato sauce bubbling. Anya exited the bathroom, her nose lifting in the air to the smell of the cooking.
"I miss that smell", she smiled to herself, her eyes closed.

Christiane turned around, her eyebrows raised, "The smell of tomatoes?"

"No silly! The smell of home-cooked food!"

"It reminds me of maman…" Christiane looked down to the floor, smiling to herself.

Anya walked up beside to her, hugging her tightly. "I know you miss her, I do too. But she's in a good place. So is papa too."

Christiane nodded in the hug, holding her sister tighter. Anya whispered into her sister's ear, "They would be very proud of you. Look at how much you've grown these past months. I'm proud of you too."

They pulled away from the hug, smiling at each other, their eyes glossy from oncoming tears.
Christiane laughed, "No crying! We promised no crying!"

Anya shooed her hands to her sister back to cooking, "I'll set the table."

Christiane checked the tomato sauce again, before putting a lid on it to continue marinating in itself, turning to see her sister straightening the plates and cutlery.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Christiane's eyes wide looking to her sister. Anya motioned her hand to the door, whispering "Should I get that?"

Her little sister rolled her eyes before smiling, "They'll be so confused! They have no idea who you are!"

Anya opened the door, grinning to the two boys standing outside, "Hello darlings!"

Steve looking alarmed and confused quickly looked at the apartment, and then at the woman standing in front of him. "Good evening, ma'am. Um, this is Chrissy's apartment, right?"

Anya put her head up, role-playing as clueless to the question, "Oh I don't know a Chrissy."

Bucky also confused, continued from Steve, "Is this Christiane's apartment?"

Anya going along with the conversation put her hands up in the air, "Ah! Christiane, yes, the tall girl. I think she…"

Christiane shouted from the kitchen, "Anya! Just let them in already!"
She walked aside, holding the door for them just as Christiane put down the pot of spaghetti and tomato sauce on the table.
"Meet my sister, Anya."

"The one and only!" Anya stood beaming.

Steve and Bucky immediately straightened up, their hands shooting out – "Steve Rogers, ma'am", "James Buchanan Barnes, ma'am"

The two sisters stood together, with the same smile and the same twinkle in their eyes.

Bucky's confused face slowly started smiling and nodding, "I see where the resemblance comes from now."

The sisters in fact looked very much alike except for Christiane's height and green eyes, and Anya's blue eyes.

Christiane walked back to the kitchen, taking the now empty pot, "You start eating, I'll just let this soak a little."

As soon as Christiane was out of ear-shot's range, Anya leaned in towards the center of the table with Steve and Bucky sitting on the other side.

"So, tell me, how long have you known Christiane?"

"Since the first day she arrived" replied Steve, "She was drawing on a map and I told her not to take one of the street's she had traced."

"Why not?" Anya tilting her head in confusion.

Bucky leaned in closer, his arms on the table, "Willoughby Street has a really bad smell."

Anya leaned back, crossing her arms and smiled before looking at the two boys sternly, "I have to thank you then."

"For?" Steve inquired.

"Being there for my sister. It really means a lot."

Bucky and Steve smiled. Anya continued, "But I need to know, as a big sister, when she finishes school late, does she walk back home alone?"

"Bucky actually walks with her every evening!" Steve chuckled as Bucky nervously elbowed Steve – "Ow! What was that for?"

Anya looked to Bucky, "Thank you, James."

"Bucky's alright, ma'am."

"Anya then."

Christiane came back, sitting at the table, "What did I miss?"

Anya cheekily smiled, looking at Christiane and then Steve and Bucky, "So where did this Chrissy nickname come from then?"

Christiane could only look at the boys both smiling, before digging into her food smiling to herself. "Only Steve calls me Chrissy now".

Steve smiled back, tucking into the spaghetti.

Anya turned to Bucky, "What about you, do you have a nickname yet for my little sister?"

He shook his head, smiling with what Anya thought was a tint of blushing on his cheeks, looking first at Christiane and then at Anya, "I haven't found the right one for her yet."

Anya turned her head to the side, "Oh?"

After dinner, Anya asked how Steve and Bucky met, as well as the boys asking the sisters about their childhood memories growing up in France. Soon, the boys retired back home, while the girls prepared themselves to sleep.

"It's that boy, isn't it?", Anya could feel a ghost of a smile coming on her lips, watching Christiane.

"Hmm?", Christiane replied while brushing her hair.

"Bucky, he's the boy you like.", she scooted closer to her sister sitting cross-legged.

Christiane huffed, rolling her eyes then smiling, "Yes, I like him."

"The way he looks at you, he likes you too", Anya was fully smiling now, excited for her sister.

"I don't think he's interested in me that way, we're just friends", she mumbled.

"Christiane! Look at me," pulling her sister to sit cross-legged with her, "He likes you, and one of these days you both are going to have to admit your feelings for each other."

"I don't know how," she mumbled again.

"You will when the time comes, trust me." Anya smiled confidently to herself.

Christiane flopped on the bed dragging her sister beside her before there was silence between the two.

She then turned abruptly to face her sister, her eyes squinting at her, "What were you doing in Austria?"

Meanwhile in Austria…

Schmidt overlooked the icy terrain below him, emotionless. His back was turned away from the lab as he put on a glove, covering the red skin he had transformed into.

A knock came from the door – "Come in." By the sound, the footsteps were hurried, but also padding across quietly as if in a sense of fear. Schmidt turned around to see the Swiss scientist, "Herr Schmidt".
"Ah, Dr. Zola.", he walked towards to scientist who cowered, his eyes to the ground, "What do you have to tell me?"

Zola swallowed, his breath shaking - "Erskine. You recall you put him in a dungeon cell in the Chiemgau Alps."

He raised his eyebrows, looking at the scientist more sternly. "What about him?"

"He's gone. He's escaped.", finally looking up at Schmidt. In his eyes, he could see anger building, his fists balled up and his jaw clenched. Red cracks started forming at the surface of his skin, as his rage finally exploded. His arms went for the table, swiping it of all of its contents and a feral shout from his voice. Zola could only stand back and watch, shaking.

Schmidt turned to the scientist, panting, "Where is he now?"

"We don't know, it's as if he vanished into thin air. None of the locks were compromised either and the guards at the facility did not see or hear anyone."

Just as if it never happened, Schmidt returned to a calmer state, walking across the strewn affairs on the floor towards him. "Well, we mustn't let that stop us with our newest discovery. Is that right, Doctor?"

Zola's face changed, a sudden relief in some sorts that he wasn't going to be punished for the bringing of news. Instead, he stood more sternly, and nodded. "Yes, Herr Schmidt. Hail Hydra."

"Hail Hydra.", his footsteps radiating through the lab as he reached for something in the vault behind his table, putting atop a box.

Opening the box, a bright blue light seeped out, a hum from the energy coursing through the lab.