October 1941

"Tell me, Arnim, what else do you have for me since your multiple failed attempts?"

Zola gulped, feeling his bones shaking as he stuttered to come up with words, "I've..I have what I believe is the first replication of the serum. Our spies were able to gather Erskine's research, torn into pieces but I was able to put some pieces together. I believe I may have found the foundations of the serum he was working on." He straightened up, chin high to his reply.

Schmidt's lips curled into a smile, taking up the needle from Zola's hands and plunging it into his veins.

He felt a burn across his nerves, as if intertwining and fortifying his skin and muscles. Pleased with the result, he looked back to Zola, a smirk on his face.

"Well then, we must make sure our good friend has not developed any further on the serum with whoever he is working for, is that right Dr. Zola?"

"Ye..yes," he nodded quickly.

"Send more of our spies, find where he is." The Red Skull waved his finger in the air, walking out of the lab, humming a cheerful tune to the eerie dark facility.

"Now what you want to do Anya, is to add this solution to that one," he pointed to a bright blue liquid in a flask.

"And then you want me to fuse it with electrodes?" Anya looked around to the German man, taking notes at his desk.

"Yes!" he nodded, eyes still on his writing. He peered up at her, seeing the girl move around the lab, taking notes with each measurement. "You know, you've been learning a lot with Howard. Are you sure it isn't anything more than just..how do you say? Freunds?"

Anya chuckled, her eyes rolling as she switched on the fuse for the solution. She turned around to face Erskine, "Nein Herr Erskine! We had this discussion already! Howard and I are friends, we may be very close friends who are comfortable sleeping in the same bed,"

Erskine raised his eyebrows, Anya emphasizing on her next words, "as friends! But we are only that."

She shrugged, a small smile that turned into exasperation of a quiet sigh, "Besides, I've got someone waiting for me already."

Erskine rolled his eyes, "Ah! Young love! A Frenchman?"

Anya hesitated, trying to think of words to describe the Asgardian, "He's not...from around here."

"You will be reunited together after the war, ja?"

She sighed again, before looking back to the readings on her solution, a small huff coming from her breath as she tried to focus on her work.

Erskine sensing her tension, put his glasses down, walking to get a glass of water. "Anya, how about we call it a day? Look over the notes I gave you and study hard. I heard Agent Carter sent your sister for a trial training upstairs?"

"They thought it was finally time for her to stop living in the shadows of a dream," she raised her eyebrows, "Colonel Philips words."

"She's just a girl," Erskine sighed.

Christiane put her leg through her opponents stance, swinging it as leverage to knock him off his feet and take stance as she hit the dummy gun on his head. She tucked it in quickly to her belt before kicking high to another oncoming agent, jumping at him to wrap herself around him and use gravity to pull him down behind her before she stood ready for the next two oncoming agents. She deflected each punch with her arms, giving a powerful kick to the chest to each of the men.

"Very good, Bougourd, but you need more work." A man cleared his throat, taking notes on a clipboard.

"With all due respect, Agent Ligetty, I would much prefer something other than this," she huffed, pointing to the dummy weapon as she set it down on the table.

"As an agent you must be prepared for all types of situations, Bougourd." he replied, without looking up from the clipboard.

"Hear her out, Ligetty. She's a hand-to-hand combat kind of woman."

Agent Ligetty raised an eyebrow at Agent Carter where they stood by the matted area.

"I'll bring these observations to Philips. Other than that Bougourd, you're an exceptional fighter. You'd make a good agent especially with those language skills also. And a mechanic also?"

"Yes sir." She stood tall, her stance still, arms behind her back.

"Dismissed Bougourd and Agent Carter." he turned away, walking out the door as all the other agents slowly walked past them, giving Christiane a few odd looks and glares.

"Don't mind them, boys will be boys. Always thinking women aren't capable of kicking their arses."

Christiane undid the wrappings around her knuckles, "I'll say."

"If you pass through with everything, you know that you won't be able to get out of it right?" Peggy lowered her voice.

"I know, I just want more time, to be normal," she whispered.

Peggy rolled her eyes, "You're just like your sister." She laughed, "A little less serious though! I swear your sister jumps head first into everything!"

The two walked together out the door, "Come on, let's get you to Agent Vonn. He'll have a lot in store for you next."

Christiane chuckled quietly, "Should I introduce myself in French, German or Russian?"

Peggy gave a smirk, opening a door for her, "In my opinion, do whatever it takes to get on his nerves.", she winked.

"Odin, my king.", Heimdall bowed to Odin as he entered the throne room.

"Heimdall, I must confide in you with something."

Heimdall stood straight, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I know of the meetings between Loki and Vili's bloodline."

"Anya, your sire."

"You know of Loki's birth place, and have kept the secret since the day I brought him from that battlefield."

"Yes,"

"My brother would not have deemed it right, his bloodline with a frost giant."

"With all due respect, your Majesty, Vili believed in harmony amongst all realms and it's people."

"Silence!", his voice boomed, "I did not ask for your opinion Heimdall, only to tell you that I forbid such an alliance between the two. This is an order, restrict all meetings between the two."

"Your Majesty, Anya has a gift."

"I do not care."

Heimdall hesitated, taking a deep breath and a single nod, "As you wish." He turned on his heels and walked out the throne room. It was not only Odin who had confided an order to him, but centuries ago Vili did the same - To make sure he protected and let his bloodline be happy. Anya's happiness, he knew in some way was with Loki, and would always be with Loki."

Heimdall walked back to the Bifrost, Frigga awaiting him as they walked together.

"Tell me Heimdall, what has he said?"

"To forbid the meetings of Loki and Anya."

Frigga shook her head, "We can arrange something. I will not let Loki and Thor's happiness be ordered."

Christiane had already fallen asleep after a long day of combat training at the SSR base in Brooklyn.

Anya sat in the living room on the sofa, taking sips of tea.

In the quietness of midnight, she closed her eyes, letting her mind wander. The ache in her heart always present, just pushed away at each sunrise so she could do her job.

She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, focusing on the beat of her heart. She opened her eyes again, looking to out to the Bifrost with Heimdall and Thor standing in front.

She smiled, going to Heimdall and Thor to give them a hug.

"It's good to see you again, Anya." Thor hugged her tightly.

"You too." she smiled.

She looked to Heimdall, hugging him, "What of Loki, Heimdall? I can't find him anymore."

"He's...he doesn't want to see anyone right now." he replied.

"Thor?" She looked to him.

Thor shook his head, "I'm sorry, Anya."

Anya bit back her lip, nodding before turning back onto the Bifrost.

She opened her eyes back to the living room, a single tear rolling down her cheek.