October 1943, New York City

Howard

"Where to Mr. Stark?"

"Brooklyn, Jarvis. To the colonel's office, I have to go to that meeting today at ten o'clock," I answered.

He nodded then in his thick British accent replied, "Of course, sir."

We drove for a while in silence. I sat, pondering the events of the last few weeks. I had received a call from Colonel Phillips, the head of the Strategic Scientific Reserve branch, asking me if I would be interested in working with him on something called Project Rebirth. What he told me was like nothing I had ever heard before. Of course, top secret government business was not new to me, I had been working for the Strategic Scientific Reserve since I had finished university, when my father handed over his famous technology company, Stark Industries, to me. My family had been one of the wealthiest in the country and our revolutionary technology made us one of the most famous as well. The colonel had thought that the technology Stark Industries produced would help with the war effort and recruited me to research and experiment for them as well as be their weapons specialist. But still, what he told me about Project Rebirth was so different than anything I had ever worked on, that I was stunned that he had told me about it. The goal of Project Rebirth was to create an army of super soldiers using a serum invented by a Dr. Erskine, who I was told, was rescued from Germany, where he was held prisoner, and was now helping the Allies. I was definitely interested in the idea, but I still didn't know where I came into the plan.

When we arrived at the office in Brooklyn, I stepped out of the car, thanked Jarvis, and began the long process of providing passwords and identification that would allow me to attend the top secret meeting. As I opened the door, I immediately made eye contact with one of the only familiar faces in the room.

Her brown eyes lit up with recognition when she saw me and she arched her brows and gave a little smile as if to tell me that she had succeeded, against all odds, to be in the army, as she had always dreamed of.

I paused for a moment at the doorway until Colonel Phillips rose and said in his gruff way, "Stark, take a seat, we have important things to discuss today."

I sat down and tried to pay attention as Dr. Erskine and Colonel Phillips took turns talking about the plans for their project, but I couldn't help continuously stealing a look at Peggy. But, she was completely focused on whoever was speaking in the room at the time, or at least she seemed to be. I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen her on a visit to London. It had to have been before I started university, so eight years? She sat in the most poised way, her faced with the expression of complete interest in whatever was being discussed. She was so graceful, and so very different from when I last had seen her.

I suddenly realized Colonel Phillips glaring at my obvious distractedness and like a disobedient child, turned my gaze to Dr. Erskine. He was speaking about the man the had chosen to be the first to receive the supersoldier serum, someone named Steve Rogers. He praised him and told us of how Rogers was the right one to become a supersoldier, how the serum would amplify all of Rogers' good qualities; his bravery, his intelligence and above all, his kindness. He told us of how he'd planned for Rogers to undergo the process to become a supersoldier next week, here in Brooklyn.

"That's where you come in, Stark," Colonel Phillips interrupted, "we want you to help out with the process, the technical aspects of it."

I nodded thoughtfully, as if I had been paying attention the entire time.

After the meeting was over, I walked over to Peggy, who was rising from her seat.

"Hello Howard," she said, turning face to address me.

She looked annoyed, so I just grinned. "Hello Peggy. Now I know you've been terribly lonely without me and it's been such a long time, but try to restrain your overwhelming sense of joy at the sight of me."

She nodded, "Yes, it has been rather long hasn't it? And you never wrote."

I looked at her apologetically. It was true, I hadn't written to her after I left for university even though I'd promised to.

"Well, I know someone as sweet and forgiving as you will surely find it in her heart to forgive me once I make it up to you," I said, half jokingly, but also in complete seriousness as I had rarely been required to apologize for anything.

Her face softened a bit, sensing how uncomfortable I actually was. "Very well, I shall give you a chance," she smiled. "You're quite lucky that I have missed you, Howard, or you wouldn't have gotten off so easily," she added.

"I think you're the lucky one, Peggy. Now you get to spend all your time with me!" I joked. "But first, I think we have some catching up to do," I said, "would you like to go for some lunch with me?"

"Well, I don't see why not," she replied, grinning.

The two of us climbed into the car and I introduced her. "Jarvis, this is Peggy Carter she's an old friend of mine."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Carter," he said politely.

She smiled and replied, "Ah, a fellow countryman! Mr. Jarvis, I'm sure we will get along."

"Oh yes!" I said, "I forgot you were both from England. You two will have plenty to talk about on the ride to lunch."

After about fifteen minutes we stopped in front of a small but pretty Italian restaurant and Peggy and I walked in. We were seated within a few minutes and after we ordered our food, we began to talk. She told me of how she had graduated the ladies school in London her aunt Annemarie had sent her to and began to look for work in the army, although the war hadn't started yet. "My aunt Annemarie wasn't too happy about me wanting to work for the army!" she giggled. She continued on, telling me how she hadn't found any work working for the British army, so she had moved here and gotten the job at the SSR. "They weren't going to let me join at first, but then I told them that I knew that they didn't want to hire a woman for the army, but that I at least deserved a chance and that I hadn't crossed the Atlantic to be denied even the chance to help win the war," she told me.

"So, they let you join? Just like that?" I asked. I was incredibly stunned. Peggy was more than qualified, but Colonel Phillips was not the type to be persuaded.

"Yes actually, they did. I think I stunned them a little."

We talked a little more and then strayed to the topic of Project Rebirth.

"So who is this Steve Rogers?" I inquired casually.

She blushed, which surprised me. "Well, you heard what Dr. Erskine said about him; he described him quite perfectly really."

"So have you actually met him?"

"Yes," she replied and looked down shyly at the table.

Her short answer took me by surprise again. Why on earth was she so reluctant to talk about him? I asked a few more questions until she finally spoke of him more easily.

"He's quite remarkable actually. I think you'd be friends, if you met him," she said. "If Dr. Erskine's serum works, if he does become a supersoldier, I think he will be an amazing hero, America's hero. I think he will help us win the war. He really is remarkable."