The sun has not even begun to break apart the hazy morning darkness when the call comes to wake up in the mornings. Lucy groaned and turned over in her bunk covering her head with her arms trying to ignore the sleepy rustling of the other women in her building. Her bunk shakes as Peggy exits the bed beneath her and a face appears right next to her own.

Peggy smiles a Cheshire grin when she spots Lucy's vain attempt at getting a few extra moments of shut eye. "Come on darling! Rise and shine, you promised to help me do my hair today did you not?" Peggy insisted as she rubbed Lucy's shoulder futilely trying to wake up her friend.

With a huff Lucy sat up, "As her Majesty commands." And stumbled off the top bunk onto the floor with an ungraceful startle.

Peggy smiled sympathetically, "Don't worry Lu, you'll get used to the wake up call soon." Then she bent down to retrieve her clothes and began to dress herself for the day, "And don't be such spoil sport we finally get to spend the day together it'll be lovely, even if we're just going to gather data on the progress of the recruits."

Lucy stretched her sore muscles before she too began to dress, "I shouldn't have gone training with you so many times this week."

Peggy let out an amused laugh, "Well I did warn you dear, and you need to rest between days of training. Especially because I know you overwork yourself in that lab of yours."

Lucy then took Peggy's chocolate curls and twisted them together at the nape of her neck and secured them with a few pins. "There how does that look?" she questioned surveying her handiwork.

"Brilliant." Replied Peggy, "Lets go before the men eat all of the food."

The women left the bunks to head to the mess hall for breakfast. Lucy, thoughtfully questioned, "But I have been resting, remember one day you train me for a few hours, the next day I train you. Exercise, science, exercise, science, and so on and so forth. That's what we're doing, expanding our horizons by working together."

Peggy nodded encouragingly, "And that is what we will continue to do because that is the only time I get to see you; however, you are working too hard. I think you need to take a night off and just rest." She looked over at Lucy concerned, "I can see the dark circles under your eyes, and I hear you shifting in your sleep. You don't sleep as deeply as one should."

Lucy sighed guiltily, "Have I been keeping you up?"

"No don't worry about me." Peggy waved away the thought with a flick of her wrist, "Sometimes I just think you need to worry more about yourself rather than other people."

"If only it were that simple." Lucy muttered suddenly preoccupied with the thought of the impending serum experiment. "We need to make sure absolutely everything is perfect. I don't want anyone to suffer."

Peggy stopped suddenly and grabbed Lucy by her shoulders, "Listen to me Lucy," she commanded leaning down to look her in the eyes, "I believe in you and Doctor Erskine. Everyone on this campground believes in what you are trying to accomplish. That's why I'm here, to help you pick out the best man for the job." Peggy then smirked roguishly, "Even if you already have a man picked out." She winked at Lucy before nodding toward a slight figure marching into the mess hall with the other soldiers.

Confused Lucy turned around to see what her friend was looking at and saw a tired Steve struggling to keep his eyes open before he was lost in the crowd. "Oh stop it!" Lucy exclaimed in a whisper to keep her voice from carrying, "You're worse than Howard."

Then from behind the women came a voice, "Who's worse than me?" and an energetic Howard Stark popped up next to them entirely too chipper for 5 am.

Peggy shook her head, "Speak of the devil…"

And Lucy finished amused linking arms with her two good friends, "And the devil shall appear. Come on, I'm starving."

-permafrost-

Later that day…

"Pick up the pace ladies!"

"Let's go, let's go!"

"Double time!"

"Come on, faster! Faster!"

"Move, move!"

"Squad halt! That flag means you're only at the half way point," The soldier barked at the exhausted men, "first man to bring it to me, gets a ride back with Agent Carter and Miss Barnes."

Lucy was sat in the back of the large army vehicle taking notes on the recruits' improvement or lack there of. Next there was a mad dash as the men scrambled over one another trying to climb the slippery pole to get to the flag on top. However none of their fingers could find purchase on the slick metal and one after the other the men stumbled and gave up.

"Your guy doesn't look too good." remarked Peggy whilst nudging Lucy.

"He's not my guy." Seethed Lucy while pretending to look down at her notes. Steve's ragged breathing concerned her, "Do you think he needs his inhaler?" she asked of Peggy.

Peggy studied the man standing with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. "No, he looks fine. I've put him through worse; but, I have it here with me at all times like you asked." She said gesturing to her pocket.

Lucy nodded gratefully at her friend, "Thanks, Lord knows what that little punk would get up to without me."

The lead soldier bored of their repeated failure instructed, "Alright let's go, get back in formation!" he paused seeing an empty spot in the group and turning around. "Rogers! I said fall in!"

The bewildered silence held by the men when the flagpole hit the ground did not last long. The look of complete astonishment from the men caused Lucy to chuckle from her perch and Peggy to give a nod of approval toward Steve.

"Thank you sir." said Steve exhaustedly as he clambered into the back of the car and Peggy drove them away leaving the other men behind in the dust.

"That was brilliant Steve!" Lucy congratulated him from the front.

He replied with a weak grimace too tired to do much else in response and grateful his cheeks were still flushed from running they hid his blush at her praise.

Peggy caught his eye in the rear view mirror and winked at him knowingly as they made their way back to the main part of camp.