All Along - Steve Rogers {1}

Chapter 3: Loose Ends

"You're both what?!" George Barnes exclaimed as he rose from his withered armchair in the centre of the lounge. His tired features had crumpled into a harsh frown, his eyes wild with worry and shock.

"Dad, please." Nellie muttered as she watched him begin to pace. She had only ever seen him lose his temper twice before in her whole life, the first was when Bucky had abandoned her on the way to store when she was eight years old, leaving Steve to come to her defence, and second when Bucky joined the army six months before.

After Steve and Nellie's short conversation with Dr Erskine, Steve was whisked away to a private room for a briefing about what was to be expected of him over the next week. He was to report back to the recruitment centre at 04:00am on Monday morning, from there a shuttle would collect him and take him to Camp Lehigh in Wheaton, New Jersey. Steve was to start training immediately, something which he was dreading, he could just imagine how physically challenging it was going to be. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous.

Nellie, however, was to attend work at the SSR base in Brooklyn as normal but she was to take a packed bag filled with some belongings. Dr Erskine, Agent Carter and the Colonel were due to leave Brooklyn at midday on Monday to join the recruits in New Jersey. Dr Erskine had arranged a board meeting for 10:00am to discuss Nellie's involvement, and should the board agree, she was to make the journey with them.

"Why didn't you tell us you were this... this... mad scientist?" Winnie scolded as she stared at her daughter as if she was a complete stranger.

Winnie was sat on the three seater couch that was situated by the fireplace next to George's armchair, the other two seats were occupied by Arty and Rebecca, Maria had been sent up to her room, the conversation apparently being inappropriate for a child's ears. Arty somehow looked more like Bucky than he ever did before, Nellie couldn't help but wonder if that was because Bucky had left or if Arty suddenly looked more mature now that she was being interrogated.

Rebecca, who had only been at the family home to say goodbye to Bucky earlier in the evening, just looked bored. The sisters had never really gotten along despite practically being carbon copies of one another. Rebecca was a year older than Nellie, but throughout their childhood she had always preferred to be alone, and when she got married at nineteen years old she moved to Connecticut and hardly ever visited. Truth be told Rebecca was jealous of Nellie, she had made something of herself in a man's world, she had brains, she held the affections of Howard Stark for crying out loud, what more could a girl want? Rebecca just felt trapped in her marriage, though, she would never admit that to anyone.

"Mom, I'm not a mad scientist." Nellie sighed, she leant forward so that she could let her head fall into her hand. Steve who had been sitting beside her silently, feeling like a small child being scolded by his parents, placed his hand on Nellie's back in an attempt to comfort her.

Her mother scoffed and George continued to pace across the room. "You're doing experiments using yourself!" Winnie accused, her voice straining with emotion. Winnie was angry at herself, she couldn't lose two children and Steve to this war, she had already lost family members to the Great War, she couldn't lose her children. How could she have let Nellie go this far?

Nellie sighed. "Listen, I know what I'm doing, Dr Erskine has been working on this serum for-"

George stopped his pacing directly in front of Nellie "A German doctor, well that just screams safe doesn't it." He flapped his arms about, his face turning red as he finally let his temper get the better of him.

Instantly Nellie rose from her seat. "Listen to me!" Never before had she risen her voice against her parents, the immediate shock and disrespect washed over both of their faces as Steve sunk back into the couch cringing. "This is to help us win the war, to help Bucky, to ensure that people like Bucky aren't putting their lives at risk when others can help."