For Better or For Worse - Book 3 (The Winter Soldier)

Chapter 4 - Fossils

"You know, they do have a thing called helmets," Annabelle said as they got off of Steve's motorcycle and he put on his baseball hat. She put her helmet down on the seat and he rolled his eyes with a playful smile before they walked inside of the Air and Space Museum, joining the crowd and heading towards the Captain America exhibit.

"A symbol to the nation," the narrator said from one of the many video screens that continued through the entire exhibit. "A hero to the world. The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery, and sacrifice." Annabelle watched the people in the museum around her, smiling as a little boy walked up to the large painting of Captain America on the wall and saluted him. "Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare." Another little boy with a Captain America shield was lifted up by his father so that he could be as tall as the life size picture of Steve on the wall, his mother measuring him. "One that would transform him into the world's first super soldier." She looked back over at her brother who was looking at a little kid with a small smile. The young boy was staring at him with wide eyes. Steve put a finger to his lips and the boy nodded slowly, his mouth close to falling open.

"I'll meet back up with you later," she whispered to her brother and he nodded before they split into different sections.

"Battle tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes," the narrator continued as she walked through the exhibits. She came in front of a wall with a painting of Steve and the Howling Commandos, their uniforms on mannequins in front of the wall. James Montgomery Flasworth, Gabe Jones, and Dum Dum Dugan on Steve's left, James Buchanan Barnes, Jacques Dernier, and Jim Morita on his right. "Their mission: taking down Hydra, the Nazi rogue science division." She turned around, finding the ceiling height, glass plaque with Bucky's picture on it titled 'A Fallen Comrade'. "Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country." She looked down at the videos playing on the small screen as a short video of Bucky and Steve standing next to each other smiling and laughing played.

"Oh come on, Annabelle," Steve told her, tired of standing in place.

"Stop harassing her," Bucky hit him in the shoulder.

"It shouldn't take this long to take a picture."

"It's a new camera," she defended herself as she continued to play with it. "Jonathan sent it and told me to send the film back to him so it could be developed."

"You sound like you're some sort of glitterati."

"I thought you were on my side!" Bucky only shrugged, making Steve laugh before Bucky started to laugh too. "Got it," Annabelle smiled, putting the camera away.

"Hang on, you put that away way too fast," Bucky stepped forwards.

"I may have been waiting until I could catch you two laughing," she admitted. "And it wasn't just a picture."

"You little crumb!" Bucky started to chase her and she ran away before he caught up to her and he picked her up and spun her around while Steve took the camera and held it out of her reach, all three laughing even harder.

She smiled to herself at the memory, taking one last look at the plaque before continuing on. She passed exhibits about the SSR, Hydra, and more of their missions. As she came to a small viewing room, she saw Peggy's face on the screen as she was talking about some of their missions. She went to sit down before she saw Steve staring at the screen, his compass with Peggy's picture in his hand. She decided to leave him be and move on to another part.