America's Sweetheart (Steve Rogers) - 1

3

"Carter!" Phillips yelled to where both Peggy and Mo were stood observing the daily training session that the recruits were currently undergoing. They had been talking about the visit from Doctor Erskine, who right now was in the lab with Howard, as well as the latter's expo that would be taking place that evening. 

"He's pulling our leg." Mo shook her head and kept her hands firmly stuff into her aviator jacket. "Flying car indeed..."

"This is Stark, he loves to show off and if a flying car is what will give him an ego boost then he'll sure as hell have made one." Peggy noted. 

"As if Howard needs his ego massaged anymore"

"Yes well if i'm not correct then I think that he'd prefer you to do that". Peggy smirked.

"I am massaging no part of that man, whether he likes to think that I will or not". Mo rolled her eyes. "Did you know he brought me flowers the other day?"

"Well everyone likes flowers? Except you so it seems."  Peggy replied, knowing that her sister was more than likely to punch a man in the face if they so much as showed her any signs of a declaration of love. 

"I have allergies! The man may be a genius but he's going end up being the one to kill me at this rate, not the war as mother seems to think."

Peggy shook her head. "You're not going to die from smelling a bunch of roses." 

"But I might, and then what will you do?" 

Peggy looked rather amused, "Rejoice that I don't have to listen to you faff on as much as you do." 

On hearing the Colonel calling, both of them turned with a "Yes?" 

Phillips grunted to himself. The impatience building within him. He was going to have to obviously address one as 'Agent' and the other as 'Captain' for the sake of his own sanity, even if he felt that there was very little left of it. "Captain!" he called the confirmation as to which Carter sister he was summoning. 

Mo knew that Phillips only ever wanted her when there was paperwork to be filed or if he was displeased - which was often. Nothing she could ever say or do would make him appreciate her. She'd not flown an aircraft since arriving in America, and it was starting to get to her. It was what she was trained for, what she had yearned to do. Her only credential even if Phillips thought otherwise. Without that, it was as though she'd lost her identity.

"Yes sir?" She came to a stop in front of Phillips 

"Come with me." 

Great. Probably another reprimand for something he didn't like which wouldn't exactly hurt anyone. Mo followed him to the lab where Howard and Doctor Erskine were pondering over calculations and papers. "Doctor Erskine, I'd like to introduce you to someone." The Colonel announced as the men looked up. "Dcotor Erskine, this is Captain Carter, Captain Carter - Doctor Erskine." he made the introductions. 

"Personally i like to call her doll-face, coz that's what she is." Howard's roaming eye skimmed her up and down. 

"Eyes up here Stark." Mo stalked forward and tilted his head up so his eyes met her own. Turning to Erskine she smiled. "A pleasure." 

Erskine nodded, "Likewise Captain." 

"Carter will be accompanying you to the Stark Expo this evening." 

"Oh dear lord." Mo muttered. "So I've been promoted to bodyguard now have I?" and threw a rather unimpressed look to the Colonel. 

"You will go where I tell you to missy, and for now you'll be accompanying Doctor Erskine to the Expo. As far as I'm aware there's an enlistment office and he's going to be selecting candidates who he thinks would be suitable for our Super Soldier Program." 

Erskine cut in. "That, and I am rather eager to see this flying car that Mr Stark is showcasing..." 

"Aren't we all." Mo looked at Howard up and down with the greatest of expectations. "You'd better deliver Stark or there are going to be some very disappointed people out there..." 

"Well if you allowed me to take you out for some fondue then you'd soon know I am anything but that..." Howard chewed the end of his pen until Phillips cleared his throat. The amount of females he'd flirted with on base was fast rising. The last thing he needed was Stark corrupting them, but thankfully the good thing he'd found about Mo Carter was that she was here to do her job. Not score with the next American man who looked her way. 

"Yes, well...Carter, you will accompany the good doctor this evening - is that clear?" 

Mo nodded, "Crystal, Sir." 

**

While his blind date was somewhat another disaster to add to the list of the many that Steve had in his lifetime, the only positive that had come from visiting the Stark Expo was the fact that there was another enlistment office.

Should he try his luck again? There was always the risk he'd be caught as Bucky had told him many times, but so far he'd escaped being found out about the offence. It was worth the risk if it meant he'd be accepted.

With Steve's mindseemingly made up as he watched Howard Stark present his flying car, Bucky had clocked just where he'd disappeared to, and was soon by his side giving him the usual lecture abouthow he would get caught and blah, blah, blah. It was the same conversationevery time though, and Steve was getting bored with it. 

"Don't do anything stupid until I get back." Bucky finally gave in, knowing that when Steve was set on something, then he'd just go right ahead and do it. 

"How can I...you're taking all the stupid with you." 

Bucky rolled his eyes and gave his friend a hug. "You're a punk." He muttered and reluctantly left to take the two women dancing, prepared to enjoy his last night before he was shipped out. 

What Steve was unaware of, was that two pairs of eyes had been watching the exchange with interest, and that his desire to be out there serving his country was soon to be fulfilled. 

"What are you thinking Doctor?" Mo eyed Erskine who looked thoughtful. The man they'd been watching was barely any taller than she was, skinny and to anyone else - not 'soldier material', but Erskine could see past that. She could tell from his face.

"I think that I may have found my man, Captain, come along." He gestured for her to follow him to the examination room, so as he could find out who this man was.