America's Sweetheart (Steve Rogers) - 1

15

1944

"You look nice...for once." Peggy smirked as she walked into the cabin and saw Mo perfecting her lipstick in the mirror. It was something she'd always reminded her sister to never leave the house without. A perfect red lip. Now here she was in a nice blue dress, hair pinned with a little more perfection than it usually was and looking more dolled up than Peggy had known her to.

"After the success of last night's mission? I'm going dancing."

Peggy laughed in disbelief. "What! You never dance? You can't dance."

"Yes I can! I just choose not to."

Hands on her hips, Peggy stared at her little sister. "Who are you and what have you done with Mo? Next thing I'll know is that you'll be reverting back to being called Lizzie." She suddenly stopped. "Wait...is there some chap you're going dancing with?"

"No." Mo stated firmly. "The bar was getting a little boring and Dugan always passes out after five beers, so I decided to swap my usual haunt for somewhere different."

"Veeeery nice." Peggy nodded, "You never know, you might meet someone."

"You're beginning to sound like mother." The pilot rolled her eyes smoothed out her dress. She had to admit that she didn't look half bad. It had been a long time since she'd dressed up and even then it had been at her mother's insistence. "And I'm sure if she saw me now she'd faint with sheer happiness."

"If she saw you know she'd dragging you to the first available man she sees." Both woman said nothing for a moment, thinking about home and their parents. It had been four years since Mo had actually seen or had any kind of contact. Her mother had been so hurt at her leaving  that some things had been said. It had only made her want to prove her parents wrong even more. "Does she write to you?" Peggy now asked, bringing her around from her thoughts.

Mo shook her head. "No...why would she?"

"She writes to me, so I thought surely that..." She trailed off seeing her sister's hurt. "I'm sorry you left things as they were."

"Well I'm not." Mo grabbed her purse and made for the door. "I'll see you later. Can't guarantee that I won't be quiet though after a few drinks."

"Back before curfew, remember?"

"Always Peg." Mo huffed and left before her sister could say anything else.

She made her way to the Stork Club. Not many people on base went there so she could be sure that she and Steve wouldn't really be seen. If they were, then all it could be taken as was that Captain America was celebrating the success of a recent mission. It didn't have to be looked at in a romantic way, but in the back of her mind it probably would be.

The club was busy when she eventually arrived, the band already playing, people dancing. It was times like this that you forgot a war was raging on. But as the British always said. Keep calm and carry on.  Thankfully no familiar faces were in sight but that could always change.

Mo could recognise Steve's profile from behind anywhere, for a start he was simply watching from the side lines, and he was the only man without a partner. "Steve?" She smiled as she slowly approached him.

Steve turned, his face changing as he took her in.

Wow.

This woman was perfection. "You look..." He began but trailed off. 

"Ghastly? I know. I don't usually do anything like this." She tucked a stray dark lock of hair behind her ear.

"I was gonna say beautiful." He almost stumbled over his words. Even now as he had become closer to her over the last few months, he still found himself speechless at times.

Steve Rogers appeared to be the only man who had ever made her blush, because now she felt her cheeks flush slightly. "No one's ever called me that before." She now admitted quietly.In truth Mo rather liked it. He was sincere. 

Most men gravitated towards Peggy, either that or they made comments that were unsavoury to both. Where Peggy simply ignored it, Mo would always strike back, sometimes quite literally. You only had to look at Private Hodge's nose to know that.

"Well I'll carry on." He said, seeming rather pleased that he'd been the first to have that privilege. "Now I promised you a dance if I came back from that Hydra base in one piece, and here I am."

"So, dance with me Captain." 

Taking her hand, he led her out onto the floor - one arm carefully sliding around her waist as though he were worried she may shatter into pieces. The other clasped the only free hand she had. 

A slow dance. Perfect timing. 

Steve held her closer, feeling the familiar warmth of her body. By now he knew every curve, every feature. 

But her eyes...

He could stare into them forever. 

When he looked at Mo, the world stopped turning - every worry and doubt just ebbing away.

"Well, you haven't stepped on my foot just yet." She noted with amusement. He'd warned her before that he might. 

"Don't jinx it." He smirked as he spun her out and then back into him, catching her perfectly in his arms again. "We've got all night." 

On their arrival back to the base, they parted just around the corner from her cabin so as no one would spot them. His lips meeting her own, savouring her like it was for the last time. Eventually they slowly pulled away. 

"Goodnight Steve." Mo looked up at him from under her lashes. She didn't want the night to end. 

He looked just as reluctant to leave her. 

"Goodnight sweetheart."