Out of Time (Book 1)

Captains, Captives, and Commotions

1943

November

The USO show had arrived.  The prospect of seeing dancing girls had sent the majority of the camp into a tizzy.  Betty and her team were back to having only a couple of resident patients so, to distract herself, she had started training even more than before.  Charlie had helped a lot with that and told her she "had a mean right hook".  There was some speculation over who the "special guest" was, Bing Crosby, Mickey Rooney, and even Marlene Dietrich were mentioned but, as Betty stood at the back of the crowd and the compere asked them to welcome Captain America to the stage her jaw dropped.  Running out to face the audience, in a red, white, and blue suit, was Steve.  The star-spangled man with a plan indeed!  Rather than watch the show, Betty made her way backstage to try and catch him at the interval.

"Hey Captain."  She said as he descended the wooden stairs.

"Betty!  Wow!  I didn't expect to see you in a million years.  Come here!"  She ran to her brother, who swept her up into a giant hug.  "So, how've you been?  Stark working you hard?"

"As always.  How about you?  What's it like bein' famous?"  she nudged his shoulder.

"I think they prefer the dancing girls!"  He laughed, but then sighed.  "It's...frustrating.  I know I'm raising money and helping the war effort, but I feel like I could be doing so much more.  Do you know what I mean?"

Betty nodded.  "You want to be with the guys on the ground."

"Exactly."  She patted his arm in sympathy.  "How long are you here for?"

"A couple of days, I think.  Hopefully that'll give us a chance to have a decent catch-up.  I wanna know everything you've been doing."  He smiled.  A private interrupted them and said:

"Excuse me Lieutenant Rogers, you're needed in the command tent."

"It's Captain." Corrected Steve, earning him a confused look from the private.

"Actually Stevie, he means me."  Betty advised, nodding her dismissal to the private.  "Lieutenant Elizabeth Rogers, WMO."  She answered Steve's silent question.

"Impressive, Bets.  What did Bucky say when he found out you outranked him?"

"Steve...I..."

"Captain Rogers, you're back on stage in 15 seconds."

"Shoot Bets, I gotta go.  I'll find you later?"  He ran back up the stairs before she could respond.

She headed over to the command tent as summoned and encountered Phillips and Peggy, along with another Lieutenant that she didn't know.

"Good afternoon, Rogers," Phillips drawled.  "what's the update on the men from the front?  Any still in your care?"

"None left in our care, Colonel.  We either discharged or transferred to the main field hospital.  No fatalities.  This was all stated in my report."

"I see that Rogers.  Your brother's here, did you know that?"

"Yeah, I've actually just seen him.  The Star-Spangled Man indeed."  She smirked.

"Well, if he askes about the 107th you are not to tell him anything, Lieutenant.  That's an order."

"But Sir!  He deserves to..."

"I said, that's an order!"  Phillips spat.  "Your brother is reckless and impulsive.  He needs to do his job here, not be encouraged to do anything stupid."

Betty, feeling the rage build within her, bit her tongue and snapped an angry salute.

"Am I dismissed, Sir?"