February 1944 ~
Elaine sat at a desk in the infirmary, documenting the work being done, and hoping to keep her mind distracted. Bucky's death had taken a toll on both her and Steve, and she worried for her fiance on his current mission. She trusted her gut, and it was screaming at her that something was going to go wrong. When Peggy burst in and told her she was needed in the bunker, Elaine knew. And she had never been so unhappy to be right.
They entered, and Peggy led Elaine to the radio, both ignoring the occasional judgmental looks thrown their way. The rest of the room watched in a sort of confusion as Peggy tried to get Captain America back on the radio. Who was she to him? They had never really paid much attention to the man's personal life, and few even knew his real name. The radio crackled, and Steve's voice rang out in the silent room.
"I'm back. Is Elaine Bauer there?" The girl stepped up to the radio.
"Hey, Stevie. It's me."
"Laney! Thank God. Listen, I've gotta put her in the water, sweetheart. I'm so sorry." The girl shook her head, tears barely contained as she struggled to keep herself composed.
"It's not your fault, alright? Just...keep talkin'." The radio crackled again, and Steve's voice came back. Everyone knew he was going down, so why was he still talking to this girl? Steve couldn't bring himself to leave her like that.
"Hey, we never picked a date." Elaine gave a weak and watery laugh, and Peggy struggled with her composure as she listened to her best friend say goodbye to her fiance in the best way she could.
"No. We didn't, did we? You pick." More static from the dying radio.
"How 'bout next Saturday? Where?" A shaky smile crossed the girl's face, tears falling as she spoke.
"That little chapel eight blocks down from the shop. Two o'clock, and don't you dare be late or you'll have to deal with papa too." Steve gave a chocked laugh, his voice strained and thick with emotion as he spoke again.
"I still can't dance, ya know." Elaine's lip trembled as she spoke, struggling not to stutter through her tears.
"You're not that bad. But I'll teach you proper this time."
"Good! I'd hate to step on your feet at our-"
"Steve?" Elaine's voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible. Peggy pulled the other woman into her arms, allowing her to break, if only for a moment. She glared at the people around them, and nearly all the stares faltered under her withering gaze. Most had guessed enough not to say anything. One man in his late thirties whispered a question to his friend, just loud enough that Peggy heard him.
"What was that all about?" The man's friend shook his head angrily as Peggy's head whipped to them, her eyes full of tears and her voice raw and pained.
"That was Captain Steve Rogers saying his last words to his fiancee, Elaine Bauer. Have a little respect, please."
---
Elaine was sent back with Peggy, and the two girls stuck together for a long time to come. Peggy's life at the SSR, Howard Stark's antics, even the founding of SHIELD. Elaine was a constant presence at Peggy's side. She was the one to name the organization, giving no explanation for why their acronym had to be what it was. All the agents of the future would think, was that someone really wanted their initials to spell "SHIELD". But, the name of Elaine Bauer was wiped from history, forgotten by everyone but her closest friends. She was considered a disgrace in the early days of SHIELD, and a disgruntled employee wiped her from everything within their reach. She remained one of their best kept secrets, even after her disappearance sometime in the 1940's.
---
Seventy years later, Steve Rogers was found, thawed, and woke up in a bed in the New York City of the future, bigger and messier than he remembered. Director Fury asked him one question, oblivious to a large part of the man's past.
"You alright?" The blond super-soldier looked down, his face heart-breakingly sad.
"Yeah, it's just..." He trailed off for a moment, before looking up at the city around him. "I had a wedding to get to."
YOU ARE READING
The Soldier And The Cabbie
Fanfiction"I'm no good at picking up dames, that's for damn sure. But no one ever made me so nervous, and that's gotta mean something, Buck, if nothing else I'm feeling does. Every time I see her, I feel like my stomach is trying to digest itself. Any time sh...
