Before the Frost (1)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The laboratory was more of a mansion on the inside than a place to conduct experiments. Upon entering the grand building, the first thing Evangeline noticed was the warm wooded floor , so different from Hydra's cold tiles, and the general comfort that came with the woven carpets and potted plants along the walls. Some of the larger ones rested on the floor while the smaller ones sat on wooden pedestals covered in intricately painted designs.

The front door opened to a large foyer, reminding both Angie and Peggy of a five-star hotel lobby, with a pair of leather chairs and a love seat sitting around a wooden coffee table. Beneath the furniture was a simple white carpet, large enough to protect the floor from the seats possibly damaging it, but small enough to not completely fill the room. Above the chairs and mini-couch was a glimmering crystal chandelier as big as the car they'd drove through the mountains and more beautiful than any gem either woman had seen in their entire lives.

"I thought you said we'd be staying at a laboratory..." Peggy questioned Howard. A man dressed in a black suit and tie strolled straight up to Mr.Stark and casually took his coat, then did the same for Peggy and Evangeline before briskly walking away. "Was that a butler? Why do you need a butler?"

"Look," Howard began with a sigh and folded his arms over his chest. "As much as I loved the whole 'smelly-hospital' gig you guys had going on, I wasn't built for that boring crap. So, I volunteered to redecorate."

"Redecorate?" Peggy parroted back with a scoff and continued to examine the lavish interior of what once had been a sterile wasteland. "I'd say you've done a little more than that."

Although Evangeline had been taught not to just barge into someone's home and make yourself comfortable, the tired and aching woman didn't care. She was exhausted and needed a break, no matter how disgusting she looked or smelled from the perils of their journey. The woman kicked off her ash-layered boots and was about to make a run for the love seat when Howard quickly placed his hand on her arm and shook his head.

"Not so fast, sweetheart," the millionaire smiled patiently. "Your rooms are upstairs. Trust me, they're worth the wait." He took it upon himself to lead the two women through the foyer, down a short hallway just as pleasant and quaintly decorated as the first room had been, up a magnificently carved wooden staircase that slightly spiraled to the left, and down another hallway before stopping at two doors. Placed at eye-level on the large pieces of wood were golden plaques, each one with the ladies' names on it.

Evangeline Amelia Harris

Margaret Elizabeth Carter

Angie looked from the door with her name to the man who'd led her here. So did Peggy, who was still a little suspicious as to the changes that had taken place at the lab since the last time she'd paid the establishment a visit.

A significant amount of time had passed since then, probably a year or two if she was thinking realistically, but there had been no news on remodeling the entire building. No bills from home-renovation companies, no expenses revolving around hiring a group of individuals to set up and install all of the new upgrades Howard decided to order. She'd been monitoring everything closely, every piece of paper that was placed on her desk or in her folders in regards to super-human studies and the experiments that they'd be subjected to, and not once had she read a thing about the laboratory Evangeline would be staying at suddenly renovating. 

Except for maybe the last month, agent Carter had seen or heard no indication that the building was being gutted and re-stuffed with lavish rugs, beautiful flora, expensive furniture and everything else involved in the package.

"Can I...?" Howard nodded his head and Evangeline grabbed the doorknob. With the twist of her wrist and a gentle push, the door soundlessly swung open to reveal the wonders inside.

The room was significantly smaller than the foyer, which was fine with Angie, though it was far from being defined 'small'. The ceiling could have been twelve feet, maybe fifteen feet tall at the most with its own miniature version of the chandelier from the one down stairs. The walls were a subtle gold color, reminiscent of an early-morning sunrise reflecting off the ponds in Central Park, and the floor was covered in soft, muted yellow carpet that complimented the wallpaper. Up against the wall a few feet away was a four-poster bed made of dark mahogany with a white, fluffy comforter and two gold-colored pillows sitting against the mahogany headboard. Along the wall to the bed's right was a darkened-oak dresser and vanity, with a simple closet next to it. 

"Oh...my...god..." Evangeline was speechless. 

"I know, I know, it isn't the most impressive thing-"

Evangeline sprinted across the room and leaped into the air. With arms extended like a starfish, the woman landed on the bed with an audible 'oompf' sound before grinning and curling up into a little ball on the mattress. 

"Are you kidding?" The super-human asked with excitement in her voice and a gleam in her eyes. "This is great! It's so soft!" 

"Goose down from France," Mr.Stark stated with a satisfied smirk and turned to Pepper, who was still lacking trust in this situation. "Not exactly a big difference from goose down from America, though. Just thought it would be fancier than what the states could provide." Almost as soon as she'd snuggled down into the bed's fabric, Evangeline was sitting straight up and staring across the room at the two individuals with a serious expression on her face, the dust and grime built up from their last tussle with Hydra making her features seem much grim than what they already were.

"Is this a sturdy bed?" The ragged and worn woman asked. The man laughed; he'd expected a much more mature question than that, but he answered nonetheless. 

"Yeah, I'd say so," He replied. "Mahogany is a strong type of wood. Odds are it'll last longer than the three of us combined."

That was all she needed to know. Angie got to her feet, standing tall on the warm and soft mattress with Howard and Peggy watching her every move, and started jumping up and down like an excited kindergartner on Christmas morning.

"What in God's bloody name are you doing?" 

"Hey, the best bed I've ever had was a pile of old cushions I found at the junk yard and sewed together," Evangeline defended herself and started twirling around with each leap she made into the air. Just as Howard had said, the supports that made up the wooden frame that held the mattress were strong, yet limber enough to absorb the shock of Angie's weight, providing the perfect trampoline-like experience she'd dreamed of since she was a little kid. "Don't judge me." She grinned and rolled forward mid-jump, doing a somersault in the air and landing on her back star-fish style.

Peggy let out a sigh and shook her head, but couldn't help the small smile on her face.

"Come on, Howard! There's room for one more." The millionaire laughed and approached the jumping woman, her blonde hair bouncing just as much as the rest of her.

"Just don't tell Sergeant Barnes, I don't think he'd handle knowing that you invited me into your bed when he's away." He teased and received a pillow to the face for his comment.