Earth's Mightiest Heroes

Sergeant Kennedy Barnes, 107th

"You're seriously not doing this, are you?" James snapped throwing the SSR letter back on the table.

"Yes," I shot back, "They reached out to me. I'm going."

"You're as bad as Steve," he groaned.

I smirked, "Why do you think I'm marrying him?"

"I didn't agree to that," he pointed out, "He's letting you go?"

I gaped, "You think he gets a choice? I'm an adult, James. I can make that decision for myself."

He smiled, "We wouldn't be able to stop you anyway."

"Damn right," I said pushing past him.

"Where are you going?"

"Steve and I were grabbing a shake," I told him, "I'm supposed to meet him there."

"What was he doing that he couldn't meet you here then the two of you walk together?"

I shrugged, "Its Rogers so who the hell knows."

He sighed, "Yeah, well, you guys have to meet me at the World Exposition. You promised."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be there," I said. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "See you later, little brother." I turned and walked out of the apartment that I shared with my little brother and my fiancé, Steve. He always liked to point out that he wasn't little anymore because he was three inches taller than me, which was saying something about his height since I was tall for women of my time. A six-foot woman was a bit odd. Mama always said I was ahead of the times. Maybe one day I would fit in, but there nothing wrong with being different. I was pulled out of my thoughts when I caught someone getting their ass kicked in an alleyway. I doubled back once I realized it was Steve. Well this wasn't good.

"Hey!" I called walking down the alley, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" I grabbed the guys shoulder, wheeled him around, and punched him. I then shoved him out of the alley, "Get outta here." I turned to Steve, "Sometimes, I think you like getting punched."

Steve pushed himself off the ground, "I had him on the ropes."

I bent down and picked up the enlistment form, "How many times is this?" I looked at the form then back at Steve, "Oh you're from Paramus now. You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form. Seriously New Jersey?"

Steve looked up at me, "Did you get your orders?"

I gave him a little smirk and smoothed out my uniform, "The one-o- seventh. Sergeant Kennedy Barnes. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow."

"I should be going."

"Come on, sweetie!" I exclaimed throwing my arm around his shoulder, "It's my last night. Gotta get you cleaned up."

"Why? Where are we going?"

"James says it's the future," I said as we walked out of the alley, "And he says I'm the nerd."

"You kind of are."

"Shh, don't tell anyone," I joked. I laced my fingers with his and dragged him back to the apartment. "Go change," I said shoving him toward the bedroom. Once he was changed I dragged him down to the Exposition. We quickly found James and headed toward him.

"Who's the girl with him?" Steve asked.

I shrugged, "No idea. I think he's trying to find love before he ships out. He's not as lucky as you are."

Steve grinned, "No he's not."

"Hey," James greeted, "About time you got here. Its about to start."

Steve and I both rolled our eyes and followed after James and the girl. The thing started with Howard Stark coming on the stage.

"Hey it's Howard Stark," James pointed out.

"I can see him," I said.

"Who's Howard Stark?" Steve asked.

"Howard Stark is a genius," I told him.

"She's in love," James teased.

I smacked him on the arm, "Not with Howard. Now pay attention."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Howard said, "what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all." The girls helping him took the wheels off the car that was on the stage. "With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that." He flipped a switch and the car started to hover.

"Holy cow!" James breathed. Suddenly the car came crashing down.

Howard laughed, "I did say a few years, didn't I?"

"Hey Stevie," I said turning to look at him. He wasn't there anymore. I looked around for him but he was a small guy and there were a lot of people here.

"Hey," James said, "You and Steve wanna go dancing with us?"

"I gotta find my fella first," I told him.

"I have an idea on where he might be," James said pointing to the recruitment center. I sighed and we walked over there. We found Steve standing, looking at a picture trying to make himself look like a soldier. James went over and shoved him.

"You really gonna do this again?" James asked him.

"Well," Steve said, "It's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck."

"As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you. Worse, they'll actually take you."

"Look, I know you don't think I can do this."

"This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war!"

"I know it's a war. You don't have to tell me."

"Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs."

"What am I gonna do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon."

"Yes! Why not?"

"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky," Steve protested, "Bucky, come on! There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

"Right," James drawled, "Cause you got nothing to prove. Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

Steve smirked, "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

James pulled him into a hug, "You're a punk." He pulled back and walked away.

"Jerk," Steve called after him, "Be careful. Don't win the war till I get there."

James gave him a salute then walked back to the girl he was with. Steve turned to me, "You gonna lecture me?"

"Why? Seems James did a pretty good job," I responded.

"I should be there," he said.

"So try again," I told him.

He looked at me in surprise, "Are you serious?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I don't see why you shouldn't try. Just be careful with how far your lies go. I don't want a letter telling me that you got arrested for lying on your enlistment form."

"That's not going to happen."

"Good. Now go try again. I'll wait here."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, go. Besides if I walk home by myself James will kill us both."

He nodded and went into the recruitment center. When he came back out the two of us headed for some burgers then back home. That night was the last night I saw him for a while. The next morning, I shipped out and now I was in England. We then shipped out to Austria. Austria didn't end well, our unit got attacked. James tried to get me to leave with those who could get out but I wasn't leaving my men behind so I went back in. I had been captured along with the majority of the one-o-seventh. A lot of the men were being put to work. The crazy scientist guy took a liking to James and I. Apparently we have some qualities that he was looking for to better Hydra.