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Celeste, changed back into her suit, sits in the hangar of the quinjet with Steve while Clint and Natasha pilot the quinjet, heading for Oslow laboratories. Tony is in a different country, visiting NEXUS to gather information. Bruce was dropped off by Nick at the Avengers Tower to do research, as well as check on Brielle.
"Tell me a story," Celeste breaks the silence, her gloves off as she twirls her engagement ring around. "Please?"
"Only because you asked nicely," Steve chuckles, relaxing in the seat next to her. "Before or after the serum?"
This was a habit for the two - to swap stories about their experiences. Whenever they had a good amount of time before they arrived somewhere, or one needed to be distracted from their anxious thoughts, or one needed to loosen up before a mission, Celeste would put her head on Steve's shoulder and ask for a story about the past. In return, she'd tell him one about her time in the circus.
"After," she decides. "But something that's not mainly about the war."
Steve nods, taking a few moments to choose a story.
"I was stationed in France for a few months in 1941," he begins and Celeste immediately gets comfortable, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes to let her imagination wander. "One of the governors decided to throw a party - or soiree, as he called it - in my honor. Initially, I turned it down, but he extended the invite to the Howling Commandos and Howard Stark, who threatened to replace my shield with plastic if I said no again."
Celeste giggles, surprised Tony hasn't said the same thing yet.
"So, I accepted and we all went. But, as it turns out, all this guy wanted was to form an even stronger alliance between the two countries, and he conveniently had a daughter my age."
"Wasn't it insanely hard for women to be a part of the war?" She interrupts, her forehead creasing as she tries to recall the history textbook she once had to read.
"It was," he admits. "Though that's not the alliance he was after. He wanted a marriage alliance."
"Can you blame him?"
"Real funny," Steve laughs dryly. "Anyways, his daughter - I believe her name was Roselyn - shows up."
"Was she pretty?"
"Very. Howard wouldn't stop flirting and Bucky couldn't stop staring to save their lives. And as soon as Howard tried to ask her to dance, the governor cut him off and asked if I'd like to take her for a dance. I-"
"We're here," Natasha calls back to them, cutting Steve off.
"I've got a heat signature on the top floor," Clint adds.
