Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Chapter Text
Anne Marie was walking to her friend’s house to hangout for the afternoon. Her two best friends, Steve and James, were the idiots she was going to see. They had been inseparable since kindergarten when James and Steve stuck up for her on the playground when another guy was picking on her.
She rounded the corner to the entrance of Steve’s apartment getting ready to knock when the door was suddenly pulled right from under her balled fist. There stood James about to laugh at her for jumping when the door opened so abruptly. She lightly smacked his arm as she entered the room.
“Why hello to you to Ace,” Bucky looked at her from the door. Anne Marie cringed at their favorite nickname for her.
“I play poker with you one time and it never goes away.” Anne Marie rolls her eyes at Bucky still standing there with that stupid grin on his face.
“Well if you hadn't cheated to get pocket aces then you might not have this nickname.” Steve hopped into the conversation as he walked in from the other room.
“Excuse you, I did not cheat and even if I did you have no proof to back up your claim.” She said defensively, placing her left hand on her hip.
They all bursted into laughter after her last statement. Truthfully Anne Marie had cheated using her amazing sleight of hand ability. But neither of the boys caught that, they just didn’t want to admit that they had lost to her.
“So what are we going to do today,” Anne Marie asked as she plopped down on the couch, relaxing after her walk there.
“We were thinking of just sticking around the apartment.” Steve said sheepishly looking around at the mess of a room.
“Alright, why don’t you to goons go pick out a board game and I’ll make the snacks.” She said walking towards the kitchen. Steve and Bucky may not have expressed any romantic feelings towards Anne Marie but they wouldn’t disagree with the idiots that tried to hit on her because of her beauty.
“Popcorn please, Ace.” Bucky called from the main room as he pulled monopoly out from the stack of board games.
Earlier this cold December day Bucky had gotten a letter from the military saying that he was drafted for the war effort. He was scared he didn’t want to leave Steve and Anne Marie being that neither of them could get drafted.
The boys were setting up the monopoly board when Anne Marie walked in with a big bowl of popcorn to share.
Bucky cleared his throat, “I enlisted in the army today,” leaving out the part about him being drafted because he knew how much Steve wanted to go and serve his country.
“Wow Buck, that's good, I guess,” Anne Marie was saddened by the thought of it knowing she might lose one of her best friends, but Steve couldn’t have been more jealous, he wanted to help with the war effort so much.
“I was thinking as our last night of fun before I depart, we go to the Stark Expo” Bucky was talking to both of them trying to lighten the mood after what Anne Marie just said, clearly hearing the sadness in her voice.
“That sounds amazing,” Both Steve and Anne Marie said in unison. The Stark Expo was something that Anne Marie and Bucky loved being the big science nerds that they are.
They finished out the popcorn and the game of monopoly, Anne Marie winning like always with her superior gaming skills. Bucky and Steve walked her to the door saying goodnight as she left the apartment for the evening. Another fantastic afternoon spent hanging with dumb and dumber Anne Marie thought as she went on auto pilot walking back to her house.
Anne Marie said goodnight to her parents and went straight to her room after that. She sat in her bed thinking about how much her life was about to change. But Bucky leaving was just the beginning.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Chapter Text
The Stark Expo. Anne Marie was ecstatic she couldn’t wait to go. What she didn’t know was that Bucky was bringing two other girls to go with him and Steve.
Anne Marie was meeting the boys at their apartment, so that they could all go to the expo together and not have to meet up there.
“Hiya, idiots, you ready for a night of science fiction!'' she yelled as she entered the apartment not noticing the 2 girls sitting on the couch in the room.
“Ahem”, the girls said in unison to get Anne Marie’s attention after her rather loud yelling beforehand. Anne Marie jumped at the sound of the high pitched ‘ahem’ not realizing that there were other girls in the apartment.
“Oh, sorry I didn’t realize you two were here.” Anne Marie said with a slight blush on her cheeks.
Bucky and Steve walked in just in time to save her from having more of the awkward conversation that had started when she walked in.
“James, who is this gal?” One of the girls said rather quizatorial and judgy in your direction.
“That would be Anne Marie, she is Steve and mine’s childhood best friend.” Bucky stated matter of factly like that was a well known thing.
Anne Marie was a well guarded person. Not really talking to many people outside of her family and close friends, she didn’t need to; she had all she would ever need right there.
Anne Marie was wearing a lavender dress in stark contrast to the bright pinks of the two other girls' dresses. Bucky was wearing his dress uniform and Steve wore a pair of slacks, a white tee and a khaki jacket. All ready to catch a cab to the Expo.
Stepping out of the car Anne Marie was dumbfounded by what she was seeing. Everything looked like it was straight out of a scifi book. High speed trains, mannequins with superhero suits, and smack dab in front of the stage a giant spinning globe.
Bucky and Steve instantly noticed Anne Marie’s face light up when they exited the car. For a split moment forgetting about the other girls in the car, enticed by the beauty in front of them.
“Come on girls,” Bucky said as he helped them out of the car. “If we don't hurry we are going to miss the show.” Bucky gestured to the stage behind the globe in front of them. The girls rolled their eyes at this only really wanting to go dancing with Bucky.
“Steve, come with me we can make it to the front if we hurry,” Anne Marie called a few paces from the car.
“Slow down Ace, I'm coming, just give me a second.” Steve was just rounding the back of the cab after getting out.
Steve and Anne Marie race ahead leaving Bucky and those girls behind. Bucky was slightly jealous of Steve and Anne Marie being able to get so close to the stage.
“Welcome to the 1941 Stark Expo” a bodiless voice said over a loudspeaker as a man started walking on to the stage still not out enough for Anne Marie to tell who it was. The man came into view and she realized it was none other than the infamous Howard Stark, he looked even better than what the paper described.
“Tonight I will show you what was once thought just to be science fiction, come to life. In a few short years this will be available to the world.” He started as a sleek red and black hot rod was wheeled onto the stage behind him.
“Ladies, please,” as he said this the helpers on stage removed the tires from the car revealing some new stark tech in the wheel bed.
With the flip of a lever the car started to float off the ground, hovering over the stage it was once firmly planted on. Bucky, Steve and Anne Marie couldn’t believe what they were seeing. It was amazing the car was floating. Just as she thought that, there was a malfunction and the car crashed down onto the stage.
“I did say a few years, didn't I.” Howard said, trying to dismiss what just happened on the stage.
“Bucky, come on we want to go dancing,” the girls said rather whiney, clearly showing their disinterest in the science part of this expo.
“Go ahead, we will meet you there later.” Anne Marie said seeing the torn look on Bucky’s face.
“Alright dolls, who's ready to dance,” Bucky looked at the two girls' excited faces, secretly longing to just be with Steve and Anne Marie.
One the way to the dancing hall Steve caught sight of an enlisting booth. He looked at Anne Marie and said, “It's a fair, I am going to try my luck.” Referencing his multiple attempts to enlist before. Anne Marie knew how bad Steve wanted to serve his country, so she just looked at him and nodded her head.
They walked in together, Steve was looking at a mural when Bucky walked in after he realized they should have been at the dance hall by now. Bucky instantly knew where Steve and Anne Marie were when he saw the enlisting booth.
“ Really, Steve, how many times is this?” He stated while also giving Anne Marie a look of why didn't you try to stop him.
“ It’s a Fair. I thought I would try my luck.” Steve said, looking up at Bucky with a determined gleam in his eye. Bucky knew once Steve set his mind to something there was no stopping him.
“Fine but this is it. After this if you don’t get in there are no more attempts.” Bucky put his foot down not wanting Steve to get arrested for breaking the law so many times.
“I’ve got to get back to those lovely ladies for some dancing but don’t do anything stupid until I get back,” Bucky pointed at both of them.
“How can we you’re taking all the stupid with you,” Steve replied giving Bucky a hug.
Steve went into the medical examination room for the medical evaluation. Anne Marie waited outside, slightly nervous that Steve would finally be caught.
Steve came out holding a piece of paper in his hand with the faint stamp of the symbol F1. Anne Marie instantly knew what that meant, Steve was enlisted in the military.
Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Chapter Text
Anne Marie was laying in her bed thinking of everything that had happened the night before. After Steve came out of the enlistment area holding his papers he told her that he was chosen for a secret government project. That was as far as he went into it not allowed to say anything else.
Anne Marie desperately wanted to talk to Bucky about everything that had happened but he was already gone. She didn’t get the chance to talk to him after he left for the dancing hall again, as the girls he was with wanted to go home, being the gentleman he was, he escorted them home. Then went back to the apartment to get a good night's rest before his early morning.
Not only was Bucky gone but Steve was already getting ready to leave too, about to leave her all alone. This would be the first time in her life where she would be without her two best friends by her side.
Anne Marie rolled out of bed figuring that it was time to get ready for the day. She greeted her parents in the kitchen as she made herself a bagel with some cream cheese.
Her parents knew everything. She had told them the night before when she got home about everything that had happened. They knew that this was going to be hard for her losing her two best friends for an unspecified amount of time. So they decided to give her some space until she was ready to talk with them about her feelings.
When Anne Marie was growing up she always was very head strong and opinionated, but had the strength to back it up. Her father was a very tall man sitting at a height of 6’5 passing down those genes to Anne Marie making her 5’8 by the time she was 16. Along with her height she also had an athletic build with relatively toned muscles.
Anne Marie was deep in thought eating her bagel, thinking of the fond memories that she had of the boys and her. Like when they would run around in her parents backyard chasing each other, one trying to hit the other with a wooden sword. They would hang out non-stop all summer, Steve and Bucky would normally appear at her front door at 10 am sharp every day with their stupid simrks plastered on their faces every time she opened the door.
Anne Marie finished her bagel zoning back into real life from her daydreaming of the past. After putting her dish on the drying rack, she made her way back upstairs putting on a striped calf length skirt and a button up. Just as she finished getting ready there was a knock at the door.
“I got it,” Anne Marie yelled from upstairs already half way down to the door.
“Hello, is this the residence of Anne Marie Wattson.” the person at the door said.
“Yes, I am her,” Anne Marie responded, slightly concerned about this random visit from someone she didn't know.
“I am an assistant of Howard Stark. He was going through recent graduates from college with a major in science and you were the number one recommended on that list.” The assistant further explained. The situation started to make more sense to Anne Marie. “Mr. Stark sent me to personally ask you to come help with a project that he is currently working on.”
“Wow,” Anne Marie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The HOWARD STARK wanted her to assist with a project he was working on.
“Is that a yes,” the assistant said, not surprised by her response.
“Yes, I will definitely help, please give me a moment to explain to my parents where I am going and then I will be right out,” Anne Marie said with a clear expression of excitement on her face.
“Yes, Ms. Wattson, I will be waiting for you in the car.” the assistant said as he moved his body so that the car came into sight.
Anne Marie was ecstatic; she couldn’t believe what was happening, getting the chance to work with Mr. Stark was a once in a lifetime chance. She explained what she was doing to her parents, rather rushed, and made her way to the car parked out front.
Anne Marie looked out the window of the car, tall buildings whizzing past as the assistant drove her to the requested location by Mr. Stark.
5u1c0bz1 (Guest) on Chapter 3 Tue 25 Jul 2023 06:18AM UTC
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