Trouble ✧ Bucky Barnes

CHAPTER 1

I'LL SEE YOU SOON

"I thought you needed to study for your finals?"

"I already did," she grinned.

"You're not taking a no for an answer?"

"Nope"

"Why do you want to come anyways?" asked Howard, putting his coat on and Ellie did the same.

"I guess I'm just curious," she shrugged.

"You do know that it is a military base?"

"Aha"

"And that there's where the soldiers enlist," Howard said, narrowing his eyes and Eleanor snorted.

"I don't want to go to see future soldiers" she said smirking, "I want to go to see the blueprints of the new airplanes they bought"

"How do you know they bought airplanes?" grinned Howard.

"I know everything," she replied, winking.

"Eighteen years old and still eavesdropping?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"And I'll keep doing it until the end" she said as she buttoned her coat, "can we go now? Oh, and I know you can make them show you the blueprints, so don't tell me I'll go for nothing"

Howard took a breath and looked at his watch, "okay, let's go."

Eleanor smiled and hugged her brother, "you're the best"

"I know," he smirked.

The road to the military base was uneventful, from time to time, Howard would write something on his agenda.

To many people, it wouldn't make sense, either because of his terrible handwriting or because of the content of his notes. But Eleanor understood.

They arrived at a place somewhat far from the city, there were several buildings, with perhaps two floors, many military cars and soldiers.

Howard got out of the car gracefully, but when it was Ellie's turn, her heels sank into the mud on the floor.

Howard just laughed and Ellie shot him a look, "it's not that funny when you're the one paying for my shoes, Howie."

The smile on Howard's face disappeared and this time Ellie laughed.

Ellie had to walk very awkwardly after her brother, lifting her feet with difficulty as with each step the heel sank to the floor.

"I hate heels," she murmured every two seconds.

"Then why do you use them?"

"They look good and make me look taller" she said with a shrug and her brother shook his head.

When they finally reached the largest building, Eleanor tried to clean her shoes but to no avail. She took a breath and followed her brother, who was talking with two men.

The first one was tall, with a brown hat and round glasses; the second was older, and he had the insignia of a colonel. Ellie's heels clicked in the large room and the three men turned to see her. She smiled confidently.

"Doctor Erskine, Colonel Phillips, this is my sister, Eleanor Stark" said Howard.

Ellie extended her hand, and the men shook it, one at the time.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both" she said politely, standing next to her brother.

"Miss Stark, your brother has told us wonderful things about you" said the colonel, "you are studying Aerospace Engineering?"

Ellie nodded.

"Best of her class, she graduates in a few weeks," Howard said proudly.

"Well, our country always needs good engineers, consider joining our, well, group, Miss Stark. I'm sure you would be an excellent addition," the colonel nodded, mostly to himself.

Ellie was quiet, her eyes wide like saucers, "I- thank you very much, sir" she finally blurted out and the colonel nodded again, his face was plain of emotion.

Eleanor thought of everything she could do, from designing new planes, to perhaps aircrafts that could fly higher than the sky, aircrafts that could go into space...

Her thoughts made her not realize that the colonel was gone, but not before giving some blueprints to Howard, who was talking quickly with the doctor.

"Yes, yes, I have some progress that I want you to see," said the doctor, he had a very strong German accent.

"Yes, of course", agreed Howard, he turned to see her sister and handed her the blueprints.

"I guess I can't go with you to see this super-secret project"

Howard smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry Ellie" he said and she nodded,

"I'm staying here" she said and pointed to a table and a chair, "it doesn't seem so uncomfortable"

Howard smiled and approached her sister, giving her a kiss on the forehead, "I'll tell you about this super-secret project at home" he said in a whisper and Ellie smiled.

"Of course, you will," she smiled, and he winked at her, leaving with the doctor.

Eleanor sat in the chair and placed the blueprints on the table. She looked up and saw that there was no one there with her.

She could hear people and cars outside, but nothing else. She smiled, she didn't like to be disturbed when she read.

And so, she spent perhaps several hours reading the blueprints and making annotations in her notebook, with measurements and several recommendations.

She was trying to figure out how to get cargo planes to carry more things, without having to increase the force that the engine would have to use for flights of more than twelve hours when someone entered the room.

Eleonor didn't notice anything, or acted as if she hadn't heard anything, as she hurriedly wrote various numbers in her notebook.

"Good morning" said a boy's voice and Ellie shook her head, crossing out numbers, "hello?"

"Yes?" she asked sharply, lifting her head from her annotations and meeting a young man, perhaps 23 years old, with beautiful blue eyes.

"Good morning" he smiled flirtatiously, leaning against the wall, looking at Ellie, "do you know where the training area is? I'm new to this base"

Eleanor looked down and wrote again in her notebook, "I don't know."

"You don't work here?"

"No"

"And what are you doing here then?" he asked, still grinning.

"I don't see how that is any of your concern"

Eleonor heard the boy chuckle, "nice shoes, by the way"

Ellie looked up quickly and narrowed her eyes. If looks could kill, the blue-eyed boy would be laying on the floor.

Not only was he interrupting her, but he too dared to mention her muddy shoes?

"I suppose, if you want to know where the training is being held, you should find someone to tell you where to go," she said curtly, looking back at her notes.

"I guess you're right" replied the boy, "I'll see you soon"

"I think not"

"We'll see"