The One Shot Chapters (18+)

Steve Rogers - The Shelter (AU)

She hated walking the streets at night time. Not only did she pass bombed out homes and other buildings, but lately the level of bombs being dropped on London was non stop. But of course everyone, including Bonnie, was trying to make the best of it. Younger children had been sent to the countryside to escape the devastation whilst parents and siblings who were into adulthood stayed behind. At eighteen, Bonnie didn't qualify to be carted off to the countryside, and instead she'd remained behind - working as a nurse.

Everyday she would return home, scrub her hands raw until the skin was dry and would bleed. Everyday she would witness more and more victims from another night of air raids upon the city.

All she wanted to do was to get home, however now the air raid siren was sounding throughout the streets? She needed to find a community shelter and fast. No way was she going to subject herself to another night down in the underground. It was cramped, stuffy, with people laying across the platform and the tracks. Like sardines in a can...

Hurrying through the streets, she tried desperately to find a shelter, and the panic was slowly rising within her. It was like this everyday at the hospital when the siren went off, but they had to simply take the risk and hide under tables or anything they could find to shelter them. Not that it would make a difference if they were hit - and thankfully they hadn't.

"Maam? You ok?" A blonde haired man now approached her. He was American for sure, and in a uniform. An officer, GI, whatever they called them.

Bonnie shook her head. "You know where the nearest shelter is?" She asked, still looking around.

He nodded. "Come on, I think I know where one is, passed it earlier", his eyes went to the sky. Soon enough the roaring on engines would be above them. "My name's Steve by the way".

"Bonnie". She said, following him quickly as they now began to head in the direction of the shelter. "Have you been based over here?"

"Only for a short time". He replied, "And judging by the uniform, you're a nurse?" She nodded at this and he smiled fondly to himself. "So was my mother". Rounding the corner of a street, he found the shelter and quickly opened the door, ushering them both in. There were already a couple of people inside, but it would have to do. Steve simply nodded to them and then sat Bonnie down on one of the beds in there. "Well...guess this is where we're gonna be spending tonight..." He said, sitting down next to her.

Wrapping her coat around her a little more, Bonnie shuddered as in the distance she could hear the bombs going off, soon the noise grew closer as well as the shuddering of the ground around them every time one hit. "I would ask if you're enjoying your stay, but I don't think now is the appropriate time". She smiled to Steve weakly.

He shook his head. "This is a base for work currently".

"Do you work for an organisation?"

He nodded at this. "I do - and I just go where they send me".

"Not a spy then". She mused.

"Nope. Not a spy".

"That's something a spy would say". Bonnie smirked as she saw him laugh. He was handsome, with a very muscular physique. No doubt he was a hit with the girls.

There was a loud bang and the shelter shuddered, some dust and debris now peppering them. Bonnie shut her eyes and willed for it to be over soon. For it to all be over. "Hey...it's alright, I got you". She now found Steve taking her hand and giving a squeeze. "Just a few loud bangs and they'll be gone soon enough".

"You'd have thought that I'd be used to this - being a nurse and all. All the death...but I'm not..." Her voice shook.

Steve sighed at this. "You know what? I'm not either, but I'm helping to bring this war to an end, and I'm gonna do all I can to see that we win". To her, it sounded like it was his responsibility and his alone to end this. Just what kind of job did he have?

Another loud explosion sounded very close to them and Bonnie quickly buried her face into his arm, then feeling rather stupid for doing so. "Sorry..."

"It's fine, try and keep calm". He assured her. There could be hours of this, and he needed to get back to headquarters. He could simply walk out and shock the inhabitants of the shelter, including Bonnie, but seeing her scared to the point where she was literally shaking, he didn't want to leave. Phillips would just have to wait.

The hours passed by slowly, the bombings lasting for most of the night until they ceased around 4am. The siren sounded once more to tell everyone that it was now safe to return to their homes and Bonnie stood up, still feeling shaken.

"Do you live near? I can walk you home?" Steve offered.

"It's ok...I think I can manage from here - thank you". She smiled.

He shook his head. "Can't have you walking alone, especially if there's fires and whatnot - Iet me see you home safely".

She gave in. "Ok..."

Coming out of the shelter, smoke clouds and the smell of burning reigned over the city, the fires lighting up the sky. Glancing down the road they had walked, one of the homes at the end had been struck, fire fighters trying to tackle the blaze.

Steve looked at it, hoping anyone inside had been in their shelter and then turned Bonnie away. "Come on, they have it under control..."

Walking the streets, they soon turned down one that thankfully had remained untouched aside from some roof tiles scattered across the road and some windows that had been blown out by a nearby blast. "This is me". She stopped outside of a house. "Thank you for walking me home, and for helping".

"Not a problem. You take care of yourself".

"You too...if you survive this war, you know where I live. Come find me someday". She smiled as she rummaged around her bag for her keys.

He nodded. "I'll be sure to". Watching as she unlocked her door and walked in, giving him one last look before it closed.

Steve turned and began to walk away, smiling himself. Perhaps some good would come out of this war yet.