The Captain and The Lab Rat (Slow Updates/Unedited)

Chapter 2: First Meeting

(1943 New York: Stark Expo)

Little Steve stepped on the platform as he stared at the poster that encourages men to enlist for the war. On said poster the was a faceless male figure saluting with the words "Enlist Now" at the bottom. As the light switched on the faceless figure only showed the upper half of Steve's face since he was too short. Steve sighed.

"Steve!" he heard someone call. Steve turned as he saw his best friend Bucky jog toward him.

"What are you doing? We're supposed to be taking the girls out dancing."

"You go ahead. I'll catch up." Steve said, looking back at the entrance to the nurse station. "I'm going to try to enlist again. One last time."

Bucky gave a frustrated sigh "Wasn't failing five times enough?"

"What do you want me to do? Pick up scrap metal?" Steve asked.

"Yes!"

"Bucky, men are risking their lives. I don't have no right to do any less than them. This isn't about me."

"Why is joining the war so important, if you don't mind me asking?" a female voice asked, interrupting their argument. Steve and Bucky turned to see a young women with long black hair and green eyes staring at another war poster in front of the recruitment center.

Although she was wearing a lab coat, she had on a royal blue lace dress underneath that was good for the warm weather of the night. Her emerald eyes turned from the poster to Steve and Bucky "Sorry, I was heading this way when I heard your argument..."

Steve looked at Bucky to see if he was going to answer, but his jaw was slightly ajar as he stared at the female in awe.

"I want to join because it's the right thing to do." Steve honestly answered.

The young woman raised an eyebrow "Killing Nazis right?"

Steve looked at the girl slightly surprised at her reply. He was expecting her to scoff in disbelief, being more focused on Bucky's answer then to actually take him seriously. "I don't want to kill anyone. I just don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from."

The young women blinked, not expecting that type of answer. She smiled, almost making Steve stare at her in awe "Well, good luck in enlisting."

There was a fake cough and Steve looked to see Bucky take his hand out to shake the woman's "Hi. I'm James Barnes, most call me Bucky, and this is Steve. I didn't quite catch you name, but your face looks familiar beautiful." Steve almost sighed, realizing that Bucky was back on Earth and in full 'womanizer' mode.

"Steve Rogers ma'am." Steve said as he also held his hand out.

The women gave a small chuckle as she shook both of their hands "I'm positive that we haven't met before. I'm Kaitlen Stark, but you can call me Kat."

"Kat Stark? As in daughter of Howard Stark? The first to be a female doctor at 18?" Bucky rambled on. He would have said more if Steve didn't elbow him in the stomach. Steve knew of said female because of Bucky's obvious crush on her, therefore he was informed of anything and everything about the female whether is was by newspaper or radio by said friend. So the blond was well aware of how Kat becoming an official doctor only a few years ago. Steve was just as surprised as Bucky to see her in the streets of New York City instead of at her home in Manhattan.

"I didn't know I was this popular. It's usually my dad to takes all the attention." Kat joked "But yes, that's me."

"So what brings you to our humble city of New York?" Bucky asked.

"Family support, I suppose." Kat said nodding her head to the path going back to the Expo. "Dad suggests that we have some family time before the deportation tomorrow. It's actually my first time here, so I wanted to look around for a few hours."

"You signed up to go to war?' Steve asked.

"Oh, no." Kat quickly said "I'm joining the medical ward." Kat's gaze turned the couple laughing and walking around while talking. "No one has the right to take someone else's life away, no matter what said person did, but war seems to be our only answer. A lot of families were lost in the first war, so I want to make sure that most, if not all, men come back to their wives and families."

Steve was at a loss for words. He truly beloved that Kat was a beautiful person inside and out.

"Well, it looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future." Bucky said, hinting his uniform.

"Don't count on it soldier," Kat said rolling her eyes. "The men that I'm mostly going to see are the ones whose lives are hanging by a thread. I don't think you want to be placed in that predicament."

Bucky frowned, almost pouting "You know, you're pretty pessimistic for an optimist."

Kat smiled "I prefer the term realistically open-minded."

Bucky smirked "You feel like joining me for dancing? Well, until Steve's done with enlisting, again...?"

Kat gave a sad smile "Sorry, but I have no interest in playboys." Steve had to cough to cover up his laugh as Bucky's shocked expression of being rejected.

"What? I am not-"

"Hey, Bucky! Are we still going dancing?" Bucky turned to see the two girls that he found for his and Steve's supposedly double date waiting a few meters away.

"Of course! Just give me a second!" Bucky called back.

"You were saying?" Kat said with an eyebrow raised and a knowing smirk as Bucky shrugged and Steve laughed.

"There you are Kitten! I was wondering where you ran off to." the trio turned to see Howard Stark himself approach them.

"Dad, this is Steve Rogers and James Barnes" Kat said, introducing the two.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Stark. The performance was amazing." Bucky said shaking Howard's head.

"Thank you. You guys aren't hitting on my daughter, are you?" Howard said, giving both James and Steve suspicious looks.

"Actually, she has already rejected me sir." Bucky said, in surrender.

"That's what I thought." Howard said as he gave a disappointed sigh, shaking his head. "You're never going to get a boyfriend if you keep doing this Kitten." Howard almost whined.

"Dad." Kat said in a tone as if they had this conversation a hundred times before (which they did) while rolling her eyes.

"Mr. Stark, the war generals are here." someone called from a short distance.

"Alright, I'll be right there!" Howard called back, then he looked back to Steve and Bucky. "Please enjoy the rest of the event." and then he faced Kat "And I'll see you in an hour."

"Kitten?" Steve questioned as Howard left.

"Now that is a story I don't want to tell." Kat said, shaking her head while smiling.

"Dr. Stark, Dr. Erskine would like to have your opinion on something," One of the nurses said who were waiting at the door of the recruitment center.

"Duty calls," Kat said, fixing her lab coat then she turned back to Steve and James "You boys have a nice night."

"You too, and enjoy the rest of your night in New York." Bucky called as the younger Stark walked away.

"Hey, if you're going to try and recruit again, you can at least try to get her number." Bucky said to Steve as he gave him a goodbye hug.

Steve scoffed "Right, I'm not making any promises though."

"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. And think about it, she actually paid attention to you." Bucky said as he walked back to the girls.

"I can't, you're taking all the stupid with you." Steve said back, ignoring the last comment. He then turned and headed toward the recruitment center.