Oh, My Soldier

29

I stood beside Dr. Erksine and Colonel Phillips, watching the recruits doing pushups under Peggy's watchful eye. Poor Steve's arms trembled beneath him, and his back was bowed causing his stomach to hardly lift off the ground as he shakily tried to raise his body up. Each time he tried to lower himself back down, his arms wobbled and quaked and he crumpled into the dirt. I grimaced at the look of burning pain on his face, his cheeks flushed, with each repetition. "You're not really thinking about choosing Rogers, are you?" Colonel Phillips asked with a waver in his tone.

I frowned and kept my eyes on the men exercising. "I wasn't thinking about it. It is a clear choice." Dr. Erksine shrugged.

Phillips huffed. "When you asked to bring him into my army base, I let it slide. I figured, 'what the hell?' Maybe you just wanted a gerbil. I never thought you'd pick him." He grumbled disappointedly. "With that little meat on his bones, I'm surprised he can stand." He continued. Peggy shouted out an order, and soon all of the soldiers were hopping up and down doing jumping jacks. Steve's arms flailed, like limp noodles, and his tiny legs hardly moved as he hopped in place. "Look at that. He's making me cry." Colonel Phillips stated.

He had a good point, but still I rolled my eyes as I turned to face him, joining the conversation. "You underestimate my brother." I crossed my arms and pursed my lips. Colonel Phillips narrowed his eyes at me.

"Do you know how much went into creating this program? How much time, and money, and effort it took so you can have this little science experiment?" he grumbled my way.

"Yes, I understand that." I snapped back in a quiet tone.

"Then dont waste it on Rogers. Why not Hodge? He's passed every test we gave him, he follows orders, he's a soldier." Colonel Phillips furrowed his brows. Hodge was the one that called Peggy "Queen Elizabeth".

"He's a bully." I stated, glancing to Dr. Erksine. He shared the same memory as I. I don't like bullies. I dont care where they're from. I looked back to Colonel Phillips and he shook his head in shame. My face felt hot and my fists were balled up. My little brother may have been small, but he was good at heart and thats what we needed. I was never going to let anybody, even Phillips, tell him he cant do something because of his size. Bucky and I tried to tell him he couldn't join the army, and that broke his heart. I wouldn't let that happen again.

"We are looking for factors beyond the physical." Dr. Erksine spoke up again. Colonel Phillips huffed and his face was tinted red and he stomped to the back of the truck we stood beside. In the rear, boxes and metal containers were stacked. He flung one of the metal cases open and ripped out a grenade, holding the lever down and pulling the pin.

"Lets just see what happens now. Hodge will be the first to take the risk while Rogers goes home crying." Colonel Phillips smirked in spite of me. Panic washed over me and all the blood drained from my face. Before I could protest, he tossed the grenade into the group of soldiers who were then doing junping jacks. "GRENADE." he alerted. All of the men jumped back, fear filling their eyes as they scrambled for cover. Even Hodge. Peggy took a step forward, about to throw herself over it. 

Someone else got to it first. Steve curled his frail body around the explosive and squeezed shut his eyes. I gasped, and Steve twitched, yelling "Get back!" at everyone. He flung his arm, motioning for everyone to clear out and kept shouting to get back. But there was a delay. If it was going to go off, it would have by then. I let out a breath of relief as people began coming out of hiding.

"Its a dummy grenade." I breathed out the left over worry. Steve's eyes popped open and he sat up, out of breath and squinting at the Colonel.

"Is this a test?" he asked in confusion. I smiled, proud of my brother, but also infuriated he did that. I glanced back at Phillips with a victorious grin. The grumpy Colonel had only proven himself wrong.

"Hes still skinny." Colonel Phillips pouted, knowing that Steve would be chosen for sure now. He trudged away and I grinned at Dr. Erksine.

"We should tell him the news." The doctor laughed happily. I turned back to look at Steve, who in turn looked around with no idea what was going on. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Peggy looking down on him with shock. There was more than shock, of course, but I couldnt pinpoint what it was. She didnt look at him like he was a freak, like nost women did. She saw him as a real person, and took in his personality for what it was.  She took a breath, brushed her skirt to smooth it out, and turned on her heel before quickly leaving with a blush. The others in the troop groaned and wandered about, eventually making their way back to their tents.

In this moment, I knew Bucky would be proud and frustrated just as I was. He would be proud that Steve was brave and willing to lay down his life for his comrades, but frustrated he was willing to do so so fast. If only Bucky could see this. If only he knew.

I stepped carefully over to Steve and offered him a hand to get up. He locked his hand in mine and I pulled him up with ease. I smiled at my little brother, not much shorter than I. "Come with me." I said. He nodded and I lead him over to Dr. Erksine.

"Steven. You have proven what I thought all along. Congratulations." Dr. Erksine shook his hand.

"Am I chosen?" Steve arched his brow.

"Yes, Stevie." I ruffled his hair. He chuckled as a large grin spread across his face.

"Its an honor, doctor." Steve shook Dr. Erksine's hand again. They released the handshake and Steve stood up straight and proud.

"The honor is mine. Pack up your bunk. You will be flying to Brooklyn tomorrow morning. Thats where the lab is. Maggie, you pack up as well. I will see you both tonight to go over details, if not, I will see you in Howard Stark's office at 600 hours. Good day to you both." the doctor said, and then trailing away in the same direction that Colonel Phillips had gone.

"I guess we have the rest of the day off. Help me pack and then I will help you." I smiled, hooking my arm around his shoulders as we walked toward my building which held all of Stark's offices, dorms, labs, and more.