the medic

ch. 2

ii. the next lab rat

It was June fourteenth, and Kelsey was sat outside of another enlistment office. Cigarette smoke floated from her lips as she stared forward with a bored blankness overtaking her features. Herself and Erskine had finalized the super soldier serum soon after she woke from her coma, herself then going on to develop a calmer version of the regeneration serum which changed her life. This time to be used as a one-time fix-up rather than the potent formula she accidentally received.

And it was here that her and her longtime partner would separate. For this was his last chance to pick his candidate and she was shipping off with the 107th to Italy in order to battle test her administrable formula in action. And while Erskine was against this move, he understood her need to be the only person going oversees with the medicine. She would only trust herself with her project and she needed to know it could be used proficiently. Besides, it had always been her intention to go to the fight, wanting to do her part and not letting anymore men die from preventable causes. She intended to teach and heal when necessary.

She took another puff, eyes moving to the larger than life setting of the Stark Expo with an unimpressed expression. Howard Stark sure did like his showmanship. As more men filtered in and out of the enlistment office, she burned the tar stick down to almost nothing before putting it out on the ground and walking inside.

"Ah, Dr. Kane come look at this." Her colleague waved her over to a curtain in front of an examination room.

"This man. He has tried to enlist five times." Her large brows instantly furrowed as he handed her a file thicker than most in that building.

Inside was a picture of a scrawny blonde man who looked like more of a boy. But that was not the most surprising part, what was were his list of ailments and other files from other enlistment offices.

"Asthma, anemia, diabetic color blindness, heart murmur... scoliosis? Is this kid trying to commit suicide or get arrested?" She said out loud to see a smirk on Erskine's face.

Realization swept over her and the woman shook her head, "no-"

"-Let's go meet him" He interrupted and she found herself following him with a slight smile.

He always did like misfits.

The pair walked into the examination room to see the small and seemingly frightened man staring right at them as if he had been a kid caught stealing candy. Kelsey had to stop herself from giggling when realizing he probably knew he was caught and thought his asthmatic self could outrun officers out of that building.

"So you want to go overseas. Kill some nazis." He bluntly stated to the man and she found herself smirking at his method and the blonde's reaction to it.

"Excuse me?" He questioned, clearly thrown off by the statement.

"Dr. Abraham Erskine. And this is my colleague Dr. Kelsey Kane." He walked over to the man, shaking his hand, "We represent the Strategic Science Reserve."

The blonde nodded at the two of them, "Steve Rogers."

Erskine then made a show of him flicking through Steve's file as if he hadn't already done it in the hall. His flair for the dramatic something that Kelsey loved about the old man.

"Where are you from?" Steve asked abruptly and she found herself studying him in silence.

"Queens. 73rd Street and Utopia Parkway. Before that, Germany. This troubles you?" Steve rapidly shook his head at his question with a small 'no'.

"Where are you from, Mr. Rogers? Mmm? Is it New Haven? Or Paramus? Five exams in five different cities." Her eyebrows shot up as he called the man out.

"That might not be the right file-" she could practically feel the 'oh shit' look on his face.

"No, it's not the exams I'm interested in. It's the five tries. But you didn't answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazis?" She could see the cogs turning in Steve's brain, his confusion evident.

"Is this a test?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered with a straight face, finding his intimidation slightly entertaining.

"I don't wanna kill anyone. I don't like bullies, I don't care where they're from." Erskine shot her back a knowing look at his response while Kelsey felt her chest warm at the sincerity of it.

"Well, there are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe what we need now is the little guy, huh? I can offer you a chance." And what she was thinking since he showed her the file came true, he found his candidate.

With that the two men exited the room and she followed behind, listening to them contently as Steve explained he was actually from Brooklyn and Erskine stamped his form.

"Congratulations, soldier." The older man stated before leaving, just leaving Kelsey and the new recruit.

The blonde had the ghost of a smile on his face as he stared at his file, finally accepted into the war.

"Abe may seem a little kooky, but he's a very smart man. And trust me, he likes you." She told him and his face snapped up as if he forgot she was standing there.

"Oh yeah? What about you?" Kelsey felt herself smiling, he asked her opinion, obviously looking to her as a superior and not just a woman or assistant.

"You got heart. And you're curious. Keep asking questions, it's a good quality." She paused before making her own exit, "something tells me we'll be seeing each other again."

He grinned and she stuck out her hand which he shook, "I hope so ma'am- sorry, Doctor." She mirrored his grin and turned around, going off to find Erskine.

The old man was in a meeting room alone, a bottle of liquor and two glasses resting on the table. He patted the seat next to his own and she joined him, taking a deep breath and watching him fill the glasses.

"To good health and to Mr. Rogers." He declared, the two clinking their classes together before downing it like a shot.

The burn barely existed for Kelsey anymore and she hadn't been able to get sufficiently drunk since the incident.

"You really like him," she chuckled and he poured two more glasses.

"Of course. He reminds me of you. Stubborn, but for the right reasons. Extremely underestimated..." he reached over and poked the center of her chest, "lots of heart. You are the kind of people that will win this war."

Heat burned her cheeks and she felt tears well up in her eyes. This could very well be the last time she ever saw her mentor, her friend.

"What will I do without you?" She choked up and he opened his arms, the woman quickly welcoming his embrace.

"Great things, Kelsey. Great things."