Chapter Text
Early Fall 1941
"KAT!" The Stage manager called. "WHERE ARE YA?"
"I'm here!" She called out from the dressing room, adding the final touches to her hair and makeup.
"Great. You have two acts ahead of you and then you're up. Good crowd tonight! Break a leg."
"Thank you." She said softly. She quickly tucked a stray curl behind her ear, and headed out toward the wings where she stood nervously, her foot tapping to the beat of the jazz soloist ahead of her. She closed her eyes and let the familiar sounds of the backstage area, just take over, as she focused her breathing, in and out.
Katherine Stark loved the stage, and if she wasn't a scientist like her brother, Howard, she may have tried to pursue a career as a singer. And she had a voice like no other. Her soft, sultry tone, could make you fall in love before the tune was done. Her heart was in whatever she sang, and you could tell. Her hazel eyes sparkled as they caught the gaze of the people in the audience, her hair dark, with a hint of red in it that would catch under the light.
When it was her turn to sing, the band struck up the tune of one of her favorites, "Someone to Watch Over Me" by the Gershwins. And she crooned the lyrics, her eyes meeting a few of the men in the audience.
"Won't you tell him please to put on some speed, follow my lead, oh how I need.... someone who'll watch over me. Someone who'll watch over me.."
The audience cheered, and she took a bow, sang the rest of her small set, and headed off the stage.
She considered stopping at the bar to grab a drink, but decided against it taking a glance at the time. It was getting late and she was tired. She had spent a long day at the Brooklyn Antiques SSR facility with Howard, who had already headed back to the city in his own ride, and she quickly donned her coat over her dress. She headed out the back exit of the club to her car, and sat behind the wheel letting out a sigh.
She turned the key and the engine sputtered, not quite catching and it didn't start. She slammed her foot on the break, and tried once more, only to have the car fail to start again.
She let out a groan and rested her head against the steering wheel, before popping the hood and heading back to the front of the car to take a look at the engine.
"Ya need help Miss?" She looked up and saw a handsome man, with bright blue eyes, standing before her. He had been in the club and seen her performance.
"My car's not working. I was gonna just take a look. Hadn't gotten there yet." She noted.
"I'm happy to help." He offered. "Besides my 'ma would kill me if I left a beautiful lady out here, without trying to assist her."
"Well we can't let that happen now, can we?" She smirked, feeling the blush rise to her cheeks.
She could see the issue immediately, the battery was corroded.
"Looks like the-" The man started.
'I can see the terminals on the battery are completely corroded." she groaned.
"You're gonna need a new one. " he noted. "I'm sorry. Lemme call you a-"
"I'll call my brother to come get me. Thank you for looking..' She shut the hood, and she grabbed a handkerchief from her purse and wiped her hands, offering it to the man, who gratefully took it, wiping his own hands.
"Color me impressed by your mechanical prowess, and by those pipes." He said.
"Thank you, Mr...?"
"Barnes, James Buchanan Barnes. But everyone calls me Bucky." He nodded his head.
"Katherine." She introduced herself. "Pleasure to meet you... James."
She swore he saw his knees buckle a little when she said his name, and watched his Adam's apple bob.
"You from around here, doll?"
It was her turn for her knees to buckle when he called her doll. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear, before looking up at him.
"I'm a city girl. Manhattan." She answered. He let out a low whistle.
"Whatcha doin all the way out here?"
"I work out here during the day. I like to unwind at the club. Like to perform." She shrugged.
"I've come and watched for a few weeks now. Highlight of my week. And now that I know the brain matches the beauty? I know i'll definitely be coming back for more."
"You're quite the charmer, aren't you Mr. Barnes?" She grinned.
He smirked and shrugged. "I do what I can. Let me walk you back inside so you can call your brother, and then maybe I can get you a drink." He cocked a smile at her.
"One drink. And it's only because I have to wait." She told him.
"You got it doll."
A quick phone call to her and Howards Apartment, was fielded by his valet, who assured Katherine that a car would be on its way but might take some time, and that he would also call a tow truck for her now abandoned car.
"Thank you Edwin." She said before hanging up, handing the barkeep back his phone.
"Got a ride?" Bucky asked her.
"Yes. But it might be a while."
"Lucky me, then." He smiled, as he pulled out a chair for her, and helped her out of her coat.
"Hi Kat, you want your usual?" The bartender asked.
"A Manhattan, yes please." She smiled.
"And for you sir?"
"Just a pint, whatever's on tap." Bucky ordered with a smile. "A city girl through and through huh?" Bucky turned to you.
"I was actually born upstate, but we moved to the city when I was very young." She noted softly. "But now, you can take the girl out of the city but you can't take the city out of the girl."
"Why aren't you signing at one of those big name clubs in the city?" He asked. "You certainly have the talent for it. I can picture your name up in lights on the Marquis"
"It's a dream, the singing. I don't know if the life of glitz and glamor is the one for me. It's just something I enjoy" She admitted softly. "There are other more important things. Besides, I like my current job."
"And what's that?"
"I work at Brooklyn Antiques.." She said carefully. "I do repairs on some of the items that come in." she said. "I like to tinker." What she told him wasn't a complete lie but she certainly could never tell him the truth about everything she did there.
"That's amazing." He said, in awe, and he actually looked like he meant it. She was used to men kind of mocking her interest in technology, brushing it off as cute, but not realistic. "What are your favorite things to work on?"
"I like to work on new technology if I can. I use the scraps to try and make improvements to things."
"D'ya wanna go to college or something one day for that?"
"I... already did. I graduated early from MIT. I skipped a few grades" She blushed.
His eyes widened. "You are certainly a smart girl. Why are you working at the antique shop? Why not for something bigger?"
"It's more than meets the eye." Katherine said with a smile. "Besides... women aren't necessarily always welcome in every establishment to work, and even if they are... it doesn't mean they're treated well. I tried working in a factory at one point, but doing the same thing day in and day out- one part on one machine, just wasn't for me. When I tried to do other things, the bosses brushed me off. " She said. "Even sometimes now, I have people act like I don't know things because I'm a woman even with my credentials."
"I'm sorry." He apologized. "That's ridiculous. I... I have sisters and god I can't imagine anyone telling them they can't do something. I'd probably beat up whoever it was."
Katherine smiled at him softly.
"You sound like a good big brother."
The bartender appeared a moment later with drinks.
"Here's to you, to strong, smart women." Bucky proposed a toast and the two of you clinked glasses and drank deeply.
The pair quickly finished their drinks, and Katherine found herself lost in a story Bucky was telling about his younger sisters and the trouble they got into. She found herself laughing at his storytelling, and immediately feeling at ease with him.
Some Glen Miller music started.
"I love this song! Dance with me!" Katherine said pulling Bucky from his seat and onto the dance floor.He led them in a swing dance, her twirling around, and the occasional lift, the pair laughing and smiling the whole time. A slower song came on next, and he glanced at her.
"Another one, doll?" He said softly, and she nodded, as his hand came to her waist, and pulled her closer to him. She marveled at how her smaller hand seemed to fit in his perfectly, and how her heart was pounding in her chest, as she got closer to him. There was no denying, he was beautiful.
"You're quite the dancer," Katherine said, glancing up at Bucky.
"Only when I have the right partner." He smiled back. "And tonight I had the perfect one. Certainly the most gorgeous one in the place." Katherine fought back the urge to roll her eyes, but found herself still smiling at the man. She couldn't help herself but stare at his lips, and she could tell he was looking at hers.
She was going to be bold. The two of them were slowly inching themselves closer together, lips mere millimeters apart, as she pushed up on her toes.
She heard someone clear their throat, and the two sprang apart. "Ms. St-" She looked up to see her driver.
"Jarvis!" She exclaimed, immediately springing apart from Bucky.
"I apologize for the intrusion madam. They've come to tow your car, and I've come to retrieve you."
"One moment Mr. Jarvis. I have to grab my coat from the bar."
"I'll retrieve it," he declared.
Katherine let out a sigh, and turned to Bucky. "Sorry about that." She murmured, looking down.
He chuckled. "Don't worry about it." He squeezed her hand, raising it to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "We should do this again. Next Friday? After your set, grab some dinner?"
"I'd like that." she smiled. "Until then," she pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"See ya soon, doll." Bucky said.
Jarvis quickly brought her coat, which he helped her into, and guided her out to the car out front.
"I'm sorry I interrupted Ms. Stark."
"Are you though?" she teased.
"Your brother entrusts me to watch after you." He said firmly.
"No, my brother puts too much on your plate. I don't need protecting Mr. JArvis."
"Young men are-"
"I can handle a young man who asked me to dance and to dinner." Katherine said. "He came to my aid with the car, and then offered to wait with me. He was a complete gentleman."
"Whatever you say Ms. Stark" Jarvis said.
"I appreciate your concern, Mr. Jarvis." she said softly. "But I was fine."
As they pulled up to the Manhattan penthouse, Jarvis opened the door for her, and she headed up to the suite she shared with Howard.
She could hear a woman's laughter from somewhere in the apartment. Howard had company, and she rolled her eyes.
"Mr. Jarvis do you protect me so men don't treat me the way Howard treats other women?" She asked him.
They exchanged a glance and he nodded a bit meekly. "He's taken to buying them all bracelets now, as a souvenir of sorts."
"Ah yes, a bracelet is such a consolation prize to commitment." Katherine snorted. "At least he keeps the jewelers in business."
"Very true madam. Now that I trust you are safe, I will take my leave for the weekend."
"Enjoy your time with Anna," she called after him.
"Yes madam." he smiled at her.
Katherine retreated to her room, avoiding the lounge that Howard was undoubtedly in, and sighed.
She quickly washed off her makeup, and removed her clothing, taking a soak in the large claw-foot tub in her bathroom, mulling over her thoughts and the events of the day in the hot water, before donning her night gown, and heading to bed.
She dreamed of her blue-eyed dance partner.
=======================
The weekend passed quickly and Monday was there before she knew it, and she and Howard headed back into Brooklyn to work on their new device, the vita-ray machine.
They were discussing the increased absorption of different vitamins and the possible implications for muscle growth and metabolism if utilized with the serum regarding Project Rebirth.
"Won't the serum itself be enough?" One of the other scientists argued "We could have you working on other things."
"I think this will be what we need to push it over the edge" you protested. "You can give serum all you want but if you don't have a way to increase the uptake and metabolism, then it's not an improvement from the original. For example, Vitamin D absorption we know is improved by sun exposure. And it's important for calcium absorption and bone growth, as well as regulation of the immune system. All important things if you're trying to grow a so called 'super soldier'. In addition, we want to decrease uncontrolled cell growth. If everything grows completely out of control, then you just make a body full of cancer, based on what Dr. Erskine said. ."
"Katherine, there is a young man outside who doesn't know the code phrase, looking for you." Millie, the older woman who sat at the front of the operation said.
Katherine raised a brow, unsure of who it was, quickly wiped her hands off, and took off her lab coat, and followed her up the steps to the front of the shop, and then she spotted him. Her expression softened from curiosity and turned into a smile. She saw James standing with a single, red rose, standing at the register.
"James, what are you doing here?"
"I couldn't wait a whole week to see you. I couldn't get you out of my head the whole weekend." He confessed, glancing down. "You mentioned you worked here. I thought I might try and grab you for lunch, if you're not too busy. I don't work too far so-"
Her cheeks ached from smiling.
"Sounds swell." She said. "Let me just grab my jacket and my purse."
"Great," he grinned at her. "Oh and here... for you." He handed her the flower. She carefully took the bloom, raising it to her face, and inhaled its scent.
"It's beautiful." she smiled.
"Like you." He grinned.
"I'll take care of the rose. Grab your coat." Millie gently shoved her..
"Thanks Millie." She smiled.
She quickly rushed back downstairs to grab her purse and coat.
"What's this all about?" Howard asked.
"I have a lunch date." Katherine smiled, slipping into her coat, and taking her compact out, gliding on her favorite lipstick.
"A what? No you do not. You are not-"
"Bye Howard! I'm taking a long lunch. I will see you this afternoon."
"But we're in the middle of-"
"You're a big boy Howard. You can handle working on your own for a little. Or take a break. "
"Who is this man?" He demanded.
"I'll tell you later." She pressed a kiss to his cheek and ran back upstairs to Bucky waiting for her.
"Ready!" she declared.
"Perfect." Her hand slid into his, and he lead them out of the shop and down the street to a little diner.
"Nothing like a New York Diner." he said with a grin. "C'mon."
She slid into a booth across from him and smiled, as the waitress handed her a menu.
She and Bucky perused them for a moment, making their selections, quickly.
"How's your day?" He asked.
"Better now that I'm here with you," she said honestly.
"Now who's the charmer,' he laughed, but she could see the tinge of pink in his cheeks, peeking out from under his shirt collar, and the tips of his ears,
"Only speaking the truth," Katherine laughed. "I thought about you over the weekend too."
"Yeah, doll?" He smirked, and bit his lip. "And what did you think about?"
"Our dance." She admitted shyly.
"It was some dance." He said. "I'd like to do it again."
"Me too." She grinned. The waitress came and took their orders, the two sipping on Cherry coke's over small talk
Bucky seemed to hang on every word she said, and couldn't help but admire him. He had a beautiful smile, and that jaw line, should have been illegal, and those eyes seemed to peer into her soul, in the best way possible.
He told her about how he was currently working on the docks, helping with ship repair, but took art classes in his free time.
"You like art?" She asked surprised.
"I know. The tough guy bravado, throws people off but yeah. Me and my best friend, Steve we take art classes at night sometimes. He's much better than I am. He helps with cartoons for the paper, police sketches, stuff like that. but I enjoy it none the less."
Katherine watched his expression softened, almost warmed, when he mentioned the other man.
"How long have you been friends?" She asked.
"Ooh... since we were about 7? Some kids tried to beat him up for his lunch money and I defended him. We've been together ever since."
"Awe... that's sweet." She cooed.
"Yeah... we're with each other till the end of the line. We've been through a lot together. And I'm lucky to have a friend like him. He's basically my brother"
"Sounds like he's lucky to have a friend like you too." Katherine grinned.
"I'm the lucky one. Now tell me, other than music, and science, what do you like to do?"
"I... I like to read." She admitted. "I know that makes me seem probably boring but-"
"I love to read." He admitted. "I take my sisters to the library and book stores a lot."
"Book stores are... magical places." she grinned. "All the different worlds books can bring you to, and the book smell."
"The book smell," he let out a chuckle, "I'm a fan myself. Maybe we'll have to check out the book store another afternoon then."
"I'd like that." She smiled at him.
Too quickly they ate their sandwiches and they headed hand in hand back toward the antique shop.
"Wait!" she said when they were about a block away. He turned to her.
"What is it?" He asked.
"I figured if you were gonna kiss me goodbye, I didn't want all my coworkers trying to spy on us ...or my brother."
He pulled her out of the way and into a small alley, out of the way of the pedestrian traffic.
"I had hoped for a more romantic venue but- I'm happy to kiss you anywhere, doll. "
"Then do it Barnes." She dared him.
He licked his lips for a moment, and stared at hers for a second before he gently cupped her face and pressed his lips to her. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
His lips tasted like his cherry coke, and she had never loved soda as much as she did in that moment. He gently swiped his tongue over her bottom lip, and she let out a low moan, and allowed him entrance.
He broke the kiss a moment later smiling at her, as she pouted back.
"What?" he asked. "Why the pout?"
"Can I have another?" She asked.
"As many as you want, doll." He said, as he captured her lips once more, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other, in her hair. They broke apart a moment later, both breathless. "You're something else Kat." He breathed.
"Is that a good thing?" She teased.
"Probably one of my favorite things," he laughed. "You might wanna fix your lipstick before we head back you got a little -" He swiped his thumb over her lip, but instead drew her in for another chaste kiss, which turned into another several pecks all over her face.
"Bucky-" She laughed.
"Love to hear that sound." He grinned. "But I should really get you back. " She quickly reached into her purse and fixed her makeup with her compact, and wiping the smudge of lipstick from Bucky's mouth. He wrapped an arm around her and guided her back to the shop.
"I'll see you Friday night?" She asked.
"If I can stay away that long. " He smiled. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Enjoy the rest of your day doll."
"Bye Bucky." she said, watching him walk away.
"Quite a handsome fellow." Millie said with a teasing tone. "Is your hair mussed?"
"It's... windy outside." Katherine lied lamely.
"It's still as can be out there. Go to the ladies room before your brother sees you. I'm glad you had fun. You look happy."
"I am." She grinned. " I actually am Millie."
She quickly fixed her hair and got back to work.
"You gonna tell me about what that was?' Howard asked.
"Just lunch with a nice young man." she said.
Howard raised a brow. "Men all want one thing-"
"Howard... not all men are you. And for the love of god, let's get to work. I can handle myself. " And so without further comment the two headed back to work, tinkering on the vita-Ray machine.
An older gentleman came in.
"Dr. Erskine," Katherine warmly greeted the man, with a hug and kiss to both cheeks.
"My dear, how many times must I tell you to call me Abraham?" He said with his slight German accent.
"You earned the title, you deserve to use it." She shrugged.
"And I'm sure one day I will be calling you Dr. Stark," He grinned at her.
"Someday," she smiled, hopeful. "What brings you in?"
"I have a few more samples to use on the mice. I made a few tweaks. I think this is the closet one to my original formula yet."
"I'm excited to see you work in action." She said, guiding him to the rear portion of the lab with the animal test subjects, where syringes, and numerous other tools were already laid out for him to use.
"Let's get to vork den." And side by side they got to work, preparing micro doses of the newly synthesized serum, helping to inject the different rats with subsequent samples, as well as using the miniaturized vita-ray on them.
There was some notable growth
He had trained her on more of the life sciences, injections, and reviewed biological processes with her, and she had to admit, she enjoyed this side of the science too, not just the engineering.
"You sure you don't want to do biology?" he asked. "You seem to have a knack for it. Perhaps go back to school and be a medical doctor?."
"I like it." Kat admitted with a smile. "I like most types of science. Although geology is a bit... boring to me."
He chuckled. "I find rocks uninteresting as well."
"I have a hard enough time with the engineering with men, present company excluded, shutting the door in my face because I'm a woman. I'm not sure I want to go through it all again, just to face the same treatment. At least I have Howard as a buffer, who is willing to stand up for me, and I have an opportunity."
"Fear is an evolutionary tool that was used to keep us safe in ze past. But don't let fear govern your entire life. You have a lot of living still to do. And a lot of good you still can do."
she smiled at him.
"Then lets make some good."