AN: Jessica's outfit is up top.

Also, if you haven't read the prologue, this isn't going to make any sense. I'd say go back and see what you are missing.

✧

Jessica pursed her lips as she looked down at her clipboard, muttering to herself at how stupid her best friend could be.

Lying on your enlistment application. Enough to throw you into federal prison, but somehow, Steven Grant Rogers, all five-foot-four of him, thought that he would get away with it.

"Rogers, Steven," Jessica called, raising a brow directly at him as he put his newspaper down. The shirtless man walked over to her and scratched the back of his head, "Jessica."

They began walking back to the line and Jessica grabbed onto his hand, stopping as she whispered to him, "Are you crazy, Steve? Lying on your form? You're going to get into so much trouble if they find out."

"I know, but why don't I deserve a chance?" Steve pleaded, "Please. I need to get in."

Jess sighed, shaking her head causing a stray hair to fall from her crown braid and obscure her vision. Steve reached up without thinking and put it behind her ear, the pair's eyes widening at the action.

Steve went red and cleared his throat, "Sorry."

"You're fine, Steve," She hid a grin, "And I won't say anything. Okay? I like you a little too much to let you go to prison."

Jessica waved the man along and went to stand next to the physician examining the men. Steve looked to her brightly as it was his turn, Jessica scrunching up her nose as a sign of good luck.

"Rogers," The doctor called as Steve took his last step forward. He flipped through his file, monotonously asking, "What did you father die of?"

Steve immediately replied, "Mustard gas. He was in the 107th Infantry. I was hoping I could be assigned-"

"-Your mother?" He interrupted him, Jessica smacking her co-workers arm as she said, "Frank. Learn some manners."

"You know we have all these men to get through Miss Martin," Frank huffed. Jessica only gave him a look, "And we will. However, I will not tolerate your rudeness for the rest of the day. Learn your manners before I make you."

Frank gulped and nodded, turning back to Steve, "Your mother?"

"She was a nurse in a TB ward," He met Jessica's eyes briefly, "Got hit. Couldn't shake it."

Jessica gave him a tight-lipped smile at the mention of Sarah Rogers, having seen the woman as her own mother since her own never truly cared for her the way Sarah did.

Steve returned the expression and turned as Frank said, "Sorry, son."

"Look, Dr. Wate, can't you just give him a chance? I see real potential," Jessica placed her hand on his wrist, "He seems like a strong man."

Frank sighed as Steve continued, "Look, just give me a chance."

"You'd be ineligible on your asthma alone," He told. Steve looked defeated, "Is there anything you could do?"

"Please, Frank?" Jessica tried, green eyes pleading. Frank thought for a moment before he shook his head, "I'm doing it. I'm saving your life."

Frank stamped Steve's enlistment paper with a 4F and Steve's heart dropped once again, shame burning his cheeks. He nodded as he was given his paperwork back, "Thank you for your time."

"Maybe next time," Frank tried to help. Steve pursed his lips and walked away, head down toward the ground.

Jessica watched as her best friend went to gather his things and didn't turn to Frank as she said, "Frank, I'm not feeling too well. I think I may need to go home and lie down."

"Well we have beds here, Miss Martin, if you need them," Frank explained. Jess then faced Frank with a pained expression, hand on her stomach, "Actually, um," She leaned in to whisper, "I'm having some lady trouble. You think you can help me out by sending me home? You'd be a real peach."

Frank stammered and waved hand, "Oh, um, well then. Sure. On your way now, Miss Martin. And do feel better."

"Thank you, Dr. Wate," Jessica gave him a fake grin before walking off down the hall.

She quickly changed in the dressing room, stamping her time card at the receptionist's desk before walking out of the building. Jessica sighed as she saw Steve in the distance, yelling, "Steve!"

Steve turned toward the red-headed woman as she quickly walked to him, running a bit in her brown heels. She stopped in front of him as people passed, saying, "I'm sorry, Steve. I truly am."

"I just don't understand why I can't protect my country too," He shook his head, "It's not fair."

"It's not," Jessica agreed, "But how's about I take you to a movie to get your mind off it? My treat."

Steve deadpanned, "Isn't the man supposed to pay?"

"Oh, Steve, stop being such a man," She playfully rolled her eyes, putting her arm out, "Now. I would like to see a movie with my best friend. So, give me your arm, Rogers."

Steve blushed before he extended his arm, Jessica winking at him as she wrapped hers around it. The pair walked down the street of Brooklyn, Jessica smiling as they passed the nearby park, "I'm thinking maybe later tonight at dusk you and I go to the park. How about that?"

"Just us?" Steve gulped. Jessica shrugged, "It's just us now too, Rogers. What you afraid of me or something?"

She turned and flashed her eyes at him, a bright green illuminating from her hand on his arm.

Leaves from the trees above them began falling to the ground, Steve chuckling as he placed his other hand on hers, concealing it, "You know I love your," He began whispering, "Powers. But you need to be careful. What if someone found out?"

"Oh, they're not going to be doing experiments on me, Stevie-boy," Jessica darkly chuckled, "I'm too dangerous for that."

"Let's just get to the movie, okay?"

Jessica laughed and the pair quickly walked to the local theater, various subjects being discussed in conversation.

They waited in line for the ticket booth and Jessica opened her purse as they approached, smiling at the man, "Two for Casablanca, please."

The man behind the glass quickly told her the price and before Jessica could reach into her purse, Steve had the money on the counter.

Jessica turned to him, eyes soft, "Steve. It was my treat."

"Sorry, Brooklyn baby, you know me," Steve blushed, shrugging it off. Jessica sighed, knowing the man didn't have much, "Well, thank you, Steve. I do appreciate it."

Steve only nodded as the man handed them their tickets, the pair walking into the cinema on each other's arm.

Jessica smiled at the familiar smell of popcorn and said, "Steve, why don't you go get our seats while I use the ladies room?"

Steve grinned a bit before looking at their tickets, "Theater one."

Jessica nodded and the pair split, the woman waiting until Steve was in the theater to make her way to the true destination.

She smirked as she went to the concession stand, speaking to the young boy behind it, "Hello. Can I please have one crackerjack, a peppermint patty, cherry Lik-M-Aid and a box of M&M's?"

"You gonna eat all that yourself?" The brown-eyed boy behind the stand smirked. Jessica deadpanned at his rudeness, "Of course not, honey. I got myself a date."

Jessica then winked at him and the boy blushed, "Oh, do you now, sugar?"

"Oh, yeah. And he's strong and sweet too. He makes me melt," She enticed him, gesturing for him to come closer. Jessica leaned over the counter, whispering in the boy's ear, "And he's twice the man you'll ever be."

The teenager clenched his jaw as he turned to get the woman's food, murmuring to himself, "You share-crop."

Jessica's eyes widened in anger and her fists balled up, eyes flashing blue making the water from the bucket near by spill, soaking the boy's shoes. He groaned and the other man behind the counter along with him sighed, getting Jessica's items as the said woman left her money for them.

She placed the items in her purse, the box of crackerjacks sticking out halfway as she walked away. Jessica had just stepped into the theater when Steve Rogers' voice rang throughout the small room, yelling, "Hey, want to shut up?"

"That's not good," Jessica sighed, eyes closing after she saw a tall man stand up and turn around to where she could only assume her best friend was.

She watched as the man grabbed onto Steve, her eyes widening, "Hey! Let him go!"

"Oh, is this your girl?" The man taunted, dragging Steve out of the theater. Jessica followed, hitting the man with her fist making him push her into a wall.

Steve growled as he pushed against the man, he simply picking him up by the back of his shirt due to his light weight. He quickly thew Steve into an alley-way, punching him making Steve groan.

The smaller man grabbed the lid from a trash bin, using it as a shield. His opponent only laughed and thrusted forward, punching Steve in the cheek causing him to fall into the wall.

Steve shakily turned back toward him, hands in the air, "I can do this all day."

"Yeah, so can I," Jessica's voice rang out through the alley. The man fighting Steve chuckled, "What, you think a dame like you can beat me?"

"Oh, I know I can."

Jessica's eyes flashed a brighter green than they already were and the metal lid Steve had been holding onto flew through the air, hitting the man directly in the nose. He let out a wail and Jessica growled, raising a hand in the air and using the wind to push him into the brick wall in front of them.

She didn't turn to Steve as she looked the man directly in the eye, eyes flashing back to her normal green, "Don't you ever underestimate a woman."

She then brought her knee up to his groin, the man once again letting out a painful wail as she said, "And that's for being a dickhead to my best friend."

"Oh, Brooklyn baby, you always know how to make it into a party, huh?" A new voice said. Jessica chuckled as she turned to see Bucky Barnes and said, "It's only fun if I'm there."

Bucky then turned to the man who had been bullying his friend, grabbing him and throwing him into the font of the alley, "As for you, pick on somebody your own size."

Jessica went to Steve as Bucky dealt with the man, Steve gasping for air in-between each breath, "I had it under control."

"I know you did, Steve," Jessica gave him a small grin, kneeling toward the ground below Steve. His eyes widened as she went through her purse and grabbed his inhaler, "How'd you get that?"

"Steve, you know you always lose it. It's my job to find it, remember?"

Steve gave her a thankful look and took the device, taking a puff before Bucky walked back over to the pair. Both stood and Bucky gave Steve a look, "Sometimes I think you like getting punched."

"I had him on the ropes," Steve denied. Bucky rolled his eyes as he picked up Steve's failed enlistment paper, shaking it out as he said, "How many times is this?"

He made a noise of awe, "Oh, you're from Paramus now?" He turned to Jessica, "Did you know about this, Brooklyn baby?"

"Of course I did. Did you think that'd stop him?" Jessica crossed her arms over her chest, her purse in the crook of her arm. Bucky laughed at that, saying, "I guess not."

He went back to Steve, "You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form. And seriously? Jersey?"

Steve didn't answer as he took in Bucky's appearance, "You get your orders?"

Jessica's heart dropped to her stomach as she finally did the same, gulping as Bucky said, "The 107th. Sergeant James Barnes, shipping out for England first thing tomorrow?"

"This is the last night we're all going to be together?" Jessica whispered, the thought of Bucky overseas practically eating at her. Bucky shook his head, putting a hand on her shoulder, "You know it won't be. Just for a while, doll."

Jessica didn't answer as Steve sighed, "I should be going."

The trio remained silent before Bucky grabbed onto his best friends, pulling them forward, "Come on guys. As Jessica mentioned, it's my last night! I got to get you cleaned up."

He threw Steve's enlistment form on the ground and Jessica growled, picking it up, "Green witch here telling you to not ruin the environment."

She placed it in her purse before she walked in-between her friends, grabbing their arms. Steve blushed when Bucky smirked over at him and he shook it off, saying, "Why? Where are we going?"

"The future."

"Sounds terrible. Think I could just stay home?"

Bucky chuckled, "Always so optimistic, dollface."

"What can I say? I'm a ball of enthusiasm."

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AN: And that's the first chapter!

Also, if any of you are wondering. A "share crop" is 40's slang for a sexually promiscuous girl. You can see why Jess was angry now.