AN: Jessica's outfit is the same as the last chapter.

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Jessica sighed as she walked along side with Steve and Bucky, already wanting to get the night over with and go home.

She hated the idea of the boys going on a double date. But what she hated more is that Bucky got someone for her to be with too even though he knew she liked Steve.

"I don't see what the problem is. You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there are three and a half million women here?" Bucky pointed out, elbowing Steve in the arm, to which he groaned at, "Especially red-heads. Which I know are your type."

Steve's eyes went wide as he smacked Bucky's arm, saying, "Dude."

"What?" Bucky innocently shrugged. Steve rolled his eyes and looked forward as he said, "I'd settle for just one."

The pair turned to Jessica, who had heard everything but was seemingly in her own head, and Steve sighed in relief. Her expression turned into a scowl as she saw the tall blonde man next to the two girls Bucky and Steve were going to be with and her friend simply shrugged, winking at her.

Bucky then said, "Good thing I've taken care of that."

"What'd you tell her about me?" Steve grumbled, fixing his hair. Bucky chuckled and waved at the girls and man, "Only the good stuff."

"And what about him?" Jessica huffed, watching as the man from a distance smirked as he looked her up and down, "I can already tell I don't like him."

Steve nodded, "I second that."

"Well, he's Connie's brother. So be nice."

"I still second that," Steve shook his head, annoyed at the man already. Jessica turned and smiled over at him, winking before she looked back in front of her.

She already knew it was going to be a long night.

✧

Jessica's only wish was to go home.

The man, Brian, was a terrible flirt with wandering hands that always ended up going lower than Jessica would have liked. Steve quickly caught onto it and stayed by his best friend's side, ignoring Brian as he pushed through him to get to Jessica.

The red-headed green witch was grateful and for most of the night, they ended up together. With a silent anger, Brian had made friends with Bonnie, the blonde woman Connie had intended for Steve to be with.

Jessica and Steve watched as the women dragged Brian and Bucky along through the Synthetic Man exhibit, rushing along to the Stark stage.

Connie gushed, pointing toward it as she leaned into Bucky, "Oh, my God, there he is!"

The girls let out a squeal and pulled the men forward, Jessica cupped her ears a bit, saying, "Am I like that?"

"Not at all, Brooklyn Baby," Steve bumped their shoulders, "You don't act like a girl."

Jessica rose a brow toward him and Steve began stuttering, "Not that you are a man! Yes, you're a girl- a really beautiful one, in fact- but I don't see you as one."

"I don't know whether to be offended or flattered, Mr. Rogers," Jessica teased. Steve's face as bright as Jessica's hair as he said, "I know you're a girl. I was just saying that..."

He trailed off and Jessica chuckled, finding his hand at his side to give it a squeeze, "That we've known each other for so long and well that you know I don't have that personality."

"Exactly," Steve let out a breath of relief, clutching onto her hand tightly. Jessica chuckled a bit as a man beside her yelled, "Cracker Jacks, miss?"

Jessica wrinkled her nose at him, "No thank you, sir."

He tipped his hat toward her as Bucky, Brian, Connie and Bonnie became further away and Jessica smiled, nodding slightly to be polite. Steve watched as the woman turned back to him, saying, "Would you like some Cracker Jacks?"

Steve furrowed his brow and Jessica reached into her purse, pulling out the box she had gotten from the movie theater hours ago. She shook them in her hand with a smirk, "Hows about it?"

"Only if you share them with me," Steve teased, taking them from her offered hand. Jessica sighed dramatically as they finally settled into the spot behind the group they were with, "Oh, if I have to."

The pair chuckled in unison and shared the snack as the female announcer for the pavillion spoke, "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!"

Everyone clapped as they watched a tall brunette man join the stage with the girls and 1942 Cadillac, swing music filling their ears. The man, Howard Stark, tipped his hat toward the crowd and then gave it to one of his helpers, pulling her in for a kiss.

Steve's eyes widened, whispering to Jessica, "Did he ask if he can kiss her?"

"I don't think so, why?" Jessica proded. Steve shrugged, "I don't know. I always promised myself I'd ask the woman I was with before I kissed her. Seems like the most respectful thing to do."

"What a gentlemen, hero," Jessica smirked, leaning toward him.

Steve turned red once more and Jessica chuckled as Howard Stark began speaking to the abundance of people below the stage, "Ladies, you know how hard it can be putting on makeup in a car that's bouncing like a kangaroo on a trampoline."

Jessica shrugged at that, agreeing a bit as Steve leaned forward, going to offer everyone in the group on of his Cracker Jacks, but landed on Bonnie first. Bonnie looked toward Steve with scorn and Jessica scowled at the woman, eyes flashing green in anger.

Steve immediately grabbed onto her hand to calm her down, the red tinge on Jessica's ears quickly diminishing as she looked over at him.

They smiled at one another as Howard continued his speech, "What if I told you that in just afew short years, your automobilewouldn't touch the ground at all?"

The women around Howard removed the tires from the Cadillac, revealing what looked to be engines replacing them, and the man pressed on a button, "With Stark Gravitic ReversionTechnology, you'll be able to do just that."

The car began levitating in the air, leaving the crowd to gape at what was in front of them.

Bucky chuckled, "Holy cow."

"I think you meant holy shit," Jessica corrected him, earning a glare from Connie, Bonnie and Brian. The blonde man scoffed, "A woman's mouth shouldn't be allowed to say such disgusting things, Miss Martin."

"And a man shouldn't be allowed to tell me what to do," Jessica pouted sarcastically, "So, why don't you mind your own business and stay out of my fucking life, okay? Okay."

Brain went to say something when a sudden spark came from one of the engines, the car immediately falling to the stage with a crash as an explosion went off. Jessica simply smirked at him, silently challenging him as Howard chuckled on stage, saying, "I did say a few years, didn't I?"

The audience erupted into applause as Steve turned slightly, gaining Jessica's attention since he was still holding onto her hand. She followed his gaze and sighed as she saw the "I want you" poster.

She bumped his shoulder, causing Steve to turn back to her. Jessica wrinkled her nose, a playful smile on her lips, "Hows about we get out of here, hero?"

"And do what?" Steve chuckled silently, "We can't just leave them?"

Jessica simply began pulling him away from Bucky, Connie, Bonnie and Brian, saying, "They'll be fine without us. Plus, it would be nice to get rid of that asshole, Brian. He's about as arrogant as a peacock."

"And do what, Brooklyn baby?" Steve questioned, raising a brow. Jessica smirked back at him, winking once, "Well you wanna go to the recruitment center, right, silly?"

Steve only gleamed back at her and the pair made their way to the recruitment center.

Ten minutes later, Jessica and Steve were standing in front of a mirrored booth, tossing Cracker Jacks into each other's mouths. The red-head chuckled and turned as the couple in front of them moved, grabbing onto Steve's shoulders and throwing him in front of the mirror.

She watched as a disappointed look crossed his face as his eyes barely could see over the collar in the picture. Jessica thought for a moment before she took her compact mirror out of her purse, wrapping her arms around Steve's shoulders from behind.

Steve jumped at the contact and rested his hands on her wrists, looking into their reflection in her mirror, "What are you doing?"

"Do you wanna know what I see, Steve?" Jessica questioned, meeting his eyes in their reflection.

Steve simply gave her a look and Jessica smiled, not leaving his blue eyes as she said, "I see a man who has helped his family through everything. A man who is kind-hearted and sweet, always doing something for someone else. Who wants to protect his country that he loves so much. My best friend who I can always count on and will protect me no matter what-"

"-You're strong, Jess," Steve interrupted, "A doll like you doesn't need protecting."

"And yet you still find a way to make me feel safe, Steve Rogers," Jessica tightened her grip on him, resting her head in his neck, "You don't have to go to a war to make me think you are the bravest man, Rogers. You're already my hero."

Steve looked as though Jessica had just given him the word, his blue doe eyes staring into her green ones as she smiled against him. Every fiber in his being begged for him to turn around and take hold of her, pressing his lips against hers in a soft kiss.

In fact, Steve almost did until the pair was suddenly jerked back, Jessica huffing as she saw Bucky looking at them with a raised brow.

She rolled her eyes, snapping her compact shut as she crossed her arms against her chest, "No way in sam hill am I going back with you to that big buffoon. He can take a long walk off a short pier."

"Come on, we're all going dancing. You don't have to go anywhere near him and I'll make sure of it," Bucky sighed. Steve shook his head, "You go ahead. Maybe we will catch up later."

The recruitment signs caught Bucky's eyes and he pursed his lips, saying, "You're really going to do this now?"

"It's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck," Steve shrugged his shoulders to his ears. Bucky turned to Jessica, "And you're going to let him do this, Brooklyn baby?"

Jessica simply sighed, "He's a grown man, Buck. He can do what he wants. I won't stop him from doing something he wants to do."

"As who? "Steve from Ohio"?" Bucky tried, knowing what would happen as he turned to Steve, "They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you."

Steve looked at Bucky with a grim smile of disappointment, "You don't think I can do it."

"This isn't some back alley, Steve. It's a war. Why are you so keen to fight? There are lots of other important jobs-"

The blonde man cut his best friend off, "What do you want me to do? You want me to sit in a factory? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?"

"Yes. Why not?"

"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky. Bucky, come on. There are men laying down their lives. Jessica is even in this fight. I got no right to do any less than you two," Steve finally told, "That's what you don't understand that Jess does. This isn't about me."

Bucky gave him a knowing look, "Right. 'Cause you got nothing to prove."

The men shared a look, knowing that Steve wanted to prove himself a man to Jessica and the said woman grimaced, pressing a hand to their chests to push them apart a bit, "The testosterone in this place is so thick, it's disgusting. Let's take it down a notch, shall we?"

"Hey, Sarge!" Connie yelled, earning the trio's attention, "Are we going dancing?"

Bucky turned with extended arms, excitement in his voice as he said, "Yes, we are."

The brunette man turned back to Steve and Jessica, sighing, "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"How can I?" Steve asked as Bucky walked backwards, "You're taking all the stupid with you."

"Good thing Brooklyn baby has enough smarts for both you," Bucky met her eyes that were soft with worry, knowing this could be the last time she ever saw the man she thought of as a brother.

He immediately walked back over after seeing the expression, pulling Steve into a hug as he affectionately said, "You're a punk."

"Jerk."

The men embraced tightly and then turned to Jessica, opening their arms and allowing her to step into them. The best friends since primary school held onto one another, knowing this in fact could be the last time they saw one another.

Bucky sniffed, stepping back first and allowing Steve to hold onto the girl as he walked backwards, saying, "Keep each other safe until I get back. I love you nerds."

"Don't win the war till I get there," Steve retaliated, earning a look from Bucky as he shook his head in amusement. Jessica suddenly moved forward and caught Bucky, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I need you to be safe, Buck. You're the only brother I've ever had."

"You're not gonna lose be, Brooklyn baby," He squeezed her tightly, "I promise."

Jessica chuckled sadly, "You better not break this one this time."

They pulled back and Bucky met Steve's eyes, who seemed to be upset that Jessica was attached to his best friend and the said man said, "I promise. Now go back to Steve."

Jessica did as Bucky said, the two best friends watching as Bucky walked away from them. The woman let out a little gasp as she remembered an action they used to do when they would say good-bye when they were younger.

Her eyes turned white as she blew into the air, a sudden breeze running up Bucky's spine causing the hair on his neck to stand straight. Bucky stopped for a moment, everything in him screaming to turn back to his best friends, but decided it would be harder for him to leave if he did so.

Steve held onto Jessica as they watched their best friend leave into the dark of night with Connie, Bonnie and Brian.

But little did they know, Bucky had a small smile on his face, the overwhelming feeling washing over him telling him that he would see them again.

And when he did?

They would finally be together in the way they all wished they were.

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