CHAPTER NINE:
KEEP HIM GROUNDED

OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, Celeste had managed to complete a lot of tasks. Those things included finally being introduced to Steve Rogers and finding the scrawny boy absolutely adorable and Evelyn was right when she said he was a gentleman. Speaking of Evelyn, the two women had grown extremely close, soon to become one another's best friend with Evelyn letting out an exclaim of happiness at the fact that she now had her "own best friend." Peggy had finally been in contact after having a constantly busy schedule with help getting the soldiers in shape for the war. And Celeste and Bucky were in a slight disagreement.

"Bucky, it's not that I don't support this decision." Celeste denied, shaking her head with her arms crossed over her chest. "Because I do. I'm just scared of what's going to happen to you when I'm not there to protect you."

"Please take no offence to this." Bucky quickly told her, holding his hands out as if he were trying to shield himself from the angel's wrath. He didn't want to experience that. Ever. "But I've been able to protect myself for years."

"No, I know that." She sighed, sitting down on her couch as she ran a hand through her blonde hair. "Bucky, I have failed a lot in my life time. And I don't want you to be added onto that list of failures. I can't go back home and let them see me as nothing more than the angel that doesn't know how to do her damn job."

"Celeste. . ." He looked at the girl, moving to sit down beside her.

"Please, the words I'm saying, don't let them effect what you do. It's your life, I cannot make decisions for you. But just know that I am a supernatural being, and if I even sense any danger that you're in, I will quite literally appear from thin air in order to rescue you."

Bucky smiled. "I wouldn't count on anything less."

And that was the end of that dispute. Of course, she would see him again the next day, but in different circumstances. Celeste and Evelyn had called one another the night prior, just as Bucky had left Celeste's home, Evelyn wanting the two girls to hang out at a local café that wasn't too far from her home.

"Hey, doll." She had started to pick that phrase up from Bucky the more he called her that. Evelyn glanced up from her seat, offering Celeste a small smile as the angel sat down on the opposite side of the table. Celeste grabbed the coffee that Evelyn had ordered for her before arriving, gladly grabbing it and taking a sip of it.

"Hey, Celeste." Evelyn greeted, taking the time to move her blonde curls off of her shoulder.

Celeste cocked her head slightly as she looked at the Rogers twin, frowning. "You alright? You seem stressed."

A sigh fell from the girl's lips which immediately grabbed the angel's attention, making her sit up just a little straighter. She watched Evelyn glance around at the scenery before looking back towards Celeste. "Honestly? I'm so drained. School's coming to an end soon, thank god. I'm going to have to start working soon in order to keep Steve and I above water."

"I thought you had your father's fortune that he left behind?" Celeste questioned. Evelyn only rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't a fortune. It's the money he left behind for serving in the war. We've been living off of that practically our whole lives along with the money mom made whilst working. I don't know how she managed to balance having to deal with two children and keeping up with Steve's health problems."

Though the mention of the war almost made the angel wince, she was quick to push it aside in order to focus on Evelyn. Her head cocked to the side again as she furrowed her eyebrows. "But that's not what you're really worried about, is it?"

Evelyn glanced up towards her, before sighing. "No, it's not." Evelyn shook her head. "I'm just. . . my nerves are shot. Steve is determined to fight in the upcoming war. And I know that there's the probability of that never happening, but I still can't help but worry. He's going to submit a new form over and over again until he manages to get in. And if he does, I don't know what I'm going to do with myself."

Celeste understood her thinking, in fact, she had that same conversation only with a few words changed here and there. "You're thinking way too much, hun. I know how you feel. Bucky has ten times more the chance than Steve to get in, but I'm still scared out of my mind."

The corner of Evelyn's lips turned up slightly at the mention of Bucky and she was quick to change the subject. "You two have been getting close. Wanna tell me what's going on there?"

Celeste swallowed thickly as her cheeks heated up. She was embarrassed. Because as she sat there, thinking about her answer, she couldn't help but note how she truly felt for the man. She had fallen in love with a human in such a short amount of time, and she could swear she felt the disappointment and judgement radiating down from the clouds above. "I mean. . . yeah, we've been seeing each other a lot more lately."

"That's great news, Celeste!" The angel was almost taken aback by the enthusiasm. Evelyn offered her a smile. "Bucky needs someone like you to keep him grounded."

"To be honest, the way that Bucky talks about you, when we first met, I thought you two had been a thing." Celeste almost smirked at the reaction, seeing as it had been the same one Bucky had given her.

Evelyn laughed, shaking her head. "I do not see Bucky as anything more than a second brother."

A sigh fell from her lips as she finally admitted it. And this was the first time that she was admitting it out loud. "I really like him, Evelyn. And I. . . what if he doesn't feel the same?"

"Sweetheart," Evelyn started with a reassuring smile, "trust me when I say he does. The way he talks about you over the phone, I've never heard Bucky talk about anyone like that. If he doesn't make the first move soon, I'll knock some sense into him." The two women let out amused laughs at this before finishing their drinks, paying, and deciding to go for a walk. That's when they spotted Steve and Bucky. Evelyn was the first one to greet them.

"Boys."

"Evie!" Bucky's entire face lit up when he saw the other Roger's sibling, quick to pull her into a hug. It made Celeste smile. He pulled away before noticing Celeste, his smile seeming to widen. "I see you and Celeste are getting along well."

"That we are." Evelyn agreed, nodding her head. Celeste didn't notice the look Evelyn ahd cast between herself and Bucky before the woman leaned into Bucky, whispering something that Celeste couldn't decipher into his ear. But it made her curious when she watched his cheeks start to warm up.

"You two headed somewhere?" Celeste spoke up.

"We were just on our way to drop these off." Bucky answered before showing Celeste his form. Her breath seemed to hitch her throat, her heart freezing as she looked at the form.

"These?" Evelyn questioned. "As in more than one?" That's when Evelyn looked towards her brother, and immediately a sigh fell from her lips as she nodded her head, biting the inside of her cheek. "Right. Well, you let us know how that goes. We're going to finish our walk around the town. We'll meet back up at the house, maybe go out and do something tonight?"

"We'll meet you there, doll." Bucky agreed with a nod before giving Evelyn a kiss on the cheek and then doing the same to Celeste. Her heart leaped in her throat at the act, but she offered him a small smile before she and Evelyn watched them walk away. As Celeste stood there, she couldn't help but think about her friend Peggy, and an idea came into her head.

"Eve." Celeste spoke the girl's name.

"Hmm?" Evelyn hummed, turning to look at the angel.

"I think I might have a way we can help."

Evelyn frowned at this. "What do you mean?"

"I know someone." Celeste answered, meeting Evelyn's eye. "She's a British sweetheart that goes by the name of Peggy Carter. She works in the army, trains the soldiers, and is one of the best out there. She and I used to live with one another. She owes me a favor."

Evelyn cocked her head in curiosity and pursed her lips. She glanced towards the direction the two boys had went before looking back towards Evelyn, nodding her head. "Tell me more."