Frost

Chapter 16

Dancing in the dark

Ivy never thought she would end up in an underground bunker in London again. But apparently the fact that she helped Captain America destroy a Hydra base and free the captured soldiers changed her status and brought her recognition. Still, not all men were thrilled that she, as a woman, was capable of such a thing. It was only a small part of her real potential.

"The fourth one was in Poland, here," Steve mumbled as he drew the Hydra bases in Europe on a map. He had memorized the locations of the six Hydra bases during the rescue mission, knowledge that could change the war. Peggy and Ivy watched Steve plot the locations. He was finally a part of the military, someone who was respected. He wore a formal suit that defenitely looked better on him than his Captain America costume. Ivy wouldn't tell him that, though. She herself was dressed formally. She wore a white blouse that rested elegantly against her torso. A brown skirt that formally went down to her knees and a brown leather jacket  that was open. With it she wore brown boots that had a small heel and went down to her ankles.

"-not far from the Baltic..." Peggy watched Steve closely as he drew the coordinates perfectly on the map. Ivy really wondered if there was something Steve wasn't good at. Maybe it was the flirting. It was definitely the flirting.

"And the last one was outside of
Strasbourg, say thirty, forty miles west of the Maginot line" he finished speaking, looking up modestly.

"I only go a quick look."

Ivy suppressed a sarcastic snort. Steve and Peggy probably wouldn't have noticed anyway, though. They were far too busy staring at each other. Ivy didn't know how anyone could be so unaware and not notice that they had a crush on each other. It was more than obvious.

"Nobody's perfect," Peggy replied teasingly. It was more than obvious that she was impressed. An aide picked up the map and carried it across the room. Ivy looked after the map and spotted her brother approaching them with a blue Hydra cartridge in his hand.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be picking up a medal right about now?" he asked, looking at Steve and his little sister in confusion. Both of them were supposed to have gotten a Medall of Honor today, but decided not to show up. Ivy hated attention. She had freed the soldiers to do the right thing and get Bucky back, and not to become someone famous. Howard was the one who enjoyed attention, not Ivy.

"I'm off the publicity circuit," Steve said as Ivy folded her arms in front of her chest.

"I hate unnecessary human contact."

Just then, Phillips approaches from across the room.

"Rogers, female Stark, you just embarrassed a senior senator in front of a dozen reporters and ten members of Parliament" Phillips told them as he entered the room. He handed Steve and Ivy their medals. Ivy looked at the medal in her hand ignorantly and looked questioningly at those around her. She had no idea what she was supposed to do with the unnecessary piece of metal. She handed it to Howard, who accepted it with wide eyes and probably wouldn't give it back.

"You should get a medal just for that," Phillips said, surprising Ivy. She had expected getting into trouble for it.

"You figure out what this is, yet?" asked Phillips as he caught sight of the Hydra cartridge in Howard's hand.

"If you believe Rogers," Howard began, looking at Steve rather skeptically. He was still a little pissed that he had let Ivy jump out of an attacked plane with him. "-it's
apparently the most powerful
explosive known to man."

"If?" asked Steve. He didn't understand all that much about technology. Neither did Ivy. Still, she would have liked to take a few steps back from her brother and put a safe distance between her and the Hydra Cartridge.