ＳＬＡＴＥ ◼ STEVE ROGERS◼

ＳＩＸ

"Doctor Abraham Erksine here is the head of this project," the Colonel continued, pointing toward the Doctor. "I'll let him take it from here."

"Thank you, Chester," Abraham said to the man as he walked away. Agent Carter and Erksine approached the line of recruits who still stood at attention. "Over the next two months, you will train like a soldier. I will watch, and I will make the final decision on who will be the subject of my tests."

The Doctor caught Steve's eyes before he moved down the line. This was all rehearsed, as Doctor Erksine already knew who he would be choosing to receive his project.

"Recruits, you are dismissed to unpack your belongings," Agent Carter said to the line of soldiers. Everyone began to fall out of line, Steve following along behind the line of taller, more muscular men. "Rogers, hang back for a minute please."

Steve was nervous, to say the least. Had he already blown his chance? Was he already being kicked out of the army before he even got a chance to prove himself?

"Relax Steven, you are in no trouble," Doctor Erksine said with a smile, looking down at the young man. He turned his attention to Agent Carter, nodding at her. "I believe I've got this from here on out. You might want to head over to Camp Martino and check on our other recruit."

Peggy gave a nod to Doctor Erksine and a friendly smile to Steve before turning on her heel and walking toward the truck that awaited her. Doctor Erksine threw an arm around Steve, leading him toward his bunk area.

"Sir, have you been in contact with Charlotte Watson at all?"

Erksine let out a laugh, looking down at Steve.

"Are you sure that you two are not courting one another? You always seem to be talking about the other,"

"So you've been in contact with her?"

Steve was stopped outside the door to his bunk area. Erksine squeezed his shoulder, reaching into his back pocket and producing an envelope that he handed to Steve.

"You begin training tomorrow, so I suggest getting a good nights rest. I suggest maybe reading this before you turn in for the night,"

The doctor was gone before Steve could respond back, leaving him standing in front of his building. He entered the building, ignoring the looks from the other soldiers around him.

He spent time unpacking his belongings on his bunk. Everyone else was turning in for the night, but Steve had one last thing to check off his list.

He sat on his bunk, leaning back against the pillow and pulling the letter from its confines and unfolding it.

Dearest Steve,

I wish I could see you in person and tell you this, but unfortunately we both have jobs to do, now.

After you left, my mother said terrible thing. I blame it on the amount of alcohol that was probably in her system. But it made em realize something. It made me realize that Doctor Erksine was offering me a chance to start over, make something of my life. Something that would make my father proud.

It's called Project Athena, the sister project to Project ReBirth. God, Stevie, there's so much to explain but I can't do it all in a letter. I'm working with Howard Stark though! It's so exciting. They said we'll see one another again in two months, that we'll get to be partners. Hopefully, I'll get to explain everything to you then. I just hope that this all goes right, that I can make my dad proud. That I can make you and Buck proud, too.

Maybe we can make a trio, bring Bucky in somehow, too. We always said we'd be a trio, till the end of the line.

I believe in you, Steve, just as I always have. You can do this, just keep you head high and push yourself. I'll see you soon, Stevie, and maybe then we'll both be better versions of ourselves.

Live boldly,

Love,
Lottie

Steve smiled, gazing down at the familiar writing of the woman he loved so dearly.

He grabbed his notebook from his bag, beginning to write a note back to his best friend. He didn't have the address to get it to her, but he had a gut feeling that she was at this Camp Martino that both Agent Carter and Doctor Erksine had mentioned. Maybe he could convince Agent Carter to deliver the letter for him.

He wanted to pour everything into his letter, to tell Lottie that he loved her more than anything in life, just as Bucky had always begged him to do, but he refrained. He could confess his love another day when he had the guts.

Besides, they had all the time in the world.