ROGERS TWINS • b. barnes

IX

"Did it make him stronger?" Steve asks.

"Yeah. But, there were other effects." He starts, "The serum was not ready. But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside. So, good becomes great. Bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man, who has known power all his life, will lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows compassion." Erskine explains.

"Thanks. I think." The twins say at the same time making the doctor laugh as he pours the three of them drinks.

"Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not perfect soldiers, but a good man." He points to their hearts.

Steve holds up his glass to toast. "To the little guys." He says just as their about to drink from their glass.

"No! No! Wait! Wait! What I am doing? No! You have a procedure tomorrow. No fluids." The doctor stops them as he pours the contents of Steve's glass into his own.

"I'll just pee it out." Stella shrugs bringing the drink to her lips only for the scientist to take it out of her hands. She gasped in surprise causing the men to chuckle at her stage of shock.

"All right. We'll drink it after." Steve says, really wanting to drink the schnapps.

"No! I don't have procedure tomorrow. Drink it after? Drink it now!" Erskine says making the two blondes chuckle.

***

In the morning, Steve, Stella, and Peggy are all sat in the back of a car. Steve on the passenger side, Stella in the middle and Peggy on the driver side.

"I know this neighborhood." Stella said, as she looked out the windshield.

"I got beat up in that alley. And that parking lot. And behind that diner." Steve reminisced.

"Did you have something against running away?" Peggy asks.

"One too many blows to the head made his brain a little funny." Stella replies just to get elbowed in the stomach by her twin.

"You start running they'll never let you stop. You stand up, push back. Can't say no forever, right?" Steve answers Peggy.

"I know a little of what that's like. To have every door shut in your face. I'm sure Stella does too." Peggy says, getting a nod from the blonde sitting to her right.

"I guess I just don't know why you'd wanna join the army if you're a beautiful dame. Or a beautiful, a woman. An agent, not a dame! You are beautiful, but," Steve stutters.

"Shut up now." Stella mumbles to her brother, trying to help him out of the hole he has dug for himself.

"You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?" Peggy asked.

"This is the longers conversation I've had with one." Steve tells the agent.

"I'm a woman." Stella says just to be ignored.

"Women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on." Steve continues.

"You must have danced?"

"When he does I always wish I could make popcorn, it's pretty entertaining." Stella says, once again being ignored.

"Well, asking a woman to dance always seems so terrifying. And the past few years just didn't seem to matter that much. Figured I'd wait." Steve says embarrassed.

"For what?" Peggy asks.

"The right partner."

They pull up by an antiques shop and get out of the car. When Stella steps out she over dramatically stretches her limbs making Steve roll his eyes.