𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐘𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 the bustling metropolis of the country. With its many shops, businesses, and people, it seemed there was always something to do, something to see, someone to meet.
In a quiet street of the city lay a small bar tucked away between a laundromat and a shoemaker. Inside the bar were very few occupants. Two men sat at a table near the door, laughing heartily — and drunkenly.
A short distance from them sat a young woman at the bar. She drank her entire drink in a single gulp earning an impressed look from the bartender.
"Another, miss?" he asked in a thick Irish accent.
She nodded when a flyer near her caught her eye. Stark Expo was written across the top and its varying information was just below.
"Ah, do you like science, then, miss?" the bartender asked, setting her drink in front of her.
The young woman tossed aside the flyer and looked up with a small smile. "I suppose you could say that," she shrugged, playing with her drink.
"Not teaching?"
She glanced upward at him. "Is that all you think a woman is capable of doing?" she retorted before downing the rest of her drink and throwing bills on the counter. "Sir, the times are changing. You may want to change with them." She opened the door. "Oh, and..." She turned back to the bartender with a smile. "You make a good martini."
She walked outside into the still street that offered an escape from the normally loud city. She strolled alongside the sidewalks, peeking inside the many shop windows. She would continuously pass several flyers for the Stark Expo as though somebody had simply thrown a pile onto the sidewalk and called it a day. It felt as though the words were haunting her.
She passed a movie theater and considered going inside to see what they offered only to hear a loud crash come from the alley behind the theater. She peered around the corner to see a man getting punched repeatedly by a much larger man. The smaller of the two held up a trash can lid as if it was a shield, though it did nothing and he was once again punched causing her to wince at the sight.
Just as she was about to go over to help, another man walked in front of her.
"Hey," he said in a strong Brooklyn accent, gaining the bully's attention. "Pick on someone your own size."
The bully swung for the friend, but he easily dodged it only to punch him in turn. The young woman examined the newest man. He was in uniform, undoubtedly set to leave for one of the many battles being fought overseas.
Wartime was stressful for everybody involved. Any man who was eligible was given their orders and sent to the most dangerous of places, attempting to stop the threats from advancing.
"Sometimes I think you like getting punched," the man in uniform said, smoothing out his friend's jacket.
"I had him on the ropes." The blonde man sniffled from his bloody nose while his friend bent down to pick up a paper on the ground.
"Oh, you're from Paramus now?" he asked, reading it. "You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form, right? And seriously, Jersey?"
The blonde frowned before getting his first real look at his friend. "You get your orders?"
"Sergeant James Barnes, the 107th," his friend saluted. "I ship out for England first thing tomorrow."
"It's not fair," the shorter said. "I should be going."
The brunette chuckled and wrapped an arm around his friend's neck. "Come on, man. It's my last night. Gotta make the most of it."
"Where are we going?"
He handed the blonde one of the flyers. "The future."
The woman watched them go only to hear a voice behind her. "Miss Stark." The voice sounded relieved but the recipient was not. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"I'm just fine on my own, Jarvis," Grace said, turning around to face her older brother's butler. Out of all his staff, Jarvis was the one she got along the best with. Perhaps it was due to his sympathy for her, or his strange ability to make her laugh. Either way, the two were very close, and Grace was just as close with his wife, Ana.
"Miss Stark, I made a promise to Mr. Stark to keep you in my sights," Jarvis told her, causing her to roll her eyes. "He does truly care for you, you know."
"Jarvis, my brother cares for one person and one person only and that's himself," Grace contradicted, crossing her arms. "You've only known him for a short amount of time, but I have known him my entire life. And for that entire time, I was only ever 'Howard's younger sister' or 'the one who wasn't planned'. I've heard it all and did he ever rush to defend me or comfort me? Not once. Save me the lecture."
"He's always had good intentions for you," he said, leading her to the waiting car. "It's a dangerous world out there and he wants you to be safe."
"Funny, because unlike him, I know how to fight." Grace rolled her eyes before getting into the backseat of the car. "Howard looks like he's fighting a flamingo whenever he tries to do anything physical."
She let out a breath and noticed another flyer beside her. She picked it up and re-read it the entire car ride. Jarvis would occasionally look at her through the rearview mirror, feeling sympathy for the younger Stark.
Ever since he became Howard's butler, he'd been tasked with watching out for his boss' younger sister, which proved to be quite a difficult task. She was fiercely independent and determined to have her own life. She didn't want to be known as Howard Stark's younger sister for the rest of her life. She wanted to forge her own path and career. She had the same skills as her brother but had more patience. Howard had more of a temper that often resulted in quite a few mishaps in the lab.
Grace began inventing shortly after her mother died. Following her mother's death, Howard had left her in their father's care and took off for Europe to try and start his own company. Unfortunately, their father had taken the loss of their mother incredibly hard and became abusive to his daughter. Several times had Grace written to her brother, begging him to take her to Europe with him, but was left without a single response. It was only after their father's death that he agreed to bring her along. But by that point, it had been too late.
Jarvis stopped the car in front of the large gate that led to the exposition. Stark Expo was once again written across the entryway and Grace stared up at the words before letting out a breath. She stepped out of the car and tightened the clasp around her dark brown hair before walking inside.
⸻ ~~~ ⸻
"𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐑𝐄!" 𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 exclaimed the moment Grace and Jarvis walked through the door to the tent behind the stage. "Where have you been?"
"Out," she replied, sitting on the chair with a shrug.
"'Out?'" Howard repeated with an annoyed look. "Gracie, it's dangerous out in the world."
"Oh, is it?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side. "I wouldn't have guessed. It's not as though there's a war ravaging across all of Europe."
"You know I'm not talking about the war," Howard said, pointedly.
Grace rolled her eyes. "Oh, my gosh, it was one time, Howard! And nothing bad happened to me!"
"Because I stepped in," he told her, matter-of-factly.
She blinked and crossed her arms. "You stepped in?" she repeated with a humorless chuckle. "You stepped in? I think we're remembering two very different events, dear brother. The event I remember involved you running away like a little scaredy cat and a black eye."
"I didn't have a black eye," Howard denied with a frown.
"I never said you had it," she retorted, shaking her head. "You may not believe me when I say this, but I'm tougher than you think I am. And you know why? Because you left me with him."
"Gracie, I've said I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't cut it, Howard!" she snapped, getting hysterical. She let out a breath and rubbed her temple. "It takes a lot more than sorry for abandoning your baby sister with that monster. You were off making a name for yourself. And where was I? Stuck. At home with a drunk." She shook her head and stomped past him toward the tent's entryway.
"Where are you going?" Howard asked, watching her go with an annoyed look on his face. "The demonstration is about to start!"
"What would you need me for?" she questioned, turning back to look at him. "You have plenty of showgirls at your disposal. I'm not one of them. I don't want to be one of them. I am just your younger sister and that's all I will ever be to you."
"Gracie, that's not true!" Howard called after her but she was already gone. "Gracie—"
"Sir, just let her go and calm down," Jarvis said, walking over to his boss. "She's upset."
"But I don't know why she's upset," Howard sighed before straightening up at the sound of the crowd outside. "Jarvis, do me a favor and find her?"
"Of course, sir."
⸻ ~~~ ⸻
𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 exposition, trying her best to clear her mind of any thoughts of her brother. She loved him, of course, she loved him — he was her brother, the only family she had left. But a majority of his time was spent trying to further his company. And in doing so, Howard hadn't realized that he had neglected his sister.
Grace had little to no friends. And anyone she became friends with was only because they were besotted by Howard's charm. For once in her life, she wanted to be Grace. Not Grace Stark, Howard's little sister who couldn't measure up to his talents.
"What a surprise to find you here." A soft English accent broke Grace out of her thoughts and she turned around with a smile on her face.
There she was. Peggy Carter. The only person who seemed to understand Grace as she was — a person who was stuck in the shadow of her brother. Peggy and Grace met when Doctor Erskine — a german doctor — approached the elder Stark with an opportunity to help the war effort. Howard of course accepted and Grace went with him, not taking no for an answer. Peggy had been in the background of the conversation but felt drawn to the younger Stark.
They had similarities, the two women. They both had older brothers and each had their own different relationships with them. But most importantly, they were women in an environment that was deemed 'a man's world'. Peggy had offered Grace a drink and a strong friendship began.
"I thought you were in New Jersey!" Grace exclaimed, embracing her friend. Peggy's hair was styled into its usual curls, pinned up and out of her face. Her military uniform clung tight to her figure, accentuating the muscles she gained from ordering men around.
"I was, but I couldn't resist seeing the exposition," Peggy replied, pulling away from the hug. "And to see you, of course."
"Oh, so I was the first choice?" Grace asked with a smile.
Peggy chuckled. "Every time, Gracie. You know that. You're my favorite Stark."
"Could you repeat that to Howard?" Grace sighed. Peggy let out a breath and looked over at her best friend.
"What happened this time?" Peggy asked, calmly.
Grace shrugged. "Tell me, can I defend myself?" she asked her friend. "Am I physically incapable of fighting off someone who's being a jerk?"
Peggy shook her head. "No. If memory serves me right, you let that guy go with the juiciest black eye I've ever seen in my life. And without his dignity."
"Well, that's what he gets for cat-calling women in the street," Grace mumbled. "But according to Howard, he saved me. Apparently, he's the big, strong man who can protect his sister from creepy men."
Peggy's lip squeezed in a tight line at the thought of Howard fighting someone. "I'm sorry," she chuckled, stopping Grace from continuing. "Howard said he could fight? Howard Stark?"
Grace nodded. "My point exactly. He can fly very well, there's no denying that, but anything physical? He looks like a dying pelican."
Peggy chuckled softly, agreeing with those thoughts. She was very close with both Stark siblings but there was something about Grace that she gravitated toward. Perhaps it was her carefree spirit that was in direct contrast to her own stern upbringing. Her ability to find the light in any situation no matter the gravity of it.
"Well, look at it this way," Peggy said, taking Grace's hands in her own. "If he ever annoys you enough, you can punch your way out."
Grace smiled at the thought and nodded. "I do like the sound of that." Peggy squeezed her hand just as the younger Stark turned around, colliding with another person. "Oh, my gosh, I am so sorry!" she apologized, seeing she knocked the person's nuts out of their hand. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Don't worry about it, ma'am." Grace looked up at the sound of the voice and they landed on a blue-eyed blonde.
The man from the alley.
"Well, I caused you to drop your bag of peanuts," Grace sighed, gesturing to the mess in front of them.
The man shrugged. "They were stale. You were doing me a favor."
"You are making it very hard to apologize, you know," Grace said with a frown. "At least let me buy you a new bag."
"It's really not necessary."
"She doesn't take no for an answer," Peggy piped up from behind Grace. "Just accept it and move on. I'll see you later, okay?"
Grace nodded before all but dragging the man toward the snack stand. "I'm telling you, I can buy myself a new one," he told her while the two stood in line.
"It is my fault that you don't have your peanuts anymore," Grace said with finality. "I am getting you a replacement."
The man chuckled but gave in. "Well, then, thank you."
"You're welcome."
The two stood in silence as the line continued to move. "I'm Steve," he said, breaking the silence. "Steve Rogers."
"Grace," she replied, shaking his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Steve. I couldn't help but notice the brunette standing over there. Watching us."
Steve followed her gaze and nodded. "Oh, yeah, that's Bucky. He's my best friend."
"And why is he looking at you like you're an alien?" Grace asked, peering at the soldier with a curious expression on her face.
Steve chuckled. "Probably because he's never seen me talk to a woman, let alone be alone with one." Grace looked down at him and frowned. "All the girls tend to gravitate toward Bucky."
"Why?"
"Well, no one really wants to talk to the small guy with a ton of medical problems," he replied with a shrug.
"I'm talking to you," she said, feeling sympathy for the blonde. "So, that puts one woman in the column for Steve."
He smiled softly. "And you? You don't have a fella linin' up for you?"
"God, no." She shook her head. "No. No fella."
"That's a shame," Steve shrugged. "It's their loss."
Grace smiled before purchasing two nuts packages and handing one to Steve. "Your replacement."
"Thank you."
She nodded as the microphone static burst their eardrums. "Ah," Grace's eyes widened, hearing Jarvis' voice. "Miss St—"
"Grace," she interrupted, turning around to look at her brother's butler. "Just Grace."
Jarvis blinked and looked between her and Steve. "I've been looking everywhere for you, Miss... Grace. Your brother has been asking for you."
"What a surprise," she muttered to herself. "It was nice to meet you, Steve. Enjoy the exposition."
She followed Jarvis back to the tent and he looked down at her. "Why didn't you tell him who you really were?"
"I did," she said, pushing open the curtains. "I just didn't tell him the last part of my name."
"Why not?"
"Because he doesn't know that I'm a Stark," she smiled softly. "And he's the first person I've met who doesn't know who I am."
"But what if he did find out?"
"Jarvis, of all the people in this entire expo, I doubt I'm gonna meet Steve Rogers again."
⸻ ~~~ ⸻
Hi everyone!
I am really excited to start this book. I've loved Steve pretty much since seeing his movie, so here we are :)
Just wanted to put out a quick thing that some characters may not seem in-character to you, but they're written that way for a reason. Just to put that out there real quick.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the book and Grace as much as I do <3
- Lucy