Chapter 1
Since I was ten years old, I have been forcefully uprooted from my home into worlds that are not my own. Typically I am there for between a few minutes to a few months. I don’t know why and no one has ever said anything about it. When I arrived to this world, however, I knew subconsciously that this time it would be different.
"Hey there beautiful. How about you come home with me?" Someone asked. Shit! I'm in a new world, again, and I have nothing, absolutely nothing.
"Hey I'm talking to you!" The person said. I could tell that it was definitely a man and from the smell, he was most likely drunk.
"Leave me alone!" I snapped. The man smirked as he blocked me in against the wall of the alley.
"Come now, sugar, you don't mean that." He said.
"Hey! I heard her say leave her alone!" Another voice shouted. I sneered when my captor turned to the noise thus giving me the opportunity to knee him hard in the groin. The idiot shrieked in pain and collapsed giving access to his face, to which I kneed him again, breaking his nose which knocked him out. I finished with kicking him in the groin again. I then whipped around to face the next possible threat. Only to come face to face with a man that I could only meet in movies.
"Steve Rogers?" I whispered. Steve looked stunned and I realized that no I wasn't dreaming. I really was standing in front of a pre-serum Steve Rogers.
"Holy fucking hell! Shit. What the bloody hell am I doing here? Screw this shit. I'm gonna make sure Winter doesn't come and Howie isn't a shit daddy." I muttered.
"I... excuse me?" Steve asked. I paused and then blushed.
"Apologies, I'm not usually this vulgar." I said. Steve blinked before slowly nodding and walking to the end of the alley before looking back at me.
"You coming? He's probably going to wake up soon." Steve said with a small smile. I felt a small smirk grace my lips as I followed after him.
"So I'm guessing that you aren't from around here. May I ask where you are from?" Steve asked. I grinned.
"I'm gonna have to lie just a bit Stevie. It's not cause I don't trust you but well, we aren't really in the best place for me to explain. And no, I'm not from Brooklyn. Not even from anywhere on the east coast. I'm a born and raised Minnesotan. Minneapolis, Minnesota to be exact. I'll explain more later, promise. Bucky will probably want to hear it too." I told him. Steve paused when I used his and Bucky's nicknames with such familiarity.
"I'm going to hold you to that Miss... Umm apologies I don't think I got your name?" He answered.
"I didn't give it. I'm Kandi Emerson, like candy but with a k and i instead of a c and y. I'll tell you more later," I said. Steve blinked but nodded. We spent most of the rest of the day walking around the city.
"Shoot Bucky's probably worried sick. Come on." Steve said, grabbing my hand and pulling me after him. I smiled at his excitement. However, I was terrified at what their reactions might be. I had always had a crush on both Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes but since they hadn't existed at home I had to satisfy myself with obsessing over the actors. Now though I'd be meeting my second crush and if he didn't like me then I was finished.
"Bucky! I'm back!" Steve called as he pulled me through their front door.
"Stevie! Where were you?! I was worried sick about you!" Bucky exclaimed, pulling Steve into a hug and checking for injuries.
"I'm fine Buck. I brought a new friend. Kandi, Bucky. Bucky this is Kandi. And I'm still holding you to that promise!" Steve said.
"Hey there sugar." Bucky said. I didn't even hesitate and proceed to slap the back of his head, hard, just like Special agent Gibbs had done in NCIS.
"Ouch! What's that for?" Bucky whined before turning to Steve, "Why'd the only one you've ever brought home have to be so violent?"
Steve snickered and I smirked.
"Cuz I impressed him with taking out a guy taller and heavier than you in three hits." I retorted. Bucky gaped at me and blinked rapidly in astonishment.
"And, yes, you should be intimidated and not pull your typical antics. Now. I can answer your questions truthfully. Probably... don't ask." I snarked before turning to Steve. Bucky just continued to stare at me in utter shock.
"So, where are you from?" Steve asked, probably to make sure that I had told him the truth.
"I really am from Minneapolis but not this Minneapolis." I replied.
"How?" Bucky asked.
"Umm I guess I should just explain everything then you guys can ask questions. Savee?" I said. Steve and Bucky nodded blankly. I took a deep breath before plunging into my explanation.
"There are alternate universes, at least that's what I am assuming, and I'm from one universe where we have two popular comic corporations. One is called Marvel and they are a large franchise with many characters; two of them are Steven Grant Rogers and James Buchanan Barnes. They first came on the scene in March 1941 in the beginning of World War Two and the American people follow their adventures avidly. In July of 2011, 70 years after the creation of Captain America, the story comes to life on the big screen. There we meet Steve Rogers and his best friend Bucky Barnes. They're a box office sensation and the whole world becomes enraptured by them both the characters themselves and the actors who portray them. I'm not going to tell you everything because I don't know what will happen to the timeline if I do. But know this: Steve you will be on the front lines of this war. And whatever happens I won't let either of you die. And now I can take your questions." I explained. They both stared at me before Steve asks, "How will I get to be in the war?"
"Stevie..." Bucky said.
"Buck. I gotta know. I want to fight. I need to fight!" Steve said emphatically.
"You're gonna meet a doctor who has created something. I'm not gonna say what. But Steve, you are gonna be a hero, and Bucky, you're gonna be one too." I replied.
"How? I only just finished training." Bucky said.
"Wait. What is the date?" I ask.
"June 14th, 1943." Steve answered.
"Are we going to the World Exposition of Tomorrow? I've never been to an Expo." I commented, worried that I had already messed up the timeline.
"That's a grand idea. One last night of fun before I ship out." Bucky said, Steve and I grinned. Bucky glanced at my clothes and handed me a ten and a handful of change. I counted the change and it seemed that I had thirteen dollars for clothes.
"Lets get you some better clothes." He said. I blushed but agreed and we left their apartment to go to a clothing store.
Bucky showed me the way to a clothing store before he headed back to their apartment. I bought a skirt, blouse and underwear and had enough to buy some looser workout type clothes. When I got back to Steve and Bucky's apartment, I quickly changed clothes and re-braided my nearly waist length hair. Leaving the bathroom I nearly ran into Steve, he blinked at me then smiled. I grinned back and went to sit on the living room couch. It didn't take the boys much longer to finish getting ready.
If it wasn't for the fact that I knew that Bucky and Steve would have a big fight before the night was out, I probably would've enjoyed it more. Sure seeing Howard Stark try and convince people that he could make a floating car was cool but honestly I was too tense.
"Hey Steve what do you say we treat these..." Bucky began only to find Steve was gone. He sighed.
"Come on, Kandi, Ladies. Steve's disappeared." Bucky said. I shrugged and followed after him and the girls that he had invited. We found Steve in the recruitment office.
"Come on, you're kind of missing the point of a double date. We're taking the girls dancing." Bucky said. I watched from the entrance, while the girls Bucky had invited waited outside.
"You go ahead. I'll catch up with ya." Steve said as he moved to face Bucky.
"You're really gonna do this again?" Bucky asked. I fidgeted nervously looking around before deciding to go look at the pictures.
"Well it's a fair, I'm gonna try my luck." Steve said.
"As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you and what's worse is they'll actually take you!" Bucky replied, annoyance and worry in his voice.
"Look I know you don't think I can do this-"
"This isn't a back alley, Steve, it's war!"
"I know it's a war."
"Then why are you so keen to fight?! There are so many important jobs!"
"What'd you want me to do? Collect scrap metal-"
"Yes!"
"In my little red wagon?"
"Why not?"
"I'm not going to sit in a factory, Bucky. Bucky, come on. There are man laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me." Steve argued.
"Right cuz you got nothing to prove." Bucky said.
"Hey, Sarge! We going dancing?" One of the girls asked from outside.
"Yes we are. You coming, Kandi?" Bucky asked turning back towards Steve and I.
"Nah, I'm not one for dancin." I replied. Bucky glanced between us and said, "Don't do anything stupid till I get back."
"How can I? Your taking all the stupid with you." Steve snarked back.
"Don't worry, Bucky. I'll make sure Steve is okay until we see you again." I added with an innocent smile. Bucky sighed but came back saying, "You're both punks."
"Jerk." Steve muttered in response.
"Be careful." We told him.
"Don't win the war till I get there!" Steve called after Bucky.
As Bucky left with the two other girls, I watched as Steve walked past an older man to go try his luck once more. The man looked towards where Bucky had been, to where I was, only to find that I had moved. I was standing on the same platform as so many others had. I may have never thought about enlisting in the army, no I left that to one of my best friends, but the thought of being apart of this pivotal moment in history was something I couldn't resist.
"Come on, girl. Move it, let the real soldiers have a chance." Someone behind me complained.
"Oh? And what makes you think that I couldn't be a real soldier?" I asked turning to face the man.
"Girls can't be soldiers." He answered as if it was obvious.
"Oh, really. I'm gonna guess that you lot ain't never seen a girl hit back. In fact, I think that you have never seen a girl fight before?" I said. The man and his pals scoffed. Smirking, I proceeded to hit him in several painful pressure points.
"Glad ta meet you soldier boy." I snarked.
"That was quite remarkable." Came the soft spoken comment from the man who had been watching me. I smiled at him.
"Actually my friend is better. I'd have enlisted if I knew that he and Bucky would be with me. That is if they would even let me in." I answered truthfully.
"And this friend of yours, where is he at the moment?" Erskine asked.
"Trying to enlist, again." I said.
"I could offer you a chance, both you and your friend." Erskine said. My eyes grew wide.
"A chance is all I want." I whispered. Erskine smiled before leaving to go offer the same chance to Steve. Ten minutes later Steve left the enlistment office.
"Hey, Stevie." I said, walking beside him.
"I'm in." Steve whispered in shock. I grinned.
"Me too." I answered softly. Steve blinked at me in shock. I giggled, and sped up slightly. Steve followed.
"Come on let's go home, we're gonna need to pack up for boot camp." I commented. Steve laughed and we made our way back to his and Bucky's apartment.
The next day dawned bright and early with Steve and I making our way to boot camp at Camp Lehigh. I was excited but more for the "chance" Steve was getting than for myself.