"Ugh!" I groan frustrated, staring at the photo of the carnival seven years ago, the stuffed bear and the Alice in Wonderland  book for what must be an eternity by now, before I bury my face desperately into my pillow. It's been four weeks now since I haven't seen Bucky, four weeks without a life sign or a letter from him. I've seen Rebecca a few times at the bakery she works at, have picked up the twins from school and have visited Winifred at home. Everyone misses him and this burning hole in my chest is unbearable.

"Steve! Let's go to the East River, I'm bored!" I call out, deciding to do something against my devastation. After seconds, there's still no answer but silence. I frown, looking at the door. "Steve?"

Now it clicks in my mind as my eyes widen. "This stupid punk!" I get up from my bed and hurry to the living room where Steve's hand lays on the doorknob, his blue eyes reveal that he feels caught when he sees me running toward him. "Where do you think you're going?! You better stay here!"

"No, Eve, let me go!" He yells back when I grab him by his waist, forcing him to stay here. "I have to do it, I have to try, please understand!"

"No!" I shake wildly my head. "I'm already about to lose Bucky! Do you seriously think that I'll let you go to sign up for the stupid army? You're gonna stay here and won't do such a ridiculously stupid thing! That's suicide!"

"Let me go!" He whines begging but I stay stubborn and try to pull him back from the door but he still holds on to the doorknob. He's not really strong but certainly stronger than me which is why I am forced to use my full strength and we both land on the ground.

"Don't you dare to move, Rogers!" I notice his attempt to crawl back to the door but my grip around his ankle makes him stay. We probably look like kindergarten children now who are grappling with each other but both of us are too stubborn to give up. Just the strong and sober knock at the door makes us stop our tussle as we look confused at each other.

"You aren't expecting anyone, are you?" Steve raises a brow in the air and stands up.

"No, I'm not..." I get up as well, lost in my thoughts. Bucky's whole family know where the key is, they wouldn't knock and there are barely neighbors in the building, or we at least never get to see them. "What if it's- "

"He's in Wisconsin, Eve. And do you think he would really knock?" Steve logically points out and I nod slightly, walking to the door and opening it slowly. An old man with black hair and eyes and a friendly smile stands in front of our door, dressed in an expensive suit and looking like a man with a higher position.

"How can I help you?" I question slightly confused, hoping he's not a tax advisor.

"You must be Miss Evelyn Farrell! God, you look just like your mother." His answer stiffens me, suddenly making it hard to breathe. He knows what my mother looked like, he knows her. I haven't thought of her during the last years, I didn't have to. It wasn't necessary when I was surrounded by Bucky and Steve. "Where is she?"

"What?" Steve's small gasp breaks the numb silence inside of me. The shock makes it still impossible for me to speak and it feels like I have a lump in my throat. Why would the man bring up my mother? How does he know her and me? Many more questions run through my mind, overburdening me.

"Where is Elizabeth Farrell?" The man repeats and her name hits me mentally, replacing my worries about Bucky with blurry memories. Brunette hair. No smile. Cold voice.

"She's not here." I gain my strength back, speaking clear and loud. "She left and I haven't seen her since May 26 in 1923. I'm sorry that you don't get to see her but nobody does. Who are you and what connection do you have with her?"

"What?" The man's brown eyes widen in shock, completely short-taken by the news. "But that's- that's not possible, actually she should... May I come in? This shouldn't be discussed here outside, too dangerous, and is it possible that your blonde friend leaves us alone for a moment?"

"Steve is my family, I would end up telling him everything anyway. He stays." I decide and the man surprisingly just nods, agreeing to this condition. My mistrust shrinks and let him in after sharing a short glance with Steve who nods slightly. "Come in."

The three of us walk into the living room and the stranger sits down on the couch before introducing himself and showing us his ID. "My name is Agent Nathaniel Sousa, I'm working for the SSR, the Strategic Scientific Reserve. I can see that you are confused because you don't seem to have heard of this organization. It's because it's a top-secret Allied war agency to battle the Nazis, our aim is to create the best army in history to win this war."

"Why should we believe you? If it was top-secret, you wouldn't tell two ordinary people from Brooklyn who can't even sign up for war, important information like this." I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. That just feels like a bad joke.

"Your mother was an agent too, one of the best if I may add, also the first female agent in our agency. Well, not really of the SSR, more of the agency before which was created to check on the other nations, in case of an emerging crisis. Didn't she tell you about this?"

"No, how could she? I was four when I saw her the last time. And you really knew my mother?" I ask incredulously. It feels so unrealistic to meet anyone who knows my only blood relative that I know about and now my mother was even an agent? That's insane.

"I just went on a few missions with her, she was pretty... cynical. But she did a great job. When did she leave you again? May 26 in 1923, is that correct?" I nod at his question, suddenly feeling damn excited and curious while Steve is still standing awkwardly behind me. Agent Sousa continues although the disbelief is still in his eyes. "That's impossible. She retired on May 30 in the same year, just four days later. We thought it was because of you, that she wanted to raise you but... "

"I apparently wasn't the reason." I try not to sound bitter. Having hope was wrong. "She just left me, that's the truth. She disappeared and is forever gone. Do- did you know my father?"

"Sadly no, my apologies." He shakes his head, sighing. "She refused to tell us who it was. God, this is not how I planned this meeting..."

"That's not how I imagined your mother, Eve." Steve comments, patting gently my shoulder to show that he's sorry. "Can you tell us more about, uh, Elizabeth Farrell?"

"Oh, of course!" Nathaniel Sousa takes out a brown folder of his coat and hands it to me. I open it slowly, my heart almost jumps out of my chest when I see a black-white photo of my mother. She has long, dark hair like me and there is this cold fierceness in her eyes, she actually looks beautiful and confident. This face makes all my memories clear and more detailed. I can't look away, a mixture of frustration and dumbness settles down my stomach. "Elizabeth Farrell, born on August 04, 1900. Parents are classified. She... and that's why, I'm actually here."

"Why?" I give Steve the folder because the photo starts making me sick. Agent Sousa slightly struggles, probably not sure if he should give this information away or not. "Steve won't tell anyone about this. Besides, he doesn't have anyone but me."

"Hey!" Steve pulls an offended face while putting down the folder.

"Not now, Stevie." I quieten him, waiting for an answer and the agent takes out another folder with the title Project Reborn. "What is that?"

"The reason why I'm here. I actually just needed to talk to your mother about this because she promised it. She promised you would be working for our agency in the future. As I already said, the SSR wants to create an army to win the war, an army of super-soldiers. Project Reborn is the experiment to create them, to create female super-soldiers as a back up plan. Project Rebirth is the main experiment to create male super- soldiers."

"Wait, you basically want me to join the army?" My eyes widen as I almost drop the folder. "Why me? And is this even possible to make me strong??"

"You're Elizabeth Farrell's daughter and you seem to be the right person, I guess. To be honest, I have no idea why, someone else made this decision and I'm aware of the high risks that this project takes. But conflicts and problems demand hard measures, we can't waste more time. I'm just here to offer you the opportunity to help the country, the whole world. The decision is up to you."

"This is a lot to think about." I mutter taken aback by the news and look through the folder. The experiment includes a training, taking a special serum and some vita radiation that I've never heard of. Weirdly, I don't feel fear or anxiety like Bucky did when he thought about war, instead it strangely excites me. Maybe it's because I would be able to become stronger, to be a someone in this world. And I really want to be strong. I never want to feel helpless again. My glance lands on my scar for a second, reminding me of the time where I was weak and helpless.

"Does that mean she could die?" Steve asks slightly terrified, not really sure what to think about this.

"We of course will take a few blood tests and more before we do the experiment. And in case something goes wrong, we will stop it to prevent that she gets harmed. We try to lower the risks as much as possible." Agent Sousa assures us quickly. "We lost so many innocent lives already."

"When and where would this be?" I want to know. Actually, I'm really glad that there is now a chance to win the war.

"It'd be in a month but I cannot tell you where if you won't do it. Sorry. " He apologies kindly. "German spies could be everywhere."

"Why don't you suspect me to be a German spy?" I tilt my head, glancing at him.

"Not that she's one, she's definitely not, she's fully American." Steve nervously adds, probably now afraid that he will suspect us both but Agent Sousa just laughs slightly.

"Don't worry, I know that she's not a spy. We kept an eye on you when we found you a long time ago, maybe once or twice a year. That's why, a member of the SSR was kind enough to donate money every month for you. And besides that, as a born SSR agent you have the right to know about your legacy."

"The money is from the SSR?" I'm now speechless, feeling guilt and gratitude at the same time. "Thank you so much, it saved me, us."

"You can thank the person if you meet him at the project. But as I said, it's up to you. I won't force you to this, it's the legacy from your mother."

My legacy. It's a weird word, I have never expected to have a legacy because that requires to have a family, actual parents. That doesn't mean that I never wanted to have one, a piece of my family history. Steve has the old shoes from his father and Sarah's watch, that's his legacy. And this is mine. Project Reborn.

"You want to do it, don't you?" Steve reads my mind and I look up at him. "I know you, Eve. We live together for a pretty long time and I know that you want to do it."

"I'll leave you two alone and wait outside." The agent kindly offers and stands up to go out and wait there for an answer. I just sigh and press my lips together.

"Is it weird that I kind of want to do it?"

"Not at all." He shakes his head. "I would do that too but it doesn't mean that I'm not concerned about you, this is pretty crazy. I just wanna say that I'll accept your decision, no matter what you choose. But you also need to accept mine."

"I should support your participation in the army." I state and he nods. That with him is different, it's not like he will turn into a super- soldier as well. "Okay, deal. I accept your decision and you mine."

"Deal." He half smiles and nudges me. "So apparently, your mother is an agent and you too?"

"I know." I scoff, grinning at my ridiculous strange background. It's not what I expected but it's better than the story of the poor orphan girl. We then open the door and let Agent Sousa walk in again.

"And?" He asks curiously and I slightly smile at the thought to be able to become stronger.

"I'll do it. I'll be the subject for Project Rebirth."

A/N- We get closer and closer to CATFA aaaaaahhhhh, I'm excited! And don't forget that this is a fanfiction, ofc a few things will change but Steve is still gonna turn into Captain America :')