A Lesson In Faith

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Shocking, right?

"You alright mister?"

Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, AKA the guy who spent over 50 years as an ice cube, tore his eyes away from the board detailing his last fight before becoming said ice cube.

A small girl with dark hair braided against her head stood at his side, eyeing him curiously. She looked to be quite young, maybe eleven.

Steve tugged his baseball cap further down onto his head to ensure she didn't recognise him before grunting his ascent. The last thing he needed today was screaming fangirls. He turned to go before her voice stopped him.

"It must have been quite difficult, don't you think?" She was no longer looking at him but there was no one else around she could have been talking to.

"What?"

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye as though he were being particularly dense.

"Waking up in a world that was the same yet full of new faces."

He eyed her speculatively for a second before replying.

"I suppose the world must have felt new too. Ruled by technology, hatred and cowardice. And selfies."

Steve sounded slightly perplexed by the last one but he had heard people say it at least twenty times that day. He paused to contemplate selfies (he had yet to work out what it was) before continuing bitterly.

"All of those men, those brave and good men, that lay down their lives so everyone here could live. So they could take selfies and say cruel things to each other on-the-line. Was it worth it? Sometimes," Steve cleared his throat and went on in a stronger voice. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like it was."

He'd almost forgotten the little girl was there until he felt a tug on his sleeve.

"Sounds like you're losing your faith Captain."

He jerked back from her in surprise. "Captain?" He chuckled nervously.

She just gave him another look. "I'm ten, I'm not stupid."

Steve smiled slightly. She was confident he'd give her that.

"They probably did it wrong." She stated.

"Urm, sorry what?" Steve had forgotten how fast topics could change when talking to children.

"The Government or whoever it was."

He shook his head. "Nope you've still lost me."

"When they unfroze you. They must have updated you on the main things that you missed." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Probably got some boring guy in a suit to do it. I'd lose faith too if it was told to me like that. The history books always miss the good stuff. Like the News. There are never cheerful stories on the News." She beamed up at him. "But that doesn't mean they're not out there."

Steve studied her carefully, she seemed much more perceptive than the average ten year old. Or maybe that was normal now.

But she was right. A man, in a monotone, had told him all about the Holocaust and 9/11 and many other things tainted by war and death. The man hadn't seemed to care, he was emotionless; empty.

Maybe everyone was losing their faith. Faith in humanity. And honestly, with all he had seen, he couldn't blame them.

He crouched down and smiled at her, though he knew it didn't reach his eyes. "How should I get my faith back?"

The girl tilted her head as though considering his questioned. She brightened suddenly. "You should talk to some heroes."

He looked at her doubtfully. "You mean like Iron Man, because I've met him, he didn't exactly restore my faith."

She laughed at him. "No, silly. Not superheroes. Regular people. My mum says they are the real heroes. The backbone of society. The doctor that can work two shifts and still go home to their kids with a smile on their face. The firefighter that misses family dinners because they are saving someone's life. The people who still expect the best even when it's unlikely. Those people, they are still facing battles, not the same as you but just a real and just a dangerous." She grinned at him, her eyes bright. "You're too focused on everything that is wrong with the present. You're missing the point."

Steve looked her in the eye, still surprised at her adult words and grown up manner. "And what is the point?"

"They do it in honour of you. You and all of those brave and good men that died. They've not forgotten, no one has. Maybe you've lost your faith but we haven't. We have faith in you." She smiled on last time before pulling away and skipping off into the crowds.

Steve stayed crouching for a few seconds before straightening and letting loose a genuine grin.

He walked out whistling.

"Daddy!" Charlotte squealed in delight, flinging herself at him. "How'd I do?"

"Perfectly Lottie." Clint Barton gave her a soft smile as he bent down to pluck the ear piece from her head.

She grinned and bounced on her toes as he packed up the laptop he had used to direct her,

They left, heading out towards the car where Mrs Barton was waiting.

She raised her eyebrows at Clint as he got in. "What was that all about?"

"Cap needed reminding that heroes still exist." He glanced back at Lottie. "Sometimes it takes something pure and innocent to point out the little things we forget."

Finis

Sorry about all of the inaccuracies that I'm sure are ripe in this story. Oops.

I'm sure you could tell I was in a bit of a cheesey mood when I wrote this but I hope you enjoyed it all the same.