The Promise
A ShieldShock Fanfiction
Introduction:
I was 4 the first time I met him. I remember my Aunt Peggy coming over to take me to see Captain America. I remember seeing him on tv, posters, and papers. His image was everywhere. In that blue outfit with those red gloves and boots not to mention the white star in the center of his chest. I remember my Aunt telling me about him. His heroic deeds and good heart. I remember putting on my white dress and pink headband, my long curly hair brushing against my arms as I ran over to my Aunt. A drawing I made for Captain America held tightly in my hand as she embraced me in her arms smiling. I remember people always use to say how much we looked alike. She would always laugh and tell me how she hoped someday she'd have a daughter like me. She held me close walking over to the car before strapping me in. She kept telling me that Captain America couldn't wait to see me.
I remember the drive feeling long and boring. I started swinging back and forth, impatiently waiting for the car to come to a stop so I could finally meet him. After what felt like forever, the car came to a stop and I looked at my Aunt Peggy who was showing an older man something. I frowned and gave a huff, looking at the back of the car seat, disappointed the man she was currently talking to wasn't Captain America "And who's this little lady you have in the back seat?" I whipped my head around to stare at the old man wearing an army uniform before my Aunt rubbed my arm "This is my niece Darcy Lewis" I glanced at the man with a slight unhappy face before he spoke "And you have authorization to bring her onto the base Agent Carter?" I tilted my head not quite understanding what the man just said before my Aunt answered "Must you question me Phillps? And furthermore Darcy happens to be one of Steve's biggest fans" I tilted my head 'Steve?' I wondered but quickly shrugged it off. My Aunt said that many people here had code names. So I let it slide my mind as I turned my attention to my Aunt "When are we going to meet Captain America?" I questioned with a slight whine seeing my Aunt turn to face me "In a minute" I gave a pouty face, I didn't know what a minute was but it better be quick.
The car started moving again after an eternity and I remember looking out the window. I saw many people running in groups. I saw bigger people shouting at them and tents all around. I turned to look out the windshield as my Aunt pulled into one of those tents. I shivered slightly seeing the sunlight disappear leaving me in semi darkness "Aunt Peggy!" I whined knowing she knew I was afraid of the dark "Relax Darcy" I heard my Aunt getting out of the car and gave another pouty face, she better not meet Captain America without me. Another 'minute' went by before my Aunt finally unstrapped me and carried me out of the tent "Darcy be on your best behavior when meeting Captain America I gave her a face, I was always well behaved. I tucked my head in the crook of her neck as the sunlight appeared again. I could feel the warmth of it on my back and arms before slowly popping my head back up. I gently gripped my Aunt's hair before slowly turning around in her arms, making sure to hold onto my drawing tightly in case it blew away in the wind.
That was the first time I saw him. I remember him wearing a bage trench coat over his uniform and sitting down with a sad expression on his face. I frowned, shouldn't he be happy to see me? "Rogers" My Aunt called him making him look up. I remember those blue-green eyes and that blond hair seeing him focus his view on me "Is this Darcy?" He asked before my Aunt lowered me to the ground "Yes my niece. Darcy Lewis" I stood there as my Aunt gently ran her fingers through my hair before she leaned down, gently pushing me towards him "Darcy this is Captain America" I held my breath remember the shiver that ran down my spine "H-Hi" I shyly said approaching him. I remember that smile of his being so gentle and friendly as he picked me up and let me sit in his lap "Hello little ma'am" His voice was so sweet and kind. I looked up at him with curious eyes "Are you really a hero?" I could see the images from tv move in my mind. Him standing proudly on stage with his shield, proclaiming victory of the war.
I remember him rubbing my back, giving a small laugh "I never thought I'd be...But the fame and attention aren't what I want" I saw him turn to look at my Aunt, watching her smile. I saw something flash in her eyes, something I didn't recognize but always saw when she mentioned Captain America. I remember asking her countless times about it but she's always told me I wouldn't understand until I got older "Darcy?" I snapped out of my daydreaming to look at my Aunt, feeling Captain America hold me tightly in case I fell "Isn't there something you want to ask Captain America?" I remembered the drawing in my hand as I smiled widely shaking my head yes "Captain America?" I held up my drawing "Can you sign this pwease?" I asked sweetly smiling to hear him chuckle "Of course I'll sign it little lady" I clapped my hands excitedly as I watched him autograph my drawing.
He gently handed it back to me as I hugged him, feeling his hand on the back of my hair "Come on Darcy" I felt my Aunt pull me away as I squirmed "B-But Aunt Peggy!" I whined looking at Captain America who got up and walked towards me "Captain America has work to do Darcy" My Aunt whispered into my ear causing me to frown "But I want to see Captain America again!" I whined with a huff before hearing him laugh again "Once the war is over, she can see me again Peggy" I turned to face him with wide eyes "Really?" I smiled seeing him nod in confirmation before I held out my pinky "Pinky promise?" I questioned hearing my Aunt laugh at my antics before Captain America smiled "I promise" He wrapped his pinky around mine and shook it a bit before I leaned against my Aunt. I felt Captain America wrap his arm around her and heard the sound of a kiss. I stuck my tongue out, kissing was icky. I didn't exactly favor when anyone so much as kissed me on the cheek.
I leaned closer gripping her shirt as she carried me back to the car "I'll see him again right Aunt Peggy?" I asked excitedly as she strapped me in "Yes. Captain America is known for keeping his word" I smiled excitedly. As soon as the war was over, I'd get to see him again. I felt the car start moving as I glanced back down at my drawing and lightly traced my little fingers over the words he wrote before the car came to a stop again. I turned my attention to the window still seeing people running around and yelling "You ready to go back home Darcy?" My aunt questioned before I raised my head up "Yes" I felt the car begin moving once more, thinking about Captain America. I was going to see him again someday.
As news of the war continued, I still saw images and reports of him on tv. I saw my Aunt a few times and she'd always tell me of what heroic deed Captain America did. From jumping out an airplane, to saving his best friend. I always drew pictures of what she told me. A few months later I heard news that the war was over, thanks to the heroic deeds of Captain America. I remember being excited, jumping up and down. Captain America's promise still running through my head as I eagerly waited for my Aunt to come see me. But days went without a word from her. I just thought she was busy. Than those days turned into weeks. I began wondering if my Aunt lied to me. I remember those nights I sat on my bed, staring at the drawing Captain America had signed. I remember wondering if he was going to keep his promise or if he was just lying. Those weeks turned into months as I began losing hope. Than one day I heard someone knock on our front door and ran towards it. Feeling a ripple of hope go through me "Darcy?" I smiled and clung onto her skirt "Aunt Peggy are you going to take me to see Captain America again? He promised he'd see me again and I've been patient waiting a long minute" I remember seeing my Aunt choke up before she leaned down and gave me a hug "Darcy...I'm afraid Ste-" She cleared her throat "Captain America won't be able to keep his promise" I remember feeling my little heart break as my eyes filled with tears, whining about how he promised and accusing my Aunt of lying.
I remember her hugging me close as her eyes started to water "He promised me too" I snuggled closer to her as she explained that Captain America disappeared. But I didn't understand why, was it my fault? Or did he just not want to keep his promise to me? I remember the tears my Aunt cried that day and knowing the feeling of someone breaking their promise to you. A couple days later I remember throwing my Captain America belongings in the trash, including the autographed picture I drew. Until my Aunt found out and scolded me. She said I had every right to be mad but not a single right to throw my Captain America belongings in the trash. I remember her taking them out and placing them in a shoe box even though I told her I didn't want those things anymore. She scolded me once more before saying she'd keep them. After that I remember those days I spent crying wondering why Captain America had broken his promise.
A year had passed and I continued to feel numb, the memory of meeting Captain America started fading day by day. I couldn't remember what he looked like or what he had said to me, except the promise he made. I tried to do things to distract myself from thinking about it. My Aunt had never talked about him since that day, which part of me was grateful about since my memory of him continued to fade. My Aunt visited me from time to time and I was always happy to see her until one day she came in with a strange man. He was older than her and had black hair with a mustache to match. I glanced at him through my glasses to see him look down at me, I quickly avoided his gaze "This her?" He questioned my Aunt as she walked by him. I noticed her stomach was big and wondered how she had gotten that fat until the man kneeled down to my height "Hiya kiddo" His voice was fast and choppy, nothing compared to Captain America's voice that was gentle and kind. Though the memory of him was fading I could still remember his voice, his embrace and the uniform he always wore. I looked up at my Aunt who had a sad expression on her face before I turned to the man "Who are you?" I felt him wrap his fingers around my arms as I took a step back. Thinking back to when Captain America held me. I didn't feel safe with this man's fingers wrapped around my arms "Name's Howard Stark sweetheart, a rather close friend of your Aunt over there" I tilted my head and looked at my Aunt's expanding belly "Why is her stomach so big?" I questioned feeling the man release me and shivering afterwards, I didn't want that man to touch me again "Accident" I heard him mumble, not fully understanding what he meant "You're gonna have the kid and than get right?" I saw my Aunt shoot him a glare "I don't know why in God's name I even did it with you, Steve would of-" I tilted my head again, there was that name again. I watched as my Aunt fight with the man I quickly came to dislike until I saw him leave out the door.
As I grew I learned that my Aunt was pregnant with that man's child but gave it up to him and his wife Maria. Kinda sad when you think about it, but she explained to me that sometimes life isn't what you think it'll be. I nodded. Knowing full well at my young age not even heroes kept promises. The memory of Captain America continued to fade as I grew and found myself becoming more and more interested in history, which eventually lead to my interest in Political science. I constantly studied allowing my old memories to finally fade, becoming more and more consumed in my work. By the time I graduated High School, Captain America was but a dream. A faded illusion that I thought had been burned out of my memory. I continued my work in political science in college and applied for many internships which were interesting to say the least, but I longed for something adventurous. I searched for an internship that would offer something like that and got assigned to a astrophysicist named Jane Foster, noticing she had a lack of applicants for her graduate request. I was soon traveling in a van with her and her old mentor Eric, following her weird weather research. That's when she ran Thor over with the van and I tasered him. Yes I did. And after that a whole chain of events happened that I couldn't believe, that is if I didn't see it with my own eyes.
But I must admit I felt deju vu when Thor disappeared and Jane began searching for him. I didn't know why but watching her continuously search for him, and how she always wore that sad expression whenever she talked about him. It made me feel like I was watching a lost memory. But I just couldn't understand why and even though I couldn't understand that I could understand why Jane wanted to find him so badly, Thor had made a deal to her. A deal that he'd return to see her but just ended up disappearing. I knew it hurt to have someone break a promise to you but Jane didn't seem to give up the search and I slightly admired her for that, I mean who wouldn't want to find a man that cut? He was absolutely hot. Though at least a year had gone by and it seemed Jane was losing hope that Thor would never return for her, I remember coming back from another search and seeing her collapse into a chair. She was covering her face and I could hear the slight hiccups from her crying before I walked over and gently rubbed her shoulder trying to comfort her "Jane he'll be back" I remember her pulling her head up with an angry yet sad expression "And how do you know that Darcy?!" She snapped though I knew it was only because she was upset "Because sometimes life isn't what you think it'll be but that's no reason to give up. You love him right?" I could see her expression flash a small amount of happiness "I do" She wiped her eyes as I took the seat next to her and gently held her hands "Than he'll be back, I know it hurts to have someone break a promise but Thor wouldn't do that to you. I know he feels the same about you Jane" I saw her smile before she got up "Thanks Darcy" I smiled back slightly and mumbled a short "You're welcome" Before I felt deju vu again. I turned my head as a image flashed before my eyes, I remember having a conversation with my Aunt Peggy about something like this...I don't remember what it was about but I do remember crying and yelling. I think I even accused her of lying? Something like that...Eh I shrugged it off 'It was probably over a toy or something' I thought, taking out my laptop and iPod. I've already downloaded at least 30 or so songs on it, before S.H.E.I.L.D took it that is. But since I have it back now, I might as well download more.