Hey guys so this is my first story, please be kind! I'm taking this from the end of Captain America, sort of pre-Avengers time period. It will be a slow burn (I think) and I may change the rating as it goes on. Also I know how it might seem like I plucked the OC's homeland out of thin air, but I thought I'd stick to what I know being a kiwi myself.

Thanks for reading!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Avengers material, just my OC Cass.

UPDATED 11/06/18

My name is Cassandra Monroe. My birthday is 4th November 1987. My parents names are…

I stopped writing, went back and crossed out one word…

…were Annabelle and Richard Monroe. My brother's name is…

I cursed, unable to remember. This is why I did this, this terrible breach of conduct, it was so dangerous but so necessary, or else I'd lose who I was. I looked at the piece of paper, and continued writing, inspiration striking.

…Thomas. I am from New Zealand.

Looking fearfully at the small piece of paper that could ruin at me, I marvelled at how hard it had become to remember these details. Shaking my head, I pulled out my lighter, lit the paper and watched it burn before dropping the last flaming remnant into the bin.

Pulling out a new piece of paper I wrote down carefully.

My name is Miriam Harper. My birthday is 28th May 1984. My parents names are Hazel and Grant Harper.

I stopped musing whether Hazel Harper was a bit much, shrugging I decided it could happen.

I am an only child. I am from Portland, America.

This piece of paper I did not burn. Not yet. I looked at it a hundred times, and then read it to myself in the mirror a hundred times making sure that I knew it, that it was instinct. I am Miriam. I am Miriam. Tonight I would go and make myself some documents. Tonight I was a new woman. Quite literally, considering Miriam Harper had just been brought into existence.

I burnt the paper, looking about me at the small motel room that was just another pit stop in between identities. Absently I wondered if I'd ever stop running. It seemed unlikely, knowing what chased me. I knew that despite everything that had happened in Russia they were still out there, still looking for me. And with the blood on my hands I probably deserved it.

I had found myself in New York of all the places. I couldn't quite believe it. Miriam may never have been surprised, but the Cass in me had always dreamed of visiting. Not like this though. I had wanted to see the plays and the clubs and the statues and the cool houses. I had wanted to live in an old brick three storey building that was boho chic.

I squashed the feeling down, knowing that Miriam Harper didn't harbour these feelings. I seriously had to get my mind on track, I had been doing this long enough to know that your identity had to be firmly in place at all times. You didn't just pretend to be that person, you became that person. It was safer, and it was easier. Trying to cling too tightly to who I use to be was just too tiring.

I had got a job at a small (very small) library in Brooklyn. It doubled as a bookshop and a cafe, and honestly anything else it could possibly be. There were companies interested in buying the land but the community was persistent. It liked its bookshop, so it stayed. I had hoped for something more inconspicuous, maybe a bigger library, or just a generic position in admin, retail or hospo, but the job market was tough. Miriam had experience and so this is what I got. Secretly, while hating myself for it, I loved the job, because it was the closest I had been to myself in a long time.

"Did you hear the news?" I turned from my desk to see Abby, the assistant librarian, flailing her arms at me.

"Uh, honey, you're gonna have to be more specific. I see news, but this sounds like specific news..." she cut me off mid ramble.

"I'm talking superhero news," she was practically bouncing up and down in her excitement.

"I can't say I did," I said, uninterested, as I turned back to the computer where I was scrolling through the online archives for a land record a customer had been looking for. I kept my face calm, but my heart had started ticking just that little bit faster.

"Oh sweetheart, you are just too cute! Who doesn't want to hear about gorgeous superheroes?" Abby was swooning by this point. "And it's such an amazing story!"

"Uh huh," I mumbled.

"There was this guy and he was trapped in ice, and then he got found, and then-" I turned to her sharply.

"Abby. Don't tell me that-"

"Yes!" she squealed. "They found him, they finally found Captain America!" I was stunned. Honestly, I hadn't seen that coming, despite the fact that the organisation had. It was as though my worst fear had been realised, and I barely heard a word Abby was saying as she continued in her rant.

"and the government tried to keep it all hush-hush, but you know how it goes - ooh look. Someone posted this video of him in the street. I'm so jelly." Moving aside I gave Abby room to pull up the video.

"Are we sure it's him? I mean it could be-" but I had to tail off when I saw the camera zoom in on his face. It was undeniably him.

Just then a customer cleared his throat in front of the counter. I quickly paused the video, still in shock, and turned away to let Abby deal with him. When I looked at her I saw her mouth hanging open. When I looked at the customer, I saw Captain America himself, in the library.

It was awkward enough that we had been watching a video about him (and by the slight blush I think he knew it) but it was further complicated by the sudden and complete desire I had to murder him.