Chapter 2 – Broken Promises

October 15, 1936

Kathleen twists the wet cloth and put it on her mother's head, hopping the cold water would help the fever pass.

"Lynn." Her mother spoke with a voice that shows how sore her throat really is.

"Yes Mama."

"It's enough." She said with a defeated voice as Kathleen pushed her lips together to keep the tears from falling.

"No, I have to save you Mama. I have too." She said almost in panic and fear. She needed her Mama. She couldn't let it happen.

"I know you feel like you need to save everyone. I was the same that is why I became a nurse."

"You never told me that." It was truth; she never knew the reasons why her mother became a nurse in the first place.

"I need you to realize something, sometimes no matter how much you try, how much you want, you can't save everyone, life is made of loses."

"I am not losing you, and neither is Stevie."

"Steve." Her mother says with a little sad smile. "You need to take care of each other, promise me that?"

"I will. You know I will always look after Steve."

"Not look after. Take care of each other. You don't need to be the strong one all the time."

Someone has too, mama. "I will try."

"And don't give up on your dreams. Promise me that. Don't give up. Ever."

"I will Mama, I promise." She says now with tears falling from her eyes. "Please stay." She begs to her Mama as she leans on her shoulder.

"I wish I could baby girl."

"I will call Stevie."

"You do that." Her mother said with a forced weak smile.

Finding Steve wasn't that hard since he was in the next room with Bucky, of course. Sarah was as much of a mother to Steve and her as she was to Bucky. Bucky who had lost his mother when he was still a child. Both boys noticed the tears in her red eyes.

"Stevie, mama wants to talk to us." Steve nodded and went inside. She turned to Bucky who came to her and pulled her to a tight hug. "I can't lose her Bucky." She says as tears appear again her eyes this time being cover by his chest.

"I know Kitty. I know. You still have Stevie, and me." She looked up with her red eyes and nose and gave him a watery smile. "Now. Go back inside, you need to say goodbye."

"I can't."

"You're Kathleen Rogers, the strongest person I've meet. You can do this." He says kissing her hair as she nodded at him and got inside the room, knowing Bucky already had talk with her mother today alone.

"You want to be a soldier like you father don't you?" She catches her mother asking. Her little Stevie wanted to be a soldier like their papa.

"Yes Mama. More than anything." She never understood why he would want to do something so dangerous.

"Well. I imagine that's what Joe would want. You and him acorn and tree." Her mother says couching and that made her come to the bed, leaning next to Steve. "Once he got an idea lodged in his head, there was no shaking it loose either. Whatever you dream, you can be, but you're gonna have to fight for it. People are gonna spend your whole life taking one look at your body and telling you what you can't do. But they can't see like I do. It holds a heart ten times its size. You got no quit in you. Just promise your mama… you'll use your head too. Fine line between fearless and foolhardy. Took your father from us way to soon.

"I promise mama. I'll be careful. And that down!"

"And you my beautiful Kathleen, sometimes it worries me how beautiful you're becoming. You're a woman now. A grown woman. I never want you to forget who you are ok. That girl who runs around the house singing happily. I'm sorry I will never be there to see you on stage."

"It's ok mama, it's a stupid dream either way."

"No!" Her mother says with the strongest voice she could make. "You're dreams aren't stupid. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Take care of each other will you." Her mother says closing her eyes as Kathleen felt into the ground crying.

April 18, 2012

She looked at the sleeping Steve and smiled. They booked a hotel room in Brooklyn (Steve's choice) but she couldn't sleep. They went to the small living room looking outside. She can't remember the last time she been in this part of New York.

"Can't sleep?" She turned to see her brother giving her a curious look. She had put on a large robe, something she wasn't used to.

"Too much in my head. I can see it runs around." She forces a smile into her face as he nodded and came to stand next to her.

"The city is so different."

"It truly is. I can't remember the last time I was here."

"Really?" Steve looked at her with curiosity but also fear to ask her more. They spend the rest of yesterday talking about the evolution. Things were still a lot confusing to him, but she seems to understands him.

"I haven't been in New York since 1991, not even the 9/11 made me come." Steve gave her a confusing look. "I will explain to you later what it is."

"You so you haven't been here more 21 years."

"New York yes. Brooklyn. I can't remember the last time. Too many memories."

"I'm sorry I pick the place."

"Hey." She says turning to him putting a hand on his shoulder. "You being here makes it less hard. And soon or later I would have to come."

"I wanted some familiarity."

"It's understandably. You want something that can make it all look normal."

"Yes." He says with a deep thinking tone but soon changed the subject. "So where did you leave the pass 21 years?"

"I travel a lot."

"Really?"

"People start to noticed you're not ageing. I don't spend more than 5 years in one place."

"Where were you before?"

"Somalia."

"So. Somalia?" He looked at her with concern and she smile because that was so familiar to her.

"Yeah! I spent the last 20 years mostly around Africa and Middle East."

"You're kidding." Now he looked even more concern.

"I worked mostly for Peace Corps. Right, you don't know what it is. The Peace Corps was founded by J- a friend of mine." She says letting swallowing hard. Telling Steve about the last 70 years won't be easy. "Actually I was the one with the idea but ok. Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the government with missions all over the world. I am one of the many doctors who volunteer."

"Still a hero I see." Her face turn dark once she said that. "Hey you're ok. It was something I said?"

"It's just. You still look at me like that. Like I am an guardian angel or something. I made so many mistakes after you- left. So many."

"Hey." Steve says putting his arms around his sister. "I don't care what you've done. You're my sister and I know you. You are good. You always have been."

No I am not Stevie. I broke every promise I made to Mama. To you. To everyone.

A.N. I can't believe I had 3 reviews already. Thank you so much to Goth Roses, Aylasia, peoplers for your positive comments.

Notes about this chapter:

1. Peace Corps was founded in by John F. Kenned in 1961

2. 1991 is the year of Howard and Maria Stark's death.