Hey! Wow, I'm so glad people like this. It's such a fun story to write on I wish I could write on it all day... unfortunately that's not the case. Now I have to write another chapter for War of the Broken (don't worry Aspen, I shall not abandon you). But I feel like this is going to be an awesome story! :D

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and followed and favorited so far! Keep doing that. (I love reviews! If I made a mistake, or did something awesome let me know!)

-randomblueboots


Labor District

1300R (UTC-5)

14JUN2012

Oh he was so confused. He had no idea which hallways to turn down, or where to even begin looking for this mysterious Major Hill that General Fury had directed him to. How was he supposed to find her in this maze? He wandered aimlessly for a little while, trying to learn a little bit about this situation, and this strange new place he had woken up in. He tried once or twice to ask some of the soldiers walking down the hallways for directions, or help finding Major Maria Hill, but he received no help from them. They either waved him off, too busy to speak, or mumbled about being a new recruit and having no idea themselves. After what seemed like forever, he gave up, and collapsed on a bench in the hallway near the main hall, which was a circular room with a high vaulted ceiling and a tall flagpole right in the center which proudly waved an American Flag, and underneath that a smaller SHIELD flag. He watched as people, both women and men, walked through the hall. He tried to imagine who each one was, and smiled as he made up stories in his head about them. Soon this became dull as he saw more and more of the same faces. But suddenly a new face appeared around the corner and Steve was awestruck.

This woman, dressed in military uniform- dark blue with badges and pins at her collar bone- was beautiful. She was pale, in a good porcelain-skin sort of way, with dark brown hair pulled tightly back behind her head in a neat bun. She seemed very authoritative, just like General Fury had, but there was something about her that made Steve think perhaps the General could be frightened of her. She made him think of Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream'. "Though she be but small, she is fierce." And small she was, but he had no doubt in his mind that this woman was just as dangerous as her eyes were beautiful. The bright blue of those eyes, and her sweet pink lips had Steve beyond mesmerized. As she walked, holding a clipboard in her hands tightly, she seemed to have great purpose, and he admired her quietly from where he sat, wondering if anything could stop her.

Then, he watched as a pen fell from her clipboard and clattered to the floor. He expected her to turn around and pick it up, and then continue on her way, but she didn't seem to notice. In fact, no one noticed. Steve stood, stooped down, and picked up the deep blue pen, holding it tightly in his hand he looked up to see the woman weaving out of sight in a crowd of soldiers and then taking a right turn down another hall.

"Ma'am!" Steve raced after, covering ground quickly. "Ma'am!" She paused and turned to see what the commotion was about. She frowned, perhaps thinking she'd have to shush someone back into working, but when she saw him in his plain white t-shirt and blue pajama pants holding out her blue pen she raised an eyebrow. "You dropped your pen." He informed her.

"Thank you." She took the pen from his hands, and clipped it onto her clip board, frowning up at him. He smiled and nodded.

"Of course."

"I wasn't expecting you to wake up so soon. I'm surprised General Fury didn't inform me."

"Well, most people are surprised about how fast the super-serum works. Captain Steve Rogers at your service."

"I know who you are, Captain." The woman smiled slightly, shaking Steve's hand.

"Well then it looks like I'm at a disadvantage."

"Major Maria Hill." The woman nodded.

If she hadn't dropped the pen I would have never found her. He thought. How lucky! Though he wasn't sure if he was thinking it because she was so lovely, or because she was the person he was supposed to find.

"I was actually looking for you. General Fury said you could catch me up."

"Me?" Major Hill snorted. "I'm shocked he didn't designate himself for that position."

"He seems quite busy." Steve said. Maria shook her head.

"The man always has priorities, and currently you're on the top of the list, or so I thought. It's odd he's putting you in my hands. Alright, what do you want to know?"

"What's it... what's it like, 2012?"

"It's fucking shit. Care to be more specific?" Major Hill said. Steve's cheeks felt hot, and he was sure they were glowing red.

"I mean... I know it's bad, but what happened?" Steve asked.

"Damn, he hasn't even told you that part?" She sighed. "Follow me." She led him down the hall and towards a large office, through another oval, metal door, and once again he had the feeling he was on some sort of battle ship. She shut it behind them and gestured for him to sit in the chair in front of her desk. Once she had taken her place behind the desk she sighed again and began.

"Guess who won World War II."

"Ummm..." Steve groaned, "I'm guessing it wasn't us."

"Bingo."

"So... America then... it's gone?"

"No!" Maria glared, "It's not gone. It's just forgotten. SHIELD, Captain, SHIELD stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention and Liberation Division. It's our job to stop The Nazi's police force: Hydra, and take back America." She paused, waiting to see if he had any questions. He had a million, but even he wasn't sure what some of them were or how to voice them. "With you here, Captain, things are going to change. We might have an actual chance of winning a war... if it ever comes to that."

"Great. So I fall asleep for seventy years and wake up to what I'm hoping is peace, but instead I've just woken up to be thrown back into the mix of this horrible thing."

"Captain. Come with me." She led him out of her office and down the hallways once more. "A long time ago, I suppose not so long for you, the Americans surrendered to the Nazis. They promised not to bomb the shit out of us as long as we stayed out of their way. Of course, the government agreed, and so a weak truce was born. While Nazi Germany took over countries one after another across the Atlantic, we sat here cowering in the dark. We knew that any moment now Hydra would strike and the United States of America would be lost. There was a small group of people that wanted to be able to defend our country if such an attack should ever happen. After the events of World War II, the American armed forces were weak, and in some areas non-existent. Hydra threats were rampant, even in the US. One woman stood up to create an organization that could change the world." Major Hill opened a large door labeled: LIBRARY. And led him into a fair sized room. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. She led him past rows of bookshelves to the back wall where large portraits of people framed in gold were hung. Above them were cursive words painted onto the metal wall: Founders of SHIELD.

"Margaret Carter." Major Hill gestured to the portrait in the middle of the bunch, and Steve stared into Peggy's beautiful eyes once again. In the picture she was smiling softly, and her eyes seemed to sparkle. Steve felt the corners of his mouth turn up in his own smile. Major Hill grinned. "Ah... so he does smile!" She whispered. He turned towards her again, the emotional pain of the whole situation suddenly very present once more.

"I'm sorry, Major, I just... I'm so confused, and..."

"I understand, Captain. It must be very hard." She said.

"Please, finish your story." He requested. She nodded.

"Agent Carter worked hard with her friends to create an organization that would be able to withstand any Nazi threat that was directed towards America. She had help from these and many more." Major Hill nodded to the pictures. Steve began reading the names underneath, aloud.

"Howard Stark..." He smiled, looking up at the portrait of his friend. As usual, Stark looked very full of himself. On the other side of Peggy was a man that Steve only knew by his name. "Edwin Jarvis."

"Yes, the late Mr. Stark's butler and friend." Major Hill nodded.

"I remember Howard talking about him." Steve said softly. Next to Jarvis was a portrait of Corporal Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan. Steve sighed, missing his friends more than ever now. Next to Stark was a man that Steve did not know. "Daniel Sousa?" He questioned.

"If I recall correctly, Agent Carter met him in America after the war..." Major Hill nodded with a smile.

"Alright, so what happened?" Steve asked. "Peggy wanted to create an organization to protect the United States and then what?"

"It was a good idea." Major Hill sighed, "But it was too young in it's making to protect us from the Nazis. Just as suspected, Hydra and Nazi Germany turned to America. Europe and Asia weren't enough. They wanted more. We were so weak, and it was an easy conquest, but SHIELD lived on. We lived in the shadows, half awake, half asleep. We secretly defied Hydra. Now, as we grow stronger, we're coming into the light. Hydra and the Nazi Powers are beginning to see us as a threat, and we are! With you here now, we can grow stronger. At last we might be able to be free."

"So, it's really bad?" Steve asked.

"Race segregation, religion is... mostly illegal, jobs are regulated. If you can't do something important than you're not important. You're either put in a concentration camp or killed immediately. Class is segregated, with minority races down at the very bottom. White being the majority of the population means they're the richest and most powerful, for the most part. Most people who live in the labor district, the poor part of town, don't get any education. Education is meant for people with power, who can become leaders, doctors, teachers, scientists... people with a say. Us labor district kids, we don't get any say."

"I... I'm sorry. I suppose it should never have been this way."

"It's no one's fault." Major Hill said, "It's just time to take a stand."

"Right." Steve nodded.

"Come on, I'll show you where your room is."

"So what's your story, then? You're from the labor District?" Major Hill suddenly stopped, and spun around to face him with a withering, cold look in her blue eyes. Steve stuttered, "I'm... I... I'm sorry, that's probably too personal... Please, don't be offended."

"You mean well, Captain, but a lot of people are secretive here. It's just a fact of life."

"Thanks for the heads up." Steve nodded. Maria led him into the hallways yet again and back to the elevator. She pressed the button for Floor 4- which she explained was the living quarters sector. There she led him to a Room 195.

"We had this made especially for you. We figured it feel a little more... like home." She pulled open the battleship-like door, which squeaked on it's hinges and revealed a nice little room. It was a little bigger than the one he woke up in. It had a twin bed in one corner, with warm quilts, a bedside table with one drawer and a lamp that was probably considered antique now, but it was definitely from the 40s. There was a very small dresser, a hanging rack, and a desk with a lamp, stationary, and pens and pencils. On the top of the desk there was an old telephone and a stack of old classic books.

Major Hill gestured to the books. "We... uh... we weren't sure what you'd like. Agent Barton and I picked a couple we thought you'd appreciate while you were in with Fury this morning." He gently lifted them up one at a time, reading the titles: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, King Arthur, Robin Hood, Moby-Dick, Treasure Island... The bible, a beautiful, old, used copy. He pulled out to look at it more carefully and smiled, nodding at Major Hill.

"Thank you. Tell Agent Barton for me, as well. These are all good choices. I think I'll especially appreciate this one." He set the bible down on his bedside table and turned back to the young woman who looked rather embarrassed.

"If you... um... if you need anything, Captain Rogers, let me know. You know where my office is."

"Right. Room 12 on the first floor."

"Yes, and someone will be by in a couple hours with your key card and pass code for the elevator so you can get around. And a new pair of clothes."

"Thank you, Major." Steve nodded.

"Alright... Oh yeah! The chapels are all on Floor 5, just in case you want to go visit one. Of course there's a whole bunch of them for all the different religions, but they're probably the only chapels in all of New Berlin."

"New... New Berlin?"

"I'm sorry, New York is what it would have been called, I suppose."

"New York. So that's where we are."

"Yes, we're under the warehouses in the labor district."

"Underground?"

"Yes." Maria nodded with a smile. "I've got to go file some reports. Remember, if you need anything don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Major." Steve smiled, and then held out his hand, she gripped it tightly and smiled.

"I'll be by to pick you up in the morning for your debriefing on what you can do... I think Fury figured you'd want to know as soon as possible."

"He's right." Steve replied.

"Alright. I'll... I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, Ma'am."


Haha... about Daniel Sousa, I had to. I love him in Agent Carter, he's one of my favorite characters. (And I LOVE Jarvis, in Agent Carter. He's awesome.)