Hello World - Lady Antebellum.

"The family is one of nature's masterpieces." - George Santayana.

"We're glad you decided to come."

Katie shot Phil a look, eyebrows pinched together slightly. "Yes well, after being with S.H.I.E.L.D all my life, I've learned the only way to shut them up is to either punch them in the face, or give in."

Phil shifted and lowered his eyes, looking away from the young - well, physically young - woman in front of him, obviously uncomfortable by her hard tone.

"I ah," Phil cleared his throat. "Fury's in there now talking to him, explaining the situation so you don't really have to."

Katie nodded, but didn't say anything. She knew this, Fury had told her he would explain who she was to her father and tell him the basics on what had happened. But still, she knew it wasn't going to be enough. He would ask her about everything.

Katie ran a hand through her hair to try to stop her mind from wandering, but it wasn't really working.

She was tired, her little chat with Nick having only happened last night causing her mind to refuse to shut up and let her sleep. So Katie was beyond tired and on edge.

She'd thought, when Nick had said he would call and let her know when she was talking to Steve, it would be a week from now. But no. Nick called early in the morning and said the car was going to pick her up in a few hours.

If she'd known that, she would have tried to get more sleep, though she knew it would have been pointless.

Katie wasn't planning on calling Nick anyways. She wasn't going to tell him what she'd decided on doing, because then it would just make everything more real. But, she forgot Nick knew most things, so she wasn't all that surprised when she'd gotten a phone call from him asking what she'd decided to do.

And she could basically hear the smugness in his voice after she'd told him she would talk to Steve.

Damn Nick.

Now, here she was. Her and Phil, standing in the hallway outside a sitting room area, waiting for Nick to come out.

She didn't mind waiting with Phil though. He was one of the few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents she could stand. He was nice to her and actually talked to her like she was a normal person. Plus, Katie found it hilarious how nervous Phil was when they'd first met, because he was getting to met Captain America's daughter. She also liked to bug him from time to time about his fangirl side when it came to her father.

"Ms. Rogers?"

"Carter," Katie corrected Phil automatically causing Phil to nod, rubbing the back of his neck.

She didn't blame him for being nervous, Katie knew she was a nightmare to deal with right now. Unfortunately for him, she couldn't help it. As she'd said. she was beyond nervous and tired.

"Ms. Carter," Phil corrected himself. "He's ready for you."

Katie gave a shift nod before turning towards the door, staring at it for a few moments before slowly walking towards it, blocking her thoughts so she couldn't talk herself out of this.

However, just as she lifted her hand to turn the door knob, the door pushed open, showing Nick standing in front of her, an unreadable look on his face as always.

"Ms. Rogers," Nick nodded at her, causing Katie to roll her eyes before looking up at him with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Sticking with the Ms Rogers, are we? Not even going to bother with Carter anymore?"

"He took it better than expected," Nick continued on, ignoring Katie. "Though he is pretty baffled, as any normal person would be."

Katie snorted. "Normal person."

"He has questions," Nick narrowed his brows at the blonde woman.

"That's why I'm here, isn't it?" Katie titled her head to the side. "To answer his questions."

"You're here to talk to him, Katie." Phil answered from behind Katie, but she didn't turn around.

"Go easier on him, Katherine," Nick sighed, walking around Katie. "You both may be super-humans, but he's been on ice for 70 years. He hasn't gone through the… changes of time, that you have."

"You say this as if I don't know that, Nick," Katie smirked, but it didn't reach her eyes, as Nick and Phil made their way back down the hall and Katie turned back towards the door.

"Oh, and Ms. Rogers," Nick called, causing Katie to spin around, giving him a slight glare. "I know you've been a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. since the beginning, but don't forget who's the Director around here." Nick informed her, giving her a stern look.

"How can I when you keep reminding me, Director." Katie shot him a smug look back. As she turned back to the door, she heard Phil give a light laugh before going quiet, more than likely because of Nick's glaring.

After hearing Nick's and Phil's footsteps disappear down the hall, Katie took a deep breath before placing her hand on the doorknob and pushing the door open.

Here goes nothing.

The door opened to show a small room. The whites painted a light blue color while the wall on Katie's right was made out of glass. There was a leather, black love seat sitting on the far end of the room - facing the door and Katie - and two matching leather chairs across from it, with a small table standing in the middle.

Katie's eyes missed all this, however, and went straight to the man sitting in one of the chairs. He was bent over slightly with his head in his hands, looking like he didn't hear her come in.

Katie was trying to figure out if it would be easier to just back out now and walk away, lord knows she didn't want to have this conversation. However, before she could even blink, Steve's head snapped up, like he sensed her in the room, which he probably did.

They eyes meant within a few seconds, neither of them speaking. This wasn't Katie's first time seeing her father, but it was his first time seeing his daughter. And it was both their first times being in the same room together, and it would soon be their first time talking to each other.

And honestly, Katie felt more nervous and scared than she thought she would be.

Slowly, Steve stood up, his eyes never leaving his daughter's, who was still standing still in the doorway.

They both stood there, in silence, and Katie took this time to really get a look at Captain America… at her father.

Growing up, everyone had told her she looked just like her mother, which was true. She had her mother's ears, mouth, wavy hair, even her strong personality. However, everyone always told her she had her father's eyes, and even though she'd seen pictures before, only now she realized how very true it was.

As she looked him over, Katie started picking out the differences and similarities between father and daughter. Besides the baby-blue eyes, Katie also got her blonde hair from him, though it held her mother's waves. She also had his nose, she realized. So far, those were the only outward similarities she could find. Though, their shared DNA did give them a similar build. While Steve stood at 6'2, Katie was 5'5, but they were both well-built - Katie not as much as her father - there again, how could they not be.

They were super-humans. They were "perfect".

Katie didn't know how long they stood like that, just staring at each other. She wished she could read her father's mind, just to see what he was thinking, she felt like it would make this all easier. Unfortunately, she couldn't.

"Ahh, hi."

Katie almost jumped at the sound of his voice. She didn't expect him to speak first.

Then again, she really couldn't have any idea who would.

"Hi." Katie replied, stepping into the room and slowly closing the door behind her.

"Katherine, right?" Steve asked, his voice soft and steady, as he continued to look at her. It was like he was trying to memorize every detail about her.

Though he didn't seem it, Katie could tell he was nervous. Almost just as nervous as she was. But, Katie could hide her emotions after all those years, and she was good at reading people.

Katie did, however, raise an eyebrow. "Katherine?"

"Umm, yeah," Steve shift his eyes from her face, thinking he said the wrong thing. "Nick said your name was Katherine…"

Katie gave a light laugh as she stepped farther into the room, noting how Steve relaxed a bit.

"It is," Katie informed him. "My name, that is. It is Katherine, but Nick is the only one who is calls me that." Katie continued to step forward until she was only a few feet away from her father, her nerves going crazy, but she hid it and stuck her hand out. "Call me Katie."

"Katie," Steve said, like he was testing the name, shaking her hand. "My daughter."

Katie knew he didn't mean anything by it, and by the softest at which he said it, she knew he was still trying to believe those words. But she couldn't help the smile on her face from falling a bit as she took back her hand.

It didn't upset her that he called her his daughter, the opposite actually because she suddenly felt warm inside. It's just, when he said it, it reminded her why she was so nervous in the first place.

"And you're my father."

"Steve," He smiled a little at her. "You can call me Steve."

"Steve," Katie repeated, glad he gave her the opportunity to call him by his name. She wasn't ready to call him 'dad' just yet. Plus, it would be kind of weird at the moment if she did, seeing that they could both pass for the same age and they didn't even know each other.

"Umm," Steve cleared his throat before pointing to the seats. "Let's sit."

Katie nodded in agreement, taken back slightly by the gentlemen-like attention. She quickly remembered that he was from the forties though. Looked like the stereotypes held some truth.

Steve sat back down on the love seat, his hands folded on his lap, as Katie sat in one of the chairs across from him, her finger tapping slightly on her leg, silence falling around them once more.

Katie had never been a patient person, it was one of the personality traits she didn't get from her mother or father, more like one that was developed over the years. Which was odd, because you'd think that the older you got, the more patient you became.

Bullshit.

Taking a deep breath, Katie took one last look around the room before her eyes finally fell on her father… no, Steve, once more. She found him staring at her, but the moment their eyes met, his eyes shifted and he rubbed the back on his neck.

"Umm," Katie cleared her throat slightly. "Nick said you had some questions…"

"Yeah," Steve nodded his head. "If… If you don't mind?"

Katie shook her head, a small smile on her face as she crossed her legs, relaxing a bit as she sat back against the chair.

She didn't want to answer any question, to be honest. But, what was she to do? Say no, I don't want to answer your questions, and leave? She couldn't do that. She was here for a reason.

She may be keeping Steve at an arm's length away, keeping him far enough away so they didn't get to close, but she wasn't heartless. Far from it.

And she didn't blame him for having questions. His daughter, who was born back in 1946, a daughter he didn't even know about, was now sitting in front of him. Looking no older than twenty-five when she was said to be sixty-five.

If he had questions, she was going to answer them.

Besides, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't excited to finally talk to her father.

Katie watched him, she could basically see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to decided what to ask her first.

"Ummm," Steven cleared his throat. "Nick said you are, like me…"

"Actually, many people say I'm like my mother," Katie joked out of habit - it's what she did some times when she got really nervous - causing Steve to raise an eyebrow. "Sorry. Bad joke. I grew up with Uncle Howard, so don't blame me."

"Uncle Howard?" Steve repeated, shock taking over his face a bit.

"Yeah," Katie nodded. "After mum found out she was pregnant with me, Uncle Howard stepped up and helped out anyway he could." She informed him, leaving out the part how Howard was like a father figure to her growing up. She couldn't tell him that. She could just picture the heartbreak that would take over his face.

Steve nodded, before speaking softly. "I'm glad you both weren't alone."

"We were far from it." Katie smiled, remembering everyone who helped out her and her mother, everyone she thought of as family. "There were a number of people who helped us." Katie paused for a moment, a faraway look in her eyes before she shook her head, turning back to Steve. "Anyways, yes to your question. I am like you."

"As in the serum affected you too." Steve stated and Katie nodded.

"Caused mum a lot of trouble, I did." Katie laughed lightly.

"You did?" Steve also smiled.

"Oh, yeah." Katie nodded at Steve. "When I was about three, I found out that I could run faster than anyone, adult or child. For weeks I would just run around, running from anyone who was trying to catch me. Of course, no one could." Katie laughed. "I thought it was the funniest thing in the world. Mum, however, didn't."

As Steve laughed lightly at the story, Katie realized just how relaxed she felt around him. Even though this was their first time meeting each other, it felt natural to sit and talk to her father.

And this scared the crap out of her.

"So," Steve started to ask, and Katie realized he was also much more relaxed then he was when she first walked into the room. "You knew from a young age."

"I knew I was different," Katie confirmed. "It wasn't until I was older when I found out what caused me to be so."

Steve nodded, and Katie saw him hesitate. Like he was debating on if he should ask her his next question.

"Did…" Steve cleared his throat after a few moments. "Did you know…"

Katie realized what he was trying to ask, so she nodded, letting him know she understood.

"Ever since I could remember, mum was telling me stories about you," Katie told him, looking down at her hands for a moment before looking back up. "She told me everything she knew about you, and showed me pictures. Both pre and post serum. I'm sure she told me every story about you at least a dozen times." Katie laughed. "But I never got tired of hearing them. And when I was about twelve, when I first really started asking questions, she sat down with me and told me everything about the serum and how I was just like you."

Katie fell silent for a moment, almost as if she was done talking. Steve opened his mouth to ask or say something else, but she stopped him by speaking again.

"I looked up to you." Katie said quickly, the words just spilling out before she could stop them. "Growing up, you were my hero. And when I found out I was just like you, I was beyond excited. For my eight birthday, Uncle Howard even made me a shield just like yours. I don't know where it is now, but I loved it." Katie laughed to herself. "Mum said I had everyone wrapped around my finger."

"You did?" Steve leaned forward, waiting her to continue.

Katie nodded. "We lived at S.H.I.E.L.D, and I was the only kid. I had to stay hidden. No one besides the people at S.H.I.E.L.D knew of me. And that's the way everyone wanted it." Katie paused for a moment, before laughing. "I remember when I was thirteen, I argued with mum to let me go by Rogers cause I looked up to you so much and wanted your last name."

"You don't go by Rogers?"

Katie looked up, realizing what she said and cursed herself for dropping her guard so much. The look on her father's face broke her heart, so she quickly corrected herself.

"No, I couldn't growing up. If the wrong person, or anyone really, found out that I was Captain Americas daughter, that I had his... your blood in my veins, I would be hunted down. So, Mum came up with the story that I was the product of a one-night stand, something that happened after you umm, went down. This was just a cover up, so I grew up going by Carter, and I just kept it."

Steve nodded, a sad look of understanding taking over his face.

Silence fell around the room, and Katie watched Steve closely for a moment. She could still see his mind reeling and she knew he had at least one big question on his mind wanting to ask her.

"What is it?" Katie asked after a few moments

"Nothing," Steve replied quickly, but sighed when he saw the look on Katie's face. "Just, you don't look a day over twenty-five…"

"Physically, I'm not. It's one of the side effects of the serum, I guess." Katie shrugged slightly. "I aged normally until the age of twenty-one, when my body stopped aging. But, I was still a "super-human" growing up. Uncle Howard thought that because I stopped growing at the age of twenty-one, my body slowed down the aging process. But, unfortunately, none of Dr. Erskine notes say anything about the aging process. Mum says she thinks it's one of the side-effects he didn't expect."

Steve nodded, hesitating slightly. "So you are really…"

"I was born May 4th, 1946." Katie told him with a small smile. "Technically, I'm sixty-five. I stopped visibly aging in 1967. But, you're right, physically I look twenty-five. Uncle Howard figured my life span is about ten times longer than a normal humans."

"So, do you know if my life span is the same?"

"Honestly, I have no idea." Katie told him. "But I wouldn't see why not."

Steve nodded before turning away, looking out the big window on his left, the window that took up the whole wall. They were up pretty high, but not too high. You could still see the streets below and even hear noise in the district backgrounds.

Katie watched as Steve's eyebrows slowed pinched together and he started to tap his index finger on his leg.

"What are you thinking?" Katie asked softly, Steve turned slowly turn in her direction as his finger came to a stop.

"How do you-"

"I do the same thing," Katie pointed out with a soft smile. "When I'm thinking about something. I tap my finger too."

Steve looked down at his now still finger before glancing up at Katie, his blue-eyes watching her for a moment before turning back to the window.

"When I went under, the world was at war." Steve started, still looking out the window. "I grew up in a world where cars where big, clunky pieces of metal, most people slept on beds hard as rock and getting the flu could very well kill you. And now, we've won the war, and everything is new and different to me." Steve sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can't even sleep at night, the beds are far too soft. I feel like I'm going to sink to the floor."

Katie remained silent as she continued to watch Steve, taking in everything he just said. She didn't say anything because she could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't finished, that he had more to say.

"Your mother." Steve said suddenly, causing Katie's eyes to go wide at the sudden change in topic. "Peggy. Is she…"

"Yes," Katie nodded, looking down at her lap. "Yes, she is still alive. But," Katie sighed, looking back up at Steve. "That's… Let's save that for another day."

Steve's eye shifted down, but he nodded.

Katie knew he wanted to hear about Peggy, but he would just have to deal with that for now. Katie really wasn't in the mood to explain everything about her mother to him right now.

Silence fall upon the room for a few moments, both father and daughter looking anywhere but each other, until Steve finally spoke.

"I… I went under in 1945 and woke up here, in 2012." Steve said before looking up at Katie. "But you, you've seen all the changes. You grew up with them. Lived with them." Steve pointed out, shaking his head. "And I… I honestly can't tell which is worse."

Katie titled her head to the side, eyebrows pinched together slightly. "I don't understand…"

"Katie," Steve spoke, sending shivers down Katie's spine. That was the first time he said he name since they met. "I see the look on your face every time you've talk about the past, or someone you've grew up with."

Katie shifted her eyes so she was looking out the window. She knew what Steve was getting at. The topic she didn't want to bring up at all.

"What happened to him?"

Steve's soft voice caused Katie to turn towards him, only to be met be his concerned eyes.

Katie sighed. She knew what he was asking about, and she really didn't want to talk about it. But, she also couldn't stop the words from leaving her mouth.

"He…" Katie cleared her throat. "Uncle Howard, he… It was a car crash. Him and his wife Maria were killed, leaving behind their son. No one, they couldn't find the cause of the accident. They left their son-"

"Tony," Steve nodded, cutting off Katie. "Fury told me about him, but all he said was he was Howard's son."

Katie nodded. "Howard, he helped me a lot growing up. He was always there for me, especially when I first… when I first found out about you. And I… I couldn't repay the favor and be there for his son after he…"

Katie stopped, she could feel the bubble in her throat.

She didn't want to be on this topic. She didn't want to talk about all that pain she felt over the years.

"It, it must be hard." Steve spoke softly. "I can't imagine-"

"Yeah, it is." Katie nodded, a sad look on her face.

Then, it suddenly hit her. The reason she didn't want to get to close to her father in the fast place. All the pain she felt over the years suddenly came flooding back to her, hitting her in the heart like a bullet.

She couldn't do this anymore.

"I ah," Katie said, suddenly standing up with Steve following her lead, a surprised look on his face. "Should get going, it's getting late."

"Oh, of course." Steve nodded, but Katie could still see the upset look on his face, and it caused the pain to hurt even more.

Katie nodded at the wall, she couldn't even look at Steve right now. Quickly, she turned around and walked to the door, Steve following her for a few steps before stopping, keeping his distance.

With her hand on the doorknob, Katie turned around slightly, glancing up at Steve once more before looking anywhere but him.

"I'll.. I'll call you. Sometime. And we… we can…"

"Do this again?" Steve asked, a hopeful look in his eyes. But, Katie saw the hopefulness leave his eyes as she nodded her head a bit too quickly and answered.

"Yeah."

Without another word, Katie turned the doorknob and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

She took a few steps away from the door before she came to a stop, walking over to the wall and leaned against it. Tears prickling in her eyes as her hand flew to her mouth.

She didn't want to cry. Katie never cried. But, she couldn't help it. All the emotions she'd felt today came back to her at once and it was too much. From the excitement of meeting her father, to the pain of losing her uncle all over again…

She couldn't deal with it.

Katie didn't know how long she stood there, but finally, the tears stopped and she was able to wipe her eyes.

She kicked off the wall and quickly made her way down the hallway. She knew her eyes were a bit red, but she didn't care. She kept an unreadable look on her face as she turned the corner, continuing down the hall.

However, she didn't even make it halfway before she heard her name being called.

"Seriously, Phil." Katie sighed, angry, upset, confused and exhausted as Phil caught up with her, Katie shooting him a glare. "I want to be alone."

"Just," Phil stepped in front of Katie, causing her to stop in her tracks. "Let me take you home. Its late."

Phil knew, Katie could tell. He knew by her red eyes and the look on her face that she was upset and just emotionally exhausted. She didn't even have the energy to argue with the agent in front of her at this point.

Nodding her head, Katie let Phil led her down to one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s many cars, before jumping in and watching the world passed by around her as Phil drove her to her apartment, in silence.

She only lived, at the moment, about twenty minutes away of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s home base. And before long, the car was parked on the side on the road and Phil and Katie were walking up to the door of the apartment building.

"Taking tips from Captain America are we," Katie joked dryly as the elevator singled for her floor and the two stepped out. "You didn't have to walk me to the door, you know."

"Actually-"

"Unless you had a question," Katie pointed out, stopping at her door and turning around to face Phil, arms crossed. "Come on, I'm tired. Out with it."

"It's just… I know you have your own reasons for acting the way you do…"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"But, I figured you'd be happy to have someone else in your life. At least someone you could relate to…"

Katie stood there, watching Phil for a moment, before turning around and unlocking her apartment door, stepping in with Phil behind her.

"Okay. One, that's not a question, more so a statement." Katie pointed out, dropping her keys on the island as she walked into the kitchen, getting ready to pour herself a drink as Phil stood next to the counter. "And two, if it was a question, I'd answer by saying it's none of your business."

"Katie."

The way Phil sound her name caused Katie to stop from pouring her drink and slowly look up, only to see Phil's concerned face watching her. The face of a worried friend.

Sighing, Katie picked up her drink and took a long sip before looking up at Phil again.

"Over the years," Katie informed him. "I've learned that it's easier to not get close to people. It hurts less that way when they leave you."

"How do you know he's-"

"He went down on a plane in 1945 and woke up in 2012," Katie cut off Phil. "He basically went to sleep one night without a daughter, and woke up the next morning with one." Katie walked out of the kitchen and sat in the living, Phil following her. "He has no reason to want anything to do with me. Hell, he may even leave when he realizes having a daughter is more trouble than it's worth."

"I don't think he's like that, Katie." Phil said in a soft voice. "I think, you need to open up a bit more and see just what he's really like before you judge him like that. Before you decided if he's going to leave or not."

Sighing, Katie placed her drink on the coffee table before leaning forward, elbows resting on her knees, before she looked up at Phil.

"I talked to him today-"

"But you didn't really talk to him, did you?" Phil pointed out. "Like I said, you need to open up it really know him." Phil told her, and held up his hand to silence her when Katie opened her mouth to speak. "I know. He's your father. But, Katie, you only just met him. All I'm saying is, try to get to know him a bit better before making your judgement."

Katie stared at her glass on the coffee table, as she thought over what Phil said. But, she was too emotionally exhausted to have made a straight thought right now.

"Phil, thank-you." She finally said after a moment of silence.

"For what?"

"For being my friend," She replied, finally looking up at him. "It's hard to find those these days. But, people leave Phil. That's just the way it is."

Phil sighed. He knew there was no getting through to her, not this time at least. She was to tired and exhausted.

"You should get back now." Katie said softly as she stood up, walking over to the door and holding it opened to Phil, who slowly followed behind her.

"Katie." Phil stopped at the door, turning to the blonde women who looked up at Phil. "Just know, no one is leaving you anytime soon. Most definitely not your father."

A small smirk started to pull at Katie's lips. "You sound so sure, Phil."

"Cause I am." Phil gave her a small smile. "No one is leaving you, Katie. I promise."

Big big thank-you going out to Tospringe for editing this chapter for me, you're the best!

Links to my tumblr and twitter are in my profile, love you all :)