Disclaimer: I do not own any character (excluding my OC), setting or plot from Captain America or any other Marvel film/comic. All rights reserved to Marvel Comics, Marvel Studio, and any others whom it may concern. Any line/scene/character that you recognise from the films or comics do not belong to me in any way.
Chapter Seven
June 23rd, 1943
"I know this neighborhood," Steve muttered, glancing out the window to look at the streets of Brooklyn we were driving through. He nodded to some of the areas we were passing with a small frown. "I got beat up in that alley... And that parking lot..." He cleared his throat slightly in embarrassment and lowered his gaze to where his hands were knotted tightly in his lap. "And behind that diner."
I internally winced at his words, the image of him being mercilessly beat up by other men who thought they were tough for picking on those weaker than them unconsciously flashing through my mind. I glanced at him after a moment and raised an eyebrow slightly. "You know, most people usually run away from fights they can't win."
He sighed and shook his head. "You start running and they'll never let you stop. You stand up, you push back. They can't say no forever, right?"
"No, they can't," I agreed softly. "I know a little of what it's like, you know. To have every door shut in your face, to have everyone tell you that you're not good enough. I guess we're both here to prove them wrong."
He paused for a moment, raising his eyes from his hands to look at me. "I suppose I just don't know why you'd want to join the army if you were a beautiful dame." His eyes widened in mortification almost immediately after the words had left his mouth. "Or a beau... A woman. An agent. Not a dame," he corrected, a light blush gracing his cheeks when I glanced over at him with a raised brow and a small smirk. "You are beautiful, but..."
"You really have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?" I cut him off with a slight chuckle, feeling bad as he continued to stutter and deciding to save him from further embarrassing himself. I looked out the window for a moment to compose myself—as despite what I had just said, I couldn't ignore the butterflies suddenly swarming in my stomach from his unintentional compliment.
"Before I met you, I think this would have been the longest conversation I'd ever had with one," Steve admitted with an embarrassed smile. "Women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on."
"Maybe you've just been asking the wrong women," I murmured softly, furrowing my brow slightly in disbelief. He was such a great guy. Sweet, caring, thoughtful. The type of man who would love someone unconditionally and treat them with the utmost care and respect. A complete gentleman. I found it hard to believe that no woman had been interested in him before, not after he had managed to catch my attention so quickly and so completely.
"I haven't asked any," Steve confessed with a small shrug, returning his gaze to his hands on his lap. "Asking a woman to dance always seemed so terrifying. And the past few years... It just didn't seem to matter that much. Figured I'd wait."
"For what?" I questioned, cocking my head to the side curiously as I waited for his answer.
Steve let out a breath and turned to look out the window. "The right partner."
My heart fluttered in my chest at his sincere words, my lips unconsciously tugging up of their own accord as I stared at him for a moment and tried to ignore the butterflies now rampaging in my stomach. I found myself having to turn away to look out the window for a pause, my lips refusing to cooperate as I fought to hide the wide smile that he had put on my face.
I was still fighting to smooth out my features into a neutral expression when we pulled up outside our destination a few minutes later, my grin only growing slightly when Steve opened my car door for me and offered a hand to help me out of the vehicle. The moment my eyes landed on the antiques shop, however, the smile instantly died on my lips and worry twisted deep in my gut as I remembered exactly why we were here. I took Steve's offered hand and allowed him to help me out of the car, straightening out my outfit when I was standing and taking a deep breath to compose myself. I was being silly; the procedure would be fine. Steve would be fine.
I waved Steve off with a small smile when he stepped towards me with a concerned look, gesturing for him to follow me as I started to walk towards the entrance of the unassuming store. Steve silently walked beside me for a moment as he eyed the shop front before he turned to me with a confused frown. "What are we doing here?"
"You'll see soon enough," I murmured, letting out a small chuckle and giving him a grateful smile when he suddenly dived forwards to open the door for me before I had a chance to open it myself. I entered the shop and walked forwards with Steve by my side, pausing when the old lady who ran the shop stepped forwards into view.
"Wonderful weather this morning, isn't it?"
I had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes and scoffing at the ridiculous password I had been told to give in response. "Yes, but I always carry an umbrella."
The old woman gave me a small smile and walked over to the counter, pressing a hidden button underneath to grant us access as I gestured for Steve to follow me into the back storage room. We both pulled to a stop in front of an unassuming bookcase and Steve shot me a confused look when I just waited there patiently, causing my lips to quirk up slightly at the edges as I motioned for him to watch.
I heard the surprised breath he let out when the bookcase suddenly swung open like a set of double doors, revealing the long corridor and hidden facility behind it. I walked confidently down the corridor with Steve following, heading straight for the double doors at the end where the lab was located. I paused when we reached the end of the hallway and let out a steadying breath as I turned to face Steve.
"Are you ready?" I asked softly, eyeing him with concern.
He hesitated for a split-second and shifted nervously, before he sighed and nodded his head briefly in confirmation. "As ready as I'll ever be."
I studied him for a second longer before nodding my head slightly in response, turning to signal for the two MP's stationed on either side of the doors to open them for us. I briefly reached over and squeezed his hand in silent reassurance as we walked out onto the balcony that overlooked the lab below, hearing him let out a nervous breath when he saw the Vita-Ray machine and the multiple nurses rushing around the makeshift lab. I quickly let go of his hand and straightened, however, when everyone paused in what they were doing and all eyes turned to Steve in curiosity, everyone wanting to see what was so special about the one who had been chosen for the procedure.
"Come on," I murmured to him, gesturing for him to follow me as I turned and made my way down the flight of stairs and walked across the room to join Abe in the center.
"Good morning!" Abe practically chirped as we pulled to a stop in front of him, grinning at Steve and shaking his hand in greeting.
I eyed him with a slight grimace. "How are you so cheery? It's unnatural," I groaned quietly to him, repressing an eye roll when he merely snorted and grinned at me in response. We had stayed up until the early hours of the morning last night, reminiscing and laughing while we drank more than we probably should have. And here he was, smiling like he had never had a better night's sleep, whilst I felt like I'd been hit by a bus.
"Late night?" Peggy questioned in a low voice to me as she appeared by my side, glancing between me and Abe with amusement after she nodded to Steve in greeting.
I grimaced slightly with a small nod. "You have no idea."
"Actually, I do," Peggy snorted with a small smirk as she raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Or have you forgotten that we share a room? What time did you stumble in again? Was it 3:30am? Wait, no, maybe it was 4—"
"Shut up," I muttered, lightly nudging her in the side with my elbow as her and Abe let out low chuckles and Steve tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile.
At that moment, a bright flash suddenly went off to the side of us, momentarily blinding me as I turned my head in its direction with a small grimace. I blinked rapidly to regain my vision as Abe shifted beside me. "Please. Not now."
The reporter lowered his camera and nodded, giving us a sheepish look before he turned and scurried away. Peggy, Abe and I watched him go for a moment before we noticed Steve looking at the procedure equipment next to us with a suddenly tense expression, causing Abe to step forward in concern.
"Are you ready?" he asked the same question I had done mere minutes ago, the same concern in his tone as he eyed Steve's tense form. Steve nervously nodded his head in response, turning his attention back to us. "Good. Take off your shirt and tie," he paused and pointed to Steve's head, "—And your hat."
Steve glanced over at me with a small blush before hesitantly doing what Abe had asked and unbuttoning his shirt after he'd dutifully removed his hat and tie. I purposely looked away from him whilst he removed the piece of clothing, noticing his embarrassment and not wanting to make him feel any more uncomfortable than he already was. He cleared his throat slightly as he handed the material to the nurse before slowly positioning himself so he was lying flat on the machine.
"Comfortable?" Abe questioned lightly as he moved to Steve's side and watched him shift about nervously.
Steve let out a forced chuckle. "It's a little big," he tried to joke, smiling faintly when I moved over to his other side and instinctively grabbed a hold of his hand and squeezed it in reassurance. Although, I wasn't certain who I was trying to reassure more—him, or myself.
Steve glanced between the two of us with another faint smile. "You save me any of that Schnapps?"
Abe and I exchanged guilty looks, hiding childish grins as we looked back down at Steve sheepishly. "Not as much as we should have," Abe admitted. "Sorry."
"Next time," I promised Steve softly, squeezing his hand again as he shifted and nervously tightened his grip on my hand when Abe turned to face Howard.
"Mr. Stark? How are your levels?"
"Levels are at 100%," Howard confirmed as he walked over to my side and gave me an affectionate kiss on the cheek in greeting. I grinned at him in response, glancing down at Steve in confusion a second later when his grip stiffened around my hand slightly. I brushed it off as nerves and returned my attention to Howard as he looked over Steve and continued. "We may have to dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we're ready..." Howard paused, before quietly muttering under his breath, "As we'll ever be."
Steve glanced over at us as he caught the last part of Howard's statement, his brows furrowing in worry and slight fear as he let out a shaky breath and shifted uncomfortably whilst the nurses started to strap him into the machine. I elbowed Howard lightly in the ribs, shooting him a look when he whined slightly in response. I jerked my head pointedly in the direction of a nervous Steve.
"You're not helping," I hissed lowly, trying to hide a smile when he shot me a wounded look and clutched at his ribs with a dramatic pout.
"Save that feisty attitude for the bedroom, Annie," he retorted quietly, leaning down to teasingly whisper in my ear. "You know I love it when you get rough."
I rolled my eyes and pushed Howard back a step with my free hand. "Save your womanizing charm for the nurses, Howie," I quipped back lightly, snorting in amusement when, right on cue, he gave a passing female an appreciative glance. I gestured to the machines around us with a raised brow. "Don't you have a job to do?"
"Okay, okay. I'm going." He grinned, raising his hands innocently before he turned and made his way over to a nearby control panel with a wink.
I sighed and turned back to face Steve and Abe, who were conversing quietly with one another about the procedure and thankfully oblivious to mine and Howard's little discussion. Abe turned his attention to me after a moment and nodded his head towards the balcony. "Anna, don't you think you would be more comfortable in the booth with Agent Carter?"
I briefly glanced up to the viewing room, wondering when Peggy had disappeared up the stairs, before turning back to Abe with a small shake of my head. "I'd prefer to stay down here, if that's okay with you?"
"Of course." He nodded, that sly smile back on his face as he glanced down at my hand that was still linked with Steve's before he turned to go and speak to Howard for a moment.
I shook my head in exasperation at the doctor as I returned my attention to Steve and gently squeezed his hand. "How are you feeling?"
"Honestly?" Steve smiled weakly, "A little nervous."
"That makes two of us," I commented softly, faintly attempting to return his smile. "Everything will be fine though, Steve. Abe knows what he's doing."
He nodded his head jerkily as Abe turned and gestured to us that it was time. I squeezed Steve's hand one last time as I leaned down and lightly pecked him on the cheek, hiding a smile when he blushed slightly in response. "You can do this," I whispered to him in encouragement, once again repeating the words that had become my little saying to him over the past few days, before I pulled back and reluctantly let go of his hand as I turned and made my way over to Howard.
"Don't think I missed that little kiss on the cheek," Howard commented teasingly as I leaned against the control panel beside him, watching him mess around with a few buttons and levers in preparation for the procedure.
I let out a slow breath and tapped my fingers against the edge of the panel nervously, staring worriedly at Steve's small form strapped to the machine before us. "Not now, Howie."
He glanced over at me in surprise, momentarily pausing in what he was doing as he eyed my tense posture and strained expression. "You care for him, don't you?" he asked softly.
I clenched my jaw and sighed. "Just make sure he makes it through this."
Howard reached out and gently hooked his fingers under my chin, turning my head to face him as he gave me an unusually serious look. "He'll be fine, Annie," he murmured lowly in reassurance, softly placing a comforting kiss on my forehead when I offered him a weak smile in thanks.
I jumped as a screeching sound was heard through the room, turning my attention to Abe flicking the microphone in his hands as Howard dropped his hand away from me and turned to watch the announcement beside me. "Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace. We begin with a series of microinjections into the subject's major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then, to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays."
Abe nodded to the spectators watching closely from the viewing booth before setting down the microphone and making his way over to Steve as a nurse finished setting up the equipment and carefully injected him with a shot. Steve braced himself for the pain, but let out a sigh and relaxed slightly when the nurse pulled the needle out and moved away. He turned to Abe with a small grin. "That wasn't so bad."
"That was penicillin," Abe responded with a sympathetic smile before he turned to the assistants scattered around the room. "Serum infusion beginning in five... four... three... two... one."
Steve's eyes scrunched shut and his jaw clenched in pain as the serum emptied from the vials and injected into his body. I had to avert my gaze and tightly clutch onto the edge of the panel behind me to restrain myself from moving over to him, not being able to bear seeing the silent agony on his face.
"Now, Mr. Stark!" Abe called out to Howard, who nodded and slowly pulled down a red lever.
The machine Steve was strapped to slowly tilted vertically whilst the sides raised and closed over the front, transforming the entire thing into a pod. Some morbid voice at the back of my head cynically whispered that it vaguely resembled a coffin, but I quickly shut the voice up and clenched my hand tighter around the panel behind me as I tensely repeated to myself that he would be fine. I apprehensively watched as a lab assistant hurried to attach an oxygen line so Steve would be able to breathe inside before they stepped back and gestured to Abe that everything was set to proceed.
Abe nodded and stepped up to the pod, tapping lightly on the metal and raising to his toes to peer through the small window on the top half. "Steven? Can you hear me?"
"It's probably too late to go to the bathroom, right?" Steve's muffled voice responded, causing me to repress a snort of relief at his words—if he was trying to joke right now, then he must be okay.
For now. The cynical voice at the back of my head whispered, causing me to let out a silent growl as I snarled a desperate shut up in response.
Abe smiled and turned to Howard with a nod. "We will proceed."
Howard twirled a dial on the control panel to activate the machine before slipping a pair of darkened glasses over his eyes. He grabbed a spare pair and held them out to me. "Here. Put these on."
I nodded and hesitantly took the protective goggles from his grasp, giving him a weak smile when he briefly squeezed my hand in reassurance before turning back to the control panel in front of him. I slipped the darkened glasses on just in time as Howard reached out and slowly started turning a wheel, activating the Vita-Ray machine and causing a bright white light to start to spill out from the small window of the pod.
"That's ten percent!" Howard announced, closely watching the dial as he continued to steadily turn the wheel. "Twenty percent... Thirty..." Abe and a few of the lab assistants turned away from the rapidly brightening light and shielded their eyes. "That's forty percent!"
One of the scientists on the other side of the room turned to us with a nod. "Vital signs are normal."
"That's fifty percent! Sixty... Seventy..."
I swear my heart momentarily stopped in my chest as Steve started to cry out in agony. I didn't think twice as I leapt forwards and ran towards the pod, pressing my hands against the metal as Steve continued to wordlessly cry out. "Steve? Steve!"
"Shut it down!" I desperately called over my shoulder to Howard and Abe, my stomach clenching in fear when Steve let out another heart-wrenching yell. I spun around when the light stayed on and shot Howard a frantic look. "Shut it down, Howie! Now!"
Abe didn't hesitate as he twirled to face Howard and frantically nodded his agreement. "Kill the reactor, Mr. Stark."
"NO!" Steve's desperate yell suddenly sounded from behind me. The sound was slightly muffled from the pod, but clear enough to make out what he was saying.
I turned and pressed my hands against the cold metal exterior again. "Steve, are you insane?" I called out incredulously. "There's no way in hell—"
"PLEASE! I CAN DO THIS, ANNA!"
I sighed and briefly rested my forehead against the pod, hating that he had used the words I had been telling him from day one against me. How could I say no when I had constantly reminded him he could do this? Who was I to stand in his way now, when he was so close to what he had fought so hard to achieve?
"You better be right about this, Steve," I quietly whispered under my breath as I straightened. I clenched my jaw and fought against every single instinct in my body screaming for me to get him out of there as I turned and reluctantly gave a forced nod to Howard, telling him to grant Steve his wish and continue with the procedure.
Howard hesitated for a brief second before returning my nod and continuing to turn the wheel. "Eighty... Ninety... That's one hundred percent!"
I quickly backed away from the machine as the white light it emitted turned blinding—even with my protective goggles on—and equipment all around the room started sparking from the huge surge in power, causing everyone standing in the lab to flinch back. The whirring of the Vita-Ray machine grew louder and louder before, with one final series of sparks, the machine went quiet and the blinding light dimmed down into nothing.
There was a beat of silence where no one moved, and then Abe slowly called for Howard to open the pod. I ripped the darkened glasses off my face, uncaringly letting them drop to the floor as I stared intently at the pod with my heart in my throat, hoping with everything in me that Steve was okay. Howard nodded and pulled another lever on the control panel, causing the machine to open with a loud hiss as the pod doors folded back.
I couldn't stop the shocked breath that escaped me as the steam slowly cleared. "Holy shit."
The man that Abe helped out of the Vita-Ray machine looked nothing like the skinny one who had stepped in—he was much taller, standing at around 6'2", instead of his previous 5'4"; he had long, lean legs that trailed up into a slim waist; his bare chest was glistening with sweat, only further exaggerating the solid muscles rippling with every move—and I felt a strange sort of panic start to well up inside of me as I stared at this stranger before me, barely being able to recognize anything about the man I had grown to care for in him.
But then... then my eyes met his beautiful blue irises, noticing the soft glint that appeared in his eyes once he caught sight of me—in a way that was so familiar and just Steve—and I felt the tension slowly start to ease within me as I took note of the things that I had missed at first glance. He had the same straight nose and defined jawline, the same dark blonde hair and full lips, the same prominent cheekbones and strong chin. I unconsciously breathed out a sigh of relief. It was still him, it was still Steve. But as he was always meant to be, rather than plagued by a list of medical conditions longer than my arm.
And it was at that moment that my previous worry hit me again full force and I was suddenly standing in front of him before I realized I had even moved. My hands frantically fluttered over him as I searched for any sign that he was injured or still in any sort of pain, his agonized screams still echoing hauntingly in my ears. I forced myself to ignore the way his solid muscles flexed underneath my hands, as if responding to my light touch, as I checked him over and started shooting questions his way. "Are you okay, Steve? Are you still in any pain? I can go get you—"
"Anna, I'm fine," Steve chuckled, reaching up and placing his hands over mine. The movement unintentionally moved my hands closer to his chest so that my palms were now pressed flat against his warm skin, and I desperately tried to distract myself from the feel of his solid chest by tilting my head back slightly so that I could look up at his face. My eyes searched his for any sign that he was lying to me and still in even the slightest hint of discomfort. I sighed in relief a moment later when I found nothing but honesty in his beautiful azure eyes, swallowing slightly as he sent me a breathtaking smile.
"Light gray," he whispered under his breath. I frowned slightly in confusion, prompting him to explain as a light blush graced his cheeks. "I always thought your eyes were stunning before, but I... I always assumed that they were that shade because of my color-blindness. I... I'm really glad they weren't."
I stood frozen for a moment, completely stunned by his words. My heart stuttered in my chest and butterflies swarmed in my stomach as I stared up at him, truly touched that my eye color had apparently been something that was important to him. Something that he had thought about before, something that had been on his mind enough for it to be the first thing he checked after the serum had just transformed him. I quickly blinked back tears, so completely in awe of this extraordinary man in front of me in that moment.
"How do you feel?" I asked softly after a long pause, reluctantly forcing myself to focus back on the task at hand as the multiple bodies moving around in my peripheral vision reminded me that we definitely were not alone.
"Taller. You have to look up at me now," he murmured quietly to me, a small smile on his face as he kept his eyes locked with mine, his hands still unconsciously covering mine on his chest.
"I've always looked up to you, Steve," I muttered in a low voice, a warm feeling sparking in my chest as his eyes noticeably softened at my words. Before I could realize what I was doing, I had turned my hands over and entwined our fingers together, raising our joined hands to my lips to place a gentle kiss against his warm skin. As I caught sight of the blush suddenly darkening Steve's face, my brain caught up to me and I quickly let go of his hands as if they had burned me, stepping back slightly and clearing my throat in embarrassment as I realized what I had just done.
I awkwardly averted my gaze and shifted as I tried to compose myself. But I wished I hadn't the moment my eyes landed on the nurse who was standing beside us, frozen in place with one of her hands clutching a shirt for Steve as she appreciatively eyed him up and down. I stepped forwards and snatched the shirt out of her hands with a hard glare, causing her to squeak and hurry away as I turned back to Steve and quickly handed him the aforementioned article of clothing.
"I did it," Steve breathed as he gratefully accepted the shirt off of me, a light blush still dusting his cheeks as he cleared his throat slightly and glanced between Abe and I with a smile.
Abe nodded with a grin. "I think we did."
"I told you both you could do it," I commented teasingly, smirking slightly when they both looked my way. "Never doubted either of you for a second."
"Apart from when you were practically trying to tear the pod apart with your bare hands," Howard snarked as he came to stand beside us. I shot him a glare, ignoring his answering wink, and blushed slightly in embarrassment as I purposely avoided Steve's gaze.
I distantly noticed Abe freezing out of the corner of my eye and turned to face him with a small frown. I opened my mouth to ask him what was wrong, but I was cut off by the deafening sound of an explosion suddenly blasting out from the empty viewing booth above us, causing screams to echo all around as everyone in the crowd scrambled to get to safety. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground with Steve's body covering mine as he protectively shielded me from the glass shards that were currently showering down all around us from the explosion.
I quickly pulled away and rose to my feet with a muttered thanks when the glass had finally settled, immediately spotting Abe as he stood and pointed to a man who was grabbing the last vial of the serum. "Stop him!"
I had just started to obligingly lunge towards the man when two gun shots suddenly blasted through the room and I froze in place. Everything seemed to slow and blur around me as I saw Abe's body jerk before he collapsed to the ground, two bullet holes in his chest staining his white lab jacket a dark red with alarming speed. Abe's body had barely hit the floor before I was dropping down to my knees beside him, frantically pressing both of my hands over his wounds as I stared down at him in fear. "Abe? Oh god, Abe. Just hold on. It's going to be alright."
He shook his head. "Believe," he choked out quietly, letting out a ragged breath with a pained grimace.
I knew without asking that he was referring to our conversation last night, that he was telling me to believe in myself. But I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want him to tell me that, not right now. It sounded too much like goodbye—and that wasn't an outcome that I was willing to accept. He was going to make it. He had to.
"No, no. You're going to be fine, Abe. You're going to be fine." I held back the tears that were threatening to fall and applied more pressure to the bullet wounds in his chest, trying to ignore the violent trembling of my hands as his warm blood coated my skin. Too much. There was too much blood. "I just need to stop the bleeding and—"
"Anna," he whispered, reaching up a hand to weakly grip my own. "It's okay."
I shook my head. "Don't you dare give up on me, Abe." He wasn't allowed to say goodbye. He wasn't allowed to leave me. "You're going to be fine. I'm going to get you through this." I turned my head slightly and glared at the small crowd gathered around us. "Why are you just standing there? Someone help! He needs to get to a hospital immediately!"
"Anna," he repeated with a cough, drawing my attention back to him as he shook his head at me and his eyes started to flutter closed. His already weak grip on my hand loosened even further.
"Abe, no. Open your eyes, come on," I softly begged, gently gripping his face with my free hand and trying desperately to ignore the smear of blood it left on his skin. His blood. There was so much. "Please. Don't leave me." The words were no more than a choked whisper, inaudible to the others in the room as I leaned over his weakening form.
His eyes fluttered open for a split-second, the barest hint of his usual grin tugging at his lips. "I'll... never leave you, Fräulein." His hand moved to rest over my heart and I covered it with my own, holding it tightly in my grip as he coughed.
"We still have to finish that bottle of Schnapps, remember?" I tried to tease lightheartedly, a half-strangled laugh escaping my throat when he chuckled weakly in response.
"Without me," he breathed quietly, the words seeming to take a huge effort for him to get out. "Special occasion."
I lifted my head ever so slightly when Steve suddenly crouched down next to us and Abe tried to offer him the barest hint of a smile. "Remember," he whispered, pointing his free hand at Steve's chest like he had last night when we were drinking. "Good... Man."
He weakly squeezed my hand with the one that was still linked with mine and his eyes fluttered closed again. "Believe," he repeated to me, squeezing my hand one last time before he let out a final breath and his body went still.
"Abe?" I whispered, not wanting to accept what my eyes were telling me. "Come on, Abe. Wake up," I desperately pleaded with him, gently shaking his unmoving form. I shook him harder and held back a sob when he didn't respond. No flinch. No flutter of his eyelids. No rise and fall of his chest. Nothing.
He was gone.
"Come on, Annie." I distantly registered Howard's voice behind me as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. I numbly allowed him to pull me away, but my horrified gaze never left Abe's unmoving body as he carefully guided me back from the crowd. We had barely made it five steps when a series of gun shots suddenly sounded from the shop above us, causing me to snap out of my pained trance as I remembered the man who had stolen the vial of serum.
The image of him shooting Abe flashed through my mind and the grief inside of me turned into pure, white-hot anger. I tensed, an almost feral snarl leaving my lips. "That son of a bitch."
I didn't think twice as I ripped myself out of Howard's grasp and bolted up the stairs and down the hallway, barely sparing a glance in the direction of the old lady's unmoving body as I dived out of the shop and onto the street before me. I jumped over the two dead agents just outside of the shop and ran out into the middle of the road as a black car accelerated past.
I caught a glimpse of the man who had shot Abe when he sent me a smug look over his shoulder as they raced past, and I felt a deadly rage flow through me as I pulled out the small gun I carried with me. My previously trembling hands were now eerily still as I raised my gun and aimed at the driver, inhaling deeply through my nose before I pulled the trigger. The black car swerved to a stop as my bullet hit the driver straight through the back of the head with deadly accuracy, causing the man who had killed Abe to quickly dive out of the car and commandeer a passing taxi.
I didn't even flinch as the bastard hit the accelerator of his stolen car and started speeding down the road straight towards me. Our eyes locked as he pushed his foot further on the accelerator whilst I cocked my head and aimed my gun at him. I let off two shots, growling under my breath when he ducked sideways and the bullets missed him by barely an inch. The thought of diving out of the way of the car briefly crossed my mind as he smirked and straightened again, the taxi within dangerously close distance to me now. But then my eyes caught sight of the blood still coating my hands and my jaw clenched in anger as I stubbornly stood my ground and aimed at him again.
He was close enough now that I wouldn't miss. I knew it.
I lined my aim up so I was pointing straight at his forehead and had just started to squeeze the trigger when, all of a sudden, a solid body slammed into my side and knocked me out of the way of the car seconds before it would have hit me. A soft groan escaped my lips as my body hit the hard ground, and I cursed under my breath as I looked over to see the bastard I had been trying to kill speeding off down the street.
I growled and turned to face the blonde who had pushed me out of the way in annoyance. "Steve! I had him!"
He shot me an apologetic look before scrambling to his feet and taking off down the road after him with almost inhuman speed, calling a quick "Sorry!" to me over his shoulder.
I sighed and clambered to my feet, slamming my fist against a parked car in anger at losing Abe's killer. I had been so close... So close...
"Agent Fahlett. Report." Colonel Phillips' voice suddenly sounded from behind me, his tone lacking its usual edge as he eyed my blood covered form with barely-concealed sympathy. I took a deep breath, smoothing out my features as I turned and gave him a half-hearted salute.
"I shot his accomplice, but the one with the serum got away, sir. Steve's chasing after him now," I reported emotionlessly, nodding my head over to the crashed getaway car further down the street. "I'll go check it out now, sir. There may be some useful information in there."
I nodded respectfully before I turned and started to walk down the street towards the vehicle. I had only taken a few steps, however, when Phillips' voice stopped me. "I can call another agent to do that if you need a moment, Agent Fahlett." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I know how close you were to Dr. Erskine."
I took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in my throat. "Thanks, but I'm fine, sir."
XxXxXx
It wasn't until later that night—when I had stumbled into his deserted lab and saw the two empty glasses on the work bench, the half bottle of Schnapps still placed in the middle, everything painfully exact as to how we had left it just last night—that I finally allowed myself to break down. I staggered forwards, tears dripping down my face as I shakily touched the surface of the workbench we had been sat at last night, pain tearing through me as the faint echo of our laughter rang in my ears.
Before I knew what I was doing, my hand grabbed one of the empty glasses on the workbench and a heart-wrenching scream ripped itself out of my throat as I flung it at the wall. I didn't even watch as the glass smashed into tiny shards and flew in every direction, I just turned and grabbed the other glass sat on the surface, throwing it across the room with another raw cry. I didn't want it. I didn't want any of it. I didn't want the reminder of them there. I didn't want the reminder that we would never sit in this lab again and toast to each other with a drink in our hands. I didn't want the reminder that he would never be coming back.
My hands shakily grabbed the last thing on the workbench and I raised my arm to throw it like the others when I paused, my tear-filled eyes catching sight of what it was. I slowly lowered my hand and stared down at it, watching my tears fall onto the smooth surface and slowly roll down the side. It was the bottle of Schnapps. The bottle from Augsburg. One of the last possessions Abe had had of his home.
"We still have to finish that bottle of Schnapps, remember?" I tried to tease lightheartedly, a half-strangled laugh escaping my throat when he chuckled weakly in response.
"Without me," he breathed quietly, the words seeming to take a huge effort for him to get out. "Special occasion."
A choked cry left my lips and I clutched the bottle to my chest, slowly falling to my knees as my legs gave out on me and my broken sobs echoed throughout the now hauntingly silent lab. The lab that we had both been laughing and drinking in just last night as we recounted tales to each other. The lab that I had always ran to whenever I needed to escape from the world. The lab that I had had to drag Abe out of more times than I could count when he constantly overworked himself. The lab that held so many fond memories for me, memories that now cut through me as sharp as a knife.
I curled up into a fetal position on the floor, ignoring the broken shards of glass scattered everywhere as I mourned for my friend, for the unfair life that had been stolen from this world too soon. I don't know how long I laid there for—it could have been seconds or it could have been hours—but, eventually, I became aware of faint footsteps echoing throughout the room before a gentle hand landed on my shoulder.
I slowly raised my head and my teary eyes locked with soft blue ones. "He's gone, Evie. He's gone," I whispered hoarsely, causing her eyes to grow glassy as she pulled me into her arms.
"I know. I know," she quietly hushed me, soothingly running one of her hands through my hair as she gently rocked us back and forth for a moment. I clutched the bottle of Schnapps tighter to my chest, unintentionally drawing Peggy's eyes down from my face. Concern tinged her expression as she eyed the blood still covering my hands and clothes. Abe's blood. Everywhere. It was everywhere.
Peggy gently pulled me to my feet with her as she stood. "Come on, Gracie. Let's get you cleaned up."
And, as I numbly watched Peggy scrub the dried blood off of my hands and arms, the tears slowly dried on my face and a steely resolve started to form inside of me. I would make the people who took him from this world suffer, no matter what. I would avenge his death. Even if it cost me my life, there was one thing I knew for certain:
Hydra would fall.
Author's Note:
So, we've finally reached the transformation! I'm kind of sad as I adore pre-serum Steve and all his awkward charm, but I'm so excited to finally get more into Steve as Captain America. I threw in a cute fluffy scene between Stanna (Aneve? Rolett? Still haven't decided) at the last minute. Hope you guys like it! (:
I have so much lined up for the next few chapters and I'm super excited about it all! Any ideas on what I have planned? ;)
Timeline
Like I mentioned last chapter: In the film Steve had the procedure on June 22nd, but I've pushed it back a day to fit more with the plot line.
Reviews
Thank you to all who favourited and followed this story! Oh, and a massive thank you to all who reviewed last chapter! That was the most reviews I have gotten so far, and it really meant a lot to me that you all took the time to leave me a comment! I love you all. :3
infinateconstellations: Thank you! I am loving the fandom so far, everyone literally seems so nice. It's a little bit daunting writing a fic for a fandom that I'm so new to, but I'm literally doing so much research to try and do it justice. :)
Jo: I'll definitely make sure I go see her soon! I'll have to have a look and see when/where she's next performing. And thank you! I am literally so touched that you wrote that. I honestly can't think of a bigger compliment and I feel so honoured that I help encourage you. Yet again your reviews have kept me going, so I have wrote a long chapter specially as a show of gratitude to you. x
SM: I was also unaware of that whole thing until I was doing some research and, by a happy coincidence, I happened to stumble across it! I found it really interesting, so I'm glad you thought so too! Thank you so much for your review and I hope you enjoy the new chapter. (:
TheNamesCocoaPuff: I know, right? I'm glad someone else agrees with me there. He is just adorable pre-serum! I was so sad that we had to say goodbye to him this chapter with the transformation (I've been trying to drag it out for as long as possible, in case it wasn't obvious, haha). And thank you! I'm glad you like Anna. I'm definitely trying to give her a separate plot-line (which will hopefully become more obvious in the next few chapters) and make her an independent character. The scenes in this chapter have brief moments where they're similar, but they should be a rare exception! Again, thank you so much for your review and I hope you like this one too!
JanaDowneyEvans: Hi! It's great to meet someone reading my story from a different country. And don't worry, your English is amazing! I wish I could say the same about my Portuguese (I'm assuming that's your first language?). Love your username, by the way! Robert Downey Jr. is amazing (and Chris Evans, of course). ;) Thank you for taking the time to leave me a review and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!
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Again, let me know how I'm doing, guys! I loved hearing all your feedback last chapter and it really motivated me to get this chapter out, even though I really struggled in parts about what to add in and what to cut. I always respond to each review so if you have any questions or theories about what's coming up then I'd love to hear them!
Until next time! x
