October 9th: Two ways

(Rated K)

It was already getting dark already on that October 31st. Most of the children who were still walking the streets were on their way home with their bags full of candy. At the edge of Central Park Steve Rogers was sitting on a bench watching the people. The children started mixing with young people on their way to the bars and clubs of Manhattan. The streetlamps switched on as the last rest of the daylight disappeared completely. Steve quickly glanced at his clock before standing up again. By now Tony should have left for some party with Pepper and the others were up to whatever they wanted to do. He wasn't a fan of Halloween-parties for adults so he had decided to leave the tower so they couldn't drag him along eventually.

The moment he started walking a young girl ran past him and stumbled. She fell down and started crying while trying to recollect the candy she had gotten from her trick-or-treating-tour. She was wearing a Captain-America-costume. Steve immediately caught up with her and knelt down to help her. Startled because of the bigger hands next to her little ones the girl stopped and looked at the stranger with wide eyes. Steve grabbed the last hand of candy and put it back into her bag. Now he was checking on the girl: „Are you okay?"
The girl stared at him in disbelieve. She even stopped crying: „You… you… you are Captain America."

Steve smiled and helped the girl stand up: „Yes… but without that suit, I am only Steve. What's your name?"
She ran her hands over her cheeks to brush away the tears: „A… Annica."
Steve nodded: „Nice to meet you, Annica. How old are you?"
Annica nervously looked down on her candy: „Seven…"

Steve crouched down to see the girl's face: „You are a little young to walk at night by yourself. Where are your companions?"
Annica's face reddened a little as she started speaking: „I went for candy with Danny and Mira and her mommy… and we met Luca and he was so mean to me, so I ran away."
Steve waited a little before answering: „What did he say?"
Annica's eyes watered again: „He… he told me I couldn't be Captain America because I'm a girl and girls can't be superheroes."

Steve put a hand on her shoulder: „Don't believe that. You should not even listen when people tell you that. My friend Natasha is the toughest person I know. She is the Black Widow and she is a superhero."
Annica now faced him: „But… I always want to cry when people are mean…"
Steve smiled again: „Always remember one thing, Annica. There are two ways in life. You can go the easy way and believe what they tell you. You can stay silent and not talk about it again. You can stop doing the things, that are important to you because it is easy. If you chose the hard way, however, you will be criticized and people will tell you to move. But you won't move because it is important. So don't care about that kid telling you, you can't be a hero. You can be anything you want if you work for it."

Annica started smiling: „No one ever told me that I was right in not giving in… mommy said it's better to not talk back too much."
Steve nodded: „I am sure your mom is a wonderful person, but giving up is not always the right thing to do. Sometimes it can be, but if you really believe in something, it is not the right thing to give up."
Tightening the grip on her bag Annica started fidgeting: „I… I don't know where Mira and her mommy are."
Steve smiled and took her by the hand: „Where do you live? I can walk you back to your mommy."
Annica gave him her bracelet. Steve took it from her and read the lettering. It was the girl's name and her address. Steve stood up without letting go of the child's hand: „Okay. It is not far away. We will be there in 15 minutes."
Annica was looking relieved and waited for him to start walking. Steve smiled and took off in the direction of a collection of huge apartment buildings. He adjusted his pace to Annica's.
Soon they reached the complex and Steve looked at the bracelet again to be sure about the number. He led Annica over to one of the buildings and rang the bell with the kid's last name on it. Moments later a disbanded woman's voice answered through the intercom: „Hello? Who's there?"
Steve cleared his throat before speaking: „Hello, ma'am. I am taking your daughter home. Say hello to your mom, Annica."
Annica spoke up as he told her to: „Hello, mommy!"
The woman exhaled audibly: „Oh thank God." She immediately hit the button to unlock the door and Steve opened it. He walked up the stairs with the girl, but the woman was already running down to meet them on the way. She clasped her daughter in her arms immediately: „Honey… I was so worried. Mira's mom called me that you ran away and she lost you on the way."

Annica tried to get away: „Mommy… not in front of Captain America…"
The woman slowly let go of her daughter and looked at the man accompanying her confused: „Oh my… what a coincidence."
Steve smiled and greeted her: „You have a wonderful daughter." He also handed her the bracelet: „This is a really good idea. Everyone should do it."

The woman nodded and smiled: „Thank you for helping Annica… I am sorry for the bother."
Steve smiled too: „She is not a bother." He crouched down and faced Annica again: „I have to go now, kid… remember what I told you. You are a great person."
Annica nodded and hugged him briefly: „Thank you so much…"
Annica's mother looked Steve in the eye as he rose again: „I am sorry to detain you, but can I take a photo of you and her? –For her friends."
Steve nodded and posed for the photo with the girl. After they said goodbye again Steve left the building and started walking to the tower. He smiled to himself while thinking about what had just happened. Halloween was not so bad after all.