Author's note:

Disclaimer: If you can google it and find at least 20 pages of it, or recognize it, then quite obviously, I do not own it.

Bitter Coffee Chapter Twenty-six

Five days. Five boring days of watching the man sleep and Serena was ready to start playing darts in the man's false room when the 'nurse' hastily donned her disguise, grabbed her props, and went towards the room.

Grinning, Serena slid up to the door and shamelessly started to eavesdrop. It was like being a kid against and trying to figure out if her -

Violently, Serena shook her head and stomped down the well of grief and regret and self-hate. She reached out towards Stormwing through their bond, desperate to confirm that she still had someone from those happier times.

The answering, soothing confirmation came in the form of understanding-reassurance-fondness-and-affection-and-'pleasedon'tcry'. It was better than a bug, but nothing would ever replace a physical reassurance. Knowing in her very mind and with a sliver of her soul that Stormwing was very much alive was the next best thing. Somedays, no most days, it was better than the physical reassurance.

Taking a deep breath, Serena focused on the task at hand. The voices were slightly muffled, and the recording was still playing, but…

Play time! She cheered, sending that to Storm before she got up and shoved the door open.

They both whirled to face her and Serena gave Agent Nurse - what was her name? - a bored look. "You know, you suck at being a nurse." Serena jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. "Shoo, tell your puppy you need more lessons while I do your job." Agent Nurse - that was probably better than her actual name - glared darkly at her and stormed out of the room.

"Who are you?" Serena smiled at the confused, wary, and definitely suspicious man on the bed.

"I'll get to that in a minute." Walking over to the doctor's small wheely-chair, Serena plopped down on it. "I'm Serena, Serena B, and yes, that is my name." Because she could, Serena spun herself on the chair. "Any other questions? I swear I won't lie, if only because it'd be counterproductive." She was starting to think Fury appointed her as 'back up plan' because of her habit of being blunt.

"Where am I? How long have I…?" He gestured to the bed and even if he hadn't, serena would have still known what he was asking.

"Good ol' America, specifically New York. Don't ask for anything specific, I still get confused and lost." And she did. It happened when you grew up not really knowing or understanding city or county sizes and boundaries. "As for the second question, it'll be hard to believe." Serena looked at him. "But I need to know what the last thing you remember is. That'll tell me where I have to start for any other question you'll have."

He didn't look as wary now, but there was still caution on his face. "Crashing into the ocean after stopping Red Skull."

Serena rubbed her face. "Well then… okay, do you want blunt or sugar coated?"

"Blunt." Now he was nervous.

"Seventy years. Seven-zero years." Serena gestured towards the radio. "That was supposed to put you at ease, and the room was designed to be familiar, but since you saw through it, the idea of easing this bit of news onto you kinda fell apart." Just a little bit.

"That can't be true." Serena could hear the naked disbelief and see the denial in his eyes. Both, also, held slight shock.

"If you're up for it, I can take you outside." Serena could understand what he was feeling. After all, hadn't she felt the same when she had been taken to Camp Half-Blood for the first time?

Everything seemed to be replaced with determination and Serena had to smile. If he kept that determination level, he would be able to see this through. "Can you stand? Or would you rather I bring a wheelchair?"

Personally, Serena was hoping he opted to stand. Not to be mean, but because she needed him to keep that spirit of his, to not bow to what looked like a friendly face. That, and it would be best if he saw his new world standing on his own two feet.

The man didn't disappoint. In fact, it pleased her more than she could say when there was just the slightest tint of defiance in both his eyes and the set of his mouth. Yes, he would find a way to settle in this new world.

"I'll stand." And he pushed himself to his feet. To his credit, he barely stumbled.

"This way. You'll have to do without shoes this time. We weren't expecting you to want to move around." Personally, if she had been frozen for seventy years, moving would be the only thing she'd want to do.

Serena led him out of the room, forcing herself to keep to a slow walk. Modern technology did wonders, but she wasn't going to push the man's luck. As it was, she walked close enough to him to force him to stay near the wall, just in case he stumbled.

The agents they passed stared at him and, respectfully, stepped away so that they could both pass. A few even stopped and saluted him. Serena turned her head to look at him. He was a bit relaxed now, his eyes more alert, and he was nodding his acknowledgement to the former soldiers saluting him.

"You're a hero." Serena could see the well hidden confusion. "After you stopped the Red Skull, the war ended fairly quickly. Without their leader and the main source of power for their weapons, Hydra had to go under. Hitler lost half his arm and committed suicide within a year." Serena was grossly summing things up, but that was the basic gist of events after he disappeared.

She could see Fury now and ignored him. Instead, Serena stopped in front of one of the few, non-glass doors. "Last chance." The stubborn, but determined, jut to his chin was enough of an answer.

Opening the doors, Serena took a step to the side and watched the man as he stepped into his new reality.