Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Captain America or the Avengers nor do I own anything to do with Tuck Everlasting – I've merely borrowed the characters/plot for a bit.

Riding The Wheel

Prologue

It was not the first time in their years with S.H.I.E.L.D that the brothers had received orders to report to Director Fury's nor did they think it would be the last; usually, however, they at least had an inkling as to why they were being summoned. Riding the elevator to the top, a level only accessible with the correct security codes or pass, the brothers faced each other.

"…what have you done this time?"

This was the eldest brother, solemn and resigned, as he gazed down at his younger sibling.

"Nothing!" the shorter of the two protested. "Come on, why do you always assume…"

"Because, little brother, eight times out of ten you have done something to warrant us being hauled before the Director so what is it this time? Please don't tell me you let Clint drag you into another prank war because you remember how badly that ended last time…"

"I would've won that prank war if only–"

His argument, whatever it might have been, was cut off by the doors sliding open to reveal Agent Hill, the Directors right hand woman and the third scariest woman they worked with. She'd lost out on the title to the Cavalry and the Black Widow which said something about just how terrifying the young woman was. Everyone, the brothers included, knew better than to mess with her and so dropped into silence and followed her to the Directors office.

"Sir," she murmured into her communication device. "They're here."

Almost instantaneously the door before them cracked open, the state of the art security system disengaging to allow them to enter the room a couple of steps behind Agent Hill.

It wasn't unusual to find Director Fury gazing out of the floor to ceiling glass windows that dominated the far wall of his office and so the brothers moved to stand in front of the desk, settling into the position of attention as they waited for their commanding officer to speak.

"At ease, gentlemen," he ordered them, turning away from the window and rounding the desk in one smooth motion, making his way across to stand directly in front of them. "For once neither of you have done anything to warrant my disapproval although it's still early…"

An unfamiliar voice let out a loud snort behind them, the sound quickly muffled behind a hastily muttered apology, and as one the brothers turned to look over their left shoulders.

There was no mistaking the figure stood in the corner of the room.

"Holy shi–"

This time the younger brothers voice was cut off by an elbow to the side, courtesy of his brother who disapproved of unnecessary foul language almost as strongly as their mother.

"But that's..."

"I am perfectly aware of who that is but that's no excuse for foul language."

There was a brief pause, during which Agent Hill went to speak only to be drowned out,

"…you know, I'm seeing you but I'm hearing mom…"

"Shut up, Jesse!"

"If you two have quite finished maybe I can explain the reason I summoned you here today?" Director Fury enquired, offering the brothers an arched eyebrow. "As I'm sure you're well aware the discovery of Captain Rogers body has caused something of a stir around the world. I'm also sure I don't need to express how news of his unprecedented revival is going to be received. As such it has been decided that he would benefit from having someone on hand to help him adjust to the changes brought about over the course of the last seventy years who will also be able to deal with any security threats that occur."

"…you want us to look after a national hero? Us?"

"Yes," Director Fury answered shortly even as the national hero in question winced at being referred to as such. "Captain Rogers will have many questions that you will be best suited to answer. He has requested to return to New York, specifically Brooklyn, so I'll be transferring the two of you to the New York office indefinitely and we'll provide you with an apartment."

"An apartment for me and Jesse or an apartment for all three of us?"

"I do not need babysitters around the clock," Captain Rogers protested, finally moving forwards to stand beside the two brothers. "Honestly I don't think I need them at all…"

"Captain Rogers, these Agents are probably the only people in the world that can truly understand what you're going through as well as being capable of protecting you so…"

"Understand?" he repeated incredulously. "How can then possibly understand what…"

"You've woken up in a world where everyone you knew and loved is gone," the elder brother interrupted him, his voice thick with sympathy and shared grief as his words silenced the taller man's protests. "And no matter what happens you'll never get any of them back. All you have left if pictures, if you're lucky, and memories that will fade in time."

"Miles, maybe you shouldn't…"

"You don't know how long you're going to live for, what that serum really did to you," he continued on despite his brothers soft protest. "If being frozen in the ice for seventy years after crashing a plane didn't kill you then there's a pretty good chance that nothing will. It could be that you won't age; we just don't know. What we do know is that you're the only super-soldier they were able to create so, unless you let us in, you're going to be alone."

"And how will letting the two of you babysit me make any difference?"

A sad smile blossomed on the older brothers face.

"Because we've been in your shoes," he answered softly. "This is not common knowledge, in fact only three people outside of this room are aware of what I'm about to tell you; my brother and I are much older than we appear to be. I was born in 1782, a year before the end of the Revolutionary War, and when I was twenty-four-years-old I became immortal."

"I was seventeen," Jesse added, waving as he did so. "I still am seventeen, technically."

"You're…"

"Only we didn't realise what had happened to us until it was too late," Miles pressed on as though he hadn't been interrupted, his eyes glistening with tears. "I got married, had a son. Thomas. His name was Thomas. And my wife took him away when she realised something was wrong with me, when she noticed that I wasn't ageing, when something that should've killed me didn't. She took him away and I never saw either of them again. I don't have any pictures to remember them by, we didn't have the money for that sort of thing, and now I can barely remember the sound of my sons laughter let alone what his smile looked like."

He paused, inhaling shakily as all eyes remained on him.

"You've lost everyone you knew, Captain, just as we have lost everyone we've known in the last two-hundred years," he concluded softly, a single tear escaping. "We know how much it hurts to think of them but how much worse it is to forget them. We know how angry it can make you feel. You think we haven't spent the last two-hundred years asking why us? Why did we deserve to exist forever and not some of the wonderful people we've known? The only difference between us is that you've missed seventy years of your life whereas we've existed for two-hundred-and-six years with no end in sight. So, no, you might not feel like you need a couple of babysitters but the Directors right in that we can help you to adjust."

Silence followed his emotional conclusion.

"…I don't know what to say…"

Miles offered him an apologetic smile.

"You don't have to say anything, Captain Rogers," he murmured, turning so that he and the younger man were stood face to face. It was unusual for him to find someone taller than him given his own above average height but it wasn't just the height that made the super-soldier so effortlessly intimidating; it was the sheer impressiveness of his muscles. Knowing that they had been created almost entirely by the serum did little to detract from this impressiveness. "I can't speak for my brother but I'm more than happy to help you adjust."

"Me too," Jesse piped up, offering the Captain a bright smile before focusing his attention towards Director Fury. "So back to the earlier question; do you mean an apartment for us," he paused, gesturing between himself and his brother, "or rather an apartment for us?"

This last question was accompanied by a sweeping motion that included the Captain as well.

"An apartment for the three of you," Director Fury confirmed, smirking at the face that Jesse pulled upon hearing that. "Don't worry, Agent Tuck, we'll make sure it's big enough."

"Well, then, as we're going to be sharing an apartment for the foreseeable future I suppose proper introductions are in order," Miles offered, extending his hand towards the Captain who responded by offering his own, allowing the two of the, to shake hands. "Miles Tuck."

"Steve Rogers."

"Jesse Tuck," his brother supplied his own name and hand moments later, grinning even wider than he already had been when the Captain shook his hand. "We've met before, actually, back in the Winter of '44. Bastogne. I'm sure you remember Bastogne. I've never known anyone forget it. I was in Europe with the 101st Airborne; Easy Company, 506th."

"…you were in the war?"

"Not just that one," Jesse chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he nodded towards his brother. "Before we joined S.H.I.E.L.D we volunteered for anything we could, especially if there wasn't much chance of survival; better to send someone who can't die, even if you don't know you are, than an innocent soul who can. But, yeah, I was in Europe whilst Miles was out in the Pacific with the Marines. Maybe we can share some war stories some time?"

"Jesse, that might not be…"

"I'd like that," Steve spoke over Miles with a smile. "I haven't…I haven't felt comfortable talking about the war with anyone because…well…I don't think they can understand…"

"It's different, speaking with people who were there, who experienced the same shi…stuff you did rather than speaking with something who read about it in a book," Jesse agreed, pulling his phone out of his pocket and searching through his pictures. Eventually he found the one he was looking for and turned the screen to face Steve, displaying the black and white photograph he'd taken a picture of. "You can probably spot me; shortest man in the company apart from our radioman. I was also the youngest…according to my paperwork."

"And they gave you hell because of it?"

"In training, definitely," Jesse laughed, flicking to the next photo which was a picture of him in nothing but his black PT shorts and boots trying to get away as someone poured a bucket of water over him. "But once we hit the ground in France and I proved myself not so much."

Steve nodded in understanding.

"Excellent," Director Fury announced brightly. "Agent Hill will sort out the details for you."

"If the three of you will go and pack up your things I'll have the transport sorted within the hour," the notoriously efficient Agent announced calmly, standing in the position of parade rest. "The apartment will be ready and waiting for you once you arrive in New York. It'll be fully furnished and stocked with enough food to last you a couple of days. All three of you will need to report to the New York S.H.I.E.L.D office within twenty-four hours of arrival to receive your security passes, your schedule and assignments. Captain, we will be assessing your performance before giving you any assignments rather than putting you through the Academy. Oh, and you'll also be attending therapy which is non-negotiable, understood?"

"Y-Yes, Ma'am."

"Good, then you're dismissed."

It wasn't until the brothers and Captain Rogers had left the room that she spoke again, this time turning to offer her Boss a somewhat sceptical look as she enquired dryly,

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Letting the Tucks look after Captain Rogers?"

"It was either them or Coulson and his card collection…"

Neither of them realised the true extent of the friendship they had just aided in the creation of, nor what a difference the Tuck brothers would have on the oncoming battles they faced.

A/N So this idea has been floating around in my head since I first listened to the Tuck Everlasting (musical) soundtrack whilst reading a bunch of Marvel fanfictions. It is fully planned, a rarity with my stories, but I probably shouldn't have started it with so many others already on the go…and yes, I'm aware that I say that every time I start a new fic. Please let me know if you enjoyed this and if you're interested in reading more. I haven't decided on pairings for this story yet so am definitely open to suggestions.