Lizzie had received a phone call from Sam. It had now been 6 months since her grandfather had given him the shield. He had explained that he was giving it up and placing it in the museum with all the other artifacts that had been Captain America's over the years. He wanted her to come to the ceremony, there were people he wanted her to meet. The government had found out who she was, to them she was just Steve Rogers's granddaughter, they knew nothing about her super strength.
She showed up to the ceremony and watched them place the shield in a glass cabinet. Sam gave a speech; she had been asked if she wanted too and she had declined. She still wanted to remain hidden to the world. She would keep that promise. Sam introduced her to Rhodey. They walked to where the shield was to be placed. It was next to Steve's suit. Lizzie stared at it. The shield was one thing, she grew up with it, but to see the suits were totally different. She could hear them talking behind her, but she didn't listen, she was lost in thoughts of her grandfather, and how much she missed him. They started walking around the museum, the sheer amount of information and videos about him shocked her. Rhodey said his goodbye and it was just Sam and Lizzie.
"He never brought you here?"
"Nope, he told me stories and that was it." Sam thought she looked angry when spoke next. "Why are you giving up that shield?"
"It's a heavy legacy. Big shoes to fill." Sam replied, not really looking at her and shrugging his shoulders slightly.
She turned on him then. "Don't you think I know that. He trusted you with his legacy, my legacy, my family legacy. And now it's in a glass box!"
Sam held his hands up. "Hey, look I'm doing what I think is right, for everyone."
"And you made this choice without even a phone call to me. Jesus you didn't even ring me till you had made the decision. I was an afterthought."
"You were not an afterthought! But he left that shield to me, not you."
She took a step towards him then; she could feel the anger inside her. "Fuck you Sam. You know why he didn't give me that shield."
"I do. Shit, look I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to say that."
"I know, I'm sorry too. It's just hard to see all this."
Sam placed his arm around her shoulder then. He got it, hearing stories is one thing, seeing all this is so much more. He wanted to ask her about Bucky. He hadn't heard from him and wondered if he was doing alright. They weren't friends but he mattered to Steve and he felt like he should at the very least ask after him.
"Hey, have you heard from Bucky?"
"Not for a few weeks. He went quiet on me."
Sam looked at her, her body had seemed to tense at the mention of Bucky's name. "Did something happen between you guys? You seemed to be really close."
She moved away from him and started heading to the door. He followed her and saw a guy waiting for her. He had pulled her straight into his arms and kissed the top of her head. Sam approached them.
"Sam, this is my boyfriend Dan. Dan, this is Sam."
Sam shook hands with Dan. "Nice to meet you man."
"Likewise. Hey, aren't you that Falcon guy?"
Lizzie rolled her eyes.
"I am, yer."
"Wow it's nice to meet you. How do you guys know each other?" Lizzie didn't know what to say, thank god for Sam.
"Lizzie has helped out a few friends of mine."
She smiled at Sam. "So you knew the big guy? He seemed like a great guy."
"He really was. He has left some amazing things behind in this world."
"We'll have to come here one day and look round?"
Lizzie just nodded. "Hey babe, can I meet you in the car?"
"Of course." He kissed her cheek and left. Sam laughed.
"What's funny?"
"You're dating that guy?" He asked as he nodded in the direction of Dan's retreating form.
"Yes, he's nice and normal."
"Fair enough. He didn't recognise Steve. Has he not seen the picture in your house?"
"He's never set foot in my house. We stay at his."
Sam's eyebrows shot to his hairline when she said this. "What do you tell him?"
"That his place is nicer than mine and closer to the city. He never questions it."
"You'll have to tell him one day?"
"Maybe." She shrugged, still undecided as to whether she wanted anything long term out of this.
"Well I have a few things to do at the base, best get going." Sam hugged her. "See you soon."
"Yeah. Goodbye Sam."
…..
She had just got home from work; it had been a week since the shield had been handed over. She was tired, she was meant to be meeting Dan for dinner, but felt like she should cancel. She just wanted to sleep. She had been making up for things with Dan, ever since her night with Bucky, she had been really trying to be a nice normal girlfriend. He kept asking about coming over to her house, he only ever saw the front door, she was thinking about taking down some of the family photos but every time she tried, she couldn't.
She was putting her scrubs into the washer, thinking about what to wear tonight and what to pack to take with her, when there was a knock at the door. As she opened it, she saw the military uniforms.
"Miss Rogers."
"Dr Rogers, and yes can I help you?"
"Can I come in; we have something to discuss."
She stepped aside and watched as the two men stepped into her living room. She shut the door and made her way to them. She didn't offer them seats, she just stood with her arms folded across her chest. "So what can I do for you gentlemen?"
"We were hoping to bring you to a training ground. There is something we want to show you."
She eyed them both, they couldn't know about her. Sam wouldn't say a word. "Do you mean right now?"
"If you wouldn't mind, we have a car outside waiting."
"Ok, just let me grab a jacket and I just need to let my boyfriend know I won't be making dinner."
She headed to her bedroom, she pulled on her denim jacket, and rang Dan. He didn't pick at first, so she left him a voicemail and headed out, both men were now standing by the car. She got in and they started driving.
They arrived at a military training ground, the door was open for her and she stepped out. "Why am I here?"
Without answering they ushered her towards the field across from where they had parked. She spotted that there were several targets set up and someone stood in the middle of them holding her grandfather's shield. She didn't realise at that moment that she was clenching her fists until he stood in front of her, hand out waiting for her to shake it. No such luck for him as Lizzie spun around to look at the others. "What the hell is going on?!"
"John Walker, madam. It's an honour to meet you." He stepped around her so that she was once again facing him and again he held out his hand.
Lizzie didn't take his hand; she didn't even look at him. She couldn't, she was too angry. "Why the hell is he holding that shield?!" It took everything she had not to pull that shield off his arm.
"The world is still trying to rebuild after the blip. The country, the world, needs a symbol of hope. They need someone to get behind. People need to know everything is going to be ok." One of the suits said. "John here has been tested and he scores high on everything. He's one of the best this country has to offer. He will be our new Captain America."
Lizzie stared in disbelief at the men in front of her. Her nails were digging into her hand.
"It will be an honour to carry on your grandfather's legacy. Steve was a great man. A true hero. He will never be forgotten for what he did for his country. I will honour this shield."
"Show her what you can do John."
Lizzie couldn't speak, she was beyond angry, she was ready to hit something. She watched as John threw the shield. He was playing at being her grandfather. He could never fill those shoes.
She turned back to the suits, she didn't care that these guys were high up in the military, they were about to get a piece of her mind. "Why him?"
They looked at her like she had two heads like her opinion on this didn't matter, but this was her family legacy. "He's the best the military has to offer right now. He will…."
"He isn't, what about Sam Wilson. My grandfather gave him that shield, he chose him to be this symbol of hope."
"We didn't feel like Sam was the right fit, that shield belongs to us, it is after …"
She got right in their faces then. "That shield belongs to my family. And if you're gonna go there, Howard Stark made the first one! And this one was made in Wakanda, so it belongs to them. The government has no hold over that shield."
"The Sokovia Accords means we can repurpose any of the avenger's weapons."
John came to stand by her then, she looked him up and down. He was nothing like Steve.
"I'd love to see you march into Stark industries and take Tony's armour."
No one spoke, she was right, they wouldn't dare walk into that situation. They signalled for John to go and do everything again. "Just watch him, see what he can do, I know this must be hard and upsetting to watch and to see someone else with that shield, but please just stand and watch him."
Lizzie turned her back on them then, she watched him throw the shield at targets, he wasn't' bad with it, but it still angered her to see how easily they wanted to replace her grandfather. All of a sudden, a wave of anger came over her, she jumped and grabbed the shield. She heard the gasps. John started walking towards her, he made a grab for the shield and she swung herself and it out of the way.
"Dr Rogers, would you please give him the shield back."
"No, you said he is worthy of this shield. Well I grew up with it, I used to play with it in the garden. My grandfather trained me, taught me how to defend myself. You tell me he is worthy of this shield, then he can prove it against me."
John looked over at the suits. They nod at him; he approaches her again. He made a half-hearted lunge for the shield. "I don't feel comfortable fighting you."
"Grow a pair. I'm tougher than I look." With that she swung the shield at him, he managed to duck out of her way. She threw it then, bouncing it off the same targets he had, and it came round and hit him in the back.
He dropped, then rolled and picked the shield up. Ok, so she wanted a fight, fine! John threw the shield then at her, she caught it like it was nothing, she didn't lose her balance or move.
"You're gonna have to try a lot harder than that." She throws the shield at him and it hits him square in the chest sending him skidding backwards, she runs at him then leaving him no time to recover, they get into a fist fight with the shield being boomeranged between them. She took him on blow for blow, he was tiring, she wasn't. He dropped his guard and the shield, and she punched him straight in the face, he fell to his knees. She picked the shield up and walked towards the suits.
"He doesn't deserve this." She dropped the shield to her feet; it was resting on her legs.
"You seem to have more skills than you let on."
"Not really, I was born an army brat, and raised by an avenger. You pick up a few things."
"It looks like. I've never seen anyone move and have that kind of strength since your grandfather or Sergeant Barnes."
Shit, her anger had got in the way and they had noticed she was more than she claimed to be. She went to pick up the shield from her feet. And was stopped by John's hand on her shoulder. She pushed him, sending him and the shield flying across the grass. They knew then, she had super strength. Lizzie ran then, the serum running through her veins pushing her harder and faster. She couldn't go home, and she couldn't go to Dan's, they would know to look for her in both of those places. She had no idea where to go. She had run to just outside of the city when she stopped. There was only one place, one person she could go too, she had to go to Bucky.
…
Bucky arrived back at his apartment just as the sun was setting, as he walked down the corridor, he could see someone sitting at his door. Their hood was pulled up over their head while resting it on their knees. She looked up at him as he got nearer, it was Lizzie, her face was tear stained, puffy and red. He pulled her up and opened his door. She looked round, there wasn't much in there. She heard him shut the door.
"Lizzie, what are you doing here?"
She pushed her way into his arms, he wrapped them around her and for the first time in months she felt completely safe, she felt like she was home. She finally looked up at him, he moved the hair out of her face.
"I did something really stupid."
Bucky rested his hand on her cheek. "Did you finally break up with that Chad you have been dating? Cos that wouldn't be stupid."
She smiled up at him shaking her head, he knew how to cheer her up. Lizzie finally pulled out of his arms and took a seat on the couch. Bucky sat down next to her.
"So what did you do?"
"I may or may not have knocked a government issue army dickhead on his ass!"
Bucky gave her a look. She told him the whole story, John, the shield, the fight. How they would be looking to ask her questions. She started to cry again then, he pulled her to him.
"Everyone my grandfather put in place, everything, I wrecked it all because I couldn't control my temper. They know about me. They know I'm like you and him."
"You did nothing wrong. Think I might have kicked him on his ass too."
"I just can't believe they want that man to replace my grandfather. I mean, it makes it seem like everything he did can be easily wiped away. They are handing over the title like it means nothing."
Bucky pulled her face up then with his hand. "What he did, everything he did, does not mean nothing." He kissed her forehead. "The world might move on, but they won't forget what he did and as for that shield well...it always finds its way into the right hands in the end."
End of chapter 3