Plopping down onto her bed for the night, Brooklyn pulled out her SHIELD tablet from her duffel bag and searched for Steve Rogers's file. She scrolled through everything the SSR had on Steve in the forties, what his friends said about him after he crashed, and what SHIELD had discovered about him over the past two days since finding him.

Her hazel eyes scanned the screen as she read every report from every mission Captain Steven Grant Rogers ever led. She memorized the way he moved, the way he spoke, until the stars began to fade, and the sun started to break over the horizon. She yawned, looking at her clock to see it was already five-thirty. She'd be collected for her briefing with Fury in a half hour, giving her just enough time to shower and get dressed for the day.

While she sudsed up her greasy hair, Brooklyn thought about what she'd seen. The thing that struck her most was how uncomfortable he seemed on the USO stage compared to the battlefield. He wasn't a performer, an actor. Steve wasn't even a soldier; he was just a good man and a great fighter.

As she rinsed the soap from her locks, Brooklyn realized he wouldn't be fooled by seduction or games. The only way to get Steve to let her in was to be honest, kind, and patient. He thrived when he was in control of the room and didn't follow orders well. If Brooklyn wanted to keep Steve Rogers out of trouble, she was going to need to let him think he was calling the shots.

She turned off the water and toweled off, changing into her SHIELD uniform, and pulling her hair back into a sleek ponytail. She chose to forgo the makeup, knowing Steve would find her less threatening as a faceless agent than as a siren luring him into submission. It was a very different mission than what Brooklyn was used to, but she felt confident in her abilities.

At 5:59, she swung the door open and practically ran into her friend Jasmine, a slim blonde who would be accompanying her to the Retreat. "You ready?"

"I'm always ready." Brooklyn answered as Jasmine looked around, then leaned in close to her friend's ear as Brooklyn whispered, "Hail Hydra."

Jasmine grinned, turning, and guiding Brooklyn towards the elevators as her blonde hair flowed behind her. She called the elevator and motioned for Brooklyn to enter before joining her. When the doors slid open, Jasmine positioned herself just inside the hallway as Brooklyn saw herself into Nick Fury's office. As expected, he was already waiting for her.

"Agent Hayes. Did you sleep well?"

"I was busy doing research for the mission, Sir." Brooklyn took a seat across from Nick Fury. He slid the file across the table, and she opened it to see her mission. She swallowed, shifting her jaw, "You want him for the Avengers Initiative? I didn't realize that was still happening."

"He would round out the team. He'd be a leader, which is something the team desperately needs."

"Who else are you looking into?" Brooklyn asked as she scanned her responsibilities, seeing Fury wanted Steve to be adept at using a range of SHIELD's newest devices as well as up to date on the most advanced fighting techniques. It seemed like Fury wanted a robot, not a Captain. "Director, he's been conscious less than a day, are you sure we should be prepping him to lead a team?"

"It's what he does. He's Captain America. That's your job. Get him up to date, make him feel comfortable. You said you were up for the challenge." Fury taunted and Brooklyn clenched her teeth together.

"I am, Director Fury."

"Then follow orders. Your mission is explicitly written in front of you. Get him ready. The world depends on it." Fury answered bleakly, pulling the file back and replacing it with another one. "This is what he thinks you're doing. Don't be afraid to share this part of it."

Brooklyn nodded, seeing Fury's real list included things like history lessons and modern pop culture references. She was a double agent from both sides, "I won't let you down, Director Fury."

"Great. I hope you don't."

By the time Mason and Jasmine landed the quinjet at the Retreat, Brooklyn Hayes was beginning to panic. Steve left the jet first and stared at his new home as Brooklyn lingered behind with her friend.

Jasmine grabbed Brooklyn roughly by the arm and tugged her close, "If that maniac so much as lays a hand on you, I'll kill him myself."

"I'll be fine, I promise. I've juggled more than three missions before." She winked at Jasmine and the blonde let her go, glaring at Steve as he turned to Brooklyn. When Steve saw Jasmine's disdain for him, he dropped his gaze to the dirt, kicking his boot on a rock to clean the mud off that Brooklyn had stepped in. "Go, I'm fine." Brooklyn hissed playfully as she shoved Jasmine back toward the quinjet to leave her alone with Steve.

They watched the jet take off together, but then Brooklyn was ready to get to work. She had a lot to do. She had to prime Steve to become a top SHIELD operative, while simultaneously making him feel comfortable and welcome in a world he clearly didn't want any part of.

All Brooklyn could imagine was him climbing out of his seat in the Valkyrie to lay down and drown, knowing it would all be over soon and accepting it. If his heartbroken expression today was any indication, Steve wished he hadn't survived.

Brooklyn breathed slowly through her nose, forcing forward her best smile, "So, what do you think?"

"It's quiet." Steve answered curtly, "Isolated."

"That's kind of the point. Come on, let's go inside." Brooklyn motioned towards the cabin as she drug her bags through the dirt up to the front door. She untangled the keys, praying she didn't make an ass out of herself and use the wrong one. She needed to show Steve that she was competent and friendly, and that he could confide in her. If she didn't gain his trust in her ability to take care of him, she'd have a hell of a time as his handler.

Brooklyn exhaled slowly through her lips as she turned the key, but the door wouldn't open. She rolled her eyes; glad Steve couldn't see her agitated expression as she leaned her weight against the door. Camping outside probably wasn't high on Captain America's list of fun adventures after spending two years fighting in World War II. Brooklyn had hoped she could at least offer him a bed. "It's stuck!"

Much to her dismay, Steve reached around her and grabbed the doorknob. Brooklyn hadn't really paid much attention to how massive Steve's hands were, and she was simultaneously scared and turned on at the thought of him wrapping it around her neck. He twisted the knob and used his other hand to pop open the door with ease. Brooklyn breathed in sharply, twisting her lips in frustration for looking weak, but she could be playful or frustrated, and only one of those attributes would make the man more comfortable. She cocked her hip and placed her hand on her waist, trying to appear cute, "Show off."

"Yeah, I get it, I'm strong. Let's go inside." Steve grumbled, and Brooklyn deflated as he grabbed her bag along with his and strode past her. Her attempt to tease him backfired, so she'd have to find a different route. Clearly Mason's dig about him not feeling how heavy his bag was had gotten to his head.

Steve seemed to study their new home with slight interest, scanning over the decorations on the walls and the appliances near the door. Brooklyn hadn't considered that Steve probably couldn't cook, especially not with modern appliances. Not that she could consider the Retreat's appliances modern. She'd started a small kitchen fire on the stove last time she'd come up with Jasmine, and they'd ended up eating s'mores for dinner by the lakeside.

His gaze seemed to linger at the bedroom door, and Brooklyn was almost certain he'd offer her the bed, but she'd decided the moment she heard they were sending Steve to the Retreat that she'd make the sofa her home. After everything Captain America had done in the name of what he thought was right, she wasn't about to let him sleep on the couch, or, God forbid if he was too tall, the floor.

"Is there only one bedroom?"

There it is, she thought.

Brooklyn rattled on about taking the couch, assuring Steve she'd be fine. He seemed somewhat concerned for her, and she hoped that was a sign he was warming up to her. She wanted him to be happy, she wasn't a monster. She just knew that SHIELD wasn't doing enough to stop the chaos in the world. Hydra offered her more than SHIELD ever could. With Hydra, she could make sure nobody would ever suffer the way she did ever again. Nick Fury believed in heroes, but his precious heroes were nowhere to be found when she needed them.

She unpacked her suitcase in silence to get to her laptop and books, thinking about the day she got the call her parents had died in that car crash. Wasn't important enough for superheroes. She looked down at the book in her hand, realizing it was the book on Steve, "So, uh, computers are a thing." She stammered, standing quickly, and placing her books on the shelf, hoping he wouldn't notice which ones she'd brought. She took her computer to the kitchen table and tried to explain how the internet worked, but the more she explained, the more frustrated Steve looked.

Of course he's frustrated, he must feel so lost and alone.

She offered to buy groceries and didn't consider for a moment that he might want to go out in the world with her. He'd sprinted to Times Square, but Brooklyn was sure he hadn't spoken to anybody. She began to panic, knowing Director Fury left strict instructions for her to keep Steve at the compound for at least a week until she knew he could be trusted around civilians. His expression broke her heart when she told him he couldn't go.

As Brooklyn prepared to leave, she had an idea, "What do you like to do? Like, for fun?"

She knew Steve went to art school, and SHIELD had kept his old journal from his time traveling with the USO. The pages had been scanned into SHIELD's database, and she realized he liked to doodle more than write. She'd requested a sketchpad and pencil set be left in the van, but if she could get him to admit he enjoyed it, it would make her look more caring and less like a manipulative agent who studied his file for twelve hours straight.

"For fun?" He asked nervously, and Brooklyn tried to encourage him with a gentle smile, seeing him start to clam up, "I went to the pictures. Sometimes I'd go on dates, but those weren't really fun." He paused, and Brooklyn hoped he would give her something she could work with. Having a movie screen delivered wasn't out of the realm of her powers, but that would most likely freak him out. And who was he supposed to date? Her? His babysitter?

"I like to draw." He finally said, and Brooklyn couldn't help the smile that grew on her face. "Oh yeah? You any good?" She asked sincerely, trying to sound both surprised and interested. Steve nodded, but didn't say anything else, but Brooklyn was happy he'd opened up, even if it was just a tiny bit. "Okay, thanks. I'll see you soon."

Thanks? Thanks for what? Being mildly interesting? Brooklyn chastised herself as she walked out the door. She leaned against the wooden door of the secure facility, looking up at a tree that she knew held a camera before plodding down the road towards the SHIELD van.

When she arrived, she unlocked the van and climbed into the driver's seat, but Jasmine was already sitting in the passenger's seat waiting for her, "About time. What took so long? Did you fuck him before you left?"

"No, Jasmine. I didn't." Brooklyn reached under the visor to grab a miniature crowbar and pop open the dash. She took the scissors Jasmine handed her and snipped two the wires before speaking candidly, "No more ears."

"At least not in our corner of the world." Jasmine tapped on the screen between them, bringing up video footage of the Retreat cabin. They watched as Steve checked every cabinet and drawer before running his fingers along the walls, "He's a smart one, isn't he? He's looking for cameras."

"I saw that he'd ripped the wallpaper out of his room at SHIELD." Brooklyn murmured as she watched him search, "He rightfully assumes he's being watched."

Jasmine spared a glance at Brooklyn, "You feel bad for him, don't you?"

"Of course I feel bad for him. He slept his entire life away. Almost everyone he knew is dead, except for the girl he was crazy about. The one in his compass." Brooklyn had seen the war footage and cross referenced with the piece they found near him in the ice. "He'll be devastated."

"Maybe he'll kill himself."

"Jasmine!" Brooklyn squeaked, but the blonde just rolled her eyes, "My job is to keep him out of trouble, not kill him."

"Would be easier to just kill him. Sneak a little something into his steak dinner and you get two months paid vacation."

Brooklyn shook her head, leaning her elbow against the window to hold her cheek, "He's sweet. I want to turn him."

"To Hydra? You want to convince Captain America to join the very thing he died to destroy? He'll kill you the moment he realizes what you are, you know that right? I thought he was going to kill you today, and all you did was ask him questions."

"I pushed him, he reacted. He's suffering from a traumatic experience. Plus, if I kill him, Nick Fury will notice, and Hydra will throw me to the wolves. I'll be good as dead. The only way I get out of this in one piece is to play all the sides. Fury wants me to train him to lead the Avengers while simultaneously make him think I'm just here to help him adjust, meanwhile, Pierce wants me to keep him out of the way." Brooklyn twisted her ponytail as she watched Steve begin to unpack his suitcase, "I got this. He's like a sad puppy. Worst case I spend several weeks cooking and cleaning up after him like a fifties housewife while he ignores me. Best case, I have Captain America wrapped around my little finger."

"Mmhhmm." Jasmine hummed as she looked at her watch, "I've got your groceries in the back. How much time do you think you want to wait?"

"About an hour. Give him some time alone." Brooklyn murmured as Steve looked through her books, eventually picking up her Captain America biography. "Did you get the sketchpad?"

"Yeah. Got a cheap one. I didn't want you to look too desperate."

"I'm just trying to do something nice. It'll keep his mind off everything and speed up his recovery time. He's struggling."

Jasmine rolled her eyes and leaned back against the seat, "Yeah, you've mentioned that."

Brooklyn felt her cell phone ringing in her pocket and pulled it out, seeing Nick Fury calling, "It's the Director." She muttered as she answered, "Hello, Sir."

"How was your flight?"

Brooklyn looked to Jasmine, who just looked at her phone and chewed her fingernails, ignoring her friend's conversation. "It was okay. He's tense, but I'm working on it. I'm going shopping for groceries. He's back at the Retreat."

"So, I see." Fury answered and Brooklyn looked to Jasmine as he continued, "Don't forget your mission, Agent Hayes. Find a way to pique his interest. I expect an update on Wednesday."

"Yes, Sir." Brooklyn answered firmly and hung up, letting out the breath she was holding. "Great. Awesome."

"I have arsenic in my purse."

"Yes, I'm sure you do."

Jasmine just shrugged and opened the door, "All I'm saying is, if he's going to make your life difficult, choose the right side. Pierce is going to put a bullet in his pretty little head anyway once Insight launches. The only difference is whether or not he puts a bullet in yours."

Brooklyn didn't answer as her friend walked away to rejoin Mason and head back to SHIELD. She just chewed on her bottom lip and watched as Steve read about his own life, noticing how his eyes would widen and his lip would quiver as his eyes moved back and forth, reading the pages at lightning speed.

The double agent felt a pain in her neck, reminding her that both SHIELD and Hydra would always find her. If she'd had any ideas about running away at one point, it wasn't an option anymore.

She let Steve read another forty-five minutes before driving the van back to the Retreat. She parked it beside the building, hidden away but close enough to reach if she needed to. Brooklyn wasn't planning an escape, but she wanted to be prepared for one anyway.

She picked up all the grocery bags from the back and paused when she reached a blue paper bag from a specialty store. She grinned as she peeked inside, seeing a plain white sketchbook and a set of art pencils. She hoped Steve would be pleased.

Brooklyn decided to leave her surprise and take the food in first, hopefully getting Steve's mind off his reading enough to engage in conversation with her. "I'm back!" She called, knowing full well he was right in front of her. When he looked up at her with weepy blue eyes she balked, and when she realized he was breathing heavily she panicked, "What's wrong?" Brooklyn deposited her grocery bags and practically dove toward him, stopping a few feet away to give him space in case he responded with anger.

She scanned him quickly, realizing he was borderline hyperventilating, perhaps having a panic attack. Brooklyn should have expected it, because he was reading his own story through everyone else's eyes, and he clearly wasn't taking it well.

"It's just- I just can't believe that this was so long ago." Steve cleared his throat in an effort to hide the fact his voice had broke, but Brooklyn just stared at him, feeling as helpless as he looked, "To me, this feels like yesterday, but I'm history."

Brooklyn knelt in front of him and grabbed the book tightly, wanting to rip it out of his hands and throw it in the fireplace to burn later. She knew she was walking a tightrope and there would be blood on the floor, but for now, she had to help this miserable soldier in front of her. "You're a part of it. And you can be a part of it again if you'd like. I've read this book, and I'm sure a lot of it is wrong. Only you know the truth." She pointed to the cover, staring at Steve as he stared at his own face staring back. Brooklyn could barely see the resemblance. The person in front of her was lost and broken, and it was her job to simultaneously put him back together but keep him from reaching his former glory.

"But this is my legacy. It doesn't seem real, I'm just one man."

Agent Hayes lost her balance and leaned too far back, crashing onto her ass and startling Steve. She smiled when she realized he'd tried to catch her, but he quickly retracted his hands and leaned back into the couch, setting the book to the side. Brooklyn fought with her feelings, knowing she shouldn't be sad he hadn't laid his hands on her. He seemed to push aside whatever feelings the book had stirred in him, because he changed the subject abruptly. "You need help with the food?"

"Yes! Actually, that would be nice." Hayes said, seeing an opportunity to show off her skills. She leaned onto her upper back and used her hands to push herself to her feet, turning to see Steve gazing at her with unrestrained interest. Brooklyn beamed, knowing this was what Fury wanted Steve Rogers to be- an agent- just like her. "Like that? I'll teach you someday."

Brooklyn turned away after he nodded so she could get her groceries unpacked, needing to make sure the food didn't spoil. She sorted everything into little piles, hoping Steve could put the food away while she snuck out to get his sketchbook.

When she returned, she wasn't expecting to find Steve gawking over a Hershey's bar, "You can just buy these now?" He asked in awe, and Brooklyn had to fight back the giggle that bubbled in her chest.

"Yeah." She said as she walked up behind him, biting her bottom lip as she studied his broad shoulders. "Do you like them?"

"I only had one once. It was a big deal. They'd give them to the soldiers." Steve told her before he turned to her fully, and she grinned as he noticed her hands behind her back. "What's that?"

She produced the blue bag, holding it out by the handles for Steve, "I can't bring in a movie theater, and I can't do much in terms of getting you a date after one day. That being said, this seems like a really good place to sketch."

Steve opened his present and Brooklyn held her breath as he studied the sketchbook and pencils before speaking quietly, "Agent Hayes… thank you. It's been a long time."

"Yeah." She replied, trying to figure out how to respond. Brooklyn assumed this was the first thing he'd been given since waking up in the ice that he actually appreciated, and it made her smile. After gazing at the tall man for a few seconds, she shook herself back to reality. "I'll make lunch. Take some time. I want to see if you're any good." She shooed him away, partly because she wanted him to enjoy his gift, but mostly because she'd been basking in his presence for too long and she needed a moment to get her head on straight.

She caught Steve glancing back as she started the stove, careful not to catch anything on fire again. As the door clicked, Brooklyn relaxed and ran the tap water, filling herself a glass and chugging it as she watched Steve through the window. She grabbed several pork chops out of the fridge, knowing his metabolism would burn four times faster than the average human's. Brooklyn was thankful SHIELD was footing the bill because he'd eat her out of house and home if not.

As she fumbled her way through making lunch, she pushed open the window and breathed in the fresh air, sneaking a peek at Steve Rogers as he sketched by the side of the lake.