A few hours later Steve found himself sat at a table spinning an empty paper cup round and round in front of him. Bruce Banner was still running his tests and Steve found himself not being able to focus on anything else. He felt sick to his stomach.
"I've found it!" Bruce said as he ran into the room with a stack of papers, tablets and a flask of coffee in his hands. Throwing the papers down on the table he sifted through for the one he needed and then started reading from it quickly, Steve coming to stand beside him. "Doctor Faustus," he started.
"Faustus?" Steve questioned.
"Yeah, a genius in psychology, psychiatry and mental conditioning. He was known in the medical community for being able to relieve psychological conditions that ordinary doctors considered incurable." Bruce looked at Steve wearily. "There's been reports over the years of him using his signature technique to immerse subjects into flawless reconstitutions of past traumatic events and other key memories, not for the good of the subject it appears. Apparently Faustus is a great orator, with an incredible gift for persuasion. Modulating his voice to bend people to his will, the list goes on…" Bruce continued to read as Steve stood by him, his mind racing. "It seems that now most of the time he uses his talents to destroy and brainwash."
"Making me see people in the street? Thinking Caroline was an agent, he wanted me to destroy my life?" Taking a deep breath Steve rubbed his hands over his face. "Where is he?" he asked.
"I don't know, he has many aliases…" Bruce picked up another piece of paper.
"What are they?" Steve asked running out of patience.
"Edward Marlowe…" Bruce turned the paper over in his hand. "Johann Fennhoff…" he continued.
"What?!" Steve shouted and Bruce looked at him shocked.
"Johann Fennhoff…" Bruce repeated slowly.
"Johann Fennhoff is a pseudonym of Doctor Faustus?" he asked loudly already making his way towards the door.
"Yes? Why?" Bruce watched as Steve bolted from the room, when a moment later Nat and Sam casually walked in and looked around the empty room Bruce didn't know what to say.
"Where's Steve Bruce?" Nat asked fearfully and Bruce could only look at them speechless.
Caroline sat inert beside Doctor Faustus as the car sped through the city.
"It's a great shame Caroline my dear, that you've been caught up in all this. I'm going to miss your cooking," laughing to himself Doctor Faustus became serious once again and taking Caroline's hand, began tapping rhythmically. "You don't deserve him Caroline, you know that yes? You're a distraction, a pawn to be used in greater men's campaigns. You're nothing but a burden, you were to your Father and you especially were to your Mother." As a tear fell down Caroline's cheek Doctor Faustus brought his lips to her ear. "You really shouldn't continue on my dear, it would be better for everybody if you were no longer here."
"We have their location, they're on the bridge, on the east river." Bruce told him hastily.
"Copy," Steve replied into his earpiece.
"Steve remember, he excels at modulating his voice to draw strong emotional responses based on subconscious associations. Whatever you do, don't let him talk to you!" Steve strapped his shield to his back and set off.
As Steve rode his motorbike through the streets to the east river his attention was caught by a figure running towards him, his motorbike came to screeching halt as Steve looked on with horror at the sight of Bucky Barnes launching himself towards him. His shock allowed the masked figure to take Steve down but it took only a second for Captain America to bring his assailant to his knees and ripping the mask from the man's face realise that it wasn't Bucky at all, but a façade, a mask!
"Are you working for Faustus?!" Steve shouted at the man who simply laughed in response. Punching the man unconscious Steve jumped back on his bike and rode off, knowing that Faustus had his people out there and knowing he couldn't trust anything he saw.
Doctor Faustus watched with keen interest as Captain America appeared before him, grinning maniacally he gestured for his adversary to come forwards.
"Don't say a word Faustus," Steve shouted. "Where's Caroline?" Steve watched as Faustus looked to the bridge wall and as his own eyes scanned towards the metal barrier his heart stopped when he saw Caroline stood on the other side, leaning out and over the water.
"It amuses me to totally destroy you without the use of force, from within, to strike at the heart of Captain America." Doctor Faustus shouted out to him.
"Caroline don't move!" Steve shouted out towards her. "Faustus! Manipulating and destroying lives like some ghoulish puppeteer!" Steve took a step towards Caroline. "For what?!"
"I wouldn't do that if I was you Captain," Faustus said, his tone of voice rising and falling to try and ooze into Steve's consciousness. "You're only going to bring her pain, her entire life will be consumed by danger because of you."
"Caroline," Steve whispered and watched as Caroline turned towards him, her tear stained cheeks red and her lips quivering from the cold night air.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered to him. Steve was about to reply when he heard a commotion behind him, turning he watched as several of Faustus' henchmen arrived and started stalking towards him.
"If I can destroy you physically as well," Doctor Faustus snickered. "Well, why not?" Steve started to defend himself from the onslaught of punches and kicks, it didn't take long to overthrow his opponents but it was a long enough distraction for Doctor Faustus to come stand by Caroline.
Looking to Captain America Doctor Faustus let the words slip out as he casually fastened his suit jacket.
"Let go."
Caroline's body pitched towards the water, and as if time slowed down Steve watched helplessly as she hit the river below. Letting out an almighty roar and in a flash of motion and rage Steve threw his shield at Doctor Faustus, felling the villain with an almighty blow. Leaping from the bridge Steve dived into the water, searching desperately for Caroline. Seeing a flicker of light, her porcelain face appeared in front of him, with her eyes closed she looked like a sleeping doll.
Steve pulled Caroline form the water, laying her on the embankment. Roughly pulling off his helmet he removed the earplugs he'd been wearing and put his ear to Caroline's lips.
"Oh god no," he whispered as he placed his mouth over hers and blew in the oxygen she was richly lacking. Steve's face was wracked with guilt and horror as once again he flooded her lungs with air. "Please Caroline, please. You can't leave me," he whispered as his hands came down onto her chest and he started to do compressions, being careful not to break her ribs. Sitting back on his heels Steve looked up to the sky, desperate and broken. It was all his fault. "You're not leaving me damnit!" Forcing air into her lungs one last time Steve watched as Caroline's body convulsed with life once more, pushing her over onto her side he watched as she ridded herself of water. "That's it, that's it easy. Easy." Caroline felt like her lungs were on fire and instantly a shiver wracked her body, feeling arms pull her into a tight embrace she started to panic, not knowing what had happened. "Caroline! Caroline it's me, it's me." Caroline looked into Steve eyes, still feeling confused she opened her mouth to speak but the stark colours of his uniform, the very symbol of who he was and what he stood for stopped her. In that moment she realised what it meant to know this man, to love this man who was much more than 'her neighbour in apartment number three' and it scared her. As he placed her cheeks in the palm of his hands and brought her attention back up to his face Steve could think of only one thing.
"I am very sorry Caroline," he repeated.
"I accept your apology but I need you to answer me this and be honest. Am I in danger?" Caroline stood up and started clearing the plates and bowls off of the table, Steve's gaze went to the bruise on her jaw. A woman like Caroline Holland had never been in a fight in her life or at least never should have, he promised himself right then and there that she would never come to any harm again.
"No, you're not." He finally answered.
A short time after Caroline had lost consciousness and whilst Steve carried her to safety the Black Widow and The Falcon had arrived, apprehending the henchmen and going in search of Doctor Faustus who had mysteriously disappeared. It was a flurry of activity but in the midst of it all one thought remained with each and every one of them, Caroline Holland had been used as a pawn in a madman's game and how in the hell was that going to effect her?
"I need to go find him!" Steve said bluntly as he later walked down the hospital corridor receiving stares from patients and doctors alike. Sam pulled at his arm, stopping the Captain from continuing on.
"You need to be with Caroline!" he ground out. "If she wakes up and you're not there what is she going to think?!" Steve shook his head.
"We can't let him go Sam!" Steve replied distraught.
"I know that man, and we won't but right now the only thing you should be focusing on is her in there." Pointing at the door of Caroline's hospital room Sam hoped to god that he'd got through to his friend. "Let me and Nat go, we'll track him down, I promise." Steve looked to the door and then to Sam, finally nodding mutely before making his way back to Caroline. Opening the door quietly he let himself in, taking the chair beside her bed he watched the slow rise and fall of her chest beneath the heavy blanket that was tucked comically around her. Reaching under and taking her hand he sat and waited for her to wake up.
Caroline watched Steve sleep in the chair beside her bed, she'd been awake for the past hour just watching him. She could remember everything and the worst part was that the feelings she'd had on that bridge still lingered, however much she knew they weren't real the feeling of not belonging simmered under her surface and seeing this man's face, the man she loved, innocent with sleep only crushed her heart even more. They'd enjoyed so much laughter and happiness together but in the mix there had been distrust and heartache. Caroline found herself laughing quietly, her inner voice asking her one question, 'Isn't that what love is?'.
Several Days Later
"Sam?" Caroline croaked as she tried to sit up in her hospital bed.
"Hey Jelly," Sam smiled helping Caroline with her pillows.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I wanted to speak with you, about what happened." He said solemnly. "I wanted to make sure you were alright." Caroline opened her mouth to reply, to tell him she was fine but the words stuck in her throat and she found herself becoming upset. "I know, I get it." Sam told her. "I've known the Cap for a long time and believe me when I tell you he wasn't alive before he met you. He might have been taken out of that ice but he wasn't alive Caroline. You restarted his heart, you didn't take no for an answer. Didn't let him push you away even when he accused you of being a spy!" Caroline laughed, tears running down her cheeks.
"I don't know that I can Sam?" she whispered, sniffling and wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "This, all this is way bigger than I am."
"Yes you can, you're the only one who can and I think he makes you feel alive too, that's why it's so perfect. Look how many lives you touch Caroline, don't let him go, I don't think I could cope with him skulking around again!" Sam gave her a wink and Caroline held her arms open for a hug. When the friends embraced Sam whispered in her ear. "Plus who would make me my pies?"
"You're not mad?" Steve asked incredulously the next day.
"Oh I'm mad and I'm probably not thinking straight and who knows what lasting effects he had on me but right now the only thing I can think of is that I promised myself I'd go and live my life and if I allow this, allow that man to control me, to stop me from doing that well then I'd just be repeating history and I promised myself I would never run away from anything ever again." Caroline took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "So I guess that includes you doesn't it?" she said giving him a small smile.
"You sure?" Steve asked, a tear falling down his cheek.
"No," Caroline answered honestly. "But it sure will be interesting." He was overwhelmed by her, from the moment he'd met her he'd been overwhelmed.
"I love you," he told her, kissing the top of her head.
"I love you too," Caroline replied. "Now get me out of here, the hospital food is disgusting!"
Two Weeks Later
Caroline woke to the smell of coffee and just as she sat up in her bed she saw Steve walk in with a breakfast tray in his hands.
"What are you doing?" she asked him nervously. Steve tried to act offended but the fact that he'd never made breakfast before meant he knew Caroline had every right to question his motives.
"I've made you breakfast," he told her setting the tray down on her lap.
"I can see that," Caroline replied looking at the array of mildly cooked to burnt pastries and toast. "I didn't know you'd learnt to cook?" she lied.
"I'd hardly call it cooking," Steve grimaced and Caroline took his hand.
"Thank you," she told him quietly.
"Don't thank me Caroline, we still can't trace Doctor Faustus and…"
"I'm thanking you for the breakfast," she interrupted him. "The rest of it I'm still bloody angry about!" Caroline gave him a look telling him not to worry and then giving him a kiss took a bite of a bagel.
"Good?" Steve asked whilst Caroline pulled a face.
"Umhum," was all she could muster.
"That bad huh?" he said grinning and sitting beside her.
"Perhaps stick to the superhero thing and leave the cooking to me?" Caroline told him good-naturedly.
"Deal."