Steve's first reaction was to glance around and make sure nobody heard them. There were people halfway across the parking lot, but they were busy loading their cars or holding their children's' hands.
"How did they find out?" Darren asked, his entire body tense.
"Your dad said, 'that's what I'm going to find out," Eleanore shrugged and heaved a deep sigh. "Let's go drop everything off at the apartment and plan on the way." She opened the car door, lifted the cat from where it lay on her seat, and got in.
After that, there wasn't much else to say. Darren looked at Steve, confused and perhaps a bit angry, and went around to the driver's side door. Steve got in the passenger's seat, resolving to help them in any way he could.
"Okay," Eleanore began as soon as Darren started the car. "Tony won't be at SHIELD for about an hour. That gives us time to set up Charlie's litter box and food and stuff, and maybe wipe him down a little. Then we can go meet Tony at the Triskelion."
"You don't have to come with," Darren interjected. He was driving very quickly, but still not too far above the speed limit. Steve wondered if the mundane task was allowing him to calm down a bit.
"Yes I do, Jet's an alien." Eleanore retorted simply. "And don't worry. Just because we didn't want them to find out this way doesn't mean it's all bad. We were going to tell them anyway, right?"
"But this means someone else knows and told them," Darren's forehead creased with worry.
"It could be someone inside SHIELD," Steve suggested, recalling Dr. Rouldkin. A flash of anger lit up his mind, but he stamped it out quickly. Anger wouldn't help, logic would.
"Yeah, it could," Eleanore agreed. Steve couldn't see her face, but she sounded thoughtful.
"Or someone trying to blackmail my dad," Darren added, and Steve suddenly thought about how much this must weigh on the young man's mind. From his observations, and Eleanore's offhand comments over the week, Steve had noticed just how conservative Darren Stark was in his actions. He didn't have the flash and showiness of Howard, but was instead filled with a quiet strength of will, and a focus for his technology. Steve wondered who this boy's mother was, and whether she or Tony had taught him to behave this way.
"But who knows about you? I mean, other than Pepper and Jarvis," Eleanore contradicted as they pulled up to the apartment building. "Anyway, we can ask where they got their information from."
"They might not tell us." Darren got out of the car and picked up the bags and litter easily, and Eleanore exited holding Charlie and extracting her keys from her purse. Steve gathered his groceries and followed them into the building.
They were all silent on the stairs, and Steve thought about how he could help them with the situation. Eleanore didn't sound overly worried, but Darren was definitely tense. The difference in their attitudes probably had less to do with the seriousness of the problem and more to do with their attitude toward rebellion. Steve had been around both of them enough to notice that Darren contemplated everything intensely and avoided breaking the rules wherever possible, while Eleanore was one for quick decisions and apologizing after the deed was done. Her initial shock was now replaced by cool indifference, at least on the surface, while Darren's tension only grew worse with time.
"Okay, let's get everything put away first," Eleanore broke the silence as she approached her door. Steve nodded and unlocked his own, then proceeded to hurriedly stack everything in its assigned place. Eleanore had told him as she helped him move in that keeping his living space organized would likely help him feel calmer while he was there, and it had. Walking into the cool quiet of his apartment was less lonely and more relaxing than Steve could have hoped for a mere week ago. He had given himself a schedule for cleaning that aligned with his meetings and helped keep him occupied in his otherwise silent home. He'd also taken to playing records to keep himself company, both because the familiar music relaxed him, and because he didn't want to go running to Eleanore every time he got lonely or jittery or lost in memories.
Groceries put away, Steve grabbed his SHIELD ID and a granola bar, in case the meeting went long or he didn't have the opportunity for supper. His body could go for a long time without food, but he didn't like to deprive himself if he didn't have to. He locked the door behind him and headed down the hall, not pausing to knock before entering Eleanore's apartment.
He was greeted by shuffling sounds, and Eleanore's quiet crooning as she wiped the cat down with a damp washcloth. Charlie did not approve of this treatment, and he was fighting for every inch of fur cleaned.
"Hey," Eleanore greeted quickly, before returning to her task. Darren waved from the kitchen where he was putting away the cat food in the pantry.
"So did you come up with a plan?" Steve asked, hoping they had, or that he could help them find one.
Eleanore shrugged, "Not really. Darren's having our suits flown to the car, and Hill isn't answering her phone. So." She smiled at him uncertainly and let go of the cat, who started licking himself furiously.
"Whatever happens, I don't think SHIELD will make an enemy of us," Darren reassured her. His words were calm, but his body language spoke of thoughtful stress.
Eleanore didn't answer him, instead filling the litter box and setting Charlie inside. Then she put it in the corner near the counter, put the lid on it, and set up the food and water bowls on top. Steve stood awkwardly in the doorway, wanting to help, but not wanting to get in the way. Darren came and stood next to him, both of them watching as Eleanore picked up the cat and showed him the food. Charlie began to eat immediately, but not quickly, taking his time and picking up one piece of food, chewing it, and moving on.
"Well, it looks like he's set up," Eleanore turned to face them, sighing. "So, what's the deal?"
Steve glanced at Darren, who looked back. They shrugged simultaneously. Steve wondered if they'd want him to come with them to SHIELD, or if it was more of a family matter.
Eleanore smiled, "Okay. Steve, could I ask you a favor?"
He nodded, "Anything."
"Could you stay and watch Charlie while we're gone? I'll text you as soon as we get to SHIELD, and as soon as we leave."
"Of course," Steve didn't know how much watching a small cat would need, but he assumed this was Eleanore's attempt to make him feel useful while keeping him uninvolved in the real problem. He didn't resent it, because it was really not his area, and he'd only met these two a few days ago. He would like to help where he could, though.
"Thanks so much," Eleanore gathered up her purse again, patted Charlie on the head, and stepped around Steve to get to the door. Steve turned to watch them go, and felt the cat brush against his ankle as it tried to follow them. Eleanore bent to pick it up, "Use my laptop if you want to play music or anything, eat what you want, and just please make sure Charlie uses the litter box if he has to 'go'." Here, she thrust the kitten into Steve's arms, and he held it gingerly. "I don't know how long we'll be gone. Text if anything goes wrong or seems weird. Sound okay?"
"Yep," Steve felt like he was talking to his mother as she headed off to a nursing shift. Nostalgia hit, but didn't overwhelm him. "I'll hold down the fort. Good luck."
"Thanks," Eleanore left, followed by Jet, then Darren.
"Yeah, thanks!" Darren grinned a little at him, nodded, and closed the door.
Steve didn't bother to lock it, in case they forgot something and decided to come back. He heard their steps recede as he turned back to the quiet apartment and looked down at the cat in his arms. Charlie was purring softly and looking around interestedly. He wriggled, and Steve set him down gently. Charlie trilled and looked up at him before running off to sniff every corner of the apartment, starting under the couch.
Steve ventured back to the couch as well, picking up his sketchbook and pencil from where he'd left them earlier. He glanced at the Alps, and turned the page, wanting to get away from past memories for the moment. With nothing else to see, Steve watched Charlie dart back and forth from room to room, and he began a rough outline.
Drawing a moving cat was much different from sketching from memory, so he started small. In the top left corner of the page, he tried to capture Charlie's poses in a few quick strokes. Two or three looked okay, but Steve left the rest and enjoyed the challenge of live motion. Eleanore texted him "At SHIELD," and he replied, "All clear at home," before returning to his art. An hour passed, full of drawing, erasing, glancing, and rotating the page for a better angle as the kitten roved and wandered, jumping up on things and gazing out the windows in apparent awe.
Charlie disappeared into the bathroom for a time, so Steve took a break and retrieved Eleanore's laptop from her desk. He noted the full battery, as he sat at the island in the kitchen and browsed the news while a spring twilight fell over the room. It was peaceful, and he wondered for a moment if Eleanore somehow unknowingly left a calming effect anywhere she spent a long amount of time. Maybe I should have her come to my apartment to see if that helps.
His stomach growled and his phone rang at the same time.
Steve answered the more urgent of the two, "Hello?"
"Hey, we're on our way back," Eleanore sounded breezy, possibly relieved.
"How did it go?"
"Oh, not bad. Fury was not pleased with the secrets, but he pretty much took it in stride. Maria was more angry, but I think she forgave me. I always felt guilty for not telling her. Oh," Eleanore's tone changed to serious. "The meeting with Dr. Rouldkin will happen on Sunday, because that's when they are letting him come to clean out his office."
"Sounds good," Steve let the slight taste of anger wash over him before storing it away to save for later. "So you're on good terms again?" The meeting must have gone okay, if Eleanore had also learned about other scheduling within it.
"Yeah, seems like it. SHIELD will probably watch me a little closer from now on, but Darren and Tony are pretty much immune, technologically speaking. Want me to pick up something for supper?"
"Sure, pizza sounds good," Steve suggested, suspecting Eleanore would talk more about it when she got home. Phone lines were probably not the most secure, even Stark ones.
"Okay, give me half an hour."
"See you then. Bye."
Steve hung up the phone and closed the laptop, noting Charlie had curled up on the couch. Steve went and sat next to him and began another new page, solely devoted to the sleeping cat. Charlie was a much simpler subject this way, and Steve had the outline done in no time. All that was left was the shading, for which Steve turned on a lamp behind the couch. By the time Eleanore opened the apartment door bearing two large pizzas, Steve had a close likeness of the cat that jumped down to greet her.
"Well hi baby kitty," her voice went up in pitch, and the cat responded with trills and purrs. "Do you like your new home?" Jet followed her inside, and Steve watched him walk past the cat and flop down on the living room floor.
"He seems pretty happy," Steve replied, taking one of the pizzas and setting it on the stove.
"I didn't know what kind you'd like, so I got one beef and one pepperoni." Eleanore said, opening the other box on the island.
"Both are great, thanks," Steve knew better by now than to ask what he owed her. He would just pay for their next meal before she could stop him.
"Great," was all she replied, grabbing a plate and a slice of pepperoni. She went and sat on the couch and the cat followed her, sniffing appreciatively.
"So how was the meeting, really?" Steve followed her to the couch and sat on the other end.
"It was okay, like I said," Eleanore took a bite and spoke around it. "But Darren and I got into an argument afterward."
"What? Why?" Steve was shocked. He'd never seen them do more than playfully banter.
"He thinks that I'm too open, taking Jet everywhere, working with SHIELD, telling you stuff." She shrugged nonchalantly. "SHIELD didn't tell us who leaked the info. We'll get over it."
"How?"
"By just accepting whatever happens. I'm not worried, just processing it."
"So that's why Darren isn't with you?" Steve had expected him to come back relieved, but the fight could have made them each want some space.
"That, and his dad wanted his help with setting up Stark Tower's energy thing."
"I see," Steve said, just to show he was listening. If SHIELD hadn't told them who leaked the information, everyone they knew was a suspect. He tried to think of anyone who would want to do such a thing, but as far as he knew, they had kept it very secret.
"I'm going to go to bed here soon," Eleanore informed him, pulling him from his thoughts. "I'm tired from everything today."
"Alright. I'll get out of your hair," Steve smiled and stood with his empty plate.
"Wait, I'll get you some pizza for later." She darted to the drawer that held the small storage bags and pulled out the largest ones. She put half of each pizza into them before handing them to Steve. "If I keep any more of it, it will just go bad."
Sometimes he felt like Eleanore's entire life revolved around a secret mission to feed people and heal their emotional trauma.
"Thanks," he said, vowing to buy another bag of chocolate for her. He headed for the door, "Have a good night."
"See you tomorrow sometime," Eleanore waved as he turned to go to his own apartment, then bent to pick up the cat who had tried to dart around her legs. Steve heard her door shut as he opened his own.
After grabbing another slice of pizza and putting the rest away, Steve was at a loss for something to do. He was not tired yet, and just sitting around the apartment or lying in bed would only invite bad memories to surface and keep him company. He spied his gym bag by the door and grabbed it before heading out. At least he could fight his memories with physical activity there.
The night was cool and quiet, at least on their street. Not far away Steve could hear traffic humming, sometimes roaring or screeching, and people talking to each other. The gym was only about a block and a half away from the apartment building, and Steve appreciated the convenience. Once SHIELD had learned he was going to use this facility, they had stocked it with heavier weights and specialized machines that Steve was challenged to max out.
Tonight, as he slid his card through and walked down the stairs to the basement, Steve decided to try out the new punching bags. One of the benefits of his post-serum body was that he had a natural fighting instinct, and a quick reaction time. He enjoyed punching bags, not because they presented difficulty, but because they were his favorite cardiovascular workout. Running was well and good, and he did it every morning, but hitting something that couldn't get hurt let out a lot of frustration. He'd become addicted to it, in a way, right after Bucky died. He'd spend hours punching through bags without gloves until his hands were torn and bleeding.
Steve hoped the more modern bags could take a hit.
He quickly found that, while they were easier on his hands than the old rucksacks, the modern punching bags' chains tended to break, sending the bags into the opposite wall. He would patch them up with a roll of silver tape he found and line them back up for another round. Once he got into a rhythm, though, he just worked through it until the bag broke.
As expected, memories of war, Bucky, and Peggy began to riot around in his head. The harder he hit the object in front of him, the more he could block them out, to an extent. Or maybe immerse himself in the memories more. He was sure Eleanore wouldn't find this entirely healthy either way. Steve was intent on getting as many punches in as he could, when yet another chain broke and sent the taped-up bag flying across the room in a shower of sand.
"Trouble sleeping?" Fury's voice broke his concentration, and Steve looked up to find the older man standing in the entryway.
"Slept for seventy years, Sir," Steve returned to hitting, but without conviction. "I think I've had my fill."
"Then you should be out… Celebrating. Seeing the world." Fury approached as he spoke, and Steve could see he was being tested again.
He paused for a moment, and looked Fury over. Old enough for wisdom, young enough to fight. Intelligent. Steve could see why people would find him intimidating. But Steve was also used to people like this. He stopped hitting the bag and walked over to his equipment, unwrapping his hands. He didn't trust Fury, but SHIELD was Peggy's work.
"When I went under, the world was at war. I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost." 6 million people in Germany alone. More in Russia. Steve had been shocked when Eleanore told him about the Holocaust and Stalin's killing sprees. It was one of the few times she'd actually used her powers to calm him down. He didn't like to think about his reaction, but the faces of the children he'd seen back then in all those countries kept popping into his head. They died while I was still fighting. And that wasn't even including the wars fought while he was trapped in the ice. Fury could call it sleeping if he wanted to, but in Steve's mind he had been letting everyone down.
"We've made some mistakes along the way," Fury admitted quietly. "Some very recently."
Steve sized him up again, "You here with a mission, Sir?"
"I am."
"Trying to get me back in the world?"
"Trying to save it." Fury handed him a SHIELD folder, which Steve took and opened.
"Hydra's secret weapon." Memories again, of all the fights over this simple cube. True, it had swallowed Schmidt and burned a hole in the Valkyrie, but it was hardly worth anyone's life, in Steve's opinion.
"Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought— well — we think that the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited, sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs."
Steve closed the folder and handed it back. "Who took it from you?"
"He's called Loki. He's… not from around here." Fury gave him a piercing look, and Steve understood. Alien. "The world has gotten even stranger than you know."
"At this point I doubt anything would surprise me," Steve picked up his gear bag, preparing to leave.
"Ten bucks says you're wrong," Fury challenged. Then, more seriously, "There's a debriefing packet waiting for you back at your apartment." Steve lifted one of the old, taped punching bags to put it away as he walked out the door.
"Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?" Fury called after him.
It will cause death again, just like before. "You should have left it in the ocean."
A/N: It's Avengers time! Thank you to everyone who reads this far into the story. A personal tidbit: In the punching bag scene, Steve taught me the true meaning of 'dat ass. Please leave as many reviews as you can, I love hearing your thoughts on the story so far!
Thanks again,
PettyWhiteRose