Chapter 23
( I know this maybe some what close to the movie. I only pulled bits and pieces that stuck out to me. So enjoy.)
A man stood on stage reading of a paper with an inspirational speech about the upcoming battle.
Serene looked on at the soldiers that were gathered around and saw their forlorn faces.
The man looked at the men and saw their defeated faces and losing interest.
"Hey why don't you bring the girls back," A man called out.
"I think they only know that one song, let me go check" the man replied.
"You do that sweetheart," Anther man sniggered out.
The man in the tight suit walked off stage as the crowd began to throw rotten food at him. Serene tutted as she watched the brave man slouch down on a bench.
"You know, that was a very moving speech Captain," Serene spoke.
The man glanced up at her as he removed the hood of the costume.
"Yes well then if it was so good, why did rubbish fly," he said bitterly.
Serene sat down next to him and tucked the identical outfit of the female officer's skirt under her.
"That was just a flare of irritation, many soldiers just can't respect others," Serene spoke.
The man sighed and hung his head.
"Oh where are my manners, my name is Serene," She said as she held out her hand.
The man looked up and shook her hand.
" My stage name is Capitan America, but off stage others call me Steve," the man spoke.
Serene gave him a smile and watched as he slowly returned it.
"What is a beautiful dame, oh I mean- beautiful woman such as yourself doing over here on the battle grounds?" Steve asked as he cleared his throat from embarrassment.
"I am here as a nurse and for you, an ear for listening," Serene answered.
"Well I do appreciate you listening," Steve said as he rubbed his neck.
"Anytime and I do believe we will win this war, you just need to listen to your heart Capitan," Serene said as she stood and left.
Serene turned down past some tents before turning her self into an owl to watch over the camp and took to the trees, where she saw her watchers keeping an eye.
"Reports?" Serene hooted out as she landed on a near by branch.
"My lady, the forces are moving in closer and have captured many of the soldiers from this side," A barred owl said.
"We must have eyes on where they are keeping the Tesseract, once we remove that, the opposing side will fall," A great horned owl spoke.
"Of course, set up eyes at each of the factories that have the traces and then we can pin point where the Gem is," Serene said as she took flight.
Her black and white feathers stuck out once she left the trees, but no animal attacked. They knew that it would mean their death.
Serene flew back to the camp and overheard the Colonel telling Steve that his friend had been captured by HYDRA.
She continued to listen, as Philip described how they didn't have the manpower and resources to rescue those that had been captured.
Steve stormed off angry that they would give up on those who laid down their lives.
Serene watched as he gathered supplies and watched as Peggy talked to the womanizer Stark about arranging a ride.
Serene shook her head at his brash behavior but knew that he would be able to come back alive as long as she looked out for him.
Silently she turned into invisible and followed Peggy, Stark and Steve as they headed towards the closest HYDRA factory.
It seemed as though the next coming events blurred for Serene as she continued her protective watch over the Capitan.
Once he had reached the lower levels Serene placed a protection spell on him before she went to explore.
She could sense the traces of the Tesseract everywhere but she picked up on the main source.
"Sir you should see this," said as he pointed at one of the screens showing footage of the security cameras.
Serene saw the video of Steve defeating the HYDRA soldiers as he battled to find Bucky.
Schmidt growled as he watched his forces fall and he began to flip the switches to self-destruct.
"No, no what are you doing?" Zola asked in a cry of confusion.
"We our outmatched," Schmidt said as he continued flipping the switches.
Serene gasped when she saw the man pick up the case that had the Tesseract in it. Serene turned her hand intangible and grabbed onto the cube.
Turning the Tesseract invisible was hard part as she replaced the emptiness inside the case with a false clone.
She created a pocket in space where she placed the Tesseract; only she could open this pocket though since it was of her making.
She knew it would be safe up until her death.
She smirked as she watched the stupid man run towards his escape when the Capitan blocked him off.
" Ah Capitan, I enjoyed your films," Schmidt said as he approached Steve.
Serene held back and watched the exchange.
She let out a gasp as Schmidt put a dent into the shield Steve held.
"I don't know what lies Erskine told you, but I am his greatest success," Schmidt said as he pulled away a mask to reveal a blood red flesh.
"We have left humanity behind Capitan, except you are afraid to embrace it," Red skull said as he vanished into his escape vehicle.
Steve realized that wasn't an exit behind him as another explosion rocked the plant.
"Bucky, one at a time," Steve urged as he nudged Bucky towards the beam.
Bucky nodded as he began to slowly make his way across.
Serene floated just out of reach above him, ready to catch him if he slipped.
The beam gave a huge creak as another explosion loosened some bolts.
Bucky scurried across and jumped just as the beam fell.
Bucky looked back to his friend. "Go, just go ill be right there," Steve called out as he frantically looked around for another escape root.
"No, not without you," Bucky yelled back as he waited.
Steve decided to make a jump for it.
Serene stood behind Steve and watched his take off.
If her calculations were correct he would just fall short.
At the last moment she gripped his underarms and flew him the extra few feet.
Steve felt arms grab him as he jumped.
He looked up put saw nothing and led Bucky towards an exit.
Once safely out off the building Steve did a head count.
"All right let's get the Hell out of here," Steve yelled as he led the front.
A tank and a truck were in their lines as they marched back to base, which was over 30 miles away.
It would take at least a day and maybe a half depending on the shape of the men.
The sun began to peak out into the sky illuminating the path towards home.
Serene changed into her owl form and flew above to watch for any enemies that might have escaped.
The woods were silent except for her watchers who hooted any news they had.
Steve would glance up ever once and a while to see the black owl with some white feathers following him.
He shook his head thinking it just a guardian angel watching over him and the troops.
Once they had gotten a good distance away from the factory he instructed the troop to rest and to see if anyone needed medical attention.
Serene perched on a low hanging branch and tilted her head to listen to the Capitan.
He was a natural born leader and Serene knew that he would lead his side to victory.
Once the team had checked over any wounds they started to look for any place to sleep for the next few hours to regain some strength.
Serene decided to step in and conjured blankets and some food in a near by cave that someone was about to enter.
"Hey Steve, what about this cave?" Bucky called to his best friend.
Steve strode over and investigated the cave for any signs of traps.
What had stunned him to silence was there were supplies in the cave for a good size meal for his comrades.
"Hey Buck did you see this?" Steve asked as he picked up a bundle.
Bucky shook his head and approached.
He was gob smacked and soon the two were organizing handouts to the rest of the team.
They built several fires and one of the guys had parked the tank before the entrance so the wind wouldn't freeze them for the night.
Serene transformed into her natural form but soon turned invisible so she could sleep.
She had just fallen asleep on a rock flat when she heard someone else approaching.
Steve had walked up and around the cave and discovered that he could watch over the soldiers from a higher spot.
He set down the blanket and opened the package of dried meat when he saw Bucky was going to join him.
Serene watched as the friend sat next to the Captain and the exchanged welcomes.
"I never thought I was going to get out of the factory, I kept praying that someone would come to rescue us and then finally they were answered," Bucky spoke as he looked to Steve.
"I guess you could say my guardian angel pushed me to find you guys," Steve said.
"Angel? When did you see her?" Bucky asked teasingly.
"I don't know but I think she's watching over us, there was an owl that followed us from the factory to this cave," Steve explained.
Bucky just shook his head and laughed.
"Well who ever she is, I have to thank her, I guess you're the one looking out for me now, Capitan America," Bucky joked and lightly punched Steve in the arm.
Steve nodded as he thought back to the woman he had met earlier.
She had black hair and for some reason a few streaks of white.
He knew that some people, who had birthmarks on their head, caused the hair to be a different color.
She had a wonderful figure that made Steve blush when he thought about it.
She was more curvaceous then Peggy.
In fact she almost seemed like a more developed and matured Peggy if he thought hard enough.
But Steve knew she would have the heart of another, for his beats for Peggy.
Steve shook it off as he remembered Serene telling him to listen to his heart in order to win the war.
So far they were on the right track, as soon as they got back he would tell the general of the map that contained the locations of the factories.
As he about to fall asleep he swore he saw an outline of a figure watching over him.
The next followed fairly quickly as Steve woke up his unit and they marched for their camp.
Steve led the front line waiting for any enemy to dare show their face.
Soon the trees gave way to the familiar boundaries surrounding the camp.
"Hey look who's back!" A guard shouted to the other people within the camp.
People began to spill out of the tents, greeting those who were captured.
Steve continued his silent march towards the Colonel's tent.
Steve waited to hear for the punishment but was shocked that he received none.
"Hey, let's hear it for Capitan America," Bucky called out.
Cheers rang out through the camp and Serene watched as this Hero, was finally receiving his chance to put a stop to bullying.
He was finally no longer a dancing circus monkey.
Serene knew that for the moment she had to say goodbye.
She had only intervened in order to give Steve more time with his friends before he was to be frozen in the Norns cruel claws.
She cornered him later once he was finally alone.
"Hey Capitan," Serene called as she saw him passing.
He stopped and turned back around.
He smiled when he realized it was Serene the nurse.
"Oh hey," Steve answered. "I just wanted to tell you goodbye," Serene said with a sad smile.
Steve looked at her with a confused smile.
"You're leaving?" Steve asked.
"Other people need their guardian angel," Serene whispered.
Steve looked at her before his mind caught up with her words.
As he opened his mouth to ask her how, she placed a finger over his lips.
"All in good time Steve, I can tell you this much…When you need me the most I will be there to guide you to safety even when your death is approaching. I know this may be confusing but cherish the moments you have now before you leave them behind, you will face a great life challenge and I know your outcome and I am proud. But you will suffer and only at your most vulnerable state will I then fix your soul and then your heart," Serene said as she then teleported.
Steve stood there in the same spot for minutes.
He tried to grasp her speech and realized that she had told him his outcome for this war.
Steve tucked away the information into a vault at the front of his mind.
Tonight he would have the last night of a boy before the growth of a man.
A man to protect the free men of the world and to save those with innocence.
Steve entered the maps room where he released the information of the Hydra factories.
Colonel had then given him a team but Steve thought of something better.
"I already have a team in mind." Steve took his newest team, the Howling Commandos to the bar for the last night of their innocence.
Though, they were not innocent to the crimes other humans could inflict on each other. They all had suffered at the hands of Hydra.
Bucky had suffered the most; he was still on the experimenting table, for God knows why.
Why could any human inflict that much pain on another? Steve realized that they were the true monsters.
Those without remorse or regret, these were the monsters parents told their children.
Steve shook his head; this was not the moment to be thinking like this, this was the moment to have fun and to finally have a dance.
His mind went blank though, as he saw Peggy step into the bar wearing a red dress.
All the noise stopped and Steve swore his heart had stuttered.
Bucky had asked Peggy to a dance when she approached the pair.
"Sorry, I'm waiting for the right partner," She said coyly and walked off.
Steve thinks of this moment for the rest of his days.
On every mission he completed, all he wanted was a dance with her in that dress and to be the only two in the room.
"Captain, we got a location on Red Skull," A messenger said as he relayed the coordinates.
He had just lost Bucky and now he was finally going to be able to rid the world of the monster that hid in human skin.
Steve crashed into the Valkyrie and made his way to the cockpit.
"Who don't give up do you?" Red skull asked as he shot at him.
"Nope." The two fought within the cockpit even when the plane took a sharp dive and were nearing the ground.
Red skull broke away and set it on autopilot.
"You were given the power of the gods, yet you where a flag on your chest.
In my future there will be no flags," Red skull shouted as he shot at Steve.
Steve threw his shield and had knocked Red skull into the Tesseract.
What he didn't know was that the Tesseract was a fake and would just teleport Red Skull to Asgard to face punishment.
Red Skull clutched at the glowing cube and they both watched as a wormhole opened and sucked up Red Skull.
Steve couldn't believe his eyes.
"Steve, Steve are you there?" A voice crackled on the radio.
Steve scrambled to the seat and answered.
"Steve we seem to think that the Valkyrie can be stopped," Stark said.
Steve looked over at the control and saw that even if he stopped the bombs would still go off due to their unstable state.
"I can't, I have to put it in the water," Steve said as he undid the Autopilot.
Steve heard shouting over the radio before he heard Peggy.
"Steve you don't have to do this," Peggy said.
"No, this is my choice, I have to," Steve said as he started the plunge into the frozen wasteland.
"Save me a dance will you?' Steve asked as he placed his compass on the dash.
"Of course, at the Stork club this Sunday at 7'oclock sharp," Peggy answered with a sharp inhale.
Steve barely held back the tears, "It's a date."
Steve saw the frozen water coming in fast.
"Serene I'm ready." He said right as the plane hit the water.
Steve felt nothing at first but then the bitter cold set in and then slowly darkness crept into his body.
He remembered seeing a smiling face of Peggy and then of Serene who cupped his cheek.
Steve closed his eyes and let... go.
Serene guided the plane into a resting place and performed a spell to keep Steve's body in a sleep state until it was time to save the world again.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through this, you are a great man Steve Rodgers." Serene whispered as she teleported back to Asgard.
Serene knew it would be sometime before she would Steve again.
But knew that he would forgive her, eventually.