Emma Joan Tallis

chapter thirty-nine: Museum Visits

"Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, compared with the men of this, we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good. Let us, therefore, study the incidents in this as philosophy to learn wisdom from and none of them as wrongs to be avenged."
~ Abraham Lincoln

~*~

"Why did you want to come here?" I asked Steve as we walked into the Smithsonian Museum. Steve didn't answer me as he grabbed my hand and we walked into the Captain America exhibit.

"A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world," The Smithsonian Narrator said over the intercom system. "The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery, and sacrifice."

"More sacrifice than they can even imagine," I whispered as we walked. Steve didn't argue, just looked at the different things sadly.

"Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare," the Narrator said as we walked by a comparison of when Steve was smaller. "One that would transform him into the world's first super-soldier."

"You were a little shorter," I said as Steve glanced at the picture of himself that was to size.

"Just a little?" Steve asked with a look.

"Well, a lot smaller," I admitted. "But you impressed me when I first met you. It's why Erskine and I thought you would be a good candidate. The only candidate. Oh dear, you've been spotted."

Steve put a finger against his mouth with a smile when a little boy stared at him. The little boy, completely in awe, just nodded and we walked away. "Why didn't he recognize you?"

"The likelihood of anyone knowing who I am is pretty slim," I reminded. "I was MI6, and I was a spy. History isn't supposed to remember me."

"Well, I think they should know who you are and what you did for the world," Steve said as we walked into a small movie theatre where they were playing a narrated movie of Steve on repeat.

"In this rare footage, everyone's favorite war hero, Captain America..."

"You always looked handsome in your uniform," I told Steve and he blushed.

"I didn't think you noticed."

"How could I not?" Steve asked as we moved on and stood in front of the manakins that had the uniforms of the Howling Commandos.

"Battle-tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division," the narration continued. I looked at all of them sadly, my friends had all died.

"Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country," the Smithsonian Narration said and I stared at the picture of Bucky.

"Bucky did so much more than they let on," I said sadly. "He kept me sane. When he was brought in and survived, we talked during the night after Zola was done experimenting on us. We were both so worn out and had barely any will to live, we didn't even tell each other our real names..."

Steve grabbed my hand, "he would be happy to know we're finally together."

"After he told you to ask me out or he would?" I asked with a watery smile. "I miss him."

"I miss him, too." We wandered further into the exhibit and saw a movie of Peggy being interviewed.

"That was a difficult winter. A blizzard had trapped half our battalion behind the German line. Steve," Peggy was saying, but hesitated. "Captain Rogers, he fought his way through a HYDRA blockade that had pinned our allies down for months. He saved over a thousand men, including the man who would...who would become my husband as it turned out. Even after he died, Steve was still changing my life."