Wouldn't Leave You (A Captain America Fan fiction)

Mission

Chapter 4 - Steven Rogers

Rachel is very kind. During the car ride, she tells me more about S.H.I.E.L.D and the dark man in the square named Director Fury. Eventually, I got her to drop her agent facade slightly and she even smiled a little bit. She told me a little about her brother, Tommy? 

Apparently, we are going to Fury's office for a debriefing and for Rachel to get her next assignment.

The world is so different so far. The cars, the lights, the people. Nothing is familiar. When the car finally turns the corner into the car park, I realize yet again how strange the world is.

"Okay, this is what we are going to do," Rachel says as she gets out of the car. "We are going to go up to level 48. We are going to go into Fury's office and I am going to get my mission and you are probably going to get a file to debrief you. I have a feeling we will be seeing each other pretty often." She says.

We walk out of the car park and get into the elevator. 

Rachel POV

Even though I have been working here since I was 18, I still get slight jitters when I walk into the Director's office (even though he knows me like family). As we approach the door, I type in my security clearance code and the door unbolts. 

"Agent Rachel Stark." the door announces as we walk in. I look over to see Fury sitting behind his desk, going through a file.

"Agent Stark, your mission is that of which we previously discussed. You will be rehabilitating Rogers, introducing him into our world, and getting him ready for his own missions. Teaching him about the new tech. You did so well with your brother as well as Agent Romanoff that I feel you will be an asset to his re-entrance into society. S.H.I.E.L.D. has rented out the empty apartment next to yours and this will be assigned to Rogers, so you can reach each other 24/7." I nod.

"Thanks, Stark, that will be all," Fury says, handing me a file.

I turned around to look at Steve. He still had a serious face on. I walk out of Fury's office, leaving Steve behind to be debriefed, and leaned against the cool wall in the hallway, sliding down slightly. 

Why me? 

I guess I have a history of this. I help heroes. After Tony came back from captivity, I lived with him for a long time. Fury saw how well I worked with my brother and eventually asked me to help Natasha recoup after a mission of hers turned south. I lived with her for a time and helped her do stuff around her house and help her retrain after her injuries.

This... is the same thing, right?

No.

This man has been missing for almost 70 years. Why does Fury think this is the same thing? Maybe it is because of my interest in this case. My dad was the one who created him, and after his untimely death, I studied his files with Peggy Carter, my godmother, who turned me into the woman I am today. After all of my traumas, after all of my mistakes, she was always there for me.

Is that why Fury thinks this is a good idea? Maybe it was because of my interest in Howard's work. 

Tony used to make fun of me for being so invested.

"Still holding out for the star-spangled man with a plan?" he said, the smirk apparent in his voice. I shot him a quick look as I turned back to my reading. He was building a large machine in his workshop and he was looking around for a level when he glanced over my shoulder.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. left these boxes here full of dad's old stuff. I am hoping that I can find more than what Peggy has shown me." I say, flipping the page on the file. None of this information was new, and I let out a frustrated huff. Tony scoffed. I turned around to look at him and saw that he was holding up a deconstructed model of the shield that I had become all too familiar with. "Don't bother," I say, "I've seen that before too. Dad was very thorough in his notes."

Suddenly there was a man punching into the workshop. It was Phil, but I wasn't supposed to know who he is. Tony didn't know about my work with S.H.I.E.L.D., which was probably for the better because if he did, I don't think he would ever trust me again.

Don't even get me started on how hard it was not to blow Nat's cover to him.

"Stark ..." he turns to look at me, "-s." 

I offer a wry smile and turn back to my file.

"What do you need, Colson?" Tony says, still looking around for a level.

"I am here to say goodbye. There has been an incident in the southwest and I am needed out there." He says, sending me a telling glance. I nod, quickly packing up my things as Tony enlists his help to lift a huge pipe.

"I'll go with you," I say, already headed out of the shop. Tony's head whips up and looks at me in confusion. I shrug, already feeling the lie line my lips. "I've never been to the southwest," I say, looking between the two men in front of me. "These S.H.I.E.L.D. people seem nice enough, and they'll keep me safe. Plus, I'd say you're almost fully recovered," I turn to Phil, "although I don't think he'll ever recover from his dumbass tendencies." I shoot to Tony with a fake sympathetic expression resting on my features.

Tony raised an eyebrow, offered a smirk, and just shrugged.

"I guess you're not in school anymore... I can't stop you, though I will be getting you back for that snide comment once I am done saving my own life," he said, then offered me a small wave. 

"I'll be back soon," I say, jogging up the stairs.

And I was. Maybe that is why Fury wants my help. I was an advisory party on the Thor incident, I followed him pretty closely after what I had observed at the hospital. He didn't stay long, so I ended up just tailing him, but still, that's experience.

Maybe it had to do with weapons. I never really thought of humans as weapons... Maybe Fury has. 

The office door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. I straighten up to see Fury leading Steve out of his office. 

"Make sure you read through it all, it should get you up to speed on some new laws and some new threat analyses, if you are interested in joining S.H.I.E.L.D.," Fury says, allowing Steve to pass him. 

"I will look it over," he says, the serious expression still etched onto his features. Fury nods and shuts the door behind him. 

I shift my weight and begin to lead Steve out of the building. 

"I hope that wasn't too overwhelming. I can't imagine how much information he just threw at you," I say, wringing my hands slightly, the file flopping side-to-side. 

"Yeah, it was a lot," he says. We continue through the base in comfortable silence. Once in the car park, I make my way over to my sleek, black sports car with the doors that open towards the sky. It was my birthday present from Tony this year, very thoughtful indeed. 

Once I start up the car, I begin to make my way back to my apartment building. 

"So Steve, do you have any stuff?" I ask him. I immediately shake my head and grimace. "I'm sorry, that was such a stupid question to ask," I sneak a quick glance over to him and see that he has a slight smile on his face. 

"What else were you supposed to ask," he says with a dry chuckle. I offer a small smile and turn my attention back to the road. He continues. "If I had to wager a guess, I would bet that my family's apartment doesn't exist anymore and all my stuff from the army base was probably either burned, thrown out, or put into storage so, nope, no stuff," he says. I pull the car off of the road and into the lot for my apartment building. I park the car in my spot and turn to him. 

"Steve, I know I didn't do any of this to you but I am sorry. I am truly sorry. I can't even imagine the emotions that you are going through. And I just want you to know I am not on this mission because I have to be. I am doing this for you and because I want to in memory of my father. I know it sounds weird but it's true." I finished. Steve looks back at me and smiles, the emotion finally reaching his eyes for the first time today.

"Rachel, thank you. I don't think I can say this enough to you." He says.

"Well, you're welcome."