One | Steve Rogers

37

Pain.

One of the unfortunate side effects of life.

Pain.

Some would argue it makes us human.

But even Gods feel pain.

People from far away galaxies feel pain.

We all feel pain.

It's what signifies life.

Pain is what all living creatures experience.

Pain is life.

Life is pain.

Some will go through their fair share.

And turn out better.

Some will go through far too much.

And become their worst.

After all, it's how villains are made.

Through pain.

Pain is inevitable.

It leaves a mark on the soul.

Something that never goes away.

It lives deep inside of her.

No matter how hard she tries to forget.

All she has experienced is pain.

With momentary lapses of happiness.

Of peace.

But it never lasts.

It always gets taken away.

Call after call, she won't pick up. Bucky keeps trying, but it reaches her voicemail every single time.

She's too busy within her own mind. The memories playing over and over and over and over as a single tear falls down her cheek.

A knock at the door brings her attention elsewhere. She wipes away the tear with her sleeve and gets up from the couch to open the door. She comes face to face with a copy-cat of her late husband, carrying the very shield she had just put away.

And while John Walker greets her with a smile, her jaw simply clenches as her eyes bore into his.

" Hi there, John Walker," He says as he extends his hand, " It's an honor to meet you, Ms. Rogers."

He waits patiently, hand extended outwards, smile on his face, hoping that their hands will touch.

Nothing.

She says nothing. She doesn't move a muscle.

John clears his throat as he puts his hand back to his side.

" I, uh, I'm sorry we didn't have the chance to meet sooner," He says, " I've been really busy with--"

" Stealing the honor and tittle my husband fought to the death for?" Lauren suggests as she tilts her head, her voice low and terrifyingly calm.

" No, no, I would never," John says with a chuckle, " I could never be... I could never be Steve Rogers. I simply wish to honor his memory and serve as the next in line."

" Is that what it is?" She asks, " You want to be the next Captain America?"

He scoffs.

" I mean... I kinda am Captain America," John says as he motions to his suit.

" No," Lauren says as she slowly inches out of the apartment, in turn causing John to take steps back, " You... are not Captain America. That tittle belonged to my husband... because he earned it. It is not something that can be passed to another simply because you wear the same colors," his back presses against the wall in the hallway as she gets closer enough to feel his shaking breath hit her face, " If you came here today to get my blessing... you are surely mistaken," her voice remains ever so calm and low as her eyes begin to glow a menacing gold, something very few people still alive can say they have seen.

John gulps as he looks down at the woman in front of him. Despite towering over her in height, she holds all the power in this situation. She could kill him with the blink of an eye. She could blast him down to the ground floor with a yawn. His eyes stay steady on hers, despite the glow making him want to scream.

" I-I'm sorry if I offended you," He says as he puts his hands up, as if to show he means no harm.

" You know who I am... you know what I can do... and yet you came here all by yourself... were you truly that confident that I would do you no harm?" She asks, the glow in her eyes never fading, not even for a second.

" I just thought we would be able to talk," John speaks, " Out of respect."

" Respect?" Lauren asks as she tilts her head, " No, no, no... you don't come here, wearing my husband's shield on your back... and talk to me about respect," while keeping her eyes locked on his, her right hand reaches out to his abdomen, her fingertips burning through the material of his suit until they reach his skin, " I take it you've heard the stories. Cartegena?" he nods, " Manila?" he nods, " And what about Cairo?"

" Yes," John grits as he attempts to block out the searing pain in his torso, " You were... you were in the tomb of a God... there was a team of mercenaries there... and you took them all out."

" How many mercenaries?" She asks.

" 31."

" Any survivors?"

" No."

" And did I have backup?"

" No."

And with that, she smirks.

" But did I use my powers?" Lauren asks as she removes her fingers from his abandon, only for his head to feel as though it's being crushed from the inside and unable to move the rest of his body," Hm? Or was that all on my own."

" All. On. Your. Own," John says through grit teeth, his eyes squeezed shut as his feels his mind being toyed with.

" And even knowing all of this... you still dared to bother me, in my own home?" She asks as her left hand ignites a spark that soon turns into a burning flame, " That does not seem very wise."

A gun clicking from the other side of the hall causes her neck to slowly turn in that direction. She sees a woman in a black suit with an ear piece and a pitch black federal-use gun pointed directly at her. Lauren turns her head back to John who's writhing in pain as he's being forced against the wall. While her eyes look up at him, her ears travel down to the ground floor of the building, only to hear multiple armed federal agents waiting in the lobby to attack her if needed.

" So much for respect."

In an instant, the glow leaves her eyes, the fire dies out, and John's pain leaves his body. He pants as he tries to recover, but frantically looks at the woman who caused him all that pain.

" Goodbye, John Walker," Lauren says as she turns around and walks back to her apartment, " I hope to never see you again."