So what did you do after this?" Sam asked.
"Earned their respect." Steve simply said.
It was raining as Steve drew a picture of a monkey balancing on a unicycle with a shield on its arm and an umbrella over its head. It wore a sweater with a big star on its chest.
"Expressive." Wanda muttered.
Peggy arrived, greeting a surprised Steve who asked her why she was here and she said she wasn't officially there. She talked about his performance and he said he had to improvise as his crowds were usually twelve year olds. Peggy told him he was America's new hope.
"That doesn't really sound like a bad thing." Pepper said.
"It isn't. But for someone like Captain America, it's a waste." Thor pointed out.
Steve said bond sales took a 10 percent bump in every state he visited but Peggy knew that those were Senator Brandt's words. Steve said that at least Brandt had him doing this because Phillips would have him stuck in a lab.
"Which would also be a waste." Scott said.
"Yeah, even bigger waste than this." Hope agreed.
Peggy demanded if a lab rat or dancing monkey were his only options. "You were meant for more than this you know." Peggy told him sincerely.
"You were." Natasha told him.
"And now you have proven it, time and time again." Daisy said.
Steve said he had dreamt of serving his country for the longest time and now that he had everything he wanted, he was wearing tights.
"If you wanted to fight, you haven't got anything you wanted." Rhodes pointed out.
Then a medical truck pulled up and man on a stretcher was brought out as Steve realized they had been through hell and Peggy told him that 200 men had gone up against Schmidt in Azzano and less than 50 had returned. Steve's audience had been the remainder of the 107th.
"The 107th!" Bucky said in realization.
"Yup." Steve told him.
Peggy said the rest were killed or captured as Steve looked shocked and rushed to Phillips' tent where he was signing condolence letters. He dryly asked Steve what his plan was for the day.
"To hang a noose on the goose-stepping goons-" Tony began.
"Come on, let's not talk about that." Steve said.
Steve said he needed the casualty list from Azzano but Phillips said he didn't take orders from him. Steve said he needed only one name- Sergeant James Barnes.
"Well, look who is brought up." Fury said as he looked at Bucky.
Phillips told Peggy they were going to have a chat as Steve asked him again and he said he had signed more condolence letters than he had cared to count but the name was familiar. He apologized to Rogers.
"Not a good thing to say to you, Captain Rogers." T'Challa said.
"Nope." Bucky agreed.
