Avengers The Captain's Secret

Part 4: The Visit

CAP POV

We walked up to a forcefield and Fury keyed in a code to reveal a living space. We stepped through, and I started assessing the place.

I would have never thought such a place existed under SHIELD headquarters. It was warm and soft, not a hint of military gray or blue anywhere. There wasn't even a SHIELD sign. Fury stopped by the small bar and poured himself a drink. He offered me one and I shook my head. He said he needed my help, so as far as I was concerned I was on duty, which meant I didn't drink even if I couldn't get drunk. We went down a few steps into the living space.

"Evie?" Fury called. I heard a door open somewhere and I looked around. "Evie, we...aw, Evie."

In the doorway, presumably to her bedroom, stood a young woman. She wore a long white dress that looked more like a nightgown, falling just past the knee in front and falling at her ankles in back. She also wore a colorful pastel shawl that looked hand made and she held it around her like a security blanket, as if she was cold. But what got to me was her face. Her dark almond shaped eyes were puffy from crying, her wavy hair which fell halfway down her back looked disheveled. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, maybe she hadn't slept since Coulson died. We barely had.

"What-what are you doing here?" she whispered, her eyes in widening at me. She was in disbelief that I was there, I could tell.

"I asked him to come," Fury said. "Evie, this is--"

"Steve Rogers," Evie finished in a breath. "Captain America."

"Hello," I nodded. I wasn't sure what to do next.

"Why--what would Captain America want from me?" she asked. She looked puzzled but curious.

"I--I wanted to personally extend my sympathies," I said softly. I watched her well up again, and I hoped I hadn't said the wrong thing. I grasped her hand so it rested in mine and covered it with the other. "I get the feeling you two were family."

She gave a sad little smile, and I couldn't help but smile back in understanding. She looked much younger all of a sudden. "Thanks, we were." She nodded. Her eyes widened as if she just remembered her manners. "Would you like tea?"

"That would be nice."

"Uncle Nick?"

Fury glanced at his small glass, but then mustered a small smile. "Sure."

I had to control my face on that one. Uncle Nick?!

I followed her into the kitchen.

"Really nice place you got," I said as I followed her. "Looks like a real home, not quarters."

She smiled sadly. "Thanks to Uncle Phil. I was watching TV and seeing all these different designs, and I wanted to live in places like that. He made sure I got it."

"He was like a dog with a bone," Fury added.

She went about setting a kettle on. "I--We-there's a lot of teas. What do you like to drink?"

"Anything you have is fine."

"I like oolong," she offered in suggestion. "We used to call it the supertea because it had so many benefits."

"Oolong it is," Fury said.

I smiled at her, nodding in approval, and watched her relax.

She made the tea and we all sat down. She looked me over. "How are you, Captain?"

I didn't expect her to say that. She was like a lady of the house. "Oh, can't complain, nothing that a little rest and relaxation won't cure," I said.

"You took a lot of hits in New York," she said softly. Her eyes were full of concern.

I looked at Fury, who said, "She was watching the whole thing on our surveillance."

"You were watching all of us?"

"Multi-screens," she said quickly. She looked embarrassed. "Uncle Nick was really nice about that." We looked over at him, and he gave a weird smile, like he knew something that I didn't know, poured his drink into the tea and toasted us before taking a sip.

I knew I wasn't getting the full picture here, and I would try to grill Fury later, but for now, I had to get her to attend the memorial.

She held the tea in her hands, almost kissing the lip of the cup, but then looked up to say, "Is there something I can do for you, Captain?"

I don't know why that little gesture made my heart flutter. "Call me Steve." I paused to take a sip of tea. "Actually, there is something we would like to do for you."

"What?" She asked, her smile widening.

"All the Avengers are here, you know."

She sobered. "I know." She knew why.

"We are all here for him, for you."

She swallowed hard, and nodded again. "I see." She set the tea down, staring at the contents of the cup.

I watched her. She lost eye contact with us. She clearly didn't want to talk about this. "I think he would want us all to be together for this." I put a steadying hand on her shoulder, lightly caressed her to comfort her. I knew what I was asking was difficult. I glanced at Fury. He was leaning forward, looking like he was hanging on every word, every move, even though he was relaxing in his chair.

"He was thinking about introducing me after this mission."

Again, I wanted to ask questions I shouldn't be asking. "Which is why I think we all need to be together to fulfill his wishes, Evie." It rolled out before I could stop it, the familiarity. I swallowed hard, bracing for anything.

Her dark eyes lowered to her hands, and I noticed how long her eyelashes were. She raised her eyes to me again, and I winced. She was hurting, hurting bad. "I know." Her voice wavered as fresh tears sprang in her eyes.

I leaned over so I could pull her close. "You won't be alone. Phil won't have it, and I won't either, okay?" She sobbed into my shirt, and I closed my arms around her and let her cry. "I will stay by your side through it all, I swear." Nick moved to get tissues for her, and gave them to me, taking his seat again and watching us. "You're not alone." I handed the tissues to her, and she took them.

"Thank you," she whispered, sitting up straight again. Her eyes were downcast. "I'm sorry--"

"No apologies needed," I told her. "You lost your father, it's understandable."

Fury quirked his eyebrow at the statement, but it was obvious. Coulson was her father in the ways that counted it seemed, so it was natural for her to cry. "I have arrangements to make for the service," he paused. "You will be there?"

I looked down at her, and she nodded. "I will see you later."

Again, Fury quirked his eyebrow. His eye went from me to her to me again, and he took his leave.

We took our tea into the living room area. She asked me what movies I had seen, and it wasn't many. She smiled and pulled out a movie called Die Hard. I had heard of this Bruce Willis before-kid from Jersey, so he might be alright-so we settled down on the couch to watch.