Shield Legacy

“Mr. Wilson!” echoed as they headed out of the building where the senate hearing had taken place. Scarlett, Steve, and the rest of the family had basically gone to backup Sam. It was a good thing that they had. She had ended up having to go after the US Government for receipt of purchase in regards to Sam’s previous wings that Tony had built as well as the shield.

Moments Ago

“Miss Coulson, we are grateful for your family’s service to this country. However…”

“Oh don’t you however me, Senator Bates. Where are the receipts of purchase?”

“Receipts of purchase for what?” Another senator piped up looking at the table.

“The government has dictated that they own Mr. Wilson’s previous set of wings as well as the shield that my fiancé chose to pass on to him. I would like proof of purchase that the US Government purchased the Captain America shield from Howard Stark as well as the purchase receipt of Mr. Wilson’s previous set of wings from Stark Tech.”

“Now, Miss Coulson, I don’t think…”

“Senator Bates, I do not care what you think if it is not already evident by my line of questioning. I could understand if the wings Mr. Wilson was using with Redwing were the same wings that my fiancé, Miss Romanoff, and Mr. Wilson stole from Fort Meade. However the wings that Mr. Wilson was using prior to the wings attached to his new uniform as Captain America were owned by Stark Technologies. Which as I am very close with the CEO, I would have heard about the US Government trying to purchase them. And his newest ones are in truth his own as a gift from the royal family of Wakanda. So I ask again, where are the receipts of purchase?”

Senator Bates visibly swallowed when she finished, sending a thrill through her. She could feel Sam and Bucky trying not to snicker as she took them down a peg or twenty. 

“Miss Coulson, the shield has been a piece of American History for over seventy…”

“Receipts, Senator Bates. My fiancé chose Mr. Wilson to take over the Captain America mantle. And I am certain that the US Government was not playing into racist thought processes when they did not ask him to take over and instead chose Mr. Walker to take over the position.” She continued staring at them all. “So I highly recommend that you leave Mr. Wilson to his duties. You have his contact information if he is needed.” 

Scarlett didn’t give them the opportunity to speak up more, closing her portfolio and stepping away from the podium. The rest of them filed out behind her, following closely to the foyer of the building.

“Mr. Wilson, did the government choose to have you replace Mr. Walker as Captain America?” One of the female reporters asked, making Scarlett stop in her tracks as they headed down the stairs. Sam was about to answer when she slipped herself between him and the reporter. Her body language screamed ‘Let me take care of this.’ because she had yet to prep Sam on how to handle any of these types of questions.

“Mr. Wilson was not chosen by the US Government to be Captain America. Mr. Wilson was chosen by the previous Captain America, Steven Grant Rogers, to take over the mantle. The US Government chose to ignore this and made the choice to fill the role with Mr. Walker. We are grateful for his service in the position. However, Mr. Wilson was and is Captain America, chosen for his abilities and moral standards, despite the US Government’s choices.” Scarlett answered, staring at her politely though her words were filled deeply with venom. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we have other places to be today including a briefing with the SecDef.”

The questions didn’t stop as they continued down the stairs to where she had Happy waiting on them with a car. He was kind enough to come shlep them all around for the time being. 

“So how did it go?” He asked as soon as they were all in the car. 

“Scarlett ripped the whole hearing team to pieces.” Nat laughed now as she settled into the car. “You should have seen her. Just laying into them asking for receipts of purchase.” 

“She’s not wrong.” Happy answered, shaking his head. He was used to it. Pepper always called Scarlett in when she needed the pitbull negotiator. She was good at it which was why she consulted with the Stark Technologies lawyers. 

“I just don’t like people assuming they own things just because it happens to benefit them.” She answered, shaking her head as she sat centered between Steve and Sharon in the backseat. “Besides, Senator Bates needed to be put in his place. He knew the moment Sam agreed to hand the shield over that he was going to replace him. And he can kiss my ass going forward in regards to who wields that shield.”

Steve couldn’t help but smile as he held her tightly to his side.

“You were marvelous, babe. Always.” He whispered in her ear, drawing a soft smile to her lips.

“Sam deserves my best and only my best.” She answered looking over at her best friend. “Now, we have to prep you to be able to handle those questions on your own when you don’t have me around.”

“Anytime, Scarlett. Anytime.” Sam replied, relaxing in the car. “So SecDef?”

“You have something on your mind."  Her voice broke into his thoughts, and he smiled just a little as he looked up from his notebook.  The notebook that was filled with drawings of Scarlett.  He couldn’t forget her.  He didn't want to.

"Someone."  He let out a breath as she moved to sit next to him, coming in out of the rain.  "She's beautiful.  Tell me about her."

He looked back at the picture he had been drawing of her, smiling.  She was sitting by the window in the diner, smiling.  The sun shining in from behind her.  She looked like an angel.  Just the way he remembered her to be.  "We met a few months before I met Dr. Erskine.  She took my breath away from the second I met her."  

He glanced over at Peggy, smiling softly.  "She looked at me, and saw me.  She didn't see the short, sick guy.  She saw Steve.  And she loved me.  And I love her."  He looked away from her, his eyes filling with tears.  "She changed my life, in so many ways."

"She sounds remarkable."

He closed his notebook, his eyes closing at her words.  "She is."  His voice was low, cracking as he spoke.  "I miss her."

"Is she back in Brooklyn?"

He shook his head, sighing a little.  "She left, a couple weeks before the experiment.  I don't know if I will ever see her again."  He looked back at Peggy, a breath out.  "Her leaving so suddenly, caused some ripples of course.  Rumors as to why.  That she was pregnant, and I couldn't afford to take care of her and the baby.  That I was too sick, and wouldn't survive to see the birth anyway.  There were so many rumors, and they flew so quickly.  And none of them were true."

She hated what she heard as he spoke.  The rumors that flew were ridiculous.  They didn't know what they were talking about, and yet they still spoke.  "The only thing that mattered was that you knew the truth, Steve.  And she knew the truth.  What anyone else thought, doesn't factor into your life."

He looked back at her, sighing softly.  "I know that now.  And I knew that then.  But there was still a part of me that hated myself.  I went to a very dark place in myself.  A place I hated."  He let out a breath.  "I went to a place where I actually thought about ending it all, Peggy.  And that's not me."  He hated that about himself.  

"You…"  She sighed, her hand taking his.  "I'm glad you didn't.  And I know that, wherever this girl is, is also glad that you didn't."  She squeezed his hand gently.  "You have to have faith that one day, you will find her again.  She's out there, Steve.  Somewhere."

He gently squeezed her hand back, looking back at her.  "I hope so.  She's the one.  The right partner."

She smiled at him, nodding softly.  "I truly believe you'll find her."

Miscarriage.  They hadn't even known that she was pregnant.  And here they were, dealing with the news of a miscarriage.  This wasn't the news that either of them had wanted.  Ever since Tony had thrown her through time, he had just wanted her back.  And while it had only been a few hours for him, he knew for her it had been longer.  Months, in fact.  He knew because he remembered.  

It had come back to him in pieces over the years.  Mostly small flashes, out of sync.  But eventually he had remembered.  But it was never the time to tell her.  But now, it was.  Especially now.  

They had been home from the hospital for a few hours, and she had been sleeping.  He didn’t want to wake her.  He knew that she had been through a lot the last little while.  More than he had.  She needed her rest.  And as he sat there, watching her sleep, he had to smile.  Having her home, made him feel whole again.  

"Hey." Hearing that sleepy rasp in her voice, he smiled as he looked back at her.  "Hey you."

"What time is it?"

"Just after nine.  I brought you up a sandwich, in case you were hungry."

"My hero."

He smiled, nodding as he kissed her lightly.  As she sat up, he moved to sit next to her, taking her hand in his.  He didn't want to ask the question.  It sounded so cliche.  But he had to.  "How are you feeling?"

Holding his hand in hers, she sighed at his question.  Looking away for a moment.  "I.. I don't know, Steve.  I have to…"

He shook his head, taking in a breath.  "I need to tell you something.  And I think now is the best time to do so."

"Steve?"

He took in a deep breath, looking back at her.  "Do you remember when we first met?  We were up at the lodge, and you took me to the storage locker where all my stuff was?"

She nodded.  "Baby, what are you talking about this for?"

"It will all make sense.  I promise."  He took a moment, continuing.  "When we were in the storage locker, I found a bunch of photos.  They were mostly of me and Bucky, and people we knew.  In one of them was me and this girl.  It had been taken by Buck in '43.  We were standing on the Boardwalk, and we were so happy.  So in love."  He blinked, his eyes filling with tears.

"This woman was the first real love of my life.  The first person who saw me, for me.  Who loved me, for who I was.  Without the serum.  She saw Steve, and loved who he was.  And then she left.  And it broke me.  I had lost the one person I loved more than anything in the world, in the blink of an eye."

She shifted closer to him, her arm slipping around his as she listened.

"I was lost.  And then things got hard to deal with. Things were hard enough for me.  People back then were cruel enough.  I was… I was sick.  Always.  And people were always quick to say things on their mind.  But after she left, things just went from bad to worse.  The things that were said, went from just mean, to downright cruel.  Things that… lets just say they sent me to a place I never want to go again."

He sighed, leaning into her a little.  "I could always let things go before.  But there were things said that I just couldn't anymore.  And it sent me to a dark place I didn't like."  That was something he didn't like to admit.

"When I woke up from the ice, I didn't remember a lot to start with.  From before the serum.  Or even before the ice.  But it was slowly coming back, the longer I was awake.  But when I found this photo, this memory came flooding back to me, like it was happening right in front of me."  Looking at her, he reached for his mother's photo, taking off the back of the frame, pulling out the photo.

"I always knew that I would see her again.  One day.  I just didn't realize that it would take seventy years to find her."  Handing her the photo of them together on the Boardwalk, he smiled.  "You told me that day, that you would always love me.  And I held onto those words.  I loved you, so much then.  And I love you so much now.  It's always been you, Scarlett."

“I know, baby.” She looked up at him. “It’s always been you for me. Even when I didn’t know everything, it was you. I wish I could have been there.”

"You were."  He took in a breath, smiling softly.  "You were always with me."  Reaching into the dresser near the bed, he pulled out the small box he kept there.  Opening the box, he pulled out her letter.  "I always carried it with me.  You were never far from me."  

Scarlett pressed a kiss to his cheek, looking at the letter. “But it’s not the same, Steve. If I would have stayed… Things would have been different… Could have been different. You may have never gone to the fair that night. You might never have been chosen for Project: Rebirth.”

He looked at his hand, his wedding band shining in the light.  "I spent so long, wondering what the world had in store for me.  Why I had to meet the most amazing woman ever, only lose her.  Why I had to experience love so completely and fully, only to be left alone.  I spent so many nights suffering.  Listening to the things that were said about me, and you.  Wondering if the things that were said to my mother before I was born, weren't the truth.  I had never felt more lost in the world."  

Looking back at her, he took in a breath.  "That night at the fair, I took one last shot.  One last hope at enlisting.  I needed to get out of Brooklyn.  My home didn't feel like home anymore.  Not without you.  Bucky was leaving, and even the people that knew me, were cruel.  I had to go.  Enlisting, going to war, was my last chance at a new start.  I never imagined where it would lead me."

“And if I’d stayed? Our children would have grown up motherless.” She looked at the letter. “I told you we’d see one another again though. And I promised I’d never lie to you.” She hadn’t either. He was the love of her life and always would be.

He smiled softly, nodding at her.  "I know baby.  And it was that faith that I held on to.  I knew one day, we would find each other again.  At the time, I didn't know it would take so long."  He reached up, brushing her cheek lightly.  "When my memories started coming back, it was the ones of you that came first.  They were always the strongest.  They were the ones that guided me."  

He loved her.  From the moment that she yelled at him on the street, he had loved her.  There was just something about her that drew him in.  Her beauty, her grace, her gentleness.  It was all a part of the package sure.  But there was something else.  Something more.  

She loved him.  For who he was.  Flaws and all.

It had shattered him when she left.  There was always a part of him that wondered if she was a dream.  If he would wake up one morning and find her gone.  He had hoped that he would be able to hold on to her forever, but he realized that the best dreams were the ones that faded.  He would always remember her though.  The woman that loved him so completely, that she changed his life.

He held the letter she had left for him, close to his heart.  Carried in the pocket of his shirt, right over his heart.  His last connection to her.  She loved him.  And he knew it.  He loved her.  For the first time in his life, he knew what it felt like to feel real love.  To know that someone loved every part of him.  Regardless of how broken he was.  Scarlett loved him.  For the person he was inside.

The promise of seeing her again, gave him so much hope.  Even if the chance was low, it gave him something to hold on to.  That hope that one day, he would see her again.  He would always hold on to that.  It gave him peace.

People were cruel.  It felt like the moment she left, the rumors started.  It wasn't like he wasn't used to them, but these were different.  They felt more cruel this time around.  More… personal.  And while a part of him knew they weren't true, there was a tiny part that wondered if they could be.  

She's pregnant.  That's why she left, you know.  He let out a breath as he wandered past the small group of women.  He could feel them staring at him.  I didn't think he was healthy enough for that.  There is an ache in him at those words and he bites back the words he wants to say in return.  He's not that sick, you stupid woman.  But he stays quiet.  Trying to ignore them.  Pretending he doesn't hear them.  I would have thought sex would have killed him.  He can barely breathe anyway. He has to move away, before he says something, rounding the corner away from them.  His eyes filling with tears.

Leaning against the wall, he takes in a deep breath, trying to keep from breaking.  He wants nothing more than the looks and the words to stop.  Spotting Bucky, he takes in a breath, moving to meet him.  Heading across the street towards the diner, he moved to the booth at the back, hoping people wouldn't say anything.

I heard that the Rogers boy got that poor girl in trouble.  And since he can barely afford to take care of himself, she had to go home to her family.  They weren't even trying to hide their words anymore as they walked by them.  He sighed, trying to hide in his menu. "What the hell?"  

"Let it go, Buck."  He looked back at him, sighing.  "I will not."  He watched as Bucky looked back at the women. "You two need to shut the hell up about things that you know nothing about.  Especially when the lies you're saying, aren't true.  Shut the hell up."

He sighed as Bucky turned back to face him.  "I wish you hadn't done that.  Now they will never stop."  He set his menu down, looking back at him.  "You know they're going to think that it's true.  And you're just covering."

"Fuck them.  It's not true.  And you know it."

"Buck, it doesn't matter."  It never mattered.  Not about something like this.  "They think I got her pregnant and abandoned her.  This isn't going away, Buck."  He shook his head, getting up from the table and leaving the diner.

----

He thought the worst about himself.  He couldn’t help it.  He usually tried to not let the whispers get to him.  The poor sick orphan boy, who could barely afford to get by.  But this… this hurt.  This hurt more than anything else they could have said about him.  The truth was, he missed her.  She had loved him for who he was.  Despite everything, and now she was just gone.  And he didn’t know why.  Or if he would ever see her again.  He was broken.  And he wasn’t sure that he would ever feel whole again.

Maybe they were right.  Maybe the world was better off without him.  The doctors had told his mother that before he was born.  Maybe they were right.

He hated this place.  He tried so hard not to let himself get this dark.  The thoughts, the what ifs.  But hearing all those rumors, all the whispers.  He couldn’t help it.  Maybe everyone would be better off if he just ended it.  Bucky certainly would be.  He wouldn’t have to worry about keeping his sick friend out of trouble.

It would be so easy...

----

He hadn't left the apartment much in the last couple of weeks.  Work, groceries, that was it.  He didn't want to deal with people.  The stares, the rumors.  It was all getting to him.  It was too much.  The latest was that he had sent her away because he was so sick that he wasn't going to be around long enough to see the birth of the baby anyway.  That one, had hurt the most.  It had also been the one that caused him to become a shut in.

He barely saw Bucky even.  It wasn't worth it.  He didn't want to deal with the real world and the hate he felt in it every day.  The cruelty of the people around him.  But Bucky was dragging him out to the fair that night.  Tired of him wallowing, he said.  Steve just wanted to stay home.  He missed Scarlett.  And no girl that was interested in Bucky was going to make that better.

He had gone to the recruitment office that morning, but had been turned down.  Again.  But it didn’t deter him.  He needed out.  He couldn’t take the looks anymore.  The whispers. I heard the baby isn’t doing well.  As sick as he was.  That poor girl.  I don’t know how she’s going to manage.  Such a hard pregnancy.  She should just end it.  It would be for the best.  Maybe that was the reason he sought out the fight in the alley.  He wanted to feel something.  Pain was easier when it came from anger.  Maybe he was just looking for someone to beat him so badly, he didn’t need to deal with the pain anymore.  

Wandering through the fairgrounds, his mind was on Scarlett.  He hoped that she would show up.  He knew it wasn't likely, but he could hope.  The girls that Bucky had brought, were both interested in him, so it didn't matter what he did anyway.  Bucky left tomorrow to ship out and he knew that he should be paying more attention.  His last night in town and all.  But he just couldn't.  His mind was elsewhere.  The thoughts of her, and the way she made him smile.  Made him feel like he could do anything.  There was pain.  No hatred of himself.  He could just be free.  

He didn’t have to suffer anymore when he was with her.

Spotting the recruitment office, maybe this was his chance.  One last chance.  One last shot at changing his focus from Scarlett onto something else.  Losing the love of his life only made him more determined to leave the US and enlist in the military.  He needed to change his story.  There had to be something out there for him, that didn’t involve rumors and lies.  Looks of pity.  Of disgust.  That feeling of hate deep from within.

This was his last chance to save his own life.

----

When he wasn't doing drills or in training, he was drawing.  Scarlett.  She was his focus.  Drawing her from memory, the pictures were of her at his favorite date memories.  On the Boardwalk.  At the park.  Even in his apartment.  Anywhere they had been together, was his favorite spot.  It all held so many memories for him.

His journal held everything that was dear to him.  Mostly drawings of Scarlett.  Letters to her that he would never send.  Things that he wanted to share with her.  That he didn't know if he would ever get to share with her.  He could hope though.

----

After The Serum

He wasn't used to the attention.  Being the center of everyone's desires.  The way the women were staring at him, made him blush.  Inside, he was still Steve.  Still the same guy he always was.  But now that had gone through the experiment, he looked different.  And everyone took notice.  

He still thought about Scarlett.  He missed Scarlett.  He wrote her letters everyday.  But the longer he went without seeing her, the more he lost hope that he ever would again.  It was getting harder and harder to hold on to hope.  

----

He was supposed to meet up with Howard Stark, to go over some ideas.  Finding that he had to wait, he doesn't look at the blonde that is sitting there.  It's not until she moves closer to him, that he gets a good look at her.  Scarlett.  She looks so much like her.  He can't help but melt into her as she kisses him, but it's not her.  He can tell the difference.  The kiss is different.  It feels different.  He feels different.  And as Peggy interrupts, he's grateful.

He doesn't want this to happen.

"You know, I hear Peggy is single.  She's very attractive." He took in a breath as he looked over at Howard.  "She is.  I'm… well I'm kind of taken.  I think."  He wasn't sure what to call it exactly.  Especially when he didn't know where Scarlett was.  "You should go for her though."  He flashes him a smile, before looking over the shield designs.

His mind isn't on Peggy though.  It's on Scarlett.  "Who is she?"  He looks back at Howard, taking in a breath.  "The woman I would give up everything, just to see smile one more time."  His fingers trace over the vibranium shield, as he thinks about the life he wants.  

And the life he may not get.

----

He has no other choice.  This is what he has to do, in order to save lives.  "Peggy, this is my choice."  He has to save lives.  He has to crash the plane in order to save the lives of people who have no idea what is going on above them right now.  

"Peggy, can you promise me something?"

"Anything."

"You'll teach me to dance?  So that when I see her again, we can dance."

Peggy smiled through her tears.  "Stork Club, Eight O'clock.  A week next Saturday.  Don't be late."

For @someonesforever

Scarlett was the first one up on the day of Yelena's birthday, quietly baking in the kitchen when Melina and Alexei arrived at the house. Nat and her had worked hard to plan this. Not a huge to-do like Christmas had been, but just the five of them. Grant was due to come by as well so it would just be the six of them for dinner and cake that evening. She had already made a pot of coffee for herself when she heard Nat coming down the stairs.

"Yelena is still asleep." She smiled, going over to kiss her fiancé. They were still planning the wedding. "Do you want me to take her breakfast up to her?"

"You can. It's ready." Scarlett answered, handing her the tray with the chocolate chip pancakes on it. "You're sure she isn't going to get mad about this?"

"She's not Steven, Scarlett." Melina smiled, looking at the blonde her daughter was so in love with. "She'll be happy you aren't doing something huge though."

"Just us. And Grant. He's been on assignment the last few weeks and he didn't want to miss it. So he's been trying to get back." She smiled as Nat disappeared upstairs to Yelena's bedroom.  "Now, we have to prep dinner. You brought everything right?"

"You worry about cake, Scarlett. I'll worry about the meal." Melina smiled, holding out her hand for the spoon that was in Scarlett's hand. "I promise I won't blow the kitchen up."

Scarlett smiled, handing over the spoon before settling herself at the counter with her own stack of plain pancakes. Their dinner that evening was delicious - Melina's cooking front and center... Well at least until Scarlett brought out the Barnes Cinnamon Chocolate Cake.

"This looks too rich, Scarlett." Yelena said as she looked at the double layered cake.