𝙵𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚊𝚜𝚝

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿

𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗲 was the first to exit the car as they pulled up to the deserted army base. She pulled out her heat detector and started scanning the building. Natasha joined her, glancing t her every now and again.

"What's up?" Cassie asked after she received yet another look from her friend.

"I was just wondering why you didn't tell me about all things you had to do." Natasha said, turning to watch Cassie.

"Well it's moments I don't really like to talk about. It's not like you tell me everything that went down in the Red Room." Cassie said as she shrugged.

Natasha watched her for a few minutes longer before talking again. "Does Clint know?" She asked abruptly.

Cassie lowered the heat device and turned to look at Natasha, frowning slightly. "No. Why?"

Natasha shrugged, looking down slightly. Cassie raised her eyebrows. "You're wondering if I'm closer to Clint than you." Natasha's head shot up.

"No! No - I mean- no I mean...maybe." Cassie smiled, it was always nice to see Natasha showing her emotions.

"To answer your unsaid question no, we are not closer. I'm close to you both in different ways. Both of you, plus Fury, are basically the only ones who I actually trust." Natasha smiled, feeling slightly assured.

"There are zero heat signatures from anywhere in or around the building." Cassie called over to Steve.

"Yeah well maybe that's not where we're supposed to go." Natasha and Cassie follow his gaze towards a small building on the edge of the camp.

☝︎︎
☟︎

"What is this place?" Cassie asked.

"Must be the beginning of Shield. Look, there's the old logo." Natasha pointed to the far wall where, sure enough, the old bird of Shield was painted.

Cassie noticed three very crooked and very dusty pictures hanging on the wall to their right, next to rows of shelves. She turned and walked up to them, smiling sadly at who was in two of them. Peggy Carter and Howard Stark. Natasha and Steve walked up next to her.

"The founders of Shield?" Natasha asked while Steve just looked at the picture of Peggy. "Who's the girl?"

"Peggy Carter." Steve said quietly.

"And Howard Stark." Cassie whispered, looking at the picture of young Howard, striking a pose for the camera.

She remembered one day when she was around five or six when there was a photographer coming to his place.

꧁ 𝐹𝑙𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 ꧂

"Uncle Howie!" Five year old Cassie ran through the front doors and towards the lab.

"Hey CassieCat!" Howard opened up his arms and lifted the little girl up, placing her on an empty countertop, standing between her small legs. "How was school?"

"It was good! What have you been doing in here?" Cassie stared up at him with her wide greeny-blue eyes.

"Well I've been preparing." Howard Said, smiling down at the girl. "There's a photographer coming and..." he glanced at his watch. "He should be here soon actually."

"Well can I help you in here until he comes?" Cassie asked.

Howard chuckled. "Of course, bit you know the rules! Go and change into an outfit that doesn't get dirty. Maria will be able to help you."

꧁ 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 ꧂

Cassie shook herself out of her memories, remembering where they were and what was happening. She looked over to her left and realised that both Natasha and Steve had moved on. She quickly followed just in time to see her father pull one of the shelves aside and say something about hiding the elevator.