Ms. America

Chapter Eleven

It was the beginning of 1946 when Rose started to remember things. She knew who she was quite quickly, and began to recognize Howard and Peggy soon after. But her memory filtered back piece by piece, and she had these horrible nightmares about her time with Hydra. Howard decided Rose was stable enough to throw a birthday party for her when March rolled around. Her birthday had always been her most favorite time, so he felt it could trigger some more memories. The night of the party, everyone who was anyone was there, waiting to see Ms. America back since the war. And Hydra was no exception. With the original leaders arrested or deceased, new heads rose, continuing on the program Zola had started during the war. But they needed the world to see what Rose Carter had become, a monster.

During the gathering, smoke bombs were set off, triggering Rose's memories. When she saw men approaching her to fight, she relied on her body to blast some away with air, or ice, or the blue energy, and others she would beat with her own skills. Howard and Peggy looked on, as the guests watched their national symbol in fear. When the smoke cleared, Rose had a blue aura around her, and her green eyes glowed the same bright blue. Peggy reached out to grab her sister, rushing her upstairs.

"What was that?!" asked Peggy, terrified for the safety of her sister. Howard walked in and closed the doors.

"I covered with guests, they think it was a light show that we hid with the smoke to welcome Rose back swinging. They seemed to buy it so we should be good," Howard stated, reaching out to his apprentice. Rose looked tired and distraught, but not surprised.

"Is this, did Reinhardt do this to you?" Howard questioned as he sat Rose down on the bed.

"Yeah, at least, I think so," Rose stated, "I'm not sure how anymore, but I remember having to fight like that and that reaction happening. I don't know how I know, but I know they won't stop until they get me back. One of the men whispered that 'it was time to bring the Legion home'."

"What does that mean?" asked Peggy.

"I have no idea, but I think I need to disappear."

The three had their story set. Rose was going to go "die" in a freak single-plane accident, with a robot in place that matched her DNA and characteristics. Rose thought the safest action was to be put into cryostasis until the threat was gone, however long that may be. Only Howard and Peggy would know of her location, and would only wake Rose when she was to be moved every three years for safety.

"It's going to be okay Pegs, this is the safest option for all of us," Rose said, smiling at her older sister. The pair had not seen much of each other over the past two years, but they had grown exceedingly closer from everything. When Rose found out about losing Steve, she cried with Peggy for a few days straight. Rose had lost everyone, and she was going to have to lose herself to protect those that remained.

"Little Carter, the chamber is all set, so whenever you're ready," Howard said as he walked over to the sisters. He respected Rose immensely for what she was doing but wished there was some way he could take all this pain away for her. She may be an adult, but to him, she was still that 15-year old girl genius that sparked his interest so many years back. He pulled the girl into a hug, as Rose laughed at him. Howard was never one to show anything besides happy emotions, so she knew it was going to be hard for him.

"Don't worry Sparky, I know you will take good care of me," she laughed and looked at him as he let her go.

"You know, you may be a Carter. But if I had a sister, she could only be you," he responded, before walking away to start the cryo-chamber. Rose turned back to Peggy.

"I have never seen him like this Pegs," Rose said, tears forming. She didn't want to leave them, but she had to.

"I know, it's ok. I will help him with everything as best I can," smiled Peggy, before giving her sister one last hug. Peggy knew that Rose wouldn't be safe for a long time and that this would potentially be the last time she saw her in her lifetime, "I love you, little one, stay strong."