Athena Erskine was beautiful and bold. A female scientist in a world of men. Athena lived every day outnumbered but not outsmarted. Athena had to force her way into every room. So that she could demonstrate how much brighter, she is than all the men...
"Two souls don't find each other by simple accident."
Jorge Luis Borges
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Athen bleary oped her eyes. As Athen squinted around, she could see she was in a hospital. A radio was playing beside her.
Athen woozily pushed herself up. But something felt off. There was something not quite right about what was going on around her.
"Good morning," a man smiled as he walked in.
"Where am I?" Athen demanded as she sat up, "And where is Steve Rogers."
"You're both in a hospital in New York City," The man told her.
"No, I'm not," Athen shouted, "where am I? Stop lying."
"I'm afraid I don't understand," The man smiled, sickly sweetly.
"Who are you?" Athena demanded, "Where am I, and where is Steve?"
Athena was stunned to see two soldiers dressed in black storming into the room. Athena barged past him, sending him flying through the wall. Upon realising that she was not in a hospital but a made-up set, Athena broke out. She tore the walls as she bolted out of the room.
"Agent Erskin, wait!" The man shouted, "All agents, code 13! I repeat. All agents, code 13!"
Athena rushed out and threw the halls to a different room. Athena looked from side to side. Then, realising that she was in a building surrounded by more people, she bolted for the front door. Athena saw one man leapt to get her. She sidestepped him as she exited the building.
As Athena exited the building, she looked around in awe at her surroundings. There were massive buildings that seemed to touch the sky. Athena jumped to a stop as a car came towards her. It was a giant monstrosity of a car if you could even call it that. Athena, seeing that it was coming to a halt in front of her, turned and bolted. Athen ran, aware that the cars were following her. The one proved is that more cars came in around surrounding her.
Athena was surrounded, tapped by the men piling out of the cars that had covered her.
"At ease, agent!" A tall man with an eyepatch called as he stepped out of a car. "I know you are confused, but that little show was in the hopes that we could break things to you slowly."
"Break what?" Athena demanded.
"You've been asleep, Athena. For almost seventy years," the man told her.
"What about Steve," Athena asked quietly, "did he make it?"
"He did, but he is still walking up at the moment," the eye patch man told her, "you woke up earlier than expected."
"But how would that work?" Athena asked, "my bodily functions?"
"I'm not the science guy," the man told her. "So don't ask me. Now, could you please come back with me?"
✯⍟✯
Athena was standing talking to the eye patch man. Athena now knew that he was called Nick Fury. But he went by Fury.
After waking up, Fury took Athena to get food and reacquaint her with New York.
Their conversation was interrupted by a call of, "All agents, code 13! I repeat. All agents, code 13! Again!"
That will be the captain," Fury told Athena, shepherding her to an SUV.
"How can I help?" Athena asked as she sat in the back of the SUV; Fury sat next to her.
"Wait in the car till I signal for you to join," Fury told her. "There is a chance if he sees you first, he might get the wrong impression.
Athena nodded her head. But she didn't realise how hard it was when she suddenly saw him standing looking very confused in the middle of New York.
Athena immediately went to get out of the car and comfort Steve.
"Stay in the car," Fury commanded, sending her a stern look.
Athena stayed back in the car, watching Fury's every word and movement.
"At ease, soldier!" Fury shouted as he approached Steve, "Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but... we thought it best to break it to you slowly."
"Break what? Steve demanded.
"You've been asleep, Cap. For almost seventy years," Fury told Steve. Athena watched as Steve looked around himself, shocked at how much he had missed. Then, when Steve didn't say anything, Fury added, "You gonna be okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah," Steve nodded, his eyes filling with tears, "I just...I had a date."
Athena watched as Fury motioned for Athena to come out. Athena silently opened the door and stepped out.
"You still have a date," Athena told him, taking courteous steps towards him.
"Athena?" Steve breathed out as his head snapped up.
"It's me," Athena smiled, "Captain America's number one fan."
Steve let out a brethy laugh looking at Athena. Athena smiled back. Steve took off at a run, heading straight for Athena. Steve bundled her up in his arms, placing a kiss on her head.
"When you weren't there, I thought you had died," Steve told her.
"I'm half super soldier," Athena murmured.
"How come?" Steve asked, "No one told me."
"No one living apart from you knows," Athena told him. "When Vati and I made the super solder serum, I volunteered to try it. We did it at a half dose, and it worked. Vati didn't want to risk using the full-strength one. We made a few tweaks, and Artemis then asked if she could have it. She figured she could help more people that way. We still didn't go full strength. But she is also part super soldier." Athena told him.
"That does make sense," Steve agreed.
"Now come on," Athena laughed. "Do you remember how Howerd promised in a few years, there would be flying cars?" Athena asked. When Steve nodded his head, Athena carried on, "Well, he failed. I told him he was nowhere near ready. And look where we are 70 years later, and he is still wrong!"
Steve smiled at the joy on Athena's face. He could tell that a large part of her still missed 1942, But she tried to make the best of the situation. So Steve smiled as she dragged him off to show him a new device from the century they were stranded in. Steve nodded, pretending that he understood all of what was going on.
Fury smiled from where he could see and hear them. The two of them would be fine. They would struggle for sure. But Athena was enough of a tech whizz in her year. And Steve would ask Athena for help. So Fury knew they would be fine. And Fury was never wrong.
