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Marlene's coffee mug fell to the ground with a crash. As she looked at the vile of her brother's blood in shock. She couldn't believe a part of Steve still existed. She couldn't believe that Howard and Peggy both knew about it.
"Mr. Stark was afraid your scientists would squander the remaining samples attempting to re-create the serum," Peggy explained, looking Dooley in the eyes.
"Which they did," Mr. Jarvis added. "So I'm afraid you'll have to forgive him for trying to protect the greatest feat of the 20th century."
"You mean to tell me, that Howard, one of the few people I have left in my life, didn't trust me enough to tell me?" Marlene asked in a shaky voice, causing everyone to turn to her.
Marlene didn't blame Howard for wanting to protect the vile. Steve's blood falling into the wrong hands could go very badly, especially since they'll want to re-create the super-soldier serum. However, she couldn't shake the feeling of hurt that surrounded her heart. Her best friends didn't trust her enough with the information.
"He didn't trust me with it, either," Peggy told everyone, but more specifically Marlene. "He lied about the contents of the device. He nearly convinced me that I was saving the city by stealing it."
"Is that why you kept it," Sousa asked, glancing at Peggy. "Because he lied."
"Maybe at first," Peggy admitted honestly with her hands at her sides. "Or perhaps I didn't trust our greatest capitalist with such a prize. But I couldn't bring it here, either. I suppose I just wanted a second chance at keeping him safe."
That was something Marlene could understanding; wanting a second chance at keeping her brother safe.
In a way, it was similar to Marlene keeping James's dog tags with her at all times. She didn't get to Zola fast enough to stop him, to stop the stupid robots. She wasn't fast enough to keep the robots from blasting James out the entire side of a train. She wasn't good enough to keep him safe. Keeping his dog tags around her neck at all times was her second chance at keeping him safe.
Years in the future, she'd have more than enough chances at keeping him safe. No matter the physical pain it caused and no matter the emotional pain it caused, she kept him safe. In fact, she kept her family safe as well.
"I believe her," Sousa declared as he, Dooley, Thompon, and Marlene stood spoke quietly in a small huddle.
"Why?" Dooley countered. "'Cause she got all soft in there? How do we know it's not just an act? We've all seen her chops."
Marlene bit back the unnecessary retort that would have most definitely gotten her fired.
"She came clean even though she was halfway out the door with Stark's confession," Sousa reasoned.
YOU ARE READING
The Woman in Uniform
Fanfiction"What are strong men like yourselves doing?" A voice sounded through the dark alley. A woman appeared. Her voice held a slight British accent. "Teaching some punks a lesson," the largest of the five bullies said gruffly. He eyed the woman hungrily...
