The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 8

Brooklyn watched as Rogers' eyes kept bouncing between her and Juliana. "Both of you."

She knew what he was saying. "Yes. Both of us."

"How?" He took another step forward but froze when Juliana hid more behind her legs. Rogers frowned. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"She has a healthy fear of new people." Brooklyn looked down at her sister, giving her small hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sure you understand why."

Rogers nodded. "I can, indeed." He took a deep breath. "I guess there is more we have to discuss, isn't there?"

Brooklyn sighed. "You aren't going to let this go, are you?"
"I think you and I both know that's not going to happen. Did I hear something about shopping?" He grinned. "I will have you know; I make a great bag carrier."

She pursed her lips, thinking. Looking at him, as he smiled at her, attempting to be non-threatening. Pulling Juliana out from behind her, gently, she placed the girl in front of her, keeping one hand still in the little girls, before placing the other on her shoulder. Squeezing gently with both hands, she introduced heasently, "Juliana, I would like you to meet Captain Steve Rogers. He was a friend of Papa's."

The little girl's head snapped up, looking up at Rogers with big eyes. "You knowd Papa?"

Rogers smiled wider, and crouched down, so he was eye level with Juliana. "I did. I grew up with him. Right here in Brooklyn. We were the best of friends."

Juliana's face scrunched up. "You sleep like Papa?"

Brooklyn inhaled sharply.

Rogers' eyes darted up to hers. "She knows?"

"I tried to explain to her, how Papa could be as old as he is, while not looking it." She shook her head. "But you try explaining cryostasis to a four-year-old."
Nodding, Rogers turned his attention back to Juliana. "Yeah, I guess you could say I did. I slept, just like your Papa."

Juliana stepped forward, one hand raising to Roger's face. He didn't move as she reached out and touched his cheek with her fingers, looking him right in the eyes, before pulling them away quickly. "But not like Papa."

"Jules, Papa had bad people hurt him, remember?" She rubbed her sister's shoulder. "But Captain Rogers just took a very long nap. And he had nice people help him wake up."

Juliana leaned back on her big sister and nodded. Then she tilted her head up and looked at Brooklyn. "Go shopping now?"

Rogers slowly rose to his feet. "Would you mind if I tagged along with you and your sister, Juliana? It would make me very happy to help the two of you. And I would be very happy to get to know you, since I knew your Papa so well."

Juliana stared at Brooklyn, who raised an eyebrow. "It's up to you, Jules."

The little girl considered the request, as well as the fact that it was her decision to allow Rogers to join them. Finally, she looked at Rogers and nodded. "Okay. You can come."

He grinned and put the muffin still in his hand in the bag in his other. "Well, then, Ladies. Shall we go?"

Brooklyn sighed, before approaching the street, Juliana skipping alongside her, hand clutched tight. Raising the other hand in the air, she began to try to flag down a taxi. Several passed them by, before Rogers, chuckling, stepped up, and all but stepped in front of one.

She bit back the urge to snap at him that she didn't need his help, but instead ushered her sister into the backseat, before getting in as well, picking Juliana up and putting her on her lap, making room for Rogers. He slid his large frame in next to her, and ended up pressed against her, hip to hip. She sighed and gave the cabbie the address for the shop that sold the school uniforms.