Father's Enemy {A Captain America's Daughter fanfic}

Chapter Seventeen

"Everything is clear on my end," Catalina yelled down the hall.

"We have one more hallway, Fräulein," Johann shouted in her general direction.

"Why do you keep calling me Fra-Fräulein?" Johann winced as she butchered the word. She laughed.

"Fräulein means miss," he informed.

"So you were actually being polite?"

"Is that room clear?" He asked ignoring her.

"Yes."

"Good," He said shortly. He turned and walked toward her.

"Let me guess," she sighed, "back to my cell?"

"Yes," he said and held out his hand for the gun.

Catalina slowly handed it over. She wasn't exactly sure why she wasn't trying to escape. It was almost as if she had resolved to make Johann Schmidt her mission. Woman tend to want to make things or people better. This was a factor in this case. She didn't want this man to continue living in anger and hate all alone. She longed to help him. Her father always said that was the way her mom had been.

Johann looked her. He was surprised and confused. Why wasn't she trying to escape? This didn't make sense. He led her back to her cell and raised the containment field again.

Caty watched him walk away. He was confused by her actions. It was written all over his face. Surprisingly he wasn't nearly as horrible as she had expected him to be. But that might just be now. Who knows how he was seventy years ago. Only time would tell.

*******************************

For the next three days Schmidt brought her food twice every day. It wasn't a lot but it was enough. Every time he came she would smile and say thank you. He would raise a confused eyebrow at her and walk away. It had become almost a ritual. Finally he said something to her.

"Why the sudden change?"

"What do you mean?" She asked quizzically.

"Why did you stop trying to escape. I must say I am baffled by your behavior."

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I think it's been a long time since someone had been kind to you," she said after a few moments thought, "and I decided to be that one."

Her answer obviously stunned him. He was speechless. Why would she be kind to him?

"It's no trick," she said assuredly.

"Why?"

She smiled and shrugged. "Everyone needs a little kindness."

"You are unlike any woman I have ever met," he thought for a moment, "well, besides my sister."

"Sister?"

"Yes, you remind me of her," he stated then he turned and walked away.

So that was why he didn't kill me. She thought to herself. She understood though. If she had a mission to kill someone who reminded her of her dad or Tony or even Nick, she would have a hard time carrying it out.

After about three hours she stood and started pacing. She was getting so bored! She had absolutely nothing to do. If only she had a good book. She doubted she could get Schmidt to let her read one of his books. No harm in asking right? So she waited around till he got there to deliver her next meal. She nodded and thanked him and then asked if he perchance had a book on German culture. He seemed pleased that she would be interested in Germany and brought her one on the ancient Celts of the German wilderness. She began to read and found it extremely interesting so she read all throughout the night. When he arrived the next morning he was surprised to find she had finished it. So he brought her another book. This time on the founding of Germany. She finished that just as quickly and he brought another book on the Great War. She devoured that as well.

"Fräulein, you read almost as fast as I do," he said taking the book from her.

"I like to read," she said shrugging her shoulders.

"I always have as well," he said, "my sister used to always get annoyed at me. She said I rarely saw the light of day because I always had my nose in a book."

"Really? What do you prefer to read about?"

"I read anything from history to science to fiction and fantasy," he said.

"That's a wide range of subjects," she laughed.

"I've always pursued knowledge."

"That's a good pursuit," she said. "I haven't had much time to read since I was fifteen."

"That is too bad," he said.

"Do you by chance have a book on how to learn German," she asked.

"Why would you want to learn German," he said raising an eyebrow.

"It's a challenge," she shrugged. He nodded in agreement. So he brought her a book on German. Surprisingly he explained all the pronunciation to her for a while and the differences in grammar. She drank in every word and began teaching herself. Within the next few days she had mastered more than just the basics. She had a knack for languages and this would help her in the days to come.

Not very much action but a much needed chapter! Hope you guys are enjoying! Let me know by voting! :) -LMI