Temperance (Steve Rogers AU) 18+

7

I knock on the door of the Captain's office and hear a "come in" from the other side of it, opening it cautiously before entering.

He's seated at his desk, brow furrowed over something on his computer screen. To the side of him are a few things in clear glass frames, one of them being a sketch of a monkey on a unicycle that's juggling. He looks up and gestures to the chair across from him.

"Agent Kennedy, come in and sit down".

Shit. This sounds a little official. Perhaps I am getting kicked out. I note the flag on the desk and keep my eyes on it as I sit down. Turning his screen off, he now looks across to me. "I trust you had a nice shower".

I since. "Sorry, I told Friday not to send that part".

He makes no further comment and instead moves onto the subject at hand. "I was impressed as to how you managed to get this today". There's a hint of a smile that's ghosting his lips, turning a little fuller now as he looks at the flag. "That's the kind of thinking we're looking for in our candidates...".

I shrug it off. "I mean, you didn't give us specific rules, and pulling out the hook seemed like the obvious thing to do - I watched the others and no way were they going to be able to climb the pole. So I decided to think of other ways, then I noticed the hook".

He nods slowly at this and then looks back to the flag. "I was the first person to get that flag in seventeen years back when I was training". His expression is almost reminiscent. It was a long time ago. I wonder whether he actually misses his old life in some ways. He never really got to have one considering he spent it encased in ice.

"And how did you do it?" I now ask.

His eyes peel away from the flag and he smirks. "Easy. The same way as you did". My mouth falls open and he now reaches down to open one of his drawers, pulling out a file and then producing a picture from it - pushing it across the desk to me. "This was me, right before they gave me the serum. I was never a big guy, no muscles or anything. But they chose me above all the other stronger candidates". He now explains. "It's not common knowledge, so I'd prefer you keep this bit of information to yourself".

I look at the picture. "You...but you're ripped!" I now study the picture and then him. The difference is incredible. "And the serum did all this?"

He nods. "There's a lot of me that I see in you Alessandra. You're not afraid to run from a fight, you never once have given up. You've just got back up again and carried on. Except you can defend yourself better than I could back then when I was like that. I'd get beat up in ally's, and it always would take my best friend to save my ass".

"Bucky". I say as I see his expression change again. Bucky Barnes died in the war, and it's clear that the Captain misses him a lot. "I'm sorry about what happened to him".

"Yeah, me too". There's a look of guilt before he changes the subject. "What I said in the coffee shop the other week still stands, it's what Doctor Erskine said to me before I received the serum. We're not looking for the perfect soldier. It's what's in here that counts", he points to his heart. "And you? I do think that you have a perfectly good chance of being the one to receive the serum".

He's giving me a compliment? The biggest one to date.

"But...I thought you didn't think I was right for it? The way you've been yelling at me and stuff".

He looks at me apologetically. "You needed to keep going, and so to do that, I needed to push you harder to give you more of a reason to show me why you should stay".

I take it all in for a moment and then shake my head. "I don't think any of the others have the same opinion of me that you do, especially Sanders".

At this, he snorts. "Don't worry about Sanders. I knew people like him in the army. It was always satisfying to prove them wrong, and that's what you did today". I see his eyes now notice the marks on me. "And I suppose it's him that gave you those?"

"I can handle Sanders". I insist.

"I know you can, but I'll be having words with him regardless. His actions haven't been that of an honourable man and neither a solider".

I swallow. "Please don't say anything about me..."

"I won't. But he'll know if he fucks up? I'll be sending his ass back to Triskelion".

He means it. The look he's giving tells me that much, and I have no doubt that he's capable of doing so much worse to Sanders. I'd love to see him beat him in a fight for sure.

Now he brings the conversation to an end. "I trust you can keep what we've said to yourself?"

"I only have FRIDAY to talk to, so I think we're good for keeping secrets". I assure him. "How sad does that sound though, the AI is my only friend".

"Sometimes the less, the better". He points out. "Now go and enjoy your day off, spending it in my office isn't exactly the most fun".

I grin. "I bet the paperwork is thrilling".

"Don't get me started", he chuckles. It's the first time I've actually seen him laugh. "Now get outta here before I change my mind and make you spend the rest of your day filing away some reports for me".

I get up and make for the door. "Yes Captain".

"Alessandra..." I stop, my hand on the handle and then look back. It's the first time he's called me by my actual name. "If it's any consolation? Coulson was right in putting your name forward".

"Thank you sir". I say with a small smile of appreciation, then opening the door and going to spend the rest of my day off doing as I please.