What Are We? Romanogers

9. New World

SHIELD New York base, 2005

Peggy Carter caressed the old file gently. After few long months she's opening this file once again, which was supposed to be closed.

A picture of a short and skinny boy taped on the first page.

Agent Steve Rogers

MIA in September 1974.

Found in south Arctic Ocean in April 2004.

It wasn't updated since then. Well, he's still in sleep since over a year.

A faint knock on the door broke her trance and she quickly closed the file before tossing it ito the drawer in her desk. She sighed and called out," Yes!"

The man with eye patch walked in and nodded at her in greeting. " You asked me, director?"

She nodded at him," Have a seat, general Fury. " He sat across him. " I was thinking about removing that tag. "

She nodded towards the door where ' Director Margret Carter' has written on a board.

Fury looked at her, raising his one eyebrow," And why's that?"

She shrugged off," I'm just thinking I'm getting old. "

"You're around your fifties, and I'm over sixty. Here I'm thinking about lifting all the burden of the world and you're thinking about retirement?"

He said it keeping his feature so neutral that she found it funny and chuckled on it. " I'm not running away, Nick. I just can't breathe here. " She became silent for a moment. Then sighed," All my old strings are disappearing. I don't have anything to hold on. First Haword, then my dad, then last year...aunt Sarah. "

Yeah. Steve's mom passed away. Putting up with all the stress of her son's disappearance for years. She couldn't take it anymore and fell in bed for few years, before saying her good bye to Peggy.

And it took a toll on her. Grief and guilt are so powerful. Even though Steve was found after years, and he's recovering very well now, she couldn't push the pain of years away.

She sighed then smiled at him," I'm a family woman, Nick. My husband and daughter are constantly nagging me to come home. So I'm going. "

She became serious now," So I'm asking you to take charge. "

" But I've heard secretary Pierce has been nominated. " Fury stated.

She nodded," Yes. He'll have the position. But I'm giving you the charge to do work. You'll be working and he'll be handling all the mess in UN and World Security Counsil. So?"

Fury nodded," I'll be honoured. " He was about to leave but remembered something," Ms Carter, you wanted to meet my new agent?"

She nodded," Yeah. The Russian? You've paired up with Agent Barton? How long she's been working for you?"

There is something shocking Peggy saw here. Nick Fury was hesitating. " Um..three years."

Her eyes narrowed at him," And you haven't found a day to introduce her? You didn't even updated her photograph in her file either. "

" Director, it was just a little sensitive situation. "

" Elaborate."

" She's an former Russian assassin. "

Peggy nodded," I'm aware of that and I'd allowed you to give her a chance in SHIELD. "

" She was an agent for a group called Red Room, which is already destroyed. "