The Torn Soldier: The Untold Story

Champagne Problems.

As Clint got the okay from the doctor, the party started. Tony couldn't even let one day go by but you had to hand it to him, he knew how to throw a party.

Within a matter of a few hours he had champagne glasses filled to the brim, lights set, and drinks ready to be served at the bar.

It had been a few missions now, SHIELD had given an alias to Karolina. As she fought with them, no one would really know her past, only that she was a super soldier like Steve. The public was close to calling her Lady Cap when she made clear they had to shut that down. Each avenger got to know her a little better, not to mention her and Steve were about to merge into one person if they got any closer. Time had been cruel to both of them, they were both happy not to be alone in that fight anymore.

All the guys including Karolina all sat at the bar and made fun of how Steve only seemed to get slower, Karolina was only a bit older by a few months but could easily take him down. That had been proven. Many times. They were all about to start some sort of challenge but all got their attention captured by Agent Hill's voice. "As much as I love a good throw down, maybe wait at least an hour into the party?" The boys all went off to do their own thing as Maria and Kar walked together to one of the various glass windows that oversaw the city of New York in the tower.

"What do you want to ask?" Kar looked at Maria knowingly with a sly smirk. "Man you all really love smirking don't you." Karolina couldn't help but laugh at her comment and looked down at the drink in her hand. "Yeah, can't help it I guess."

A small moment of comfortable silence passed through the two women as Karolina looked back up to see all the lights of the city. "After all these years, why go back to fighting? Why not just go out and live undercover?" It was a simple genuine question that came from the agent. Seeing the reaction that came from the soldier it didn't really surprise Kar that she did ask.

"It's what I am used to. I don't think there is a life out there for me that allows me to go without a fight, at least not for very long." Kar looked over at Maria, "This isn't what I had in mind when I was a kid that's for sure but the choices were always limited. If I can't fight for what I think is right, what am I left with? And now that I have this past, these abilities, why would I choose to stay alone and isolated rather than to fight and do what I can against those with wrong intentions that try to do their best to make people's life worse?"

Maria broke eye contact to look at the city. "Now I know where Steve got those speeches from." Kar shook her head and a soft smile appeared on her features. "Sounds like you need an escape, hm?" Maria stayed quiet but their exchange of emotion through their eyes was enough. "Sometimes it just feels like whatever we do isn't enough."

"To someone it is more than enough."

Karolina looked over at the rest of the party and over to Thor sharing some of Asgardian alcohol before some red hair caught her eye. Banner was sitting alone at one of the stools. Natasha as a bartender, yeah this had to be a dream come to life.

Karolina made her way over after excusing herself with Maria, Sam had stepped in after she had left.

"Your strongest drink, if I may?" She said the other half to Bruce who nodded, "No, yeah go ahead." Karolina took off her suit and was left in her vest and the button up shirt underneath, all a shade of dark navy blue except for the vest that was black. "You clean up nice." Natasha said as she poured the drink with a smirk. Maria was right they all had a smirk on their faces most of the time and whenever they could but Natasha... she was different. One look and she could have you buying the most expensive car in the world, then oddly enough she'd leave you saying thank you. Her white blouse hung perfectly on her torso, tucked into the black skirt, her short red curls in a perfect place. Her green eyes could pierce through anyone with a simple glance, Karolina couldn't help but feel as if she could get used to this feeling, the one inside her that coursed through her veins and into her bones only when she was around the redhead.