Nearly Morning {A Captain America Story}

Chapter Eight

{Chapter Eight}

Side note: any feedback or advice you have is greatly appreciated and encouraged.

(Rose's Perspective)

When morning arrived, I was anxious to see if Steve would come back. It has been a long time since I had someone who shared the same experiences with.

Although I wished desperately for Clint and Natasha to come back and stay with me, I knew Steve was going to make this easier.

But I still wish I could go home. I missed my mom and dad and life before everything was so complicated.

Running my fingers through my curls in an attempt to untangle the knots that formed overnight, I sit on top of the cleanly made bed in silence.

The only noises I could hear was the static hum coming from the doorway and the beat of my own heart in my chest.

Absentmindedly listening to the thrumming beats, I almost didn't notice the door shifting open robotically.

My eyes flicker to the doorway, silently pleading that it would be Steve.

The smile on my face widened as I saw his familiar face on the other side. He too wore a smile almost as big as mine, dressed in a plain white t-shirt and cargo pants, not much different to what he wore when I first met him yesterday.

"Hey there Rose" He said with comforting ease.

"Hi Steve" I replied, grateful that he had heard me tell him my name last night.

"So I brought you some things that I remember having from the past and I thought you might like to see them. Of course, most of these things are not actually from the past as I didn't carry them with me but they were around back then."

It is only then that I realise the cardboard box that Steve was holding was for me.

Placing the box on the bed and sitting down beside it, I wriggle closer to the box and peer inside.

With astonishment, I gasped at the first thing I pull out.

"It's an old record!" I exclaim with excitement, my fingers trailing the covers blunt edges.

"It's an old one I picked up a while ago. Just something to remind me of the past I guess.."

My eyes were mesmerised by the cover; it read 'The Kingdom of the Past' along the top and 'The Lilies Bloom at Midnight' on the bottom, but it was the bright colours of the image that circled the top that caught my attention.

The animated picture showed two young children in the woods, surrounded by many strange animals and faces that made the whole image appear like a fairytale, it was magical.
After inspecting every inch of the record case, I nestled it in my lap as I pull out the next item.

It was a small, shiny brass model train, ones I remember seeing in the windows of stores and in the hands of young children who played. Rotating the train with my hands, I examine everything; the weight of it in my hands, the smooth coating of the train's exterior and even the fine detail that decorated the small train.

Flickering my gaze up to Steve I noticed him watching with immense fascination. Handing the small model train over to him, I reach into the cardboard box and shift through what remains.

My fingers brush over some old baseball cards that remind me of my father, he was always such a fan of sports. But the last thing that I felt inside the box was a book.

Lifting its pages out delicately I flip over the book to see the front.

My eyes widened with recognition as I stared down at the familiar image in front of me.

Noticing my stillness, I sense Steve peering closer to see where my gaze fell, but my eyes wouldn't dare leave the book.

"I remember this." I breathe with wonder and nostalgia.

'Captain America Comics'
it reads along the top of the page.

"I remember.." I started, "I remember reading these all the time. They were my favourite. Sometimes my mother and I would read them together, she loved them too."

I looked up to Steve and found him staring at me strangely. His eyes were brighter than before, or perhaps I just hadn't noticed them before.

"Yes, they seem to be real collector's items these days" Steve commented, switching his gaze back to the comic.

"You know..." I suddenly recalled, "My mother said she once met Captain America." I stated with pride.

Steve looked rather surprised, "Really?" He asked.

I nodded truthfully. "She told me she saw him when he first became Captain America and she also said that he was a wonderful man."

"And how did she know him?" Steve asked curiously, suddenly becoming extremely interested.

"Well, mom said she knew him through work during the war and once she even helped him on a secret operation!" I spoke with excitement.

Steve looked completely astonished by my words.

"Rose" he began, "Who was your mother?"

"Her name was Margaret. Margaret Carter. Usually people would call her Peggy; Peggy Carter."

My eyes grew sad at the thought of my mother; I couldn't imagine what has happened to her since I have been gone.

Too caught up in my thoughts, I didn't notice Steve's frozen state. When I finally did I panicked.

"Steve?" I spoke nervously.

His eyes were hard, not like they usually were. His jaw was clenched and it frightened me.

"Steve?" I repeated.

Then suddenly he bursts out of the room, knocking the comic book onto the floor in his wake. I call out to him but he doesn't hear me, he just rushes out the door, leaving me utterly stunned with shock.

Bending down, I pick up the fallen comic book and stare at it's cover.

It reminded me so much of home. With watery eyes, I give the edges a small squeeze of love and slide the book under my pillow carefully.

Wiping the stray tear that slips down my cheek with the back of my hand, I pack up the rest of the items, placing each thing back in the box before lifting the entire box and placing it on the floor by the doorway.

Then, I climb on top of the bed again and pull my knees up to my chest.

Wrapping my hands around my knees, I drop my head and lean my back against the wall.

I squeeze my eyes shut tightly and imagine I'm back home, with mom.
Back where everything was okay.

(Steve's Perspective)

Peggy Carter.

Peggy Carter.

That was the only words that raced through my mind right now as I marched down the corridors of SHIELD.

Rounding the corner, I find myself heading towards the Director's office.

Once the director is within sight, I speak as I continue moving closer.
Fury opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"Peggy Carter." I state.

"Excuse me?" He questions me, halting his movements.

"Peggy Carter" I began again, "That's her. That is Rose's mother."

I slow down to a stop as I reach him.

Nick Fury's eyes widened in realisation.

He understood.
He saw what I was seeing.

It felt like an eternity that we stood there, in front of each other, frozen.

"Rose is Peggy's daughter" I restate, trying to wrap my head around the truth.

Then my head snaps up in immediate shock.

"Does this mean, Rose is my.."

I suddenly begin making the connections.

"Oh my god" Fury breathes with realisation.