Zeal ▹ Steve Rogers [1]

13 | sorrow

13 | SORROW

The fight was over and HYDRA had been finally defeated... well, mostly defeated. The Howling Commandos (with the absence of Steve) were huddled together in a radio tower, listening into the radio for a trace of Steve; their mighty leader.

Amelia yawned. She couldn't care less about him after he had betrayed her. She knew, although she did not want him to, that he would come back; as he typically does; and would come back with an excuse for Peggy.

The only sound was of quiet chatter and mumbling, mostly of what they were going to do with the captured HYDRA soldiers. Peggy was not apart of the conversation: for her attention was trained on the radio, as she stood behind Jim, whom was manning the radio, listening intently for Steve.

Amelia's oblivion must've been strong, because throughout all of this time: Amelia had never noticed Peggy's growing love for Steve, as she too was in love with him. However, once she saw who Steve clearly loved more... Amelia's heart shattered into a million pieces. She was used. She had always understood that all men were the same; dirty, lying and cheating bastards.

But, Steve had somehow managed to break down that exterior wall of protection and swooned her heart.

A static noise began buzzing through the radio. "Come in, this is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?" The faint voice of Steven Grant Rogers sounded through the machine. He sounded as if he were in a panic. Every conversation silenced itself and everybody gravitated to the radio.

Jim was beginning to speak before Peggy shoved him out of the way. "Steve? Steve, are you okay?"

"Peggy! Schmidt, he's dead." His voice buzzed.

"Thank god," Peggy breathed, "and what condition are you in? Where are you now?"

"Um, that's a little bit tougher to explain."

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Peggy's voice rang with worry. "Give your coordinates, I'm sure there is a safe landing spot—"

"There's not going to be a safe landing, but I can try and force it down." He suggested. And it was as this moment that Amelia had regretted what she had wished for. (For Steve not to return.)

"Hold on, Steve, let's not jump to conclusions yet. Maybe we can call Stark, he's good with planes, right?" She laughed with eyes full of tears.

"There's not enough time, the things moving too fast and it's headed for New York. I've got to put her in the water." He said. Amelia's stomach dropped, she wanted to run over to the radio and tell him how much she loved him. However, she knew that would make no difference on how little he had loved her.

Although she was done with him, it still hurt. It hurt how much she had loved him and how little he had loved her. It hurt that she was going to lose another person. It was going to hurt once she reads all of the letters she had awaiting for her at home about her best friend's death.

"Right now, I am in the middle of nowhere," Steve explained, "but if I wait any longer, a lot of people are going to die."

"Come on Steve, think about this." Peggy pleaded. "Think about what you're giving up, who you're giving up." She hinted at herself.

"I know who I didn't mean to give up on, but it's too late." Steve indirectly spoke about Amelia. "Peggy, this is my choice."

"Don't talk to me like a super-soldier, talk to me like the man I fell in love with." Peggy's voice cracked. Amelia knew why she hadn't said anything to Peggy, yet. It was because, it wasn't Peggy's fault that she had fallen in love too. Amelia knew how it must've felt when Peggy had to watch Steve leave with the other woman that loved him.

"I'm scared. I'm going to lose people I have already lost." Steve said.

"I know."

"I don't want to die, I don't want to leave, but there's no other way of doing this."

"Then let's talk about something else. Like, dancing! You still up for our date, Rogers?" Peggy said. Amelia had asked him out on that same date before.

[Flashback]

         "Sorry guys, but I have to go!" Amelia snatched up her jacket and threw down a ten dollar bill for her drink.

        "Where?"

        "Dancing! What are we waiting for, Peggy? Let's go, I still have to get my dress on." Amelia beamed, it was her favorite thing to do.

"Dancing?"

"It's the best— wait, you've never been dancing?!" Amelia widened her eyes in disbelief.

"No..." He mumbled.

"So what are you waiting for?" Amelia laughed lightheartedly.

        Peggy and Steve glance at each other quickly. "The right partner." Peggy said underneath her breath.

"The I guess we'd just have to schedule a date then." Amelia smiled sweetly at Steve.

But Steve didn't reply, he and Peggy were still stuck in a trance with each other.

         "Okay...?" Amelia tapped her foot impatiently.

        "Let's go." Peggy looked away, nodding at Amelia.

        "Bye, Amelia!" Bucky called after her, attempting to gain her attention. Amelia whipped her hair around quickly, "I'll give you an A for effort!" She called back, jokingly.

[Flashforward]

He chuckled on the other end. "Yes ma'am, though I may need a raincheck." Peggy smiled into the speakers.

Amelia couldn't handle it anymore. Tears had begun to roll down her now, and she just needed a friend; like Howard, whom she hadn't spoken to since receiving her specialized gear.

"Yeah, sure. I know this great place called the Stork Club. Eight o'clock, soldier, that's an order." Peggy joked.

"Believe me, I won't want to miss that." Amelia could practically hear Steve smile through the radio at Peggy.

Amelia wiped away the running tears from her face. "I still don't know how to dance." He said.

"I still don't believe that, unless you show it to me in person."

"We'll have the band play something slow." He said.

"What about Old Man River? It was my father's favorite song."

"Yeah, that's slow enough. I mean I'd  hate to step on your—" The radio crackled. Peggy began to sob quietly at the cold counter.

Falsworth took off his beret, bowed his head and stood in silence for a solid minute. Making Amelia clench her throat, holding back her own sounds of mourning until she could get home.

* * *

As soon as Amelia had came home, the 'I'm sorry for your loss' letters she had received were unbearable to see; her best friend was gone. And so was the man she had loved, it seemed as if the world wanted her to suffer. Oh, and not to mention the terror she had of her capabilities that were yet to be discovered. Amelia cried for days, regretting every harmful thing that she had done to those two. So the only thing she could do to help relieve the pain was talk. Therefore, she told everything to Howard Stark, about the pain, about how she loved them.