On Purpose

Recruting

Steve's POV.

It had been 2 years since S.H.E.I.L.D had been created. It was 1950. Steve felt right at home leading missions and heading up S.H.E.I.L.D. along side Peggy, Howard, Colonel Philips and Dugan. It still felt strange, though. Steve would try to ignore the constant reminder of his dream, but it was always difficult. Especially since the secret base was at his old training camp.

Steve was headed to the meeting room, when he saw Peggy. He walked over to her and kissed her cheek. She spun around and smiled when she saw it was him. "Why, hello." He smiled sweetly at her. "Hi. You comin' to the meeting?" He asked. "Yes. I don't know what it's about, but apparently the Colonel has some news." "I see. Well, let's hope it's good news." She nodded. "Wait a minute. I'll walk with you." She told him. He nodded.

A few seconds later she came over to him. "Shall we?" She asked. He put his hand behind her back guiding her.

When they got to the room they both sat down. Howard finally came in and the meeting could start. "Alright. I've called you all here because I need to run a decision past all of you. Do you all remember Doctor Zola?" Everyone looked around and nodded.

Steve just froze in his chair. They were not having this conversation were they? "Well...we believe he could be a great help to this organization. He has an amazing mind and has said he regrets all he did during the war. He says he's on our side now."

Steve's eyes widened. This wasn't actually happening?! How could they even consider this? After what Steve saw he knew what would happen. He was almost definite now that the cube had done something to make him see a vision.

Peggy spoke up. "How can we be sure he's not lying? He may just want a free ticket out of prison." "Your absolutely right Carter. That's why if he would join us we would have guards on him at all times. I explained that to him and he said he fully understood."

"We're seriously going to invite the right hand man to Schmidt into a top government security facility? Are you crazy?! That's like inviting a cat into a rabbit hole." Dugan exclaimed.

"We need him. And like Colonel Philips said we'd place guards on him at all times. What could he do?" Howard commented. Steve heard Peggy sigh. She obviously didn't care for the idea. "Come on Peg. Think about it. If we can use his great mind and combine it with my own we could have the highest technology known to man!" Peggy bit her lip. She did not like it one bit. "I-I don't know Howard. I just feel like it's a very dangerous idea."

"Come on Peg. If he would do something we would know about it. Then we'd pull him and throw him back behind bars. It's simple. I'd even put cameras throughout the facility if it would make everyone feel safer."

"Well....maybe." She answered. "What about you Dugan?" Philips asked. "I still have a funny feeling about it, but the camera idea makes me feel a little better. And your right if he is on our side his mind would be a great thing to have."

Steve gaped at all of them. After listening to all of this, he spoke up. "Are you serious?! Listen to all of you! Your actually going to bring a homicidal parasite into this organization!" "Steve..." Peggy whispered. "No Peg. You have no idea what your bringing in! He's insane. As soon as you do it there will be no going back. He will destroy S.H.I.E.L.D from the inside. There will be no catching him. You will have no idea that it's happening." Steve explained. He knew that none of them understood what he was talking about, but he had to say something.

"Captain. How could we have no idea if surveillance will be on him 24-7?" Philips asked. Steve looked down shaking his head. "I don't know, but what I do know is that you'll never see it coming. He's a genius. Do really think that cameras and guards will hold him back?" "Steve, dear your not making sense."

Steve sighed. "Look. I didn't want tell anyone this, but if I don't, something terrible will happen." He took a deep breath. "I've seen what happens in the future." Everyone became quiet and looked at one another, then back at him. Peggy just sat there staring at him. "It's not good. The same decision, your making here today will effect the future in terrible ways."

Howard scrunched his eye brows together.
"How do you know that you saw the future?" "While I was frozen and in a coma I...had a dream, but now I realize it wasn't just a dream. I lived in the future. I know what's going to happen."

"But how do you know it wasn't just a dream? And if it was a vision, then how?" "I know it wasn't a dream because in it there was a government security organization called S.H.I.E.L.D. it had been around since the late 40's and had taken the place of the SSR. And also in my dream S.H.I.E.L.D. Had been compromised. An algorithm had been created to kill over 2 billion people who they had calculated to be a threat. They would kill them on sight even if they hadn't done anything.

The person who created it was Doctor Zola who had been recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. in 1950. He came in and secretly started recruiting HYDRA agents from S.H.I.E.L.D. Abd when he was diagnosed with a terminal illness he put all of his knowledge on data banks and created the algorithm. He also had anyone who found out about his plan, assassinated. One of those people being...you Howard." Steve explained.

Howard's eyes went wide . Everyone was quiet. "I don't know if you all believe me or not, but in my opinion there are to many coincidences involved here, for it to have just been a dream. I believe that somehow when the cube killed Schmidt it gave off a blue pulse and it went through me slightly. I think it may have caused me to have a vision of the future. I don't know how, but with everything it could do, it wouldn't surprise me."

"So...I get assassinated? When?" Howard asked. "In 1991. A good man code-named the Winter Soldier who will be brainwashed and tortured by HYDRA will go on a mission to take a recreation of the super soldier serum from you. And to do that he is told to kill you. He does." Howard sat there speechless. Peggy looked as though she was tearing up. "I really don't know what to say." Howard said.

"Look. I'll leave the final decision up to you all, but I had to let you know what the consequences will be. I'm gonna go. I'll let you make the decision." He got up and walked out.

Peggy's POV.

As Steve walked out everyone was silent. Obviously what he said was true, but it was hard to believe. "So what now?" Dugan asked. "We vote against it. Right?" Colonel Philips still looked as though he wanted to do it. "Are you serious! After what he told you, your still thinking about it?" "We don't know for certain that it wasn't a dream, Carter. All we have is his word."

"No, you have mine too. A few months after Steve and I were married he told me of this dream he had. Where he woke up and was in the future. Some of what he told me has come true. I was recruited as one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D. for one. And when he told me it was before I even knew about S.H.I.E.L.D. I blew it off at first. I thought it was dream, but now that everything is coming true...I believe him." She explained.

"Okay well I vote no." Dugan said. "Howard?" She asked. "Carter we hadn't decided to vote yet." "I think we all know our decision Colonel. Howard?" "No." "And as for me...I vote no as well." Peggy said. The Colonel sighed frustratingly. "I guess it's settled then. Recruiting Doctor Zola is a no. Your all dismissed." Everyone got up and walked out.

Peggy saw Steve standing outside of the building looking around camp. "Hi." "Hey." He said disappointedly. "Have you all made your decision?" She nodded. "Yes." "I guess that's that then." "I suppose so." "When is he coming?" He asked. "Who?" He turned to her. "Zola." "He's not."

Steve eyes widened. "You mean they decided against it?" She nodded and smiled slightly. "They believed you. And it did help that I vouched for you." She said. His eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" "I told them what you told me a few months after we were married. And they believed it even more. You saved S.H.I.E.L.D. you know?" Steve sighed.

"Yeah I guess. I hope nothing worse happens." He said. "If it does we'll get through it how we usually do." "How?" "Together. You and me. Always." They smile day one another, leaned in slowly and kissed. For now everything would be alright.