Swan Song ✧ STEVE ROGERS [✓]

6 - Meant For More

THE NEXT DAY, STEVE SAT IN A CHAIR AT THE SSR COMPOUND, HIS SLEEVE ROLLED UP AS ANOTHER VIAL OF BLOOD WAS TAKEN FROM HIM. He'd never liked needles, but he knew it was necessary - even though he wasn't exactly sure what "it" was. Peggy stood beside him, and Raven stood off in one corner, staring off into space.

"Think you got enough?" Steve remarked as yet another blood sample was taken.

"Any hope of reproducing the program is locked in your genetic code," Peggy told him. "But without Dr. Erskine, it could take years."

Steve sighed, looking down at the ground. "He deserved more than this."

Peggy stepped closer to him, offering words of comfort as she said, "If it could only work once, he'd be proud it was you."

Suddenly, Raven turned and abruptly left the room, the door slamming shut behind her with a loud bang. Steve jumped a little bit at the sound before turning to Peggy. "Is she gonna be okay?" he asked.

"I think so," Peggy replied. "But it will take some time." When Steve looked up at her in confusion, she explained, "Raven has never handled loss very well. And Dr. Erskine was like a father to her. She cared about him a lot."

Steve nodded faintly, thinking back to when the doctor had told him the same thing.

"Give her a day or two," Peggy went on. "She should be fine by then."

Steve shook his head. He knew that he might regret it, but he wanted to see if Raven was okay. And, he had a few questions for her if she was willing to answer them. So he stood up and left the room, following Raven down the hall and into another room.

He found her leaning against a wall, her head tilted back and her eyes closed. Steve approached her slowly and quietly, trying not to startle her.

"You know, we only knew each other for less than a year," Raven said after a moment.

Steve stopped, surprised by her response. He hadn't been making any noise, and her eyes were still closed; how could she have known he was there?

"The Doctor," Raven said, leaning her head forward and opening her eyes. "We only knew each other for seven months."

Steve walked up to her, stopping a few feet away, and his heart wrenched when he saw that her eyes were red, and there were tearstains on her cheeks. "Really?" he asked. "He talked about you like you'd known each other for years."

"I know." Raven smiled, but Steve could tell it was forced. "That's just how we were. We talked to each other all the time, so we knew each other pretty well." She sighed, looking down at the ground. "You know, him and Howard... they were the only ones who vouched for me when I came here. They were the only two people who believed in me and what I could do... What I could offer." She quickly wiped her eyes and looked up. "The two of them, and Peggy... they became like my family. And for someone who lost their parents and has been in a strange place, far away from the family I have left... it's hard." Raven huffed, laughing dryly. "You're probably the last person who knows what that's like."

Steve smiled sympathetically. "Actually, I know exactly what it's like." Raven cocked her head in surprise, so he explained, "I lost both my parents to this war. And I've pretty much been on my own since then. Before... this-" He gestured to himself, making Raven smile, then went on, "-I was the weak, thin kid. And 'cause of that, I felt like a stranger in my own country. The only person left in my life who treated me normally was my best friend, Bucky. But then he got drafted, and I was on my own again. So I know the feeling."

Raven nodded. "Well, I'm glad to know I'm not alone." She gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Steve."

Steve smiled back. "No problem."