The Black Knightress (Back up for fulls)

{14}

December 23 1991-Hydra HQ-Sarah's POV

Mr. James realized what the Winter Soldier did and who he did it to on the sixteenth, right now i'm holding him as he lets out his regret; it's tradition after a mission. I run my hand up and down his head, shoulders and back, what I can reach at least while his tears run down the side of my leather-clad legs; I had my own mission earlier, so i'm still in my suit.

"Another thing Ma had to get for Howard was something that was supposed to blind the city, but the inside of the bubble was the last vial of my father's blood that was taken after he got the serum. We got to go to the Brooklyn Bridge and say good bye to him, it was our funeral for him." I tell the story

They've been designing me a suit like his, but slightly more flexible than his straightjacket-looking thing. Why they would make a suit for a 5-year-old, I have no idea.

"Why did this have to happen to us?" he begs

"The devil uses his biggest artillery on the people who have the biggest purpose." I tell him

"How do you have hope in humanity?" he asks

"My hope isn't in the people."

"Oh." he says as he draws shapes on the floor with his finger

I can't imagine how Ma is feeling without Howard right now.

Is she okay?

I can't believe Uncle Howard got married, I wonder what else changed.

Does my Ma have someone to comfort her?

Oh that's right, she has Daniel; I hope he treats her as well as I remember. They're at least seventy something right now, my siblings are in their fifties, wow.

"My Ma remarried." I tell Mr. James as I pet his hair

"Really? That's nice, I'm not sure how Steve would feel if he knew." he chuckles

"I even have a kid sister."

"What's her name?"

"Maria."

Peggy's POV

We watch as lines of troops bring Howard and Maria to the front of the church, setting them on their pedestals before saluting them and walking to their positions. Katherine is at my right side with her husband and two kids while Maria is sitting next to her.

Throughout the next hour, we mourn the loss of people we love. A pastor comes to the front and begins the ceremony, though the urge to get the truth of how Howard and Maria died falls heavily on my mind.

We start by singing a song, one of which is used at every funeral so at this point it no longer feels joyful unless you see someone old smiling while singing it.

Yes, it's one of those songs.

"We have a few Eulogies here." the pastor leads

Tony walks up to the microphone, tapping it to get it in check before unfolding his piece of paper I helped him with a few days ago.

"My parents were very hard working people. I always had food to eat, water to drink and clothes to wear, but what my mother knew I needed most was exactly what she gave me. I know her to be the best woman of my life-sorry Aunt Peggy, you're in second place. My mom was a warm soul, she was the balance of my father's darkness. Growing up in my house wasn't always pretty, yes there were fragrant flowers at every turn and yes we had a maid, but my parents were two people the world can not and will never be able to replace with anything at all-ever. I'm just a college kid, so what do I know about life? I can't tell you that the things I know aren't very important, they may help me best to bring a girl home, but they'll never be able to equal to the things my mother taught me." Tony finishes