Temperance (Steve Rogers AU) 18+

13

Another day, another candidate down - I look to Sam as he stands, arms crossed just watching as the latest victim is taken away. He sees me and simply gives a sharp nod, before instructing everyone to go back to what they were doing.

Steve isn't present - and after our conversation a couple of days ago, I know he's most likely at Triskelion talking to Fury, or he's in his office doing it through there. Probably the latter.

"I wonder whether you'll be next?" Sanders comes to stand next to me and throws a sly glance my way. "Let's face it, you can either get out free or just wait for me to end it for you".

I snort. "Would be it be the first time a girl actually lets you finish?"

Sanders sees red and before I know it, I'm being tackled to the ground, his hands around my neck squeezing as hard as they can.

I can't breathe and now Sam is coming over to get him off me. "Sanders! Let Kennedy go now!" He instructs, "get off her!" He manages to pull him free and I scramble away while Sam is yelling at him. "What the fuck is wrong with you, man? You've already done enough damage without us having to clean up another one!" He pushes him away. "Get the fuck back to your room, your training is done".

Sanders still looks like he wants to see his threat through to the end and glares at me. "You really think that twiggy here can survive another day? Well...let's just see how tough she is". He grabs one of the shields and launches it towards me. "Catch this!" 

As I'm still light headed and winded from his attempt to finish me, I'm in a vulnerable position. If I was standing I'd probably be able to catch it, and yet I can't even move to get out of the way. My body is locked and in a mere few moments the shield will connect with my head and ultimately kill me. 

He's got exactly what he wants. Steve is not here and hands have been laid on me. 

I close my eyes and wait, but nothing. And as I open them, I see someone in front of me - holding the shield that has just been thrown. 

Steve. 

I can tell just by his body language that he's angry. 

Without another word he strides towards Sanders who now realises his mistake and I look away as I see the shield fall down on him - his begging and apologising soon falling silent. Only now do I realise that even though I can't really move, I'm shaking. 

"The programme is over. Pack your belongings - your ride will be along in an hour". Steve announces and then comes over to me, helping me up and then looking at my face, studying my neck where the marks Sanders left are forming. "Asshole..." He curses to himself. "He deserved everything I gave him". 

I don't look back as Steve leads me away and back to the compound. We make for level the bedrooms are on but we end up climbing a level higher where his room and Sam's are located. FRIDAY welcomes him back as we walk in and the door closes behind us. 

"Is he..." I begin to ask and he cuts me off. 

"Dead? Yes". 

I nod. "Ok..."

Steve sits me down on the end of the bed and crouches down in front of me - eyes flickering up to meet mine. "He would've killed you Alessandra, and I wasn't about to let that happen. This morning I spoke to Nick Fury - you're going to be receiving the serum in a few days". 

My head now spins and I begin to talk just gibberish - the panic and reality rising within me. I'm going to be the next Captain America. My body will change, genetic code rewritten. "I can't..." I shake my head. "I can't do this, I can't , I don't know how to be a Captain..." 

"Aless!" He grabs my hands and stares at me. "You are already there and you don't even realise it. You can do it, and I know that you can. There are people like Sanders out there, even worse. And we need to deal with them. SHIELD may be able to do it with me, but they can't without you. If I'm not there then they will need you". 

I nod again, the panic ebbing away and finally feeling a little calmer about the situation. "Ok...alright, I'm ok...sorry, I'm just a little shaken up". 

He gets to his feet and then sits next to me on the bed. "I felt the same. Wondering if I would be good enough, whether Erskine had made a mistake. Everyone had seen me as the weakest one from day one - but just like you? I proved them wrong".

"Have you ever made mistakes?"

"A fair few, but sometimes you need to make those mistakes to realise that even though we are what we are? At the end of it all, we're still human. Just like everybody else". 

I glance across to him and smile weakly. "I'm scared". 

Steve looks to me now. "You will be. I was - you go in not knowing what to expect. It's natural, but we've come a long way with technology and with the serum development itself. Tony's been overseeing everything. He won't let anything happen to you". 

I know he's telling the truth. 

"Will you be there?"

"You know that I will". 

"Good...because I'm going to need all the support that I can get".