On Purpose

Different

Steve's POV

It had been a long month. Steve had been training vigorously for weeks. He worked hard everyday, but somehow always seemed to be getting into trouble. Hodge was mostly the cause of this. Anytime they would be doing a training exercise Hodge would always do something to mess Steve up. One time they were crawling under barbed wire and Hodge kicked one of the posts down, sending the small, sharp, metal spikes onto Steve. He was stuck. There were many other occasions where this had happened.

Steve was feeling discouraged. At this rate there was no way he was going to get picked to be the worlds first Super Soldier. And it didn't help that at every exercise, the beautiful Agent Carter would be standing there taking notes. It made him feel even more nervous.

Luckily today they were just taking laps around the camp. Steve was out of breath and his legs felt as if they were going to break. He kept going though forcing his legs to hold him up. Ignoring the growing pain in his muscles and lungs. Finally they were made to stop at the half way point. Steve of course was last in place. He bent down and caught his breath.

"See that flag?" The supervisor asked. "That means we're only at the half way point. First man to bring it to me, gets a ride back with Agent Carter!" He shouted. Steve sighed in relief. Finally, a challenge that had nothing to do with physical attributes.

He watched as all the other men scrambled up the pole and slid back down. Repeating this over and over. Hodge finally tried and failed. "Nobody's gotten that flag in seventeen years!" The supervisor boasted. Steve quietly tried to figure out the riddle of getting the flag down. Finally he knew what to do. The supervisor called to the others. "Fall back in line! Let's go! Fall in! Get back in to formation!" He ordered.

Steve began to walk up to the flag pole. "Rogers I said fall in!" The supervisor shouted. Steve ignored him and leaned down. He took the two pins out of the poles base. The pole slowly began to fall forward. Finally it landed in the ground. Steve threw the pins on the ground and picked up the flag, handing it to his supervisor. All the soldiers including his supervisor were standing with they're mouths open.

Steve got into the back of the car and saw Agent Carter turn and smile widely at him. He smiled and nodded. She then laughed a little and turned back around. They drove off.
When they arrived at the base Colonel Philips came out and greeted them. "Agent Carter." "Colonel." She saluted him. "What's Rogers doing here? Did he get severely winded?" The Colonel asked sarcastically.

Steve looked down feeling weak again. He noticed that Peggy looked at the Colonel and seemed slightly bothered by his joke. "No. Actually Rogers passed the half way point test." She said with pride. Steve grinned slightly. "What? How?" Philips asked. "By using his brain. He pulled out both the pins." She said. The Colonel's jaw dropped slightly and he turned to Steve and then looked back at the Agent. "Good. Agent Carter after the laps are over bring your reports to me." He ordered shrugging Steve's accomplishment off. Her mouth dropped a little. "Yes sir." She answered. He walked off.

Peggy's POV.

"Agent Carter." "Colonel." She saluted him. "What's Rogers doing here? Did he get severely winded?" The Colonel asked sarcastically. Peggy looked at the Colonel not appreciating his little joke. "No. Actually Rogers passed the half way point test." She said with pride. "What? How?" Philips asked. "By using his brain. He pulled out both the pins." She explained.

The Colonel's jaw dropped slightly and he turned to Rogers and then looked back at Peggy. "Good. Agent Carter, after the laps are over bring your reports to me." He ordered, shrugging Steve's accomplishment off. Her mouth dropped a little. In awe that the Colonel had shrugged off the soldiers accomplishment. "Yes sir." She answered. He walked off.

She shook her head in disbelief. She then turned to see the soldier looking down. "Don't mind him. He's just absent minded." She said trying to make him feel better. Steve shook his head. "No. He wanted someone else to be the one to get the flag. Me getting it was a loss to him. I'm sure he wanted Hodge to be the one to-" She quickly interrupted him. "Hodge? You mean that-that bully?" She asked.

She sighed heavily. "Look, I don't know you, but I do know that of what I've seen...You are one of the most good hearted people here. And that is worth much more than having muscles." She said looking him dead in the eyes. Steve smiled. "Thank you, Agent Carter." He answered. "Your welcome."
3 months later***********************

Peggy was standing in front of the recruits as they were doing push ups. "Come on!" She said unimpressed. "My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul." She spoke firmly. "Move it!" She ordered.

As she coached them she couldn't help, but watch Rogers as he struggled to lift himself off the ground. She felt pity for him, but also was proud of him. He wasn't going to give up. He worked hard and tried as much as he could. She tried to put her mind back on the job at hand.

"Up! Jumping Jacks." She ordered. "Come on girls." She said. She began to again think of Rogers. He was....different than the other men. He had mortality and a selflessness that the other men didn't have. She found it refreshing and charming.

Suddenly ripping her out of her thoughts a grenade was thrown into the base, right in front of the recruits. "Grenade!" The Colonel yelled. Everyone ducked for cover except Rogers who had thrown himself onto the grenade.

Peggy ran to him, but stopped when he spoke." "Go! Get back!" Rogers yelled.

Seconds that felt like hours past. Nothing. "Dummy Grenade!" Someone yelled. Steve raised up off the grenade. Peggy smiled sweetly to herself.

He was very different. Almost perfect. He was one of the bravest men she had ever seen other than her late brother Michael. "Is this a test." The young man asked.

Dr. Eirskin smiled and nodded. Steve then got up and brushed himself off. She couldn't help, but stare at him.

Steve's POV.

Steve got up and brushed himself off. He turned around to see Agent Carter standing in front of him staring and smiling at him. He nodded politely. She shook her head quickly and walked up to him. "Are you alright?" She asked concerned. He nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. Thank you." He answered. He was surprised she was that worried about him. "Good. Gentleman! Go back to your barracks training is over for today!" She shouted. "Yes ma'am !" They all yelled back saluting her.

Steve began to walk off when he heard that lovely British voice again. "That was a very brave thing you just did." She commented. He turned back around. "I was just doing what I had to do." He answered. She smiled. "I know. Thank you." "No problem." They stood there both just smiling and trying to figure each other out. She was very different than any other woman he had ever met. And he liked it.