2 | ROGUE • BUCKY BARNES [COMPLETED]

I.

It would be easy to say that time heals all wounds and that the pain of lost loved ones would somehow soften, but Gideon Erskine was never fated to be graced with than privilege. The pain would always manifest into ways that continued to haunt her.

On days when the sky was just the right shade of blue, it would remind her of him and send her heart racing. When she found herself reading the back of a World War II book, she would catch herself wondering if Steve would like it and that she would have to get it for him. Sometimes she would pass a restaurant and catch the smell of something cooking that was identical to her mother's food, and her chest would crack with pain as sobs clawed their way out of her throat. The worst part of all was when she would realize once more that she could never see any of them again. That was the hardest to accept.

She would never kiss him again, joke with Steve, or hug her family again.

The pain from grief was manageable, but on days when you would least expect, it was always lurking in the corner, waiting for your most unsuspecting moment to show up.

Although the pain didn't dissipate, time did continue to go on. Indefinitely as a matter of fact. As years passed Gideon quickly began to realize she aged at a snail's pace, an effect from the serum her father gave her. Some could argue she didn't age at all. But as years progressed you could see the once soft blue eyes grow hard and dark circles of utter exhaustion become tattoos beneath her eyes, yet she still held her fearless beauty.

But time still continued to go on, and Gideon found herself with an abundant amount of it.

In which, she used every second of it. perfecting her aim and growing comfortable with any and all weapons until they were second nature to use. Hell, she even learned nine other languages with her spare time. She dedicated her life to SHIELD from the beginning. She travelled anywhere that was needed and even incited her own missions to mercilessly take out any and all threats. She could hijack any operations and intervene, sneak into any hidden walls to uncover secrets people hid, and eventually the killings became easier as well.

Blood stained her hands, and it ran deep to the bone. No amount of cleansing could wash it off, so it remained. Even if the crimson stains were not physically there, she would always see them. They reminded her of what she had done, but she would never admit that she liked killing the bad people. As the body count rose, the enthrall of the chase grew stronger, but a part of her also missed her dream of her own practice, going back to where her roots lie; to save lives.

[How hypocritical, she would often mutter].

But now wasn't the time to daydream.

The enhanced agent became sort of a legend within the defense division, unknown personally to most for her missions often included only herself. It wasn't that she prefered working alone [at first]; it was simply easier. When working with people, you would often grow close, and Gideon quickly learned that she would lose or outlive everyone she knew.

It was easier to be alone than heartbroken when they left.

But she always kept in touch with Peggy and Howard. Even as they grew and found themselves working in separate parts of SHIELD, they could never grow apart. She understood them, and they were the only ones who understood her, who knew of everything she went through.

Her lone missions though even earned her her name.

Agent Rogue.

Her acquired and ruthless mercenary tactics reaped numerous titles within the division, all revolving around assassin or spy, but Agent Rogue sticked. It kept her hidden, unknowable. The name Gideon Erskine rarely scraped the surface on the public, and she intended to keep it that way until 1970.