𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚎𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚈𝚘𝚞, 𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚎𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙼𝚎 [𝚂.𝚁.] ➊ ✔

14. An Assassin's Shot

"Hey there..." Rachel jumped clutching her chest as Peggy spoke. "Bloody hell I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay..." Rachel assures panting as she turned to face Peggy's concerned expression.

"I." She sighed. "I heard about what happened..." Peggy places a comforting hand on Rachel's shoulder. "You've never faced something like this before. Have you?" Rachel looked down with her hand holding her head.

"Once." Rachel recalled. "Years ago... someone close to me almost died. My best friend. A close colleague of mine. Almost died. And I did what had to be done."

"What did you do?" Peggy asked curiously.

"I made my first kill..." Rachel states. The memories of it all coming back. "Shot the guy straight through the head from behind my friend James. I had nightmares for weeks."

"I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have asked..." Peggy regretted removing her hand. "Look. Stark told me he was ready to show you and Steve the weaponry. He's over there." Peggy changed the subject motioning to Howard who was examining one of the many shields he had on display. Rachel nodded with her arms crossed over her stomach before she walked over to Howard.

"Ah, Rachel. Good to see you..." Howard Stark greeted as she neared closer towards him. "Oh... um... I heard about uh... you know..."

"Yep..." Rachel muttered. "So has everyone else..." Howard's expression softened as Rachel uncomfortably looked around her.

"If it makes you any better I got you a new set of artillery." Howard exclaimed changing the subject as he rubbed his hands together. "Guns, grenades, you name it. It's there." Rachel looked at the range of weapons in front of her. As high tech as they came in this time so to Rachel it wasn't truly impressive but nodded with an 'impressed' look anyway.

"Nice. Thanks Stark."

"Anytime." Howard told her with a smile plastered on his lips.

Rachel zoned out as Steve approached and she sat down on a nearby chair knowing that Steve had been looking at her concerned since he got to the base. She didn't want his pity. She already got his thanks for saving my life malarkey.

"Fondue is just cheese and bread my friend..." Rachel furrowed her eyebrows confused as she looked up to see both men with their hands stuffed inside their pockets.

"Really? I didn't think-" Rachel watched confused as Howard continued to 'pep' talk Steve.

"Nor should you pal." Howard told Steve. "Once you know what's going on in a woman's head is the moment your goose is well and truly cooked."

"Right! I'm truly confused..." Rachel states standing up and walking over to the two. "What did I just miss...?"

"Steve had a kiss stolen." Howard blurted making Steve send a glare in his direction as Rachel's eyes widened.

"By..."

"Private Lorraine." Howard blurted again causing Steve to slap him on the arm basically telling him to shut up.

"You didn't mean it... right? I mean I haven't even seen the woman before?" Rachel states hope in her tone as she awaited Steve's answer.

"No. No I- I, just met her..." Steve was an absolute blushing confused mess to the point where Rachel felt genuinely bad for him.

"Hey, buddy, relax." Rachel assures. "Everything will be just fine. Hey! Look your choice of shields! Take a look." She winks towards Howard who sees that she is trying to change the subject and he nods leading Steve towards them.

"This ones fun!" Howard exclaimed as Rachel watched Steve glance from shield to shield in awe as Howard explained each and almost every shield. "She's fitted with electrical relays that will allow you to-"

"What about this one?" Rachel smirked to herself as she walked over to see Steve pulling out the legendary vibrainium shield from the shelf below the desk.

"No, no, that's just a prototype.." Howard tells him but Steve does exactly what Rachel thought he'd do: ignore him.

"What's it made of of?" Steve asked as he slid the shield onto his arm to admire it further.

"Vibrainium." Howard answered at the same time Rachel mouthed it. Howard noticed this as Steve continued and raised an eyebrow in her direction. He then remembered that the future holds memories from the past which includes Rogers, so does the shield. "Stronger than steel and a third the weight. Completely, vibration, absorbent."

"How come it's not standard issue?"

"What you're holding there, that's all we got..." Howard explained.

"You quite finished Mr Stark." Rachel turned her head away from admiring the shield from afar to see Peggy standing there looking a lot more serious than usual. "I'm sure the Captain has some unfinished business."

"She didn't see you... right?" Rachel whispered as she stared at Peggy with a worried look. Steve only took a couple steps back with a half-smile on his face before lifting the shield a little.

"What do you think?" Rachel turned towards him wide eyed at the question. 'Is he nuts!' Rachel thought.

Peggy suddenly grabbed a gun from the table and aimed it at Steve. Howard and Rachel glance at each other full of panic before Howard ducked under the desk and Rachel moved as far to the side as possible and ducked as Peggy shot at Steve a good few times.

Rachel lifted her head as silence filled the room the same time Steve did with Howard being more safe than sorry. Her eyes wide she stood up as she watched Peggy walk past her.

"Yes, I think it works." She told him before she walked away leaving three incredibly shocked people.

Rachel walked up beside Howard as Peggy left. The boys' eyes just as wide as hers and their eyes never left Peggy.

"Did you know she was like this?" Howard asked Rachel not turning his head an inch.

"No." Rachel admitted. "No, I did not."

"I had some ideas about the uniform..." Steve informs handing Howard a piece of paper also not taking his eyes off Peggy.

"Whatever you want pal..." Howard told him as he took the piece paper from him still in shock.