Rise Up \\ Marvel + Hamilton

When This Is Over \\ Janet

It looked like the cannonball had been a stray shot, and I was able to get the soldiers into new tents. I took a corner to myself with water, bandages, and a couple pieces of wood I could probably use to make a splint.

I grit my teeth as I cleaned the gash in my leg. It wasn't deep, but there was a lot of blood, and it wasn't exactly a clean cut. Once I bandaged it, though, it didn't take horribly long for the bleeding to slow, and then it was time for the fun part--or, realistically, the really hard, really not fun part: splinting my probably-broken ankle. Which I probably made harder by forcing myself to walk over here. Not that there was much of another option.

Eventually, with more bandage than I'd expected to need, I managed to keep the splint in place, even if it was jostled, or if I needed to walk again.

I took a deep breath, and leaned back in the hard wooden chair. Three more days.

- - -

"Janet!" Steve ran over, picking me up from my seat and swinging me in a circle. I gasped in my surprise, my arms wrapping around his neck. "We won!"

He put me down, and I gingerly stepped away, forcing down the grimace that threatened to tear through my composure. "I know," I said quietly. "I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you are, too--you are, right?"

"Yeah--yeah, I'm fine." I waved him off. "Just a broken ankle."

"Janet! You shouldn't be standing, then." He pushed me back to the bench I'd been sitting on.

"I wasn't until you made me," I pointed out, and he winced.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I have it splinted pretty well, so it's not like I can't. It just hurts a bit when I do."

"Then don't do it, genius." Steve shook his head.

"I know, I know. It's just kind of hard to do in the middle of a battle."

"Well, the battle's over now," He said, sitting down beside me. "So you can rest now."

"Yeah," I snorted. "Because that's something we're really good at."

"We'll figure it out. What happened?"

"A stray cannonball hit the tent. I was in the way. It happens. It's not a big deal."

"You got hurt--"

"And it's a pretty minor injury. It'll take, like, six weeks or something to heal. Two months absolute tops. Stop trying to make a big deal out of it."

"You mean like you made a big deal out of me getting shot?"

"That's different! People die from getting shot. They don't die from a broken ankle," I argued.

"I guess that's true," Steve conceded, smiling. "I'm glad you're at least mostly okay, Janet. I was worried."

"I know. I was worried about you, too." I cleared my throat, letting my gaze scan the area around us as I turned away. "Where's Thor? And Hamilton? Are they okay?"

"They're fine. Celebrating, I think. Hamilton said Lafayette would probably find his way there eventually. That means Nat might, too."

"You should go, then, and regroup with them. You know, figure out a plan and all that for... however long it is until Cat and Clint and--you know, everyone else comes back."

"I don't want to leave you alone--"

"Steve, I'll be fine. There's no danger anymore, and I'm not exactly in any shape to party, or even get to a party. Just go. Besides, how am I supposed to get an update if no one figures out what's going on?"

"Alright. I'm only staying until Lafayette gets there, though. Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"I'll be fine," I repeated, pushing at his chest. "Go, Steve."

"It sounds like you're trying to get rid of me," he commented with amusement.

"No, I'm trying to make sure our friends are really okay. That just happens to entail sending you to find out."

"Right." He stood up. "I'll see you later, then. Try not to cause too much trouble while I'm gone." 

I laughed. "Right back at you, weirdo." As he left, I muttered under my breath, "How exactly would I get into trouble, anyway? I can barely even move."

- - -

"How are you feeling, Miss Lewis?"

"General Washington!" I jolted slightly in surprise, forcing myself to my feet and saluting as best I could. "I'm fine, sir. How can I help you?"

"Please, sit down. This isn't a formal visit, Janet--is it alright if I call you that?"

"Yes, of course." My face flushed as I sat down. I'm on a first name basis with George Washington, apparently? Wow. Wow, wow, wow--he's so cool! I mean, he--

"--re you quite sure you're alright, Janet?"

"No, no--I'm okay!" I reassured him quickly. "I'm sorry, I'm just a little... distracted. What is it that brought you here?"

"Well, I just received a rather glowing review of you, and it looks like you haven't been entirely honest with your superiors."

"Sir? I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I'm referring to how you got that injury. You claimed that you simply happened to be unlucky and part of the falling tent frame knocked something onto your leg. Brigadier General Campbell, however, holds that you saved him from a direct hit from the stray cannonball, and were injured by that hit. Which, according to basic medical practices, even for this time, would seem far more likely."

"Sir, I... I don't know what to say."

"Why would you lie?" He asked simply. "I'm not going to punish you, Janet. But I want to know why."

"Because I don't matter, sir. I don't belong here. I don't need thanks, and I don't want attention. And my friends would never let it rest if they found out what happened. It isn't hurting anyone to say that it didn't happen in the first place."

"No, I suppose it doesn't. But you have one thing wrong, Janet Lewis. I am quite sure that you do matter. Certainly to many of the people around you, and I'd wager you're important in other ways, too."

I smiled tensely. "See, that's the thing, sir. I don't want to be important--I don't want to matter. I just want to be there to help the people that do."

"Then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, Miss Lewis. Oh, and one more thing--Campbell is an acquaintance of Lafayette's, and he's heading to the celebration now. So your attempts to keep that from your friends may have been fruitless."

I sighed, rolling my eyes slightly, but smiling. "I guess we'll see, sir."