9. Getting Back in the World

Almost 70 years had passed. Things changed. Howard and Peggy moved on in their lives, both getting married and having kids. Howard had passed away in a car accident with his wife Maria, and left their son Tony with his work. Tony had finished Project Jarvis for his father and Jessie. Jessie was found by a group called S.H.I.E.L.D. which replaced the S.S.R. They had scientists unfreeze her and have Tony take a look at the cybernetic arm which she had agreed to remove. She was left to be trained by ex-assassins, Natasha Romanoff, and Agent Clint Barton. They trained her in the current fighting styles and even taught her about technology. She quickly became friends with them, along with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s director, Nick Fury, leaving the past behind though it quickly caught up to her. Even though she had made new friends, Jessie missed her old ones. She kept her silent treatment going, only talking on rare occasions. The only thing from her past that made her happy was the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. had found Steve in the Arctic. He was resting in a room that looked like it was from the 40’s. He wore an S.S.R. shirt, tan pants, and brown boots. An old radio was playing a ball game from 1941. Steve began to open his eyes, sitting up on the bed looking around confused.

“There’s a pitch,” the game announcer said. “It’s a ball high outside. So, the dodges tied four to four. At the count no doubt, one swing of his bat. This fella is capable of making it a brand new game again. Just an absolutely gorgeous day here at Ebbets field. Philly’s have managed to tie it up four to four. But the Dodgers have three men on. Pitch, it’s a strike. He leans in, here’s the pitch, swung on, it’s a line drive. It gets past Grissom. Rizzo will score, Reiser heads to third. Durocher is going to wave him in. They look to relay but they hold steady. Pete Reiser with an inside the park-“ the door of the room opened. A woman Steve had never seen before walked in and smiled at him.

“Good morning,” she spoke. “Or should I say afternoon.”

“Where am I?” Steve questioned, his eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re in a recovery room in New York City.”

“The Dodgers take the lead, it’s eight to four,” the game announcer spoke with enthusiasm and excitement. “What a game we have here today, folks. Fine game indeed.”

“Where are am I really?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“The game. It’s from May, 1941. I know ‘cause I was there. Now I’m going to ask you again. Where am I we?”

“Captain Rogers-“

“Who are you?” Steve got up from the bed and began walking toward the woman. Two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents walked in through the door going to try and keep Steve calm, but ended up being thrown through the wall. He began to run, exiting through the door and finding himself in a hallway with people walking by.

“All agents, code 13,” the agent from before said. Steve began to make his way out of the building, getting into the streets of New York. He reached Times Square only to end up being surrounded by cars. Agents got out of them.

“At ease, Soldier,” a familiar voice spoke. Steve turned around to find Jessie standing behind him with a tall African American man wearing an eye patch and all black. Director Fury.

“Jessie?” Steve asked.

“Look, sorry for that little show back there, but we thought it was best to break it to you slowly,” Fury spoke.

“Break what?”

“You’ve been asleep, Cap,” Jessie replied. “For almost seventy years.” Steve looked as if he were going to be sick.

“You gonna be okay?” Fury asked.

“Yeah, it’s just… I had a date,” Steve replied, sounding out of breath.

A few weeks later, Steve had begun to live with Jessie in her apartment. The apartment was small, both having to share a bedroom, but at least they had a place to call home. Director Fury had given the two their belongings which Howard and Peggy had stored. This consisted mostly of photographs and their old army uniforms. Sitting in at the table, they were looking through folders which they had obtained from S.H.I.E.L.D. and included information about their comrades from the war. Jessie placed the pictures around the apartment to ‘jazz it up.’ Jessie had to teach Steve about the modern day technology, but he still had trouble with it. She was trying her best to help him, and it seemed to help. The two sat outside of a small restaurant. Steve was drawing one of the buildings on a napkin, a silence stood between the two friends. A blonde waitress walked over to the table.

“Waiting on the Big Guy?” she asked. Jessie and Steve looked to her in confusion.

“Ma’am?” Steve asked.

“Iron Man. A lot of people eat here just to see him fly by.”

“Right... Maybe another time.” Steve began to take money out of his jacket pocket and put it on the table.

“The table’s yours as long as you like. Nobody’s waiting on it. Plus, we got free wireless.” The waitress began walking over to another table.

“Radio?” She looked to Steve and smiled.

“Internet,” Jessie said quietly.

“Ask for her number you moron,” an older man said to Steve. Steve looked to the man then to Jessie and gave a slightly confused look. She gave him a small smile before looking down at the table. The two left and began to head to a gym on the subway. Jessie sat next to Steve and the window, leaning her head against it. When they got to the gym, Steve paid for the time they would spend there and the man gave them a key for them to use to lock up because of how late they got to their location. Jessie looked out the window and looked to the wrestling square and punching bags. Lifting weights were set up along the wall. They went downstairs and began to use the punching bags. Steve got so fed up with anger that he punched his across the room. Steve took another bag and hooked it up and began to punch again.

“Trouble sleeping?” Director Fury asked while walking in, a folder in hand. Both the Captain and Sergeant stopped punching. They looked to Fury.

“We’ve slept for seventy years, Sir,” Steve replied. “I think we’ve had our fill.”

“Then you should be out, celebrating, seeing the world.” Jessie walked over to a bench and began to unravel the tape on her hands. Steve walked over and began to do the same.

“I went under, the world was at war. I wake up, they say we won..”

“They didn’t say what we lost,” Jessie finished.

“We’ve made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently,” Nick said.

“You here with the mission, Sir?” Steve asked.

“I am.”

“Trying to get us back in the world?”

“Trying to save it.” Fury handed Steve a file on the Tesseract and Jessie the files of Hydra’s projects.

“Hydra’s secret weapon.”

“Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought what we think, the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That’s something the world sorely needs.”

“Who took it from you?” Jessie asked. Obviously asking short questions, Steve thought mentally smiling.

“He’s called Loki. He’s... Not from around here. There’s a lot we’ll have to bring you up to speed on if you’re in. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know.”

“At this point, I doubt anything would surprise us,” Steve said looking from Fury to Jessie.

“Surprise you,” Jessie corrected.

“Ten bucks says you’re wrong,” Fury spoke as Steve gave Jessie a smug look. “There’s a debriefing package waiting for you back at your apartment.” Steve began to pick up a punching back as Jessie grabbed their duffle bag and followed him, walking out of the room. “Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we out to know?”

You should have left it in the ocean.” The two Super Soldier’s headed back to their apartment after picking up some Chinese take-out. They sat the table in the kitchen eating their food silently. The radio was turned on and playing light jazz music. Steve finished his dinner and looked at his friend who was still eating. She was close to being finished. She looked at him and he smiled. After she finished eating, Steve stood up. He held his hand out for her and she looked up at him in confusion.

“How about a dance?” he pleasantly asked in response to friend’s confusion. “Like old times. And for Buck.” Jessie gave him a small smile and took his hand which was warm against her own. The song “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong was playing. Steve had his left hand on the small of the young females back while he was holding her left hand in his right. She had her right hand set on his shoulder. Steve looked to his friend and smiled, pulling her close, resting his head on hers. They stayed like that a few minutes after the song ended. Steve could tell Jessie was getting tired and picked her up gently, carefully carrying her and placing her on her bed. He took her shoes off and pulled the blanket over her. He whispered goodnight before going to bed himself.