Steve’s POV

The second I saw Nat talking with Clint and Maria, I ran over to them.

“Nat, did you get it?” I asked.

“Right here,” Nat tossed me a USB drive, “Everything that this base had on HYDRA’s Plans.”

I caught the drive effortlessly as I noticed a small child tucked in at Natasha’s side. A girl who couldn’t be more than nine years old. She was looking up at me with wide, frightened eyes and trying to make herself as small as possible.

“Nat?” I asked.

“She was alone down there Cap.” Natasha explained, “They treated her as some kind of Lab rat.”

My stomach twisted into a knot. I had hoped Strucker’s experiments had been limited to the Maximoff Twins. (or should that be Lehnsherr Twins? I’d heard a rumour that they’d changed their name) That there weren’t countless other children just like them. It’d been a naive, almost foolish hope. But I’d hoped it just the same.

I dropped to my knees and took off my helmet, “Don’t be afraid, We aren’t gonna hurt you.” I said, in as calm of a voice as possible, “What’s your name?”

She stayed silent and cast her eyes downward.

“She’s doesn’t have one.” Natasha explained, “But I’ve been calling her Mel.”

“Mel, I like that name.” I smiled at her, “I’m Steve.”

Mel blinked owlishly at me. her eyes continuously darting to the white star on my chest. I wasn’t overly surprised that she couldn’t see past the uniform, and I momentarily wondered what horrible things HYDRA had told her about me.

Maira huffed, breaking the silence. “What the F*** are we supposed to do with a F***ing kid who doesn’t even have a name?”

I stood up, “We protect her. Like we’d do for any of HYDRA’s targets. She’s no less because she doesn’t know if she has a name.” I said, “Clint, get the medics over here. We should get her checked out at a hospital.”

“On it Cap.” Clint nodded.

“I have to make a call.” Maria sighed and walked off.

I Volunteered to ride in the Ambulance with her, didn’t want HYDRA using the transit as an opportunity to take her back.

During our trip to the Hospital, Mel whimpered when the Paramedic attempted to put in an I.V.

“It’s okay, they wanna help you,” I assured, gently resting my hand on her shoulder.

She hesitated but then leaned into my hand and turned her head up to look at me. I could see the fear in her eyes.

“But every time I get a needle, it hurts, and it makes me sick.” She said, voice trembling.

“Well, these are different, these are anti-sick needles,” I reassured, taking her small hand in mine.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I`m sure. These won’t make you sick. in fact, they’ll help make you better.”

“Promise?”

“I Promise. and Captain America doesn’t break a promise.”

“o-okay.”

The Paramedic got the I.V in without a struggle, they gave Mel some fluids because she was severely dehydrated.

The small girl yawned, and her eyelids drooped. She looked exhausted, but I could tell that she was fighting to stay awake.

“It’s ok...” I soothed, “Close your eyes if you’re tired.”

“Can’t...” Mel whimpered.

“why not?”

“Not allowed...”

“Yeah, you are.” I said, “It’s ok. You can get some sleep. I’ll be right here.”

Mel’s eyes drifted closed and she soon fell asleep. I kept watch over her. Wondering how many more children were out there, hurt, sick, scared. trapped in HYDRA’s cold unforgiving clutches.

We arrived at the hospital, and Mel stirred as the stretcher she was on was pulled from the back of the Ambulance.

“It’s ok Mel. We’re just at the hospital.” I informed,

“No HYDRA?” she asked.

I shook my head, “No. They aren’t here. You’re safe.”

We were herded into a small private room, away from the rest of the busy Emergency Department. It was as I was sitting there at Mel’s side. that my phone rang. I didn’t recognise the number but answered it anyway. “Hello?”

“Rogers, what’s all this about a kid?” Director Fury’s voice came from the other end of the line.

I glanced to my right, where Mel was dozing. Then began to explain the story as far as I knew it.

“those Mother-F***ers...” Fury grumbled, “Where’s the girl now?”

“I’m with her as we speak,” I said, “She’s asleep right now. We’re at Montefiore Medical centre.”

“Good, Good.” Fury took a breath as if considering what to do. “Listen, Rogers, under no circumstances is that girl to be left alone. Shift change with the others if you have to. but do not leave her unprotected.” he instructed.

“Yes sir, understood sir,” I replied. I hadn’t been planning on leaving Mel alone anyway. but having Fury’s orders would help when it came to attitudes like Maria’s.

I didn’t leave Mel’s side, not even when she was safely in the kid’s ward with a room to herself.

I couldn’t help but smile at the way the girl kept looking out the window at the view.

“Pretty good view, huh?” I said.

“I... I’ve never seen anything like it,” Mel replied without tearing her gaze away from the window. 

“I know, I felt the same when I...” I trailed off. my mind wandering back to when I’d first woken up in the 21st century and the bold, modern world that seemed so foreign at the time.

Mel glanced at me quizzically. Did she know my story? was it something HYDRA would teach?

Thankfully, I was saved from wondering further by the squeaks of sneakers against hospital flooring. and a familiar, “Excuse me, pardon me.” Peter had evidently arrived.

“Hey Pete,” I smiled when the teenager entered the room, Then I noticed that Mel was attempting to hide under the blankets, “Don’t be afraid Mel, it’s just Peter.”

Mel peeped out from under the covers, “Hi.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Peter said, reaching into his backpack and pulling out a file folder. “Janet wanted me to give this to you. She found it in the place’s furnace. apparently, they were trying to destroy some evidence.”

I took the folder and opened it, inside were several half-burnt documents and the one on top caught my attention. It seemed to match the description of the little girl in the bed.

, Melanie

Platinum Blonde

Heterochromia.

16.05

17.06

“Mel...” I said, “I think that’s short for Melanie.”

“Melanie..” She repeated as if testing how it sounded. “Melanie, Mel-ann-ee.”

“Do you like it?” I asked.

Melanie went silent and her gaze cast downward.

Oh, right. I was getting ahead of myself. I should’ve realised that this was going to be like Bucky all over again. The ability to make choices was going to take some getting used to for Melanie.

“I’m sorry,” I said, “I know this must be really hard for you.”

“S’okay.”

My eyes darted back to the burnt document. Those numbers looked like parts of dates. but what significance? date of birth and date of arrival maybe? and what months of those years did they occur?

There might not be any way to find out if this was the only copy.

I gently reached for Melanie’s hand and as I did, Peter let out a gasp.

“Steve, You’re hurt!” he exclaimed.

“I am?” I looked down and sure enough, there was a distinct dark red patch slowly spreading through the blue of my uniform. And as soon as it was mentioned, there was a definite pain in that area. I’d been so focused on Melanie that I hadn’t even noticed.

“you should go get patched up, I can watch her,” Peter said, “do you know what a certain somebody will say if he finds out you didn’t get yourself looked at?”

“You sure you can protect her Petey?” I asked, I was hesitant to go. despite being a hero in his own right. Peter wasn’t an Avenger yet.

“Positive, Nothing’ll get past my Spidey sense, Melanie will be just fine. Now go.”