Captain America

Sharon Carter

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE: After several failures breaking out, Mr. Hyde escaped from the Vault and made it to shore to the Big Apple. Captain America bought some toys for his adopted daughter, Maria, when he heard over the news that Mr. Hyde was on the loose. Cap fought Hyde but the man-monster defeated the star spangled Avenger.

With a rough-hewn hand upon his head, Mister Hyde is about to unmask Captain America. For as long as he has been a criminal, Hyde has wanted to know what the Captain looked like underneath that infernal mask. He probably was a nobody or the freakin' President of the United States of America. Wouldn't that be a kick in the head? If he was the Prez. But no, he couldn't be. He had to be a celebrity in his own home town and old as Moses.

Captain America is unconscious due to the shock of the blows that Hyde gave him recently. He is about to unmask him when he hears the sirens of the police black and white vehicles nearing him. He is startled out of his reverie. He doesn't want to be caught now. He is sure he could probably wreak havoc on their defenseless forms.

He needs to hide. Bad pun. He defeated the Captain. That is good for now. he could kill him later. The Captain wouldn't like being so easily defeated by a man like Hyde.

Hearing the sirens, the gawkers and innocent bystanders turn their attention to the police. It is the perfect chance for Hyde to change back into Calvin Zabo. The clothes are too big for him.

"Uhhnnn," Captain America groans and moans as he starts to awaken.

"Bring that stretcher over here," a police officer says to the medic arriving in an ambulance. "This man needs medical attention."

"I'll take over from here, men," Sharon Carter says, arriving on the scene. She is wearing her SHIELD uniform. "The man's with me."

"And who are you?" the police officer remarks, angry that his authority is being usurped. "This guy has just been in a terrible fight. He needs help. I doubt that he would survive the night."

"Do you know who this man is? He's Captain America. The original star spangled Avenger. I'm a SHIELD agent and his best friend." She flashes a bronze badge. Once he inspects it, she pockets it. "He can and has survived much more than a mere scuffle with Mister Hyde. I'm taking him back home."

"I just hope you know what you're doing, lady."

Nodding at the police officer who relunctantly agrees with her, Sharon Carter commands the SHIELD agents to load Captain America into their vehicle.

"Uhnnn… what happened?" Cap asks as he awakens in his apartment with both Maria and Sharon Carter right beside him. His face and jaw are all bruised up and he generally hurts all over. He never thought that Mr. Hyde could give him such a beating. He thought that he would be able to protect himself from such an attack. He was wrong.

"You got whipped like a dog, Cap," Sharon says. Cap notices the cynical tone to her voice. Ever since he adopted Maria and spoiled her rotten, Sharon has a cynical tone that he hasn't noticed before. "I helped you but Hyde got away."

"I have to go after him," Cap said, as he struggles to stand up. He doesn't realize that that is a nigh impossible task since he has been so injured. "There's no telling what he could be doing to the city in my absence."

"You're going nowhere until I have Brian Vesso take a look at you. He's the best doc in SHIELD and I won't take no for an answer."

Cap groans. He hurts all over. "How can I argue with that?"

"Here let me help you up." Sharon offers a hand to help him stand up. She puts gauze on the open wounds that are bleeding. She is no doctor but she knows a little about medicine.

"You're a true friend, Sharon. I don't know what I could have done without you. Makes me think of the good ol' days."

"You should know better than most that those days are over and we have to move on to the present."

"Yes, I do. Our relationship is over but a guy can hope, can't he?"

"Well, here's for old times sake." Sharon pecked him on the cheek. "now, let's get you prepped for Vesso."

"Thanks, Sharon."

Leaning on Sharon's body for support, Captain America walks out of the apartment leaving Maria with a babysitter.

"What's the verdict, doc?" Captain America asks of Dr. Brian Vesso in his office at SHIELD headquarters above the Hellicarrier.

Vesso is giving Cap a complete physical. He weighs him, checks his pulse, listens to his heartrate and blood pressure, all the basics that are included in a physical. Cap is concerned that the structure of the super soldier serum may have been fading. That is why Hyde beat him. Vesso agrees that that may not have been the case but rather Hyde was getting angrier by the second, giving in to his emotions. Like the Hulk, the angrier he gets, the stronger he becomes.

"So, that's it, Vesso. I was just going too soft on him. I may be losing my edge. I didn't think that it was possible."

"I think it's a variation of that," Sharon concurs. "You are used to fighting people and villains that are weaker than you. You have an advantage on them. With Hyde, it is empirically different. He is stronger than you, so you are used to holding back. You couldn't deal with it."

"I won't make that mistake again. This time I will defeat and make sure he stays in the Vault for the time being."

"Cap, you can't go yet. There are tests to be run."

Cap stands up and walks out the door. "I have to go, for the sake of the city."

In the midtown district of Manhatten, Captain America jumps and bounds from rooftop to rooftop in search of Mr. Hyde. For someone that big and powerful, he definitely has plenty of hiding places within the city. But then, Cap realized, he could change into his other identity of Calvin Zabo at will. Cap figured that was how Bruce Banner was able to be on the run and no one knew who he was.

But this time out, he has Sharon Carter and the rest of SHIELD with him. Sharon didn't trust him to go off half-cocked against Hyde all by his lonesome. She wanted him to have backup and there is no backup like the entire SHIELD forces behind him.

"Do you have any idea where he could be now?" Sharon asks Cap. "You know him better than I do. All I have to go on is the Avengers files on him and your word."

"He probably wants to bring me out into the open. I'm not sure what he wants with me this time. It could like all the other times. Just simple revenge."

"Is that it? Revenge? Is it that basic?"

"How else do these villains work? They want a life of crime. They succeed in it somewhat but when they encounter a hero like me who wants nothing more than to stop them and bring the victims of their crime wave some justice, they want a chance to beat the hero at his or her own game."

"Is it truly a game to them?"

"Yes, a twisted, perverted game where they are the winners and the innocents are the losers. It's a no win situation. We are too evenly matched and-"

CRACK!

Captain America doesn't have time to react when the ferocious Mister Hyde jumps up onto the rooftop where he and Sharon were standing and talking and sideswipes Sharon with a swift left. He screams bloody murder.

"My God! Sharon!!" He sees Sharon tipping over the side of the rooftop and falling to her doom below. Not even thinking of his own personal safety, Cap jumps down to the teeming streets below, hoping against hope to catch her before she becomes a bloody smear on the pavement.

Careful, Steve, don't jump the gun now. You can't be off more than a hairsbreadth. He's flying through the air, as his body becomes one taut machine of a soaring projectile. He reaches both arms outwards, his hands about to grab Sharon as she falls.

Seconds later, he lands on the streets below, cradling Sharon's body in his powerful arms. She looks dazed and a bit out of it.

'Sharon, are you okay?" Cap asks of his once ladylove.

"Hi."

"Hi yourself. Are you okay?"

"Let's get that bastard."

Captain America thinks that the shock may have been too much for her, by soaring through the afternoon skyline and air, and falling too many stories to count. But then, he knew that this was Sharon Carter, agent of SHIELD, and as a member of that government body, she was prepared for every eventuality.

Before he can turn around, Cap sees that Hyde has taken the time to vault from fire escape to fire escape to land mere feet from the two heroes. Hyde is growling like the animal he is, snarling, and drooling and spitting blood from his shining white teeth.

"I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp like I did before, Captain," Hyde says, clenching his fists and cracking his knuckles at the same time. But Cap shows no fear because unlike previously when Hyde defeated him, he is not afraid. He shows no fear and that is what he suspects will irritate Hyde the most.

"I don't think so, Captain, you're a dead man! Again."

Hyde launches into battle with the Captain. Cap ducks to avoid his hurling fist. Cap punches him back, this time in the stomach. Hyde 'ooofff's as he receives the blow.

Hyde wants the death of Captain America. He wants to break that vaunted shield of his. So to give him what he wants, Cap hurls his shield right into Hyde's mouth. Hyde loses a couple of his permament teeth. They fall to the ground below. His mouth is a mess of blood and loose teeth. He looks like a parody of his former self.

The battle is over when Hyde realizes that the patriot with the shield can destroy. That and when Sharon Carter shoots him with a stun gun. That gun can stop a herd of bull elephants.

"Thanks, Sharon. But I could have stopped him myself."

"I know. But I didn't want to see you hurt again."

"Don't worry. I will never not use my shield again. It has become a valuable weapon and one that can save my life. Anyway, what say we grab a cup of coffee and call it a day?"

Sharon smiles and as the SHIELD agents haul Hyde into their hellicarrier and then the Vault, Captain America and Sharon Carter walk into the distance.

Steve Rogers' Apartment

"Maria, it's time for you to go to bed. Also, I would like to talk to Auntie Sharon," Cap says, as he asks Maria to clean up her Hot Wheels toys.

Maria nods in agreement because she is getting tired. "G'nite, daddy."

"Good night, Maria. See you in the morning."

Cap and Sharon watch as the little girl walks to her room. She has been using the spare room next to Cap's. When they are again alone, Sharon turns to Cap and says, "Never thought I'd live to see the day when a girl would say that."

"What's that?" Cap asks.

"That a girl would call you 'daddy'. You seem to be the perfect father figure for adults and youngsters alike. But it is kinda strange to me."

Cap laughed out loud. "Hahahaha! It is a little weird for me too. I always wanted to have a child, especially a daughter of my own. I hoped it would be with you but with our strained relationship as it is, since we had a falling out, it just never happened. But then, that reminds me. I have a request to ask of you…"

Captain America removed his mask, placing it in one of his pants pockets, and approached Sharon Carter. Seeing his intentions, she began to back away. One would think that she would never back away from a man's advances but here she was shying away from Captain America. This was Captain America who wanted something more than a friend, more than than a lover, he wanted-

"I want you to act as Maria's mother. I know that you are only on temporary status with SHIELD, so you have the free time. Also, we are together almost all the time. You spend your free time with me at my apartment here and when we share time on missions we work well together. Maria needs a mother. I can't be a single parent. We don't have to get married. It doesn't have to be that way. Just think about it and tell me you'll do it."

"Cap, I don't know-I-"

"No, I am not Captain America. Now, I am just plain ol' Steve Rogers. I am asking you as a lover, friend, and the only other person in Maria's life. Please, help me."

"I-Cap, I mean Steve, I would like to but-"

"What's stopping you? I mean, really."

Sharon sighes. "Nothing, I guess. But no way am I marrying you." She pauses and then whispers, 'At least, not yet.'

Sharon notices that she is backed against a corner with Steve Rogers. As she struggles to break free (she never saw him this aggressive before, but then she was privy to aggressive men being with SHIELD), she realizes that she can't.

Steve kisses Sharon full on the mouth and she finds that she responds in kind. She wants him more than she ever wanted any men in her life before. Still kissing her, Steve lifts her up in his very powerful arms and carries her into his bedroom.

Soon, they are both naked, his body on top of hers, and they make wonderful passionate love. It is the best thing that has ever happened to her.

So much for their falling out.

Coney Island

"Should I call you Auntie or Mommie?" Maria asks Sharon Carter while the two girls and Steve Rogers are on the beach, soaking in some sun. Steve is drawing some of the scenery on his sketchpad.

"Aunt is fine," Sharon confides to the child. "I'm not your mother. Steve and I aren't married. But I'll be better than any mommy around. I'll do anything for you."

"I thought that you hated me."

"What gave you that idea, precious?"

"I overheard you talking to Daddy the other day before that Hyde guy attacked the city. You said that it was wrong for him to adopt me. I don't think so. I couldn't be happier. He's my daddy. Why do you hate us being together?"

"Maria, I-"

"Also, last night, when I was trying to go to bed, I heard you moaning and shouting out Daddy's name. What were you two doing?"

Sharon laughs. "Oh, nothing. You'll learn about it when you get older. But just remember that I love you. I was just concerned about Steve being a single parent. But he isn't any more. Do you know what a single parent is?"

"I think so."

"You are a smart one, you are."

"Isn't that right, Steve? Steve?! Steve!!"

Sharon turns to the beach and sees a sketchpad and a bundle of civvies but no Steve Rogers. He must have turned into Captain America. He must have seen a menace attacking the beach but why wasn't she alerted to it? Curse her for talking to Maria like some ditzy mother. She takes out her service revolver and searches for the danger that she knows Cap must be in.

"Come on, Maria, let's find your father."

It didn't take Sharon long to find Cap or Steve or whatever he is calling himself now. She sees Cap on his motorcycle chasing after a man holding a ball and chain and with some old dungarees and no shirt. He looks like he hasn't shaved in a week or two. The man looks like he could take Cap in a second but he is scared stiff of the star spangled Avenger. She knows this man. He is Crusher Creel, the Absorbing Man.

"Don't worry, Cap, I got him!"

"No, Sharon, don't!"

Sharon Carter, Agent 13 of SHIELD, fires a round of ammunition from her revolver but Creel sees it coming in an instant and ducks out of the way to evade the bullets. The round goes into the water.

"Sharon, stop! I just want to talk to him!"

Sharon Carter hears the fears of the beach goers.

"Didja see that? That crazy woman is shooting at people on the beach."

"What kind of idiot brings a gun to the beach?"

Sharon bows her head and follows Cap's lead.

"What are you doing here, Creel?" Cap asks him.

"I was just on a day off with my girlfriend, Mary. She's having trouble at her job at the First National Bank. I thought I'd cheer her up."

"It looks like I jumped the gun, too. When I saw you here, I thought that you may be causing trouble. You may still be doing that. I am going to keep my eye on you. On your way, Creel."

Crusher Creel rejoins Mary at the other side of the beach.

Sharon pockets her gun in its shoulder holster. "I guess we both jumped the gun today. You with chasing Creel and me with firing into the crowd. What was I thinking?"

"Don't worry, no harm done. No innocents were hurt. I think that we should continue with our little vacation and try not to take time away from Maria."

"You're right. C'mon, Maria, want some cotton candy?"

"You bet."

And as the day continues, Cap and Sharon do indeed focus their attention on Maria, who thinks the world of Captain America, Sentinel of Liberty.