Captain America

Sharon Carter

Steve Rogers' Apartment

Steve Rogers sat in his apartment, reading the Daily Bugle. One particular story caught his attention. It featured an article by Ben Urich about the Ku Klux Klan coming into town; they were led by the Hate Monger. This time he was dressed in his purple robe and hood, similar to the ones that the KKK wore, except those were white. He employed a Hate Gun that could induce hate and anger in the thoughts of any New Yorker or anyone that came close to him. Urich knew this from probing in the files of the Fantastic Four when they battled the recent wave of hate over the city. *

* ( See Fantastic four #18-23 and FF Annual 2002-Gregg)

"Hey, Sharon, you hear anything about this?" he called to his live-in room-mate and love interest, Sharon Carter.

"What's that, Cappie?" he asked from the bathroom. She was taking a shower and had now just gotten out. She was drying herself off.

"This Hate Monger thing, that's what. It seems that he's trying another go at it."

"It's a good thing that my bone injury is all healed up from that battle with Crusher Creel*, so that I can help you fight them."

* (See Captain America #11 and 12-Gregg again.)

"No, I don't think that will be necessary. I can handle this all by my lonesome. Any way, someone had to look after Maria." He paused. Then, he changed into Cap. "Stay here, keep an eye on her, while I go patrolling."

Captain America had been patrolling the streets of New York for criminals making their evil ways on the hapless city below. He bounded from rooftop to rooftop, carrying his shield over his back, tied to his shoulders.

It was quiet tonight. Nothing seemed to be happening tonight but Cap was suspicious of that.

But then, he saw a figure wearing a dark blue costume with a little red in it in one of the alleys below. It seemed familiar but he didn't recognize it overmuch. It could only mean trouble, big trouble for Cap and his allies.

He hurled himself from one of the rooftops to land in the alley, confronting the man in the rather dramatic costume. It was dark, so he couldn't see what exactly the costume was and if he would recognize it.

"Hold it, this is Captain America and I want you to stop your activities right this instant."

"Thank God it's you, Cap. I thought that I would never see you again."

Cap stepped into the light and saw a very familiar costume and man behind the mask. It was Bucky, his dead partner. People have worn that costume in the past,including Rick Jones and Nomad. This was obviously a fake. And people who dressed like Bucky had to have some kind of explanation to explain their actions. He would let no one wear the Bucky costume who didn't deserve it.

"Cap, it's me, Bucky.'

"I know who you are. But as far as I know Bucky died in 1945 at the hands of Baron Zemo, the original one of course. So unless you have dramatically come back to life and not aged a bit, you have a lot of explaining to do, youngman."

'Bucky' smiled. "I knew that you would be skeptical. In my world, it was you, Captain America who died in World War II. Y'see, I'm, from an alternate earth and I have come to this world to have us go on one last mission together."

"To do what?"

"Why, to fight the Hate Monger."

"Why don't you go for a walk with me and explain yourself?"

The two went for a walk back to Cap's apartment.

"I thought the Hate Monger of my world was incarcerated was imprisoned by the fantastic Four when it was it was discovered that Doctor Doom was the one man responsible for the wave of hate on the city last year."

"He escaped and traveled to my world. He nearly destroyed the Invaders. I was the last one to escape my world and travel to yours as he did. I need your help, Cap. To fight the Hate Monger and destroy his operations before he invades more worlds."

Cap reached out his hand and Bucky shook it.

"It would be my pleasure to fight by your side like the good old days."

In the workout room of the local gym, Captain America and Bucky were practicing wrestling exercises to perform for their fight against the Hate Monger. In the next room, Sharon Carter was babysitting Maria, whom Bucky had taken an instant liking to, and developing a device to place on the heads of Cap and Bucky to repel the wave of hate that the Hate Monger would be using against any who opposed him. She was successful.

"So, Bucky, tell me about your world, how did I die again?"

"Well, we were fighting Baron Zemo and he had escaped through a jet plane. You hitched a ride on the plane while I stayed behind. I watched the whole thing. You fought Zemo and then, the plane exploded in midair. And then, it was over. The explosion killed both of you that day. After that, I decided to take over leadership of the Invaders and we devised a gas to retard the aging process so that we would retain our powers and live through the decades."

A tear rolled Cap's cheek, as he heard of his 'death'. Even though he knew it was the death of another Cap and not him he felt the pain and grief all the same.

"Where do you think the Hate Monger is now?" Cap asked.

"I heard of his plan while he held me prisoner for a time. He has joined the Ku Klux Klan. They are stationed in New York City and our spreading their hate throughout the city.'

'Great Scott. The KKK is the most hate driven group known to man. They have plagued minorities throughout the decades."

"Yes, I know. The Hate Monger has even donned his first purple cloak and hood. He even has his hate ray."

"What about the Psycho-Man and the rest of his Hate Squad?'

"They have been disbanded since Doctor Doom's defeat at the hands of the Fantastic Four. The Thunder Gods gang has been relegated to just being a street gang. You may have to fight them and put them in their place someday."

"Okay,lead the way, Bucky. The ball's in your court now."

Somewhere, in New York City, a parade of the Ku Klux Klan was marching to find a poor, unfortunate soul to wreak their prejudicial hatred on. They kept tabs on the minorities in the city, so they decided to go to a poor section of Harlem to keep in touch with the African Americans.

They first thing that they did was lit torches and chant hatred inspired mantras to strike fear into their hearts.

Upon seeing them, several blacks ran away in fear and terror. The Hate Monger in the lead car jumped out of the car and grabbed a black man, sweating like a madman.

"I'm gonna kill you!" the Hate Monger said. "Back in the colonial times, we exported you from Africa and made you into slaves. I'm gonna make you a slave, now."

"You're whacked man! What are ya, trippin' or what? This ain't the eighteen hundreds. We're free of tyrants of you."

"Let go of him, you fucker!" this time an elderly woman, with a shotgun came out of her apartment and started to shoot warning shots in the air above the Hate Monger and the rest of the Ku Klux Klan. "He's my boy! My little boy. Don't you dare harm a hair on his head or I'll fuck you up."

Before the Hate Monger knew it, he and the Ku Klux Klan were all surrounded by a mob of angry black individuals. They all carried weapons, knives, guns, and etc. Suddenly, a disc with the colors of the American flag swung in the general direction of the Hate Monger and then returned to its owner.

It belonged to one man.

Captain America.

"My Hate Ray should make short work of you," the Hate Monger said, as he hired a gun at both Captain America and Bucky. A purple beam shot in the air at them. They felt the effects of the ray wave over them. But it had little to no effect on them because they were wearing their hate-inhibitor bands over their heads.

Cap threw his shield in the air and it connected and shattered the hate gun, weakening the Hate Monger.

Cap and Bucky went to see about the black citzenry of Harlem, if they were harmed in any way or not. But the Hate monger and the Ku Klux klan had already escaped while Cap was talking to them.

Captain America and Bucky knealt in the bushes outside of a little shack that Bucky thought that the Hate Monger and the Ku Klux Klan were headquartered at.

"So, this is where you believe that the Hate Monger has taken up residence?" Cap asked his partner.

"Yes. He and they are here. All we have to do is break in there and bash their heads in."

They had been wearing the headbands that Sharon had rigged up. Now, they would be free of the Hate monger's hold, as long as they didn't fall off.

"Then, let's do it."

Both men stood up and raced into the shack, crashing into the window. Landing on the floor, they saw the most horrific sight set before them. They were in a room full of men with white sheets and hoods. Cap thought that their families would be devastated to find out what their husbands and boyfriends were doing in their spare time. At the center of the crowd, was the Hate Monger, in a purple sheet and hood.

"You are foolish to think that you can attack us here, Captain,' the Hate Monger said, whipping out his hate Gun and setting it for high intensity. He set it for primal hate and confusion. But he didn't use it on Cap and Bucky but on the members of the Ku Klux Klan themselves.

Instead of simply defending themselves against intruders the KKK dropped a couple notches in their rational mind and attacked Cap and Bucky with a savagery and primal thought that for a second Cap and Bucky couldn't possibly defend themselves.

But wearing the headbands would protect them from the Hate Ray, so Cap knew that he would have to hold back. He plowed through them, pushing them into the back corner.

Cap threw his shield at the Hate Monger, shattering his Hate Gun.

Then, spotlights from above shone down on the members of the Ku Klux Klan. The door slammed open and Sharon Carter and several other SHIELD agents entered.

Sharon's service revolver was loaded and set to kill. "You are all under arrest. Your evil ways have come to an end, Hate Monger."

As the SHIELD agents led the KKK members including the Hate Monger into the airship, Sharon turned to Cap. "Well, in case you're wondering, Maria is with as sitter."

"Thank you, Sharon," Cap said, lightly kissing her on the mouth. "You're a godsend."

"I think we better get back to your apartment, Cap, so that I can go back to my world," Bucky said.

"How will you get home to your world?" Cap asked the alternate Bucky.

"Easy. The Mr. Fantastic of my world gave me a minature device that is a replica of Doc doom's time machine. I have already set its coordinates. It's time to say good-bye, Mr. Rogers."

"I know, Mr. Barnes. You have proven to be a good ally and I will miss you as I know that you may never enter my world again. Farewell, Bucky."

The two shook hands.

Next up was Sharon Carter.

"It's good to see you again, Agent 13. Too bad you couldn't fight in the battle with us. Maybe next time."

"Next time it is then, Bucky," Sharon said, hugging him deeply.

Then, with a flash of light, Bucky vanishes from their sight, never to return again.

Cap took off his mask and started to cry. Tears streamed down his face and try as he might, he couldn't them back. The fact that in another world Bucky was and still is alive. Why had his Bucky died and another lives?

"Oh, Steve, I know, I know. It is painful but you must let it go and let it go now. What is past is past and you must live for the future. The future is bright and you can embrace it as one whole man."

"I still hurts Sharon. It still hurts."

Suddenly, Maria entered the room. "Why is Daddy crying?'

Steve knelt down to be at eye level to Maria. "I am sad. Because That was a good friend of mine who will probably be gone forever. You know what it would be like if your father was gone.'

'Yes, I think I do. I am an orphan. But you're the best dad in the world. You're Captain America you can do anything."

"Hmm. That sounds like something I would say," Steve said. "Yes, I need to forget about Bucky. I need to move to the future, like Auntie Sharon said. Why don't you go to bed now, Maria?"

"Okay, daddy. G'nite, dad, Auntie."

They said their good nights to Maria and for a while, Captain America thought that everything was right with the world.