agent rogers • j. thompson

me!

"How tough do you think I am?"

"Not as tough as you think you are."

"And why would you think that?"

"You're a girl." He shrugged.

I pushed him on the wall and grabbed his suspenders and shirt.

"I suggest you keep your sexist thoughts to yourself because I can guarantee that you will regret saying them around any woman."

He reversed our position so I was against the wall and his hands firmly pressed my shoulders to it.

"Look at this. You think you scare me, you think you can have the upper hand. There are things men have that women don't."

"Wanna know one of those things, Blondie?" I asked sweetly.

"What?"

I kneed him in the balls and smiled smugly. He groaned and leaned up on a wall.

"Are you going to tell me the room n-"

"No, no. I'm ready. Let's go, Rogers," he wheezed.

At first he walked like an old man, but eventually he regained his full strength.

The room was just on the left of where we stopped. It was a smaller, seldom used lab space in the back corner of the SSR building. I furrowed my eyebrows as I quietly pondered why my presence was requested here.

"Miss Rogers, sit here. We need to take your blood first." Someone ordered.

"Why do you need my blood?"

"We think that because Cap —" another person started.

"Over here." The first guy said, purposely cutting the second guy off.

"I'm sorry, but you are not taking my blood."

"It's not an option, Miss."

When I tried to make a break for the door, Jack stopped me and guided me back in.

"The blood is needed for medical reasons. We have to make sure there's nothing-"

"I wasn't the one injected!"

I rolled my eyes when no one responded and looked over to see that Jack was still here.

"Go away," I muttered.

"This is too entertaining for me to just leave."

I took a deep breath and attempted to ignore Jack's presence.

I've always hated needles. You'd think a nurse would be more than comfortable around them. I could tolerate handling them for patients, but getting a needle stuck in me was different.

I usually had some type of reassurance, even just a hand to squeeze. I remembered the last time I went to the doctor I was with Steve. He held my hand and told me a joke, and I was distracted by laughing.

Even thinking of the best of Steve made me tear up.

"What's wrong Rogers? Scared of a little needle?" Jack called out.

"I thought I told you to go away," I mumbled. I didn't like to talk about Steve to other people, especially Thompson.

"Do you need someone to hold your hand?" He asked like I was a baby.

I was angry at him for acting so childish. "Yes, actually. It's dumb, but it helps. Everyone has a weakness, mine is just stupid. Steve —" I cut myself off, but he already knew what I was going to say.

"Steve... he helped you."

"He helped everyone," I mumbled.

I looked over at the guy with the needle, and I noticed more on the table. They were different than the one he was currently cleaning for me. The vial had a strange hue.

I about jumped out of my seat when I felt a warm hand on mine. My head snapped to the side to find Jack beside me, holding my hand.

He looked painfully awkward. His eyes roamed everywhere in the room, but they never landed on me.

"Erm, th... thanks. Thank you," I stuttered.

His eyes suddenly shot over to me. He didn't say anything.

"You don't have to keep up such a charade, you know."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

He was unbelievable. I gave him a bewildered glare.

"It's quite out of character, from my perspective, for you to try to comfort me."

"You don't know me, Rogers."

"I know that you'll do anything to stay on top. I know that you were awarded a Navy Cross for your service in the war. I know there is something about the war that haunts you, but you try to mask it—"

"That's enough. You're imagination is too active for you to come up with a reasonable conclusion on anyone."

"Of course, who am I kidding?" I scoffed.

I took a deep breath when I felt a sudden sharp pain in my arm. I squeezed Jack's hand until it turned purple.

I felt a wave of sickness course through me.

"God, your hand is warm." I mumbled.

He shrugged. "And yours is very cold."

I thought about mine and Peggy's 'mission' for Howard. Tonight, Peggy and I were supposed to go looking for the Nitromene formula.

I started to tap Jack's fingers anxiously.

The first needle was taken out of my arm and the man picked up the odd looking vial.

"What is that?"

"Just a.. Sanitary shot."

He could've tried even a little bit harder to come up with a more believable lie. I mean, they were trying to lie about shots to a nurse of all people. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to protest as he stuck the needle in my arm.

It wasn't the needle itself that hurt, it was the liquid inside that rushed into my body.

I cried out in pain and tightly squeezed Jack's hand again.

I bent over and groaned in pain. I broke into a cold sweat and started to shake.

"What's going on?" Jack asked.

"You need to leave now, Agent Thompson." One of the guys ordered.

I felt Jack place his free hand on my back. I could feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead. As an overwhelming surge of pain rushed through my entire body, everything turned dark.

—

I woke up in the infirmary bed. Jack was replaced with the man who took my blood.

"How are you feeling, Miss Rogers?" He asked with fake concern laced in his voice.

I kept my mouth shut, unwilling to cooperate with them any longer.

"Very well, then you shall be good to go. We will be expecting to see you tomorrow for a check up, Miss."

He rushed these words out as he pulled me out of the bed and pushed me toward the door.

Before I opened it to escape these lunatics, I paused and turned to the scientist.

"That's Agent to you, sir," I firmly stated.

I swiftly walked out of the lab, causing me to suddenly feel extremely dizzy.

Peggy, who looked ready to leave, rushed up to me and steadied me.

"Good lord, Charlotte! What happened?"

"I-I don't know."