I peer into the conference room that the card has on it for the support group. Gulping feeling scared to talk about my past but knowing I need to, I make the giant leap and walk to the group of people siting in the circle of chairs.

"Sorry if I'm late, bloody traffic is worse then London!" I force a smile at my joke trying to seem genuine with my condescending British accent.

The guy who is leading the group only smiles and points to the last free chair, "No we were just about to start, why don't you sit and join us!" His smile is genuine with care and wonder, it felt out of place in this group but I sit and sigh softly knowing my story will be coming out for the first time.

"So let's start today with introductions, how about you start today miss?" He looks to me and smiles softly, almost like they did long ago.

"H-hi... my name it Kathleen Howe and I am, well was, apart of special forces." I get strange looks at that, but there are murmurs of "Hello Kathleen". I continue, "I lost both of my soulmates during the war, the first one, right before my eyes." I pause for a moment, the words coming out painting a top real depiction in my mind. I take a breathe, and steady myself, looking to the group, and the one leading the seminar. They only waited patiently, a pain in their eyes giving me some comfort.

"The other, hearing his voice as his plane crashed into the Arctic." I feel tears trying to take over, but I bite my lip and hold firm. The pain was all too real, as if they were happening all over again. I look to the group, and my tears well up, an old saying I learned very well. 'Never let them see your pain.'

There was a pause, and I took another breath. "I see their faces, every day. When I close my eyes, I see Buck, and when I hear nothing, I hear Steve. It just..." Another breath, and more patience from the group. "I miss them, I do. I wish I was able to.. do something, anything... I feel like I was useless to them."

With that, I feel a single tear drop fall from my eyes, which I quickly wipe away. "I could have done something..."

"Kathleen, it is natural to feel these feelings." I look up, to see the seminar leader speak. "We all go through that, what we could have done, what could have solved this." Many nods fill the room, as I see a very similar pain in the faces of the men and women around me.

"Loss is a part of life, not just on the battlefield. The way we deal with loss, is to grow from it." He says. "I was pinned down with my squadron for 14 hours surrounded by sniper fire. I lost friends, close friends. I see the same pain as you, and the only way to move forward, is to be open about it."

A very elderly man speaks. "I lost my brother in Vietnam."

A woman speaks. "My hospital was barraged by mortars." Every single person here, had a story of loss. As I listen, the pain eased, if only for so long, on my shoulders. These people I'm with, they know what I deal with every day.

We spoke of our losses, and I spoke of mine, and with every word, the pain eased a little more. Sam, the leader, I eventually learned, asks me. "Where were you deployed?"

I look to everyone in the room and ready myself, the condition of me talking about this had a lot of grey area, but these people were people I can trust. "...World War Two..." The confused looks around the room were not unexpected, and before they could protest I continue. "My full name, Lieutenant Kathleen Howe of the Howling Commandos."

I look at the floor as I hear the gasps and some of the chairs in the room creak.

"You're Lady Longshot?" The older man asks. I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes at that, one of the less flattering names I got during my service. "Yes, I guess that's what people called me."

Sam stands up, his eyes glaring at me. "Miss, this place is not for people fooling around!" He points to the door. I feel my shoulder gain weight again, I shouldn't have been so hopeful. Grabbing my bag I stand up.

"Wait! Sam!" The woman says standing between us, showing him one of those pocket televisions. He looks at it, giving a surprised look, and glances to me, then it.

"What?" I answer, one shoulder already closer to the door. The woman turns it, and I see something I hadn't seen in a long time.

A promotional poster on brick wall, on it, the Howling Commandos. Happy Sam, Pinky, Junior, James, Jacques, Gabe, Jim, Dum Dum, myself, with my Boys Anti-Tank... Buck... and prominently in the middle of the poster, Steve. Blaze ed across the bottom of the landscape poster read: "They need you!"

I look to them, dumbfounded expressions as more pocket televisions come out and gasps, bag on my shoulder, I say. "Yes, Lady Longshot, alive and kicking." The older man actually gives a solid salute, forcing a chuckle from my lips as he adds.

"You are a real hero, the Howling Commandos won the war." My smile falters at that, being called a hero. I look down, I was no hero, I'm just one who lived.

"At ease." I take a step towards the door. "I'm sorry everyone, but I should most definitely be going." With all the eyes on me, I feel almost cornered. "I really have something to get to."

Sam gives me a look over, no longer filled with anger, just, confusion. "Kathleen, you don't have to leave."

The woman adds. "You can stay if you want to! It's just, surprising!" Everyone slowly sits down and nods in agreement. The older man asks. "I bet you can tell some great tales against Hydra!" I could tell the whole group might have been wanting to hear glorious war stories, but that isn't why I'm here. A more harsh glare fills my eyes than what I had hoped. "Almost every night I relive the horrible day of Bucky falling off that damned train, and Steve crashing that plane into the Arctic... Every bloody night it still gets me even to this day!" Everyone is quiet at my admission, I can tel some people hurt, but I am not done. "Not even Lady Longshot, a "super soldier", could have saved them! How do you think that name makes me feel!" I shout out, the words echoing, as I glare around the room. I wait to hear their silence, and then turn, leaving towards the door. This was a waste of time.

"Super soldiers are still human." Sam says, making me stop, and turn, to glare at him. "I bet you feel pain just like the rest of us." He says, taking a few cautious steps away from the circle of chairs and the watching members. "These meetings, they are good for you. Lets you get the stuff creeping inside you out. We don't care if you can stop a car with your bare hands or whatever you can do, that pain hurts all of us the same."

I feel my anger slipping from me, and weight of the fallen on my shoulders once again. I look to the door, seeing the sign, "Veteran Support Group", and look back.

I begin to walk back to my chair, as the whole group watches, and I sit down. "I look up to them all, focusing on Sam's eyes the last. "I-I'm sorry..." I feel a comforting hand on my shoulder as the woman gives a heartfelt nod. The others in the group nod as well. "We all have these outbursts Kathleen." I smile at that, feeling finally safe, with people who know me now, who can understand it.

"My superiors call me Kathleen, just call me Kat." I say, offering the group a small smile. Sam nods with his own smile.

"Welcome to the group Kat."

"Now this is the end of this weeks group. Thank you all for coming today and I hope to see you all next week!" With that people started to come to me giving me handshakes and hugs with condolences and thanks for my service. After everyone slowly trickles out, Sam comes up to me personally, "I uh, want to apologize for earlier. Obviously, you don't see WW2 heroes running around nowadays." I just kind of smile at that.

"Thank you Kat, for coming in today, you helped everyone open up a bit more and I'm sure it helped you too."

He offers his hand and I shake it, "Well it's my pleasure to help, but today was just as much for them as it is for me. I needed this."

Sam gives another nod, and pulls out what appears to be a business card, as he rights on the back. "If you are looking for more personal help, I can set you up with a psychiatrist. There's no expectation to, just some members have done the same and says it helped a lot." He hands me the card, and I see the information for the support group, and what appears to be a phone number written on the back.

He smiles and I shake my head, "Sadly I won't be in town long enough. I just wanted to get this off my chest before I go back to work." He nods understandingly, and points to the card

"Well whenever you're in town you are welcome to join. You can reach me at that number, and I'll let you know where to show up." I blush a little, just realizing that he gave me his number, as my eyes meet his, giving me a smile.

Out of nowhere we here a knock and I turn around, a tall man stands at the door as he opens it. "Lieutenant, we have business to talk about." The man is in a dark trench coat, with an ominous patch over his left eye.

"Yes Director." I turn to Sam and offer a smile, sliding the card into my back pocket as I turn. "Duty calls! See you around Sam." I run to join the man as he turns, leading us out of the building. as he escorts me to a black SUV. "What is it Sir?" I ask, buckling in and looking to the man's eye.

"We have a situation."