Sorry for the long update! And all of the dialogue. And the random things that got thrown in. It will all make sense later I promise!

As always, please review!

Captain America suited up and headed over to the Tower, Tony had failed to replace the rest of the lettering on the building so there was still just an 'A' in place of 'Stark'. He liked it. The Avengers.

Since The Captain neither lived at Headquarters, nor could he fly, he was the last team member to arrive in the conference room. Fury was rubbing his forehead when Cap walked in.

"Finally! We were about to go check the polar ice caps" Tony jibed.

Cap glared at him so intensely that Tony's smile actually faltered.

"...As I was saying, we are in the middle of a crisis" Fury continued.

A few panicked looks crossed over the team's faces.

"Don't worry, we aren't facing an alien invasion. Those are apparently only a twice in a lifetime occurrence. We are facing something a little closer to home: Terrorists."

With that last word there was a collective exhale of relief followed by a whole new bout of nervousness.

"Why are we needed for a few terrorists? Won't the army or the guard be called in on something like this?"

"These aren't our usual terrorists."

"Are they so unusual that they need the Hulk to contain them?"

Fury straightened out his spine and stared at his hands.

Cap broke the silence, "What exactly are we dealing with, Director?"

Fury hesitated.

"Apparently not all of Hydras weapons were confiscated after WWII."

And the silence is back with a vengeance.

The heros glanced around the room, looking at each other to be reassured that they had heard correctly. The mirrored faces of worry confirmed their fears.

"Do we still possess any of their tech?" Tony inquired.

"The tech we recovered is too outdated. These men have had more than seven decades to convert their water guns into atomic bombs...worse; atomic bombs will look like firecrackers next to them. They are fighting with pure focused energy."

A low whistle escaped from Bruce's lips.

"What do you want us to do?"

"These people are more powerful than the Chitauri, but they will not be reckless. They will be calculated. That can be of an advantage, if their moves are calculated, they will most likely follow a strict pattern and be predictable. The alien attack we faced was hard to get a handle on because they did not have communication or skill."

Fury watched the team's reactions carefully. He concluded the meeting, "Suit up."

Steve left the building, rubbing his forehead with his palm. Despite being well rested, his face took on a tired look, the dark circles returned under his eyes, the crease between his eyebrows deepened. He looked as if he had aged twenty years in the span of twenty minutes. He walked the thirty-two city blocks back towards his apartment, he passed his building and went straight to the old gym.

He returned to his apartment. Blood trickled down his hands from boxing without tape or gloves. The blood had hardly dried when the wounds began to heal on their own; a perk of being a super soldier. A hindrance when longing for a release.

The next day, Steve phoned Kathy. "...please just go to your mother's for a few weeks"

"No! I am not just picking up and leaving without a proper explanation!"

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but just listen to me!"

"I am listening, Steve! Do you realize how ridiculous this all sounds? No rational human would just pack up and leave because a guy she met little over a month ago told her to! I don't care if you are Captain America!"

"Fine, if an explanation is what you want...come by my apartment. I can't talk to you over the phone, it is too dangerous."

"I'll be there in fifteen."

The line went dead.

Kathy approached the rundown brick building. She walked up the flight of stairs leading to Steve's apartment and knocked on the door; three small taps. The door opened quickly, nearly frightening her. The small apartment clearly belonged to a single man. It was tidy enough, strictly from lack of use though. A single glass mug sat on a drying rack next to the sink. The kitchen cabinets lacked doors, exposing his single plate, one bowl, and 3 boxes of cereal. Cap'n Crunch. He did however own a complete set of silverware. There were little personal touches to the room. Everything clashed with everything; He had a green couch, blue carpets, walls that were once white but had yellowed over the years. A single picture hung on the wall in front of the couch where most people would possess a television. The picture was an old photo of a military team. There was a guy in the front with his arm around Steve, but his face was too faded to make out...

"You might want to sit down for this."

She spun around. The sudden voice startled her.

"Right..." Kathleen moved over to the couch. She wrapped her hands around her knees and stared expectantly at him.

Steve just kinda paced the room, chewing on his lips. Looking like he was going to say something, then thinking better of it he would cut himself off.

She began to get annoyed. "Spit it out!"

Now it was his turn to be startled. He had almost completely forgotten her presence. Almost.

"...I can't tell you what I am about to tell you."

"You're not going to tell me you are really a serial killer or something, right?" She began to shift in her seat, placing her feet firmly on the floor.

Panic crossed Steve's face, "NO! Nothing like that! I am a soldier so I guess you are right in a sense but that's not the thing I was saying!"

She sunk back down in her seat. "Ok, then what is it?"

"You have to leave."

"You idiot. You already told me that over the phone!"

"I know, but I really can't tell you!"

"Well I am not leaving then."

"Why are you being so stubborn!?"

"Why are you being so CRYPTIC!? I am not one of your pawns Captain!" She spit out the last word. It hit him like acid.

He changed his approach. "I'm sorry. Please sit back down. Kathy...we are at war."

"War?"

"This isn't the kind of war that we can fight off with numbers and guns. This is a war we don't know if we can win. You need to leave, your parents now live back in Iowa, right? That isn't exactly a prime terrorist target. It will be safer for you there."

They sat together in silence for a while. Kathy replied.

"I'm not going."

Steve started to protest but she put a hand up and stopped him.

"If it is as bad as you say it is, It won't matter where I am. It will only prolong the inevitable."

He sighed, resisting the urge to argue. "Ok" was all he could manage.

They sat there holding each other for a while.

"I have to go" Steve said reluctantly. She nodded and stood to leave. Steve couldn't bring himself to kiss her goodbye. It was too final. He would see her again.

Thanks for sticking with it! Or if you are new, thanks for taking a look! :D I will have an update in a few days, regardless of how many readers are still holding on :P It does in fact get better! Keeping in mind that this story does not have a happy ending. Again, it is a tragedy.

Please review!