She thought her days of working in the shadows were over… until the Avengers came calling.
After years of keeping her head down and letting her work speak for itself, a former intelligence specialist is drawn into a new role inside the Avengers’ inner circle. Surrounded by legends, she must navigate unfamiliar territory, build trust, and find her place in a team that thrives on split‑second decisions and unshakable bonds.
But stepping into the spotlight—no matter how reluctantly—means facing challenges she never trained for and discovering that sometimes the hardest battles aren’t fought on the front lines.
A story of resilience, reluctant belonging, and the quiet strength that can change the course of a mission.
Author's Note - This series is AU as fuck. Set Post-AoU and Pre-CACW; Bucky is back and Tony doesn't hate him.3
Work Count - 1424 (Don't worry, chapters will get MUCH longer!!!)
CHAPTER 1 - STILLNESS
Without the mask
Where will you hide?
Can't find yourself, lost in your lie
— Evanescence, “Everybody's Fool”
It was spring—though that meant little to him. After all, spring merely yielded to summer and the sweltering heat. Then came fall, bringing a sharp chill that heralded winter’s inevitable snow in upstate New York. The snow would linger for a while before melting away, signaling the return of spring once more. An endless cycle as ancient as time itself, one that reminded him every day that the world kept turning, relentless and indifferent.
Of course, the world hadn’t been without its disruptions: seventy years trapped in ice, alien invasions, the so-called “death” of SHIELD, the resurgence of HYDRA, and murderous sentient robots determined to wipe out humanity. But through it all, he had forged new friendships, rediscovered old bonds, and assembled a team ready to face whatever threats lay ahead.
No, the world had not abandoned its eternal rhythm. Yet some days—like today—he couldn’t shake the feeling that it had.
In his quarters, Steve Rogers stood before floor-to-ceiling windows, watching pale pink petals from the crape myrtles swirl gently in the breeze. The vibrant trees contrasted sharply with the stark glass and steel of the Avengers Compound, though they were a concession to Pepper Potts, who had protested that the structure was too utilitarian. He straightened his posture, shoulders back, lips pressed into a firm line, and let out a small chuckle at the thought of Tony Stark being made to plant pink trees in front of what Tony had once called “my greatest invention yet—a place where all you losers can gather to annoy each other while I’m hours away sipping cocktails.”
The crape myrtles were where Stark’s concessions stopped. What started as a Stark Industries warehouse had been expanded—continually, endlessly. Now the compound housed a hangar, a medical facility, a robotics lab, weapons manufacturing, training grounds, living quarters, and a vast arsenal. The team had needed a map just to navigate in their first week, but it had quickly become home. A gathering place for the remnants of SHIELD and the “Second Coming of the Avengers,” as the press had dubbed them.
His second-in-command was Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, also known as Natalie Rushman. Their histories with SHIELD were complicated, marked by murky pasts, but it was what they brought to the present that mattered. Natasha had been there for him before he even realized he needed her. A trained assassin known for keeping everyone at arm’s length while convincing them she was their closest friend, the fact she’d let him in, even just a little, was more than he’d ever dared hope.
Sam Wilson, the Falcon, was another story. He was the friend Steve never knew he needed. Sam kept him grounded, forcing him to confront his demons and learn to live with them. As a soldier himself, Sam understood sacrifice but also knew the importance of setting boundaries.
Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes, the War Machine, had surprised everyone by joining the team. A distinguished Air Force officer and liaison between Stark Industries and the Department of Acquisitions, Rhodey had forged a brotherly bond with Tony Stark. Though not a full-time Avenger, he trained alongside them whenever he could, ready for the next disaster that might call him to suit up.
Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, remained a mystery to the others, described as “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” Yet Steve understood her better than most. Like him, she had volunteered for dangerous experiments during what she felt was a war; both had sacrificed themselves for their countries. Wanda carried an intense need to right wrongs, including those she’d caused. Though some still feared the chaos magic she wielded, Steve trusted her commitment to the greater good—that was all that mattered.
Vision... well, Vision was Vision. It was still difficult for Steve to fully comprehend how Ultron had created a synthezoid powered by the Mind Stone and brought to life through the combined genius of Tony, Bruce, Dr. Cho, and Thor, of all people. Vision had wielded Mjolnir, battled Ultron in cyberspace as JARVIS, and fought by their side without hesitation. “I'm not what you are, and not what you intended,” Vision once said. Regardless, he had become exactly what the team needed.
The Winter Soldier was the newest addition to their “ragtag band of misfits,” as Natasha affectionately called them. James “Bucky” Barnes had emerged from the brink—caught between life and death, memory and oblivion. Retrieving him had been a nightmare; restoring his mind was even worse. The first days locked in a cell, rocking back and forth as his programming faded, had felt like a brutal detox from a lifetime of torment. Snippets of memory surfaced slowly—escaping beatings, receiving draft papers, his regiment’s capture, the train, the torture, the ten words that turned him into a ruthless weapon. “Never again” were his first resolute words after release, and the sharp clarity in his eyes told everyone Bucky was on the path back, though not yet whole.
That left only Steve—no longer quite so out-of-time. The charismatic leader of the Avengers, Captain America. The man more at home in this compound than he’d ever been in his old D.C. apartment. The man who had taken down an entire covert government agency and its infiltrators with nothing but a shield. The man who led a team of heroes against HYDRA and Ultron, now standing silently, watching crape myrtle petals dance in the breeze.
He ran a hand through his blonde hair and sighed deeply, uncertain why he felt so unsettled. He’d slept as well as could be expected, woken early for training like every day, no nightmares plaguing him. No imminent threats to the world’s order. Still, something nagged at him.
His quarters felt claustrophobic despite their size—much like his apartment once did, and his quarters during the war. Utilitarian, as Natasha had once called such spaces. Nothing extravagant or out of place; a place to eat, sleep, and review intel. The only concession he’d made was to line a wall with solid oak bookcases filled with thrifted library volumes he hoped to read one day.
The kitchen gleamed with modern stainless steel appliances and dark marble counters. The living area—too large to call just a room—held a massive sectional and matching recliner in pewter, arranged around a marble coffee table matching the countertops. To the right was his office and bedroom.
Calling that space a bedroom felt wrong. Yes, it had a bed, dresser, closet, nightstand, and lamp, but unlike several teammates’ sanctuaries, it was merely a place to rest—if he managed sleep at all.
The true heart of his quarters was the office. Nearly three times the size of his bedroom, it featured an enormous holo-table at its center. A cherrywood desk sat before large windows, allowing him the warmth of the sun on his back as he worked. From this vantage, he had a panoramic view of the room—medals and commendations hanging on the left wall above a well-worn leather couch, and a myriad of screens covering the right, ready to pull up reports, maps, and mission intel at a flick of his wrist. His tablet, controlling everything, sat surrounded by files and reports of past and present missions.
Steve would be lying if he said he didn’t feel most at home here or in the training facilities. But today, the training was done, no missions demanded review. So he found himself rooted by the living room windows, watching petals drift lazily to the ground.
There was no rational reason for his unease. His team was assembled, his leadership steady. The world was at peace, for the moment. Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was lurking just beyond the horizon.
He glanced at his watch: 4:43 PM. He’d stood there more than an hour, lost in thought. “And where did that get me?” he wondered aloud.
Fighting the urge to remain motionless until clarity arrived, Steve reached back into his jeans and pulled out his phone. He tapped out a quick message before heading to change into fresh workout gear.
Meet me in the training center in 15. I need some sense beaten into me.
A moment later, a reply blinked on screen.
Finally, you admit it. See you in 15, jerk.
A rare smile tugged at his lips. Bounding up the stairs two at a time, he began mentally preparing for the ass-whooping he knew was coming.
She thought her days of working in the shadows were over… until the Avengers came calling.
After years of keeping her head down and letting her work speak for itself, a former intelligence specialist is drawn into a new role inside the Avengers’ inner circle. Surrounded by legends, she must navigate unfamiliar territory, build trust, and find her place in a team that thrives on split‑second decisions and unshakable bonds.
But stepping into the spotlight—no matter how reluctantly—means facing challenges she never trained for and discovering that sometimes the hardest battles aren’t fought on the front lines.
A story of resilience, reluctant belonging, and the quiet strength that can change the course of a mission.
*This story is AU as fuck! Post-AoU/Pre-CW, Bucky is back and Tony doesn’t hate him.*
My adoring boyfriend, Thor (yes, that's his REAL name, he's 1/4 Icelandic) got my two new desks for crafting and writing so I'll FINALLY be able to get back into the groove of things.
Look for stories to start pouring out of my fingertips.
If you have any ideas for Steve Rogers one-shots, send them my way through t DM of Ask Me Anything!
To anyone interested…at some point I’m going to delete the posts on my blog and redo them. I want banners, better graphics, better tagging, and am aiming for more traction and interaction.
Follow my blog to keep up with when the good things happen!!!
I‘m sorry to hear that about your family and yourself but and i‘m sorry why do you share this information online.? I know people want to share and explain things but this is NOBODY‘s business!
This is not coming at you with hate but I don’t understand why anyone thinks they need to explain themselves to online strangers!
Tumblr is a online platform full of STRANGERS! It’s NO ONES business!
It’s actually therapeutic for me to talk about what I go through at times. I’m not looking for sympathy, I don’t have a lot of people I can talk to, and sometimes I just need to scream from the top of my lungs. Instead I’ll mention it and it’s like a mini release. This is the first and only time I’ve mentioned it.
The depth of his words resonate true with every human on the planet. As someone who is suffering and been working to overcome her own ego, I can’t wait to be able to see this movie!
