“So, how long have you been keeping this one from us?” Black Widow asked, looking the pair up and down, sitting next to Hawkeye, her hand on his knee. “And why were none of the women I suggested good enough for you?”

        “I’m too busy for a relationship like that,” Steve told her evenly. “I’m still trying to patch things up with Bucky. If I can ever find him, that is. But I haven’t given up hope that he’s out there. We’ll figure something out, but I can’t be dating a civilian.”

        “What about a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent? I mean, really? That would be completely acceptable, Steve! Where did she even come from? I don’t recognize her, except . . .” Romanoff’s head tilted slightly as she took in Lithium’s features. “Steve!” She exclaimed quickly, punching the captain’s arm. “You’re collaborating with the enemy?”

        “Hey now!” Steve told her quickly, putting his hands up in a show of innocence and a ways to prevent her making a cheap shot yet again. “I’m not collaborating with the enemy. Because she’s not the enemy anymore. She’s one of us. Avenger material, perhaps, if she finishes her training.”

        “You converted the enemy, then?” Widow asked, her eyes widening skeptically. “How is that even possible, Steve? How did you even manage that? You may as well have gotten a cat to play fetch!”

        Blinking, Lithium stared at Agent Romanoff. “I am neither a cat nor a dog, thank you.”

        Steve smiled a bit before placing a hand on Lithium’s shoulder. “I told her the truth, Romanoff. I gave her another chance. And she was more than eager to take it.” A small silence fell over the group briefly as they sat in the lobby, waiting for what felt like an endless amount of time, either for another conversation to strike up, or for, well, Sam. And it didn’t take too much longer before the man himself made an entrance.

        “Ay! Get offa me! I told you I’m fine!” Sam insisted as he stumbled out of the doctor’s office and into the lobby. “Run one more stupid test and I’ll punch you so damn hard you’ll have to start running tests on yourself! Or better yet, I’ll get Killer over here to do it for me!” He gestured to where Lithium sat, naive to what events could have possibly led to her being used as a threat against a man of medicine.

        “What . . . ?” She muttered, blinking as her eyes slid between Sam and the man in the labcoat, frowning as the began conversing rapidly again, her mind occupied with the imagery that had invaded her mind shortly before the arrival of Clint and Natasha.

        ~~~

        Thunder rolled loudly against the cloudy sky, lightning flashing so brightly it light up the darkness as much as if it were midday, but only for a split second. The rain was pouring from the darkness in buckets.

        And Lithium was outside, shovel in hand, drenched to the bone and shivering as she dug on unmarked ground, slopping mud out of the growing hole. Her teeth chattered when the wind blew, and nearby, Pierce watched her, fairly dry beneath his umbrella. Pausing, Lithium looked up at him desperately, wanting him to cave and allow her to go back inside from the storm. Her lips were already numb, and she was hardly even halfway to the depth Pierce was demanding from her.

        “P-P-Please, Sir . . .” She murmured quietly, her fingers shaking, though she did her best to hide it. “I’m sorry I misbehaved.” Lithium couldn’t help a gasp as the wind jolted against her drenched clothing and skin, causing a shudder to rip up through her spine. “P-Please . . . I’ll behave better.” Gripping the shovel tighter to fight against the pain the cold was causing, Lithium closed her eyes, biting back the tears that were threatening her eyes. “I wo-won’t . . .”

        “You need to learn, Lithium,” Pierce instructed calmly. “Keep digging until the animals on the surface will no longer smell the death of your shame. Cry and it will only attract their predatorial instincts.”

        Letting out a small sob, Lithium bit her lip as she winced, working harder again to push the shovel through the earth, nearly flinching as another bolt of lightning ripped through the sky, and a clap of thunder shook the ground. It took another hour before Lithium managed to finish the sloppy, uneven grave, climbing out by way of the small slope, her entire body shaking as she got out. It took less than two steps out of the grave before she fell to the ground on her knees, trembling as she curled up in the mud, falling again, her cheek brushing against the sodden grass and earth. The strands of her hair became heavy as the mud adhered to the fibers. “I-I ju-just w-wa-wanna g-go h-ho-me . . .”

        Relaxing slowly, Lithium began to drift off into the darkness. She wasn’t sure how she got back to their base of operations, only that when she woke up, she was back where she’d spent the last few years of her life. The cold, emotionless walls were far from feeling like home, but it was the only one she knew.

        It didn’t help matters that she was now bed ridden for at least two days due to the sickness she’d come down with after spending a few hours in the pouring rain. The day she’d been cleared, was the day she’d gone out shopping with Iris. And the day only one of them had returned without being in a bodybag.

        ~~~

        Less than a week later was the 4th of July. Independence Day. A night when fireworks lit up the night sky, exploding into bursts of color and noise. It was also the captain’s birthday.

        Her anxiety building, Lithium finished coating the cake’s surface with a fudge frosting, a large tub of vanilla ice cream sitting inside the freezer. Among plenty of other things, the file Hydra had given her of their intel on the captain, it had told her his birthday. And she’d been anxious of the arrival of this day for a fair amount of time now, despite all the distractions that had come and gone. The giddiness of the situation hit her for a moment, and Lithium smiled, her heart pounding inside her chest. She was spending her hero’s birthday with none other than her hero.

        Lithium paused in her work, placing the frosting down, one hand over her mouth, the other over her chest as she let it really sink in. Of all the holidays and birthdays she’d spent alone, she got to spend this one with him. The man she’d idolized since she’d known of him. The man who’d given everything he had for his country, for the greater good. And she’d tried so hard to follow in his footsteps, only to be deceived.

        But that wasn’t important. She got to spend the day with him; part of it, at least. Unfortunately, she’d missed practice this morning, and he’d probably gently scold her for it, but in her mind, this was more important. Truthfully, it made her beyond happy.

        Gathering herself, Lithium continued in her task, lining the edges of the sheet cake with blue around the base and red around the upper corners. Carefully, Lithium began to spread a plain white frosting over the top, coating over the chilled upper layer of fudge until it was smooth. Soon after, she began the coloring, outlining an american flag before coloring it and writing the words “Happy Birthday, Steve” over the flags stripes in blue.

        Wiping her forehead, Lithium smiled at the finished product. It had taken hours, but it was worth it. Cautiously, Lithium lifted the cake by the cardboard base, placing it into the fridge to chill. Next, Lithium got out the standard birthday card, scrawling the words, “Thank you for giving me a chance when you had no reason to trust me. I wish you the best day you could ask for. You’ve always been my hero. Much love, Celeste.” across the bottom. With a deep breath, and no way to turn back, she slid the card into the envelope and sealed it.

        ~~~

        “What do you mean he’s not here?” Celeste asked, the card in her hand as she stared down at Sam.

        With a shrug, Sam couldn’t look any more relaxed. “He said he had business. Missed the morning workout. I’m sure he’s fine, but I can’t imagine he wants to sit around today. How much can he really want to celebrate a day like today when his family is long gone?”

        Biting her lip, Celeste realized that was true. Steve must feel alone when the basis of this day had probably revolved primarily around his friends and family, most of which were now deceased, if not all of them; at least the ones he’d known and treasured. “But he has to know it’ll be okay,” she told him quietly, half to herself.

        Sam sighed, looking off in the distance. “I don’t know. But I, for one, am glad this town doesn’t have an organized fireworks display. War changes a lot of things, including the way you hear those explosions when they go off in the sky. I’m sure Cap isn’t too fond of those things, either. War is not a kind mistress.”

        With a nod, Lithium started walking down the hall, not quite sure where she’d be going, only that she had to find the captain. She would find the captain by the end of the day and show him that he wasn’t alone.

        It was nearly six by the time she’d checked every crevice of town, and she stumbled across him in one of the most remote places; the shoreline along the lake. The place was deserted for now. Most people were home, planning their nights or eating dinner. He was alone, and sadly, Lithium wondered how long the captain had felt that way. Trying to keep her spirits high, she ignored the sun as it began lowering itself in the sky, walking over to him quietly, stopping when she stood next to him.

        “Are you okay?” Lithium asked, her voice barely a whisper, her thoughts and concerns spilling into those three words.

        With a slow nod, Steve was all but convincing. “I will be eventually.”

        “You know you don’t have to hold it in, right? You’re strong. I know you’re strong. everyone knows you’re strong. You’re Captain America. A hero. But you’re also Steve Rogers. And you’re allowed to be human. It’s okay to be vulnerable.”

        With a deep breath, a bit of his tension released, and Steve nodded again. “I know, Celeste. And thank you for your concern. I’ll be okay.”

        Giving him a small nod, Lithium let a small silence fall around them as she gently pressed the card into his hand. Steve looked down, glancing at the tan envelope, glimpsing his name written across the back before looking back at her face. “What’s this for?”

        “It’s your birthday, what do you think it’s for?” Lithium asked in return, raising an eyebrow at him. A slight, not quite happy smile spread across his face as he took the envelope. Lithium tried to pretend that she didn’t care as he opened it. She tried to pretend that it was no big deal as he read over the words, both written and typed, before he looked over in her direction again.

        “Do you mean all this, ‘Leste . . . ?” He asked slowly, looking up from the card to her, though she tried to keep her gaze out on the waves.

        “Of course I do, Steve,” she replied gently, slowly turning her line of sight back to his face. “I wouldn’t write it if I didn’t mean it . . . If you hadn’t come along and given me a chance, I don’t know what I would’ve done . . . Not many men have a heart as big as yours . . . You’re a dying breed . . . And even before that, you’ve been my hero as long as I’ve heard the stories . . . I promise you will never be alone . . .”

        For a moment, Steve paused, just holding eye contact with the 5’8” brunette woman, the sound of the waves, the birds and their breathing the only thing to fill the silence.

        The card still in his hand, the captain promptly threw his arms around Celeste, holding her close to his form. Lithium was quick to return the gesture, pressing close to him, closing her eyes and relaxing despite the tension she could feel from him. With a small shuddering breath, Steve pulled his head away from hers, only to press his lips to her forehead, his small way of saying “Thank you” for her insistence to comfort him when he was feeling so alone on his birthday of all days.

        The small contact caused Lithium to blush and she looked up at him, a bit of longing in her eyes. For a moment, Steve looked back, brushing a stray hair from her face, kissing the bridge of her nose gently. As he pulled away, Lithium pressed up closer to him until his lips met hers. She kissed him.

        And after just a moment, he kissed her back.