Good Man

“Don’t listen to any of the bands Erin suggests,” Sam warns Steve. “Her taste in music is depressing.”

“Name one band that’s depressing?” I scoff, “because I don’t think any of my music is depressing.”

“The Doors!” He replies.

“Jim Morrison was a tortured soul and his lyrics are beautiful.” I defend the lead singer. “Is, you agree with me right?” I ask, turning towards Isabella.

“Actually, I agree with Sam on this.” She shoots me a weak smile. “You can tell when you’re not happy because you listen to them.”

“What’s the band you usually listen to before sessions?” James asks, “Is The Doors the band that sings that one song talking about strange people?”

“People are strange when you're a stranger?” I ask, earning a nod from him. “Yea, that’s a song by The Doors. But I rarely listen to them. I usually listen to bands from the 80’s before and after sessions.”

“But I rather take on The Doors than your country obsession.” Sam states, laughing.

“My music isn’t that bad.” I defend myself. “At least I didn’t suggest baby making music to Captain America.”

Before Sam can open his mouth, my cell phone rings. I look at the caller ID and it’s my brother, Malcolm. He never calls me unless it’s important. “Hey Malc, what’s wrong?” I ask.

“You need to get to the VA hospital and fast,” he says; his voice shaking.

“What’s wrong?” I repeat myself. “Who’s in the hospital? What happened?”

“It’s Granddad,” he states, “he’s not doing too good. Something happened; they’re saying he was drugged.”

“I’ll be down there as soon as I can.” I tell him, trying to mask the shakiness of my voice and hang up. All eyes are on me. “Sam, we’ve got to go down to the VA hospital.”

“Why what’s wrong?”

“The last Howling Commando is about to fall.” I say, trying not to cry.

“Of course, let’s go.” Sam gets up followed by Isabella, Steve and even James.

“Guys, you don’t have to come with me.” I tell them, “stay, have fun.”

“No,” Steve states, “I know you’re grandfather, I’m going to pay my respect to him. He served his country, that’s the least thing I could do.”

I just force a smile on my lips as the five of us head to the hospital in two separate cars…

**

I get to the VA hospital and see my family, along with Tripp, sitting in the waiting room. Tripp is the first to know I’m here. He gets up and rushes towards me, pulling me into a backbreaking hug. “I’m so sorry, Erin.” He whispers before kissing the side of my head.

“Who do you think drugged him?” I ask.

“You’re not going to like the answer,” he says. “You’ll want to kill me if I tell you.”

“Hydra, huh?”

“Coulson is thinking Ward to be exact,” Tripp states, “he wants you back working for SHIELD for some fucked up reason.”

“What could Ward possibly want with me?”

“You were the only one to ever beat him, apparently.” Tripp shrugs, “Coulson would know more than me. Skye told him everything Ward told her.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s here, waiting for you to come to him; to come to your senses.”

“If Ward is truly behind this, I’m not going afterward to to put him behind bars in some secret location; I’m out for blood.”

“I know this and so does Coulson.”

“Let me say goodbye to my grandfather and I’ll come back to SHIELD.”

“What about your mission to retract the memories of Hydra from the Winter Soldier?” He asks quietly, knowing there are three people there that don’t know my relationship with SHIELD.

“It was never an official mission.” I tell him. “It can wait.”

“I’ll let him and May know you’re back,” he gives me a final hug before walking away. Malcolm and Travis walk up to me with knowing looks written on their face.

“Don’t get killed, Erin.” Travis states. “Granddad would have never wanted anything bad happening to you because you wanted to avenge him.”

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to worry about me coming back in a bodybag.” I quietly tell them, “I’m going to make Hydra regret messing with the granddaughter of a Howling Commando.”

**

[b]Steve Rogers[/b]

“What’s going on in there?” Bucky asks as we wait for Erin to return from Dum Dum’s room. She’s been in there for an hour with her brothers. Before I can answer, there are a group of nurses rushing into the room; ushering the group of siblings out. Erin is crying into the arms of one of her brothers. I glance over at Bucky and see his muscles tense. I can’t help but to grin; he really cares for Erin. It’s nice to see some kind of humanity in him. He’s not the ruthless killer Hydra turned him into.

“You care about her, don’t you?” I ask Bucky. He turns to me with questioning eyes. “Erin. You care about her, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, trying to mask his feelings.

“Feeling for her doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human; a good man.”

“There is no good left in me,” he states, coldly.

“Erin thinks otherwise,” I tell him, “she wouldn’t have stayed this long if she didn’t see good in you.” He remains quiet as we continue to watch the scene before us; Erin sobbing. But quickly Erin’s crying stops and I see a look in her eyes; a look I’ve seen many times when I’ve worked with SHIELD and Natasha. The look of rage. This is something even Sam hasn’t seen; if his look is anything to go by.

“What’s going on?” I ask Sam as we watch Erin storm off; her brothers not bothering to go after her.

“I don’t know but it’s nothing good.” He states before running off after her. I share a look with Bucky as we follow Sam as he goes after the once calm and collected psychiatrist.

Notes