Blind Faith

Camille paused at the corner of the National Mall, panting and looking around. She'd been waiting for Sam for half an hour, and when he hadn't shown up, she'd just started to run on her own around the mall, doing the same route she'd been doing for over a year, just without him. He'd promised he'd turn up today.

As she started on her water, her cell phone, which was strapped to her arm, started the ring. She picked up. "Hello?"

"Cam? You out at the mall?"

"Yeah. Waiting for your lazy ass." She grinned and stretched, closing the top of her water bottle. "Where have you been these past two weeks anyway?"

"Uh... I think that'd be easier to explain in person." Sam admitted. "You wanna turn around?"

Camille raised an eyebrow but complied, spinning to look around. "Why? You out here?"

"In the black Sedan." A hand waved at her through the tinted window, and Camille couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You wanna come take a ride?"

"I'm all sweaty, and I've got work in an hour."

"Trust me, you'll want to talk about this."

Camille hung up and made her way to the car, and as she approached she was surprised to see the passenger door open. She poked her head inside, and saw Sam turn in his seat to grin at her. "Hop in."

"I'm gonna repeat the fact that I have work." She muttered, but got in anyway. It was only when she was strapped in that she recognised the other passenger - Steve Rogers.

"Sam?"

"Mmh?" He glanced at her in the rear view mirror as he started the engine.

"Why is Steve Rogers sitting in your car?"

"We're friends."

"Since when?" Camille raised an eyebrow, looking at the back of Steve's head. How did Sam Wilson - the goofball older brother she'd never wanted - get to be buddies with a national icon?

"It's a long story." Steve said quietly, not turning to look at her. Camille decided her best option was to sit back, try not to stare lovingly at the cropped blond hair of Captain America, and concentrate on how much time she had before she had to get ready for work.




"Coffee?" Steve asked, motioning to the board in front of them. Sam had driven them to a small coffee shop - "No we're not going to fucking Starbucks, Cam." - where they could talk.

"Just a latte." She said, her eyes flickering across the bruises that blossomed along the right side of his face, along from his cheekbone up past his eye. He caught her looking and nodded.

"Looks bad, right?"

Camilla couldn't help but shrug sheepishly, and accept the coffee he handed her gratefully. Together, they made their way to the table Sam was seated at. Steve slid into the seat next to him, while Camille sat opposite them.

"Any reason for this sudden coffee trip, after you not showing up to run for two weeks?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at Sam, who grinned ruefully.

"See, that's the thing. I take it you heard about the destruction of the Triskelon?"

"You blew up S.H.E.L.D?" Camille glanced to Steve pointedly. "Yeah, I heard about it. Why?"

"Well I kinda helped with the whole destroying thing." Sam admitted, waiting for Camille's reaction.

"You did what?!" She yelled, staring at him. "Are you crazy?"

"No, of course not! He asked for my help and I gave it to him."

She sighed, leaning back against her chair. She knew that it was no use telling Sam how dumb of an idea it had been to rally round the flag with Captain fucking America because he probably already knew. It didn't make it any less of a dumb idea.

"The thing is, Camille..." Steve drummed his fingers against the table. "I need your help."

"I'm not blowing anything up."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "I'm not asking you to. Sam said you were a private detective."

She nodded.

"And he said you're good at finding people."

"I'm pretty good at it." She narrowed her eyes across the table at Sam, who smiled guiltily.

"I need your help to try and find someone. James Barnes."

"Barnes..." Camille frowned. "I've heard that name before..."

"Ever been to the Smithsonian?" Steve asked.

"Oh, yeah! He was part of the Howling - wait a second." She narrowed her eyes again. "He died in 1944."

Steve shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Long story short? He didn't. He's here, in DC."

"And you want me to track him down why exactly?"

"He's confused. And lost. It's complicated. I just need to know if you can find him for me."

She sighed, running her hands through her hair. It was true that she could take the job on. All she had to do today was go to collect her money from her last job. This one would probably be a lot harder though, and would probably involve a lot more work.

"Alright. Give me all the information you have on him, and I'll try to track him down."

Steve's bruised face broke out into a broad grin. "Thank you."

Notes