Chapter Text
The first time Steve met Sharon, she was an undercover SHIELD agent sent to keep a close eye on him, to protect him, per the orders of Nick Fury, the formidable director of SHIELD. He knew her as his friendly neighbor across the hall, a kind nurse named Kate. She was coming out of place carrying a load of laundry. Their brief interactions were always highlighted by warm smiles and quick hellos. She was one of the gorgeous women Steve had ever come across in his entire lifetime. Her hair cascaded softly over her shoulders, and her eyes sparkled with a genuine light that made Steve’s heart skip a beat. He often found himself captivated by her beauty, noting how her effortless grace made her one of the most stunning women he had ever encountered in his lifetime. Their encounters were brief yet significant, a passing acknowledgment of a deeper connection that lingered in the air.
The other gorgeous woman Steve has ever known, beside his mother, was Peggy Carter. Steve’s heart aches at the thought of Peggy as it was full of regret. He wished he at least had a chance to dance with Peggy. But yet, he took solace in knowing that Peggy had lived a full life, filled with laughter, love, and the joy of raising a family of her own. Despite the ache that accompanied his reminiscences, Steve was grateful for the life she led, proud of the legacy she left behind, and forever inspired by her unwavering spirit.
His mind wandered off of Peggy and onto the blonde woman. He won’t lie and say he didn’t imagine creating a life with Kate, filled with the warmth of shared experiences and unspoken understanding. Memories of laughter, casual dinners, and fleeting glances flashed through his mind, painting a not-so-distant dream that once felt attainable. But after uncovering the truth, he can’t help but feel betrayed, by Fury, by SHIELD and especially at the woman he knew as Kate, as it turns out her name is Sharon. Even though he didn’t entirely blame her and understood she was under order, he doesn’t know if she was genuinely interested in him, or had her affection been nothing more than a carefully crafted cover?
After SHIELD fell, Steve thought about what Natasha told him about calling Sharon. He couldn't get her out of his mind, a constant presence he struggled to ignore. He tried distracting himself by running, going to the gym and punching a few bags, technically destroying them to Fury’s dismay. And even trying to track down his long lost, supposed dead, best friend. But whatever he does, he can’t seem to get Sharon out of his head. One night lying in bed, he had enough and decided to call her. But not because he actually wants to see her and maybe start a relationship but he needs answers. A closure. That’s what he kept telling himself as he dialed the number Natasha gave him.
“Hello. This is Sharon.” She answered.
He didn’t speak for a second. Where does he even start?
“Hello?” She called when he didn’t answer.
“Hi,” He quickly said. “This-this is Steve Rogers. Natasha gave me your number.”
“Steve, hi.” Sharon breathed. “Figured she would.”
“Yeah.” He said.
There was a silent pause, neither of them knew what to say.
“Is there a specific reason why you’re calling?” Sharon broke the silence.
“Actually yeah. Can um can we meet? Are you still in D.C?” Steve asked nervously.
“Uh yeah I am. You?” Sharon asked.
“Uh yeah, I’m staying with Sam for a while. Till everything dies down from SHIELD’s collapse.” Steve told her.
“Okay. Yeah, we can meet. I’ll send you the address. Is now a good time?” She questioned.
“Um yeah sure. That’ll be great, actually.” Steve told her.
“Okay. See you soon, Steve.” Sharon told him.
“Mhm, yeah see you soon, Sharon.” Steve repeated.
And with that they said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. Seconds later, Steve received a text with the location of their meeting.
Steve felt his heart race with excitement when he arrived at the coffee shop. He spotted Sharon sitting in a cozy corner. She smiled at him once she saw him.
“Hi, Sharon.” He greeted her as he took a seat opposite of her.
“Hi, Steve.” She greeted him back.
Steve’s order was taken and arrived within minutes.
“I just wanted to talk about...everything.” Steve began, looking her in the eye. “I understand that you were doing your job but there are things I need to know.”
There was a piece of him that wanted to be angry, to feel betrayed, but he was struggling against the tide of understanding that kept rising. She was under orders, just like many of them had been. Yet, he was still grappling with the emotional fallout.
Sharon nodded in understanding as she took a deep breath, steeling herself for the explanation for the answer he was looking for.
“You’re right, I was doing my job. I believed I could help.” Sharon told him. “But I didn’t expect how much I'd actually like you.” She confessed, her eyes searching for understanding.
Her honesty surprised him. She confessed that she likes him. And obviously, he likes her too. But, he can’t help but question whether she was being honest. He really wishes his mind didn’t go to that. He really does like her. But as he looks at the expression she portrays on her face, it’s like she’s still hiding something.
“It’s complicated, Steve.” Sharon told him.
“Complicated how?” Steve asked, leaning in, anticipating her answer.
“Steve, you’ve got to understand, I didn’t mean to keep this from you, and I really did fall for you, I just didn’t want you to feel like you need to reciprocate these feelings because of this…I was scared. I didn’t want the past to mess up our present.” Sharon drone on without stopping to take a breath.
“Sharon...” He called her to stop and reveal what she was keeping from him.
Sharon took a breath and looked him in the eyes.
“Steve, I am Peggy Carter’s niece.” She confessed, biting her bottom lip with anticipation.
“You’re Peggy’s niece?” He asked in confusion, trying to wrap his head around it.
“Yes.” Sharon replied. “I knew you had a history with her. I thought it might change how you feel about us, and maybe it does.” She said, sounding vulnerable.
Steve stood up quickly, feeling confused, leaving Sharon to her own thoughts. His mind races with questions. He decided a run would ease his mind. Did he really like Sharon, or was it just because of his past with Peggy? His mind was focused on the fact that Sharon was related to someone he admired a lot. The connection weighed heavily on him, mixing up his feelings. He knew he needed to figure it out. But one thing he knew for sure, it wouldn’t be fair to Sharon to still have her aunt in his heart if they started something romantically.