Alex heard a few days later about the death of Josef Reinstein. His death was very much like in the movie, he got shot in the chest dying in Steve Roger arms. He figured that he said the same last words to Steve. As for Lamberge he could not be more angry at the lost of an army of super soldier. Apperently Josef never told anyone about the danger of assassination he could run into, if he went forward with the experiment. So no one was aware that Alex had knowledge about the hit.

Josef brother and niece no longer had any potential to either the agency or hydra. So they could resume their life with freedom inside the US, of course breaking the news to Friedrich and Mila was heart breaking. Mila cried which he'd expect, since during their time here Josef had visited ofter, in so doing forging a new found kingship with his niece. As for Friedrich his reaction surprise Alex, he punch him in face an told him that he'd killed his brother by not taking the old fool away. Then he broke down in tears, and howled at the heavens for taking his brother away, after he ask to forgive him for his rage.

Alex got out of the car, he look at the church as he made his way toward it. He didn't really know who would be their, Joseif familly for sure but he wasn't sure who else. When he enter the cruch was relatively empty, in the familly side he could see Friedrich and Mila. But on the guest side only a few people, he made his way to front. He was spoted by Mila who signal him to come over.

"He would want you by us please sit." She said their was something in her voice that made it impossible to say no to.

Alex noded and sat down beside them, he notice in corner of his eye that the people sitting across looked toward him in confusion. He decided to ingnore them for now, the ceremony was somber but well done. Friedrich had offer to let him speak but, he'd refuse, anything he'd wanted to say was said to them both, no one else needed to hear. But he did agree on carrying the coffin, during this time he didn't really pay to much attention on the others. He staid inside himself going trought all the time with Joseif.

The final rites wore perform, and they started to lower the coffin into grounds. He watch as his friend was buried in his new country soil, again the pain of being weak stab at him, he'd failed to find a way to save him.

"He was a good man." A voice said their was something about it that just called to him, something warm and comforting.

Alex raise his head only to freeze, right infront of him was Steve Rogers. He looked a little like Cris Evans, except he was taller broader with yellow golden hair, deep vivide blue eyes and looked like some kind of greek god made mortal. The charisma was pratically oozing off him, by just standing their, he had a sudden urge of wanting to follow this man to the end of the earth. And the only thing going throught his head at this moment was. Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooo! That could've been me GODDAMNIT! 

"Oh you knew Joseif, from where?" He tried to keep calm, his emotion where all over the place on one hand, he wanted to grab Steve and get lost in his deep blue eyes, and on the other he wanted to go home grab a bunch of stuff and have him sign it. But he manage to not freak out an go fan girl on him.

"Yeah, I admit I didn't get to spend to much time with him. But I owe him everything for what hes given me, a chance to fight the good fight and work toward a better tomorrow." Steve said in a almost reverend tone. 

Alex could hear in his voice just how much Steve was thankfull and their was also sorrow in him as well. 

"Hum, so your his choice I can see why he was adamant on you."

"Wait you know about...."

"Project Rebirth, yes I do. Im the one who got him out of Germany  and his family in the first place. Also became the one to place his familly in safety an over time we became friends. And with me being in goverment I also know about what he was working on and you of course."

A flash of suprise an gratefulness glaze his face only to go to a more pondering look. Steve turn to Alex with a seriuse look in his eyes. "Since you where closes, then could you tell me if he looked or acted different the last few days?"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"You want to know if he knew about the attack, and still went througth with it." Alex said with a small smile across his lips.

Steve was silent as few moment. "So he knew, then why did he do it?" A mix of confusion and anger in his voice, as he stared at him.

Sigh. "I told him about the attack a few days before, tried to convince him to change location and time. But he refuse, he said that he found the pecfect person for the power he was going to give. You get it now Mr Rogers, he pick you cause your are all the best of what a good man can be and so much more." He looked directly in Steves eyes, trying not to swoon and get lost in his haunting deep blues eyes. Frankly he was starting to question if his power was just being so fricking damn perfect. He was having serious questions about his sexuality.

"He said the same thing before he died." Steves said as he went into a deep reflection about what all this really meant, for him and his new place in the world. 

"Look if you ever want to talk, heres my card on it is the way to get into contact with me." Alex place the card in Steves hand, patted his shoulder and walk away. As he was walking away he keep staring at his hand, he'd just touch Captain America. I'm never going to wash this hand again! 

Time move on by now it was a few weeks after the funeral. He decided to give Friedrich a huge check and told him to use it as he saw fit. At first he refuse, saying stuff like its not money he wanted just being around would be good enought. Then he had to talk him out of burning it, he then explain that the money was for him and his familly. The goverment wouldn't cover them like in the past, and him coming from Germany would make it difficult in finding a job. So to money was for him to start his own farm from the ground up. The rest could be past on to the kids, if they needed it for college or university. Friedrich agreed with the condition that he'd stay in contact, he agreed finally putting it to a closes.

Sadly his stay the US wouldn't last for long. Lamberge and his gang of cronies had done their homework this time around. They  gather together a file that stated he'd know about the assassination plot and didn't inform them, of course he'd pretty much figure that Steve had told them. He was sure their was no way for the capt to know their motives, so he didn't blame him no he blame himself, for being so star struck that it completly slip his mind about warning Steve to keep this between them. 

"I hate this." Alex said in down cast voice.

"Your not the only one, when they ask me if I was ready to serve my country. I didn't think that they meant going around in costume to put on a show for moral. I thought that I would fighting on the front line." Steve said also sounding down.

Alex look at Steve, sigh "Yeah we both tend to piste the wrong people off, me with my section chiefs and you with that general. I still find his anger at you weird, I mean it not like you went out of your way to make him looked bad. But he just decided to dump all the fault on you. And in the process benches you."

Grining "Really cause the way I heard it you went at them guns blasting first chance you got. As for me I think it has more to do with politics that anything else. Someone doesn't want to risk their one and only superhuman." Steve said as he flex his arms, with a playfull look.

Alex snicker "Your probably right, but still they sent me too keep watch on you. The only thing is they never told me what I was looking for, sigh which just show that im here just to be out of site out of mind."

The two keep on talking, they ended up telling each other their life story. Steve recounted his childhood, schools he when to and also how proud he was about his best friend Bucky. Alex told stories about how he was gifted in school, jumping grades and his difficulties with being the youngest student in all his classes. He also talk about some of the lease sensitive mission he went on. Also he wasn't shy about disclosing some of the more embarrassing moment in his life. Steve replied with his stories of getting into fights and having Bucky jump in to save him. Mostly the two found a friendship in their lest that stellar situation.

"Mr Roger we've arrive time to get ready." The show manager shouted.

"Go get them big guy. Guest this is one thing that you've got worst then me." Alex said as pat Steve in a mixt of piety an humor.

"You know every time I do this its gets harder an harder, to convince myself that this is where I'm s'oppose to be. And then I remember that sometime, to get where you need to be, you got to go where you don't want to be, to get where you need to be. So I hope that all this will be wort it." Steve said in one of his many self motivation speech.

Alex looked at him and smiled. " Trust me Steve, your on the right path we just got to go with the wave first but we'll get there." They both laught but for different reason. For Steve it was knowing that he wasn't the only philosopher around and thing would get better. Alex was thinking of the moment in a couple of months when they where schedule to rally the troops in Europe.