Just a Bird

Steve Rogers had always been a little thing, always picked on, and always the smallest, weakest kid of the bunch. The laughingstock.

Harry Potter had been born the same year as Steve, only miles away, to a family of witches and wizards, with ten older brothers, and one younger brother, James Potter II, who ended up defeating the Dark Lord. He was a sickly child, and was never able to get any education outside of the regular muggle sort, even though he was magic.

Steve tried to apply to the army to get away from it all.

Harry transformed himself into a bird.

Harry wasn't really missed by his family when he was gone. After all, there were eleven others to dote over in the large Brooklyn Manor.

There was no one left to miss Steve. Bucky was going into the army with him. Harry found Steve, and together, they'd become something great. The amazing Captain America and his Eagle, Uncle Sam. Steve remembered the moment very clearly.

.oOo.

Steve Rogers was still getting used to the idea that he was going to become something much greater than the weak boy who was allergic to everything. The laughingstock of Brooklyn. That he would be someone great and actually make a difference in the world, somehow. Bucky supported him, as did his newly made acquaintance, Howard Stark, the young genius, and Peggy Carter, whom he was sweet on.

There were so many things rushing through his mind. What if it didn't work? What if he died? What if something bad happened? What if he wasn't good enough? A sharp trill broke through his thoughts, and Steve looked up, startled, at the sight of a majestic, though very young, bald eagle, with a white star-like shape on his chest feathers.

.oOo.

The eagle would always follow him around, and Steve just started calling it his, feeding it, giving it a place to sleep, the usual. He'd thought when he'd been given the serum, that the bird would have to go away.

But they stuck together.

The public loved it.

Captain America, the all-American super soldier, and his trusty sidekick, Uncle Sam the eagle. Sam had even been given small things of armor that were light enough for him to fly, but strong enough to help deflect bullets and shrapnel, and he flew out ahead, and, as he was a smart bird, would warn the American troops of traps, or danger, and even help send messages to other allied troops.

After he'd finished his call with Peggy, starting the suicidal plunge into the water to bury the Tesseract with him, he'd thought he'd heard the mournful screech of one of his very best friends, and that had been one of his first thoughts when he'd woken up.

They'd tried to convince him it was still the 40s, but Steve was smarter than that. He knew they were lying to him, and, once he'd figured out the truth, he'd mourned. For Sam, for Bucky, and for Peggy (even though she was alive, she was very much lost to him), and for Howard Stark, whom he'd heard had gone mad trying to find him.

And now, Steve was currently jogging around New York, making sure he stayed in perfect physical condition, when he heard a very familiar screech. Steve halted.

"Impossible," he breathed to himself. But slowly, ever so tentatively, he stuck out his arm, and watched in wonderment as, from the skies, descended a rather large bald eagle, with the tell-tale white star on his chest feathers. Steve laughed as the bird affectionately nipped Steve's ear, stroking his hands through the soft feathers.

"You brilliant, brilliant bird," he said breathlessly, light shining in his eyes that at least he had one of his friends, and Harry (though he basically referred to himself as Sam by now) puffed up at the praise, even though he was so much older by now than one he'd first transformed.

He'd been an eagle so long he'd succumbed to the urges of the bird, though retaining un-birdly intelligence, and had formed a familiar bond with Steve, basically making it impossible for him to die until Steve did, or die protecting Steve.

He'd missed his friend.

And at that big showdown with Loki, Sam had been there, as always, working his very hardest to keep his Master safe, and had ended up getting his wing broken by an alien who was sneaking up behind Steve.

When it was all over, Steve found Sam, lying in a pile of rubble, blood soaking the delicate feathers, star stained red in true American fashion.

"You'll be okay, bud, I promise," he said, over and over. "You'll be okay." But Sam had only given Steve a sad look in his big black eyes, because he knew that he wouldn't be, and let out a soft, reassuring trill, before focusing all his willpower on performing one last act of magic, his voice singing in Steve's head.

"I'll never forget you, Steve. Promise you'll never forget me." Steve, momentarily shocked at the voice in his head, shook his head, tears brimming in his eyes, almost missed the last moment. He held his longtime friend close, and felt the last, shuddering breath heave itself from Sam's chest, and then the bird went limp in his arms.

"I promise," he whispered.

Many years later, as it so happened, with Steve reunited with Bucky, three children were born to a rather unlikely pair. The super soldier and the spider had fallen in love somewhere along their crazy journey, and now had three beautiful triplet boys together.

The youngest had messy auburn hair and eyes that would one day turn a forest green color, whose name was James Nicolai Rogers. The middle child had well behaved blond hair, and eyes that would one day become a bright blue, like his father's, and his name was Charles Uriah Rogers. And the oldest of the three was a little boy with messy black hair, a mischievous smile, and eyes that would one day be an even brighter emerald green than his mother's. His name was Samuel Harrison Rogers.

And, for once, all was well.