PART I: THE WINTER SOLDIER

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THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH
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2014: new york city

The atmosphere on the conference call was tense as Isadora sat, listening to the man in the grey suit explain the events of the last week. Captain America had gone awol, and SHIELD wanted her to hand over the research she had put together for the past two years, as it may give them information which will lead to his capture.

"I'm afraid I can't share those files with you, sir," Isadora said finally, once Alexander Pierce had finished his lecture. "Rogers is my patient, and the research is classified. It does not belong to SHIELD, it belongs to New York Presbyterian, and by extension, the federal department of Health and Human Services. The research isn't mine to give."

"SHIELD will protect you from any possible legal implications-" Pierce continued, but she interrupted.

"That's besides the point," Isadora argued. "I conducted those tests under patient confidentiality, I swore an oath when I became a doctor and I will not break it."

She would also not break the trust of her patient. She had gotten to know Steve Rogers relatively well over the past few years, despite their infrequent meetings, and she didn't for one second believe that a patriot like him was capable of becoming a fugitive.

"Miss Moore-"

"Doctor Moore."

"Miss Moore, I'm on your side. I really am," Pierce said, but his sincerity felt inauthentic. "But you're backing me into a corner here. Miss Moore, if you fail to hand over the research within three working days, you will no longer be a doctor."

Isadora tilted her head, staring straight into the webcam. "We had a deal. SHIELD can't expose my... situation, for as long as I treat your agents."

"You had a deal with Director Fury, who is known to be dead. Now you have a new one, with me. So you do whatever we ask, whenever we ask. You give us that case study. All of it. And you get to keep your job."

Before she had a chance to argue, the call ended, leaving Sadie sat alone in her apartment, her laptop open in front of her. She looked down at her hands, clenching and relaxing her fists as they glowed. This? This was what she could lose her job for? A problem that she didn't ask for?

She couldn't stand these powers, and regardless of the number of SHIELD agents that had told her of her 'untapped potential', she had never once tried to make her power into something different. She never made herself strong, or telepathic, or able to see the future. Now though, she wondered whether, if she had perhaps mimicked those skills, she wouldn't be in this mess.

She didn't remember herself grabbing her phone and dialling Steve's number, but suddenly she was hearing his voice on a recording, telling her to leave a message.

"Captain Rogers, it's Dr Moore," she started with a sigh. "I've just got off the phone with SHIELD, and they have demands we need to discuss. Please call me back as soon as you're able," she hesitated before adding. "I just wanna help you get to the bottom of this. So call me back."

Isadora knew, of course, that if it was true that he was running, he wouldn't be making any calls. But it was worth a try. She just hoped he wasn't alone.

~

"Okay, cut that," Adrianne said, as they bent over the computer screen. "And that. Ooh, that's really interesting! But cut it. Then I think we're done!"

Isadora cringed as she edited the research file, cutting out the most interesting findings, and leaving only the most... inconsequential information. They'd been sat in her office for the entirety of their lunch break now, and still hadn't eaten.

"That was the most horrifying thing I've ever had to do," she said, watching Adrianne read over her hard work and decide what goes with such brutality, because she certainly couldn't do it. Isadora had poured blood, sweat and tears into this case study, and all of a sudden she had to get rid of it all.

"It's alright. It's only temporary," Adrianne said, rubbing her back. Isadora's office felt like a prison. "Once you finesse these guys, all you have to do is wait 'til it all blows over."

"And if it doesn't?" Isadora sighed. "I have no way of getting hold of Rogers to try and sort this, and the publishing date is in two weeks!"

"Then postpone it," Adrianne said, before clearing her throat "Due to the unexpected unavailability of the subject of this case study, final tests are unable to be completed: thus, the project is postponed for the foreseeable future. And if it doesn't blow over, you tell SHIELD you made improvements to the study, and you publish it anyway."

"I can't do that," Isadora said. "If he remains a fugitive, any of this could be used against him. It could endanger the wellbeing of my patient."

"If Captain freaking America remains a fugitive then you can rest assured knowing he can handle himself," Adrianne stated. "You could change modern medicine, Sadie! After this is done, he does not need you pulling any more strings for him. You deserve this."

"I don't know," Isadora concluded, despite having her mind made up. If worst comes to worse, she would find another way to help people with her findings that wouldn't break anyone's trust. "Let's just get this done."

As if on cue, Isadora's phone began to vibrate in her pocket as Adrianne's pager beeped, and her friend stood.

"Multi-car pile up," the surgeon said, simply. "If that call is anything interesting, tell me later."

Then her friend took off out of the office, running in the direction of the ER. Isadora glanced at her phone. It was an unknown number, in New Jersey. She picked up hesitantly.

"Hello, Doctor Moore speaking," she spoke, opening a new email and attaching the edited research to it.

"I hope you're alone," the voice was a woman's voice that she did not recognise, quiet and husky. "Listen, this phone call can't last long, we shouldn't be calling anyone. But you're a doctor right?"

Isadora's heart leapt as she realised who she was talking to. In the aftermath of the Battle of New York, it was hard not to know. The voice of the Black Widow was recognisable.

"Is Captain Rogers with you?"

"No, he's resting- he's hurt," Natasha sighed. "A building kinda fell on us, and he took the force of the blow. I'm pretty sure he's bleeding internally."

"You need to get some fluids in him," Isadora said. "Where is the bleeding located?"

"Back and abdomen. He said you could help if it doesn't clear up on its own," Natasha's tone wasn't asking. "It hasn't. We don't have time to wait for his healing."

Isadora quickly hit send on the email containing the edited study, and began searching up train times. "I can be at Newark Penn Station in less than two hours. Are you near by?"

"I can get there," Natasha replied, simply.

"Is there anyone else who can keep an eye on him?" Isadora said, firmly. "Cause I can get to you. Just tell me where you are."

"I can't do that," she stated, matter-of-factly. "I can get there. Just make sure nobody tails you. Get on the train at the very last minute- if you see the same person twice it's an accident, but three times- you gotta make some quick turns to shake them off."

"I'm a city girl, Romanoff," Isadora replied, calmly. "I know the drill."

"Right," Natasha concludes. "This is a burner phone, so don't save the number, you might not always be able to reach us."

~

Two hours later, and Natasha had found her. They walked a long while, walking in circles and avoiding main roads. The agent had explained that they're more likely to be able to 'take down' a tail in a more private setting, so they stuck to side streets and alleyways.

The coast was clear though, it seemed, as she led her to a particular alleyway where a car was parked. He must have seen them approaching in the mirror, because the car door opened, and Steve pulled himself out to greet them, evidently with some real difficulty.

"Rogers," Isadora nodded as she approached him. "You missed your appointment last week."

"Yeah, my apologies," he attempted a chuckle, but he strained. "Look, I didn't wanna get you all the way down here-"

"He could barely move for half a day," Natasha piped up from behind her, as Isadora crouched to open her medical bag, pulling on some gloves. "Couldn't even get a damn shirt on."

"I'm going to need to see the damage," she said, apologetically. "Sorry, I know it's cold."

Steve attempted a shrug, before unzipping his hoodie, Natasha helping him pull it off both his arms. The damage was evident as Isadora examined him. His back was discoloured with red and purple bruising, his abdomen the same.

"Okay, Steve, tell me where it hurts," she said, before pressing around the bruising on his back. He winced and tensed but didn't seem eager to complain. Isadora's inference was strong enough. She turned to the woman standing behind her. "Has he been taking in those fluids?"

"A couple water bottles but that's about all we had," Natasha answered.

"That's not gonna cut it," Isadora told her. "Is there a store around here where we can get some more? We need several big bottles for the next few days."

She didn't need to say much else before Natasha turned and walked in the direction they'd come from, pulling up her hood once more.

"You're awfully quiet," Isadora said, holding out the hoodie for Steve to slip into. "Want to explain what's going on?"

Steve simply looked towards the direction Natasha had gone, before looking back at her, and opening the door to the backseat. "Let's get in the car."

"So?" Isadora asked once he managed to close his door.

Then she listened in silence about how Nick Fury had been gunned down in his apartment, SHIELD was compromised and how a supercomputer with a man's brain in it had caused a missile to come raining down on them.

"So, I've got to keep going," Steve concluded. "I gotta get to the bottom of this before even more people get hurt."

"You can't, not in the state you're in," Isadora sighed, before holding his gaze pleadingly. "Listen, Rogers, I wanna help you. Come back with me to New York, you can crash at my place, and we can get a you a CT scan at the hospital. Just to make sure this bleeding isn't too bad-"

"No, I can't," he interrupted, quietly, but she ignored him.

"I have a lot of influence there, I can make sure nobody sees you," Isadora continued.

"Even getting you out here was a massive risk," Steve said, looking away and out the window at the unimpressive view. "I'm not going to put you in any worse of a situation than you're already in. You're not deep in this, Isadora, I won't drag you any further."

"Well I guess I am pretty deep in this," Isadora started, before explaining the situation she was put in by SHIELD, and how she had to mask the findings of the case study. "SHIELD have got... leverage against me, I don't know if the decoy research will fool them, so I was planning on laying low. But first we need to get you treated!"

"What leverage?" Steve asked, before coughing into a  tissue. He tried to hide it, but Isadora saw the blood.

That's when she decided. This man wasn't going to get treatment, so she would have to do it herself. Isadora felt the heat in her palms as they began to glow.

"The leverage," she sighed, as he looked at her hands in awe. "Is this."

...
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hey y'all!

so I know steve doesn't get injured easily but like, i needed an inciting incident so for the sake of plot, we'll have to take it.

also this story was supposed to be "coming soon" because I have exams through the latter half of May to mid june but I managed to write like six chapters so I think that will be enough for me to upload during exams!

this chapter was pretty challenging, I had to do a lot of research into blunt traumas and how American trains work (which btw is the most confusing thing ever) and I ended up using maybe 2% of that info. I honestly think this story has taken the most work than any of my others at this point which is mad, but enjoyable! hopefully over the next few chapters I'll be able to show Steve and Sadie's relationship develop a bit more- if you hadn't already guessed, she's a pretty reserved character, but don't you guys worry, you'll get to know her bit by bit!

as usual, any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

-Amber.