Fanfic / The Fourth of July

Our Super Bad-Ass Protagonist

"Captain Rogers."

"Agent. It seems we'll be working together for the foreseeable future."

"Indeed, it does."

"Well, if that's the case, I'll need something to call you."

"Agent 13 works just fine."

"What? Don't you have a name?"

"That's on a need to know basis. And you don't need to know."

Steve just blinks at her perturbed as she bit back a smile and started walking away. Just as she was about to round the corner, she turned her head and called back over her shoulder,

-"Welcome to SHIELD, Captain Rogers."

The course of true love never did run smooth."

— opening story synopsis, It Was The Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is a Marvel Cinematic Universe fanfic series written by gogentledarknight and hosted on Archive of Our Own, with the first part serving as a direct sequel of The Avengers (2012) and prequel to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and stars Sharon Carter, aka Agent 13, showing her life and story while she develops her relationship with Steve Rogers, who's adapting to this brand new world and at first does not trust her very much.

• Part I: It Was The Fourth of July
• Part II: You and I Were Fireworks (On Temporary Hiatus since February 2019).

Tropes

• Action Girl: Sharon, Natasha, Maria, and basically any other girl who works in SHIELD, the CIA, etc.
• Actor Allusion:
  • One of the guesses Steve gives to Sharon while trying to figure out what her name is "Emily". Hilariously, he comments that she doesn't look like an Emily.
  • Catherine's fiancé is named Jessie, who shares the same first name as the actor fancast to play him. Jessie is also a surgeon.
• Adaptation Expansion: This story is focused on Sharon, giving her a bigger role than the MCU gave to her, so it adds much more of her personal history and point of view. One major change is the change of role with Natasha in The Winter Soldier.
• Adaptation Deviation: The story has a lot of characters referenced from the comics who have other or similar roles:
  • The first villain that fights against Steve and Sharon is Dr. Douglas Birely (aka Doctor Demonicus), who in the comics, is an enemy of The Avengers and The Shogun Warriors with SHIELD.
  • Neal Tapper was an agent of SHIELD and former love interest of Sharon, he died on a rescue mission. Here he is still an agent but Friendswith Benefits and later a boyfriend. It later turns out that he was with HYDRA the whole time.
  • On a mission in London, SHIELD has to work with the MI-5 and the agent Brian Braddock to capture a terrorist named Ross Horton who wants to copy the attempt of Guy Fawkes on November 5th. Brian Braddock is the alias of the Captain Britain and Ross Horton is one of his enemies in the comics.
  • Also, Sharon mentions that James Bond actually exists and according to Sharon, he is a jackass.
  • While Steve is on vacation, he meets with a crazy villain called The Swordsman, who proclaims be the archenemy of Hawkeye (but nobody ever heard about him). In the comic, Swordsman was a mentor to Clint Barton who turned into an enemy and later an ally of him of The Avengers.
  • Isadore Cohen was a Howling Commando on the orders of Fury. G.W. Bridge was a former mercenary and later a high-ranking SHIELD Agent. Here, they're both in the CIA acting, the first like a colleague and friend of Sharon’s while the second is her superior.
• Adaptational Badass: Through flashbacks, in the story, we can see how Sharon goes from being a small and cute kid to a teenager who knows how to use weapons, to an agent of the Academy and finally to one of the best SHIELD agents.
• A Dayinthe Limelight: Some chapters are mainly or partially focused by Steve's POV, Tony's, and Sam's.
• Affectionate Nickname: Sharon has several with Sam, Trip, and Natasha. But mainly "Share-Bear" and "Kit-Kat" with her best friend of all time, Catherine.
• All for Nothing: With the revelation of invokedHydraGate, all of Peggy's work and Sharon's career in SHIELD turns to dust.
• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Sharon has to duel with the fact she's lying to Steve about her name, her relationship with Peggy and that she stole his lunch...
• Asshole Victim: As in the movie, Sitwell is dragged and rolled, the consciousness of Arnim Zola is destroyed by the bombing, Rumlow is crushed by the Trisk, Pierce gets shot twice, and Neal, Sharon's former lover who turns out to be a HYDRA agent, gets shot between the eyes.
• Bait-and-Switch: In Part II, there is a narration with one of the CIA's companions of Sharon where it seems that he is going to be killed. It turns out that everything was a game of laser tag.
• Badass Crew: The temporary team of Sharon, Steve, Natasha, Sam, Hill, and Fury. Later in a covert mission: Sam, Steve, and Natasha.
• Best Friend: Natasha to Sharon. Sam to Steve.
• Befriending the Enemy: Sharon in her encounter with Bucky in chapter 23 of Part II, in spite of the tension and danger, they manage to have a conversation and then invite him to spend the night and talk after the fight.
• The Bet: At Steve's insistence that he needs to call her by something real, Sharon makes a personal game; he can throw any name at random and if only (which is unlikely) only if it hits, she will confirm it. Sharon tells him her first name in Part II, and Zola tells him her surname.
• Big Brother Is Watching: A main policy of SHIELD, and shown from the beginning when Steve arrives. Sharon places a device on his jacket, then they put more Bugs in his department, his medical and therapeutic record is monitored, even his shield has a tracking device (although the reason is quite vain).
• Big "SHUT UP!": Sharon to Zola when he rubs more salt to the wound about the discovery of her real name.
• Broken Pedestal: Sharon towards SHIELD upon the discovery that it is HYDRA.
• Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: The Super Trio of agents Sharon Carter (blonde), Maria Hill (brunette) and Natasha Romanoff (redhead).
• Call-Back: Once Natasha and Steve did a mission pretending to be a married couple. On a future mission, she says it can be just as fun as "Turk and Caicos".
• The Confidant: After an almost broken friendship with Steve, Sharon chooses to keep secret her encounter with Bucky because it would be the best for him and for Steve; she also gives him her number if he needed to talk.
  • Before that, she also did it with Sam when he was getting out of his chest the Steve's travel routine talk and the feeling that was causing him.
• Continuity Nod: A lot.
  • The second chapter of Part I gives the background of the Battle of New York, and show what Sharon did during the event. It's mentioned too that Christine Everhart was reporting for WHIH World News.
  • Sharon in Part I has interactions with several agents at that time of SHIELD, like Victoria Hand, Bobbi Morse, Melinda May, most of whom were attending the "funeral" of Phil Coulson. Fitz-Simmons, John Garret and Grant Ward are also mentioned.
  • In this universe, Peggy married Daniel Sousa, and they had a daughter, called Jillian. It is further revealed that Michael Carter had faked his death and met her in the ’50s, He married and had two children, Judy and Harrison (Sharon's father).
  • Here it shows a lot of moments of Steve's life between the end of The Avengers and his introduction to SHIELD; the interviews he had to give, his academic and physical training, his first encounter with Peggy and even how the Public Service Announcements that Steve had to do were recorded.
  • In Part I, Sharon sometimes goes to family gatherings where she meets with descendants of the Howling Commando, among them, Antoine Triplett.
  • After a mission in China, Nat, Clint, Steve, and Sharon while they are in the Helicarrier, in the news appears the incident of the Iron Man's House in Malibu. There is also a narration of a visit from Steve and Nat to Tony after the surgery, and they find him with Dum-E and U.
  • The phrase: "Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable'' is said by Melinda May.
  • In a reunion during November with the Avengers, Thor told the events of the last month.
• Color Motifs: Even though it was to be contrary to Fury, Sharon really liked the white kevlar suit and it filled her with pride.
• Cool Car: After becoming a level 7 SHIELD agent, Sharon receives an advanced Corvette Stingray.
• Costume Copycat: Sharon believes this when she saw for the first time the images of the Battle of New York and visualizes the "Captain America" guy, just thinking that's a form to elevate moral.
• Deuteragonist: Steve.
• Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Sharon after the fall of SHIELD, when she has guilt for mistakes she made because of HYDRA's hidden orders (but only temporarily) and receives the idea of entering the CIA by her cousin Greer.
• The Dreaded: Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier.
• Even the Guys Want Him: When Sharon teases Jessie, Catherine's fiancé, about his awe towards Steve, Jessie replies that he doesn't swing that way before clarifying to Steve that he would in fact be interested if he did.
• Fake-Out Make-Out: As in the movie, but almost, because Sharon just put her head on Steve's neck. Later in a covert mission in chapter 24 of Part II, it really happens (plus Steve's funny reaction).
• Female Gaze:
  • Sharon says openly to Steve why people always look at him, no matter who, even she has moments like that with him. Natasha also does.
  • This is shown when Thor is described, also sometimes Steve when he exercises and when Bucky takes off his shirt for a wound.
• Fix Fic: Basically this story is one for how Sharon was Demoted to Extra and given the Chuck Cunningham Syndrome treatment in the MCU (and turn to villainy in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) as well as providing more build-up for her and Steve’s relationship.
• Fire-Forged Friends: After having spent a relationship of work and an almost complicated animosity with Steve, Sharon having passed the events of The Winter Soldier she became an official friend of Steve.
  • This also results in her relationship with Sam.
• Foreshadowing:
  • In Part I of the story, Catherine says that if Sharon were to truly fall in love with someone, then Catherine would be the first one to whom she would tell her. This happens in part II.
  • Steve and Sharon come to an agreement in which he would teach her to practice with his shield. A few chapters later they prove that tactic.
• Hidden Disdain Reveal: When Neal is revealed to be a HYDRA agent, Natasha comments that she considered him to be a tool and figured there was a good reason why she hated him.
• Love Epiphany: To Sharon, finally in the Part II, chapter 26, when she got a nice moment with Steve after an awkward and displeasing encounter with her ex and the feeling makes her made click.
• Master-Apprentice Chain: Here it is revealed that Melinda May trained Sharon in her Academy days, then Sharon being level 7 of Agent is [[spoiler:assigned a level 1 girl, Briar Rose Toussaint. In addition, Clint Barton also receives an apprentice, who is revealed as Kate Bishop.
• Made of Iron: In spite of being Captain America, Steve survived several dangerous events in Part I, in addition to how he ended up when SHIELD fell, he never falls easily. Sharon continues to fight despite the fact that she was the one who received the shot in the shoulder and then is slashed by Neal in their fight and end up running to the helicopter. Although, time later she collapses and sleeps after the events.
  • And of course, Rumlow.
• Moment Killer: When Sharon and her FWB were having a steamy session in her office, Steve shows up to ask for a moment.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: For her reasons and those of the plot, Sharon in SHIELD is only known as the Agent 13. Steve in all of Part I and the beginning of Part II only calls her "Thirteen".
• Oh, Crap!: When Sharon discovers why Steve was in a very bad mood on March 10th.
  [With a fire ignited in her mind, Sharon hurried to her office. She all but threw herself into her chair and booted up her computer. Once ready to go she went to the one place that held all the answers to the universe: Google]
  [It was easy to search for the significance of the current day]
  March 10th:
  1629: Charles I of England dissolves Parliament.
  1804: Louisiana Purchase
  [Interesting, but probably not the thing haunting Rogers and causing him to act out like a rebellious teenager with far too much angst].
  1906: Courriéres mine disaster
  1917: Bucky Barnes' birthday…
  • A few chapters earlier:
  Steve: “Impressive shot, Barton.”
  [He clapped him on the back and the archer tried to not buckle under the weight of Captain America’s strength. Clint was about to call out to Thirteen to follow the jet down when a curious thing happened below.
  The jet’s door opened and Clint and Steve huddled together to peer down at the sight of a dark blob (most likely a person) appearing outside the door].
  Steve: “Is that,”
  [Steve questioned as the blob held up something long and black on its shoulders].
  Steve: “Is that a bazooka?”
  [Clint groaned as he slowly nodded his head].
  Clint: “Aww shit.”
• Operation: Jealousy: Natasha does this at the end of Chapter 24 of Part II.
• Politically Incorrect Villain: Rumlow makes some rather misogynistic remarks to Sharon about the nature of her partnership with Steve. Neal also cites that one of his benefits of being a sleeper agent within SHIELD was having sex with Peggy's great-niece.
• The Reveal: In Part II of the Winter Soldier plot, Sharon tells her name to Steve after almost two years. Later, Zola ruins it by telling Steve that she's Peggy's great-niece.
• Right in Front of Me: Sharon's status could be considered to Steve in all of Part I like this, although sometimes Steve seems to be surprised by how she knows so much about him. Sharon just says that she read it in a book or saw him in a documentary.
  • It happens again when Steve is on vacation and he meets a teenager in a city with his alias (although he does not realize who he is talking to):
  Steve: “Huh,” [Steve mused as it clicked in his head] “Is this right after he came out of the ice?”
  [The teenager huffed out a breath judgmentally].
  Teenager: “Oh, you’re an icer. Gotcha.”
  [Steve focused his gaze as confusion swept through him].
  Steve: “Icer?”
  Teenager: “Yeah,” [the teen said with an air of youthful superiority] “Believes that stuff about SHIELD finding him frozen.”
  [He held out the two hotdogs as Steve took them, still peering down at the teen in bewilderment].
  Steve: “As opposed to…?”
  Teenager: “Well, c’mon.” [the teenager exclaimed, like it was obvious]. “That’s like Abraham Lincoln waking up. Except kids had heard of Lincoln.”
  [Now Steve was just lost. He bit into his first hot dog as the teenager continued on].
  Teenager: “Back then, you had to have known your World War II to recognize the name ‘Captain America,’ right?”
  [Steve swallowed thoughtfully as he worked on his second dog].
  Steve:“You could make a case.” [The teenager nodded his head as he snapped his fingers].
  Teenager: “So, me, I think once the government saw those freaky aliens come out of that hole in the sky, they suited a modern guy up and put him in. For PR they played him up as a legend. You gotta admit, the whole ‘suspended animation’ angle is hard to swallow. But you know what?
  “Doesn’t matter. You ever see him in action?” [the boy asked, shaking his head before Steve could answer] “No? Lemme tell you, it’s like a ballet. With punching.”
• The Scream: While Catherine and Jessie are sleeping at 2:00 a.m. when they hear something trying to get into the apartment, so they go to investigate, and when the door it's about to open, they only react by screaming... to Sharon, who was only removing the lock to sneak in.
• Ship Tease: The story hints at Clint and Natasha being involved romantically as characters in-universe note how much time they spend together. It's also noted that the time they spend on vacation coincide with each other and they tend to go off on their own together.
• Shipper on Deck: Like the movies, Natasha, also does Sam, and even Bucky, who, in his spontaneous encounter with Sharon, quickly notices there is something between Steve and her.
• She Is Not My Girlfriend: Sharon is in deep denial when people imply something romantic about her relationship with Steve.
• Shut Up, Hannibal!: Sharon ends her chat with Neal by scratching his face.
• Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Sharon with respect to Steve. She waited more than a year to realize that.
• Spotting the Thread: Taking the place of Natasha, Sharon knowing that Steve is a terrible liar goes to investigate the Winter Soldier in the SHIELD Archives and receive the video of him in the elevator. In a complex web of ideas she comes to the conclusion that he received the drive from Fury and the only place where he could hide it in a short time was the hospital.
  • This happens too when the arc ends when she tries to figure out how Steve could leave the river with all his wounds.
• Significant Wardrobe Shift: Steve, after a healing talk with Peggy, finally changes his old-fashioned look, and everyone is shaken when they look at him, particularly Sharon.
• Strong Family Resemblance:
  • Greer seems more like a sister than Sharon's cousin (she mentions too that Greer have a personality similar to Natasha's).
  • Kevin Morita (the director of the Spider-Man's high school), an acquaintance of Sharon who is the grandson of Jim Morita and looks exactly like him.
• Trademark Favorite Food: Burgers are Serious Business for Sharon.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: Basically, the relationship of Steve and Sharon before they officially get together.
• What Did I Do Last Night?: After some drinks during Catherine's bachelorette party, Sharon is found in this situation.
• Wacky Marriage Proposal: Sharon received one of these in her college days. It is clear what the answer was.
  Catherine: “Please, if I was Mama Carter I’d have had you hitched years ago. Probably to that old college beau of yours, what was his name again? Matt, no, Mark- “
  [Sharon whined closing her eyes shut].
  Sharon: “Max Davenport,” [she finally supplied and even saying the name after so many years was like drinking gasoline; unpleasant and toxic to one’s health].
  Catherine: “Yeah! That guy. The douche from that male Acapella group, the Chimes. He was such a tool.”
  Sharon: “That’s one way of putting it,” [Sharon grumbled lowly].
  Catherine: “Didn’t he want you guys to move in together when you both graduated from Georgetown?” [Catherine questioned, as if she had really forgotten what had happened that fateful graduation day. The memory was still seared in Sharon’s brain and she had seen some serious shit storms before].
  Sharon: “Worse. He proposed, in public, in front of my entire graduating class. God, it was awful. He didn’t accept my rejection gracefully.” [There may or may not have been a temper tantrum].
  Catherine: “Well, it was on a JumboTron screen,” [Catherine mused snickering all the while as if she truly enjoyed Sharon’s pain. She probably did, most people in Sharon’s life did. She needed better friends].
• Wedding Episode: After a proposal with a Big "YES!", an attempt to plan a bachelorette party and a sentimental talk on the stairs, Catherine gets married.
• While You Were in Diapers: Peggy says this to Sharon when she tells her that the details of a mission in Macau are classified.
• Withholding Their Name: When Sharon is first assigned to work with Steve, she refuses to give her actual name, telling him to refer to her as Agent 13. Steve eventually tries throwing random names at her to see if he can guess what her real name is with Sharon agreeing to answer truthfully if one of his guesses is correct. In You and I Were Fireworks, she gives Steve her first name and Zola informs Steve of Sharon's surname and thus relation to Peggy Carter. When Steve confronts Sharon about why she didn't tell him who she was, Sharon explains that she kept her relation to Peggy a secret to most of SHIELD, not wanting her career to be based on being the founder's great-niece and that she didn't tell Steve out of fear of it ruining their partnership.
• Workaholic: Trying to get over her frustration, Sharon gets into her CIA job like hell. Because of that, she almost misses Catherine's wedding.