[Steve takes off on his motorcycle; in the Smithsonian Museum there is an exhibit dedicated to Captain America]

SMITHSONIAN NARRATOR: A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world. The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery and sacrifice. [Steve, keeping his face hidden under a baseball cap, walks over to the exhibition] Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare. One that would transform him into the world's first super soldier. [a boy recognizes him, Steve smiles puts his finger against his mouth to indicate for the boy to keep quiet and the boy nods, Steve then watches an old footage of himself]

OLD RECORDING: In this rare footage, everyone's favorite warrior, Captain America... [Steve goes to the display where there are mannequins with costumes of Steve's old commando squad]

SMITHSONIAN NARRATOR: Battle tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division. [Steve walks over to the a display of his friend Bucky Barnes] Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both school yard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling commando to give his life in service of his country.

[Steve watches an older looking Peggy Carter being interviewed]

PEGGY CARTER: That was a difficult winter. A blizzard had trapped half our battalion behind the German line. Steve... Captain Rogers, he fought his way through a HYDRA blockade that had pinned our allies down for months. He saved over a thousand men, including the man who would... who would become my husband as it turned out. Even after he died, Steve was still changing my life. [Steve looks at the photo of Peggy he'd kept in his old compass]

[Steve visits Peggy, who is now lying sick in bed]

STEVE ROGERS: You should be proud of yourself, Peggy. [Steve looks at Peggy's family photos by her bedside table showing her with her husband and children]

PEGGY CARTER: Mm. I have lived a life. My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours. [Steve looks sad] What is it?

STEVE ROGERS: For as long as I can remember I just wanted to do what was right. I guess I'm not quite sure what that is anymore. And I thought I could throw myself back in and follow orders, serve. It's just not the same. [Peggy chuckles]

PEGGY CARTER: You're always so dramatic. Look, you saved the world. We rather... mucked it up.

STEVE ROGERS: You didn't. Knowing that you helped found S.H.I.E.L.D. is half the reason I stay. [Peggy takes Steve's hand]

PEGGY CARTER: The world has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over. [Peggy starts to cough, Steve turns to get her some water and goes to hand it to her]
STEVE ROGERS: Peggy. [suddenly Peggy looks at Steve like she's seeing him for the first time since he was frozen]

PEGGY CARTER: Steve?

STEVE ROGERS: Yeah?

PEGGY CARTER: You're alive! You... you came, you came back.

STEVE ROGERS: Yeah, Peggy. [Peggy begins to cry]

PEGGY CARTER: It's been so long. So long.

STEVE ROGERS: Well, I couldn't leave my best girl. Not when she owes me a dance.

[Fury is alone in his office; to his voice controlled computer]

NICK FURY: Secure office. [all the windows are blackened, Fury takes out the flash drive Natasha had downloaded all the files from the the Lemurian Star and places it in his computer] Open Lemurian Star satellite launch file.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Computer: Access denied.

NICK FURY: Run decryption.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Computer: Decryption failed.

NICK FURY: Director override, Fury, Nicholas J.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Computer: Override denied. All files sealed.

NICK FURY: On whose authority?

S.H.I.E.L.D. Computer: Fury, Nicholas J. [Fury looks confused and worried]

[Alexander Pierce is holding a virtual meeting with the World Security Council]

COUNCILMAN ROCKWELL: If Nick Fury thinks he can get us costumed thugs and S.T.R.I.K.E. commandos to mop-up his mess, he's sadly mistaken. This failure is unacceptable.

COUNCILMAN SINGH: Well, considering this attack took place one mile from my country's sovereign waters, it's a bit more then that. I move for immediate hearing.

COUNCILWOMAN HAWLEY: We don't need hearings, we need action. It's this Council's duty to oversee S.H.I.E.L.D.

COUNCILMAN YEN: A breach like this raises serious questions.

COUNCILMAN ROCKWELL: Like how the hell did a French pirate manage to hijack a covert S.H.I.E.L.D. vessel in broad daylight?

ALEXANDER PIERCE: For the record, councilman, he's Algerian. I can draw a map if it'll help.

COUNCILMAN ROCKWELL: I appreciate your wits, Secretary Pierce. But this council take things like international piracy fairly seriously.

ALEXANDER PIERCE: Really? I don't. I don't care about one boat, I care about the fleet. If this council is going to fold a rancor every time someone pushes us on the playing field, maybe we need someone to oversee us.

COUNCILMAN YEN: Mr. Secretary, nobody is suggesting... [they are interrupted by Pierce's assistant walking in and whispering something to Pierce; to the council]
ALEXANDER PIERCE: Excuse me.

COUNCILMAN ROCKWELL: More trouble, Mr. Secretary?

ALEXANDER PIERCE: It depends on your definition. [the meeting ends as Pierce leaves] I work forty floors away and it takes a hijacking for you to visit?

NICK FURY: Well, a nuclear war would do it too. [they shake hands; referring to Pierce's meeting with the World Security Council] Busy in there?

ALEXANDER PIERCE: Nothing some earmarks can't fix.

NICK FURY: I'm, uh...here to ask a favor. I want you to call for a vote. Project insight has to be delayed.

ALEXANDER PIERCE: Nick, that's not a favor, that's a subcommittee hearing. A long one.

NICK FURY: It could be nothing, probably is nothing. I just need time to make sure it's nothing.

ALEXANDER PIERCE: What if it's something?

NICK FURY: Then we'll both be damn glad those Helicarriers aren't in the air. [Pierce hesitates a moment before replying]

ALEXANDER PIERCE: Fine. But you gotta get Iron Man to stop by my niece's birthday party. [Nick shakes his hand]

NICK FURY: Thank you, sir.

ALEXANDER PIERCE: And not just a fly-by, he's got to mingle. [Pierce turns and leaves]

[Steve goes to a PTSD group meeting where Sam is counseling other veterans]

FEMALE WAR VETERAN: The thing is I think it's getting worse. A cop pulled me over last week, he thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED.

SAM WILSON: Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It's up to you. [after the meeting ends Steve waits for Sam as he finishes saying goodbye to the veterans]

FEMALE WAR VETERAN: I'll see you next week.

SAM WILSON: Yeah.

FEMALE WAR VETERAN: Yeah. [Sam walks over to Steve]

SAM WILSON: Look who it is. The running man.

STEVE ROGERS: Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense.

SAM WILSON: Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret.

STEVE ROGERS: You lose someone?

SAM WILSON: My wingman, Riley. Fly in the night mission. A standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, till RPG knock Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch.

STEVE ROGERS: I'm sorry.

SAM WILSON: After that, I had really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?

STEVE ROGERS: But you're happy now, back in the world?

SAM WILSON: Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell yeah. You thinking about getting out?

STEVE ROGERS: No. I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did.

SAM WILSON: Ultimate fighting? [Steve laughs] It's just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?

STEVE ROGERS: I don't know.