The Soldier's Girl

Agent 13

As Steve and I are walking back to our apartment we see and hear our neighbour talking on the phone just outside her apartment as she seems to be going to do her laundry. I smile sweetly at her, she was a very nice woman. We never had an problems with her.

"That's so sweet. That is so nice. Hey. I gotta go, though. Okay, bye. My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac." She explained to us after she finished her phone call.
"Hey, if you want...if you want, you're welcome to use our machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement." I offer to her.
"Oh, yeah? What's it cost?" She asked us jokingly.
"Nothing. You've just been so kind to us ever since we moved here and you work in healthcare so I can't imagine how busy you are." I tell her. She smiles brightly at my kindness.
"Thank you, but um...I already have a load in downstairs, and, uh...you really don't want my scrubs in your machine. I'm just finished orientation in the infectious diseases ward, so."

"Ah, well, we'll keep our distance." Steve jokes, making us laugh lightly.
"Well hopefully not too far. I like your company and your kindness obviously. Thank you." She told us. Steve nods and we turn to go into our apartment but Sharon stops us.

"Oh, and I think you left your stereo on." She told us before quickly walking downstairs.
"Oh. Right, thank you." Steve called after her.

I immediately looked at Steve.
We definitely didn't leave anything on.
"C'mon." He mutters, taking my hand.

He leads me back outside and we go up the fire escape to climb in through our hallway window we leave unlocked.
Steve steps in front of me in protection and grabs his shield that was hung up. I quickly pull my pistol out from my waist belt that was tucked, hidden in my jacket. I point it into our living room where the stereo was playing and prepared for anything.

My body was so tired but this new rush of adrenaline kept me going.
I give one final look to Steve and nod as we turn the corner but I let my gun fall when I see Fury sitting on one of our armchairs.
My eyebrows knit in confusion and I look to see Steve with the same expression.

"I don't remember giving you a key." Steve spoke out.
"You really think I'd need one? My wife kicked me out."
I immediately knew Nick was talking in code. We had used the wife/husband excuse on a lot of our missions when others were around and listening.
"Didn't know you were married." I carried on wanting more information.
"A lot of things you don't about me."

"I know, Nick. That's the problem." As Steve says this he turns on the light and we are soon met and notice Fury's injuries for the first time.

I quickly put a hand up over Steve's mouth to silence his gasp that escaped his lips.
Fury indicates for us to be silent. I turn off the light and watch as Fury writes something on his phone.

He shows it to us and I read it: "ears everywhere".
I nod at him stiffly, taking my hand away from Steve.
"I'm sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash." He said as he writes another text.
"SHIELD compromised"

"I knew. About your wife. I was going to tell you but I didn't think it was my place. I wanted you to figure it out on your own."
Nick nodded understanding what I meant.

I now knew I could trust him. He was a target now. Meaning Steve and I sure are too.
"Who else knows about your wife?" Steve asks.

Fury shows us another text: "You two and me"
"Just...my friends." He replied.
"Is that what we are?" Steve asked.
"That's up to you."

Before I could process what happened, Nick is shot three times from through the wall and he collapses into a heap on the floor.
I notice Steve looks out the window for the shooter while I quickly drag Nick into the next room.

I immediately put pressure onto his wounds and check to see if the bullets have gone straight through. There was two in his abdomen and one in his shoulder. The one in his shoulder was the only one that had a clean brake making me nervous.
As I tend to Nick he lifts up his hand and passes me a flash drive.

"Don't...trust anyone." He told me before passing cold out.
I look over to Steve and then hear someone breaking into our apartment.
Steve immediately goes over to tackle whoever it was while I took care of Fury.

"Captain Rogers? Miss Smith?" I look over to see Sharon there with a gun in her hand. With one hand I hold onto Nick's abdomen and with my other I point my gun at her.

Bitch really played me.
"Captain, Agent, I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD Special Service."
What? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer I guess.

I looked to Steve nervously. With it being confirmed that SHIELD is comprised I didn't trust anyone.
"Sharon?" Steve asked.
"I'm assigned to protect you." She told us, walking hesitantly closer.
"On whose order?" I ask, as she finally comes closer and notices Fury lying injured on the ground.
"His." She says as she comes down to Fury, the same as me.
She then contacts SHIELD through her radio.

"Foxtrot is down, he's unresponsive. I need EMTs."
"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?" The person over the radio speaks.

I look over to Steve, to see him noticing the shooter though the window.
"Tell him I'm in pursuit."

Steve smashes through his window and runs after the assassin. I can only watch knowing he had it handled. I needed to stay here with Nick and ensure that Sharon was to be trusted for now.

I got to work on trying to locate his bullets and wrap up his open wounds for now to stop him from bleeding out and apply extra pressure.

The ambulance soon arrives and Steve comes back telling me the assassin got away. I knew we would have to deal with it later but for now we went in the ambulance to the hospital with Fury.

As soon as we arrived Nick was rushed into surgery. Steve and I were allowed to watch the procedure. Maria soon joined us being the first contact to Fury.
I know Fury said not to trust anyone but I did trust Maria. I just had my guard up now.

Nat soon arrived also. Quickly rushing in and standing next to Steve and I.
"Is he gonna make it?" She asked urgently.
"I don't know." I asked in all honesty.
"Tell me about the shooter." Nat asked.
"He's fast and strong. Had a metal arm." Steve listed off.
"Ballistics?"
"Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable." Maria told us.
"Soviet-made."

Nat knew something. But I knew now wasn't the time or place to ask.
"Yeah." Maria replied.

Suddenly, we watch as Fury's state deteriorates. His vitals immediately starting to go down.
"He's in V-tach."
"Crash cart coming in."
"Nurse, help me with the drape."
"BP is dropping."
"Defibrillator!"

All we could do was watch. I watch intently as Fury started to flatline.
My eyes filled up with tears but I only let one drop before I wiped them away.

Nick and I had a lot of history together. We were partners on so many missions. We made a great team and here I was helpless and I watched him die after he had been shot in my own apartment.

"Don't do this to me, Nick." I heard Nat whisper from beside me.
"Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!"
Fury is given a shock with the defibrillator but it doesn't seem to do anything.

"No pulse."
"Okay. 200, please. Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!"
Fury is given another shock, again it doesn't help.

"Don't do this to me, Nick. Don't do this to me." Nat sounded desperate at this moment in time.

We all were.
I finally manage to turn myself away as they call his time of death.
"Time of death, 1:03 a.m."
Steve wraps an arm around my waist and tucks my into his chest. He then pulls out the flash drive Fury had given us. I take it from him and place it into my bra.
"For safe keeping." I speak out quietly.

I had dealt with death so much I didn't even know how to handle it anymore. I was just always numb to the feeling until finally my life was on a steady line again and I could finally crash and burn in my emotions. It was unhealthy, I knew that.

But I was a hero.
Hero's don't get days off.