The Soldier's Girl

Captain for a reason

Back at the secret facility. Steve, Nat, Sam, Maria, Nick and I were all discussing what needed to be done with SHIELD. I knew it needed to be abolished. I had such a strong connection with that company, I mean I built it from the ground with my two best friends. I never thought it would come to this but I could do it all again.
I still had another lifetime ahead of me.

"This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, "Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility." See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues." Nick spoke while looking at a picture of Pierce making me nod in agreement.
"I never liked him. I tried to warn you about him multiple times but you're to stubborn to take anyone else's advice. Where has that got you now?" I ask him.

He rolls his eyes back at me making me sigh slightly and lean back further into Steve's embrace, happily feeling his arms tighten around me.
"We have to stop the launch." Natasha speaks.
"I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore." Fury says opening a case containing three chips.
"What's that?" Sam asks.

"Once the Helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites becoming fully weaponized." Maria tells us.
"We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own." Nick states.
"Yeah you should be thankful I made them in advance." I smile, earning a glare from Nick.

"One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational a whole lot of people are gonna die." Maria spoke making everyone nod in agreement.

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We need to get pass them, insert the server blades, and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage what's left..." Nick hoped but I shook my head.
"We're not salvaging anything. Not anything more than I already have. I have my serum. I have my files, the avengers. The weaponry, Stark's models. We don't need anymore. I've had this carefully planned for months. Anything more is greedy. We have to let it go. We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down SHIELD." I state.

Everybody looks to me in surprise apart from Steve. He nods and smiles proudly at me. He knows how big of a deal this is to just throw away my company. I will be on every headline for months after all this comes out.

"SHIELD had nothing to do with it." Nick tries to reason with me.
"You gave us this mission, this is how it ends. SHIELD's been compromised, you and Ali said so yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose and nobody noticed." Steve explained further.
"Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed." Nick sassed earning an eye roll from me and Maria.
"And how many paid the price before you did?" Steve asked silencing him.

"Look, I didn't know about Barnes." Nick said sincerely. I squeezed Steve's hand in comfort. He genuinely didn't, if he would have he definitely would have told me.
"Even if you have, would you have told me? Ali? Or would you have compartmentalized that too?" Steve demanded.

"SHIELD, HYDRA, it all goes." I tell him finally.
"They're right." Maria agrees making me smile at her.
Fury looks at Natasha then Sam.
"Don't look at me. I do what he does, just slower." Sam said about Steve making me chuckle lightly.
"Well... Looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain." Nick says making me look up to smile proudly at Steve. He truly was Captain America at heart.