For The Love Of A Captain Book 2

Now What?

We made it to the hospital where we ran into Maria Hill. Apparently they had called her in whenever Kate called for help. She led us to a room where we could watch what was happening with Nick who was in surgery. We stood there for several minutes that felt like hours before the doors swung open and Nat rushed in. She pulled me into a hug and checked me over for injuries. I assured her that I was ok and that I hadn't been hit before she went to stand on my left side, Steve on my right. She was silent for a moment except for her ragged breathing.

"Is he going to make it?" she asked, hoarsely.

"I don't know," Steve replied.

"Tell me about the shooter," she demanded as we watched.

"He was fast, strong. He had a metal arm," Steve replied. I froze and so did Nat. We exchanged a knowing look before looking back to Fury.

"Ballistics?" Nat asked as Maria walked up to stand on her other side.

"Three slugs, no rifling," she stated quietly. "They were completely untraceable." That confirmed everything that Nat and I needed to know.

"Soviet made," I stated. Maria turned to look at me and so did Steve.

"Yeah," she said surprised. Just then, alarms started going off in the operating room and we all turned back to them, fear in our faces. I was vaguely aware of the fact that Rumlow and Jasper Sitwell had arrived behind us, but I couldn't focus on them. I was more worried about Nick.

"Don't do this to me Nick," Nat said in a thick voice, as they tried to shock Fury with the defibrillator. They got nothing from it so they tried again. They still got nothing. I wondered why they didn't try again. My heart broke as they began to clean things up and called his time of death. Steve turned away and walked to the other side of the room. After a moment so did Maria. Nat just stood there staring at Fury's body. They told us to give them a few minutes and then we would be allowed to say our goodbyes. Normally I wasn't a crier but I had known Fury my whole life. He was like a second dad to me. I let out an involuntary sob and Steve was at my side instantly. I couldn't stop the tears as they fell and he took me in his arms. A few minutes later, the doctor came and told us that we could see him. They took us into a room where Nick's body was laying on a gurney, a sheet covering him. Nat and I walked over to him and stood there, looking down at his body. Steve came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me into him. Nat stood there, arms crossed, a look of pain and anger on her face. A few minutes later, Maria came back in. 

"I need to take him," she said simply, standing next to us. I could tell she was trying not to cry. Nat stood there for another minute before placing her hand briefly on Nick's head before she spun on her heel, and stormed out. I looked up at Steve and we followed her.

"Natasha!" I called to her. She stopped and turned to look at me.

"Why was Fury in your apartment?" she demanded. I knew what Nick had said and as much as I trusted her, he had come to Steve and I with this and I couldn't betray his trust even if he was gone.

"I don't know," I replied. She gave me a look, knowing that I was lying to her.

"Cap, Agent Fraser, they want you back at SHIELD," Rumlow called from behind us. Steve turned to look at him, while I stared into Nat's eyes silently begging her to understand.

"Yeah, give us a second," Steve replied.

"They want you now," Rumlow said.

"Ok," Steve retorted. He turned back to look at Nat and me again.

"For a SHIELD agent, you're a terrible liar Alia," Nat said smirking. She turned around and left. I turned to Steve.

"Do you still have the drive?" He whispered. I nodded pulling it out of my bra and slipping it into his hand. He looked at me, impressed and I rolled my eyes at him. 

"We need to hide it. Fury said not to trust anyone. But where can we hide it that no one will be looking for it?" I asked quietly. Steve looked around us and saw a man refilling the vending machine. He looked at me and I raised my eyebrows but said nothing. He slipped the drive into a slot behind some pink gum that looked like the flavored only lasted thirty seconds; maybe it would be safe there until we could come back for it. I nodded at him and he took my hand as we turned to follow Rumlow back to the Triskelion.

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By the time we made it back to headquarters the sun had risen. I was exhausted and hungry. We had never gotten the chance to eat last night before Nick was shot and I was a mess. I knew I looked it too. We had made a trip back to the apartment quickly so that Steve could change into his suit (stupid SHIELD rules) and then were escorted by the STRIKE team to headquarters. I wasn't sure what to expect and I was nervous. 

"Hey Brock," I said, speaking to Rumlow from the backseat. He turned his head to look at me. "Do you know if my dad is back yet?"

"Yeah he got back last night," he replied. I nodded, knowing where I was going to go immediately once I got to the building. "If you are going to go see him that's fine. Pierce needs to talk to Cap, but he didn't say anything about you." I tried not to be offended by that. Steve looked over at me questioningly, but I shook my head. I tapped the side of my head and he nodded. I closed my eyes and focused my energy and started speaking to him through my mind.

"I need to talk to my dad," I said to him. "There's more going on here than we realize I think. And if anybody knows Fury, it's my dad."

"Are you going to tell him about the drive?" Steve asked me.

"Yes. I know Nick said not to trust anyone, but other than you, there's no one I trust more," I replied. He looked sideways at me.

"What do you think was on that drive?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, but obviously it was something that he wanted us and only us to know about. He wouldn't have given it to just anyone. Honestly, my gut is telling me this has something to do with HYDRA," I replied shivering at the thought. Rumlow was watching us in the rear view mirror and narrowed his eyes.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked. I shivered again at the tone in his voice but didn't react otherwise.

"I'm a little cold, and I'm exhausted," I replied sighing. Steve put his arm around me trying to warm me up and Rumlow nodded, turning down the AC in the car.

"Please be careful when you go to Pierce," I told Steve in his mind. "There's something about him that just throws me off and I don't like it. And I don't like how they were so demanding that we come with them right away. Something is off here and I need to talk to my dad about this." He hugged me tighter to him and laid his head on top of mine.

"When we get done here, we are going home and going to bed," he said in my mind. It took everything in me not to laugh.

"Dear god, I need a shower. I'm still covered in Nick's blood and I feel gross," I replied. He nodded against my hair. 

"I love you. So much. When I came in last night and saw all that blood and how pale you looked, I was terrified that you had been hurt," he thought to me and squeezed me a little tighter.

"I'm ok. Not a scratch on me although dad is going to freak out," I replied. Just then we pulled up to the building and we got out of the car. I pulled Steve to me and hugged him tight.

"I'll see you in a little bit. I'm going to go talk to my dad. Meet me at dad's office when you get done. They are on the same floor," I said, standing up on my toes to give him a kiss. He kissed me back deeply for a moment before Rumlow cleared his throat. I pulled back and looked into Steve's eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too," he replied. "Don't do anything stupid," he added in my mind.

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you," I responded. He had told me about his conversation with his friend Bucky when they had said that to each other and every now and then I would steal it from him. I heard him chuckle and he walked away. I turned and headed for the fifteenth floor to go meet with my dad. Once I got to his office, I knocked quietly and entered before he could say anything.