Shadows of the Past

Part 12

You quickly follow Nat and Loki off the jet and survey your options. It’s the early dawn hours so it is still relatively dark but it will be getting lighter soon.  There were woods to the left, the terrain would be tough and unless you knew your way it would be easy to get lost. To the right was an open field, it didn't provide much cover for hiding but it was a shorter and easier escape back to civilization.

You stand at the end of the ramp, looking back and forth between the two very different landscapes. Nat yells for you to follow her as she heads towards the field. Loki notices you seem to be debating which way to go.

"Y/N, which way?" he asks firmly.

Nat stops in her tracks and looks at him. "He went through the field, it's the easiest way back to town. Now let's go, he's got enough of a head start already," she says trying to rush you both.

"Y/N has been studying this man's every move since he became our target," he tells Nat. He turns to you, "Which way would he go?" he asks you, this time in a much calmer voice.

You don't move for a second, your mind spinning. Every bit of information you know about this man is floating around your brain. You can't seem to concentrate at all.

"Y/N," Loki says softly, he puts his hand on your shoulder and bends slightly to be at eye level. "You know this, which way would he go?"

You look at Loki, not noticing Nat crossing her arms as she huffs waiting for action. You think hard, trying to clear your thoughts when suddenly you have it.

"He went left, he went through the woods," you say quickly. "He hikes and his credit card records show he goes on a camping trip near this area once a year for the last 6 years. He knows the woods, but...." You pause, "He wouldn't go back to town."

"What? Why not?" Nat asks walking towards you.

"Because he gave up too much, he was drunk when you interrogated him and he didn't resist your tactics at all. The reason I picked him and not one of the other three I suspected was because he would have been easier to break. He was newer to Hydra then the others and he didn't behave the same.  I don't think he joined them voluntarily," you explain. "I think he was recruited because of his work with the chemicals they need for the super soldier serum. He probably thinks we are going to plan some sort of attack on the members at the hospital now that we have more information."

"You think he's scared to go back?" Loki says.

"Yes, if the Avengers were to close in on the hospital and he isn't there... Hydra would assume he is either already dead... or working with us," you finish explaining.

Nat nods, her arms still crossed. "OK, so if he isn't going back into town, where would he go? Even if he isn't going to warn the others, we still can't leave him. He's a loose end."

You think for a second, "I know where he going."

(LOKI POV)
The three of you take off in the direction Y/N suggested.  Nat first, followed by Y/N and you last.  Moving as quietly and quickly as you can, the three of you cut through the woods.  The trees become denser as you move deeper, making the terrain harder to walk through.

You can’t help but watch Y/N as she walks a few feet ahead of you.  Her limp is slight but it seems to become more noticeable as you continue on.  She must be in pain again, you think to yourself.  Almost half an hour later Nat holds her arm up, first closed and the three of you drop to your knees where you are.

Y/N turns to look at you and mouths ‘She sees him.’

You nod and slowly make your way towards Nat, making sure you don’t make a sound as you stay low to the ground.  Nat points ahead and there he is, at the edge of the lake... exactly where Y/N said he would be.  You turn and motion for Y/N to stay where she is while you and Nat edge forward.  After a few yards you split up. You underestimated him once and neither of you wanted to do that again.

You are almost on him when suddenly a flock of birds on the other side of the lake takes off.  The man looks up and spots Nat coming out of the woods, “Shit!” you say loudly as you watch him get up and take off running. 

He runs back into the woods, and unfortunately, not towards you.  He is heading back the way he came... right towards Y/N who you only now realize is unarmed.  You take off running, knowing you need to get to him before he finds her.  You hear a loud scream from directly ahead of you and you yell her name but there is no answer.

You run into a small clearing and you stop dead in your tracks, completely shocked by what you see.

He is laying facedown on the ground with Y/N in total control of him.  She is on top of him with her knee digging into the middle of his back.  His arms are wrenched up behind him and she just looks up at you. 

“Guess you forget I was an actual SHIELD agent for years before I got hurt right?” she says in a serious tone when she sees your stunned face.

“Uh- yea, I guess I did,” you mumble.  Honestly, you were impressed at how quickly she had brought him down. 

You get him to his feet and put the cuffs on him as Nat appears.  “Good catch Loki, we really couldn’t risk him getting away again,” she assumes.

“Oh, no this wasn’t me,” you tell her as the four of start to walk back towards the jet.  “Y/N got him,” you say, you couldn’t help but feel proud of her. 

“Looks like you redeemed yourself for letting him escape,” Nat says to Y/N. 

You walk in silence the rest of the way back to the jet, keeping your hand around his arm firmly the whole walk back.  Y/N walks behind you slowly, Nat in front.  You find yourself looking back once in a while and notice the distance between you is slowly increasing.  She’s walking slower and her limp is more obvious now.  By the time you reach the jet she almost 15′ behind you. 

You hand the subject to Nat and tell her to secure him, you will be back in a minute. She nods and takes him inside as you walk back towards Y/N. 

“Are you ok?” you ask her when you are a bit closer.

“Mmmmm,” she hums in response.

“That was a very convincing answer,” he can’t help but roll your eyes.

She limps a few steps towards you and you put your arm out to help her but she refuses it.  “I’ve got it,” she says to you with almost no emotion.

“Y/N-” you start to explain to her that she can ask for help if she needs it but she cuts you off.

“I don’t need your help Loki, with walking or anything else! Let’s just get this mission over with so we can go back to not talking to each other,” she says harshly. 

You are a bit shocked by her reaction, but then you remember what you said to her a few hours before.  She limps angrily past you and then you see it.  The hand shaped bruise you had left on her arm when you grabbed her.

“Wait, Y/N,” you say catching up to her easily.  You walk at a slow pace and say, “I’m sorry for what happened before.  I never should have touched you or yelled at you that way.  Y/N, I’m sorry.  Please, can we talk for a second?”

She keeps walking and doesn’t look at you, ignoring you completely.  You sigh deeply and run your hands through your hair as you both finally make it back to the jet.  Any understanding you and Y/N has started to reach now seems to have been shattered, right back to square one again.  You had screwed up, all because you took your anger with Sarah out on her.  She didn’t deserve that and you couldn’t blame her for not wanting to give you a chance to explain.  She had spent so much time thinking you were cruel and violent and you in that moment, when you put your hand on her and yelled, you proved her right.