Combustion ✦ STEVE ROGERS² [✓]

27 | FAMILY FIGHT

A FEW HOURS LATER, STEVE STOOD UNDER AN OVERPASS, WITH BUCKY AND SAM CROWDED INTO THE BACK OF A PICK-UP TRUCK STEVE HAD "BORROWED". They were waiting for Sharon, who, against orders, had retrieved their gear and was bringing it back to them. It had been Sam's idea to call her, despite Steve's initial reservations about risking the woman's job yet again.

Once again, Steve's mind drifted to Kato. They hadn't spent this much time apart since they'd started dating. What was she doing? How was she faring in light of all this? She had to be heartbroken - it would explain why she kept leaving Germany. But it just made Steve more determined to prove Bucky's innocence. If he could, maybe, just maybe, she would join Steve's side. And then, they could finally be together again and put this whole thing behind them.

After a few minutes, Sharon's car pulled up beside them. Then, moments later, the blonde woman got out, glancing at the pickup truck beside Steve.

"Not sure you understand the concept of a getaway car," Sharon said to him.

Steve shrugged. "It's low profile."

"Good, because this stuff tends to draw a crowd," Sharon said, opening the trunk of her car to reveal Steve's and Sams's gear.

"I owe you again," Steve said to her.

Sharon nodded. "Keeping a list." She glanced at Bucky, then added, "You know, he kinda tried to kill me."

Steve winced. "Sorry. I'll put it on the list, too." He paused, glancing at the gear. "They're going to come looking for you."

Sharon nodded again. "I know."

The two of them stared at each other before Steve nodded quickly and retrieved the gear from her trunk. "Thank you, Sharon," he said after putting the shield and wings into the back of the truck.

Sharon nodded at him with a smile. "No problem."

Then, without another word, Sharon got into her car and drove off.

When Steve got back into the car, Sam snorted. "What was that all about, man?"

Steve frowned as he started the vehicle. "What are you talking about?"

"That whole... thing with Sharon," Sam explained. "You have a girlfriend, man. You can't be doing stuff like that."

Steve shook his head. "That was nothing. She's just helping us out. As a friend."

"You sure she knows that?" Bucky asked.

Steve snorted. "Don't worry about it, guys, really. It's nothing, I promise."

And with that, Steve drove off, ignoring his friends' skeptical looks.

Steve drove them through the city and into a parking garage at the Leipzig/Halle airport. He went all the way up to the sixth floor, then drove into the parking lot in the battered, old truck. Then, he parked by a grey van and got out, and moments later Clint and Wanda got out of said van. Steve had called them for help after he and Sam had learned about the other Winter Soldiers, and Sam had called his "recruit" - a man named Scott Lang who had the ability to shrink to the size of an ant and had raided the upstate facility the year prior.