Finding Home

The Rescue

As usual, we had a mission.
We were to take down an old but active Hydra facility. It was something we had done a million time before but for some reason I had a knot in my stomach that was driving me crazy. 

The team was called into to a meeting as procedure dictated and to plan the necessary escape route, surprisingly there were uncharacteristically few sarcastic comments from Stark. Once we were finished, we suited up, collected equipment and entered the Quinjet. Tony was driving, Bruce next to him talking science talk. Steve and Sam arguing about something or another. Wanda and Pietro on their newly bought phones, with Clint trying to coax them into reality. Peter and the rest of our team were either working on something else or in peters case doing homework, so they were unable to join the mission. Even though it wasn't a necessity it was always strangely fulfilling when the whole team working together on a mission.
As I entered the cockpit , everyone stared and I wondered if I had something on my face.  But then, I heard a rough voice behind and realised that everyone was staring at the person behind me.
"Be careful out there! I expect at least half of you in one piece when you get back," Fury said.
"Aye, aye, boss" Clint said.
And Fury walked away. I trust him with my life but he's an odd man sometimes.
The doors closed and we lifted off.
It took awhile to get to our destination, so I busied myself with a book. The hum of the engine soothed me and carried the rhythm of the words allowing them to drip their calm meanings into my brain.
Before I knew it my name was being repeated into my ear. I jumped when a hand rested on my shoulder.
" Natasha?" Steve said, with concern
"God! Steve don't do that. You started me, not a lot of people can do that!" I said. Being with just these people I let myself be normal. To be scared by normal things for a while ,just for duration of the trip.  
"We're here" he said
" Oh sorry, I was so engrossed I didn't even realise"
"  Happens to the best of us. Is it any good?"
" Yeah.  If you want you, you can read it when I'm finished"
" I'd like that" He said offering a hand and I accepted. He gently lifted me to my feet and we walked off the jet. It wasn't until we were standing in a desolate parking lot that I realised we were still holding hands. He's face was verging on a flamingo pink but didn't mention his discomfort. Such a gentleman. I quickly retrieved my hand and gave him a look of apology. He gave me the ' Its okay' look which make me feel like a 16 year old and I had accidentally gazed hands with a crush. Stupid to let myself relax in such a situation. 
Stood in front of us was a choral grey building, it looked as though it had been abandoned and abused, widows were dirty and broken. Shards of glass and pieces of metal dangling from the damaged shell.
Despite some of the younger teammates discouragement , we carried on our way to take down another strand of Hydra venomous extremities.
We entered the building by kicking down the front entrance. We didn't cause alarm as the Hydra Facility was underground, just beneath the building. We walked in sequence, our foot steps loud on the marble floors, ricocheting off the bleach smelling white walls.
We walked aimlessly searching for the entrance to the underground facility.
Until we heard Pietro shout " Found it"
" Ow , Get off my foot!!" Wanda screamed loudly.
The rest of us ran towards there voices.
Once there, once again we got to witness Clint telling the twins off for fighting.
" Can't leave the Dad voice behind, huh?" Sam comments.
" If I don't parent them, who will, you?" Clint replied with a smirk.
Tony opened a coding app on his suit and hooked it to a large brass door and kept tapping the screen whilst talking to it until there was a pop and the door flung open.
Behind the door, led a long narrow corridor with no lighting. So Tony lit his reactor and Steve handed out flash lights, not that Wanda took one as her magic lit up the corridor all by itself.
We walked in a line as the corridor didn't let two people be beside each other without all body parts touching. Steve bum had a nice view from this angle. Concentrate Natalia!
It felt like it went on forever until we came to a clearing, a kind of rusty Boiler room with lots of new corridors leading off.
"Alright gang , split up into pairs and meet back here once you've finished, call if you need us" Steve commanded.