Don't Follow Your Heart-- Anne

Now - Helicarrier

"People are going to die."

There are three of them, facing the mission, but he is only focused on the Asset. He's talking to him. What a waste of time. Doesn't he know why the soldiers are here? He should run.

"I can't let that happen."

All three soldiers stand silent and still. The Asset has been unmasked for some reason, but Frost and the Ghost still wear their muzzles. The mission looks like he could cry.

"Please don't make me do this."

But they fight him anyway.

As they spin and tumble across the floor, exchanging blows, clashing head to head like four wild animals. This is the hardest, most brutal fight the Ghost has ever been through. They keep going again and again, round after round of punishment. They can tell the mission's holding back, but they don't.

Finally, the mission chokes the Asset into unconsciousness, and dashes back up to the helicarrier platform.

Frost dashes to the Asset's side, eyes frantic. She curls herself around him and cradles his head in her lap. "Wake up, wake up..." She whispers, showing more emotion than she's ever shown before. "Please wake up."

The Ghost looks up to where the mission is. He's climbing back up to the platform. The objective was clear--stop him from switching out the cards. Frost is not in danger, so she launches herself after him with a growl to give chase.

He's almost set the card back into its slot, but she slams into him, and they both go flying away from the container.

"Listen to me." His eyes are bright blue, and so familiar. "I have to stop this helicarrier, or so many people are going to die."

She doesn't grace him with a response. They fight again. She's smaller than him, but he's still trying to get to the container. And he's still holding back. With an angry scream, she jumps on his back and wraps her arms around his neck, trying to choke him. He reaches back and grabs her, and they both fly apart. She rips off his helmet, and he tears off her mask.

Then, there's a quiet pause.

She remembers the blonde hair, and it sparks memories of the bridge and their fight. The square shoulders. The blue, blue eyes.

She's been trying to kill the most beautiful person in the world.

He's looking at her too, like he's seeing her for the first time. There's remembrance in his eyes. She knows he remembers the bridge too, but she has a feeling that he's remembering even farther back.

"It's not possible."

The Ghost snaps from her daze and charges at him again, but he simply catches her around the waist. She's too confused to react.

"You couldn't be." He leans down to look at her. "You can't be Anne."

She looks up at him, breathless. She tries to say something, but she's speechless. There's a voice in the back of her head shouting a name.

But he can't be Steve. He's huge.

He sets her down and dashes to the container, and in the next moment, the helicarrier is disintegrating under fire.

The mission--Steve--is now down by the Asset and Frost. The Asset is awake now, and he's attacking the...Steve with everything he has. She is torn. On the one hand, they have a mission. Frost and the Asset are the closest thing to family she has. But this is Steve, and he said her name.

The brunette solider has too many thoughts fighting for control in her head. She watches, frozen, while the Asset beats down Steve. He's not fighting back.

She's just made up her mind to obey the alien urge to help the mission when she sees Frost. The blonde is trapped on a platform on the edge of the carrier. The area around her is exploding and breaking up.

The brunette looks back at Steve one last time. He's throwing aside his shield, and she knows that if she doesn't step in, he might die.

But Melinda Jo is in trouble.

Anne runs to help her just as the helicarrier completely disintegrates, and then they fall into the Potomac.