THE DARK RAVEN

MEETING THE CAPTAIN

Fury exits the room, leaving me to process everything that had just happened and the decision I had just made. I have betrayed HYDRA, the only thing I've ever known. I've made the bold and undoubtedly stupid decision to risk everything, my job, my home, my safety, all in the hopes that S.H.I.E.L.D. will take me in and hand my revenge to me on a silver platter. It's clear now that it won't be that easy. And I don't regret it one bit.

Fury returns, two cups of steaming coffee in his hands.
"Here" he says, handing me one. "Cream, one sugar."
"Thanks" I reply gratefully, for once not feeling the need to correct someone about my preferences.
"I'll lead you down to our interrogation labs. You're sure about the truth serum, Nightrose?" Fury asks again, his eyes scanning mine for any sign of hesitation.
Straightening my posture, eyes full of burning determination and jaw set, I reply "I'm sure."

Walking in the opposite direction to the way we came, Fury leads me to what I'm hoping won't be my impending doom. Part of me is fighting to run as far from this place as possible, the possible freedom of my secret, the main reason I am going to burn in hell, making me feel like a deer caught in the blinding glow of headlights. But

1. I may be impulsive but I'm not stupid enough to run whilst surrounded by a whole compound of professionally trained agents.

And

2. Leo deserves more from me than an act of cowardice. He deserves to be avenged.

The stares don't disappear either and I'm relieved when we finally reach an elevator.
"After you, miss Nightrose" Fury gestures.
I walk in.

"Call me old fashioned" I say, breaking the awkward silence between myself and the man of whom I've been running from for over a decade. "But aren't these things supposed to play music?"

"You know, you're not the first person to point that out, which is strange considering you grew up in the 21st century. You never been in an elevator before?"

"Once, when I was little. Elevators aren't really my style" I reply, shifting uncomfortably as I try to hide my deep breaths.

"You have a fear of confinement" Fury smirks, eyeing my almost imperceptible distressed state up and down. "Must mean a lot to you, the chance to prove yourself to us if you're willing to get into an elevator without complaint."

"I liked it better when it was quiet" I scowl.

"I wasn't the one who broke the silence" Fury retorts and I ignore him, staring ahead at the closed metal doors, willing them to open.

A few seconds later, the elevator stops and the doors open and in a rush to escape the suffocating box I stride out, only to crash into something hard, hot coffee spilling across blue material and splashing onto my bare hands.
"Ouch!" I hiss, recoiling from the body.
I look up to meet a pair of soft, baby blue eyes, a flash of concern visible across their calming shade. I inhale sharply, breath faltering as I marvel at the beauty of them. Until I realise who I'm staring at.

Captain America.

Cheeks flushed a soft pink, and full lips slightly parted, he begins apologising.

"I am so sorry Ma'am. Are you okay?" He asks, his voice deep and concerned.

I blink myself back to normal. Sure, this guy is hella attractive, but so what?
"I could ask you the same thing. Is that not scolding you?" I ask, gesturing to his coffee-stained suit that I couldn't help but notice clung to his abs and what I liked to call his 'dorito shaped body'.

He chuckles softly and I ignore the light flutter I feel in my stomach. It's all the stress of the past few days, it's made me emotional, vulnerable, yes, that's what's happening here.