Flame

Chapter 11

I guess loosing your house and half of your belongings really puts things into perspective. Or thinking your brother was dead for a couple of days. Which is why after a year and a half of living it up in Malibu and dating Captain America I am back in New York currently living in a tiny apartment with no closet with Steve.

Waking up I check the clock beside me 6:30 which means Steve is probably out running and judging by the emptying space in bed, I'm correct. After a quick shower I chuck on a clean pair of clothes before rushing out of the apartment and outside where Nat is waiting in the car.

"Remind to ask Fury why I had to be up so early for this mission" I say as I get in and she soon drives off

"You tell Steve about having to back up the intel?" Nat questions me as I send Steve a message telling him to meet at the curb

"Futy said not to, so i didn't" I reply as we pull up at the curb and roll down the window. Steve is standing there in all his glory with another man who by the looks of it tried to run with Steve. "Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a hot fossil." I call out with a smirk

"That's hilarious." Steve says walking over with a smile and I get out in order to let him in, car only has two seats, thanks Nat

"How you doing?" The guy asks Nat as I get back in the car and close the door

"Hey." Nat says with a smirk

"Can't run everywhere" Steve calls out as we wraps his arm around my waist.

"No, you can't." Sam says before we pull away from the curb and drive off

"You better watch those hands of yours Rogers" I tease with a smile

"Yes ma'am"

"The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago." Rumlow tells us as we stand in the jet getting ready

"Any demands?" Steve asks him from beside me

"A billion and a half." Rumlow replies

"Why so steep?" Steve questions raising an eyebrow

"Because it SHIELD's." Rumlow jokes making me scoff at his immaturity

"So it's not off-course, it's trespassing." Steve says

"I'm sure they have a good reason." I tell Steve sharing a quick glance at Nat

"You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor." Steve says looking at me with a smirk

"Relax, it's not that complicated." Nat says getting back on topic

"How many pirates?" Steve questions

"Twenty-five, top mercs, led by this guy. Georges Batroc." Rumlow says showing us a picture of the guy "Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties." Rumlow explains to us as he flicks through the screen

"Hostages?" I question already guessing the answer

"Uh...mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell." Rumlow replies getting the photo of him up "They're in the galley." Rumlow adds

"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship? Alright, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Kat, Nat, you'll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get 'em out. Let's move." Steve orders making me smirk at his authority

"STRIKE, you heard the Cap. Gear up." Rumlow tells everyone and I move over to the side grabbing a couple of extra knifes

"Secure channel seven." Steve says into his wrist communicator

"Seven secure. Did you do anything fun Saturday night?" Nat asks Steve as I walk up beside them

"Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so... No, not really." Steve says grabbing his shield

"Coming up by the drop zone, Cap." The pilot tells him

"You know, I hear that posh Mexican restaurant down the road from you is supposed to be good. You two should go"Nat tells us smirking as I open up the doors

"I don't like Mexican foods" I tell Nat with a smile

"What about a trip to paris, it's romantic" Nat suggests

"Too busy!" Steve calls as he jumps from the jet

"Was he wearing a parachute?" A strike agent asks

" No. No, he wasn't" I answer with a smile

Me and Nat parachute down onto the deck, joining Steve, Rumlow and the other agents."What about the Italian restaurant you went to before? You said it was nice" Nat suggests as we drop our parachutes and pull out our guns

"Secure the engine room, then find us a place to go on a date" Steve tells her

" I'm multitasking." Nat replies as we hop over the railings and onto the deck below. We run across the deck taking down and pirates in the way and head towards the engine room. Jumping down, we taser the pirates knocking them out. "Kathleen,Natasha, what's your status?" Steve asks as I flip a guy over and taser him making him fall unconscious "Status,Kat, Natasha?"

"Hang on!" I tell him as Nat kicks a pirate my direction and I taser him, knocking him out "Engine room secure." I say and Nat and I nod at each other before heading to our next destination on the ship

Nat and I stand over the screens and I quickly put in the flash drive so we can download everything for Fury. I type a load of inscriptions into the computer as suddenly the left wall is smashed down and I glance over and see Steve there. "Well, this is awkward." I tell him with a smile as he walks over to me and Nat.

"What are you doing?" Steve asks us clearly annoyed

"Backing up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into." Nat tells him looking at the screen

"Rumlow needed your help. What the hell are you doing here?" Steve asks as he leans over my shoulder to look at the screen "You're saving SHIELD Intel." Steve states

"Whatever we can get our hands on" I say turning to face him

"Our mission is to rescue hostages" Steve says a little angry.

"No. That's your mission." I say before pulling out the flash drive "And you've done it beautifully." I tell him with a smile and before I can walk away he grabs my arm pulling me back

"You two just jeopardized this whole operation".Steve says leaning in to me

"I think that's overstating things" Nat tells Steve making him move away from me slightly but he keeps his hand on my arm. Suddenly a grenade is chucked at us and Steve deflects it with his shield before we jump through a window just as it explodes

"Okay. That one's on us." Nat buffs out as we lean against the wall

"You're damn right." Steve huffs getting up and leaving in anger

"You know I kinda like it when he's mad, makes him look even hotter"