Natasha Stark: SHIELD

Chapter 16:

Steve: I walked into my apartment very carefully. My stereo was blaring. Its Been a Long Long Time. My favorite. I picked up my shield in the hallway. Treading through soundlessly. I saw Nick Fury, sprawled in a chair. I sighed. "I don't remember giving you a key," I said to him.

"You really think I'd need one?" Fury pointed out. Then he grew sober, "My wife kicked me out."

"I didn't realize you were married," I said

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," Fury said.

"I know Nick," I said, "That's the problem." I went to turn on a light. But once it was on, Nick turned it off. I looked at him, confused. On his phone, he typed, Ears Everywhere.

"I'm sorry to have to do this to you," Nick said, "But I had no place else to crash." On his phone were two words. SHIELD compromised.

"Who else knows about your wife?" I asked.

"Just," Nick said, standing up, "My friends." You and Me his phone said.

"Is that what we are?" I asked.

"That's up to you," Nick said. Less than a second later, a gunshot rang out, Nick screamed in pain, falling to the ground.

I dragged him away from the window. Once we were safe, he handed me a thumb drive. "Don't trust anyone," he said, breathlessly.

I heard my door open and a voice. "Captain Rodgers?" the voice called. I looked up to see my neighbor, Kate, with a gun.

"Captain, I'm Agent 13, of SHIELD special service," Kate said.

"Kate?" I asked, confused.

"I was assigned to protect you," Kate said.

"By who?" I asked. No wonder Fury had trust issues.

"His," Kate said, growing pale at the sight of Nick on the ground. She reached in the pocket of her scrubs, pulling out a phone, "Foxtrot is down, he's not responding. I need EMTs."

"Copy," a voice said from the phone, "Do we have a 20 on the shooter?"

"Tell them I'm in pursuit," I said. In a flash I was running after a man like figure. I crashed into a building. I ran through doors, not slowing down. I jumped over tables, until I was out the window again. I threw my shield, hoping to knock him down. But with his lightening fast reflexes, he turned catching it, with what appeared to be a metal arm. He threw it back, with such force, when I caught it I slid back a few feet. I looked up in amazement, but he was gone.

Romanoff met us at the hospital, where we watched Nick in surgery. "Is he going to make it?" she asked. I could almost tell she was worried.

"I don't know," I said.

"Tell me about the shooter," she asked, eyes not coming away from Fury.

"He's fast," I said, "He's got a metal arm."

Something switched in her. Hill joined us a moment later.

"Ballistics," Romanoff asked.

"Three slugs. No riffling," Hill reported.

"Soviet made," Romanoff guessed.

"Yeah," Hill said in surprise.

Fury's monitors started beeping louder, and I knew his heart had stopped. Romanoff walked out. I followed.

"What was Fury doing in your apartment?" she asked me angrilly a moment later.

"I don't know," I said.

"You're a terrible liar Rodgers," she said.