Rogue (Under Rewriting)

Chapter Ten

Washington D.C., 2014, nighttime the same day

Alex had gotten out of the shower and gotten dressed about thirty minutes before she and Nick were ready to go. She had told Nick to wait in the living room while she went and talked to Bailey. She made her way to the door to find the girl rolled over on her side staring out the window. Alex lightly knocked on the door frame and made her way inside the room.

"Talk to me. What troubles you, Little Monster," Alex asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Well for starters, you calling me that horrible nickname," Bailey joked as she sat up in her bed.

"What's wrong with it? I think it's adorable," Alex said innocently.

"You came up with it when I was like 16, can't you find another one," Bailey asked, rolling her eyes.

"No, I like it so it's staying," Alex stated firmly, giving Bailey a shove. "But seriously, what's up?"

"It's stupid," Bailey said pulling her knees to her chest.

"Whatever it is I'm sure it's not that stupid," Alex assured the girl.

"It's just, you are all I've got. You're all I've had for the past two years. It's just been us and I didn't have to worry about you leaving me. Now, it seems that you are going out and doing dangerous things and it scares me. I don't want to lose you, AJ," Bailey admitted. She stared out the window, too scared to look at the reaction on Alex's face.

"You're not going to lose me, kid. If I can help it you're going to be stuck with me for the rest of your life," Alex said with a small smile. While what she said came out like a joke she meant it fully. She wasn't planning on leaving Bailey anytime soon.

"Promise," Bailey asked looking at Alex.

"Promise," Alex responded. "How about when I get back we go and get frozen yogurt or something like that?"

"Yeah," Bailey said with a small smile. She laid back on her bed as Alex got up and walked towards the door.

"Night, Alex. Be safe."

Alex smiled at the words that came out of the girl's mouth and continued out the door. "Goodnight, Little Monster."

"You ready," Nick asked, standing up from the couch.

"Born ready," Alex said as they walked out the door.

*****

Alex and Nick were waiting in the dark of Steve's apartment for him to come back. Alex had learned that the friend Nick was going to see was Steve based on the shield that sat propped against the wall. They had some help getting in from Agent 13, who lived down the hall from Steve and was posing as a nurse. They sat quietly listening to the 40s music play through the apartment.

Alex stopped the music when she heard a window slide open down the hall. She resumed the music when she determined that it was Steve. She could quietly hear him pick up his shield and walk a couple more steps to the end of the hall.

Steve poked his head slowly around the corner as Nick rolled his head to look at him. Alex slowly stood up from her chair across the room and made her way closer.

"I don't remember giving you a key," Steve spoke as he leaned against the wall. He gave Alex a shocked and confused look when he saw her sit on the armrest of Nick's chair.

"You really think I'd need one," Fury questions with a grunt as he leans forward in the chair. "My wife kicked me out."

"Didn't know you were married. What's she doing here," Steve asked, nudging his head toward Alex.

"A lot of things you don't know about me." Nick shook his head slightly. He had chosen to ignore the question about Alex.

"I know, Nick. That's the problem," Steve said as he moved closer to the wall and flipped a switch. Steve looked more confused when he took in the sight of the man. Fury held up a hand signaling for Steve to remain quiet as he reached up to turn the light back off.

Nick typed a message on his phone before showing it to Steve: EARS EVERYWHERE. He turned his phone back around after Steve read it before speaking, "I'm sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash."

Steve furrowed his eyebrows even further when Fury showed him a new message: SHIELD COMPROMISED. Steve was silent for a few seconds trying to take in the information before he decided to speak.

"Who else knows about your wife," Steve asked as Nick got up from the chair he was sitting in and moved to stand in front of Steve.

"Just...My friends." YOU, ME, AND HER. The message read.

They were silent before Steve started talking again. "Is that what we are?"

"That's up to you." Suddenly there were multiple gunshots fired into the room and Fury screamed out in pain.

Alex and Steve both jumped into action. Steve tried to help Nick and Alex pulled out her gun, running towards the window the shot had come through.

"Don't trust anyone," Nick stated through labored breaths. Alex then heard pounding on the door of Steve's apartment so she moved to point her gun there. When she saw Agent 13 enter she lowered her gun.

"Captain Roger? Captain, I'm Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D. Special Service." She lowered her gun and immediately started tending to Fury on the ground.

"Kate," Steve asked with a small look of betrayal in his eyes.

"I'm assigned to protect you," She replied as she worked.

"On whose order?"

"His," She stated simply motioning to Fury. She quickly pulled out her radio before saying something into it. Alex didn't quite hear it because she was looking for the shooter.

"Tell them I'm in pursuit," Steve said before he jumped out his window. He landed on the floor below in the building beside his. Alex looked back at the Agent before looking towards the window.

"You got this covered, Agent," Alex asked opening the window she stood at.

"Yeah, you go help Captain Rogers," The Agent tried to order but Alex was already out the window and on the next rooftop. She didn't run as fast as Steve or the shooter but she kept speed with them. She had just jumped off the last building roof after the shooter when she noticed that Steve was falling short of the ledge.

She quickly materialized to him grabbing his arm before materializing them both to the roof. Steve then threw his shield at the shooter who stopped at the edge of the building, turned around, and grabbed the shield with a metal hand. Alex knew that metal arm anywhere. She had trained with him many times when she was younger.

The man quickly pulled his arm back before throwing the shield back at Steve. Steve caught it with his hands but slid back from the force of the throw. Steve and Alex both looked up from the shield only to realize that the man was gone. They quickly ran to the edge of the building and looked over across the roads. They stood in silence both trying to find the man before sharing a glance at each other.