A knock on the front door caught Elizabeth's attention from her place in front on the tv. She paused the show she was watching, making sure that the sound wasn't a figment of her imagination. They never got any visitors, her family was either dead or god knows where and Sam's family was all the way out in New Orleans.

It's been a few days since her run in with Steve Rogers and ever since then she made sure to be extra careful with who she talked to. It was silent for a moment as she listened carefully. Then, two more loud knocks sounded from behind the door.

The sound of the pipes creaking from above signaled that Sam was still in the shower after his usual morning run. Getting up from her place on the couch, she made her way towards the door warily.

She unlocked the door and it swung open to reveal a very scuffed up Steve Rogers and a red headed woman that she recognised as Natasha Romanoff. And might she say that she looks even better in person, even with dirt covering half her face. They both had multiple scratches covering their faces and what looked like soot all over their tattered clothes.

Steve was the first one to speak, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry about this," he said. "We need a place to lay low."

"Everyone we know is trying to kill us," Natasha added with a mocking smile.

Elizabeth could only open the door wider inviting them in. Before the two could enter, a voice from behind her spoke up. "Not everyone," Sam corrected as he walked up to the trio with a welcoming smile to the two fugitives. He had changed from his earlier running attire to a plain green t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

Thanking the two, Steve ushered Natasha inside quickly. Elizabeth stuck her head outside the door cautiously, making sure no one had seen the two enter the house. She shared a wary look with Sam before closing the door behind her. Making sure to lock it and close the blinds.

Sam got out two glasses and filled them up with some water, handing them to their guest who took it hungrily. They sat in silence as Steve and Natasha caught their breath. Elizabeth, grabbed a couple of chocolate bars from the fridge and tossed in on the table in front of the two.

"I'd give you some proper food but you guys look like you could use these more," she commented just as Natasha and Steve took one bar in their hands and began to open the wrapper. It was quiet for a moment except for the sound of some soft chewing and the wrappers crinkling loudly.

Steve was the first to  break the silence, "By the way." He brought his blue eyed gaze to meet Elizabeth's. "I never got to thank you, for helping that night. You kind of pulled a disappearing act before I got the chance."

"Yeah, this one can be a real Houdini if she tries," Sam joked as he put an arm around Elizabeth's shoulder. Smiling lightly to himself as he recalled all the times he'd have trouble finding her after an argument or a particularly bad day where she wanted to be alone.

She waved Steve's thanks away with a small shake of her head. "It's no problem, just happy to help."

"Wait a minute," Natasha spoke up after a beat of silence. All heads turned to her as she furrowed her perfect brows, her eyes on Elizabeth. "That was you? You were the one who kept Fury awake?"

"In the flesh," she held open her arms exaggeratedly before resting them on her hips. "How is that pirate guy anyway?"

The minute the question left Elizabeth's mouth she immediately wished she could take it back. She felt a strong sense of loss and sadness coming from both Natasha and Steve, but more so from Natasha. 

Elizabeth knew the answer even before Steve spoke up. "He didn't make it," he answered in a low voice, his head hung low. Instead of saying anything in response she focused on taking most of the sadness away from Natasha, feeling that she needed it more than Steve. She saw that her efforts were successful when Natasha let out a relived sigh and slumped back into her chair.

But as if realising what was happening, Natasha sat up straight her whole body rigid. "What did you do to me?" Casting a suspicious gaze to Elizabeth, she repeated her question in a more serious manner.

Sam quickly stood in front of Elizabeth, blocking her from Natasha. His instincts taking over even though she probably needed the least protection in the room. "She was just trying to help you, I'm sure." He calmly told both Natasha and Steve, who had grown worried at his friends distressed state.

"But what did you do to make me feel-" Natasha stopped herself, trying to find the words to best describe the serenity she hadn't felt in years. "Like that," she settled on saying as she looked up at Elizabeth, waiting for an answer.

"I can control how people feel," she simply said, "Amongst other things." Steve's eyes widened in realisation when he pieced together that that was how she knew something was wrong that night at his apartment. Natasha's eyes were calculated as she processed the information she was just told. Elizabeth cautiously looked at Natasha from behind Sam's shoulder, ready in case Natasha felt the need to attack. It wasn't entirely impossible since people tend to feel somewhat violated when she used her abilities on them, not that she blamed them.

Instead of doing what was expected, Natasha swallowed a lump in her throat before speaking. "Thank you," she whispered so quietly that Elizabeth was sure she heard her wring until she repeated what she said in a louder voice. "Thank you," her green eyes showed sincerity as Elizabeth nodded her head in acknowledgement, not sure what else to do.

Sam told Steve and Natasha that they could use the guest bedroom upstairs to get changed and washed up. Elizabeth followed the two to show them the room and grab them a fresh pair of clothes. Searching through both her and Sam's bedroom. She smelled the fresh aroma of eggs being cooked from downstairs, guessing that Sam was currently cooking breakfast.

After she finally found a pair of clothes that could fit the two of them, she made her way to the guest bedroom. The door was open but she decided to knock anyways, not wanting to intrude. Steve turned around on the bed from his place opposite Natasha to look at her.

"Here's some clothes," she placed the pile into Steve's arms who muttered a small 'thank you.' "They're Sam's. So they might be a bit, y'know, tight." She informed him.

Natasha smiled lightly at her as she took a step out the door before she remembered. "Oh yeah," she began catching both their attention. "Sam made breakfast, if you guys even eat that sort of thing." She trailed off toward the end of the sentence when she saw their amused faces.

***

"The question is, who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?"

Natasha thought aloud as  her, Elizabeth, Sam and Steve all crowded in the small kitchen. Before this, Natasha and Steve had explained what they were dealing with. Long story short, SHIELD has been taken over by HYDRA and was planning to use their helicarriers for specific targets all over the world. Millions of lives gone with a single push of a button.

"Pierce," Steve answered her question from the chair opposite Elizabeth. Since Nick Fury had died, Alexander Pierce was the new head of SHIELD/HYDRA.

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the worlds most secure building in the world," Elizabeth added bitterly as she pushed some stray hair out of her face.

"He's not working alone," Natasha added as she looked lost in thought. "Zola's algorithm was on the Lumerian Star."

"So was Jasper Sitwell," Steve finished in realilsation, happy that they were finally getting a lead.

"Who?" Sam questioned with a confused look on his face. Elizabeth also leaned forward in her seat, eager to know who this man was.

Natasha crossed her arms across her chest. "A big jerk with an even bigger head."

"Duly noted," Elizabeth murmured. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sam get up from his seat and leave the room. She already had her guess about what he was going to get. Or more importantly, what he was going to propose.

Her attention was diverted back to the table as Steve spoke. "So the real question is, how do the two most wanted people in the Washington kidnap a SHIELD agent in broad daylight."

Sam came back into the room with exactly what she suspected to be in his hand."The answer is, you don't." He slid a thin file across the table to Steve. Natasha walked over to him and peered over his shoulder to get a good look.

"What's this?" Steve asked as he opened the file.

Sam smirked proudly as the two examined the paper. "Call it a resume."

Elizabeth pulled Sam by his arm so that they were out in the hall, out of earshot from Steve and Natasha. She leaned against the wall as Sam leaned on the one opposite her. She let out a sigh, contemplating her choices before speaking. "We're really gonna do this?"

"Hey," he said softy as he pushed himself off the wall. "You know you don't have to do it right? It's my choice."

She smiled lightly already knowing her decision. "Well, who's gonna save your dumbass if its not gonna be me?" Elizabeth slapped his arm affectionately as he smiled at her answer. "You're already dumber than I thought if you think I'm gonna let you have all the fun."

They both walked back into the kitchen. Their minds already made up and there was no changing them. Natasha and Steve looked up at them in curiosity.

"Is this Bakhmala?"Natasha asked Sam as he simply gave a nod. "That Khalid Khandeel mission, that was you? You didn't say he was a para rescue." She told Steve who just shrugged, honestly not knowing any more than her.

He picked up a picture of Sam next to another man, both dressed in tactical gear, that looked like they just came back from a mission. "Is this Riley?" Sam didn't answer him, just stared blankly at the ground.

"Heard they couldn't bring in a chopper cause of the RPG's," Natasha commented as she took a closer look at the pictures. "What did you use? A stealth chute?"

Flipping the file around, Sam took out a picture from the back and put it down on the table face up "These," he answered.

Steve furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I thought you said you were a pilot?"

"Oh, I never said pilot." Sam corrected with a grin.

Taking the determined expression on both their faces, Steve shook his head. "I cant ask you guys to do this." He told them both, realising what they were telling him.

"Dude," Sam began seriously. "Captain America needs our help."

When Steve saw that there was no changing the mans mind he looked to Elizabeth, watching if she really was willing to do this. "Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah, can't let this one go out all on his own," she casts a glance to Sam. Turning back to Steve, she shrugged lightly. "Besides, its about time I lived up to the family name."