S.T.R.I.K.E allowed us to change, thank God! As much as it was fun wearing Steve's clothes. I was happy to be back in my crime fighting gear, I know, I know. I'm a super hero. There was a light knock at the door as I shouted a come in and I was greeted with the face of Steve

"Ready?" he asked as I nodded, we began to walk out and towards Alex Pierce's office. As we approached I saw Kate, or Agent 13 stood talking to him, she looked at us and gave a weak smile as she began walking.

"Eleanor... Captain Rogers" she said as Steve didn't give her a second glance,

"Neighbour" OK Steve, there's no need to be that cold. She was just doing what we've done before... Going under cover.

"Oh Captain... Eleanor... I'm Alexander Pierce" Mr Pierce confirmed as we reached his door, he quickly gave us both a handshake,

"Sir, it's an honour" Steve said as I shook Mr Pierces' hand.

"The honour is mine folks" he turned and looked at Steve "My Father served in the 101st. Come on in" he invited us in as we stepped into his office which was bigger than my entire apartment complex by the looks of things. He handed us both a photo of himself and Nick "That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met, when I was at State Department in Bogota" he took his jacket off and hung it on the back of his chair "E.L.N rebels took the embassy, and security got me out, but the rebels took hostages" he informed us as we both looked at the photo. "Nick was Deputy Chief of the S.H.I.E.L.D station there, and he comes to me with a plan" he added as I looked up at him, "He wants to storm the building through the sewers and I said 'no we'll negotiate.' Turned out the E.L.N didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement and what do they find?" he asked

"They found it empty" I told him, I've done my research on Nick Fury. I've heard this story

"Yes. Nick had ignored my direct order and carried out unauthorised military operation on foreign soil... Saved the lives of a dozen political officers-"

"Including your daughter" I finished for him as he looked at me and smiled

"You know your stuff Miss Rice" he chuckled

"So you gave him a promotion?" Steve asked as we sat down at the large table situated in the middle of the room

"I've never had any cause to regret it" he told us as Steve and I nodded. There was a brief pause before Mr Pierce began talking again "Captain why was Nick in your apartment last night?" he questioned as Steve looked at me before shaking his head and looking at Mr Pierce

"I don't know"

"Did you know it was bugged?" he interrogated as we nodded

"I did, because Steve told me" Steve snapped back

"Did he tell you he was the one who bugged it?" That son of a bitch. I get him not trusting me and bugging my apartment but Steve? Really? Captain America? "I want you both to see something" he said as he reached across his table and brought up a screen with Batroc on it. There was a mumble on the screen and I looked at Mr Pierce

"Is that LIVE?" he nodded before continuing to say 

"Yeah, they picked him up last night in a not-so-safe house near Algiers" 

"Are you saying he's a suspect?" I asked him as he looked at me

"Assassination isn't Batroc's line" Steve added as I nodded at him, agreeing. Batroc was a hard nut, but he wasn't skilled enough for this assassination. 

"No no. It's more complicated than that. Batroc was hired anonymously to attack Lemurian Star. He was contacted by email and paid by wire transfer. The money was run through 17 fictitious accounts... The last one going to a holding company that was registered to a Jacob Veech" Pierce told us as he handed Steve a file

"Am I supposed to know who that is?" he chuckled as Pierce smiled at us 

"Not likely. Veech died 6 years ago. His last address was 1435 Elmhurst Drive... When I first met Nick his mother lived at 1437" Steve began looking into the file and I was reading over his shoulder.

"Are you saying that Fury hired the pirates? Why?" Steve asked

"The prevailing theory was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence" he warned as my head shot up to him "The sale went sour and that led to Nick's death" he added as I squinted my eyes at him

"If you really knew Nick Fury, you'd know that that's not true" I tested him as he nodded

"Why do you think we're talking?" Fair point. Mr Pierce stood up and began walking over to the window of his office, I stood up and followed him and Steve did shortly after "See, I took a seat on the Council not because I wanted to, but because Nick asked me to. We were both realists... We knew that despite all the diplomacy and the handshaking, and the rhetoric, that to build a really better world sometimes means having to tear the old one down" He turned to face us "And that makes enemies... Those people that call you dirty because you got the guts to stick your hands in the mud and try to build something better. The idea that those people could be happy today... Makes me really, really angry" I don't trust him. "Guys, you were the last people to see Nick alive. I don't think that's an accident and I don't think either of you do either" he warned as I kept a straight face, I would not give anything away "So, I'm gonna ask again" he said as he walked and looked over at me "Why was he there?"

"He told us not to trust anyone" Steve said, damn it Steve what the heck? 

"Yet you trust each other?" he asked as his eye flickered between the two of us. I looked at Steve and already saw him looking at me, I sent him a smile before turning my head to Mr Pierce

"I trust him with my life, Sir" I announced as he scoffed a little

"I wonder if that trust included him" he said, referring to Nick.

"I'm sorry" Steve responded "Those were his last words"

"Excuse us" I said as I began to exit the room, Steve followed close by, picking up his shield on the way out and placing it on his back.

"Eleanor..." he called as I continued walking "Were you aware that Nick and your Father were well acquainted?" he asked as I froze in my spot and turned to him "I'd like answers too"

"I need some air" I muttered as I continued walking out the room

"Captain, somebody murdered my friend and I'm gonna find out why... Anyone gets in my way, they're gonna regret it... Anyone" Was that a threat? 

"Understood" Steve replied as he ushered me out of the room and towards the lift "You good?"

"Do you think he was lying? About my Dad I mean?" I ask as Steve gives me an uneasy look

"I'm not sure. Nick had a lot of secrets Ellie. If he did I'm sure he kept it for a good reason" he assured me as he called the lift up to us "You can't let that get to you though" I nodded as the lift pinged and we got in "Operations Control" Steve said to the lift, it confirmed it back to us and I took a moment to appreciate the view from here. As the doors were closing I heard Rumlows voice and his arm stopped the doors from shutting as he and the S.T.R.I.K.E team entered the lift. 

"Forensics" he told the lift as it confirmed his destination "Cap... El" he nodded to us as I returned it. The doors finally shut and we began our descent. A heavy silence filled the lift and you could cut the tension with a knife if you wished. "Evidence response found some fibres on the roof they want us to see" Rumlow confirmed to Steve and I "You want me to get the tac team ready?"

"Let's wait and see what it is first" I ordered as Rumlow looked away and mumbled a quick 'right', acknowledging my command. My eyes fell on a S.T.R.I.K.E soldier who had his hand on his gun, I nudged Steve and nodded towards the man and Steve pulled a confused face. The lift stopped and a few other agents joined us there, my eyes never left the S.T.R.I.K.E team member who was acting shady. As the doors shut from this load of agents Steve pulled me to the front of the doors. 

"I'm sorry about what happened with Fury" Rumlow looked back at us "It's messed up what happened to him" Steve thanked him and my eyes began to look at the other agents in the lift with us. One of which had a bead of sweat dripping from his forehead. He was nervous. Another was constantly looking down at the floor, avoiding eye contact with everyone. The lift stopped once more and the remainder of the S.T.R.I.K.E team entered. The last agent I inspected was in a suit however there was a prominent outline of a gun tucked into his waistband. An ambush! I turned to warn Steve but it appears he already figured it out

"Before we get started..." he said to the 9 men in the lift

"Does anyone wanna get out?" I asked as a smirk found its way onto my lips. The was a slight pause before the familiar sound of the taser being released was heard. I quickly elbowed the guy behind me in the face and went to whip around to hit the other guy before Rumlow and another member of the S.T.R.I.K.E team grabbed me and slapped some form of magnetic bracelet on my arm which held it to the wall. I hit the agent in the face with my free arm and kicked Rumlow back as I saw Steve release his arm from the cuff and hit a few of the guys in the face. An agent came toward me and I used the cuff to my advantage. Allowing my arm to be held there as I threw my legs up, wrapping them around the man's neck. I tensed my legs together and brought my elbow down on his head as his body went limp.

"Jump" Steve shouted as he pushed a guy towards me. I quickly lifted my legs up, ensuring that the guy didn't knock me off my feet as Rumlow came at Steve with a taser. Steve began fighting him off as his arm was cuffed to the wall also. He was a super soldier, but being one handed and having a guy with a taser and multiple people fighting him also wasn't working to his advantage and Rumlow stuck the taser into his abdomen. I threw my arm to the side, allowing a gush of wind to throw all standing agents to the side of the lift. Steve was able to pull his arm from the restraint and fight off two other agents. One fell to the floor and I gave him a swift roundhouse to the face, just to make sure he was out for the night.

"Whoa big guy" Rumlow smirked as he stood up and faced Steve "I just want you to know Cap. This isn't personal" he laughed as he shocked Steve again. I placed my feet against the wall and began to pull away at the magnetic cuff as hard as I could. I heard Steve get shocked again and suddenly I flung back from the grasp of the cuff and into Rumlow. I threw my head back into his face and his body dropped down to the floor

"It kinda feels personal" I spat as Steve grabbed his shield "You hurt?" I asked as he shook his head "Good. Let's get out of here" I pressed the button to open the doors and was met with multiple S.H.I.E.L.D agents pointing their guns at me

"Drop any weapons and put your hands in the air!" one demanded and before I knew it, Steve broke the glass door and cut through the rope holding the lift, allowing us to shoot down. The emergency brakes kicked and and soon enough we'd stopped midway through a floor change

"Little heads up next time Cap" I joked as he rolled his eyes. Steve rushed to the doors and pulled them open only to shut them immediately

"Looks like we have to go out and down" he pointed down out the lift and I nodded, shouts from the other side of the  door were heard as Steve looked at me "You ready?" he asked as I nodded. I stood behind Steve and he ran through the window, breaking the glass with his shield and me about a second behind. I grabbed a hold of him as we fell and smashed through the roof of the ground floor and pushed my hands out, lightly breaking our fall from what seemed to be 100 floors up. I groaned in pain as Steve pulled me up "Come on Ellie. We can do this" he encouraged as I got to my feet and we ran to the garage. Steve wasted no time in starting up the bike and I hopped on after him. I saw the gates to the exit beginning to close and I threw my arms up in the air, allowing vines to grow rapidly and prevent them from closing. I could see they weren't strong enough to hold it for much longer

"GIVE IT SOME WELLY STEVE OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT" I shouted as Steve throttled it and we shot the through gates just before they crashed closed. As we continued down the bridge I saw a S.H.I.E.L.D carrier facing us. A voice demanded us to stop but it only encouraged Steve to twist the accelerator more. "OK Cap. Keep your back flat, I need a boost" I said as he laid his chest to the bike allowing me to stand up and on the shield before throwing myself up and onto the jet. I stood by the engine and pushed with all my might, the wind forcing it to stop and there was a loud bang next to me where Steve threw his shield into the other. He quickly jumped and joined me on the jet before grabbing his shield and throwing it to cause more damage. The jet flung over to the left, knocking me off balance and throwing me over the edge. As I thought I was about to fall to my death Steve grabbed my arm and pulled me into him

"You're not dying on me just yet" he chuckled as he threw us both off the jet, I pushed my arms out to soften our landing and although we didn't hit the ground at max speed, we both fell and tumbled. I quickly looked back to see the jet malfunctioning due to damage and going down as Steve pulled me up and we began running away from the Triskelion. "What in the heck do we do?" he asked as we ran

"Follow me. I have a plan"

***

"This is your plan?" Steve questioned as we walked down towards the Apple Store in the Mall

"Are you questioning my skills Captain? Also first of all, when going on the run, walk and don't run" I said as he repeatedly checked over his shoulder 

"If I run in these shoes, they're gonna fall off" he joked as I rolled my eyes

"I'm sorry the charity shop only had a size 10 not a 9" I chuckled as I looked at him, it was so unusual to see him dressed in the clothes he was. Usually he was in his suit, his gym wear or some smart clothing but this time he was dressed in some jeans, a top, zip up hoodie and an oversized jacket with a baseball cap and some glasses "Try not to check every corner either. It looks suspicious... The last place S.H.I.E.L.D will look is in plain sight Steve, trust me"

"I do" he smiled as we entered the store and walked over to the computers "Can you do this?"

"Yeah. With Nat doing this drive I presume it's got some homing programme. Meaning we'll have about 8 minutes before they're here" I warned him as he nodded. I placed the drive into the USB slot and began decoding the software "This is some hardcore stuff" I muttered as my hands continued to type and override security protocols. "This drive is protected by some sort of AI. Even I can't get past it" I told Steve as he looked at the computer "Maybe I can find where it was created and we can try that" 

"Can I help you guys with anything?" a man said from the side of us, my head snapped up and I smiled at the long haired man who had approached us 

"Oh no. My fiance and I were just looking at some honeymoon destinations" he smiled as I placed an arm on Steve's shoulder. Always seem to go for the relationship story rather than friendship cover. Now isn't the time, Mum. 

"Riiiight. We're getting married!" Steve chirped as I looked back at the computer

"Congratulations, where are you guys thinking about going?" the man asked as he tried to take a peek at the computer. Steve stepped in the way and glanced over at the screen to see the place it had located

"New Jersey" he smiled as the man gave a verbal confirmation before widening his eyes at Steve. Gosh darn Steve, why'd you have to be so recognisable?

"I have those exact same glasses!" he exclaimed as I held in a laugh

"Woah, you guys are practically the same person!" I chuckled as I tried to get a closer location to where the file was created

"Yeah. I wish..." he said as he gestured to Steve "Specimen... If you guys need anything just give us a call. I've been Aaron" Steve gave the man a quick 'Thank You' before turning his attention back to me and the computer

"Got it" I smiled as the location zoomed in and Steve looked closely at it "You know the place?" I questioned as he nodded

"I used too. Come on let's go" he said as I grabbed the USB and we walked out of the store "There's a standard tac team. Two behind, two across and two coming towards us" he informed me as I nodded

"Put your arm around me and laugh at something really funny I just told you" I demanded, he took no hesitation in doing what I commanded and soon enough we were past the two S.H.I.E.L.D agents "Down this way" I motioned to the escalators and we began to descend on them. I spotted the all too familiar face coming on the opposite side of us and turned to Steve "Rumlow. Kiss me" I said as he threw me a confused look "No one wants to watch PDA. Kiss me Steve" I ordered as he grabbed my face and pulled my lips to his. Our lips moved in unison and sparks shot through my body as my hands made my way to his face. As much as I have to admit I didn't want too, I slowly pulled away from Steve. Looking into his piercing blue eyes I sent him a small smile. I didn't have the chance to say anything as I realised the escalator had reached the bottom and we had to move "This way... To the parking lot"

Holy cheese balls. I like Steve Rogers. 

A/N - Wooooooo. Only took 14 chapters but they kissed and now Eleanor has admitted she likes him!