The moments that followed seemed to register only as a blurring of images and sounds in Nellie's mind. A cloudy and numbing haze had fogged her brain, so much so that she hardly remembered how herself and Steve had got back to their apartment.

An ambulance arrived just as they did, along with a multitude of black cars and agents dressed in either suits or tactical gear. They were not allowed back into their apartment so the most reasonable thing to do was to be with Nick and they followed the convoy on Steve's motorcycle, eager to find out how he was. Nellie may have been annoyed with Fury, but that didn't mean she was heartless, Nick gave Steve and herself their Avengers family after all.

As they travelled, zooming through the bleak city in the dead of night, their motorcycle was surrounded on all sides by Shield vehicles, each full to the brim with agents. Neither of them knew who they could trust now, and Steve made sure that when he collected the key for the motorcycle, he picked up his shield as well.

Shield had been compromised, and for all the couple knew it could have been an unrecognisable agent who had shot Fury for whatever reason, but they were willing to find out why. Nellie was unforgettably aware of the weight that the flash drive in her pocket held, Steve and herself would just have to work out what was on it at their first opportunity.

The hospital entrance was swarming with Shield agents and heavily armed task force members when their motorcycle rolled to a stop. They dismounted one at a time, standing a little unsurely as the chaos ensued all around them. It wasn't until Maria Hill appeared next to them, her face flushed and her eyes a little red, did she drag them inside with her and towards the operating floor. Nellie and Steve's hands were joined tightly as they walked briskly through the many twisting and turning corridors, the harsh smells of cleaning products and blinding white lights had Nellie's mind switching in and out of focus once again.

Agent Rumlow and Agent Jasper Sitwell were already waiting for them as they were ushered into a darker and much quieter room, the wo men were waiting at the back of the room with grim expressions on their faces. The whole right side of the room had a large window, exposing an operating room filled with surgeons and nurses working hastily on a patient lying upon the bed. It took a brief moment for Nellie to register what or who she was watching and when reality hit her, her mouth went dry, and her heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach.

Steve found himself drawn towards the window, pulling Nellie along with him as he watched the surgeons working, asking for instruments, the continuous beeping of the heart monitor, the nurses reading out information based on the screens in the room. Why had they been brought here to watch this?

Nellie could not tear her eyes away. He had to make it through surely, he was Nick Fury after all. She released Steve's hand and braced herself against the shallow window ledge.

Maria had settled herself against the back wall, both Nellie and Steve heard her quiet sniffles every so often, but they wouldn't dare draw attention to it, Maria liked the distance from her colleagues.

The door to the room then swung open with a harsh push and Natasha came crashing in, the sound of the door smacking against the wall caused Nellie to finally look away from Fury's still body and the rush that surrounded him. "Is he gonna make it?" The red head asked, her breaths quick and fast, the colour drained from her face.

Nellie looked down at her hands, Fury's dried blood stained her palms like rust. Her throat tightened. "We don't know."

Natahsa followed Nellie's dipped head and stared at Nellie's hands too. "Tell me about the shooter." She forced the words out, the sentence becoming sticky in her throat as she tried to keep herself together.

"He's fast and strong." Steve said sullenly from the other side of Nellie. "Had a metal arm."

Steve's mind flashed back over the speed of the shooter, his agility, the way he stopped the shield... He had never seen anything like it other than himself and Nellie, unless Thor or the Hulk were included.

"Ballistics?" Natasha asked quickly, her eyes now glued to Fury.

Maria lifted herself away from the wall and joined the three at the window. She took a quick deep breath before answering. "Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable."

"Soviet-made." Natasha spoke quickly and knowingly.

Maria raised an eyebrow at Natasha's speedy and correct response. "Yeah." Her tone was pensive, and she was about to follow up with questioning Natasha on how she knew that piece of information but suddenly Nick began to take a turn for the worse.

Nick's heart rate began to increase rapidly, and the monitor began to beep uncomfortably fast. Nellie felt her own heart begin to constrict in panic, she didn't want Nick to die. What was the last thing she had said to him? She couldn't remember exactly but it wasn't nice.

"He's in V-tach."

"Crash cart coming in."

The voices coming from the operating room were distant, and Nellie felt as if she were in a dream or some sort of nightmare where she was frozen in place watching a horror unfold before her and there was nothing that she could do.

"Nurse, help me with the drape."

"BP is dropping."

"Defibrillator!"

Nellie was mildly aware that she was holding her breath, and it was not until Steve wrapped his arm around her shoulders did, she finally let the air out of her lungs. The nurses and doctors worked to remove the sheet that covered Fury's chest, exposing him and his open wounds to those watching. All pairs of eyes were glued to Nick Fury's dying body.

"I want you to charge him at one hundred."

Natasha was whispering under her breath, her words laced with fear. "Don't do this to me, Nick."

Nellie bit her quivering bottom lip... This isn't happening.

The lead surgeon readied the defibrillator. "Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!" Nick's body lifted from the bed. "Pulse?"

"No pulse."

The operating team readied themselves once again. "Okay. 200, please. Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!" Nick Fury's body unnaturally lifted from the table again.

Nellie held her breath again, trying to force herself to hold her tears in. They were losing him and there seemed to be nothing the doctors could do. Steve's hold on her tightened.

"Give me epinephrine! Pulse?"

"Negative."

"Don't do this to me, Nick. Don't do this to me." Natahsa was begging with her whispers, her voice shaking more with each word. Nellie's eyes began to fill with tears, her teeth drawing blood from her lip from how hard she was biting it.

The piercing wail of Fury's flatlining heart had the small group crumbling.

"What's the time?"

"1:03, Doctor."

"Time of death, 1:03 a.m."

Slowly, achingly, Nellie let her eyes close, and the tears finally fall as Steve pulled her tighter into his side. She felt him let out a shaky breath as he held her, his head resting on top of hers as he watched Natasha and Maria silently cry too.

Together they all waited in the room for an hour before they were escorted from the room and down towards a 'family room' where Fury's still warm body lie waiting for them under a white sheet. Nellie took a slight detour to wash the blood from her hands before she joined the small group again.

In Nellie and Steve's long lives they had seen many dead bodies before, but they were rarely ever personal. They never saw Bucky's body, and the rest of the Howling Commandos had lived to old age, Fury was the first body since Dr Erskine's that Nellie had seen that belonged to someone she was close to, and it was a strange feeling. It was only Steve's third, his mother being the first when he was only eighteen years old, he had wanted to see her alone and left Bucky waiting outside for him.

As Maria disappeared back out of the room along with Sitwell and Rumlow, Natasha walked up to Fury's body. She placed her hand sweetly on his forehead and began to silently cry again. Nellie and Steve lingered by the door, feeling for Natahsa as she had known the man for a lot longer than they had. He had given her redemption, had helped save her from herself. Nellie wanted to console her, but she knew Natasha would most likely not accept it. Instead, Nellie felt again for the flash drive that still remained in her front right jean pocket. What was on it? Why had Fury given it to them and not Natasha? Was she not to be trusted too? Was Fury? Nellie did not want to believe that.

Steve's mind was also whirring away; what did Fury want them to do with the flash drive? More importantly, what was on it? Did Shield know that they had it in their possession? He pulled Nellie back towards him again and snuck a hand around her waist, careful not to draw either Natasha's or the guard's attention. His hand slyly travelled down over her hip and into her front pocket under her own hand as she rested her palm against the outside of the pocket. They would need to hide the drive and not have it on their person where Sheild were likely to find it.

As Steve snuck the drive into his jacket pocket, a very tired and red-eyed Maria came back into the room. "I need to take him." Her voice was thick with emotion as Steve and Nellie looked from her and then to the back of Natahsa.

The redhead did not move. "Nat." Nellie called out quietly to her, trying to keep her voice soft. Feeling like Natasha needed help stepping away from Nick's body, Nellie took a slow step forward, but at hearing Nellie move, Natasha gathered herself and moved away from Fury. She spun in a whirl of cropped red hair and brushed past Nellie, without even glancing at her or Steve, and stormed out of the room. Immediately Nellie frowned and took off after her. "Natahsa!"

Both women made it halfway down the corridor, the halls around them teeming with agents and the watchful eyes of the Strike Team, with Steve a few steps behind them before Natasha spun around and stopped Nellie dead in her tracks. The blonde skidded to a stop, looking down at the shorter woman with wide eyes. "Why was Fury in your apartment?" Natasha demanded, her green eyes piercing into Nellie's own.

Eleanor heard Steve stop a few feet behind her as her eyes scanned Natasha's fierce face. Was it jealousy Natahsa was feeling? Why had Fury gone to them instead of her? If Nellie thought about it, maybe Fury did not trust Natahsa entirely if he believed Shield had been compromised. Nellie could not entirely tell if Natahsa was truly hurt by Fury's death and his choice in the couple, or if it was all an act.

"I don't know." Nellie's old spy alter ego kicked into gear, and she lied with ease.

It was now evident Fury did not trust Natasha, as hard as that may be to admit. Nellie, up until yesterday, had seen Natahsa as one of her closest friends, but the lies had now jeopardised that, along with Fury's final choice. He was in their apartment because he knew that Nellie and Steve could not be compromised, he knew that they would try and fix whatever had gone awry. They knew right from wrong.

"Cap, Siren, they want you back at Shield." Rumlow's voice sounded from behind them, but Nellie wasn't going to tear her eyes away from Natasha's.

Steve had been watching the intense interaction, proud that Nellie wasn't backing down. Despite his somewhat annoying tendency for secret missions, Fury had entrusted them with one final mission, and Steve did not intend to fail. He looked over his shoulder at Rumlow, not caring for his moderately harsh tone. "Yeah, give us a second."

"They want you now." He insisted, the small amount of compassion now completely gone.

The tone had Steve turning fully around to glare at the smaller man. "Okay." Steve said sternly, warning him not to ask again as Steve squared his shoulders and made himself look even bigger if that was possible. Reluctantly, Rumlow backed down.

Ignoring the altercation behind Nellie, Natasha finally gave in. "Liar." She snapped before whirling away again, stomping off down the corridor and then out of sight.

Nellie watched her go, still perplexed as to if whether Natasha's feelings were real or not, but that would have to wait until later... Shield were calling them back. No doubt for a debrief.

She finally turned back around to see Steve still standing there, but instead of having his blue eyes settled on her like she was expecting, he was standing with his hands on his hips, his expression showing he was deep in thought as he stared into the open vending machine beside him. She watched him as he slid his hand into his pocket and curled his fingers around what she assumed was the flash drive.

She approached him slowly, knowing full well they were being watched by the Strike Team. She understood his thought process, planning to hide the drive here and come back for it later. Nellie lifted herself up onto her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on Steve's cheek. "I'll keep them distracted." She whispered before dropping back down to her normal height. Steve gave her a small smile as she turned away and walked towards Rumlow with confidence. "Rumlow, how are we doing this?" She called out to the Strike leader, drawing his attention away from Steve.

His dark eyes raked over her, lingering on her chest before lazily travelling up to her face. Nellie refrained from letting her expression melt into one of disgust, she needed to keep Rumlow's attention on her. Besides, if Steve knew how Rumlow had just looked at her he would soon be in a world of pain... Not that Nellie could launch him through a window herself.

"You two on the bike, four vehicles surrounding. The assassin may still be out there." Rumlow explained as Nellie didn't stop, leading the man away from Steve and what he was doing. Nellie abstained from piercing her bright green eyes at her colleague, the Strike Team were chosen for the most special and secretive cases, were they aware that the assassination was going to take place before it happened? Her walls were up completely, she no longer trusted anyone.

As the blonde opened her mouth to respond, the heavy footfalls of Steve jogging to catch up with them echoed around the narrow halls. Nellie couldn't help but notice Rumlow take a subtle step away from her as Steve stepped between them. "Let's go." He ordered before taking Nellie's hand in his again. The light squeeze telling her he had succeeded in his task.

"Yeah." Rumlow said submissively before he lifted his voice to address the rest of his team. "Strike, move it out!"

* * *

Silence was Steve and Eleanor's ally as they travelled back to the Triskelion, even when they parted ways to dress themselves in their uniforms, they hardly spoke a word to anyone around them... Who could they now trust?

The choice of adorning their uniform belonged to Steve; he wanted them both to be ready for anything in the tense climate they were about to walk into. Their presence had been requested by Alexander Pierce, the Secretary of the World Security Council. The man who had appointed Nick Fury as Director of Shield. The summoning in this instance was understandable, Nick had been shot in their apartment after all, but that did not mean that both Steve and Nellie were not ready for anything to come their way.

Steve had been waiting for Nellie outside the elevator for about two minutes before she appeared, her blonde hair secured in a tight military style bun, only the longer parts of her hair that framed her perfect face hung loose. Again, no words were said, but instantly she reached out for his hand as they met and he took her into his arms, placing a sweet but quick kiss to her temple. She looked tired, and her eyes were red as if she had been crying again. He knew Nellie well enough to know her last few conversations with Fury were weighing heavy on her mind. Once the meeting with the Secretary was over, he would make sure that she was okay.

The ride up to the Secretary's floor was quick, as was the usual for elevator journeys in the Triskelion, and they were met at the door by his assistant and led to his office just as he was bidding farewell to his previous appointment. Now clad in office wear, and no longer the pink scrubs or casual clothes that they were used to seeing her in, their neighbour, 'Kate' was exiting the enclosed office.

"For whatever it's worth, you did your best." Alexander Pierce said to Kate, a grateful smile on his face.

Kate bowed her head at the older man. "Thank you, sir." She sent a brief smile back at the man before her expression became a little sheepish as she locked eyes with Steve and then Nellie. She sucked in a harsh breath and squared her shoulders, seeing both Steve and Nellie walking towards her in their uniforms was a little intimidating. "Captain Rogers. Lieutenant Barnes."

Steve merely glanced at her. "Neighbour." He said coldly, instantly regretting the frostiness of his demeanour but he did not show it. It wasn't her fault she was assigned to them. He felt Nellie turn her head to watch Kate walk away back down the corridor, another person she believed to be her friend but was hiding under false pretences.

"Ah, Captain, Lieutenant." The Secretary greeted as the couple finally stopped before him. He was an older man, wrinkled with age, the strawberry blonde colour of his hair fading along with the clarity in his blue eyes, covered by thick lensed glasses. Steve did not know much about fashion, but the haircut and suit had him thinking one thing: expensive. "I'm Alexander Pierce." He held his out for Steve which the blonde man took gladly.

"Sir, it's an honour." Steve said respectfully before stepping aside so that Nellie could address the man herself.

Nellie held her hand out to the man and he took it gratefully and shook. "Nice to meet you, Sir." Nellie gave him a polite smile as they released each other's hands.

"The honor is mine." The older man smile was thin and aging, the lines around his mouth indicating a long life of smoking. "My father served in the 101st. Come on in."

Together, never moving more than a foot away from each other and gracefully synchronously, they followed Secretary Pierce into his office. The prestige of his suit was mirrored in the decor of the Secretary's office. The walls, surfaces, floors, even the ceilings and furniture were all the same hue of gunmetal grey. Everything was sleek and pristine, the desk bare, giving off the effect the room was hardly ever used at all. Steve felt as if he had stepped into an old movie, where all the colours had been washed away.

The Secretary inclined that Steve and Nellie take a seat on the plush couch as he removed his jacket and placed it almost robotically onto the back of his chair, smoothing the creases before turning back to the couple. Steve removed his shield as he took a seat and Nellie mirrored his actions and sat right beside him, her eyes were then drawn to the only splash of colour in the room. The photo had to be a few decades old with the faded quality, but the younger versions of both Nick Fury and the Secretary giving an oath seemed like a strange photograph to have on show.

Catching Nellie's eye line, Pierce gestured towards the photograph which drew Steve's attention to it as well and Steve had half a mind to think that the photo had been put there on purpose. "That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met. When I was at State Department in Bogota. ELN rebels took the embassy, and security got me out, but the rebels took hostages." He explained as he began to gather up various manila folders from his desk. "Nick was deputy chief for the Shield station there. And he comes to me with a plan." He strode across the room, focused completely on the couple. "He wants to storm the building through the sewers. I said, "No, we'll negotiate." Turned out the ELN didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement, and what did they find? They find it empty. Nick had ignored my direct order and carried out an unauthorized military operation on foreign soil. He saved the lives of a dozen political officers, including my daughter." He finished as he took a seat opposite the couple and relaxed into the chair.

Through the older man's speech Steve recognised the admiration that was felt for Nick, the friendship... But the unease he was feeling was still there.

"So, you gave him a promotion." Steve affirmed, trying to understand the man seated before him.

Pierce removed his glasses and sat forward. "I've never had any cause to regret it." He said proudly before his expression turned serious. As if all the light-heartedness had drained from his face in an instant. "Steve, Eleanor, why was Nick in your apartment last night?"

Steve glanced to his right towards Nellie as she answered confidently with a subtle shake of her head. "We don't know, Sir."

"Did you know it was bugged?" He countered, fishing for the upper hand.

Steve straightened his back and answered this time. "We did, because Nick told us."

Secretary Pierce had a very good poker face, but the miniscule widening of his eyes and the brief pause gave Steve and Nellie all the information they needed to know. Alexander Pierce did not expect that answer.

"Did he tell you he was the one who bugged it?" Pierce challenged and suddenly the tables were turned. The silence from the couple was met with a curt smile and Steve met his gaze with a steely one of his own. Steve and Nellie had suspected Fury had been involved in the bugging of their apartment, he had hired Kate after all. "I want you to see something." Pierce reached across to the table a selected a button on a small control panel, a transparent screen behind Steve and Nellie erupted into colour and noise, exhibiting the two Batroc brothers chained to the desk before them in an interrogation room.

"Who hired you both?" A voice behind the camera asked.

Nellie furrowed her brows as she stared at the screen. "Is that live?" She asked as she wondered why Pierce would be showing them the Batroc brothers. The man last night was definitely not one of the two they had faced days before.

"Yeah, they picked them up last night in a not-so-safe house in Algiers." Pierce said almost casually as the agents asking the questions came into view of the camera.

Steve frowned; this is not how he expected this meeting to go. "Are you saying they are suspects? Assassination isn't the Batrocs' line."

The Secretary pursed his lips before answering and Steve wondered if he was buying time before giving his answer. "No, no. It's more complicated than that. The Batroc brothers were hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star." He began before reaching for one of the files he had brought over from his desk. "And were contacted by e-mail and paid by wire transfer, and then the money was run through seventeen fictitious accounts, the last one going to a holding company that was registered to a Jacob Veech."

"Are we supposed to know who that is?" Nellie asked audaciously, a frown masking her perfect face. Steve watched as Pierce handed one of the manila files to Nellie with an almost excited sparkle in his eyes.

"Not likely. Veech died six years ago. His last address was 14-35 Elmhurst Drive." The Secretary said matter-of-factly as Nellie began to flick through the transcript showcasing the email conversations. "When I first met Nick his mother lived at 14-37."

Nellie handed the file to Steve without glancing his way, she set her green eyes on Pierce intensely. Steve's own gaze flickered from Nellie, to the file, and then back to Pierce before his eyes darted across the pages.

"Are you saying Fury hired the pirates? Why?" Nellie enquired sharply and Steve's eyes finally lifted up from the pages and settled again on the man before them, the information before him was no different to what Pierce had just enlightened them with.

Secretary Pierce huffed out a quick breath, as if he too did not have answer. "The prevailing theory was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence." The Secretary's eyes were shifting from both Steve and Nellie and then back to the file in Steve's hands as if there was a new nervousness about him. "The sale went sour and that led to Nick's death."

Steve felt Nellie tense beside him, and he refrained from reaching out to place his hand over hers. Fury did had secrets, as Tony said 'his secrets have secrets' but to turn against Shield? Fury would never. This was going south fast, and the blame was being forced upon Fury who was no longer here to defend himself. If this theory was correct, Fury would have compromised Shield himself and if that was indeed the case, why tell Steve and Nellie?

"If you really knew Nick Fury, you'd know that's not true." Steve said firmly.

The Secretary shrugged and gave a simple nod. "Why do you think we're talking?" He lifted himself from his chair and trudged over to his window in the corner of the room, the early morning light casting a greyish blue hue across the metallic surfaces. The couple followed his movements with their eyes. "See, I took a seat on the Council not because I wanted to but because Nick asked me to, because 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." Steve refrained from frowning, it was a strange use of words, and it made him nervous of the man before him and it seemed to affect Nellie too as she stood from her seat, leading Steve to di the same. "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. And the idea that those people could be happy today, makes me really, really angry." The Secretary turned back to them and paused a moment, as if trying to stop himself from going on and it did not soothe Steve's unease.

The world wasn't perfect, most people knew that but was it bad enough that it needed destroying? That people were not allowed to be happy? That people that were happy in their lives were enemies?

Steve glanced to Nellie again as the Secretary looked back towards the window. He was relieved to see Nellie's glittering green eyes already staring back at him, reflecting his own anxiousness. This did not feel right at all. Fury's warning that Shield was compromised may have come from a threat above Fury's head.

The older man turned back to the couple; his expression determined. "Captain, Siren, you were the last ones to see Nick alive. I don't think that's an accident, and I don't think you do either. So I'm gonna ask again, why was he there?"

Nellie narrowed her eyes at Alexander Pierce. "He told us not to trust anyone."

Pierce took a few more steps closer to the couple, meeting Nellie's gaze head on, his silhouette illuminated in the weak glow of the spring's early morning sun. "I wonder if that included him."

Painful seconds of silence passed by, and it was if Steve could physically see the tension thickening in the room, absorbing all of the oxygen. It was plain to see that Alexander knew that Nellie and himself knew something, but it was becoming more and more clear that the blame was being shifted to them rather than Shield.

It was time to leave.

"I'm sorry." Steve began gravely, "those were his last words." He then proceeded to reach for Nellie's hand and then for his shield. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as he led Nellie to walk in front of him and towards the door. "Excuse us." He did not give Peirce a moment to respond before he too headed towards the door, securing his shield to his back as he went. He watched Nellie's confident stride ahead of him, and he was hopeful she knew exactly why he had made the decision to leave.

"Captain." Pierce's stern voice cut through the silence and the couple stopped, Nellie was already in the hallway and Steve had one foot out of the office door. The blonde man turned, ensuring his own look back at the Secretary was strong. "Somebody murdered my friend and I'm gonna find out why. Anyone gets in my way, they're gonna regret it. Anyone." The intimidating warning was now out in the open, along with Pierce's intentions.

Steve heard Nellie suck in a sharp breath behind him, there was a threat against them now and it was only a matter of time before something was done about it. They had to leave now. "Understood." Steve said coldly before turning back to Nellie and then following her down the hallway and towards the elevator.

Steve felt as if his senses had been heightened as they waited for the elevator. He was almost positive Pierce was going to bring them back in at some point, most likely by attempting force, but his current plan was to get as far away as possible and back to that flash drive to find out what was on it and what Fury had been doing.

"Steve?" Nellie prompted, pulling Steve from his thoughts as the elevator doors opened. Her voice was quiet, but as Steve cast his eyes up to her face, he saw the strength in her expression, the confidence she had in her eyes. She reached across the short distance and took his hand in her own before leading him into the elevator. The sun burst through the clouds as they stepped into the glass cart, the refracting light setting Nellie's creamy skin and sea-green eyes aglow. Even in moments like this he was in awe of her breathtaking beauty and how it made him feel.

"Operations Control." Steve instructed the computer as they settled in the centre of the cart facing one another. The sooner they got back to their motorcycle the better.

"Confirmed." The elevator's computerised assistant responded.

Steve looked down at Nellie's awaiting face, the worry swirling within in her eyes had him ineluctably reaching towards her with his free hand to caress her face. "We had to leave. Pierce... He..." Steve wasn't sure who or what was listening, but he guessed their conversation was not secure.

Nellie squeezed his hand and leant into his touch. "I know." She added quietly as the doors began to slide shut with a silent glide. "I agree." She looked tired and almost defeated, the last forty-eight hours had been chaotic and the need for sleep was becoming more and more apparent.

As the doors were about to close, a large hand shot through the gap, stopping the mechanisms from closing and sending the gears into reverse. Both Steve and Nellie's gazes shot to the doors as they opened once again and Steve dropped his hand away from Nellie's face reluctantly as Rumlow and two other agents were revealed. Steve did not know their names but recognised instantly that they were dressed in the more casual Strike gear. Rumlow gave the couple a tight-lipped smile before stepping in and taking a place beside Nellie, the other two men following him as they created their own separate huddle.

"Keep all Strike personnel on site." Rumlow said gruffly to his two followers.

Steve wondered if his words were for show or for something a little more sinister. Had Rumlow been lurking around the corner before Nellie and himself had entered the elevator? The halls had seemed to have been clear.

"Understood." Followed by, "Yes, sir." Were uttered by the two other agents. Steve squeezed Nellie's hand with warning, the return by force may be coming sooner than he anticipated.

Rumlow cleared his throat. "Forensics." He instructed to the control panel.

"Confirmed." The robotic voice verified before the doors began to close again.

"Cap. Siren." Rumlow greeted with a nod of his head and the elevator rolled to a smooth descent.

Nellie leant subtly closer to Steve, her arm brushing closer against his as she moved away from Rumlow who had taken his place strangely close to her.

Steve leant around Nellie to glance at the leader of the Strike Team. "Rumlow."

"Evidence Response found some fibres on the rood they want us to see. You want me to get the tac-team ready?" Rumlow asked casually, making Steve wonder if he had been overanalysing the last few minutes. He did know something was up with Peirce, Nellie agreed with him on that, but was this just a ploy or real?

"No, let's wait and see what it is first." Steve cautioned, switching his gaze from Rumlow and back to the doors ahead, wishing that the elevators moved faster.

"Right." Rumlow's answer was quick, but he seemed agitated, almost jittery.

Steve then felt another squeeze of his hand, but this one was tighter, more urgent. Again, Steve looked down to Nellie, wondering what was concerning her but instead he followed her own gaze and tensed when he saw that the two agents had their hands ready on their pistols. As always, the lighter side of Steve tried to find the best in a situation, but this was becoming more and more unlikely with each floor they passed. There was no threat inside the elevator, so why the need to hold your gun? Steve flicked his eyes up to meet the agent, but the man would not meet his gaze. Interesting.

The elevator shuddered to a stop once again and the door opened swiftly, revealing four more agents of Shield, two were in suits and unknown to Steve, the other two were Strike, he was sure of it. Their mutterings of casual conversation did not put neither Steve nor Eleanor at ease as they entered the cart, pushing in behind Nellie and Steve until she had to release his hand and stand in front of him instead. To soothe Nellie's apprehension Steve moved his right hand to gently hold Nellie's hip, keeping the contact between them as the conversations ensued around them.

"I'm sorry about what happened with Fury." Rumlow's gruff voice lifted above the separate discussions as he leant closer to Nellie. Steve watched as Nellie turned her head towards the shorter man, watching each moment with precise intensity. "Mess up what happened to him." Rumlow continued, seeming completely sincere but it was a strange gesture considering he was in the room with them watching Fury die and had been with them in the hospital.

Nellie's soft smile took over her features as she searched the other man's expression. "Thank you, Rumlow." From the sad expression on Rumlow's face Steve concluded that Rumlow's sympathy was in fact real and finally looked away from the two and to the man on his left but again, something was off with the other agents. One of the agents dressed in a suit was sweating profusely, so much so that the moisture was beading on his forehead and running like raindrops down the side of his face. It wasn't warm, so Steve suspected nerves... This was not a usual elevator ride.

As if on cue the elevator rolled to a stop, opening up on to three more agents and these ones Steve recognised instantly, Rollins, Gibson and Perez. The three best fighters in hand-to-hand combat after Rumlow. This was definitely not a coincidence. Steve tightened his grip on Nellie's hip, hoping she was coming to the same conclusions that he was. The men filtered in, each taking a place close to the doors with Rollins stopping dead ahead of Nellie, the other two standing on either side of him. Steve and Nellie were now surrounded and the conversations had stopped.

Steve clenched his jaw as the doors slid closed again. It was time to get this done.

"Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?" Steve dared, warning them they were not ready for what they were about to face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello beautiful people...

I never liked Pierce, I thought he was dodgy when I first laid eyes on him. As you can tell the drama is building up and I have to admit I am excited for the chaos to begin. I hope you guys are too!

As always comments and votes are much appreciated, and if you have any questions, I'm always around to answer them.

Anyway, love to you all.

Talia
🩵🩵🩵