"Well, you're home awfully late."

You startled as you entered the tower, thinking no one would be up at this late hour. The building was dark and quiet, so when Steve spoke it was as if he was surrounding you. Sliding your knife back into your boot, you spoke out in no specific direction. "Yeah, had some...business to take care of."

A shadow moved to your right, then the form of Steve emerged to stand directly before you, his arms crossed over his chest, his back straight and tense.

"So I've heard, (Y/N). So I've heard."

I was just an average night, you were walking back to the tower from a night out with a few friends; nights out were rare since you began working with the Avengers. Days and nights were filled with training and missions as friends and family took a backseat to the needs of the team and of the world around you. Being an Avenger was your life, but sometimes stepping away for a few minutes was essential to your sanity.

Walking thru the city alone at night used to make you nervous, but now you knew you could handle yourself no matter what or who came along. As you walked you were texting Steve, who always worried about you when you weren't home by a time of his liking.

I'm almost there, Cap. You need to chill.

Very funny. Is that a joke?

Is what a joke?

Chill. Ice. Capsicle?

Good one, Steve. That was all you.

How far away are you?

Really, stop worrying. I can handle

You never finished the final text as a hand went over your mouth and pulled you back into the nearby alley. You didn't struggle, knowing that you would be able to overtake him easily. You just didn't feel like handling it out in the open on the street for anyone to see.

"Hey, sweet thing. You're making this too easy."

(Y/N), are you there?

Your phone buzzed with repeated texts from Steve, now becoming worried.

(Y/N)?

If you don't reply, I'm coming after you.

(Y/N), I'm on the way.

"Aw, is someone worried about you, honey? Is that your fella? Well he shouldn't worry, cuz I'm gonna take real good care-"

The man's hand was pulled from your face as another man dressed in red body armor and mask threw him against the building wall. The assailant slumped to the ground as the man repeatedly punched him, blood now covering his fists. "You think you're a big man? You think you were just gonna get away with this and no one would know?"

"Hey, hey, I think you can stop now," you said as you walked towards them. "He looks like he's out. I don't think he can hear you."

The new man in the mask stood, breathing heavily, looking towards you with his hands now at his sides. "You seem pretty calm after all this."

"Well, thank you for your assistance, but really, it takes a hell of a lot more than that to scare an Avenger." You said as you grabbed your phone to quickly stop Steve from searching the streets for you, and so he wouldn't know what had just happened.

Sorry, dropped my phone. B there in a few minutes.

The man took a cautious step towards you, his head tipped to the side, confused. "Did you just say that you're an Avenger? For real?"

"For real." Laughing a bit, you now took a step towards him. "And you are?"

Fast footsteps were coming up behind you. Turning quickly, you saw Steve, wide-eyed and a bit frantic in his movements. "(Y/N)! There you are! Are you ok?" He grabbed your hands, holding you at arms-length as he looked at you, searching for any injury. "What the hell happened?" His expression changed to curiosity as he saw the unconscious man, lying against the wall, his face covered in blood. "Maybe I should ask if he's ok?"

"Steve, I'm fine. I texted you and said I would be a few minutes. Why did you come looking for me? I can take care of myself, you know that." Pulling your hands away from him, you turned to look at the man who helped you, but he was gone. Who the hell was this guy? Where did he go? You looked up to the rooftops and fire escapes, but saw nothing. He's a nimble little bastard.

"Um...let's uh...let's get home, okay? We can talk there."

~~~

Now you couldn't sleep. The man in the mask had your curiosity spinning. Was there a vigilante running around New York? Was he working alone? Where did he come from? Was he following you?

Grabbing your computer, you began your search. You found a few articles on a man in a mask they called 'Daredevil' saving some woman from a would-be rapist, bombings in Hell's Kitchen, dirty cops, and on and on. He seemed like a good guy, trying to do the right thing, but why under such secrecy? Would he consider joining your team, do greater good? Where would you even find him to-

A slight movement caught the periphery of your vision, and looking out your window you saw him. He was on the roof of the building across the street, unmoving, watching you.    

Part 2

"Alright, Daredevil, come on out. I know you're up here."

"You saw me?" The masked man from the alley stepped out slowly from behind a chimney, on the roof of the building you saw him watching you from only minutes before. "I thought I was more clever than that." His head tilted to the side, his body unmoving. "You got up here pretty fast, I have to say."

Tucking your gear into your pack, you laughed a bit at this, wondering if he had already forgotten your confession of being an Avenger. "Well, it wasn't really that far of a jump over. I'm always a sure thing." He still hadn't moved, and you knew that meant his plan of escape was nearby and already planned out fully in his head.

"So," you began, "are you gonna tell me your story, or do we have to go about this the hard way?"

"What exactly is the hard way?"

You took a cautious step towards him, but he still held firm. "The hard way...is where I take you into custody and let my friends at the tower work their magic on you. And when I say 'magic', that's not a metaphor."

"Ah, yes. The witch. I've heard of her." His voice was soft and even. He didn't appear to be a threat, but after seeing him take command so easily earlier in the alley, you weren't about to take any chances.

"Well then, what's your choice?"

"What's your name?"

"You're stalling." You took another small step in his direction. He didn't step back but you could see his spine stiffen. "We can talk here, just the two of us, or we can find a nice room to interrogate you in."

"I would...I would prefer...to talk to you." He raised his hands in front of him as he stepped towards the ledge of the building. He sat slowly, then gestured for you to sit as well. "I prefer the easy way."

"Hmm," you scoffed, "I never said it was the easy way, just not the hard way." Cautiously sitting a few feet from him, you rested your arms on your knees and studied him for a moment. He was looking towards you, but you couldn't see his eyes thru his mask. If you couldn't see his eyes, how could he see you? "So tell me, how has the vigilante life been treating you?"

He laughed at this, a soft but hearty laugh. "Vigilante. Not a word I care to use, but I suppose it's as close as we're going to get." His laugh quieted, followed by a few deep breaths. "I just like to help people. Make the city a bit safer. Much like you and the Avengers, but on a smaller...well, much smaller scale."

Sitting silently, you regarded him, studying his movements, his posture, even his breathing. Moments had passed before you spoke again. "How are you able to see? Your eyes are shielded. You look towards me, but not at me. Your movements are smooth, but I can see a slight hesitation. The movements that you make with your head show that you are focusing on your hearing. So tell me, how long have you been blind?"

"Shit." He shook his head, his mouth wide, clearly surprised at your discovery. "You're good. Wow. You're damn good."

"And you're highly skilled. I'm guessing since you were young. It would take years to reach your proficiency and mastery of your other senses. Accident?"

"Why the need to interrogate me if you already know the answers to your questions?"

Still watching him, you brought your hand to your face, rubbing your cheek as you contemplated your reply. "Because I need to be sure before I try to convince you to join us."

He stood quickly, clearly at unease with your statement. "No. There's no chance of that...um...sorry, but I still don't know your name." He was backing away and you were afraid that you were about to lose him for good.

"Okay, I won't push. It was just an idea. And my name is (Y/N)." You remained seated, hoping that he would remain calm and sit down again for more discussion. "Yours?"

He stopped, but stayed in place, still ready to run if needed. "No, no name yet, but maybe soon. So, (Y/N), what are you going to do now?"

You stood slowly, folding your arms across your chest. "I'm coming with you."

As you and your companion rappelled down the building into the alley, you neglected to notice Steve, watching you from the balcony of the tower.

Part 3

"Yes, it was an accident. I pushed an old man out of the way before he was run over. There was a chemical spill...took my sight from me."

"I'm just completely in awe of your skill. I would never have guessed that you were blind had I not had the chance to observe you like I did. You're quite impressive."

The man in the mask let out a quiet laugh, but it was more self-deprecating than jovial. "Well, thank you, (Y/N). Coming from an Avenger, I guess I should be flattered."

"Yes, I suppose you should."

You had moved with your companion to the roof of another building, observing as he listened to the city around him, waiting for any sign of trouble. You weren't embellishing when you told him that you were amazed. His mental abilities alone were beyond impressive, but when matched with his physical skills he was unique. The Avengers would do well to convince him to join them, but you didn't want to scare him off.

"So, when do I get to know your name?"

"Matt."

It was a surprise to hear this so soon. He really had no reason to trust you, nor you him, but somehow you did. "Thanks, Matt. It's good to meet you."

He suddenly jumped up, his head cocked to the side, focusing on sounds far away; sounds that you couldn't hear no matter how hard you tried. You waited anxiously for him to speak so that you could see him in action again, and so that you could maybe even help him in his cause.

"Ready?"

Before you could reply, he leapt over the side of the ledge to a roof below, to a fire escape, slid down the rails, and onto the sidewalk.

"Hell yeah, I am."

~~~

"Well, you're home awfully late."

"Yeah, had some...business to take care of."

"So I've heard, (Y/N). So I've heard."

He knew. Oh, shit. He knew. "Steve, I can explain..."

The Captain stepped up to you quickly, grabbing your arm and pulling you to face him. "I can't wait to hear it." Pushing you forward, he guided you to the conference room. The tower was dark, and it would be just the two of you; you weren't sure if this was a comfort, or if you should be worried for your safety. As you entered the room, he pushed you into the nearest chair with enough force to tip it back as you landed.

"What the hell are you thinking?! Did you even stop to realize that what you are involved in is illegal? That your actions are a threat to the team? That you could get yourself injured or killed? Were you thinking at all?!"

He was leaning over you now, his arms on either side of you holding the arm rests of the chair. His face was red with his rage, his eyes dark and ominous. You had never seen Steve like this before, and it scared you.

"I can't lead a team that runs off with their own agendas. I can't be responsible for you when you can't follow simple things like the law, (Y/N). This needs to stop. Now."

You knew he was right. It was reckless to run with a vigilante, but Matt was different. Working with him didn't feel unsafe, and over the past two weeks with him you felt like you were making a difference in the city. Being an Avenger was bigger than that; the city streets weren't your focus; the neighborhoods needed people like Matt to do the work you weren't. Steve was right, but so was Matt.

"I don't know if I can do that, Steve. Are you going to make me choose?" Your voice was barely a whisper, cracking under the pressure he was putting on you. Nervous for his answer, your fingers grew white as you clenched your hands together. "Please don't make me choose."

He straightened, crossing his arms and finally broke eye contact with you to lower his head. "I don't have a choice, so neither do you."

~~~

The city really was beautiful at night. On a clear night you could almost see stars if you looked hard enough or if you could get far enough away from the city lights. Tonight was a cloudy night, and the fog hung low enough for the lights to dance thru it. Even in this short time, you had grown to really love this time above it all, and it made you feel sad that Matt could no longer see it.

"I have to stop this, Matt. Steve...the team...I have to put them first. I hope you can understand that."

"Of course I can, (Y/N). I'll miss you, but I do understand." He laughed a bit, shaking his head at his own thoughts. "I can't imagine that your face on a wanted sign would be a good look for the Avengers, now would it?"

"Ha!' you agreed, "Steve would kick my ass. Tony would never let me hear the end of it, but would probably be a bit proud. Nat would be embarrassed that I would let myself be found out." You sighed at the thought of your friends, realizing that they were so much more important than this experience. "Yeah, Steve's right. As much as I've enjoyed this time, I think it's for the best."

He moved slowly, closer to you now, his hand on your cheek. Leaning in, he gave you a small, soft kiss, then turned to ready himself to jump from the roof. "Thank you, (Y/N). It was nice to not be alone."

And then he was gone.

Your long walk back to the tower seemed to go on forever. Your mind replayed the kiss over and over in your head, but you knew it was nothing more than a goodbye. Pushing the thought from your mind, you grabbed your phone to update Steve, who was waiting for word from you.

It's done, Steve.

Good.

Don't gloat too much.

I'm not. I'm sorry, but it has to be this way.

...

(Y/N)?

I know.

~~~

Life at the tower and with the team returned to normal fairly quickly. Steve never told anyone else about your activities with Daredevil since you ended it quickly and he didn't need to intervene more than he had. A few months had gone by, and the two of you had never discussed it further.

He was always in your head though, especially at night when you were in the city. You would catch yourself looking at rooftops, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but you knew he was far too capable to ever be seen. There were many times when you felt that he was nearby, and you took comfort in the thought.

It wasn't until a few months later, walking home past that same fateful alleyway as your first meeting, that you finally saw him again.

"(Y/N)!"

He dropped from a fire escape directly in front of you without warning. Instinctively you grabbed his neck and swung your leg to knock him to his back, your knee resting on his abdomen and a knife held to his throat.

"Oh, Matt! I'm so sorry!" Allowing him to stand, you swung your arm to land a firm slap across his. "You can't just jump out at me like that, you idiot!"

He was panting, his body tense and trembling. "I need your help."

Your stomach dropped, and your chest began to ache. "No. You know I can't." As you tried to back away to leave he reached out and grabbed your arm, pulling you back.

"Please. It's bad." If you could see his eyes under his mask, you knew they would be pleading just from the tone of his voice. "Please, (Y/N). We might need that team of yours too." You abruptly pulled your arm from his grip, gasping at the severity of what he was asking of you.

"What the hell did you do, Matt?"   

Part 4

"I didn't do anything."

"Right. Do better." You backed away again, not wanting to listen. His footsteps were light but frantic as he chased after you. His hand wrapped around your arm tightly, almost uncomfortably so. His words tumbled out rapidly in his panic to get your attention.

"Ok, ok! I was following a woman's scream, and it led me to a warehouse in Chinatown. When I got there I could see her tied to a table, being injected with something. She was screaming like it was killing her, so I ran in to untie her but I was overtaken and...and..."

"And what, Matt?"

He released your arm, his hands moving up to hold his head.

"They saw my face. They know who I am, (Y/N). And now, I can't find Karen, and I found this note on her desk." He pulled a crumpled note from his suit, his hands were trembling as he handed it to you. The words were sloppily written, but the meaning was unmistakable. "I figured that you were the only one who could help me."

You took a deep breath, staring at the note, still in disbelief. "Well, my friend. This may be the only way you could ever convince the Avengers to help you. Steve will have to listen to me this time."

"What do you mean?"

"The only two words in the entire language that will give you their attention."

Hail Hydra

~~~

"Matt, stay right here." Leaving him to wait by the elevator, you steeled yourself enough to knock on Steve's door. Taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself, your head snapped up to look at him as the door swung open. It was late, and he answered in only pajama pants, with his hair messy from sleep.

"(Y/N)? What is it? Do you know how late it is?"

Why am I so nervous? "Yeah, sorry, Cap. I wouldn't bother you if it weren't important. I really need to talk to you." The crumpled note was in your hand, but you had yet to reveal it.

Steve's head jolted to the side as he caught a glimpse of Matt moving at the end of the hall. "Who the hell is that?!" He pushed you aside and rushed to face Matt. As he got closer, the realization of who it was hit him. "Oh, it's you. You have a lot of nerve entering this tower." He tuned back to look at you, "I thought we were done with this, (Y/N)."

"I know, and I was...and I am." Unfolding the note as you walked towards the pair, you cleared your throat in an attempt to sound more convincing. "But Steve, this is bad. Matt came to me for help..."

"And he thinks we're just gonna drop everything and help him? That we would even consider-"

"Steve, listen!" The Captain startled at your tone, crossing his arms over his chest and facing you full on. "Steve, please. Look at this."

He huffed and pulled the note sharply from your hands. As he read it, his posture shifted; his spine straightened and his eyes moved quickly from you to Matt. "Alright, you've got my attention."

~~~

Steve had woken the rest of the team and asked them to meet the three of you in the conference room. Matt sat next to you as they settled into their places around the table. "Are they always this intimidating?"

"Only when an illegal crime fighter wakes them up in the middle of the night to ask for help."

He was visibly uncomfortable, shifting in his chair and fidgeting with the belt of his uniform. "Got it."

Matt recounted his story for the group as you sat quietly with your eyes on Steve. You could see the disappointment in you in his face. He wouldn't make eye contact with you, even when it was your turn to speak; he was almost cold and distant, and it felt like you had lost your friend for good.

"Ok, so hold up," Clint was shifting in his chair, trying to not let his disbelief show. "you're blind? Like, black as night, blind?" Leaning back now, he shook his head in amazement. "I mean, I know about gaining enhanced senses when you lose one, but this is beyond me."

Natasha was leaning forward against the table, studying Matt just as you had done several months prior. Her eyes kept moving from him to you, and you wondered to yourself what it was that she was seeing. "So, have you ever thought of going straight?"

Matt stood quickly, his hands reaching out in front of him. "No. I only came to you for help. I have no interest in becoming an Avenger. Please, let's not do that. I just need to find Karen and get to the bottom of this."

"We'll help you find your friend." Steve stood at the end of the table, his voice deep as it echoed over the group. "And then you will leave, we'll finish the job, and you will leave (Y/N) alone." Before either you or Matt could say another word, he put his hand up to silence you. "Take it or leave it."

~~~

"I'm sorry to ask you to do this, (Y/N). I really am."

You let out a slow sigh and nodded your head in agreement. "I know you are. But this is what we do." You were throwing your gear together quickly as to be ready for any fight that a HYDRA agent might bring your way. Matt was sitting on the edge of your bed, waiting for you; when you saw him stand to move towards you, you stopped and held your position.

"Sit down." Your tone was flat and emotionless. The end of your time with him was to come very soon, and even though you had moved on from this friendship once before, it wasn't a pleasing proposition to have to do it again.

"But, I just..."

Fortifying your resolve, you stepped in front of him, forcing him back down to the bed with a solid push against his chest. "I said, sit." You began packing again in an effort to not miss any of your supplies. "Alright, so here's the plan that Steve wants to follow..."

"You really do everything he tells you, don't you? Following him into whatever situation he deems necessary, because he always has to have control. Blindly following along is not an admirable characteristic, (Y/N). And it's not you."

You threw your bag down to the ground, your temper beginning to quickly build. You were mad at him for coming back, mad at him for getting your team involved, and even more mad that he was destroying your friendship with Steve, who he now had the audacity to speak ill of. "You don't know me. I worked with you for a matter of weeks; I've known these people for years. This is my family, Matt, and Steve is my friend. You would be wise to watch what you say." Your face was increasingly red with each word and your hands were clenched at your sides.

"You stayed with me because you wanted more, (Y/N)." Matt was again on his feet, positioning himself to hold you against the wall so you would be forced to listen. "You're not getting what you need here, and you know it. There's no excitement in it for you anymore, is there?"

In one fluid motion, your elbow connected with his jaw, snapping his head back. You brought your knee up to hit him in the stomach, but he was too fast, grabbing your leg and flipping you onto your back. You hit the floor solidly, but shifting to stay low to the ground, you swung your leg and connected with the back of his knees. As he landed soundly and his head bounced from the impact, you straddled his chest, securing him with your knees and pinning his arms tightly.

"So if you two are finished, it's time to go." Steve had been standing in your doorway and had watched the whole scene play out. You didn't know how much he had heard or seen, and honestly it couldn't make things any worse.

"Oh, we're more than finished, Cap."

Part 5

"This is the warehouse that I found the woman in." Matt said as he led you and Steve towards the now abandoned building as Clint and Natasha waited on a nearby rooftop, watching for any motion from the shadows.

You cautiously moved to the door of the building with your gun drawn. Pulling with all you had to open it, you met resistance and the door wouldn't budge. Steve attempted as well, but it felt like it was secured from the inside.

"If this thing is locked from the inside, then who's in there?"

Steve pulled at the door again, using his weight as leverage, creating only a small gap between it and the frame. With a quick glance towards you, he nodded, commanding you to try to fit into the opening so you could open the door from the other side.

"You can't be serious?"

"Matt, not now."

"I'm sorry, do you have a problem with how I command this team?" The Captain was still holding the door ajar, but you had paused to try to convince Matt to drop the topic altogether.

"Yeah, I do." Matt took a few steps closer to Steve, his fists closed and his jaw set firmly. "You don't know what's behind this door. I heard a woman screaming for her life in there, and you're sending (Y/N) in, alone?! Have you completely lost your mind, or is this dementia setting in?"

Oh, Matt, no.

"You listen to me," Steve began, "(Y/N) is entering the building alone, but I'm right here, along with two master assassins and expert marksmen, who happen to be currently aiming at you. If we break thru the door, we risk exposure and could lose any chance at finding out what happened here. Now, you asked us to help you, and we are, so I suggest that you correct your tone and mind what you say. I'm in charge of this mission, and if you don't agree with my decisions, then you're free to go."

"Look, I get that you're pissed off about this whole situation, and maybe your ego got a little bruised when she chose to spend time with me rather than with you, but this decision is careless! You're gonna get her killed because you can't have-"

Steve had now lost his restraint and released the door as he lunged at Matt, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him into the air. His strong fingers gripped tighter as he spoke, "I think it's time for you to leave. And time for you to stay away."

Matt pulled his knees to his chest and thrust his feet into Steve's chest, pushing him back. As the grip released, Matt dropped to the ground, coughing and regaining his breath. "I'm not going anywhere, sorry." His head snapped quickly towards where you had been standing, realizing that you had already pushed your way into the building. "Dammit!" The opening was too small for him to fit thru, so he listened, holding his head against the door. He listened for any sign that you might be in trouble; he listed to your breathing, to your heartbeat, and for even the faintest whisper from you. He knew that you knew he would be able to hear it.

~~~

You were supposed to open the door from the inside so that Steve and Matt could enter, but with the way they were behaving you felt it best to just go it alone. The table that likely held the woman Matt saw was at the center of the room. There were vials and syringes strewn across the nearby cabinets, most of them empty, but you were able to find one with just enough liquid inside for Bruce to analyze. Very delicately, you wrapped the vial in a towel found next to it and slid it into your pocket. A computer had been left open, it's screen still illuminated with information that you didn't understand. Someone may still be here.

You startled and spun as a sound came from your left. Raising your gun in front of you, you guardedly moved towards the source, unsure of what it could be. As you came closer, you thought you heard a voice. A woman's voice. "Hello?" You kept your own voice a whisper, as to not attract any attention to yourself. "Is someone there? I'm not here to hurt you, I promise."

A few steps further, and she became visible. Her hair was a mess, her clothes were torn, her hands were bound behind her, and she looked...different. You kept your gun raised as a sense of uneasiness came over you. Kneeling down in front of her it became clearer as to why she looked different to you; her eyes were red and her skin was translucent. The small amount of light in the room danced on her skin, and it was beautiful.

"What did they do to you?"

The woman wouldn't, or maybe couldn't speak. She looked at you with urgency in her eyes and you knew that you needed to get her out quickly. Looking towards the door, you hoped that Steve and Matt were out there and not still trying to kill each other.

"Come on, let me untie you." She began to shake her head as you reached behind her, the anxiety within her clearly growing. "What's wrong? Can you try to tell me?" Her eyes kept darting to the same spot, directly over your shoulder. Looking closely at her glowing eyes, you could see the reflection of a man standing behind you. Firming the grip on your gun, you spun on your heel to face him. The shock of seeing the man who stood before you almost made you drop your weapon.

"Rumlow?" No, this can't be right. "Sam said you were dead. What are you doing here? What did you do to her?"

He cocked his head to the side as if to consider how to respond. A slow smile crept over his face and an uneasy look in his eye made shivers run down your spine. His scarred and beaten body stood motionless as he regarded you, until his hand moved from behind his back. You armed your gun, setting your stance for a fight. A deep, guttural laugh came from him as he opened his hand, holding a grenade.

You reached back and grabbed the woman's arm to drag her towards the door as fast as you could. "Steve we gotta move!" But there was no response; they must be blocking your communications. Just a few feet from the door, your arm stretched out to grab it, almost close enough to think that you might just make it.

"Two more shall take its place!"

The tips of your fingers barely reached the splintered wood of the door beneath them as the searing heat and force of the explosion threw you violently against it. Your grip on the woman faltered, and you lost sight and sense of where she was. The walls bowed and the door broke free as your body was flung into Steve, who was standing just outside.

~~~

Consciousness was a fleeting concept as your eyes fluttered open to the sounds of Steve's voice and the growing howl of sirens.

Barton, we need to get these two back to the tower

Your eyes began to burn from the smoke that surrounded you and from the flash of the explosion. Just closing them for a moment should help...

No, I'm fine. Romanoff, I'm fine. Just get her out of here.

"Steve, the woman..." Your voice was barely above a whisper. It was strained and rough from the smoke inhalation. "Where...where is she?"

"She's here, (Y/N), she's alive. You got her out. Now we need to get you back to the tower, okay?" You made a weak effort to push yourself up so that you could see her and to see if Matt was okay. "Hey, no, (Y/N) lay down. Now."

"I want to see."

"Matt's with her. Please lay down, (Y/N). I don't know how bad your injuries are."

Your body wasn't really in any shape to go find her anyway, but knowing that Matt had found her would have to be enough to satisfy your concern. All you could do was lay and wait until Clint came for you. The sound of hurried footsteps came closer; opening your eyes, you saw a frantic Matt stop next to you.

"(Y/N)...it's Karen. The woman you saved is Karen."

Part 6

"Matt, you can take the mask of now." You were sitting with him outside of the infirmary at the tower, waiting for news on whether Bruce could help Karen return to normal after whatever Rumlow had done to her. "Everyone has seen you already."

"She hasn't."

"Yeah, right, I forgot." You winced as you pulled the ice pack away from your head, the wound from your impact after the explosion still bleeding slightly. "Well, if anyone can help her, it's Banner. She's in good hands."

He nodded, staring at the floor. "Thank you for finding her, (Y/N). I'm really sorry about my behavior back there, I think I was just anxious about what could have happened to her...and you."

"You don't need to worry about me, Matt. I can take care of myself." With a quiet moan, you leaned forward, your elbows resting on your knees and your head hung low. "There's a garbage can to your right, can you pull it over here?"

Steve had been walking towards you, carrying a kit to suture your wound, but saw you and moved faster to your side. "Hey," he sat next to you and held your hair back, "breathe slowly. Try to stay calm."

After a few minutes, you felt able to sit up again, the wave of nausea passing. You kept your eyes tightly shut, leaning back against the wall as Steve began to prepare his supplies. "Do we have to do this right now, Cap?"

"If we wait too long, we can't stitch it, you know that. Let's get you laying down, just to be safe." He wanted to lead you into the infirmary, but you grabbed his hand to stop him. "We can't go in there. She doesn't know who he really is, and she can't know. Let's just do this here."

"No, (Y/N), go. It's okay. I'll wait here for word on how she's doing." Matt stood to help you up, with Steve on the other side. Your gait slipped a bit as you stood, but both men moved quickly to steady you. "Captain, you got her?"

Steve straightened, as if he were insulted by the insinuation. "Always."

~~~

"You know, I'm starting to think it's all the damn testosterone floating around in here that's making me dizzy, not the concussion."

"That's hilarious." Steve grabbed your waist and lifted you onto the gurney, moving behind you to begin the work on suturing your wound. "It's not like that. I just don't want him to get any ideas about you working with him again. He seems to think there's more going on between us though."

You squeezed your eyes shut and sucked in a harsh breath as he began to suture your skin together. "If I didn't know better, Steve, I would think the same. You've been acting really strange lately. I'm not yours to worry about."

His hands paused for just a moment; barely noticeable but enough so that you caught it. "I know that, (Y/N). I don't trust the guy, and I don't trust you when you're around him."

"You don't trust me? Have I not proven myself time and time again? Sure, I screwed up when I spent time with him, and I've admitted that before. I stopped when you told me to, and still would be if he hadn't asked us for help. So what is it?"

"He's a vigilante, (Y/N). He's going against the law to do what he thinks is right." Steve took a long breath, continuing to cut away the ends of the ties that he had secured in your skin. "What if the day comes when we have to stop him? I worry about which side you will take."

You put your hand up to stop him so you could turn to face him, "Steve, come on. That shouldn't even be a question in your mind. Now, come on, what's really bothering you?"

He slowly set down the instruments he was using, but didn't raise his head to look at you. "I can't feel this way about you. It's not appropriate for me...I'm not in a position to..." He shook his head as if to shake the thoughts away. "I just can't." He grabbed a new gauze pad and held it to your head, securing it before he let go. "We're done. Rest for a minute before you get up." Steve pulled the gloves from his hands with a loud snap, throwing them down on the gurney forcefully as he walked away.

~~~

Matt was still sitting outside the infirmary when you finally came out, sitting with his arms folded as he leaned back against the wall.

"So, all better?"

It still amazed you how he could know it was you without you making a sound. "Good as new. So, any word on Karen yet?" You grabbed your phone from your pocket as it buzzed incessantly.

We've got a lead on Rumlow. I'm taking a team out.

He looked insane, Steve. Be careful.

Always am.

"They may have found him, the man who had Karen. Steve's taking a team out now to track him." You sat next to Matt, putting a hand on his. "He'll get him and find out what he did to her."

He nodded, but pulled his hand out from under yours. "The doc said he thinks he can reverse whatever it was. He's trying another formula right now." Standing, he moved to the window of the infirmary and lowered his head. "This needs to work. This is my fault."

"Matt..."

"Please, don't try to make me feel better. Don't do that." He stood in silence for several minutes, the sounds of his breathing filling the silent hallway as you waited for anything from him. Finally, he sighed and turned around towards you, "Once this is over, you're gone again, aren't you?"

"You know I am. Nothing has changed." Your words were cold and deliberate, but necessary. You promised Steve that there was no reason for him to be concerned about your loyalties, so it had to be clear with Matt as well.

You startled and stood quickly as Bruce exited the infirmary and walked towards you, slowly removing his glasses as he spoke. "I think we've got it. But," he pointed at Matt cautiously, "we'll know for sure in the next hour."

"You didn't say who I was, did you?"

"No, that's not for me to divulge." The doctor put his hand on Matt's arm, reassuring him as best as he could. "As soon as I know, I'll give you lead time to get out of here before she wakes up." He gave you a brief smile as he walked back in to monitor Karen as she recovered.

"I'm going to go now, (Y/N). I can't be here anymore."

~~~

It had been a day since Steve had left, and your anxiety had been terrible. With Matt gone, you weren't sure if he was going after Rumlow himself, or if he would let your team deal with it as they had promised. He wasn't answering his texts or calls, and you worried that he was out there doing something stupid. Karen had been released from Bruce's care that morning, but you had no way to tell him if he wouldn't even acknowledge you. Relief came a bit when you had finally heard from Steve.

We have him.

Are you okay?

It seems he was acting alone. Will be there soon.

You could feel your body relax, knowing that the team was returning, and that Rumlow had gone solo; the thought of a new HYDRA team in New York was more than you had the energy to deal with right now. Now, if only you could get to Matt to tell him.

And then it occurred to you where you had to go.

The alleyway was dark and cold, and you strained to listen for anything that could be Matt watching you. This was where you had first met, so it made sense that if he were still tracking you, he would be here. He wouldn't just let go that easily, so if he wouldn't communicate, perhaps he was watching from a distance. A quiet rustling sound came from the roof to your left; you straightened and rested your hand on the knife in your jacket, in case it wasn't him.

"Is that you?"

His dark figure dropped in front of you, taking a step back from the blade you were instinctively now holding to his throat. "Son of a bitch, I've told you that you can't do that! Just walk up to me like a normal person!" You slid the knife into your boot and stood with your hands on your hips as you spoke.

"She's okay. Or did you know that already?"

"I know."

"And they got Rumlow. Did you know that too?"

"I know."

You were growing frustrated with his short responses and lack of apparent thankfulness for your help. "Well, do you know that you're an asshole?"

He stood silently, without any reply and without movement.

"I'll take that as a yes. I assume you're being cold and standoffish so that this is easier for you, so let me help. You're welcome for the assistance, and please do not contact me again. Ever." You spun on your heel to walk away, but he grabbed your arm to stop you, still saying nothing.

Your posture mirrored his, waiting for him to say anything at all. "Matt, the day may come when my team has to stop you. When I...when I have to stop you. Know that my loyalties lie with my team, and I will do what is necessary."

"I know that, (Y/N)." He released you and began to back away. You knew that he wanted to say more, but his voice was restrained. "Thank you for everything you did, and please tell Doctor Banner that I'm in his debt. Tell that overgrown Boy Scout thanks too."

That was it; that was the last straw. You charged forward and shoved him back with both hands to his chest, slapping him across the face as hard as you could. He did nothing to fight back as he had in the past. "You arrogant bastard! He helped you despite how he feels about you, and you should be grateful that he did. He helped us, even after I hurt him. Do you know what it's like to hurt someone that you...that you..." Your words trailed off as the revelation came; that you felt more for Steve, and that Matt felt more for you.

"Yeah, I know that too."