chapter fifty-eight
broken bridges

"𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐈 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐃 '𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 get into trouble', this is exactly what I meant." Steve looked over when he heard Grace's voice and saw her walking toward him with an annoyed look on her face. "Do you know how many phone calls I've gotten in the last hour since your little car chase in Bucharest?"

"Look, Grace—"

"Secretary Ross wanted you all to be prosecuted," she continued, starting to walk in the opposite direction and he quickly followed behind her. "We had to make a little compromise... There'll be a few consequences."

Steve furrowed his brows. "Consequences...?" he asked apprehensively.

"Would you rather be in jail?" she countered, turning to look at him fully for the first time since he had returned and he sighed. "I know he's your friend, but you're breaking laws here, Steve. And I can't just ignore that."

He pressed his lips together. "I'm not getting that shield back, am I?"

"Technically, it's the government's property," Natasha answered him, walking up behind the couple with Adelaide who seemed to be avoiding Grace's gaze. "Wings, too."

Sam stared at her. "That's cold."

"Warmer than jail," Tony said in passing and Grace glanced over at him. "You know, I never thought I'd live to see the day when the man my father wouldn't shut up about became a criminal. Who knew..."

Grace fluttered her lips and walked toward the fourth man. "Everett Ross," she said and he turned at the sound of her voice. "Promise me those suits and everything won't be damaged."

He nodded. "Officially, his shield is in your possession as you made it," he told her and she raised her eyebrows. "So, what would you like me to do with it?"

She glanced back at Steve who was talking to Adelaide. "Hold onto it for now," she replied with a sigh. "I'd prefer to keep him here. Thanks."

Everett Ross nodded shortly and walked away. "So how many times do I have to say sorry before you're no longer angry at me?" She turned her head and saw Steve standing behind her.

"I'm not angry," she told him quietly. "I just... think you made the entire Accords situation so much worse. People were already angry enough and then... then the UN building blew up and you were seen chasing the man who's supposedly responsible for it." She ran a hand over her face. "And Kennedy." She let out a small groan. "You know, all I wanted was an easy life. It's like the universe is laughing in my face."

Steve held onto her shoulders. "I'm sorry I chased after Bucky," he said and she looked up at him. "I really am. But if he was responsible for the bombing at the UN, it needed to be me to bring him in. I didn't take into account that he would run away."

"It's what they do, Steve," she replied with a sigh. "They see a person who's a threat and they either fight or run. In this case, he and Kennedy did both. You also destroyed a bridge."

"Well, if I had enough money, I would pay for the damages."

Grace smiled lightly and let out a puff of air. "Don't worry," she said. "I already took care of it." She leaned her head against his chest. "Just... don't do anything that would make the government hate you even more. And, frankly, I don't need people telling me that my fiancé is a criminal."

"I promise."

She nodded. "Okay," she whispered, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his nose. "I'm gonna go talk to Addy. And you..." She turned him around. "Are gonna have a heart-to-heart with Tony."

"But—"

"Steve."

He looked back at her and pressed his lips together. "I'll talk to Tony..."

She smiled sarcastically. "Thank you."

⸻ ~~~ ⸻

"𝐈'𝐌 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐌𝐀𝐃, 𝐘𝐎𝐔 know." Adelaide looked away from the window when she heard Grace's voice and saw her standing in the doorway. "I'm actually more relieved that you are not dead from the bombing," she added, walking toward her.

"Is the government after me, too?" Adelaide asked quietly and Grace tilted her head. "I know Steve is now a criminal in their eyes. Sam, too. Am I also considered one?"

"Addy—"

"All we were trying to do is bring them into custody," Adelaide continued, glancing at the monitor in the corner and Grace followed her gaze. Both Bucky and Kennedy were strapped to a chair to prevent either of them from escaping. "Frankly, I think they need help rather than being strapped to a chair."

"I know they need help," Grace told her gently. "But there's only so much we can do—"

"And why are the Maximoff twins confined to the compound?" Adelaide asked and the brunette furrowed her brows in confusion. "They make one mistake in Lagos and now they're basically grounded?"

Grace opened her mouth. "They—They're what?" She scoffed to herself before shaking her head. "Oh, for the love of—" She looked down when she heard her phone ring. "Happy, now really isn't a good time."

"I just wanted to confirm that you would be free to meet the person chosen for your internship," Happy replied making her knit her brows in confusion.

"My what?"

"Your... internship?" he said, sounding more like a question. "Mr. Stark told me that when he was selecting for his internship, he would take the liberty of selecting yours as well."

Grace nodded slowly. "Right... An internship for what, exactly?"

Adelaide looked over at her. "Internship?" she whispered and the brunette shrugged.

"Uh, inventing," Happy replied. "Did Tony never tell you about this?"

"Of course not."

Happy let out a breath. "I'll be sure to inform her that the internship has been canceled," he said and she opened her mouth. "Enjoy yelling at your nephew. Too bad I'll be missing it."

"No, wait." Grace glanced at the notebooks that covered the nearby table and she walked over to them, flipping open one of them, tracing her fingers over her rough designs. "I'll—I'll do it. Just... once everything over here is all settled and I can get the government off of Steve's back."

"Wonderful!"

"What's her name?" Grace asked, closing the notebook.

"Olivia," he replied. "Olivia Hart."

⸻ ~~~ ⸻

"𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐒 in the compound?" Grace asked, walking into the room that Tony and Steve were currently sitting in. "Why would you do that?"

"In case you forgot, Aunt Gracie, but their little show in Lagos didn't do them any favors," Tony replied and she sighed, rubbing her temple in frustration. "And they aren't a US citizen—"

"So your solution was to lock them up?" she asked, turning around to look at him. "They just need some training and they can help make some good in the world."

Tony shook his head. "The US doesn't grant visas to weapons of mass destruction."

Grace paused and stared at him. "Who are you?" She scoffed. "What happened to the Tony Stark who told me how much he wanted to help people? Now you're locking up people because they made one mistake? Come on, Tony, they're young!"

"Just give me a break!" he snapped and she shook her head, groaning into her hands. Steve stepped in between them. "I'm just doing what has to be done so that nothing worse happens."

"They've been alone since they were kids," Grace said, glancing back at him. "They've only ever had each other. And then they were under Hydra's control, put into a prison, essentially. And maybe just when they were wondering if they could actually help people, they're locked up again."

"They have Vision to keep them company," he told her and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, 'cause that makes everything better," she replied sarcastically, shaking her head. "I'd hide if I were you," she told him, walking toward the door.

"Why?"

"Because Addy is angry and she has her eyes set on you," she said, opening the door when she glanced at the pen in Steve's hands. "The FDR pens. One of Howard's prized possessions..." She closed the door behind her and let out a breath, looking up at the monitors, and saw Adelaide standing in front of Kennedy. "Don't kill her, Addy..."

⸻ ~~~ ⸻

"𝐒𝐎 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐍𝐃 Bucky didn't bomb the UN, then who did?" Adelaide asked, crossing her arms as she stood in front of the blonde assassin. "I'm trying to help you here. But you staying silent isn't helping matters."

"Well, I'm strapped to a chair," she spat out. "It makes me less likely to be cooperative."

Adelaide huffed. "Just tell me who did it."

"How the hell should I know?" Kennedy retorted with a frown. "I've been in Bucharest for the past year and a half, I'll have you know. Didn't even know about the bombing until it hit the newsstands and you idiots came to find us."

"If we didn't, you'd both be either very dead right now, or worse."

"Worse than death?" Kennedy asked in amusement. "Sweetie, I've been through worse than death. And this sure as hell isn't it." She looked around the room. "How'd you even get in here? And where's Bucky?"

"He's in the room next door with his own interrogator," Adelaide said, sitting in the empty chair and crossing one leg over the other. She tilted her head. "You really care for him, don't you?"

Kennedy rolled her eyes. "Is this some desperate attempt of yours to try and get me to crack?" she asked with a mocking chuckle. "If you use someone I care about, then I'll suddenly bend to what you're asking."

Adelaide shrugged. "Maybe. But you did answer my question," she said with a taunting smile that made the former assassin groan. "I'm only saying, if you really cared for him, you'd tell me the truth so that he's no longer the threat."

"Look, I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, but I don't know who bombed the fucking UN," Kennedy said slowly, starting to lose her temper. I wish I could say that it was me, but it wasn't. I've been trying to redeem myself, or whatever the hell I'm supposed to be doing. So I've been living in Bucharest with Bucky, attempting to cook something without burning down an entire apartment building and living inconspicuously. What more do you want to know?"

Adelaide sighed. "Then why would they frame you?" she asked.

"Because we're easy targets, you dummy," Kennedy replied with a small huff. "After your friend released all of SHIELD's secrets onto the internet, she brought Hydra's with it. And then everybody found out about me and Bucky. And because we have a... history, we're easy targets. Someone bombs the UN? That can easily be put on us and nobody would question it. So, baby agent, it looks like you're back to square one."

Adelaide stood up and let out a breath. "Well, thanks."

"Oh, could you ask someone to turn up the heat a little?" Kennedy called out and she glanced back at her. "I may be a wanted criminal, but I like to be warm."

She nodded. "I'll see what I can do..." She closed the door and rolled her neck. "Oh, she's gonna be the death of me..."

⸻ ~~~ ⸻

an: sorry i just disappeared...
writer's block is a real bitch...
and i still don't really like the
chapter...

anyway, you've officially gotten
the first mention of olivia :)

in case you missed it, she's
the third addition of the in
the shadows universe (and
her eventual own book with
peter as the love interest)

and another child that
sees grace and steve as
parents