LANA HAD enjoyed her date with Steve. After a few months, they had grown closer, occasionally going on more dates. Lana stood in her kitchen over the stove when Steve walked out of her room. He dipped his finger into the pasta sauce she was making causing her to slap his hand, "Ow. That's really good."

"I know it is. I followed a recipe, I can't cook." He laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist and looked over her shoulder.

"So I have a question. At the moment we're just friends. Who go on dates," Lana rolled her eyes at that, "But do you want to be more than friends?"

"So you want to be my boyfriend?" Lana asked causing him to nod, "Well, you practically live here and you eat my Coco-Puffs. So, yes, Steve I'll be your girlfriend because I practically already am. Just don't tell the team. Or my sister."

"Why not?" Steve asked as she turned in his arms to face him.

"Have you met my sister?" Lana joked, "Did you get Stark's invite to the tower?"

"Yeah. What are we even celebrating?" Steve laughed.

"Who knows," she then gasped mockingly, "Do you think he knows you lost your virginity?"

"Shush. Are you going?"

"Natasha's making me. Are you?"

"If you're going I'll be there," Steve flirted. She laughed and pushed his face away turning back to the sauce.

➴

The team was called in for a mission and Lana sat with Natasha in a truck. Natasha kicked a robot off the door as it was attacking them. Clint stood in the back shooting arrows at the ones that were coming from behind.

Tony flew in from the side and flew up into the sky. A tank drove up next to them and a machine powered up as a guy pointed it at them. Lana took out a powered gun and went to fire at him but Thor dropped down and hit the guy with his hammer.

He jumped onto a post where some men were firing at the truck. He knocked them off the post.

Lana leaned back into the seat and adjusted the cuffs on her wrists. They focused her powers and helped her control them.

"How are they working out?" Natasha asked as she drove.

"They're ok. I mean it's helped me not be drained when I use my healing." Lana replied. She got up in her seat and shot at the soldiers in front of her, that the rest of the team weren't already fighting.

The truck went to the edge of the barrier and the three heroes jumped out. Lana fought a guy and she heard Tony swear over the comms, "Shit!"

"Language!" Steve said, "Jarvis, what's the view from upstairs?"

"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield," Jarvis replied, "Strucker's technology is well beyond any other HYDRA base we've taken."

"Loki's sceptre has to be here," Thor said, "Strucker couldn't mount this defence without it. At long last."

Lana was shot at as she approached some men. Her hand raised in defense and they floated with it. She flicked her hand and the men flew into the trees. Some were dead and some were knocked out. From beside her, Natasha threw an explosive into a tank causing it to explode.

They fought with the soldiers and Natasha spoke over the comms, "At long last is lasting a little long boys."

"You think?" Lana snorted. She shot at one as an arrow whizzed past her.

"Yeah. I think we lost the element of surprise," Clint said.

"Wait a second. No one else is gonna deal with the fact that Cap just said 'Language'?"

"I'm gonna tease you about that forever," Lana laughed.

"I know," Steve replied. He was silent for a moment until he was heard again, "Just slipped out."

"Sir, the city's taking fire," Jarvis said.

"Well we know Strucker's not gonna worry about civilian casualties," Tony stated, "Send in the Iron Legion." Over her head, Lana could see Tony's robots flying into the city.

Lana evaded bullets with Clint. As he looked around a tree to fire his arrow, it was caught by something speeding by. He tried once more and was knocked onto his back. Lana tried to get a hold of the figure but it was too fast.

"Are you good?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"You didn't see that coming?" A man with silver hair said as he walked by. He smirked and sped away leaving Lana and Clint to shoot after him.

"Teenagers scare the shit out of me," Lana muttered.

Clint looked towards the small building that was firing at them and had no time to jump out of the way as they fired at him. He groaned and Lana knelt down beside him.

"Clint!" Natasha ran over.

"We have an enhanced in the field," Steve said over comms.

"Clint's hit!" Lana replied.

She looked at the gaping wound in his side and hovered her hands over it.

"Somebody, want to deal with that bunker?" Natasha asked as she and Lana ducked from the lasers that were being shot at them. Hulk roared as he jumped towards it and smashed it.

"Thank you," Lana said. She hovered her hand over the gaping wound and the skin started to repair itself. The back of her head started throbbing and she stopped. She placed a bandage over it as Clint groaned.

"Stark we really need to get inside," Steve spoke.

"I'm closing in," Tony replied then he muttered to his AI, "Jarvis am I closing in? Do you see a power source for that shield?"

"There's a particle-wave below the north tower," Jarvis responded.

"Great I want to poke it with something." He was silent for a moment before he spoke once more, "The drawbridge is down, people." Lana heard Steve and Thor talking as she helped Natasha pick up Clint.

"Clint's hit pretty bad guys. We're gonna need evac," Lana said.

"I can get Barton to the jet," Thor replied, "The sooner we're gone the better. You and Stark secure the sceptre."

"Copy that," Steve replied.

"Looks like they're lining up," Thor stated confused.

"Well they're excited," Steve commented. A moment later a sound bang, echoed through the forest.

"Find the sceptre."

"And for gosh sake, watch your language!" Tony cut in. Lana laughed as she heard Steve sigh.

"That's not going away any time soon."

"Most definitely not. I will tease you about that till the day I die," Lana laughed. Soldiers surrounded the three, "We're locked down out here."

"Then go to Banner. Time for a lullaby," Steve replied.

Natasha turned as Hulk came in and took care of them. He growled as he threw part of the tank in a random direction.

"Hey big guy," she said. Lana watched them from a safe distance next to Clint. Natasha breathed heavily as he turned to her, "Sun's getting real low." He growled at her and she crouched into the snow, putting her hand out for him.

He came towards her and put his hand towards hers. As she turned them facing upwards, he placed his big one in hers - she moved over his arms and traced the veins. As she took her hand away he grunted at the loss of contact. He stumbled back and into the trees.

Lana walked towards her sister with a smirk, "You like him."

"Banner?"

"Yeah. You appreciate both sides of him."

Natasha's face flushed as he came back, "I care about him. Don't like him," she muttered. She handed the Dr the shirt in her hand and he took it graciously.

"We have a second Enhanced. Female. Do not engage," Steve spoke.

Thor came helped them carry Clint to the jet. Lana set him down as Tony's voice came over the comms, "Thor, I got eyes on the prize."

Tony had come into the jet 20 minutes later and Natasha took off. Steve took a seat next to Lana and she rested her head on his shoulder.