𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 || 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘌𝘺𝘦𝘴

"THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN WHERE I WOULD'VE TAKEN YOU FOR A TRIP."

Wanda looked up from her tea to Carter. The man was lounging back in a chair on the other side of the table of the cafe establishment they were using for recon. Sunglasses blocked out the sun, but she could just tell he was staring at her contently. A certainly more natural occurrence that she didn't mind. Having his full attention made her the center of his universe and that was enough for her.

Grabbing her spoon to stir the contents in her cup, she smiled. "Where then?"

He exhaled heavily, glancing around with a particle of interest in his heart. "Norway. Maybe England," he answered. "Preferably not for Avengers purposes." He smiled, earning one in return as Wanda bowed her head.

Lagos wasn't as terrible as Carter was making it out to be. But Wanda dumped it down to him being upset that he was brought along because Steve needed him for the mission. And despite him still being at the Avengers facility, providing direct assistance to Vision, they dragged him from his lab to accompany them on the mission.

For months, Brock Rumlow, ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, ex-STRIKE Force team leader, and ex-HYDRA soldier had been making hits all across the world. It'd been enough to warrant the Avenger's attention in tracking him down and finding out what he was going to do next. And now they found themselves in Nigeria with Rumlow's main target being a police station.

"Cut the chatter," Steve ordered over the coms, making Carter roll his eyes in annoyance. Wanda sipped her tea, glancing behind her, absorbing her surroundings carefully before facing Carter once again. "What do you see?"

"Standard beat cops. Small station. Quiet street," Wanda listed off. "It's a good target."

"There's an ATM on the south corner, which means?" He inquired the woman.

"Cameras," she answered.

"Both cross streets are one-way."

"So, compromised escape routes," Wanda said.

"Means our guy isn't afraid of being seen. He isn't afraid of making a mess on the way out," Steve explained.

A soft chuckle filled the coms. "Rumlow hasn't ever given a shit about being quiet unless it was ordered upon him," Nova stated.

"You see that Range Rover halfway up the block?" Steve asked.

Both Wanda and Carter glanced to their side, seeing the vehicle through the sea of people walking past. Looking at one another, Carter smiled. "You gifting me that, Steve?" He asked. "I know you are grateful for my continued help, but this is too much, buddy."

"It's adorable," Wanda added with a smirk.

"It's also bulletproof," Natasha spoke up, "which means private security, which means more guns, which means more headaches for somebody. Probably us."

Wanda smiled. "You guys know I can move things with my mind, right?"

Both of them glanced at Natasha who was seated two tables away. "Looking over your shoulder needs to be second nature," she replied, smiling at the pair.

"Anybody ever tell you you're a little paranoid?" Sam asked.

"Not to my face. Why? Did you hear something?" Natasha quipped.

"Baby, you're a little paranoid." Nova's response made Carter chuckle softly, adjusting his button-up shirt.

"I guess you aren't getting any of Carter's Pumpkin Winter then."

"Woah! Let's not go jumping to conclusions-"

Through the couple's jokes, Steve interrupted them. "Eyes on target, folks," he scolded. "This is the best lead we've had on Rumlow in six months. I don't want to lose him."

Sam let out a short scoff. "If he sees us coming, that won't be a problem. He kind of hates us."

"Well, he hates you the most. I mean, you beat the shit out of him before the Triskelion came crashing down on him," Nova countered. "So, don't go roping me into your guys' marital problems."

"Nova, you're lucky I won't smack you upside the head-"

"Sam..." Steve interjected once again, "you see that garbage truck? Tag it."

"What would we do in Scotland?" Carter's eyes snapped to the woman across from him, seeing her lips faintly curved in a smile. And for a moment, Carter could forget about the mission. More enthralled by the unprecedented interest the woman had in the conversation.

"Go to Edinburgh. Maybe see the Edinburgh castle. For sure see the Highlands," he began. "Then, I would probably teleport us to Norway just to sightsee. No tours. Just to take the beauty in with our own time and curiosity."

In the past few months since Sokovia, Carter hadn't propelled himself in drowning Wanda in his presence. Instead, he opened the opportunity for her to come to see him when she wanted. Finding her presence late at night when he was working in the lab would be a nice addition to the already mundane work he would be doing for the rest of the year before leaving.

And in that opening for her, they'd gotten closer and intimate in certain moments but never pushed beyond the flirting or longing looks. Carter simply wouldn't, based entirely on the idea that they didn't have years of knowing one another under their belt. And he had his entire life to wait for the right moment.

"Sorry to break up the date plans, lovebirds. But that truck is loaded for max weight. And the drivers armed." Sam's words made the pair straighten up in their seats.

"It's a battering ram," Natasha realized.

"Go now."

The order made Wanda fumble, looking at Carter who was already sliding from his chair to stand. "What?"

"He's not hitting the police."

That'd been enough for the pair to start moving. "Nova, can you get us a location?" Carter asked, placing a hand on Wanda's back as they crossed a street.

"Uh, next right. They seemed to be heading toward the Institute For Infectious Diseases."

The pair broke into a sprint as the sound of gunfire began to fill the air. Rounding the corner, they saw the dump truck had broken the arc in front of the facility the cement guard blocking access. Now, cargo trucks were parked in front with mercenaries pilling out of the vehicles, shooting guards and firing tear gas into the building.

"Body armour, AR-15s. I make seven hostiles," Steve announced.

Manifesting his LVOA, Carter ghosted his palm over the magazine and clenched his hand. Teleporting, he was placed in the center of the gunfight as both Steve and Sam had already started engaging the terrorists.

"I make five," Sam responded as Wanda appeared at Carter's side.

A soldier came from behind one of the trucks and Wanda was quick to use her powers to make the man tense up. "Sam," she announced, ready to lift the soldier for Sam to take out from the sky.

Carter scowled and shot the man in the chest with a snap of his rifle that he held in one hand. The non-lethal rounds knocked the soldier unconscious with snores able to be heard. Looking at the girl, he was greeted by the smirk that tugged at the corner of her lips. He scoffed, shaking his head and walking forward.

"Rumlow's on the third floor," Sam announced, looking down at his wrist pad.

Steve appeared, motioning to Wanda. "Wanda, just like we practiced."

"What about the gas?" She asked.

"Get it out," he answered simply.

Stepping onto the hood of one of the trucks, Steve leapt with Wanda's help and propelled him through one of the windows to deal with the internal targets. Carter quickly strapped on one of the Kevlar vests before summoning Rex and Vash. They stood at his waist height and looked to him for orders. But as gunfire lit the air, all directed at Wanda who was slowly pulling the gas from inside the building, they understood and ran at the reinforcements.

It'd been a while since Carter had been in the field. The use of the Hounds and Judge had been minimal and the random consumption of energy wore heavier than he would admit. But he wasn't planning on getting used to it again as his priorities were needed back at base.

Nova flew overhead, blowing up the trucks the soldiers were hidden behind with repulsor blasts. Landing beside Carter, they watched Wanda slowly propel the gas into the air.

"Rumlow has a biological weapon," Steve announced.

"I'm on it," Natasha replied and that'd been enough for Nova to shoot off to assist her girlfriend.

Securing the facility, Carter did his best to pull the guards from the rubble and provide some sort of medical assistance. Reassuring them that they would be okay. But for most of them, the severity of the gunshot wounds was drastic. And Carter, someone who hoped wouldn't see as death claimed victims, watched many of them fade from blood loss.

"Sam. He's in an AFV heading north," Steve announced with a groan.

Sam turned to Wanda and Carter. "You guys can get there on your own?"

Looking at one of the trucks, Carter sighed. "Yeah, I got it."

The man nodded before flying away, pursuing Rumlow. Carter got in one of the trucks and Wanda followed as they sped out of the facility parking lot and toward the direction AFV should be going.

He drove through the streets with a certain level of urgency. Shifting gears with breakneck precision as the team continued to relay information from one another. Wanda held onto the handle above her head, glancing at Carter as his jaw stayed clenched, one hand sitting on the steering wheel while the other rested on the shifter.

Ahead, the road began to close up with a truck blocking the road. Carter slammed on the brakes, causing Wanda to yelp out in surprise as her body slammed into the seat when the vehicle abruptly stopped.

Reaching into his pocket, he handed a holo device to the woman. "Direct me."

Turning it on, Wanda stared at the screen that expanded on the surrounding area with multiple blue circles signifying the team appeared. "Uh, back up and take the right."

"Not enough time." Pulling the e-brake, he slammed his foot on the gas. It caused the vehicle's back end to swing left as he raced down a narrow alley. The pair bounced in the vehicle, watching ahead in anticipation.

Looking down at the pad, Wanda announced, "Next left!" He responded in time to drift onto the road and shift gears, forcing the vehicle to jolt suddenly. "Ahead is where the team is."

Arriving at the bazaar, Carter swung the car to the side of the road, jumped out and sprinted toward the center with Wanda by his side. Making it to Steve, they arrived just in time with Rumlow's S-Vest was about to go off. But Wanda used her powers to suppress the blast. She groaned, face scrunching up as she lifted Rumlow into the air and sent him flying.

But the moment her powers deteriorated, Rumlow was sent near a building, and the explosion blew up multiple of the floors of the building. It took a moment before Carter fully realized what had happened. Staring at the burning apartment building, his heart rising in his throat.

He couldn't save them.

Despite the shock, Steve pressed his finger to his earpiece. "Sam...we need...we need fire and rescue on the south side of the building," Steve muttered before running toward the entrance. "We gotta get up there."

But Carter didn't move. He just stared, breathing shakily as he swallowed thickly and bowed his head.

He couldn't protect them.