VENTURE
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Sadie shouldn't have been so nervous. It was a routine mission, and she'd successfully taken part in many just like it over the last two months. But this time, when she'd read the brief, it was different.

This had children involved.

"Otto Vermis," Steve explained again, when they all stood on the Quinjet, the plane set to autopilot. He pulled up a projection of the man's image- a cold, cruel looking man with deep lines in his face and a monocle Sadie doubted was for vision purposes. "Known high-ranking member of HYDRA. Rumour has it he's taken up philanthropy, opened an orphanage outside the city of Florence."

"That's a hell of a career change," Sam said, sounding like this was his first time hearing any of it.

It probably was, Sadie thought, since Sam never read the briefs. Instead, he just turned up with his wings and managed to get through it all on a moment's notice. Sadie was slightly jealous- when it came to this sort of thing, she had to study. She didn't have that self assured ease that came with experience on hundreds of combat missions. So to emulate it, she studied every target, risk assessed for every possible outcome, memorised the facts and the figures and the witness statements.

"All the kids have one thing in common," Sadie said. "They're all enhanced in one way or another. And their parents have all died recently, in car accidents, or of rare diseases- some of which, I gotta mention, aren't even known to exist in Italy. So these deaths are all likely to be murders, and if they are...It's safe to say Vermis is behind it all."

"How many kids?" Sam asked. "What are their ages?"

"Seventeen kids, all between the ages of five to eighteen, a mix of genders. It's going to be a tight squeeze in here on the way out," Natasha answered. "Seriously, Sam, will you ever read what I send you?"

"My brain is like a sponge, Widow, I can soak up info like that," Sam said, snapping his fingers confidently. "You only gotta tell me all this once."

"Vermis is wanted for questioning by the Italian Army," Steve spoke up, again. "We've agreed to hand him over to them when we finish, but they're going to have to keep us updated."

"If HYDRA could get into SHIELD then they can get into the Italian Forces," Wanda pointed out. "Especially considering the history of it all."

"We've requested the CIA send in some double agents, make sure Vermis doesn't get out of this scot-free," Natasha said. She paused, adding hesitantly: "We've done our best."

Natasha didn't mention the elephant in the room. It was a well-known fact, at this point, that with the criticisms of the Avengers' operation in Sokovia, there was a constant struggle now to get foreign affairs in order. Europe in particular, didn't completely trust them. Sadie couldn't blame anyone for that. She turned the topic back to what's important.

"We know that these children are facing abuse- mentally, emotionally and physically," Sadie said. "They're being trained up to be HYDRA's new wave of weaponry. But it's more than likely they've been brainwashed into their agenda, especially the younger ones. They might not want to leave."

"Which is why the two of you," Steve said, gesturing to Wanda and Sadie. "Will be handling the evacuation. We want to make this as gentle as possible, so try to convince them verbally first. Sadie, you're gonna heal up anyone who needs it. And last resort-"

"I use my power to make the children leave," Wanda said. "Like we did in Sokovia."

"Just like that," Steve confirmed. "Me, Sam and Nat will bring in Vermis."

"We gotta find him first though," Nat said, pulling up the maps of the 'orphanage', entrances and exits all highlighted in red. "The place is a fortress, but we've located all the entrances and exits, and we're not letting anyone leave."

Sadie had seen those blueprints before as well, studied it so she knew her way directly from where they'd land the plane to where the children were kept, and back. She estimated it would take nine minutes each way, but there was no telling how long it would take to get the kids ready to leave. A minor issue, though- if they could get the older ones to buddy up with the youngest, it would make it much smoother.

Sadie only had one glaring gap in her knowledge, and it was a detail she'd tried so hard to fill, to no avail.

"Do we have any new information on what the kids' enhancements are?" Sadie asked, and she was frustrated to see Steve shake his head.

"I'm sorry. If any of them pose a threat, one of us will be down to help you," he said. "But I doubt either of you will need us."

He was right, she supposed. Perhaps it was fitting that she and Wanda, who both had powers somewhere beyond their understanding despite their mastery, should be the ones to help the children who undoubtedly felt the same confusion. Sadie ran her hands down her side, double checking the buckles of her leather suit. She checked each one again.

"Touch down in ten," Nat commented, before turning her tone into a saccharine sarcasm. "Sam, if you need us to repeat anything for you, please let us know."

"Very funny," the soldier said, without a hint of amusement.

"You should have done your homework," Wanda smirked. "Like the rest of us."

Sadie tuned out of the bickering, instead reaching towards the duffel bag she'd brought with them, tossing each of the three heroes a litre water bottle each.

"Drink up," she reminded them, uncapping her own drink. She could have sworn she saw Natasha holding back a laugh, though she couldn't understand why. "Doctor's orders."

"Alright, Mom," the red haired woman sniggered, but Sadie wasn't phased. They'd all be thanking her later when they were fighting fully hydrated.

As the group all split to prepare, Sadie went over the list of the children who were English speakers. Eli Bradley, Jessica Drew, Katherine Pryde. She'd memorised those names for reference, she'd memorised them all. Those three, in particular, were all in their late teens and hopefully a little more aware of HYDRA's manipulation. But she supposed age was no indication of autonomy.

"I don't think your bandages and tape will have disappeared in the last two minutes since you checked that belt," the voice was Steve's. Sadie didn't realise she was rooting through her supplies until he'd pointed it out.

"I'm just triple checking, I feel like I'm missing something," she said, trying to play it off.

The truth of the matter was that every time Sadie had been on a mission, from D.C to now, she'd always been right by Steve's side. And it had been reassuring. Not because she felt she needed him to protect her, or that he needed her to protect him, but rather because it had always made it easier to know he was just ahead of her, or two steps behind. To know that if he hurt himself, he'd be in arms reach, and she would be there in time to heal him.

Now, though, Sam, Nat and Steve were heading into this facility with no real clue as to where they would find Vermis, or his goons. Which meant, in turn, that Sadie wouldn't know where her friends would be- where Steve would be- if she needed to get to them at any given time. According to Natasha, the trio would be 'winging it', while Sadie and Wanda focused on their task.

"Ah, of course," Sadie laughed, pretending a realisation had dawned on her. She reached forward, grabbing something metal from the bench and shoving it into her utility belt. The steel of the blades were cold under her skin, the sort of thing that was so useful, and so dangerous. "Scissors! That's what I'm missing."

She hated that Steve seemed to be able to see right through her. She only hoped he wouldn't press any further, because then she'd be sure to tell the truth and embarrass herself. He stepped forward, took her gloved hands in his own.

"Can we agree on something?" he asked, and she hummed in response. "Neither of us are going anywhere the other can't follow. We'll make it a policy."

Sadie closed her eyes for a moment, checked her own breathing. When she opened her eyes again, she realised his statement wasn't rhetorical.

"Not a policy," she answered. "A promise. Don't go where I can't follow."

Steve just nodded his head, and she let go of his hands. "Okay. I promise."

They landed the Quinjet near enough to make for a smooth evacuation, but not close enough to be detected. Then it was a case of moving on foot across the arid acreage, staying low and quiet, to avoid the sentries. God, this place was certainly no orphanage if it had armed guards.

Sadie's heart was in her mouth as they approached the site- a large, pale stone building, with ivy along its side, and tulips at its base. Something straight out of a postcard. But she knew the horrors that were taking place inside.

The team halted, waiting as Sam navigated his drone, the first part of their plan on entry. Sadie watched carefully as the drone- 'Redwing', Sam called it- halted behind the guards, who were more concerned with having a chat than keeping an eye out. And so, it was less than ten seconds before the guards were slumped on the ground, with tranquilisers in their necks.

A quick gesture from Steve ('you go left and we'll go right') had the team finally split, as Sadie and Wanda headed towards the east gate, and Steve, Sam and Natasha moved west. They were feather light on their feet, just as Nat had taught Sadie to be, leaping over the gate with ease, and making their way into the building.

It was a stark difference, the picturesque façade of the exterior, compared with the dark of the interior. The air grew more and more stagnant the further into the fortress the duo crept, Wanda sending any guards conveniently to sleep with her powers as they made their way towards the children's quarters. And when they reached it, Sadie had never seen any living conditions so horrific.

The room was small for the amount of people, perhaps the size of Sadie's own bedroom at home, but this room fit far more than seventeen kids. She glanced at Wanda when she finished her headcount, and it seemed Wanda had realised it too. There were twenty six children in this room. It'd be more than a tight squeeze on the Quinjet.

A few of the older ones stood, although it was a wonder how they found the room to do so, and already defensive in their stance. Sadie recognised two in particular, the ones she knew she could communicate with, without a language barrier. Eli Bradley, stood closest to her, shaved head displaying tribal patterns, face cold and hard. Sadie knew from his files that he was of Caribbean heritage just like her, he'd had an upbringing just like hers, until HYDRA.

Jessica Drew, stood beside him, tall and beautiful despite her age, and a small boy latched onto the material of her red leather jacket. She was the first to speak, loud and confident before either Sadie or Wanda had a chance to open their mouths.

"Who the hell are you?" Drew asked, and Sadie had to admire the strength of her tone.

"My name is Doctor Moore," Sadie started. "This is Wanda Maximoff. We're here to rescue you."

"From what?" Bradley asked. The kids in front of him made way as best they could as he walked closer.

"I was like you," Wanda spoke, gently. "I was like all of you. But Vermis, he's messing with your minds, trying to mould you all into something you're not."

"We want to help you," Sadie added. "We have a plane, you could all come aboard, we'll get you out of here-"

"You think we couldn't all leave if we wanted to?" The voice was sudden and close, and Sadie hated that she jumped slightly in shock, but she couldn't blame herself. Katherine Pryde had just walked into the room through the wall. "We stay because we have a purpose."

"Which is?" Wanda asked.

"To save the world," Drew said. "From the likes of you. Avengers. You're what brings chaos to the world."

"And who told you that?" Sadie challenged. "Otto Vermis? You think he cares for any of you?"

"He gave us a roof over our heads," Bradley argued, strongly. "He took us in when we were alone. HYDRA took us in."

"HYDRA is the reason you were alone in the first place," Wanda said, suddenly. "HYDRA killed your parents."

"Wanda-"

"No, they need to know the truth," she said, silencing Sadie swiftly. "These people staged all of the events of the past year, so that they could bring you here, turn you into weapons. Just like they tried to do to me, and to my brother. They make you think it's your choice, when really, they've orchestrated everything."

"What do you mean they killed our parents?" Drew asked, her voice a deadly calm. Sadie had to diffuse the situation.

"We'll explain it all when we get back to the States," Sadie said. "Please- we don't have much time. You can't live like this."

"She's right," Pryde said, much to Sadie's relief. "We already lost Adam and Tom and Katy-"

"If we go with you," Bradley said. "You have to promise that what you say is true. You have to give us this information about our families. No secrets."

"No games, no conditions," Drew added.

"We promise," Sadie said, carefully.

"Are you sure?" Drew said. "'Cause if you go back on your word, that'll be it for you. We aren't deciding this on a whim. We have the upper hand here. We are all extremely powerful, and extremely angry."

"You have every right to be," Sadie nodded. "But we're going to tell you the truth, and we're going to let you live the lives you should be living. Not... this."

Eli Bradley didn't speak, only stared into Sadie's eyes, waiting to see when she would crack. She didn't, held his gaze for a long moment until he broke their stare, turned to the room and spoke for a while in Italian. It seemed he had chosen to believe her, because soon, all the children were gathering their things, ready to follow Wanda out of the base.

"I'll take the back of the group," Sadie said, relief flooding through her. Perhaps this operation would be smoother than she thought. Wanda nodded her way, and soon, the kids were filling out.

Sadie was ready to follow until she recognised a limp in the steps of one of the boys, perhaps about eight or nine. She knew no Italian, but stopped him with gestures, until he nodded, and rolled up his shorts to reveal the bandaged cut on his thigh. The bandage was rancid, and Sadie was sure that it hadn't been swapped for days, so she removed it, well aware that the group were halfway down the hall. Healing the wound didn't take much time at all, the glow of her hands knitting skin and muscle back together, until the boy was able to run off after the group.

Sadie straightened up, a satisfied smile on her face as she spoke into her communicator. "We've convinced the kids. On our way out."

"Great," Nat replied, but Sadie was suddenly frozen. "Progress on our side is slow but sure."

There was the feeling of something cold and metal on her temple, and Sadie knew instantly what it was. She was being held at gunpoint, and Otto Vermis was the one posing the threat.

"Give me your gun," the man spoke, slowly, European accent thick, and he was so close that she could smell his putrid breath.

Sadie let her hands make her way towards her utility belt, removing the weapon, and placing it in Vermis' open palm. She knew that she should be coming up with a plan, making some sort of maneuver to get herself to a more advantageous position, but all Sadie could focus on in that moment, was the metal against her skull. She was a deer in headlights.

"Anyone got eyes on Vermis?" the voice was Steve. It sounded like his teeth were gritted, and she could hear the clanging of metal on metal in the background.

Sadie raised a shaky hand to her communicator. "I do."

"Where?"

"Right in front of me," she said, watching the smirk on Vermis' aged face grow wider.

"Take that out," he said, pressing the metal a little harder against her temple. Sadie could feel her heart hammering against her ribs. She complied, removing her communicator from her ear. "Put it on the ground." She did, dropping the plastic and metal device to the floor. "Crush it."

Sadie could hear the voices of her teammates through the speaker, could hear Steve asking her for more information, but she did as she was told, and brought her foot down onto the device.

"Good," Vermis surmised. "Now, you are going to show me your vehicle, and fly me out of here."

"I- I can't fly," Sadie stammered, dropping her hands to her side. That was when she felt the outline of something- something sharp, something so useful, and so dangerous.

"Then you know what you have to do, don't you, Aceso?" Vermis chided.

"Yes," she said, fingers inching towards the scissors in the pocket of her belt. She left her fist curl around them.

"You have to learn how to-" Vermis's words were cut short as Sadie ducked beneath his gunpoint rapidly, and drove the blade of the scissors into his neck, hard as she could.

She heard the bang of the gun as the bullet missed her, then the clatter of it hitting the floor as she buried the scissors further in, breaking skin and veins and muscle. Vermis's eyes were wide as he watched her, spluttering for breath. But somehow, despite it all, he managed to speak those famous words:

"Cut off one head, and two more shall take its place."

"Not this time," Sadie said, before tugging the scissors out of Vermis's neck in a spurt of red blood, and he dropped to the ground, lifeless.

When she looked up, Steve was just arriving, eyes worried and shield ready, but the threat was gone. Otto Vermis had made his last play.

~

Cut off one head and two more shall take its place.

That's what they said, every one of them, whenever they got the chance. HYDRA mocked Steve every time he'd won, or at least thought he had. He used to dismiss it as an empty threat, a taunt designed to unnerve their enemies, maybe one that would become a self fulfilling prophecy if you believed it.

Now, he wondered if there was truth in those taunts. He wondered why he bothered.

Steve thought back to the books he'd read, the ones about practising mindfulness that Wanda always left lying around. It was all sound advice. So he focused on the feeling of the couch beneath him, the textured fabric on the cushions, the smell of the piping coffee he'd brewed for himself, felt the air as it filled his lungs.

Maybe it was his focus, or maybe it was something different, but Steve knew it was Sadie entering the room without looking to the door behind him. He knew her by her footsteps, by her perfume, by the undeniable tug in his heart. She trodded over gently, dragging her feet which sported bunny slippers that looked incredibly comfortable. That, and the fact that she'd switched into loungewear told him she'd be staying over in the guest room again. Not that he minded.

"Uh oh," Sadie said, sitting beside him. She looked defeated, despite her optimistic tone. "Someone's looking a little too pensive for my liking."

"I'm meditating," Steve said with a smile, distinctly aware of how he'd unconsciously leaned into her, but he wasn't about to pull back. "I do that now."

"My apologies," she replied, distorting her voice into a posh accent. It would have made him smile more if her demeanour wasn't so... off. Like despite her jokes, she was unsettled. Sadie leaned forward, picking up his mug of coffee from the table. "For me? Thank you."

"No, for me," he said, moving to take it back, but she was already taking a sip. "You know, I'd already drank some of that. I was waiting for it to cool."

Sadie only shrugged. She left a lipstick stain on the grey ceramic. "I don't mind sharing if you don't. And I don't mind my coffee hot either."

"My coffee," he corrected, and she smiled, handing the mug back to him. She didn't look like she was joking about sharing, and Steve didn't know if he could stand getting up and making another, so he drank, and gave it back to her, and she drank again. "This is actually disgusting. This is how people get diseases."

"Hmmm, super-soldier immune system, extremely healthy and undiseased doctor," Sadie joked. "I think we're fine. Besides, we could have both died today so I'm feeling particularly reckless."

Even as she laughed, there was something about the usually bright sound that seemed empty. Steve tried scanning her face for answers, but she looked more interested in watching the steam rising from the mug in her hands.

"Hey, mission accomplished though," Steve tried, nudging her slightly. "We did okay. Got those kids to safety."

"And I killed Otto Vermis," Sadie said, her voice suddenly quiet. "You were there, you saw me. And now I'm getting away with it."

There it was. What was troubling her, right in front of him for hours now and he hadn't realised. He hadn't realised that this was her first kill, hadn't thought anything of it as she stood over Vermis's body, those bloodied scissors in her hands. Steve hadn't thought anything of it, because he was too distracted by the hate he felt for HYDRA.

The truth was, he'd worried that when they handed Vermis over to Italy, the tyrant would find a way to manipulate his situation, as HYDRA had done time and time again. So when Vermis lay there dead, Steve had been too caught up in the relief he felt to know that he would never hurt another soul again. Too relieved to remember that Sadie Moore wasn't a killer like the rest of them. He hadn't even realised.

What kind of man did that make him?

"I should have left it in," Sadie said, shaking her head. "It's the one rule with a stab wound- you don't remove the weapon. But I took it out, I stopped the tamponade, and I didn't heal him. I could have healed him."

"He was going to kill you," Steve reminded her, and he could hear how desperate he sounded. Perhaps because he was. Just the thought that Sadie could have died today...

"I know," she said, but she still looked torn. "I know he was a bad guy. I know he murdered hundreds, and he would have done the same to me too, if I hadn't got him first but..."

He knew. He knew how she felt, how he had felt when he'd first killed a man. Despite the reasoning, despite the reminders that it was war, Steve still remembered the first man he killed.

"I swore to do no harm," Sadie said, with a bitter laugh. She out her head in her hands.

"You did it to save people," Steve said, even though it felt redundant. "To save yourself. If you didn't, you wouldn't be here right now. You wouldn't be safe."

Sadie sat up again, stared right at him, unwavering. "I am never doing that again. Okay? Never let me do that again, I'm never doing that again."

"Okay," Steve said, rubbing circles on her back. "I won't let it happen."

"I would rather die than do that again," she said, and he knew she wasn't lying. It terrified him.

"I won't let that happen either," he vowed, and he meant it. If she wouldn't fight for her own life, he would. "I've got your back."

"And I got yours," she said, her voice in that tender tone that made his heart skip a beat. "You're impossibly kind to me, you know that?"

"Not impossibly," he answered, truthfully. It wasn't impossible to be kind to her at all- it was the only thing that felt natural. He could never be unkind, couldn't even bring himself to be indifferent. Being kind to Isadora Moore was the only thing that made sense. "It's you. You invite it- you're just good."

"You still think I'm good after today?" Sadie asked, and his heart had never felt so heavy.

"You're the greatest woman I know," he told her, truthfully.

"Don't lie," Sadie laughed. "I know a lot of kickass ladies. My mom to start. Savannah and, oh! Adrianne, of course, she's fabulous. You know Nat, and Wanda, and Cho and I even met Pepper Potts the other week! That woman is-"

"Stop it. Don't do that," Steve warned, frustrated with her attitude. "I told you, already. You're the greatest woman I know. Since when did you have trouble taking a compliment?"                

It was moments like this, moments alone with her, that Steve seemed to forget all shame and inhibition. The only time he could truly speak from the heart, without thinking twice about whether it was the 'right' thing to say. So he spoke.

"Sadie, regardless of what happened today, regardless of anything you're not proud of," he started. "I admire you. Don't laugh it off, 'cause it's true. I admire your work ethic, your intelligence, the way you don't give up on anything without a fight. You're caring, and you're strong, and you really are the greatest woman I know."

Sadie only stared at him, stunned. Steve waited for her to say something, to no avail.

"Stop gaping at me like that," he laughed, but it made no difference. Still, she was silent. "You're the greatest woman I know! It's true, and I'll say it a billion times until you stop me. You're the greatest woman I know, you're the greatest woman I know, you're the greatest woman I-"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Sadie laughed, loudly, putting her hands over his mouth. "Look, I don't know if you've ever considered this," she added. "But I'm not nice as you think I am, you know. Multiple times a week, I am absolutely terrible to complete strangers, for no real reason."

Steve found that hard to believe, but he decided to play along, if only for the amusement it seemed to give her.

"What sort of crimes do you get up to then?" He asked her, when she finally let him speak. She leant forward to whisper in his ear, her dark curls brushing across his cheek as she cupped his ear, glancing around for any onlookers.

It seemed like Sadie had deemed their environment safe, because she then told him, in her best impression of a cartoon villain: "If I tell you, you must never speak of this again."

"You have my word," Steve responded, mirroring her dramatic tone. She pulled away slightly- but only slightly. In fact, Sadie still leaned into him, her hands on his chest. He indulged a little, snaked his left arm around her waist. Enough to keep her close, not too much to make her feel trapped.

"Sometimes I don't give up my seat for old people on the subway," Sadie admitted, with a slight shrug.

"That is actually a lot more severe than what I thought you might say," Steve said. "So if there's a poor old lady, tired and aching, you won't let her sit down?"

"Of course I will! If the train is full and if I'm the nearest to her," Sadie explained. "But like, if there's a couple fellas man-spreading over four seats, I expect them to move. And most times they do, if you just stand your ground."

"Makes sense," Steve concluded. He knew he was smiling stupidly, could even feel an ache beginning to take hold of his cheeks, but he couldn't help himself. "What else?"

"I jaywalk, a lot. Especially if I'm in a rush," Sadie said. "Although I suppose that's not illegal anymore, right?"

"It's dangerous is what it is," he reminded her, and she scoffed. "In New York City?"

"Let those cars even try to hit me," Sadie challenged.

"And if they do, let's hope they have insurance," Steve chuckled. "So, is that all?"

Sadie was quiet for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she stared off at the wall. Then she sighed, slightly frustrated.

"Well, when you're interrogating me like this," she argued, pushing off from how she was leaning into him. "I obviously can't think of anything else!"

"It's settled then," Steve shrugged casually, but he already wanted to pull her close again. "Still think you're good- even if you are mean to old ladies and inconvenience traffic."

"I can't stand for this, it's against my morals and the laws of nature," the voice was that of Tony Stark, waltzing in and destroying their peace, a tired looking Natasha Romanoff in tow. Tony slid over the back of the couch, and placed himself conveniently between Steve and Sadie. "Sorry, Intern, but we gotta establish a minimum of half a meter space between the two of you at all times. At least until you're married. Cap's traditional that way."

"Very funny, Tony," Steve said, not even attempting to hide his annoyance, but his friend only grinned, and wiggled his eyebrows in a way that made Steve want to scream. The man knew precisely what he was doing.

"We're talking about how evil I am," Sadie said, ignoring the rest of Tony's speech, to Steve's relief. He watched as she snatched a slice of toast from the plate Natasha walked by with. Steve hadn't realised she was such a thief.

"That's hard to believe," Nat answered, seating herself in a separate chair like any sane person would.

No matter how long Steve glared at him, Tony didn't seem very interested in moving. But the couch was designed for two, and now Steve was squashed against the arm, Tony's elbow digging into his ribs, hard. Regardless of the discomfort, he obviously wasn't about to give in and move, not when he'd been there first. In the end, Sadie moved, and seated herself beside Natasha. Too far away.

"I've seen plenty evil, and it doesn't wear bunny slippers," Tony said, simply, and Steve would have agreed if he wasn't still so annoyed. Now that there was the space for it, he nudged the billionaire harshly away from him.

"Would you lay off the damn slippers?" Sadie laughed. "I could wear slippers, and be a bad guy if I wanted to."

"No, you are literally stood in the middle of missions, while the whole team is getting their asses beat-" Natasha pressed her hand to her ear as if speaking into a communicator and did an awfully inaccurate impression. "Is everyone hydrated, is everyone hydrated? Drink water, guys! Stay hydrated!"

"It's cold everyone, I hope you're wrapped up tight! If anyone needs 'em I brought blankets on the Quinjet!" Tony added, in a similar, but equally as bad attempt at Sadie's voice. "Especially you, Iron Man- you're at a high altitude, maybe you can fit it in your suit!"

"Hey, team, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, come get some-" Natasha let out a mock-excited gasp, before adding in a sing-song voice: "Granola bars!"

"Hey," Sadie said, sternly. "My Caribbean ass does not eat granola bars for breakfast. The rest of it is true. But, I'm just trying to look after you guys! Steve, back me up."

As amusing as this all was, Steve wasn't sure that placing a stake in this debate was the smartest move. So he took a sip of his coffee- their coffee, now- as Sadie stared at him, eyebrows raised and waiting for a response. He savoured it, before setting down his mug and shrugging slightly.

Steve had never seen her look so betrayed and insulted as she gasped, furrowing her brow. "C'mon, back me up!"

"I don't know, Sadie," Steve said, cautiously. "You once threw a water bottle out the jet after me and told me to catch it."

"I bet it came in handy, though!"

"It only hit me on the head and messed up my landing," he laughed. "Could've got a concussion with the speed of it. And it spilt all over the floor before I could pick it up. That's generally what happens when you throw a plastic bottle out of a plane."

"That's why I told you to catch it. And what you get for not having a drink when I told you to," Sadie said, rolling her eyes. Natasha and Tony were still laughing. "I need new friends, none of you appreciate me."

"I'm sorry," Steve said, already feeling a little guilty. "I never said it was a bad thing."

"Oh, I forgot interns need positive feedback," Tony said, before clearing his throat and speaking very carefully. "I thought it was very kind that you brought me a blanket for my suit that one time. But it ruins the look."

"It wouldn't if you wore it on the inside," Sadie argued. The worst thing about it was that she seemed to be deadly serious. Steve held back his laughter.

"You realise I have heating in there, right?" Tony said. "It is a vehicle."

"Tell me again when you have pneumonia, Stark," she shrugged, still standing her ground. Inevitably, her steady resolve made his heart swell.

"You're a complete weirdo," Natasha said to Sadie, blowing a bubble with her gum.

"But you love me for it."

"Sure," Natasha shrugged. That made Sadie smile her beautiful smile that Steve couldn't take his eyes off. It made Tony audibly cringe beside him.

"Gross. I just got here and now I'm gonna puke," the billionaire said, beginning to waltz out of the room. "But I'll try and fit the blanket in my next design! Maybe you could bring me a sick bowl while you're at it too, Doc!"

...
..
.

Hi guys!

So this chapter is extremely long as compared to my usual, I was considering splitting it into two updates since there's like 10 million tone changes, but I decided against, I gotta upload all I can before school starts on Monday- first year of uni, how mad!!!

I drew a lot of inspiration from the comics in this one, and as much as I love writing the comic characters- particularly Jessica Drew- those are going to have to be one off appearances, unfortunately! This chapter was really fun to write though, since this entire mission and its aims were so open for me, and I missed writing a bit of action, although, of course, I had to put Sadie through it again ahahahaha

Please vote, comment, and let me know what you all think!

Hope you enjoyed!

-Amber.