12 hours later
Washington DC

Aaron, Bobbi, and Steve were at the Triskelion. They marched straight into Fury's office to confront him.

Steve: You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you?

Fury: I didn't lie, Agent Romanoff had a different mission than yours.

Bobbi: Which you didn't feel obliged to share.

Fury: I'm not obliged to do anything.

Steve: Those hostages could've died, Nick.

Fury: (turns to face Steve) I sent the greatest soldier in history, one of the best combatants that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s got, and the fastest man alive to make sure that didn't happen.

Aaron: You know I can't use my speed as part of my training program and my cover, right?

Steve: Soldiers trust each other, that's what makes it an army. Not a bunch of guys running around shooting guns.

Fury: (gets up) Last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye.

Aaron scoffs and Bobbi rolls her eyes while Steve just glared at Fury.

Fury: Look, I didn't want doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff of comfortable with everything.

Steve: I can't l lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their own.

Fury: It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets because nobody knows them all.

Aaron: Except you, right?

Fury looked like he was considering something for a few seconds before responding.

Fury: You're wrong about me. I do share. I'm nice like that.

Fury gestures Steve, Aaron, and Bobbi to follow him into an elevator.

Fury: Insight bay.

Automated Voice: Captain Rogers, Agent Morse, and Agent O'Connor do not have clearance for Project Insight.

Fury: Director override: Fury, Nicholas J.

Automated Voice: Confirmed.

The elevator began descending.

Steve: You know, they used to play music.

Aaron: They still do, it's just not as common as before.

Fury: Yeah. My grandfather operated in one of these things for 40 years. My granddad worked in a nice building, got good tips. He'd walk home every night, roll of ones stuffed in his lunch bag. He'd say "Hi", people would say "Hi" back. Time went on, neighborhood got rougher. He'd say "Hi", They'd say "Keep on steppin'". Granddad got to gripping that lunch bag a little tighter.

Bobbi: He ever get mugged?

Fury: (chuckles) Every week, some punk would say "What's in the bag?"

Steve: And what'd he do?

Fury: He'd show 'em. Bunch of crumpled ones and a loaded .22 Magnum.

Aaron: Ah.

Fury: (walks to a window in the elevator) Granddad loved people, but he didn't trust them very much.

The three turn around and saw what Fury referred to as Insight bay. It was a hangar that had 4 helicarriers, but these ones have a lot more guns and new turbines.

Fury: Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than a .22.

The elevator stopped and Fury gave them a tour of the bay.

Fury: This is Project Insight. 4 next-generation helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites.

Aaron: Launched from the Lumerian Star.

Fury: Once we get them in the air, they'll never need to come down. Continuous sub-orbital flight, (gestures to one of the turbines) courtesy of our new repulsor engines.

Steve: Stark?

Fury: He had a few suggestions once he got an up-close look at our old turbines.

They walked to another platform as Fury showed them the weapons the helicarriers had.

Fury: These new long-range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole. We're gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen.

Steve: I thought the punishments usually came after the crime.

Fury: We can't afford to wait that long.

Aaron: We?

Fury: After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surge in threat analysis. For once, we're way ahead of the curve.

Steve: By holding a gun to everyone on Earth and calling it protection?

Fury: (turns to Steve) You know, I've read those SSR files. "Greatest generation?" You guys did some nasty stuff.

Steve: Yeah. We compromised. Sometimes, in ways that made us not sleep so well, but we did it so that people could be free. (points to the helicarriers) This isn't freedom, This is fear.

While this was happening, Aaron and Bobbi noticed several agents and workers glancing at them and whispering something to each other before separating. If that happened once or twice, they wouldn't have thought anything of it, but it happened at least 6 times, which they found suspicious.

Fury: (walks closer to Steve) S.H.I.E.L.D. takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be. It's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Captain.

Steve: Don't hold your breath.

Steve walks away as Aaron and Bobbi turn to Fury.

Bobbi: Something's up, Fury. Aaron and I noticed several agents looking at us then whisper something to each other before separating.

Fury: Yeah, I noticed that, too. For now, try not to do something that would draw attention. (turns to Aaron) I'll slip something in your pocket when you walk past me, Aaron. Should mask your energy signature.

Aaron: (confused) Why?

Fury: The inhibitor you got decreased your energy signature, but it wasn't enough to get past our tracking algorithm. This new one should be more than good enough for that, and it's less conspicuous.

Aaron nods before he and Bobbi walk past Fury. Just as Aaron did so, he felt something get tucked into his right pocket. He decided to inspect it when he's out of the bay.

Aaron and Bobbi made it to the garage as they walked to their respective vehicles. Aaron took a deep breath before turning to Bobbi.

Aaron: Hey, Bobbi, can I ask you something?

Bobbi: Yeah, sure. What's up?

Aaron: I was uhhh...I was wondering if you're...free this Friday?

Bobbi: Why?

Aaron: Because I was thinking that maybe we could uhh...y'know...hang out together...juts you and me?

Bobbi: Are you asking me out on a date?

Aaron: I mean, if that's what you want to call it, then yeah.

Bobbi: (smirks) Sure.

Aaron: Great. I'll text you when.

Bobbi: Looking forward to it.

Aaron nods before he and Bobbi walk their separate ways. As soon as Bobbi was out of sight, he released a breath he didn't know he was holding as he walked. He then ran to a nearby wall and did a backflip on it before calming down.

(A/N: Yeah, but that backflip tho!)

He walked to his car, a red 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and got in. He went into his right pocket and found a Casio wrist watch with a message at the back of it.

Courtesy of an old friend
-NJF

He chuckled as he put the watch on his left wrist before starting the engine and driving out of the garage.

Timeskip

It was nighttime, and Aaron got to the apartment building where he and Steve are staying. He turned off the engine and got out of his car when he heard a familiar motorcycle engine. He turned to see Steve park his bike.

Aaron: You seen Peggy again?

Steve: Yeah...

Aaron knew that Peggy Carter was still alive, and that Steve visited her everyday, and that she suffers from dementia, meaning that even though Steve sees her everyday, she still reacts as though she saw him for the first time in 70 years.

Aaron thought that it wasn't healthy for Steve to put himself through that everyday, but he couldn't blame him. Maybe if Aaron was in Steve's shoes, he'd probably do the same thing. So he didn't say anything about it.

Aaron: Okay...

The two entered the building and saw their neighbor, Kate, exit her apartment with a laundry basket and a phone between her head and her shoulder. She notices Steve and Aaron before turning back to whoever she's calling on the phone.

Kate: I gotta go, though. Okay. Bye.

She hangs up and direct her attention to Aaron and Steve.

Kate: My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac.

Aaron: She sounds nice.

Kate: Yeah, she is.

An awkward silence formed between the three before Steve broke it.

Steve: Hey, if you want...If you want, you're welcome to use our machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement.

Kate: Oh, yeah? What's it cost?

Steve: A cup of coffee?

Kate: (chuckles) Thank you, but umm...I already have a load in downstairs, and you really don't want my scrubs in your machine. I just finished a rotation in the infectious disease ward, so...

Aaron: Oh, okay.

Steve: (chuckles) Well, (puts his hands up) I'll keep my distance.

Kate: Hopefully, not too far.

Aaron: Alright, well, good night, Kate.

Kate: Good night, Aaron.

Steve and Aaron began to walk to their apartment door before Kate got their attention.

Kate: Oh, and I think you left your stereo on.

Steve: Oh. (turns to the door then to Kate) Right. Thank you.

Kate nods before walking down the stairs.

As soon as Kate was out of sight, Steve and Aaron leaned closer to the door, and sure enough, they heard 1940's music from inside.

Steve never leaves the stereo on, and neither does Aaron. Besides, the oldest album that Aaron owns is Elton John's Too Low for Zero, which came out in 1983. Anything older than that belonged to Steve.

They decided to enter the apartment from the outside. They climbed in through the window and stealthily walked to the living room. Steve picked up this shield, which was resting on the wall as they slowly turned the corner. What they saw was a surprise.

It was Nick Fury sitting on a chair next to the record player.

Steve and Aaron let their guard down.

Steve: I don't remember giving you a key.

Aaron: Me neither.

Fury: (grunts as he sits up) You two really think I'd need one? My wife kicked me out.

Aaron: Huh. Didn't know you were married.

Fury: A lot of things you don't know about me.

Steve: (walks towards Fury) We know, Nick. That's the problem.

He turned on the lamp, only to find that Fury had several cuts and bruises on his face. Steve was about to say something before Fury raised his hand and turned the lamp back off.

At that point, Steve and Aaron noticed that Fury was holding his phone. Fury was typing into it before showing what he typed to them.

EARS EVERYWHERE

Steve and Aaron knew what Fury was getting at, and decided to play along.

Fury: (looks around) I'm sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash.

He typed into his phone again and showed it to Steve and Aaron.

S.H.I.E.L.D. COMPROMISED

Aaron: (looks at the phone, then at Fury) Who else knows about your wife?

Fury grunted as he got up from the chair and walked closer to Aaron and Steve while showing them what he typed.

THE THREE OF US

Fury: Just...my friends.

Steve: Is that what we are?

Fury: That's up to you.

Aaron: (sighs) Well, you couldn't have picked a better time.

Fury: Really? How's that?

Aaron: Tonight's movie night. Steve and I were planning to watch Rush. You're welcome to-

He was interrupted when several bullets went through the wall and hit Fury in the back. Steve and Aaron dragged the injured Fury to cover when the former noticed a figure holding a sniper rifle.

When they got to cover, Aaron took off his jacket and pressed it on Fury's wound, hoping to at least slow down the bleeding long enough for him to get the help he needs right now.

Fury grabbed Steve's hand and slipped something on it.

It was the drive the Natasha had on the Lumerian Star.

Fury: Don't...trust...anyone.

Suddenly, they heard the door burst open.

???: Captain Rogers? Agent O'Connor?

They peeked out of the corner and saw Kate with a pistol in their hand. She noticed them.

"Kate": Captain, Agent, I'm Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D. Special Service.

Aaron: (confused) Kate?

"Kate": (lowers her gun) I've been assigned to protect you two.

Steve: On whose order?

"Kate" turned the corner and saw an injured, bleeding Fury.

"Kate": His.

She knelt down to Fury and quickly checked his pulse before taking a radio out of her pocket.

"Kate": (into the radio) Foxtrot is down. He's unresponsive. I need EMTs.

Dispatcher: (on radio) Do we have a 20 on the shooter?

Aaron perked up when he heard that. She didn't say anything about a shooter, how the hell did the dispatcher know that Fury was shot?

Steve noticed the figure beginning to flee.

Steve: (to "Kate") Tell him I'm in pursuit.

Aaron: Steve, wait-

Steve didn't listen, as he jumped out of the window and crashed through the window of another building across the street and began to chase the shooter.

Aaron wanted to take off his new inhibitor and go after them, but he couldn't risk S.H.I.E.L.D. knowing that he's the Flash, especially after Fury told him and Steve that it was compromised. So he stayed with Fury and waited for EMTs to arrive.

Timeskip

Steve and Aaron were at the hospital, watching the surgeons try to save Fury.

Natasha and Bobbi entered the room and saw what was happening and gulped.

Bobbi: Is he gonna make it?

Aaron: I don't know. I hope so.

Natasha: Tell me about the shooter.

Steve: He's fast. Strong...Had a metal arm.

Bobbi glanced at Natasha when Steve said that. It looked like Natasha recognized what he was talking about.

Hill walked up next to the four and watched.

Natasha: Ballistics?

Hill: Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untracable.

Natasha & Bobbi: Soviet-made.

Hill: (turns to Natasha and Bobbi) Yeah.

Suddenly, they heard the EGK machine flat-lining as the surgeons got a crash cart and put a defibrillator on Fury's chest.

Steve and Aaron could hear Natasha and Bobbi say "don't do this to me, Nick" several times as the doctors tried to restart his heart...

To no avail.

Nobody could believe what happened before them.

Nick Fury is dead.

Doctor: Time of death: 1:03 AM.

Aaron put his hand on Bobbi's shoulder, but she immediately hugged him tightly and sobbed into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall.

Steve, Aaron, Bobbi, and Natasha were standing in a room with Fury's corpse, trying to process that he is truly gone.

Natasha and Bobbi were standing next to Fury's deathbed, while Aaron and Steve were standing in the back, giving the ladies some space.

Hill walked up to the two.

Hill: I need to take him.

Aaron nodded before walking up to Natasha and Bobbi, with Steve following suit.

Aaron: Bobbi.

Steve: Natasha.

Natasha and Bobbi stormed out of the room and into the hallway when Steve and Aaron followed them.

Aaron: Bobbi. Nat. Hang on a second.

They stopped and turned to Steve and Aaron.

Natasha: Why was Fury in your apartment?

Steve: (sighs) I don't know.

Aaron: (shrugs)

???: Cap. O'Connor.

They turn to see Rumlow walking towards them.

Rumlow: They want you two back at S.H.I.E.L.D.

Steve: Yeah, give us a second.

Rumlow: They want you now.

Aaron: (sighs) Alright. We'll be there.

Rumlow walked away from them as they turn back to Natasha and Bobbi.

Natasha: You two are terrible liars.

She walked away from the three. Aaron was about to say something, but Bobbi stopped him.

Bobbi: Don't. Just don't.

Aaron could only nod in response as Bobbi walked away.

Steve took the drive out of his pocket and showed it to Aaron.

Aaron: Is that...?

Steve: Yeah, it is. We need to hide it somewhere.

Aaron: I got an idea.

He gestures to the vending machine next to them and noticed something.

The drive was the same shape and size as the bubble gum.

Aaron and Steve turn to each other and nod. It's not the best idea, but it's good enough until they leave the Triskelion.

They manage to hide the drive behind all the bubble gum before joining Rumlow.

Steve: Let's go.

Rumlow: Yeah. (turns to his team) S.T.R.I.K.E., move it out.

They exit the hospital and drive to the Triskelion.

Hopefully, they get to the bottom of this quickly.