The Soldier

The Shooter

(Kind of jumping past the whole fight in the beginning of Captain America Winter Soldier, they are back at Washington and Alex is hanging out with Steve.)

          "Well, that was a pain in the ass." Alex called out, she was riding on the back of the motorcycle that Steve drove to SHIELD. 

          "One more curse word and I'm making you walk to the museum!" Steve called back as the roar of the motorcycle engine blurred out their voices. They made the final turn and ended up at the Smithsonian where there was a Captain America display. Steve parked the motorcycle and Alex got off. She frowned. 

          "So much for keeping your life subtle. What are we doing here exactly?" Alex asked as she reached into Steve's side bag and grabbed a jacket and a hat. She hated having to hide her identity when she was out and about. 

          "Just think of it as a field trip Kid." Steve playfully punched her arm as he walked past her putting on a a hat. She rolled her eyes and walked alongside him to the exhibit. 

           It was pretty difficult to stay undercover walking through a busy museum, but Alex and Steve were able to manage. Steve was speaking to a man as Alex stopped in front of a exhibit. She listened to the recording about the Howling Commando's a team Steve once worked with in the war. She couldn't take her eyes off of his partner James Barnes. 

          "Hey, who is this? This James Barnes guy." Alex asked poking the Avengers side trying to get his attention. He frowned and turned to look up at the photograph next to his. 

          "That is my best friend James Barnes. We called him Bucky. He passed away in a fight with Hydra by my side." Steve explained. He tugged on her jacket so she turned facing what he was looking at. It was a memorial of Bucky himself. She squinted her eyes and walked over to the memorial plot, reading about Bucky. She felt sympathy for Steve as she looked at the photograph of his close friend. 

          "I'm sorry for your loss. Its a damn shame though." She looked at Steve who was now at her side.   

           "What do you mean?" Steve looked down at her. She shrugged and looked at the photograph again. 

          "Your boy was damn cute!" She giggled, Steve smiled and rolled his blue eyes and looked at the photograph with her. 

          "Well, he was quite the charmer. And you wanna know something, I think he would have liked you. You both got the same kind of crazy spirit. Not to mention the heart when it comes to battle." He nudged her. She almost lost her balance as she broke her contact with the photograph. 

          "I'm sure we would have been great friends." She smiled at the photo again. 

       Alex's flight back to New York wasn't until the next day. Steve offered her to stay at his apartment until the morning. She accepted the offer. They drove back to Steve's apartment. She stretched her legs and followed Steve up the stairs. 

         "So you gonna ask that neighbour out?" She asked huffing behind Steve. He chuckled and ignored her question. Natasha and Alex have been trying to get him to get back into the dating world again. 

         "When are you gonna stop worrying about my love life?" Steve asked her chuckling looking back at her. 

        "When you get a damn date. Speaking of, now if your chance Rogers." She chuckled as his neighbours door opened. A girl with blonde hair came out holding a laundry basket. Alex chuckled again and pushed Steve towards the attractive blonde. He swatted at her and missed and stood up straight when the two looked at each other. 

         "Hey neighbour." The woman smiled at him. Alex watched the two exchange words. 

        "Well if you want to use my machine, save you some money." Steve offered to her as Alex held back a laugh. The woman looked at Alex.

        "Oh just ignore me! I'll hide on the balcony or go for a walk." Alex mentioned clearing her throat trying to be a helpful wingwoman to Steve. 

      "Oh no its okay. I need the excersice anyway. Oh by the way, I think you left the radio on." The woman looked over at Steve's door and she turned and walked past Alex. Alex let out a small laugh.

        "You can use my mach-" Steve placed his hand on her mouth. He shushed her and took his hand back. He was in a defensive stance. Something was wrong. Alex tightened her fists as the metal switched over her skin. "I'm guessing you didn't leave the radio on." She whispered to him. He shook his head and slowly unlocked the door. Steve went in and she slowly followed shutting the door behind them. Alex could hear the quiet 1940's music playing in the background. Steve picked up his shield and placed his back on the wall. There was someone in the living room. Steve looked back at Alex who was ready to attack. Steve peered past the wall and sighed. 

          "It's okay." He looked back at the eager girl. He walked into the living room and she followed still unsure of what was happening. She finally entered the living room and frowned at the sight of Nick Fury sitting in a chair in the corner. The light was off. Steve shut the music off only for Nick to turn it on again. Alex knew something was up so she kept her guard up. Arm glimmered in the moonlight as Steve and Nick exchanged words. She watched as Nick told the two of them that SHIELD was compromised, they were the only three to know. Nick stood and apologized for being in the apartment. He used a 'wife left me' excuse to cover up for the tapped phones. 

         "Are we friends?" Alex asked, Nick was about to respond when three blasts came through the wall. She brought up her arms fast deflecting a bullet. Fury dropped to the ground. Steve pushed her back into the kitchen as he grabbed Fury to pull him out of the fire. He was hit. Alex jumped around the kitchen and glared out the window. The same woman from earlier kicked down the door. Explaining she was a Agent from SHIELD sent to protect Steve under Nick's orders. 

        "He is down! Send medics!" Agent 13 yelled into the walkie talkie. Alex saw a glimmer of silver and frowned. It was the shooter.  "Do we have eyes on the shooter?!" She yelled into the walkie talkie. Alex grabbed Steve's shield and took off jumping out the window shattering the glass. She ended up in the other building across from Steve's. She could hear Steve calling out her name as she chased the shooter down. She grunted as she hit the last wall using the shield as leverage to push her off the wall. She got through the last door and saw the shooter fall down onto the next building. She braced herself as she blasted through the window using Steves shield as protection. She fell onto the last building and used all her strength and threw the shield at the shooter. The shooter turned and caught the shield with a metal arm. Alex frowned as the man frowned back at her. He stared her down with black smudges, piercing blue eyes. He threw the shield back at her, she tried to catch it but his throw made her slide back almost off the building. She left two hands grab her shoulders and and halt her slide. It was Steve. She panted dropping the shield and ran to the other side of the building. Steve followed her after picking up the shield. She lost the shooter. 

        "Who in the hell was that?!" Alex frowned looking at Steve. 

        "Whoever it is, he's dangerous."