For The Love Of A Captain Book 2

Back To The Fray

It was quiet. Too quiet for my comfort. I didn't like it and I knew that something was wrong. And I didn't need my goddess senses to tell me that. Clint and I were on a mission to retrieve information for SHIELD. One of the most important missions in almost two years and things were not going to go according to plan, I could just feel it.

"Clint? What's your status? I'm outside the building looking for a way in," I whispered through my comm. I took extra care to watch my surroundings and pay attention to my senses. If I got hurt again, Steve would kill me. I waited a minute and there was no answer from Clint. "Hello? Earth to Clint? Where are you?"

"Jesus, kid, chill out," Clint responded, jogging up to me. He slid up to me against the wall. "You are so damn impatient."

"Well, when my partner doesn't respond to my calls, I get a little on edge. Especially when we are trying to retrieve intel for SHIELD," I snapped, throwing him a dirty look.

"Alright you two, play nice," Hill's voice said through the comms. I sighed. I looked around the side of the building. There were about twenty guards standing there at the main and only entrance into the building. I groaned.

"Hill, we have at least twenty on the main entrance," I said. I looked around the side again. I sighed. There was only way to do it. "Clint, I'll take them. You get in and get the info that Fury needs."

"Hell no," Clint exclaimed quietly. "I'm not letting you fight them on your own. I don't particularly feel like being on the receiving end of the wrath of Cap."

"Hey, with my abilities, I can take them. You are better at long range combat. Just get in, get the info and get out," I responded angrily, sneaking around the side of the building before he could say another word. I snuck behind a crate, and watched for a moment.

"You're going to get me killed one of these days," Clint grumbled. I didn't respond; after another moment of watching, I stepped out from behind the crate, clearing my throat. The men turned to me immediately.

"Hey there boys, I think I'm lost. Can anyone help me?" I called innocently. I ducked back behind the crate as a few of them started shooting at me. "Well that's just rude." I focused my energy and as soon as I felt I had enough energy stored up, I stepped out and starting shooting energy blasts back. The men were being thrown in different directions and the ground around them was exploding with the force of my blasts.

"Damn I'm so glad I took Thor up on his offer of training with my powers. I'm totally kicking ass with this new energy blast," I called to Clint in my comms. I heard him grumble and I just laughed as I shot another blast at a group of men. Thankfully it was the last of them and they all laid out on the ground, unconscious. I took another look around before relaxing my defensive stance. "Hill, the guards are taken care of. How's it going in there Clint?"

"Almost done. I just need a few more minutes," Clint called through comms. Just then I heard a loud rumbling coming from the south. It wasn't far so I jumped behind the crates again. As I watched, a huge tank came rumbling up to the building, pointing its cannon at the building.

"Clint, you don't have a few minutes. You need to get out NOW. They have a huge tank and are about to blow up the building," I called through comms.

"Alia, get out of here now, that's an order," Clint called. "I mean it, do not engage them do you understand?"

"Like hell," I muttered, launching myself into a crouched position. I looked to the side of one of the crates and focused my energy again. I knew I was going to need a lot and this was going to take a lot out of me. "Clint, make sure you come get me before you leave."

"What? Aliana, don't do anything stupid! What are you doing?" Clint shouted.

"Something stupid probably," I muttered again. Once I had built up enough energy, I stepped out and aimed my hands at the tank, shooting my energy right as they took a shot toward the building. My energy connecting with the tank causing it to explode. I looked triumphantly at it as Clint shouted.

"Alia what was that?" he shouted. I couldn't respond right away, because my vision was blurry and I was trying to stand upright. "Alia?"

"Tank is destroyed," I replied, wearily. I heard footsteps behind me and Clint came into view.

"That was stupid, Alia. You could have died," Clint said angrily. I just smiled up at him as my vision started to go blurry again. The last thing I remembered was Clint shouting my name as I passed out into his arms.

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It was a while later when I started to come to. My head was hurting a little bit, but other than that I was ok. I could hear voices arguing and I pretended to still be unconscious so that I could hear what was being said.

"Look Cap, I really tried," one of the voices said. It sounded like Clint, and he sounded irritated.

"I know you did Clint," the other voice sighed. My heart clenched at the sound. It was Steve, and he didn't sound happy either. "She's stubborn at the best of times but this was just plain reckless. She knows she has a limit so I don't understand why she would go above that limit. This woman is going to be the death of me."

"Hey it only took a hundred years to kill you off then," Clint chuckled. Steve chuckled too and I heard his footsteps coming closer to me.

"I know you are awake, love," he whispered, rubbing my head. I sighed and opened my eyes. He looked at me with a smile but I could tell he was still irritated with me.

"Damn soulmate bond," I grumbled, sitting up. "I can't even listen in to a conversation without getting caught anymore." Steve chuckled and pulled me into his arms. After he had let go, I looked around. I could tell I was in a med bay. I guessed we must be back at the Triskelion. It was the only explanation for the layout of the room.

"Alia, what were you thinking?" Steve said, starting his lecture. I tried, with difficulty, to not roll my eyes. "You're lucky that you just passed out. It could have been worse. You know what Thor said." 

"I know, he said that if I use up too much energy at one time, I can seriously hurt myself. But babe, I'm fine. Nothing is wrong with me right?" I asked, looking at him.

"No, but that's not the point," he countered. "You could have been hurt. It was reckless and you disobeyed Clint's order."

"Um, excuse me, I saved his life," I retorted angrily. I looked over at Clint, who was shuffling his feet looking guilty. "Did you tell him that you were still in the building when I blew up the tank?"

"What?" Steve asked, looking back at Clint. "You said that you were out."

"I almost was!" He retorted, angrily. "You still shouldn't have done it plain and simple." With that, he turned on his heel, rushing out, the door slamming behind him as he left.

"I'm sorry babe," Steve sighed, turning to me. "He told me that he was out when you blew the tank."

"He told me that he had a few more minutes before he would be done. I couldn't let him die. He's like my brother," I said quietly. Steve pulled me into his arms. 

"I know. I'm sorry that I just jumped to conclusions. I should have listened to your side before making assumptions, it's just," Steve started. He pulled back and looked at me with a sigh. "I can't lose you. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. It scares me sometimes how much I love you because if I ever lost you? I wouldn't survive it."

"I guess us being soulmates is a good thing then?" I asked with a small laugh. He laughed too, pulling me back against his chest.

"The absolute best thing," he said. He kissed my forehead and let me go. I stood up and grabbed my jacket from the chair next to the door and we walked out of the room.

"Just promise me something," he said, taking my hand in his.

"Anything," I replied, looking up into his beautiful blue eyes.

"Don't do anything stupid like that again," he replied, sternly.

"It's kind of hard when you take all the stupid with you," I laughed. He rolled his eyes and we left the Triskelion, to head home.