I began to feel more uneasy at the amount of Americans on the flight. Thankfully nobody recognized me.
Natasha booked a room in a hotel the moment we stepped off the plane.
"We'll go tomorrow. It's exactly fifteen years since his death, and the battle, tomorrow." Natasha said softly as we caught a cab.
"It doesn't feel like that long."
"It almost feels like just yesterday I was trying to set you up on a blind date."
"And you were totally clueless that I was in love with you."
She snorted. "So were you. Bruce told me about those conversations."
"What? He swore he'd never tell-"
"He thought you were dead Steve."
"He still shouldn't have told."
"You embarrassed?" Natasha teased. "Well how about I give you something to be proud of..." She whispered the rest in my ear and I grinned.
The next morning, dressed all in black, the two of us made our way to Arlington Cemetery.
"It's hard to believe this many people have died in the name of one country." I said, looking over the rows of white headstones.
"This is nothing. You should see some of the Russian military cemeterys. America is just the only country arrogant enough to put all of their dead soldiers in one place. Most nations hide the blood they've spilled."
"So this is every war America has ever fought?"
"Everything."
She stayed quiet as she approached the grave.
"I'm sorry Phil." She said softly, putting down a bouquet of white lilies.
I wiped away the tear that slid down her cheek.
"We need to go." She said, her voice shaking a little. I cast a glance around the quiet cemetery and saw a large group of people approaching us.
I grabbed her hand and started walking away.
"Hey!" I recognized the voice as Maria Hill and immediately broke into a run.
I heard a gun click. "Freeze!" Hill shouted.
Natasha and I both ran faster. A bullet grazed by my shoulder.
Somehow we both made it out. I jumped into a cab and Natasha slid in beside me.
"That was close." I said, panting slightly.
"Too close."
"Do you think... Could Hill have recognized us?" I asked nervously, looking at Natasha's scarlet curls. Her black hood had fallen when we were running.
"She can't have... We're both dead."
"I'm the only one who was officially pronounced dead. You're just MIA."
"Still. It's unlikely."
At midday, we were both sitting in our hotel room when an emergency broadcast interrupted the tv show. New York was being attacked by the Chitauri.
"You know, Tash, I think it may be time for a little team reunion."
"You read my mind."
