I LOOKED AT the sleepy Sam in the couch. Nat was recording, and Steve looked at me amused. I took wipe cream and smeared it on his hand. I turned the rock music at full volume, right next to Sam's ear. He moved his hand, right to his face. Everyone broke to laugh.
"What the hell?" He asked annoyed. I laughed at him.
"His face," Steve said, laughing like a maniac. He high five me.
"Oh, shut the hell up." Sam complained.
"I caught it all on camera." Nat said, her proud smirk showing off.
"That's my girl." Tony said walking in the room. He had glass full of scorch.
"Thanks," I said innocently.
"I'm so going to get you." Sam said, standing up.
"Really?" I challenged him.
"Yeah," He said to me. He charged at me. I jumped over him, landing glacefully at my feet. Sam turned to me. He chased me around the house. I was to turned to one of the halls, when I came face with Pepper. I stopped right in my tracks.
"No running in the...." Pepper started, but she was caught off by a ball of wipe cream hitting her on the face. I held a laugh, that was about to scape. Pepper's face became as red as her hair. Tony came running to see what was going on. Although when he saw her face, he cracked up so badly.
"They got you good." Tony said laughing.
"This isn't funny." Pepper said to him.
"It is actually quite funny." I debated. "Hey, I will make it up to you by inviting diner. Will you like pizza?" I asked. Pepper sighed, agreeing with my idea. I want towards my back pack, and took out my wallet.
"Where you going?" Nat asked me.
"I'm going to get pizza." I told them.
"Who are you going with?" Steve asked.
"Tony," I lied. I walked towards the elevator. I stepped in just in time, because Steve looked at Tony then at me.
"Tony are you going with her?" Steve asked him. Tony looked at him confused. It them a while to realize that I lied, but it was enough time for the doors to close at time.
I walked out of the doors, hitting the streets of New York. I took out my phone, calling Fizt."Hi, Addison."
"How is everything?" I asked him.
"Good, ummm." Fitz said, trying to remember the right word. "Oh, right. Your dad is preparing an assault at a HYDRA based that belonged to SHIELD." He said.
"So, I'm only staying for another day then." I told him. "Anything suspicious while I'm away?" I asked him. I wanted to know how things managed without me on it.
"No, but there are too many newbies." Fitz mumble.
"Hey, when I return I will make sure that they don't go near our tech." I emphasized the our. It had grown to become our lab, since Jemma left. "I will be back tomorrow afternoon." I told him.
"Be careful Addi," Fitz said to me. His voice full of concern.
"I will, love you." I told him. I hung up the phone. Fitz and I were close before, but our closeness grow without Jemma. He only fully trusts me and Skye. We had a few newbies, but Fitz's trust fell after the Ward accident.
"Are you okay?" Nat said to me. She had a concern look on her face. I had stopped in a coffee shop, to get a drink. She had followed me.
"I was just checking on a friend." I told her.
"You haven't been the same since the SHIELD fall out." Nat told me.
"None of us are. I still think Steve did the correct thing, about shutting SHIELD out for good." I told her. Nat looked at me serious, but with a soft tone on her eye.
"That guy you dated," Nat started.
"Yeah, the HYDRA guy. His name is Grant Ward." I told her, all bitter at the memory of his presence.
"Yeah," Nat sighned. "You really fell for him. I think that is why you aren't the same. I know it destroyed you, but you forget about." Nat said.
"How can I forget it?" I told her, with so much pain in my voice. "He is the reason why Steve ended up in the hospital. He almost drowed. He is the reason why you had to put all your secrets for everyone to see. He didn't only betrayed SHIELD itself. He bretayed me." I told her, as I held back my tear. I bit my lip in anger. "Before he ended up in the cell, he told me he didn't told anyone about what I said. He kept saying that, he didn't want me to get hurt. He wanted to protect me. He told lies to his advisors about me, to cover me up. But, how do I know that is true? That he isn't telling lies? How do I know that he truly loved me?" I choked out. I took a deep breath. "My walls are always up now, and I'm not going to let them down ever again." I told her. "I'm getting the pizzas. I will be back." I told her, getting inside the elevator. Nat looked at me with sympathy. Once the doors closed, I leant on the wall. I brushed away the tears I was holding. I wasn't crying because I was sad. I was crying due to the anger that was boiling inside me. I let my walls down, and this happen. I wasn't going to let it happen again.
"I want to walk alone Nat, not offense." I told her.
"Non taken." She said to me. I nodded, leaving the coffee shop.
I crossed the streets of New York, trying to find a pizzeria. When I was on my second block, I saw someone following me. I looked at the reflection of the glass, trying to identify them, but I couldn't. The hood was covering a great part of his face. I saw a motel close by, so I decided to entered through the back. I walked into the alley. I jumped to the fire stairs. My tall figure provided me to reach it. I opened the window, entering the room. I slide to the wall, next to the window. I draw my gun back from my waist. I clicked my watch, using the invisibility option.
The man slide into the window. I notice he had training due to his skills. He hide in the shadows, waiting to strike. When I saw the gears working, I knew who it was. He was still, trying to figure out where I was. I knew it was probably hard to win against him, but I had to try. I unlockked my watched, charging at him. I avoided all his punch swiftly. I draw my hand back, taking my magnets out of my pocket. I put them on his arm, making it glitch. He tried moving it, but it didn't. I kicked him in the stomach, and then pointed my gun at him.
"Why were you following me?" I asked him. He raised his hands in defense. "I'm tired of playing games James." I told him, using his real name. He took his hood off, reveling his face. He looked pissed, but calm at the same time. "Why haven't you killed me yet?" I asked him. "Why did you let me win? There is no way I could win a fight against the Winter Solider itself, without getting seriously injured or dead." I challenged him.
"I told you I wasn't here to kill you. I'm here to warn you." James said.
"I don't trust you." I told him.
"I don't trust you either." He said. "I think one thing you can agree on, is that we don't trust each other." He took his hoodie off.
"Why don't you just talked to Steve instead of me. He is more eager than I'm" I told him. James didn't look at me this time. "You don't want to talk to Steve because you fell guilty." I sighed, realizing the whole thing. "What things do you remember? Well, if you do?" I asked him. He turned around to look at the wall. He put his backpack down on the bed.
"They come in flashbacks, specially at night. I remember when I felt, and the expiriments they put me on." He said.
"HYDRA sucks," I told him. This time my voice was softer.
"You know you can put your gun down." James said, taking a package out of the bag.
"So you can easily kill me. I don't think so." I told him. James rolled his eyes at me. He trowed me a package, which I watched with one hand. I lowered my gun this time. I looked at the photos inside them. There were all pictures of me, with the team before the fallout. "How did you get this?" I asked him.
"Working with HYDRA has it's privileged. I know where they are. I know there soft spots." He said, taking a sip of his water. "See, I wan't kidding when I told you, you were and are a target." He said.
"You were sent to kill Fury and Steve, but you forgave Steve because you remembered." I told him. "So, I'm guessing you're trying to get better by attacking HYDRA." I told him. James nodded at me. "Why are you so comfortable with me?" I asked him. He just ignored me.
"Those aren't the new ones." James said, showing me the most recent ones. It was me going out of the hospital when I visited Steve. "They are targeting you, so they could hurt Steve."
"Why don't you tell him yourself?" I asked him.
"I'm busy." He simply said. I groan in annoyance.
"You're a lost case." I told him. He walked towards the window. "What are you going? I want answers." I complained.
"You're so annoying." He told me.
"I know," I snapped back. We both looked at each other, and groan in annoyance.
"If I were you, I will be careful where I go." James said, sliding out of the door.
"I know," I told him harshly. I didn't trust him. He could be working with HYDRA. If he is, then they are stupid for believing I would fall for that again. "Next time, don't follow me. If you do I will pull the trigger without a second thought." I threaten him. James just ignored me, and walked out.
☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒
I entered the apartament with five big pizzas. I was still stress from the meeting with James. "Guys, I got food." I yelled. Nat watched me carefully.
"Did something happened while you were on the streets?" She asked.
"No." I told her. She knew I was kipping something from her. Nat sighned rolling her eyes. "Hey Steve can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked him, setting the pizzas down. Steve nodded, following me to a room. "Is about Bucky." I told him.
"What about?" He said, interested in my question.
"Have you found him yet?" I asked him. I wasn't going to tell him that I spoke with his best friend.
"No, ever since I got out of the hospital I been looking." Steve said.
"I think he doesn't want to be found in a way. Maybe he feels guilty of what he has done and is trying to clean it up himself." I told him. I was telling him the truth.
"Well he shouldn't have to pick it himself. Will you like to join?" Steve asked. This was the second time he asked.
"I can't I have to solve somethings out. Plus one of our team left and it really impacted on this someone. I don't want to do the same to him." I told him. Steve nodded, smiling at me. "I got to talk to Grant. He is stuck on a prison. I haven't got the guts to talk to him." I told him.
"He can't hurt you physically, but he can mentally. You should let him go and pass the page." Steve said. He put a supporting hand on my shoulder.
"I know, I just can't for some reason. As I told Nat before, I already built my walls up." I told him. "And I'm not letting them down ever again."