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"It kind of feels personal"
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Natasha parked outside of the hospital and rushed inside, her body nearly colliding with Jaime's, who looked completely out of it, deep in thought. Jaime and Steve stood together, watching as doctors attended to Fury's body.
Natasha stood by Jaime, tears filling her eyes as she stared at Nick's body on the table behind the glass. Jaime gently placed her arm over Natasha's shoulder, pulling her against her body and giving her shoulder a small squeeze. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough for the redhead to know that Jaime was there for her.
"Is he gonna make it?" Natasha questioned, looking at the doctors working on Nick.
"I don't know." Steve answered honestly.
"Tell me about the shooter." Natasha said, leaning more into Jaime gulping down her tears.
"He's fast. Strong. Had a metal arm," Steve listed, and Natasha immediately looked up at Jaime. The former assassin looked down at the redhead, nodding in confirmation.
A shaky breath escaped Natasha's mouth as Jaime gently brushed her hand up and down the redhead's arm.
"Ballistics?" The red head requested as Maria went to stand on her other side.
"Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable," Maria replied.
"Soviet-made," Natasha and Jaime mumbled at the same time.
"Yeah," Maria nodded, looking at the two, confused by their shared knowledge.
Suddenly he atmosphere in the room grew more tense as doctors swarmed around the table where Fury lay. Their voices echoed loudly through the glass, urgently requesting a defibrillator. Jaime and Natasha held their breath, their eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them.
"I want you to charge him at 100." the doctor's voice cut through the tension, poised to administer the shock.
"Don't do this to me, Nick," Natasha whispered, her voice heavy with emotion, leaning her head on Jaime's chest. Jaime kissed her head tenderly, offering what comfort she could in the moment of uncertainty.
"Stand back." the doctor's voice cut through the urgency. "Three, two, one, clear." he counted before administering the shock.
"Pulse?" he inquired, a hint of desperation in his tone. "No pulse." another voice confirmed.
"Okay, 200. Please." the doctor ordered, the gravity of the situation palpable in the room.
"Stand back!" he warned once again. "Three, two, one, clear!"
"Get me epinephrine!" he ordered when the shocks failed to yield results.
"Pulse?" he pressed once more, the tension thick in the air.
"Negative." the other confirmed, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon them.
"Don't do this to me, Nick. Don't do this to me." Natasha repeated, her voice trembling, her eyes welling up with tears once again. The anguish in her words echoed the collective fear and hopelessness in the room.
"Time of death, 1:03 a.m." the doctor stated solemnly. Steve and Maria quietly exited the room, leaving Jaime and Natasha behind.
Tears streamed down Natasha's cheeks as she gazed at the lifeless body of the man she saw as a father. Jaime took a deep breath, struggling to contain her own emotions as tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing Natasha in such pain struck a chord deep within her. Jaime tenderly kissed the top of Natasha's head before they left the room.
Jaime stood by the wall beside Steve, subtly slipping the USB stick into his pocket. Steve looked at her in shock, but she didn't bother to meet his gaze. Instead, she kept her eyes fixed on Natasha, who stood in front of Fury's lifeless body, consumed by grief.
"I need to take him," Maria spoke up, her voice heavy with emotion as she stood next to Steve, her eyes filled with tears.
"Tasha," Jaime said softly, placing her hand on the redhead's shoulder.
Natasha placed her hand on Fury's head before quickly leaving the room. The two Avengers followed, calling out her name, causing her to spin back around to face them.
"Why was Fury in your apartment?" Natasha asked, her gaze shifting from Jaime to Steve and back to Jaime again.
"I don't know" Steve's attempted lie hung in the air, palpable in Jaime's exasperated sigh. She closed her eyes briefly, her frustration evident as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew Steve's poker face wasn't the best.
"Cap, Jaime, they want you back at S.H.I.E.L.D.," Rumlow interjected, his tone urgent as he approached the trio.
"Yeah, give us a second," Steve responded, shooting Rumlow a pointed glance.
"They want you now," Rumlow insisted, his persistence irking Jaime, who shot him a glare that could cut through steel.
"Okay," Steve conceded, his voice tinged with irritation, a subtle hint of impatience seeping through his usually composed demeanor.
"You're a terrible liar" Natasha stated, looking at Steve before staking away leaving the two Avengers behind.
Jaime rested her hands on her hips, exhaling deeply. Steve gently placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her knowing how hard it is for her to lie to Natasha. "Go wait by Rumlow; I'll be there in a sec." Steve said, nodding towards where Rumlow stood.
"Okay." Jaime nodded, moving towards Rumlow and waiting for Steve to join them.
Moments later, Steve joined them, prepared to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. "Let's go." he said briskly.
"S.T.R.I.K.E, move out!" Rumlow commanded as they exited the building.
>>>
Steve and Jaime prowled through the corridor, passing Kate as they advanced toward Alexander Pierce.
"Captain, Johnson," Kate greeted.
"Neighbour." they both replied in unison.
"Ah, Captain, Miss Johnson." Pierce acknowledged as the two Avengers approached.
"I'm Alexander Pierce." he introduced, extending his hand for a shake.
"Sir, it's an honor." Steve said, firmly shaking his hand.
"The honor's mine, Captain." Pierce reciprocated, clasping Jaime's hand.
"My father served in the 101st. Come in." he invited, leading the way inside.
"Wait here," Steve ordered Jaime before following Pierce into the room.
After about 15 minutes, Steve emerged from the room. "Let's go." he said, striding toward the lift, Jaime falling into step behind him.
"Operation control." Steve said as they entered the lift.
'Confirmed' S.H.I.E.L.D's computer replied.
The lift doors were about to close until Rumlow extended his hand, entering with a couple of men trailing behind him. "Keep all S.T.R.I.K.E personnel on site," he ordered.
"Forensics." he commanded.
'Confirmed.' the computer replied once again.
"Cap, Jaime." Rumlow greeted.
"Rumlow." The two replied.
"Evidence response found some fibers on the roof they want us to see. You want me to get the tac team ready?" Rumlow asked Steve.
"No, let's wait and see what it is first." Steve responded.
"Right." Rumlow mumbled, as Jaime snickered.
Scanning the lift, Jaime noticed one of S.T.R.I.K.E.'s agents nervously shifting his weight, his hand hovering near his gun. She subtly nudged Steve, inclining her head toward the man. Steve furrowed his eyebrows, observing the agent's peculiar behavior.
The lift halted one level below as a couple of men in suits entered. "Administration," one of them announced.
'Confirmed.' the computer replied in acknowledgment.
The two Avengers became more observant, scanning the space for any unusual behavior.
"I'm sorry about what happened to Fury," Rumlow said, his voice carrying a weight of sincerity, as he turned his head slightly towards the two Avengers. "It's messed up, what happened to him." he continued, before facing forward again, his gaze fixed on the lift doors.
"Thank you," Steve replied sincerely.
Rumlow nodded in acknowledgment as Steve glanced around. He noticed a black man standing at the back of the lift to his left. Jaime followed his gaze and observed the man, noticing sweat dripping from his nervous face.
The lift halted one level below, allowing three muscular men to enter. Jaime cast a glance at Steve, realizing the significance of the situation. Steve looked back at her, initially confused, until the pieces of the puzzle fell into place in his mind.
He sighed, his gaze falling to the ground. "Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?" Steve questioned, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.
Seconds later, the muscular man in the front turned around, brandishing a taser bat at Steve who dodged by jumping back. Multiple men seized him, one hitting the emergency stop.
Two men lunged at Jaime, and though she evaded the first attack, the second struck her squarely on the jaw. Her head snapped to the side as two agents with suitcases swiftly fastened magnetic cuffs onto her arms. Meanwhile, another attempted to do the same to Steve, but he kicked them away with force.
Jaime retaliated, landing a powerful kick on one agent's chest, sending him crashing into another, both collapsing to the ground. Steve engaged in combat with the remaining agents, struggling to free his arm from the wall, just as Jaime fought against her restraints.
When Jaime finally managed to break free, Steve found himself locked in a confrontation with Rumlow. "Woah, big guy," Rumlow taunted, his focus fixed on Steve, until Jaime seized the opportunity, landing a punch to his side. He crumpled to the ground, but not before unleashing a tase on her side.
"Fuck!" Jaime yelled out, collapsing to the ground in pain.
"I just want you to know, this isn't personal!" Rumlow declared, charging at Steve, but before he could make contact, he was lifted and hurled into the ceiling, before collapsing limply on the floor.
"It kind of feels personal," Jaime panted, clutching her side as she glanced down at the unconscious Rumlow.
Steve swiftly picked up his shield and pressed the emergency stop button, causing the lift doors to open once more. They were immediately met with shoulders pointing rifles at them. "Drop the shield and put your hands in the air!" the agents commanded.
Steve swung his shield at the lift ropes, shattering them and sending the lift plummeting. "Wait!" Jaime yelled, gripping the rails tightly. The lift gradually slowed down and eventually came to a halt.
Steve pried open the doors, only to find agents rushing toward the lift again. He quickly shut them, peering out of the glass. "We have to jump," he declared.
"Wait, what?" Jaime chuckled nervously, her eyes fixed on the roof below.
"I said we have to jump," Steve repeated firmly.
"Yeah, no, I got that. It's just, I'm not gonna do that," Jaime said, shaking her head adamantly.
"Yes, you are," Steve insisted, seizing Jaime by the arm and pulling her close as he leaped out of the window. As they plummeted, he adjusted his body so that his shield shielded them from the impact.
The two grunted upon landing. "Damn," Jaime coughed. "The least you could've done was warn me."
"Shut up," Steve retorted before they both scrambled to their feet and fled the scene, heading towards their apartment.
[1731]