Chapter Four;
"Ice cream? Captain America enjoys going out for ice cream?"
Delaney stared at the ice cream shop in front of them. Somehow, however she'd pictured spending the day out with Steve last night, going out for ice cream hadn't come up in her mind.
Steve raised an eyebrow. "Does that sound too normal for you?"
"I don't know. I just didn't see you being an ice cream type of guy."
"Not always, but I enjoy it from time to time." He grabbed his wallet and smiled. "Here, it's on me."
Delaney grinned slyly. "I'll request the most expensive one; I haven't had ice cream in two years."
"Can you get triple scoops? You need a triple scoop."
"Of the most expensive ice cream?"
"Nothing less."
Delaney laughed, but in the end she walked out of the store with her favourite cookies and cream, and only a single scoop. Though she had a chocolate cone. She grinned as she inhaled her ice cream, savouring the sweet goodness. Steve watched her, an amused glimmer in his eye as he ate his own.
Delaney hadn't expected the day to be so normal. She didn't know what to expect when Steve arrived at her place after lunch – on his motorcycle. She'd been slightly nervous clambering on behind him, though she'd soon relaxed.
A week of just being able to talk, getting to know one of the people she thought she'd left behind forever. They'd mostly talked over coffee in the park, catching up on everything that had happened since Delaney had left. Steve spoke more than Delaney; his life with S.H.I.E.L.D. had been considerably more interesting than her own, thought she spoke with excitement of some of the cities she had visited, of the different cultures she'd been able to experience and learn from.
She thought that maybe, she'd be awkward, but her friendship with Steve kicked off from where she'd left it. It was so natural, being with him, and soon she was coming out of her shell and making jokes, feeling the deep bonds of friendship she'd severed for two years.
Ice cream had been their last event together for the day, and they finished as the sun was starting to set. Delaney thought she'd go straight back to her apartment, though Steve inquired if she'd like to go to his place for a while: she'd said yes without second thought.
Night had fallen when they arrived at Steve's apartment block. Delaney retracted her arms from where they'd been wrapped around Steve's waist and jumped off. She waited for Steve and together, they climbed the stairs to his apartment, making small talk on the way.
When Steve approached his apartment, his neighbour's door opened and a blonde woman stepped outside, a phone held between her ear and her shoulder, a load of washing in her other arm.
"Hey. I gotta go, though," the blonde said, laughing slightly. "Okay, bye." She turned off her phone at turned to them, and Delaney stifled a gasp as she was struck with a sense of déjà vu. The blonde looked familiar – Delaney was sure she'd seen her somewhere before. She bit her lip and shrunk away. In her situation, recognising someone even slightly was not a good feeling.
"My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac," the blonde explained, with an indulgent smile on her lips to which Steve smiled in response. She glanced at Delaney, and her eyes widened slightly. "And you're -"
Delaney placed her hands in her pockets, avoiding direct eye contact. "I'm Lane." She wished Steve would move to open the door; she didn't want to spend any more time with this woman than was necessary. She wanted to return to being a shadow, where no one but Steve knew her.
But the blonde's eyes twinkled. "You're the first girl I've seen him bring over."
Delaney felt her cheeks turn beet red. Steve, open the damn door! She shook her head over her face to hide her flaming cheeks.
"Oh no, it's nothing like that," Steve said. "We're old friends, and haven't seen each other for a while."
Delaney felt herself release a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. At least Steve didn't freeze up in situations that put you on the spot, as she was common to do. She needed practice in lying again, and quick thinking: it was something she hadn't needed to do for two years, and she hadn't realised how bad it was to be out of practice for it. She needed to review the lessons given to her by Natasha.
The blonde nodded. "Ah, well, I'd better get out of your way. I'm sure you have a lot to catch upon." She adjusted her grip on her washing and turned. Before she took more than a few steps she paused and glanced back. "Oh, and I think you left your stereo on."
"Oh. Right, thank you."
The blonde smiled once more and disappeared. Delaney inched closer to Steve's door and heard the quiet, muffled sounds of old music. She looked sideways at Steve; he was frowning, his body tense.
"You think -"
"I didn't leave it on," he said lowly. He looked at her – really looked at her, like he was seeing into her soul and reading her desire to run, like she always felt like nowadays at the slightest sign of danger. "Lane, you don't have to -"
But she swallowed back her fear; she raised her chin and finished through her bag, found the hidden pocket, and produced one of her knives. She spun it in her hand. "I won't leave you. I'll be able to handle this."
He nodded once. "I'll come in from the window. I'll open the door from the inside." With that, he headed outside.
Delaney stayed stationary outside his door, and after a moment of deliberation, grabbed a second knife. She fought better for with two knives in hand. She rocked on her heels, straining her ears to hear anything inside. She didn't – she guessed that was a good thing. Noise would mean fighting.
After a minute, the door creaked open. Delaney pressed her lips tightly together and slipped inside, joining Steve's side. The music from the stereo was suddenly louder, disguising the soft sound of the door opening and closing.
Steve had his shield in hand. They nodded and neared the corner – Steve edged in front, shield raised. He spun around and Delaney followed, knives raised into fighting position and her body tensed to fight.
Instead, she almost dropped the knives to see Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D. sitting in the dark, on one of Steve's couches.
Fury raised his head; Delaney saw his eyes betray the smallest flicker of surprise when they rested on her. Delaney too stared back, her own eyes wide. Nick Fury was the last person she ever expected to run into, especially in Steve's apartment. He didn't seem like the type of person to drop in for a pleasant evening chat over coffee.
"I don't remember giving you a key," Steve said, tense.
"You really think I'd need one?" Fury stood and approached them. "My wife kicked me out. Though, I apologise for intruding on a comfortable evening."
Delaney rolled her eyes inwardly.
"Don't worry, we were just going to talk," she said, shrugging. Her eyes narrowed. "I didn't know you were married."
"There are a lot of things you don't about me."
"I know, Nick," Steve sighed. "That's the problem."
Steve flicked the switch on and Delaney gasped. In the sudden flood of light she became aware of Fury's injuries for the first time – and it looked bad. Delaney never imagined seeing Fury injured
Fury raised his hand, indicating them to be silent as he turned the light back off. He produced his phone, typed it, and showed it to them. Delaney leaned forward slightly to read it.
Ears everywhere.
Delaney sucked in a breath. She and Steve exchanged a quick glance; Delaney wondered if he could hear her heart hammering in her chest.
I shouldn't be here.
"I'm sorry to have do this, but I had no place else to crash," Fury said. His next message read, S.H.I.E.L.D. compromised.
Delaney's mouth was dry. Her grip on her weapons tightened and her eyes flicked to every corner of the room, making out enemies in every shadow. S.H.I.E.L.D. was one of the most fortified organisations in the world – the knowledge that even they couldn't remain safe made Delaney feel suddenly exposed, like she couldn't hide anywhere. She unconsciously sidled closer to Steve.
Steve rested a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.
"Who else knows about your wife?"
You and me.
"Just...my friends," Fury said.
"Is that what we are?"
"That's up to you."
A noise ripped through the air and Delaney screamed, jumping back as she saw blood spray at Fury was shot three times. The man who had seemed so indestructible collapsed to the ground, his good eye betraying just how much agony he was in. Delaney was frozen, her hands over her mouth.
"Delaney, move!" Steve barked. He had grabbed Fury and was already dragging him to the next room. Feeling faint, Delaney rushed after them and crouched down. It felt like her heart was about to burst from her ribcage.
Fury pressed something into Steve's hand.
"Don't...trust... anyone," he choked out.
The Director's eyes closed as he fell unconscious. Delaney looked at Steve and found he was also staring at her; horror was etched on to every feature of his face.
An almighty crash sounded through the apartment; Delaney inhaled sharply when she realised Steve's door had been broken down.
"Captain Rogers? Delaney Esquivel?"
Delaney whirled around, heart hammering and knives raised. She remained tense when she saw the blonde from earlier walk in, a gun equipped. Delaney was too horrified to be startled that the blonde knew her full name.
"Captain, Delaney, I'm Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D's Special Service," she said tersely, eyes continuing to scan the apartment.
"Kate?" Steve breathed, though Delaney barely heard him: she finally understood why the blonde looked so familiar: she had seen her numerous times at S.H.I.E.L.D. in passing. They'd never been introduced or stopped to talk, however.
"I was assigned to protect you," Agent 13 continued.
"On whose order?"
It was then that Agent 13 noticed Fury lying injured and almost lifeless on the ground and her face paled.
"His," she breathed.
At once the blonde was by Fury's side, and she was whipping out and rushed to say, "Oxtrot is down, he's unresponsive. I need EMTs."
"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?" the agent on the other end asked.
Steve's head turned in the direction of the window; Delaney too looked and saw a masked figure out of the window.
Steve narrowed his eyes.
"Tell them I'm in pursuit."