n i n e
*•.*
GENEVA SMILED AS STEVE'S VOICE RANG OVER THE SHIELD intercoms. The level of inspiration and authority he held was unrivaled. She sat in one of the control rooms filled with HYDRA agents, undetected. She had SHIELD's tech to thank. "I know I'm asking a lot," Steve continued, "but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not." Geneva looked over to one of the men who had the power to launch the helicarriers. She probably wouldn't be able to stop the launch, she'd be shot immediately.
She began to speak to the man, but Rumlow beat her to it. "Preempt the launch sequence. Send those ships up now," he demanded, but the tech guy hesitated. "Is there a problem?"
Geneva's hand moved to the gun at her waist, watching as the worker shook his head, nervousness radiating off of him.
"Is there a problem?" Rumlow repeated, anger evident in his tone.
"I'm sorry, sir." The man paused, his breathing shallow. "I'm not gonna launch those ships. Captain's orders."
Rumlow pulled a gun on him, pointing it at the man's head. "Move away from your station," he shouted.
Geneva stood immediately, aiming her gun directly at Rumlow's head. "You heard what the man said Brock," she snarled, finger on the trigger. She pulled off her disguise. Sharon was suddenly on his other side, her gun drawn. Everyone else followed suit.
Sharon stared at Rumlow. "Captain's orders."
"You picked the wrong side, Agent," he said, pressing his gun to the man's head.
Sharon tilted her head. "Depends on where you're standing."
"I should've killed you a long time ago Blake," he let out, dropping his gun. Seconds later he grabbed a knife, cutting Sharon and trying to do the same to Geneva, but she shot his arm before diving to the floor. Everyone began shooting. Sharon kicked the tech guy to the floor and Geneva proceeded to shove him under the table.
She kicked Rumlow in his midsection, causing him to stumble, she then threw a punch at him. Hunched over, she went to the computer. "You're too late," he laughed. He was right, there was no way to override it from here. Who ever programmed it was a genius, but somehow she could halt the helicarriers but only for minute intervals.
She spoke into her comms. "They're almost in the air, I can only give you a few minutes. Cap, Sam it's all you."
Geneva turned around, but found that Rumlow was making his way out of the room. Without hesitation she ran after him, but was tackled by another HYDRA agent. The man was using all of his weight to keep her down, her arms were trapped underneath her body.
She forced her head back, slamming it into his, successfully immobilizing him. Her eyes blurred for a moment.His weight was still too much, so when he moved most of it to one side of his body (tending to his nose most likely) she took her exit, shooting the man in his legs. Gen hopped to her feet, going in the direction same direction as Rumlow, but Natasha's next words halted her.
"1985 was such a long time ago," the redhead said smoothly.
She was compromised. The words, which first came about as a joke between the two women, had been a used a handful of times over the years. They'd mention each other's birth years to signal that they needed the other's help.
Rumlow would have to wait another day. Geneva took off in the direction of the conference room and didn't stop, even when she was attacked. She took them down and kept it pushing.
She took a step into the conference room, watching as Pierce guided Nat to the window exit. "Am I late to the party?" She questioned monotonously. She took something out of her pocket.
"Take one step," he shouted, raising the device in his hand, "and she dies."
Geneva raised her hands, almost mockingly. She chucked a Widow Bite into Natasha's hand. The red head immediately pressed it, falling to the floor as the electricity flowed through her body. Geneva and and Fury both shot the man at the same time; a force of habit really.
She scurried to an unconscious Natasha just as Fury did. "Wake up Nat." Her eyes darted to the firing helicarriers. She shook the woman.
"Ow. Those really do sting," she whispered, coming to. Geneva helped her up.
"Why didn't you use one of the Widow Bites on you?"
Natasha shrugged. "Couldn't reach."
She shook her head with a small smile. "One day I'm gonna forget what that code means and you'll be stuck."
"No you won't Gen."
She wouldn't.
Her smile fell as something dawned on her. She followed the two to the helicopter, but her eyes were focused on the Helicarriers once again. "Steve, tell me you aren't still on those things," she said into her comms. Her eyes burned with realization as no reply came. She entered the helicopter, putting on a headset. There was still no reply. "Captain do you copy? Steve?" She let out desperately.
Natasha looked at her. "I'm sure he's alright," she reassured her.
Her eyes lingered on the Helicarriers as their helicopter took off. Geneva also dared to look down at all the civilians being crushed by debris. She squeezed her eyes shut, steeling herself from the truth as she'd done many times before.
"Please, tell me you got that chopper in the air," Sam shouted into the comms, making Gen's eyes fly open.
"Sam, where are you?" Nat questioned
"41st floor, north-west corner."
"We're on it, stay where you are," Natasha said, as if they could actually find that location.
"Not an option," the man forced out. They'd made it close enough though, because seconds later Sam jumped from the building, almost falling through and through.
Geneva and Natasha both caught the man before he could fall. "41st floor. 41st," he shouted, righting himself.
"It's not like they put the floor numbers on the outside of the building," Nick sassed.
Nat reiterated Gen's earlier questions. "Hill, where's Steve? You got a location on Rogers?"
And no, she didn't.
"Well land this thing so we can look for him damn it," Geneva demanded.
She wouldn't stop until he was safely in her sight.
So much for being reasonable.
°°°
one week later
"And you'll call me if he wakes up?" She asked Sam once again, from where she stood outside waiting for a committee hearing.
"Yes Gen, now go before you give them another reason to want to arrest you," he drawled over the phone. She hung up quickly, moving inside to be sworn in. Cameras immediately began snapping as she did so. Her dark eyes met Natasha's. Neither wanted to be here today.
Geneva placed her hand on the bible they held out for her. "Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" The woman asked, her voice drone-like.
Geneva nodded. "I do." She moved to take her seat next to Natasha.
"Shall we start?" The committee general questioned before doing just that. "Why haven't we yet heard from Captain Rogers?"
Natasha folded her arms across her chest. "I don't know what there is left left for him to say. I think the wreck in the middle of the Potomac made his point fairly eloquently."
Geneva chuckled internally.
"Well, he could explain how this country's expected to maintain its national security now that he and the both of you have laid waste to our intelligence apparatus."
"We did you a favor," Geneva began truthfully. "If your intelligence apparatus wasn't corrupt with HYDRA we wouldn't be sitting here today."
"HYDRA was selling you lies, not intelligence," Natasha added.
"Many of which you two seem to have had a personal hand in telling."
Another man sat up. "Agents, both of you should know that there are some on this committee who feel, given your service records, both for this country and against it, that you two belong in a penitentiary, not mouthing off on Capitol Hill."
Geneva scoffed, unimpressed. The man continued to look at her. "Is something wrong Agent Blake?"
"I apologize... I don't take kindly to being threatened." She cleared her throat. "We've risked our lives countless times this week because you're intelligence organization couldn't keep it together. Prison does not seem like a fitting thank you gift."
"It was hardly a threat Miss."
"Agent," Nat corrected. "And you're not gonna put us in a prison. You're not gonna put any of us in a prison. You know why?" Nat asked, a small smirk on her face.
Gen sat back, knowing what was coming next.
The man leaned forward. "Do enlighten us."
"Because you need us. Yes, the world is a vulnerable place, and yes, we helped make it that way. But we're also the ones best qualified to defend it." She paused. "So if you want to arrest us, arrest us. You'll know where to find us."
Geneva smiled wholeheartedly. "We thank you for your time, have a lovely evening." Flashes went off as she and Natasha stood simultaneously. Both women walked out without another glance backwards or even acknowledging the reporters.
Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her suit. It was Sam. "He's awake," he said as soon as she picked up.
°°°
Geneva had no inkling of what to say to Steve, not even when she was standing right above him, his soft cerulean eyes gazing up at hers. She wasn't nervous, far from it in fact, she was relieved above all else.
"You're awake," she murmured finally.
He smiled tiredly. "Yeah Gen, I am."
"You weren't reasonable out there I bet." She sat next to his bed, grabbing his hand. She sighed, feeling that familiar warmth. "Did Bucky pull you out of the water?" When they'd finally found him he was half drowned and pretty badly beaten. It was obvious, from the tracks in the mud, that someone had pulled him out.
He nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. "But I don't wanna talk about that right now," Steve whispered, his hand tightening around hers slightly. Her brown skin shined in the dim lights. "So who's this lady you've set me up with?"
She smiled. "You're looking at her pal."
He hummed in thought. "I don't think that's how this works."
Her smiled turned into a mischievous smirk. "We don't have to go on a date, but I would appreciate if you didn't go out with anyone else."
He pretended to consider her words. "I dunno..."
Geneva looked at him in mock hurt. "I sit at your bedside all week and this how you repay me?"
Steve's face turned serious. "You were here all week?"
"Well yeah," she said with a shrug. "I had to make sure you didn't go into cardiac arrest old man."
He chuckled, looking up. "You're a good friend Geneva. A good person."
"I try," she smirked.
"Truly, you're one of the only people who thinks to ask me if I'm alright. Everyone else just expects me to be alright or maybe just assumes that I am."
"You better watch out, I may just start with the stories again," she joked weakly.
"You didn't have to tell me that by the way, so thank you for letting know that part of you." He smiled, closing his eyes once more, and that was when she was reminded he was on still recovering, almost as if a spell had been broken. "You're different from when I first met you—lighter almost."
She shrugged, feeling lighter. "I had to let go of a lot of things. Let's just say my tolerance for loneliness has reached its peak Cap."
Steve sighed sleepily. "Well then it's a good thing we have each other Blake."
He fell asleep after that, his words ringing in her mind. "Yeah, it is," she whispered.
°