Sunlight trickled in from the open window illuminating the freckles that sat upon Aquila's bare shoulder, a lock of red hair laying across her arm.
It was a rare occasion for the sun to even reach the occupants in the bed as, since the Battle of Sokovia, things had only gotten crazier, and quieter.
Steve, Natasha, and Aquila now had their hands full with the new recruits but with Tony, Keira, Thor, and Bruce not around, the compound felt emptier.
It was completely understandable of course. Keira and Tony had taken a small break from the team to organize things for Keira's fifteen-year-old sister, Bea. No one quite knew where Thor and Bruce were but still held onto the hope that eventually they would both return.
But things in the new compound still went on and despite both working full-time jobs, Aquila and Natasha still manage to make time for each other and their now-public relationship.
It hadn't taken long for everybody to find out.
Steve had been the first after he had accidentally walked in on the two of them and with cheeks as red as tomatoes he had eventually found out the truth. Clint wasn't too long afterward, but to be fair, pretty much everyone had already suspected it.
Aquila carefully picked herself up off the bed, placing the arm that had been around her waist back down. As much as she didn't want to leave the bed and her girlfriend, it did save Steve the embarrassment of having to wake them up. She threw on a shirt before heading down to the communal kitchen.
She had only just pressed the button down on the kettle when another figure walked into the kitchen, the sound of their footsteps giving off the urgency of the situation. It didn't take long for Aquila to work out exactly who it was.
"What is it, Steve?" Aquila asked, turning around to face the man behind her.
"Rumlow, it's the best lead we've had in months."
"Where?" Aquila asked, rubbing her eyes.
"Lagos, Nigeria."
Aquila didn't even question the location. "Ok, then. Looks like we are going to Nigeria."
"Meet at the Quinjet in fifteen," Steve announced. "I'll get the others but can you get Nat?"
"Yeah, sure," Aquila said, glancing at her unmade cup of tea sadly. "I swear they do not pay me enough for this."
Aquila pulled her cap further down so her face was cast more in shadow, her hand absentmindedly stirring the cup of tea, that she had finally gotten, in front of her, while her eyes flickered around.
"All right, what do you see?" Steve asked Wanda, testing her knowledge.
"Standard beat cops," Wanda replied, her eyes meeting Aquila's briefly. "Small station. Quiet street. It's a good target."
"There's an ATM in the south corner, which means. . ."
"Cameras."
"Both cross streets are one way." Aquila chipped in, giving the newer member some help.
"So, compromised escape routes." Wanda guessed.
"Means our guy doesn't care about being seen, he isn't afraid to make a mess on the way out. You see that Range Rover halfway up the block?" Steve continued.
"Yeah, the red one? It's cute."
"It's also bulletproof, which means private security, which means more guns, which means more headaches for somebody. Probably us." Natasha said, holding her cup to her mouth, her sunglasses obscuring her eyes.
"You guys know I can move things with my mind, right?"
"Looking over your shoulder needs to become second nature." Natasha continued.
"Anybody ever tell you you're a little paranoid?" Sam asked Natasha over the comms, as Aquila struggled to hide her smirk and chuckle.
"Not to my face. Why? Did you hear something?" Natasha replied giving Aquila a look.
"Eyes on target, folks." Steve interrupted. "This is the best lead we've had on Rumlow in six months. I don't want to lose him."
"If he sees us coming that won't be a problem. He kind of hates us."
Aquila's eyes swept back across the scene in front of her, before tuning back into what Sam was saying.
"That truck's loaded for max weight. And the driver's armed."
"It's a battering ram."
"Go now." Steve suddenly said urgently.
"Why?" Wanda asked, her eyes widening in panic.
"He's not hitting the police."
Aquila quickly pushed her way through the crowd, sending one final look to her redhead, before finding a place that was safe for her to transform.
Her wings quickly extended sending her into the air. Aquila took a quick moment to enjoy the feeling of the wind in her feathers again before taking off after Sam towards a cream building.
Aquila swooped down, her fighting style as Talons, second nature to her now.
"Body armor, AR 15'S," Steve informed everyone. "I make seven hostiles."
"I make five." Sam smugly replied.
Aquila watched from where she was as Wanda flew down, blocking the fire with her powers. One solider got trapped in her powers and Wanda slowly lifted him upward.
"Aquila."
Aquila glided down from where she stood, taking out the soldier with her right-wing.
"Four." She said.
"Rumlow's on the third floor," Sam shouted out in warning.
"Wanda!" Aquila heard Steve call out. "Just like we practiced."
"What about the gas?" Wanda asked.
"Get it out," Aquila said.
Aquila worked beside Sam to cover Wanda as she tried to get the gas out of the building.
"Rumlow has the biological weapon," Steve warned them.
"I'm on it," Natasha said before Aquila could offer her self for the job.
Aquila watched in admiration while she fought as Natasha took out Rumlow's men, sending them crumpled to the ground.
A small explosion boomed in Aquila's ears as she quickly looked over to where her redhead had last been.
"You alright, Nat?" Aquila quickly asked.
"I'm fine, Quila."
Aquila rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the smile on her face. The nickname had once been a point of great annoyance to her but now only reminded her of their love for each other.
Another explosion went off as Aquila looked up to see Steve falling from the building.
"Sam," He groaned, "He's in an AFV heading north."
Aquila shook her feather out before taking to the sky again following where Sam was going.
"I got four, they're splitting up."
Below Natasha had abandoned her bike jumping over the roofs of taxis, maneuvering expertly through the market stalls.
"They ditched their gear," Steve spoke over the comms. "It's a shell game now. One of them has the payload."
Aquila still followed Natasha closely from where she still flew in the sky. Natasha quickly tackled one soldier and Aquila swooped down transforming mid-flight before landing back on the ground.
Aquila and Natasha fought back to back to take down the two soldiers. But it wasn't until Nat held up a gun at one of the men while he aimed his own back at her, while the second man held the vial that was the cause of the fighting in the first place.
"Drop it. Or I'll drop this. Drop it!"
"He'll do it!"
Aquila watched as Redwing, Sam's new toy courtesy of Tony shot at the solider.
Natasha shot at the other solider as Aquila shot to the ground, grabbing the falling vial.
Natasha and Aquila shared a look before they both turned to Redwing. "Payload secure. Thanks, Sam." Natasha said.
"Don't thank me."
"I'm. . . not thanking that thing."
"His name is Redwing."
"I'm still not thanking it."
"Come on, Natasha. He's cute." Aquila chimed in but quickly stopped when Natasha sent her a glare.
A huge explosion rocked the surrounding area, interrupting their banter. Not a moment was wasted as Natasha and Aquila quickly rushed to the sight of the explosion.
Screams of terror echoed through the air as Nigerians ran away from the building that was on fire.
"Oh, my god," Aquila muttered in shock as huge black clouds of smoke rose higher in the air.
"Sam. . .Aquila. . .We need. . .Fire and Rescue. . on the south side of the building. We gotta get up there."