And so it begins again. Hopefully better this time lol. This is the rewrite of the first chapter which will kickstart the entire rewrite. I wasn't quite sure how to post this, so what I think I'm going to do is add them at the end and once I get to the equivalent of the point I am now in the original story, remove the original. I'm not sure if that's too confusing or if it would be easier to remove the original now or what, so if anyone knows let me know! Thanks again for reading this. This time I've taken a very different approach to the story and luckily none of the major plot twists have been spoiled in the original. Pains me to say this but some characters may be getting cut in order to make it a more structured, plot centered story. Still, i hope this continues to be entertaining for everyone and once again thank you to all of you! As requested this will also be cross posted on AO3 under the same name. It should be up within an hour of this one (hopefully). Enjoy!

It was three in the morning when he received the phone call.

A simple mission, in and out in less than an hour. Even though it was basic, Fury had requested that he and Clint do it because they needed a chance to test their new gear.

Steve groaned inwardly as he took another glance at the clock. "Right now?"

"Yes Rogers, right now. It takes eight hours to get to the drop zone and we need you in when the guards change shifts," Agent Hill answered. "At least you didn't have to wake up just to make this phone call."

"Understood, Agent." He sighed. "I'll be there in five."

"Good," she said just before the line went dead. Slowly Steve stood up, stretching as he did so. He really was getting old. Too old to wake up at three in the morning for something as simple as a field test.

It was days like these, he thought as he got ready. Days like these that almost- almost made him considering retiring. He could see it now. Waking up at a reasonable hour, making breakfast, reading the newspaper. Maybe he'd get married, spend his weekends watching the kids-

Don't, he scolded himself lightly. Don't think about it. And with that he finally stood up, forced himself to change clothes, and headed to the door.

He couldn't help but squint against the harsh fluorescent light that followed once the doors to one of the many Avengers Tower elevators opened on his floor. With his backpack over his shoulder and shield in hand he walked on and pulled out the file he was sent, trying to bring his attention to the mission.

"Rogers."

He looked up to see Natasha standing in the corner. Out of all the elevators she could've chosen to be on at 3:02 am. Typical.

He nodded. "Romanoff."

"Mission?" She asked, barely glancing at him.

"Yeah. Gathering intel from a rogue Hydra base outside of some city called Kozhva." He paused. "You know it?"

"I used to." She almost looked at him, but decided against it.

They stood in silence for a moment. Had it been anyone else and Steve would've asked what the hell they were doing wandering the tower so early. But it was Natasha, and he already knew the answer.

It would be six years this month, and he still lost sleep over it too. It wasn't the first time they'd ran into each other on a night like this; both with red rimmed eyes and shared demons. It got worse around this time every year. Not that they'd ever talk about it though, which is why she couldn't meet his eyes and he didn't bother to carry on the conversation any longer.

He looked continued reading the file while Natasha curled in on herself in the corner, swiping at her eyes with her sleeve. He pretended he didn't notice, for her sake and his.

After what seemed like an eternity the doors opened and he stepped out. He glanced back, the words nearly slipping out of his mouth. Instead he turned away and walked toward his bike, trying steady his hands that he hadn't even noticed had been shaking until now.

Six minutes later he was walking onto the jet.

"Cap," Clint greeted. "You're late."

Steve shrugged, he wasn't in the mood to think of a comeback. "It looks like I am." He took his seat across from the archer and focused his attention on a scuff on his shield.

Clint studied the soldier for a moment. "You feeling alright?"

Steve glanced up quickly, flashed a small smile. "Never better."

"Steve."

He sighed, setting the shield down. "Really Barton, I'm fine. Now, I don't know about you, but I'd like to actually get some sleep tonight, we've got an eight hour flight ahead of us."

Clint stared at him for a second longer before giving up. "Suit yourself."

With that Steve closed his eyes and pulled his hood down, desperate for a few more moments of calm.

In what felt like only a few seconds later he was being shaken awake by Agent Barton.

"Rise and shine Cap, we've got some Nazis to punch."

Steve chuckled and looked up at his friend who was already in his gear and adding the arrows Shield had wanted him to test to his quiver. "You sleep at all Barton?"

Clint shook his head. "Didn't need it."

Steve cast a concerned glance toward him before continuing to get ready himself. Clint hasn't been staying at the tower as much lately and had been volunteering for more missions than usual. After a night of drinking a couple months back, Clint had told Steve and Tony that he was bored. That was it, he was bored with his life and there was nothing he could do about it. Except constantly put himself in danger through reckless decisions of course. Still, he could do what he wanted and it wasn't really Steve's problem, but that didn't mean he wasn't concerned.

A few minutes later the hatch opened and they both jumped out, landing on top of a huge Hydra base.

Their mission was simple. Get to the main room and plug a USB into the computer. It would automatically transmit data back to the shield base, and they could leave without even being noticed.

Of course, things never went that easily. They were detected moments after landing, and next thing they knew a group of three soldiers were running towards them, weapons at the ready.

Clint pulled out his first arrow, a new one that was supposed to split in two in the air. He carefully aimed between two of the men and shot. The arrow did was it was supposed to do, and the men fell to the ground. By the time he had reloaded his weapon, Steve had taken out the remaining man.

The two avengers couldn't help but share a smile at the ease of the take down, this mission really was going to be an easy one. From the information they had gotten, it appeared to be a rarely used and research based facility, meaning the defense was weak and limited.

They made it through two floors like that, Clint only firing three arrows total and Steve not even needing to touch his shield. Now they were on the basement level, with the control room at the end of the hallway.

Just as they reached the door, a crash reverberated down the hall. The shared a glance and an unspoken agreement that Steve would check it out while Clint dealt with the USB. They nodded at each other and Clint opened the door to the control room, silently slipping in. Steve heard some noise on the other side of the door before silence, and he knew that he wouldn't be needed as backup. He turned and walked back down the hallway in the direction of the noise. As far as he could tell, nothing had changed since they had walked through only minutes earlier. He continued walking, glancing behind him periodically. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, until he heard it, the telltale wiz of a bullet flying past his ear, barely grazing the side.

Instantly he turned, shield up and ready for a fight. The Hydra agent stood no more than five feet away from him (how had he not heard them coming?) with a gun aimed at the Captain's chest. Steve would've, should've, acted quickly. One move and he could take the agent out, no doubt about that. It would be especially easy to do, considering the boy in front of him was no more than twelve years old and five feet tall.

"Wha-" Steve started, only to be cut off by the feeling of a blade grazing his neck, drawing a only slight trickle of blood as it pressed threateningly against his throat.

"не двигайтесь," A voice whispered in his ear.

Steve froze. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the owner of the knife, another boy no older than the first. His next move would have to be careful. Get the knife and take gun, but somehow without harming the kids. They were kids, weren't they? He couldn't just hit them.

He struggled slightly, testing the waters. The knife only pressed farther into his neck, drawing more blood. Shit. This couldn't go on, he needed to act now. Just as Steve was about to turn, to disarm the young boy behind him, he saw her.

A girl no older than six, with icy blue eyes and fiery red haired that made Steve's blood run cold.

A high pitched wail pierced the air. Steve let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding for the past seven hours. He glanced to his left where Natasha lay with her eyes closed, desperately trying to hold back tears and hide how tired she was after spending the evening in labour. Automatically he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She leaned in, allowing herself to accept it, just this once.

Before anyone could say anything a team of Shield doctors rushed in, needle in hand. He couldn't help but wince as the wails from the infant increased when the needle was inserted into her arm. Thankfully, it was over quickly and the doctors were happy with their sample. They nodded towards the pair of Avengers then quickly left the room.

The door closed and he was forced to draw his attention away from them and back to the screaming bundle that the doctor was holding. His daughter.

"Weight is slightly below normal, but nothing to be worried about since she was a little early." The doctor stated methodically. "Breathing appears to be fine, eyesight and hearing look good." He glanced up at the pair, who's eyes were locked on the baby. "The blood work should be back in a moment, then we'll know for sure."

Steve nodded, Natasha didn't even blink.

The doctor awkwardly looked back at them, well aware of their situation. "...Would you like to hold her?"

"No," Natasha answered instantly.

Steve hesitated, almost letting himself give in. But he knew that the second he got her in his arms he wouldn't be able to let go. He shook his head.

Thankfully he didn't have time to reconsider, as at the moment the other doctors rushed back in, this time to speak to Director Fury, who had walked in unnoticed a moment earlier.

The Director nodded at the doctors, who began speaking to him in whispers. Steve was dying to know what they were saying, but he knew the rules. This was for the best.

"Take her now then. Destroy the samples. We were never here, understand?" Fury said, barely loud enough for Steve to hear. The doctors nodded quickly, and one rushed over to take the baby, their daughter, away.

As she was handed from one doctor to the next, Steve couldn't resist and dared to look up towards the baby. A small tuft of red hair, long eyelashes, Natasha's nose.

He couldn't breathe.

He heard the assassin next to him take a sharp breath in, and he knew she had dared to look too.

Just as the doctor was walking out the door, the infant's eyes opened and she stared directly at him, her bright blue irises forever seared into his memory.

It was in that hallway at that moment that, for the first time in six years, Steve Rogers looked forward and saw eyes matching his own staring back at him.