Summary: Set after Avengers: AOU and not following into CA:CW. Being a spy wasn't easy, but it was the life Sharon Carter loved. After a mission goes wrong, she never imagined it would bring Steve Rogers back into her life. That she would question her life as a spy and go on a journey of love, loss, and self-discovery.
Chapter 1:
It had been almost four months since the fight against Ultron. Steve was finally settled into the new Avengers headquarters and was impressed with the progress the facility was making. He was loving the training program him, Natasha, and Sam had created and implemented for the new recruits. He was proud of what they were able to rebuild in such a short amount of time, of course, it helped that Stark popped by every once in a while to teach everyone about the new and improved technology. Stark also took it upon himself to make some adjustments to various equipment, artillery, and uniforms. Hawkeye frequently visited and gave training in archery while catching up with Natasha and keeping her updated on her favorite kiddos. Banner was still in the wind and Thor stopped by whenever he felt like it, ruining a new patch of lawn every time he did.
Steve focused back on the road in front of him as he took the familiar turn toward his old apartment in D.C. He had visited after he was released from the hospital after the takedown of S.H.I.E.L.D. and spent the day cleaning up his destroyed apartment with Sam, but had left the majority of his personal things behind. He moved some of his things to Stark Tower for a while until the new Avengers building was built and a room made for him. His lease was up however on his apartment and this was his last chance to finish collecting his things.
He pulled up to the front of the building and stared up at it. It felt weird yet comforting to come back to his first home since awakening in a different time period. He made his way up the stairs of the building and stopped when he came to his landing. He stared at the door of his neighbor. His mind flashed back to all the times he had caught her in the hallway. Her colorful scrubs, her wavy blond hair, the small smile and polite hello she would give.
He frowned thinking of her bursting into his apartment, announcing she was Agent 13 and that she was charged to watch him. His mind then wandered to that day in S.H.I.E.L.D., he had snapped at her; 'neighbor'. He was ashamed at how rude he had been that day, but he was hurt, confused, and on a mission. She had lied to him and that was something he had a hard time getting over, but then again, Natasha had asked him to do her a favor. The favor of calling 'that nurse'. Sharon, as she corrected him. He remembered smirking at her request because even though he had been furious at finding out he was her watch, he couldn't help but remember their light flirting in the hallway, the softness of her voice, or just how incredibly beautiful she was.
Steve moved quietly to her door, standing close and listening for any sign of Agent 13 being home. His ears were met with silence. He shook his head. She probably didn't live there anymore, why would she when he wasn't her charge anymore? The last time he had seen her, he was sitting with Fury. Steve had been relaying his failure at tracking down Bucky when there was a knock at the door. Steve was puzzled. Fury, Natasha, and him were in a small apartment that Fury was using as a small base. Fury moved toward the door and peeked through the peephole. He quickly unbolted the locks and stepped aside to let them in.
"Early, as usual." Fury commented.
"The best Agent I know taught me to always be early." Steve sat up straight at the voice. He looked around the computer he was using to see Agent 13, Sharon, entering the apartment. She wasn't in the business attire he last saw her in or the scrubs he was used to when she was his neighbor. Today her hair was tied back in a neat high bun, not a wisp out of place. She was wearing a tight black tank top and pair of black pants that fit like a glove. He couldn't help but stare at her toned figure. She glanced his way and he saw a flash of surprise cross her face before she turned back to Fury and shook his hand. "It's good to see you… alive, sir." Steve blushed and looked back at the computer. Some gentleman he was.
"Yes, well, hell wasn't quite ready for me yet." He joked. "Steve, Natasha, Sharon and I have some business to discuss, if you'll excuse us." He said before leading Sharon down the small hallway and into the bedroom turned into office.
Steve continued to stare at the office door. "I'm guessing you never did that favor by the way you two just acknowledged each other." Natasha's voice snapped him back to reality.
"I… no, I didn't." Was all he said, trying to refocus on the computer in front of them.
"She's still single." She was smiling at the computer. "And still not a nurse or S.H.I.E.L.D. She's CIA now."
"What's she doing here if she's CIA?" Steve glanced back at the closed door.
"Why are you so curious?" She nudged him with her elbow. He glared at her. "She was more important to S.H.I.E.L.D. than you know Cap, it was a huge hit to her when it went down." He glanced at the door again, wondering even more what they were talking about. "Fury has some debriefing to do and some loose ends to tie up. Sharon knows a lot about the inner workings of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury needs to make sure that information is going to stay out of the CIA."
"What more can they learn that wasn't in your data dump?" Natasha stopped typing to look at him.
"Let's just say Sharon is a bit of a keeper of secrets when it comes to the inner workings and beginning of S.H.I.E.L.D. She has information that only exists either in her head or in the files that she was entrusted and since she is with the CIA, Fury either wants to make an alliance with her or make sure she isn't telling secrets. My guess is the latter since her and Fury go way back." Steve frowned at this. He did not like the sound of more secrets.
"You're being vague." He stated simply.
Natasha resumed her typing. "You should call her sometime then maybe it won't be such a secret." Steve decided not to continue the conversation and went back to the task at hand for the next half an hour.
The door down the hall opened and Fury and Sharon stepped out smiling. They stopped at the front door and shook hands, Fury bringing it up to kiss it lightly. Steve stared openly, he had never seen Fury do that.
"Thank you for coming Agent." Fury said politely as he opened the door for her. "Tell your Aunt hello for me."
'HerAunt?' Steve wondered. How did Fury know her Aunt?
"I will." She smiled brightly at him. She turned toward him and Natasha. "Agent Romanoff." She nodded in Nat's direction.
"Sharon." Nat said with a smile.
Sharon's eyes shifted to him. "Captain Rogers." She said formally.
"Agent." He said back, sounding a little more cold than he meant. Sharon's eyes lingered on him a moment longer before nodding her head and stepping out the door.
"Call her." Nat said firmly.
Steve shook his head, clearing his mind of that last memory. He moved to his apartment door, unlocked it, and went inside. Everything was how he left it months ago. Boxes scattered across the apartment, some of them full and ready to be taken, others open with items spilling out. He sighed before deciding to start in his bedroom. He had cleared out all his dishes and kitchen necessities the last time he was here as well as all his major furniture. All he had left was to pack up the rest of his clothes and personal affects he didn't already donate. He moved to his closet and began pulling shirts from the hangers, folding them, and setting them in an available box. He stopped mid-fold when he heard footsteps in the apartment next to his. Was Sharon home or was it a new tenant? The footsteps were moving quick and heavy around the apartment.
Steve shook his head and continued pulling clothes from his closet. He froze when he heard a small crash from the next apartment. He stood still, listening intently. The footsteps continued as well as a louder crash. Steve dropped the shirt in his hands, grabbed his shield and hurried to the neighboring apartment. Steve tried the door, locked. Another crash sounded and Steve threw his shoulder into the door, knocking it off the frame. A tall figure froze at the intrusion before pulling out a gun. Steve reacted on instinct and threw his shield forward, knocking them off their feet before they could shoot. Steve moved over the unconscious intruder. They were wearing an all black uniform with a mask. He checked his person and found two knives which Steve threw across the room along with the gun. He froze when he noticed a small symbol on the collar of the man's uniform. Hydra.
Steve reached for his phone, but it rang before he had it out of his pocket.
"Natasha."
"Steve, where are you?" She asked quickly. He glanced around the apartment, noticing that it was, in fact, still Sharon's apartment. He recognized it from the few times he caught a glimpse in passing.
"I'm in Sharon's apartment, I just took out a Hydra agent." He said as he started to look around the apartment. All the lights were off and it looked as if the intruder trying to find something. "She's not here." He could hear Natasha giving orders on the other line of the phone.
"Steve, a team is headed your way."
"Nat, something is off here." He moved toward the kitchen, looking into the sink and then into the dishwasher. He ran a hand over the top of the counter and frowned at the layer of dust he found. "The apartment is clean. As in, it doesn't seem like she's has been here for a long time." He checked the fridge to find it empty. A small dose of fear started to well up inside him. Every time he had caught a glimpse of her apartment, it was clean minus a few small things: blanket carelessly thrown over her couch, a laundry basket sitting by the door, an unusual amount of mugs littering her counters and coffee table. He remembered he commented on it once, making her smile and admit her love of tea that she acquired from her aunt.
"Everything is in place. No dishes in the sink or dishwasher and no food in the fridge. No one has been here for at least a month." He moved back toward the man on the floor, checking that he was still unconscious.
"Steve-"
"What is a Hydra agent doing in Sharon's apartment?" He cut her off.
"Steve, we'll talk later about this, there was an attack tonight."
"Where, I'll suit up."
"No Steve-" She stopped suddenly. He heard doors slam and people running up the stairs. Steve braced himself for an attack, but relaxed when Natasha came through the door with four other people. She hung up the phone in her hand. "Steve."
"How did you get here so fast?" He asked as the agents went straight for the unconscious man and examined the apartment.
"We've been keeping tabs on both of your apartments, making sure something like this didn't happen. Steve." She said firmly, causing him to stop and focus. Steve searched her face. He had never seen her look so lost for words and… sad?
"The attack tonight… Steve, it's Peggy."
Thanks for reading Chapter 1.