Thank you to "Kelly" for your review! Hopefully you'll continue to like this

I've been fiddling with this chapter for a while trying to get the dialogue just right for each character. I'm not 100% satisfied with it but maybe I'll tweak it after the movie comes out and I get a better sense of the cinematic Agent 13.

III. Agent 13: Vulnerable

Set, beginning of Captain America: Civil War shortly after the previous chapter.

Sharon was beyond consolable. First Shield had disbanded and now her Aunt Peggy had died. She was having a difficult time with the thoughts, the feelings, and mostly the comforting attempts from others. She needed a drink.

Pulling out her cell phone, she texted the one person that could cheer her up. Drinks at the usual spot? she texted.

Her response didn't take long. Thought you'd never ask.

Grinning she headed towards their usual spot, a low key bar a few blocks from her apartment.

~III~

"To saying goodbye," Natasha toasted raising her glass of vodka.

"And moving on," Sharon added, both offering a grin at their cynical tribute. At the same time the bartender had replacement drinks in front of them. Drinking their toast, they placed the empty glasses on the bar top. With fresh drinks they both stared at the liquid, thoughts beginning to stray beyond the local establishment.

"What's it like, being an Avenger?" Sharon asked for the first time wondering what that extraordinary life was like.

"It's, nice," Natasha replied; a small smile on her face as she thought of the experiences she had encountered over the years with her teammates. Despite the occupational hazards, what with some being supernatural attacks and Tony's bastard rogue creation, Natasha enjoyed her time fighting for good. "Feels like home."

Sharon smiled her focus on spinning the semi filled glass in front of her. "One day I hope I'll be back in the field contributing more then what the CIA assigned to me. They don't trust Agents from Shield with any sensitive material or real work," she started, bringing her drink to her lips. "Not that I can blame them," she finished, than drank slowly. Setting the glass back down on the bar top she returned to spinning the glass.

"What, filing and phone work doesn't cut it?" Natasha asked with an annoyed sarcasm, she understood what her friend was going through and didn't like it.

"It reminds me of the stories Peggy used to tell me as a kid. When the war was over the way men treated her like a secretary. Her service in the military meant nothing. Then she formed an agency, with Hydra Agents embedded within. Ironic," she said, voice monotone, distant as she stared beyond the bar.

Natasha knew perfectly well how women were treated. She came from an elite Russian training facility and yet still had been underutilized, for a time.

The reminiscing of the past had reminded the pair of when they had met. They hit it off right away and since then they had always tried to find time for one another, though mostly via text, phone calls and the occasional meeting for drinks.

Years ago Tony was hosting a shindig for Shield. Sharon was new to Shield but not the contacts. Natasha was a fresh recruit to the side of good thanks to Clint Barton.

The party was in full swing, the music was inviting with the conversations, food and drinks a plenty. Sharon had just finished her first drink and had returned to the bar for her second which the bartender was quick to replace. As she picked up her glass of champagne she felt a body behind her.

A Shield Agent who was a bad combination of cocky and drunk decided to make a very bold move. He didn't even offer a lame pick up line he just placed his hand on her hip then slid down intending on groping her butt. But before his hand had gotten that far she'd grabbed hold of his wrist and twisted, causing the man to squirm.

In his other had he had let go of his drink. The expected sound of breaking glass never came. Instead a quick hand grabbed the glass before it fell too far. The hand brought the drink up to its' owners lips and she sipped. "Wouldn't want to waste a good drink, especially when there's a good show to watch," a woman with red hair said as she looked at Sharon, amused.

Sharon looked passed the grabby man to the woman who spoke. Smiling Sharon completed the twist, crack, breaking the man's wrist. He collapsed to the ground in agony and Natasha stepped over him, eyes locked with Sharon's, amused. "Nice catch," Sharon said not sure who Natasha was but glad that someone had appreciated the lesson she provided the man.

Natasha shrugged like it was nothing. They had just begun a conversation when Sharon's godfather came out of nowhere. "No! Not you two, not as friends!" Tony Stark proclaimed in his usual manner, finger pointing between the two.

Used to his antics, Sharon beat him to whatever demands he was about to make. "Oh no Tony, you're showing your age," Sharon began, a concerned look on her face.

Natasha picked up right where the mockery left off. "Yeah, your receding hairline really does emphasize that vein in your forehead." Natasha peered at his forehead, Sharon stepped closer. While holding her champagne glass in one hand she pulled his head down so she could get a "better look". Natasha joined in as well.

"How, dare you!" Tony said, his hand quickly moving to his forehead, brushing their hands away and covering what, apparently, Sharon and Natasha were pointing out. He left quickly to find a mirror giving them both an evil glare before he was out of sight. Tony had been too late to warn off the friendship.

~III~

"You know you don't have to live up to her."

"Who?" Sharon asked lost in her own thoughts.

"Peggy."

"Easy for you to say," Sharon replied a touch of bitterness in her tone.

"No, it's not, it's the truth. You make your own reputation. Sure, if you keep following in the same footsteps as hers people will see you as the same. Just make your own reputation for yourself."

Sharon was silent for a few minutes still spinning the glass of whisky in front of her.

"You make a valid point, Romanoff" Sharon began, her mood changing with the confidence her friend typically instilled in her. Hopping down from the bar stool she faced Natasha a look of challenge on her face. "Let us take this matter to the dart board. I owe you a rematch." Sharon collected her drink and waited for her company to follow.

Natasha halfheartedly rolled eyes. "You continue to lose yet always come back for more. When will you learn?"

"Never! My mission will always be your defeat. Once completed I will mock you and your failure," Sharon said in a taunting Russian accent. "As a wager I would have you grovel at my feet for the rest of the night."

"Hmm, well you haven't beaten me since we started playing so I'm confident in my odds. As far as wagers go, if I win you gotta call Steve," Natasha said as they placed their drinks on a high table next to the dart board. Sharon started putting coins in the machine while Natasha found a set of darts.

"Ah, he's too naïve. We'll never get past first base," Sharon retorted, casually playing it off so that Natasha wouldn't catch on that Sharon had a major crush on the star spangled man. Sharon stood next to the table as Natasha readied herself for player one.

"He did, with me," Natasha said as she threw her first dart. The comment got the reaction she wanted, shocked. She smiled to herself.

"What?" Sharon said, not doing a good job of covering her curiosity with a hint of jealousy.

"You know on a mission, we needed a cover. That sort of thing," Natasha said casually finishing her set. The board called for player two as Sharon still stood staring at Natasha. Catching herself Sharon headed towards the throwing line, muttering something about Russians as she went.

Natasha couldn't help the smile that covered her face which she casually hid behind her glass and took a sip. She continued to watch Sharon's reaction closely. She got the rise out of Sharon that she had wanted. Her friend was a little razzed and after seeing where the first dart struck on the board or rather off the board Natasha knew she had succeeded with two things; get her off of her dart game and more importantly get her feelings for Steve to fully surface. She wasn't buying Sharon's casual non-interested comment.

All Natasha had to do was get them to coincidentally run into each other, tonight. A plan quickly formed and she pulled out her phone sending a text Steve's way. She looked up just as Sharon took her last shot. It actually hit the board but counted for nothing. Putting her phone in her pocket she switched places with Sharon.

"That was a good attempt. Is this your first time?" Natasha mocked as she readied herself for her second round.

With her back to Natasha, Sharon picked up her drink. "My wrist is cramped. I think it's from texting too much," Sharon said then finished her drink.

"Well I was trying to find the most embarrassing score of dart games ever played but I think I might be witnessing it now," Natasha taunted finishing her set again. She had closed out 20, 19 and was starting on 18.

"Well in that case, another round!" Sharon called out heading to the bar with her empty glass, she returned with drinks for both. Natasha laughed knowing she was going to have to pace herself the rest of the night.

2 hours later –

"You know one day you might actually beat me," Natasha teased.

"Shut it, Romanoff."

"Why, I'm hurt and surprised," she started, making a show of her feelings. "You haven't gotten used to losing yet?" Natasha chose not to bring up the winning wager as her friend was not in a good place sensibly. It would come up later.

Sharon laughed as she finished her drink. Putting the glass down, she stumbled a bit. Natasha helped her take hold of the table. "I think it's time to say goodnight. Goodnight," Sharon said, grabbing her empty glass a habit of the night.

"Come on, I'll take you home," Natasha offered as Sharon pulled on her coat. Natasha had switched her drinks to water after the first game of darts and had brought Sharon back diluted drinks when she could, otherwise this would have been a really ugly night at the rate Sharon was drinking.

"So nice of you, but that's not getting you upstairs." Sharon mocked, starting towards to exit, not waiting for Natasha.

Natasha laughed. "What type of girl do think I am?" she called out to Sharon.

"Pfsh…" Sharon began but stopped, realizing Natasha was not in ear shot and still at the table.

Natasha had been texting someone throughout the night and she was at it again. "Who's the recipient? Anyone I know?"

Putting the phone in her pocket Natasha pulled her jacket on and then looped an arm between Sharon's left arm helping her friend walk a steadier pace. "Just an old timer who needs a swift kick in the ass every once in a while," she said.

"Uh huh," Sharon retorted her mind not its usual sharp self at the moment. The swaying view she had demanding all of her attention.

She pushed open the door to the bar and they stepped out into the brisk night heading towards Sharon's apartment arms still locked for which Sharon was thankful. Natasha was aware of how much this evenings outing took on her friend. Usually the blonde could handle her liquor but Natasha understood tonight's thirst. It was to numb the pain.

Sharon always kept herself in check, to Natasha it seemed exhausting how much so. She only felt this exhausted when she was around Rogers. And boy if those two hit it off like she knew they would, fireworks. Hmm, fireworks and an exhausted Black Widow, it'd make her uptight and possibly giddy. But she'd never admit the giddy part.

They arrived outside Sharon's apartment. "Kiss goodnight?" Sharon asked, mockingly.

Natasha brushed it off. "You want a kiss you invite me up."

Sharon mocked a disgusted expression mouthing "svin'ya" as she continued into her apartment building (translate - Russian for pig). She gave Natasha a final wave goodbye before she closed the door and headed upstairs.

Natasha waited until Sharon disappeared inside the building before she pulled out her phone. You'd better be ready, pressing send.

Looking at the building one last time she made her way back to her car parked down the street. She'd need to get some sleep before she got her ass kicked tomorrow for this.

~III~

He had just grabbed his keys when he heard someone in the hallway fumbling with theirs. Frowning he pulled open the door, startled to see Sharon looking quite drunk. She seemed to be having a difficult time sorting her keys.

Steve stepped out into the hallway. Sharon didn't overly react to his presence. She figured with the noise she was making surely Captain America would come to her rescue, or at least investigate.

"Captain," she stopped her fumbling and turned her focus completely on him. "Do you have a cup of sugar I could burrow? I had a, thing, I mean I need some sugar for baking, coffee." She joked then began fumbling with her keys again. Too many of them that was the damn problem, she concluded to herself.

"You're drunk," he said simply as he stared at her.

"You're observant," she retorted still focusing on her keys.

"Come on Sharon, you're an Agent and shouldn't leave yourself vulnerable like this," he started towards her but stopped when she looked up at him.

"You think I'm vulnerable?" Despite being drunk she gave him a determined look which caused him to retreat those few steps he took forward.

Steve watched as she pulled a bobby-pin from her hair then quickly and effortlessly unlocked her door. "Being an Agent is in my blood. It's this normal life that leaves me vulnerable." With that she entered her apartment, an elegant stumble as she went. Before the door closed she offered Steve a goodnight and then closed the door behind her.

Steve couldn't believe it but his appreciation for her just grew much more. Perhaps being frozen for seventy years was finally starting to make sense, he grinned. As he was about to check on her he heard Sharon lock the door.

Turning Steve ventured back towards his apartment. Now thinking of how happy he was he had not moved to a different apartment he still had Sharon as a neighbor. And life was about to get more interesting. Tomorrow later in the afternoon he would ask her out he concluded.

Steve watched Sharon's door for a moment longer. Another realization hit him. Pulling out his phone he read the text he'd received moments ago from Natasha. You'd better be ready.

'Sneaky Widow,' he thought. Chuckling he replied to the text and returned to his apartment.

~III~

Natasha heard her phone buzz. "Read text," she ordered her blue tooth. The audio had Steve's voice programed as she heard his reply, "Touché." She smiled happy her set up had worked out and from his response it went well.

~end III~

The last two chapters are mostly done, mostly. I've been stuck on the last bit of them for a while and I'm working to get these uploaded! Very good news though the next chapter will have some smutty Captain America and Agent 13 goodness. Stay tuned for more! Reviews are very much appreciated ;)