The quinjet stopped a few miles out from the facility they were about to attack. Phil was happily chatting with Steve who was leading the way to the designated perimeter, Natasha not far behind with Clint and Wanda. Pietro was seeing how many times he could go from the team to the perimeter and back before the rest of them got there.

'I'm glad you're seeing her again, Phil.' The soldier smiled at the director who had just been talking about the famous "cellist" they'd all heard about.

'The distance sucks but at least it's a free plane ride to Portland.' The pair laughed.

'What about you? You must have a girlfriend or something?'

'Nah,' Steve shook his head, 'I mean, I guess.' He shrugged.

'Let me guess: you don't know if she likes you back?'

'Something like that.' Steve chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Behind them Wanda and Natasha were silently eavesdropping.

'What's she like?'

'She's uh, she's something else, Phil,' Steve smiled at the thought of the girl behind him, the memory of their sparring and dancing, 'she's just incredible, I don't even know how to describe her.'

'Well, why don't you tell her?'

Wanda nudged Natasha as they carried on listening. Maybe Steve would say something?

'She'd probably clock me for even thinking of her like that,' He joked, then, 'I guess I don't really have the courage; I don't want to ruin what we have as friends.'

'I get it.' Phil nodded. Natasha rolled her eyes, frustrated at Steve's response. Wanda placed a hand on her shoulder as if to say, "be patient". Clint just snorted at the scene in front of him. Steve completely oblivious to Natasha's feelings and Natasha too terrified to say anything. What a pair they make.

Steve was about to make his way into the compound, just as Fury had ordered when he felt something move beside him.

'Natasha, what the hell are you doing?'

'I'm going in with you.'

'No, you're not. Fury ordered you not to. You're supposed to be blowing the place after we leave. That was your part of the mission.'

'I'm a spy, Steve, not a soldier, orders aren't really my style.' Natasha smirked at him.

'Seriously, Nat, just wait for my mark.'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'I have a bad feeling about this, Cap,' she studied his face, 'I don't think you should go in alone.'

'If it's not safe for me then there's no way it'd be safe for you.'

'Well then, let's be unsafe together.'

'Please, Nat, for my peace of mind just-' Steve was interrupted by the sound of gunfire.

'Better get going.' Natasha inclined her head towards the door and Steve rolled his eyes before kicking it down in one go, holding his shield up to protect himself and Natasha. The pair ran for cover as fast as the could, waiting for the right moment to attack.

'Clint, Wanda, Pietro, get over here now. We're going to need help sooner than we thought.'

'Copy that.' Clint responded.

Steve peeked around the wall to get a good glimpse at what they were faced with. He could see several heads hiding behind walls and desks.

'We haven't even got through the foyer yet,' Steve sighed, when suddenly he had an idea, 'hey give me your back up gun.'

'What? No. I'm gonna use it.'

'Then give me the back up of your back up.'

'Why?'

'Because our best way into the compound itself is picking off these guards.'

'How did they even know we were here?'

'Just give me a gun, Natasha.'

'Fine.' She pulled a gun from the leg of her boot and handed it to him. He thanked her before standing up, shield in hand and shot as many as he could in one go before ducking down.

'Another surprise you were going to render me speechless with?' Natasha joked.

'No, I've just always been a really good shot.' Steve smirked, handing the gun back.

'Yeah, yeah, whatever grandpa.' she rolled her eyes before standing up and picking off the rest of them. The pair stood up and ran for the next door. Steve pushed through it to find a corridor leading to another huge room. Clint appeared seconds later followed by the twins. They all met in the centre.

'Well, that was easy.' Clint joked.

'Don't hold your breath, I think there'll be more of them.' Steve said.

'Let's let them know we're here then.' Wanda smiled cheekily before closing her eyes and fists, gathering as much energy as she could taking a big breath before dropping to her knees and slammed her fists into the ground causing the building to shake.

'Wave to the camera, guys.' Pietro said, pointing to a small security camera in a corner. They all turned and stared at it.

It didn't take long for dozens of men to start coming at them. Clint had managed to secure himself onto a girder on the high ceiling and shot down as many of the men as he could. Wanda was fighting them off by picking one up through telekinesis and throwing them at a group. Pietro ran rings around them, knocking them over and taking them by surprise. Of course, Steve and Natasha fought side by side. Bouncing off each other and their opponents to get the job done as efficiently as possible.

Soon, Natasha ran out of bullets and had to rely on her hand-to-hand combat. She had climbed onto a pile of rubble, courtesy of Wanda's mini earthquake to give herself the higher ground. Steve suddenly spotted a guard sneaking up behind Natasha and threw his shield to knock him out. It bounced off the guy's forehead and he caught it before turning to another assailant. He climbed up onto the rubble, finally deciding it was a better idea than staying on the ground.

'How nice of you to join me.' Natasha said between punches.

'I thought you could use the company.'

'Well, you thought right. It's quite boring fighting up here alone. Nice save earlier, by the way.'

'Anytime. When are you planning on deploying that C4 by the way?'

'I programmed the quinjet to autopilot and blow the place while we make it to back to the landing site while Coulson wasn't looking. He won't be able to enter his override password before he realises what's happening.'

'You're amazing.' Steve smiled proudly at his team mate.

'I know.' She winked as Steve threw his shield at the far wall aiming to knock out as many people along it as possible to make it easier for Pietro.

Another assailant came up behind her but this time she was ready. Ready to fight him but she didn't notice another come in from the side.

'Nat! Look out!' Steve shouted but he knew she would be too slow and if he didn't act now she'd be dead in a second. He didn't have his shield so he did the next thing that came to his mind. He reached out for the barrel of the gun and pressed it into his stomach just as the man squeezed the trigger. Steve, despite his super strength was blown off his feet. Natasha didn't see him go down straight away but kicked the shooter in the chest, sending him back down to the ground where he was dragged away by balls of red energy. Natasha looked around to smile at Steve only to find him wheezing on the ground.

'Steve!' she dropped to her knees, giving the soldier a once over and gasping when she saw the ever-growing pool of blood blossoming in his stomach, 'Oh God, no, Steve. You stupid, stupid idiot!' Natasha started to cry, applying pressure to stem the bleeding. Pietro suddenly appeared at her side and began fighting off any remaining attackers, ensuring that the other two were safe.

'Stay with me, Steve.' The soldier tried to speak.

'I'm sorry.' he wheezed.

'It's all right; just keep your eyes on me. Eye's here.' Natasha said through her tears. 'Don't close your eyes, Steve. Stay awake.'

Suddenly the sound of the quinjet could be heard over head and the ceiling began crumbling down around them.

'Natasha, we must go!' Pietro urged her, 'let me take care of Steve. Go! Wanda! Take Natasha, Clint and I can get him onto the jet. Go!' he called to his sister. She nodded and pulled Natasha off the ground, practically dragging her out of the building, away from Steve.

'Phil, we need you to land as close as possible to the site.' Clint called into his comms.

'I can't, Natasha programmed the jet to blow this place.'

'Use your director override.'

'Oh yeah, I forgot I had one of those.'

Mere moments later, the quinjet was landing through one of the holes in made in the ceiling. Natasha and Wanda clambered on and Clint and Pietro hauled Steve's barely conscious body into the jet.

'What happened?'

'He was shot point blank in the stomach. No exit wound. He was trying to protect 'Tasha.' Clint debriefed. The director looked over at Natasha who was still shaking, hands bloody.

'Fine. There'll be a med team waiting when we get back.' The archer nodded before assuming his seat in the cockpit. Phil made his way over to Natasha, 'Wanda, do you mind if I have a minute with agent Romanoff.' Wanda got up and moved to sit with Pietro, next to Steve, trying not to listen to what Phil was saying to Natasha.

'What happened today was unacceptable, Natasha. You disobeyed a direct order at the expense of your teammates. Fury read me in on this mission because he wanted me to keep you on the straight and narrow. I know you go off book and usually it works so I thought, maybe I would give you some leeway. Clearly, that was a mistake and I won't ever trust you to go off book again, for any reason whatsoever. If you ever do that again you can kiss your place at the tower goodbye. Is that understood?' Natasha nodded minutely before Phil continued, 'I didn't question Fury's reasoning behind asking me to supervise but I can't help but wonder now after this mess.' It took a while for Natasha to find her voice after all that.

'He thought my emotions had gotten the better of me.'

'Why, Natasha?' Phil's voice softened. He hated getting angry especially at someone in such a vulnerable state, especially with Natasha but if he didn't it'd look bad on his part as director. He knew Natasha understood that but he still felt terrible.

'Natasha...' Steve groaned from the back of the jet and the spy couldn't help but look up. 'Tasha.' He called for her again and she totally forgot that Phil had asked her a question, getting up to go to Steve.

'Yeah, Steve,' she murmured at his side on the make shift mattress they'd made out of parachute packs, 'I'm here,' She carded her fingers through his hair.

'I'm sorry, I..' he swallowed thickly, clearly in pain, 'I'm sorry I got shot.'

'Shh,' she hushed him, 'it's all right, just rest.' Natasha hadn't noticed Phil kneel beside her until he spoke.

'How long?'

'Hmm?' she replied, still stroking his hair.

'How long have you been... "letting your feelings get the better of you"?' He quoted her.

'I don't even know. It sort of just...happened.' she shrugged.

'Well, when he pulls through, make sure you tell him. He's waiting to see if you like him back in case you didn't hear him earlier.'

'If he pulls through.'

'He will Natasha. He always has.'

Sorry this one is so long but the build up was necessary.. Hope you enjoyed it x