"I told Fury we should have ordered heavier bags."
"Do you do that often?" Said Steve without bothering to look over at the red haired women whose voice he's gotten to remember quickly.
"I like to be here and there, never like to stay in one place too long." Said the women casually
"Must get tiring after awhile."
"Maybe someday, but it's a good way to stay alive." Said the women, her voice barely above a tender whisper.
"So I'm guessing you're not here just to check up on me."
"No, Fury wanted me to bring you in for some tests if you're up for it." Said the women reverting back to her regular voice.
"Tests?"
"Combat, Psych evaluation, all the basic stuff."
"Seems simple enough."
"That's what they always seem to say." Muttered Natasha quietly to herself
Two hours later, Steve found himself waking up on a bed in what seemed like a medical wing.
"What happened?" groaned Steve as he made to sit up when a gentle hand immediately shot out to prevent him from doing so.
"You blacked out Cap, right after screaming at a bunch of ghosts." Came the voice of Director Fury as he walked through the doors of the medical wing.
"So I take it I failed?
"Physically no, Mentally. Well let's just say you got some soul searching to do." Said Fury
"Well what do you recommend, Doc?" Mused Steve
"A vacation. You seem like a man who enjoys the simple things, and I got just the place."
Soon Steve found himself on a quinjet flying towards an "undisclosed location," with a smirking red head staring on from the other side.
"You know, I don't think one does much soul searching when they're accompanied by someone else."
"Already tired of me Rogers? Do you treat all your women this way?" Joked Natasha
"I haven't been the best with woman, mostly a problem with timing." Said Steve quietly with a sad smile.
"I'm only here in case things go downhill, I'll be sure to stay out of your way." Muttered Natasha as she realized the chord in which her comment struck.
"Thank you." Said Steve as the quinjet began to descend and he headed out to see just exactly where they were.
As he descended the ramp he saw a giant crystal blue lake and trees surrounding them. The air was thinner but the scent of pine and the cool mountain temperature was refreshing.
"Home away from home." Muttered Natasha as she walked by Steve and headed towards the cabin.
So far her plan to avoid Steve Rogers was not working well, as it seems like Fury enjoyed using every opportunity possible to pair her with Steve. His official reason seemed to be that he was a "dangerous asset" and "You're the only one qualified for such a task." Her favorite one was "It's a simple enough task for one of your qualifications."
She felt conflicted, as she was relieved that Steve only suffered temporary amnesia but seems to have forgotten her, yet she was in a difficult predicament. Does she go on as if nothing has ever happened or does she tell him the truth and have him despise her, never to talk to her again?
She should tell him and get it over with, which was a part of her life that she needed closure on, and if he hated her forever than so be it. But it was more difficult than it seemed, as every time Steve spoke to her they would fall into the natural banter that bought her so much joy in another time. She couldn't tell him, but she couldn't just lie to him either. And that was where she was in this rut as she sat on the roof of the cabin watching Steve chopping endless amounts of firewood.
Ghosts. It seemed liked ghosts were all around him. That was the last thing he could recall from his evaluation. It began easy enough simple exercises and training maneuvers Steve had done thousands of times. The psych evaluations was strange as he sat with a team of psychiatrists who asked him various questions that seemed relevant and also some which seemed completely irrelevant. What frustrated Steve was the stoic and blank expressions of the psychiatrists as he gave his answers. He couldn't figure out if it was right or wrong even though they assured him there was no "Right or Wrong." The strange part was that during some questions Steve would seem to blank out, which caused to the psychiatrists to enter a flurry of scribbles. The final part of his evaluation was a simulation room in which he was paired with Natasha to test both his physical and psychological state as well as his ability to work with others.
They were in a blank room for a couple minutes before a voice rang through the speakers with his objectives. It seemed simple enough, get from point A to point B while fighting through a small army of soldiers. As the instructions ended they were soon in a clearing as a building could be seen a couple miles away with a stretch of forest in between and all around them.
"Lead the way Rogers," Drawled Natasha, who seemed bored but was still sharp and aware of her surroundings.
"Alright well since it's nighttime and judging by the campfires, most of the troops would be situated around that area said Steve pointing towards the middle. I'd reckon they have two soldier patrolling the perimeter every 2 blocks or so. So standard tag team assault, we flank them from the side and if we have to we'll catch the main camp by surprise but I'd like to be able to avoid them and get to extraction."
Natasha was extremely impressed, as for being frozen so long, he didn't seem to lose a step. She could see why he was revered as a military commander as he literally broke down how to beat the simulation in a few minutes.
"Roger." Said Natasha with a salute that caused Steve to look at her quizzically
The plan went off without a hitch until the end when they got towards the extraction point and something changed within the simulation. Suddenly there where groups of soldiers sprinting out to meet them and they found themselves fighting for their lives. (They wouldn't die, but the bullets still felt like getting hit with one and so did the punches and stabs.)
It was in that moment that Natasha felt something scrape her sides as she went down expecting them to hoard around and start hitting her or a bullet to the head ending the simulation, but it never came. She looked up and found Steve taking down men all around her in a furious frenzy never letting one get too close. Soon the men were all down but he wouldn't stop, as he seemed to be fighting ghost and muttering, "I'm sorry."
"Steve." Said Natasha softly
"I'm sorry! I'm so…" Steve collapsed on his knees dropping his shield to the ground looking every bit like a broken man, right before his eyes rolled over and everything turned to black.
He remembered the vision clearly as the moment Natasha got hit he was suddenly in a warzone surrounded by Hydra and Nazi soldiers. He fought and fought until they were all gone when out of nowhere a mangled Bucky appeared in front of him. Along with a charred Howard Stark, and finally Peggy. Looking as beautiful as ever.
"You could have saved me buddy, you had to make made the wrong call." He whispered at Steve.
"I searched and searched, they were out for me! You could have saved me!" Shouted Howard.
The look that Peggy gave him was of pure hate and disappointment. "Oh Steve. Such extraordinary abilities and yet you still couldn't make it. You were late."
"AGH!" Screamed Steve in frustration as he tore the log in two with his bare hands.
"Wow you are strong." Mused Natasha from the rooftops as she looked over at him
"Just go…" Muttered Steve eliciting a confused look from Natasha
"Go where? Inside? Together?" Joked Natasha playfully
"Just. Leave. Far away from here. From me." Said Steve quietly as he went inside the cabin and locked the doors.
Natasha saw the cold dead look in his eyes, which were all too familiar for her liking. She could go in there and try to comfort him but what does she know? He may have seemed like the same man that fell into the ice many years ago but Natasha knew that he was different. She was lost, and she was losing him. Her being there didn't seem to help matters so with a sigh Natasha radioed a quinjet to come get her.
"Agent Romanoff. Where's Captain Rogers?" asked the pilot curiously as she stepped onto the plan alone.
"He needs some alone time. We'll give him a couple days." Said Natasha
"So where to?"
"Take me to D.C."