AN: Shout out to everyone who followed and liked my story!


When Natasha had been bandaged up and been given a small blood transfusion, we moved to a large table. I sat, my fingers entwined and pressed to my tightly closed lips. Steve stood behind me while Natasha, Fury, and Maria were also sitting. Sam and Zahira stood off to the side. Fury was holding a picture of Pierce, with a case in front of him, as he sat at the table

"This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize," Fury started, looking at a picture of Pierce. "He said peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility," Fury continued before dropping the picture back onto the table. "See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues," he added, leaning forward slightly.

"We have to stop the launch," Natasha stated simply.

"I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore," Fury joked, before he opened a briefcase to reveal what looked like three computer chips.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"Once the helicarriers reach 3,000 feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites, becoming fully weaponized," Maria explained, showing us a laptop screen that zoomed into blueprints of the new helicarriers.

"We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own," Fury said, bouncing off of Maria's statement.

"One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational, a whole lot of people are gonna die," Zahira finished grimly.

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We need to get pass them, insert the server blades, and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage what's left-" Fury started.

"We're not salvaging anything," Steve cut him off angrily. "We're not just taking down carriers, Nick. We're taking down S.H.I.E.L.D." Steve stated firmly.

My eyes widened, "Steve-" I began, and I felt everyone's eyes on me.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has nothing to do with this," Fury argued back.

"You gave me this mission. This is how it ends. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s been compromised, you said so yourself. Hydra grew under your nose and nobody noticed," Steve threw back at him.

"Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed," Fury countered, becoming defensive.

"How many paid the price before you did?" Steve asked harshly, and I almost immediately understood what it was all about.

"Look, I didn't know about Barnes-" Fury started, and Steve shook his head.

"Even if you had, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too?" Steve asked, silence following his question. "S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA, it all goes,"

Fury drew in a sigh, and looked at Maria, she nodded,"He's right," Maria agreed.

Fury looked at Natasha who's expression was stone cold and she leaned back, Fury looked over at Zahira she too nodded her head, agreeing with what Steve was saying. Then he looked at Sam.

"Don't look at me. I do what he does, just slower," Sam said, shaking his head and shrugged.

"Well...Looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain," Fury said, leaning back in his seat.

~~~x~~~

"Did your opinion ever change about me through this whole situation?" I questioned curiously, tilting my head and turning to Steve.

Steve and I were up on the walkway again, overlooking the Potomac river.

Steve opened his mouth to answer, but I quickly interjected, "And please, don't lie to me. I've had my fair share to last a lifetime," I added, in a clipped tone.

"It...did...once..." Steve began softly, and turned to me. "At the hospital,"

My body involuntarily flinched at Steve's hesitant admission, the admission stung more than I care to admit. But, was it really surprising lord knows I'm not innocent in anyway and I have been deceitful throughout my life, the skeletons in my closet were bound to come out I just didn't imagine it happening this way and to the point that my friends would begin to question whose side I'm really on.

"I can't say I'm surprised...I wouldn't trust myself," I responded softly, and attempted to muster a smile to mask my pain, but it just came out as a grimace.

Steve sighed and dragged a hand down his face before looking at me, "That's the thing Amara, I should've trusted you from the start. We've known each other for years now, I've should known better," Steve explained, almost disappointed in himself. " "I'm sorry Amara, for everything," Steve apologized sincerely.

"Apology accepted, Steve," I sighed, with a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. I cautiously placed hand on Steve's arm which redirected his focus on me. "You know I would've told you about The Winter...Bucky," I corrected myself, realizing I should call him the name that HYDRA stripped from him and not the title that was given to him. "There would be no reason for me to keep a secret like that," I stated gently.

Sam came up on the walkway, "He's gonna be there, ya know," He said, as he neared us.

"I know," Steve answered.

"Whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save, he's the kind you stop," Sam stated gently, but there was an undertone of firmness.

"I don't know if I could do that," Steve admitted lowly, shoving his hands into his pockets and staring out across the river.

"Well, he might not give you a choice...He doesn't know you," I reasoned softly, looking up at Steve.

Steve bristled a bit, "He will," Steve sounded so sure of himself. "Gear up, it's time,"

"You gonna wear that?" Sam asked him.

Steve without his iconic stars and spangles suit in the midst of saving the world would be an odd thing to witness.

"No. If you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform," Steve replied, and with that, he headed back down to presumably change his outfit.

~~~x~~~

I sniffled as I leaned against the cold wall as I sat on my bed, tears were running down my down my cheeks. Footsteps approached my door and I swiftly brushed away the twin trails. There were three rhythmic knocks on my door before it opened revealing a smiling Zahira, but her smile faded once she saw I was visibly upset. Zahira walked towards me and sat next to me, she reached out and jerked me into her arms in a tight hug.

Zahira pulled back and looked me in the eyes, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" she asked, concern showing in her face.

"To be honest, I don't know," I choked a laugh out through my tears. "It doesn't make sense for me to be crying over him. Phillip. I-I should've seen through his facade! I have the power to detect lies, but I was too much of a lovesick fool-" I ranted angrily, until Zahira gripped my arms tightly which silenced me.

"Stop," she said firmly, looking straight into my eyes. "He didn't give you any reason for you to be suspicious of him, so you had no reason to detect any lies. Stop beating yourself up!" Zahira demanded softly, I opened my mouth to object and she gave me a pointed look that silenced me. "There's nothing that you can do now to change that now," Zahira added.

I rested my head on Zahira's shoulder and she stroked my hair softly and we sat in silence, it wasn't uncomfortable nor awkward.

"HYDRA has taken everything from me," I stated sighing, breaking the silence. "My innocence, my freedom, family members, the ability to trust, hope," I listed solemnly, and let out a short, mirthless laugh.

Zahira stopped stroking my hair and turned her head to face me, "Not everything was taken from you. You've got friends who trust you and would be willing to sacrifice themselves for you. Your freedom was stolen from you, but look at what your doing with it now; you're fighting for millions of people so they never have to go through the suffering that you had to," Zahira countered fiercely.

"So, never say that your hopefulness has been taken, because without hope, there is no future," Zahira finished, and put her hand on my knee and gave it a reassuring squeeze.


AN: Short, but I hoped you enjoyed it!