June 25, 2013
It had probably been the longest six months for Arianna, and that was saying something. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically. Having to deal with the aftermath of her conflict with Steve had left her completely drained emotionally, and it was taking an effect on her mind and body.
While she knew better than to let personal feelings get in the way of missions, she found herself tiring much quicker than usual. Not that it was any surprise really.
After one such exhausting day when she'd gone home with the full intention of just collapsing in misery, however, Fury called Arianna.
"Aria." She answered, and he ordered curtly: "Go secure."
Arianna frowned, but quickly did as he said, switching her phone onto secure. The phone itself was Tony's design, and she'd tweaked it herself to ensure it could never be hacked. She confirmed: "Secure."
"I need you to do something important." Fury told her and Arianna frowned. "Sir?" She asked and he said flatly: "We have a mole in SHIELD."
Arianna's face blanked, shock making her entire body freeze.
"A mole?" Arianna repeated numbly and Fury said grimly: "I won't say much more over the phone- I want you to come in at three in the morning so that I can pass you the details myself. I suspect it won't take you too long, but I want this mole found and out. Understood?"
"Understood, sir." Arianna answered firmly. Fury cut off and she breathed deeply, getting up. There goes my rest. She thought wryly although the thought was tinged with anxiety. A mole in SHIELD was unheard of for good reasons. They had the best techies and security- the idea of someone getting past the staff screenings was worrying to say the least.
Looks like I'm in for a long week. Arianna mused as she thought about her next steps. But at least it will be good distraction from… current affairs. She thought, avoiding thinking about a certain golden-haired Captain determinedly.
Her resolve faltered slightly however as she spotted her dresser and remembered the locket tucked away inside the drawer. Her face scrunched up and she was suddenly fighting to breathe as she felt the tears she'd been pushing back for months threaten to fall. How did it get to this? She wondered miserably.
June 26, 2013
Steve P.O.V.
Steve was feeling agitated. Again. Since January, and particularly since Arianna had returned from wherever it was she'd disappeared to for three weeks, things had gone from bad to worse between them. She remained distant and cold, and Steve had made no attempt to reduce that distance. In fact, he was now just as actively trying to avoid her.
But despite what he'd said, he couldn't shake the painful tugging in his heart- it wasn't an accident, and he wasn't sorry it happened, not in that way. He was sorry because it had caused a larger rift between him and Arianna, but he wasn't sorry he'd done it. Because even now, when remembered the feel of her body on his, his lips would tingle and his heart beat a little faster.
Unable to sleep any longer, Steve decided to just go for a run. The sun was just starting to rise, casting a faint pink hue in the sky as Steve left his apartment. He'd just started his laps around the city, when he spotted another figure ahead. That was unusual, no-one else was usually up at this time.
Steve murmured as he passed the man: "On your left." The man just continued on his morning jog, but Steve soon made his lap and spotted the man ahead of him again. "On your left." He called, and the man replied lightly as he jogged: "Uh-huh, on my left. Got it."
Steve ran on without really paying attention but he soon ran his lap and was running up to the man again. The man was starting to get annoyed, and Steve saw him glance back at the sound of Steve's running steps.
"Don't say it, don't say it." The man muttered but Steve just muttered: "On your left."
"Come on!" The man shouted, annoyed, and Steve was faintly amused to hear the man speed up, trying to catch up with him but the man had to give up pretty quickly, already tired from his morning jog. He wondered who the man was, and decided to find out. He seemed to have a sense of humor, and Steve thought he recognized a fellow soldier in the man.
As he finished his last lap, he spotted the man sitting against a tree, clutching his sides as he tried to catch his breath. "Need a medic?" Steve called lightly as he walked up, and the man glanced at him before chuckling.
As Steve walked to stop beside the man, the man retorted: ": I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran like thirteen miles in thirty minutes." "I guess I got a late start." Steve joked and the man chuckled again.
"Oh, really?" The man asked amusedly. He joked: "You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap." He gestured around, and then paused. He glanced back at Steve and jested: "Did you just take it? I assume you just took it."
"What unit are you with?" Steve asked him curiously, and sure enough the man replied: "Fifty-eighth, Para-rescue. But now I'm working down at the VA. Sam Wilson." He held up a hand in greeting, and Steve took it as he introduced: "Steve Rogers."
He helped Sam up as the man mused: "I kind of put that together." He looked at Steve and teased: "Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing." Steve sighed, and joked back lightly: "It takes some getting used to."
Unfortunately, the conversation reminded him painfully about why he'd been running so hard this morning. His good mood from meeting Sam dropped a little, and he greeted the other man: "It's good to meet you, Sam."
He turned to leave but paused as Sam asked: "It's your bed, right?"
Steve turned back astonished as he asked the other man: "What's that?" "Your bed, it's too soft." Sam clarified.
Steve faced the other man in surprise as Sam went on: "When I was over there I sleep on the ground and used rock for pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed, and it's like…"
He shrugged, unable to find the right words and Steve supplied as he crossed his arms, somewhat amused: "Lying on a marshmallow. I feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor." Sam smiled a little as he nodded, the two in mutual understanding.
Steve asked him curiously: "How long?" "Two tours." Sam replied, a little grimly. Steve nodded, once again understanding, and Sam commented as he glanced at Steve: "You must miss the good old days, huh?"
Steve shrugged as he replied: "Well, things aren't so bad." He tried to ignore the glaringly obvious thought in his mind as he continued lightly: "Food's a lot better, we used to boil everything."
Sam chuckled, and Steve went on thoughtfully: "No polio is good. Internet," he remembered, "so helpful. I've been reading that a lot trying to catch up."
He once again fought a grimace- the only reason he was using the Internet was because since his and Arianna's non-fight, they hadn't gone out anywhere at all. Really, the only times he saw her were during missions. And she was always cold, treating him exactly as he'd seen her treat countless other agents before.
Sam broke him from his morose thoughts as he suggested: "Marvin Gaye, 1972, 'Trouble Man' soundtrack. Everything you've missed jammed into one album."
Steve nodded, pulling out his notebook and he said lightly: "I'll put it on the list." He added it to his list of things he still needed to look up while Sam watched amused.
His phone suddenly buzzed and Steve pulled it out to see a message from Natasha. 'Mission alert. Extraction imminent. Meet at the curb. :)'
He wrinkled his nose a little- Natasha had started making it a point to add emoticons to her messages because Steve still had no idea how they worked. It was a little joke she had established, but he could she her mocking expression every time he saw one of the damn things.
But he just said lightly to Sam: "Alright, Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run." They shook hands, and Steve added jokingly: "If that's what you wanna call running."
Sam raised his brows and he mocked: "Oh, that's how it is?" "Oh, that's how it is." Steve teased, and Sam laughed as he mused: "Okay."
As Steve turned to leave, Sam called after him jokingly: "Any time you wanna stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know."
"I'll keep it in mind." Steve replied with a small grin as they heard a car engine, and Sam smiled and nodded in farewell as Steve turned to find Natasha pulling up in a black sports car. She lowered the passenger seat window and called to them: "Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil."
"It's hilarious." Steve said flatly as he walked over, and he climbed into the car as Sam gave Natasha and the car an appreciative look. "How you doing?" Sam asked Natasha flirtatiously, and Natasha just replied easily: "Hey."
Steve almost rolled his eyes, but he just turned to Sam as he said with a small shrug: "You can't run everywhere." "No, you can't." Sam agreed with a smirk on his face. Natasha returned the smirk before she stepped on the gas and sped them away quickly, Sam watching them leave.
Steve stood in the jet with the STRIKE team, Natasha, and Arianna. The tension was rolling off the pair while Natasha almost rolled her eyes at what she saw as a pair of sulky teenagers. They were currently flying over the Indian Ocean, and Arianna stood beside Nat, between the Russian assassin and the STRIKE team leader Brock Rumlow.
Steve stood on the redhead's other side with his arms folded, while the rest of the STRIKE team stood behind the three, all of them watching as Rumlow explained the situation on the screen: "The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. It was sending up their last payload when pirates took them, ninety-three minutes ago."
"Any demands?" Steve asked tersely, although it was debatable whether his tension was due more to Arianna's presence or the situation. Nat was betting on the former though. Rumlow replied: "A billion and a half."
Steve frowned as he asked: "Why so steep?" "Because it's SHIELD's." Rumlow explained, and Steve murmured, looking pointedly at Natasha and Arianna: "So it's not off course, it's trespass." "I'm sure they have a good reason." Nat replied lightly.
"You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor." Steve said pointedly. Arianna glanced at him, eyes narrowed, but Nat didn't even spare him a glance as she replied airily: "Relax, it's not that complicated."
Steve glanced at Arianna and muttered: "Right. Not complicated." He turned back to Rumlow and asked shortly: "How many pirates?"
Rumlow showed them on the screen as he replied: "Twenty-five, top mercs, led by this guy. Georges Batroc." He enlarged the man's photo as he continued: "Ex-TGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's 'red notice'. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."
"Hostages?" Steve asked immediately, his brows furrowing worriedly, and Rumlow replied as he looked through the file again: "Uh...mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell." He pulled up a picture for them. "They're in the galley."
Arianna frowned, agreeing with Steve as he muttered: "What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship?" He spoke louder as he addressed the team: "Alright, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Ria, with me. Nat, you'll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to life pods. Get 'em out. Let's go."
Rumlow ordered: "STRIKE, you heard the Captain. Gear up!" They all moved to get their gear and weapons ready as the engines cut down, going into stealth as they came up on the ship. Arianna strapped on a parachute as Steve checked his comms once more to be sure: "Secure channel seven."
"Seven secure." Arianna replied tightly, and Nat repeated casually: "Seven secure." Arianna stiffened a little at the overly casual tone, silently begging Nat to just keep her opinions to herself for once. But as Arianna and Steve took first positions, Nat asked nonchalantly: "You do anything fun Saturday night?"
Both Steve and Arianna tensed at the thinly veiled jab, but Steve replied with forced light-heartedness: "Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so... No, not really." Okay, so maybe not that light.
"Coming up by the drop zone, Cap." The pilot called and Steve pressed the control, lowering the ramp. He and Arianna walked towards the edge, getting ready, when Nat added: "You know, if you ask Kristen out, from Statistics, she'll probably say yes."
She pointed the jab at Steve, but her eyes were on Arianna. The younger agent glared back at her, eyes narrowed angrily while Steve didn't even look over as he replied shortly: "That's why I don't ask."
"Too shy or too scared?" Nat challenged. Arianna was almost frustrated enough to snap at Nat, but their target came. She jumped, pulling open her parachute, as Steve shouted back at Nat: "Too busy!"
He jumped with Arianna as Nat's lips curled into an irritated sneer. She wished Clint was here to knock some sense into the pair- she was too used to being more subtle. Hawkeye had none of her qualms, and he'd beat Steve into shape and drag Arianna to face her fears without a second thought. Damn him for taking that job in Australia.
Her expression became more amused though when an agent behind her asked Rumlow slowly: "Was he wearing a parachute?" Rumlow sounded just as amused as he replied: "No. No, he wasn't."
Steve landed in the water in a seamless dive as Arianna drifted towards the ship, maneuvering to land at the edge of the railings where Steve had just jumped up, taking down the guard. He nodded at her as she pulled off the parachute, and she nodded back.
The pair moved in opposite directions silently, pushing aside their differences as they focused on their work. It was the only reason Fury kept them on a team together; he wasn't blind to their obviously strained relationship but they were professional enough to not let that stop their work, and they were too good a team to split.
Arianna ran down the deck, silently taking down all the guards on her side before they could raise the alarm. Her knives slit the guards' throats easily, and the training from Black Widow ensured she snuck up on them unheard. She reached the deck just as Rumlow shot a guard who had a gun pointed at Steve's head.
"Thanks." Steve said and Rumlow returned with sarcastic humour: "Yeah, you seemed pretty helpless without me."
Arianna joined them as the STRIKE team and Nat arrived as well. Steve nodded at Arianna and they strode off, Nat joining them as she landed. Nat continued as she walked: "What about the nurse that lives across the hall from you? She seems kind of nice."
Arianna closed her eyes in irritation, but neither she nor Steve broke their stride as Steve ordered flatly: "Secure the engine room, then find me a date." "I wouldn't have to if you'd both stop being children." Nat retorted as she jumped over the edge of the deck and headed swiftly for the engine room.
Steve almost faltered in his step, but he didn't glance back or at his companion. Arianna had gritted her teeth, and was close to killing the redhead herself. She was so angry that she was almost glad when a lone guard appeared around the corner. Unfortunate for the guard though.
She kicked him harshly where it hurts, and then grabbed his head, knocking him out swiftly on her knee. Steve watched silently and as she continued walking, not having broken her stride, he commented dryly: "Glad I'm not your opponent."
"You sure about that?" She retorted, a little more sharply than she'd intended. He glanced at her immediately, but turned away again, focusing on the mission as he fired a small sensor into the control room window. Arianna tapped quickly into her mini computer and they soon had audio.
The pair listened as Batroc said something in French, Arianna translating quietly for Steve: "I do not like to wait. Call Durand. I want the ship ready to go as soon as the rescue arrives." A pirate replied: "Yes, Batroc." He then made the call to the engine room, and they heard him say: "Durand. Start the engine."
They slowly moved into position, hiding behind various outposts as a pirate commented to Batroc: "Radio Silence from SHIELD, Batroc." Rumlow called to them over their ear comms: "STRIKE in position." Steve asked quietly: "Natasha, what's your status?"
There was no response, and Steve repeated: "Status, Natasha?" Arianna raised her brow as Nat replied shortly and sharply: "Hang on!" They waited maybe five seconds and then she replied: "Engine room secure."
"Five seconds, you're getting slow, Nat." Arianna teased, and Steve gave her an annoyed look as Nat retorted: "Still faster than you, Ria." "Focus." Steve scolded and Arianna pouted, then as they realized how close their faces were, she quickly averted her face and schooled it into the usual cold mask.
Steve felt a pang in his chest, but he ignored it as he called softly into the comms: "On my mark. Three. Two. One." The pair made their way to the control room as the pirate inside called into his own phone line: "Hello? Batroc, the line is dead. I lost contact with them."
Steve threw his shield at that moment, smashing the glass. He jumped in first, only to be kicked by Batroc. Arianna jumped in as well, just as Steve ran after Batroc. She threw him his shield as she stayed to take out the other pirates quickly, and he caught it without a backward glance as he ran out the door.
She stabbed the pirate as Rumlow reported: "Hostages enroot to extraction. Romanoff missed the rendezvous point, Captain." Arianna's face turned grim and she quickly made her way to the engine room as Rumlow reported: "Hostiles are still in play."
Steve ordered: "Natasha, Batroc's on the move. Circle back to Rumlow and protect the hostages." Arianna hurried quickly, avoiding STRIKE, potentially Steve, and any other pirates left as she made her way to Nat. Steve called again when there was no response: "Natasha?"
Sounding irritated and worried, he called again: "Ria, find-" he was cut off, Ria assumed, by Batroc. She almost paused but pushed on- Steve could handle himself. Arianna strode into a room on the way to the engine room, spotting Nat by the computer.
"Are you trying to get discovered?" Arianna demanded, and Nat shrugged. "Not my fault the computer doesn't download faster." She commented as she eyed the younger agent warily. Arianna was doing the same as her mind raced. Surely not…
Nat asked slowly: "How'd you know I'd be here." "Same person who ordered you to come here." Arianna replied flatly, making no move to get closer. She knew they were on thin ice, and she didn't want Nat to become overly suspicious. Her hand unconsciously moved to her neck and she fiddled with the locket.
Nat immediately zeroed in on the action and Arianna froze. She hadn't even realized she'd gone back to wearing the locket. She silently cursed herself- the whole situation with Steve was clearly affecting her focus, more than she liked or wanted to admit. Arianna slowly let go of the locket and tried to maintain a neutral expression but she had a feeling Nat saw right through her.
The redhead's eyes narrowed just slightly, but they were interrupted as the door on the far side of the room smashed open as Steve slammed Bartroc into the ground, knocking him out.
"Well, this is awkward." Nat commented, and Steve looked up in disbelief. His eyes narrowed as he saw the two standing there and he demanded: "What are you two doing?"
"I'm watching her." Arianna pointed at Nat, who finished: "Back up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into." She added.
Steve strode over furiously, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Bartroc was out cold. "Rumlow needed your help. What the hell are you doing here?" He saw what she was backing up and he said flatly: "You're saving SHIELD Intel."
"Whatever I can get my hands on." Nat finally admitted, and Steve snapped: "Our mission is to rescue hostages."
"No. That's your mission." Nat corrected him. She pulled out her flash disk as she finished backing up what she needed and she added: "Not sure what Ria's mission is yet." Steve glanced at the other agent who wasn't moving and his eyes shifted back to Nat as she finished: "But you've done yours beautifully."
She made to stride past him but he grabbed her arm, stopping her as he said angrily: "You just jeopardized this whole operation." "I think that's overstating things." Nat replied, her tone still light when Aria spotted Bartroc move.
"Steve, Nat-!" She called warningly as she jumped forward, but Bartroc shot at her as he threw a grenade at Steve and Nat. She ducked, barely dodging as the bullet skimmed her arm, drawing blood, while Steve hit the grenade aside with his shield and Bartoc escaped. Unfortunately, the grenade was still in the room and more importantly it was now sitting closer to Arianna.
"Crap." She muttered but Steve was suddenly before her, grabbing her as he jumped for cover. He pushed Nat with the arm holding Arianna as he went, using his other arm to lift his shield to cover them as he threw them into a side office, smashing them through the window just as the grenade exploded.
Arianna groaned, her head having been hit by Steve's shield as Steve and Nat quickly moved to back against the wall just in case. Steve dragged Arianna with him, leaving her as she clutched her head and then her arm while he peeked out the window to check the coast was clear.
"Okay." Nat muttered as she caught her breath. "That one's on me." "You're damn right." Steve snarled, before turning to check on Arianna. "Ria, you okay?" He asked as he reached for her arm, but she jerked out of his grip.
"Never better." She muttered, and his eyes narrowed. Grabbing his shield, he stormed out furiously, while Nat rolled her eyes but she glanced at Arianna guiltily.
"Sorry." She muttered and Arianna winced as she checked the damage. "Not your fault." She returned and there was a tense silence.
"Fury sent you to check on me?" Nat asked at last, and Arianna nodded. "He doesn't trust me." Nat mused and Arianna pointed out: "He doesn't trust anyone. Not even Captain America."
Nat sighed as she murmured: "Now he's got us turning on each other." Arianna didn't answer as she slowly picked herself up.
"Come on." She sighed to Nat. "If we don't hurry, I wouldn't put it past Steve to leave us behind in the state that he's in."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Nat muttered but she got up, and the pair quickly made their way to the jet rendezvous point. Thankfully, it hadn't left yet although Steve's face was set in an angry mask as they slipped inside. None of them spoke, and STRIKE didn't comment although Rumlow raised his brows at their frazzled state and Arianna's bleeding arm.
*A/N Yes, I have taken liberties with the dates. I know Steve was originally with SHIELD for two years before 'Winter Soldier' but it felt ridiculous to have him and Arianna at odds for that long. That was really the only reason for the change, but wanted to clear it up just in case.