July 2, 2013

"You had to be sassy." Arianna sighed as she scrolled through the headlines on the committee hearing.

The most popular were 'Black Widow stands her ground' and 'Widow bites off committee heads: 'HYDRA was selling you lies'.' There were also numerous quotes from the hearing, the common favorites being 'we're [Avengers] also the ones best qualified to defend it' and 'So if you want to arrest me, arrest me. You'll know where to find me.'

"You're starting to sound like Tony." Arianna grumbled as she read that last quote again for perhaps the sixth time.

"Don't insult me like that." Nat quipped and Arianna rolled her eyes as she pointed out: "Tony's not actually here, he can't hear your comebacks."

"A good opportunity wasted." Nat said as she sighed mock-forlornly.

Steve chuckled as Sam rolled his eyes, although he was also sporting a small amused smile. They were all sitting in Steve's room, waiting for the final clearance for Steve's discharge.

His rapid recovery had thrown the hospital staff- it was always one thing to expect an outcome and then another to be actually faced with it. No-one was really surprised that Steve was fully healed and ready to leave, but the admin was still struggling to file his paperwork in time with his recovery.

"So, what are you going to do now that you're free agents?" Sam asked the group curiously.

Arianna smiled a little sadly while Steve's face turned thoughtful. Nat shrugged as she replied easily: "Wherever the wind blows me. Maybe we'll have another alien invasion."

She gave a sarcastic smirk at Arianna, who just laughed. Steve rolled his eyes, while Sam burst out into gales of laughter. Shaking his head, the man mused: "You lot are crazy."

"Be careful, you're already getting sucked into it." Arianna teased, and Sam grinned.

He answered blithely: "Nah, saving the world? It's too much… drama."

Arianna and Nat grinned while Steve chuckled. At that moment, the doors opened and Steve's nurse walked inside, saying brightly: "Well, Mr. Rogers. If you'll just sign here, you're free to go."

"Thank you, ma'am." Steve answered as he got up.

Arianna and Nat raised their brows as they saw the nurse give Steve a quick once-over while Sam repressed a snort. Arianna also snorted as, when Steve finished signing the paper and handed it back to the nurse, the woman began to open her mouth.

Nat cut in suddenly: "So, Steve."

He glanced over while the nurse looked over, a little jealous as she eyed Nat. Nat gave a Cheshire cat grin as she finished slyly: "Now that you and Ria are planning to move in together, will I be hearing wedding bells anytime soon?"

Steve absolutely started, turning bright red as Arianna wrinkled her nose and Sam burst out laughing. The nurse looked at Arianna, startled, before turning red with embarrassment and hurrying out. Steve spluttered, clearly taken aback: "We're not even moving in together yet!"

"You really shouldn't tease people." Arianna told Nat, and the redhead shrugged as she replied: "I wouldn't have to if you'd just get jealous."

"If I got jealous for every time a girl checked Steve out, I'd be jealous for almost every hour of every day." Arianna pointed out.

"What's going on?" Steve asked, confused, and Sam sighed.

He replied as he patted the Captain's arm: "You know, man, every guy would either want to kill you or kill to be you."

Steve glanced at his friend, puzzled, and then turned slightly red again as Nat added slyly: "And don't think we didn't hear your slipup. 'Not moving in together yet'?"

Arianna laughed as Steve looked completely mortified, and she said as she walked over to him, chuckling slightly: "If it helps, Steve, I wouldn't mind moving in with you."

She winked at him and kissed his cheek, making both Nat and Sam guffaw while Steve, although still looking a little embarrassed, grinned back at her. As Sam and Nat calmed down, Sam clapped his hands and said cheerfully: "So, you're free. Where to now, Cap?"

"There's a place we have to go to first." Steve answered firmly as he glanced down at Arianna.

Steve, Arianna and Sam stood before a grave solemnly, Steve staring down at the name engraved on the stone head as Arianna leaned on his shoulder. Nat had left them briefly, running a favor. They'd been staring pensively at the grave when Fury spoke from behind as he walked up: "So, you've experienced this sort of things before?"

Arianna glanced over as Fury walked past them. The man was wearing sunglasses and a hoodie, concealing his damaged eye. He stopped before the stone head, also staring down at the engraved words while Steve answered with a small smile: "You get used to it."

Fury folded his arms as he stared down at the words on his grave: 'Col. Nicholas Fury'.

"Like the epitaph." He commented as he nodded at the words, which read: 'The path of the righteous man. Ezekiel 25:17'.

Arianna smiled a little wryly as she answered softly: "I thought you might. Maria liked it as well."

There was a brief pause as they each fell into thought, and then Fury turned back to Steve as he said: "We've been data-mining HYDRA's files."

Steve perked up in surprise, but listened silently as Fury continued: "Looks Like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm heading to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come."

Fury looked at Steve expectantly, but Steve replied quietly but firmly: "There's something I gotta do first."

Arianna glanced at him quickly, before her gaze returned to the grave thoughtfully. Fury nodded understandingly, before he glanced over at Sam.

"How about you, Wilson?" He asked. "I could use a man with your abilities."

Sam glanced at Steve and Arianna, before he replied to Fury: "I'm more of a soldier than a spy."

He looked at the other man pointedly, and Fury nodded once more. He mused: "And looks like Aria will stay here with you."

He glanced at Arianna, who smiled a little. Steve also smiled wryly as he answered softly, glancing at Arianna: "I think that's the plan, sir."

"You bet. Can't get rid of me now, Cap." Arianna replied with a grin, and Fury chuckled, before he sighed: "Alright then."

He glanced over them all pensively, genuinely regretting the chance to have some of the best agents continue working with him. But he understood, and he reached out to shake the other men's hands.

As Steve let go, Fury added: "Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me right here."

He nodded at the grave pointedly before he turned and left them. As Fury left, Steve was surprised to hear Nat call out: "You should be honored."

He and Sam turned to see the woman returning, holding a file. Arianna watched Fury leave as Nat finished with a wry smile: "That's about as close as he gets to saying thank you."

"Bet it took all his pride to say it." Arianna added cheekily, and she grinned as Fury called back as he walked off: "I heard that, Arianna."

With a laugh, Arianna tore her eyes away from the retreating figure, and instead headed over towards the approaching redhead. Steve smiled a little as well as he went with her, asking Nat: "Not going with him?"

Nat smiled, shaking her head as she answered: "No."

Arianna's expression softened while Steve raised a brow. He looked down at the redhead and he pointed out more than asked: "Not staying here?"

Nat smiled and she admitted: "I blew all my covers. Ria's safer as a US citizen and with you." She gestured at Steve. "I gotta go figure out a new one."

Arianna smiled at Nat gently and the redhead grinned back. Steve wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, pulling Arianna in close and making her smile, as he noted: "That might take a while."

Nat replied with a smirk: "I'm counting on it. Though I'll be back before you two can get too cosy."

Steve rolled his eyes while Arianna chuckled.

"I'll miss you too, Nat." Arianna told her friend a little sarcastically.

Nat winked at the younger agent before she became more businesslike, saying to Steve: "That thing you asked for," she held out the file she'd been holding, "I called in a few favors from Kiev."

Arianna sighed as Steve took the file slowly, his face becoming grim as he stared down at the cover. Nat warned quietly: "Be careful, Steve. You might not want to pull on that thread."

"I know." Steve answered just as quietly.

Arianna added a little jokingly, giving a small smile: "I'll keep an eye on him- make sure he doesn't go too far and get himself killed."

Steve rolled his eyes a little although he grinned back at her as she smiled up at him. Nat, however, hesitated, glancing at Arianna. She asked suddenly: "Steve, will you do me a favor?"

The couple looked at her in surprise, and Steve's brow lifted as Nat said, no hint of her smile left: "Look after Ria."

Arianna wrinkled her nose, but Nat said pointedly: "She's sometimes reckless, especially when it comes to those she loves. It makes her do stupid things."

Arianna pursed her lips, but she couldn't argue that. Steve grinned a little wryly and he answered just as seriously: "Don't worry about it; I'd never let anyone hurt Ria. Not even herself."

"Hello, I'm right here." Arianna interjected, a little annoyed. Steve glanced at her somewhat sheepishly while Arianna addressed Nat: "Don't worry, I learnt my lesson."

"I'll believe that when I see it." Nat answered sassily, and Arianna smiled as Steve chuckled.

She let go of the super-soldier to hug Nat, whispering in the redhead's ear: "You too, Nat. Be careful."

"Always." Nat promised.

They let go, and with one last smile, Nat walked away as well. As the redhead disappeared into the shadows of the trees, Steve glanced at Arianna. She was watching Nat leave, but sensing his eyes on her, her eyes flickered up to meet his.

Arianna's eyes softened as she saw the worry in his eyes and she leant up on her toes to press a chaste kiss on his lips. Steve returned it briefly before she broke off, leaning back onto her feet.

Steve breathed deeply as she squeezed his arm encouragingly, and he opened the file in his hand. Arianna leaned back against him, both staring down pensively as Steve ran a thumb across the picture of Bucky during his colonel days attached to the inside of the file.

Sam joined the pair and he stated: "You're going after him."

Arianna glanced at the other man, giving him the answer he didn't need. Steve added quietly, his statement directed at both Sam and Arianna: "You don't have to come with me."

"We know." Arianna replied softly.

Steve nodded gratefully, his eyes still on the picture of his old best friend, while Sam asked from behind determinedly: "When do we start?"

END ARC 2

*A/N That's it for this book guys~ Keep an eye out for I will be posting a sequel. Thank you to everyone for reading and supporting, it's meant a lot to me, and I feel really grateful! Goodbye for now!