When the news crews began to arrive, Kayla knew she and Wanda had to get out of there. "Where do you think you two are going?" Natasha snarled as she noticed the blonde begin to shift uncomfortably, taking a step back from the burning building.

"We can't stay here." She hissed back at the assassin, still holding Wanda tight. "They'll tear her apart."

"And they'll broadcast that you're still alive," Natasha said simply, revealing the real reason Kayla wanted to run.

"I-mmm, well you aren't wrong. I'm taking her back to the quinjet. Let me know when you all are ready to leave." Kayla said simply, and when her back was turned Natasha delivered her final blow.

"How is it so easy for you to walk away from this?"

Kayla turned back to Natasha, guilt in her eyes, "It's not easy to turn away, it's just too hard to stay and face it. It's not her fault, it is ours." Kayla was referring to Steve as she gestured to his shield lying on the ground nearby, where she had used it to take down Rumlow. If they'd been focused if she hadn't wanted revenge if he hadn't been so infatuated by Bucky...

Kayla scooped up Wanda and sprinted away from the crowd, Natasha turning toward the building, gazing up at the dark smoke in despair as Sam flew in through a window followed quickly by fire and rescue

and news crews everywhere. When she reached the quinjet, she turned off stealth mode just long enough for them to get inside, then created the cloak with them inside the ship.

Wanda was shaking, looking at her hands as she tried to replay in her head what had happened. "I killed them. I killed all of them." She muttered, rocking back and forth as the guilt washed over her again and again.

"We all would have died if it wasn't for you!" Kayla argued, throwing a blanket around the girl's shoulders as she sat on the floor of the ship. Kayla took a seat next to her, crossing her legs and leaning toward the girl. "And I don't just mean Steve and me, that blast would have killed all the bystanders as well. We'll keep working on your powers, we'll keep working on control, you are very powerful Wanda and I know you are a great asset to the team-"

"But it doesn't change the fact that people are dead. Because of me." She hung her head, ending the conversation. Kayla knew it was useless, and she knew there wasn't anything she could say to comfort the girl. Her own guilt consumed her. If she hadn't been so hell-bent on revenge she would have noticed what was happening earlier. She could have shot Rumlow before he detonated the bomb but she was too wrapped up in her own self-indulgent ranting that she wasted valuable time. Then he took advantage of Steve's weakness.

And it made her bitter to think his weakness wasn't her.

The two women sat on the floor of the quinjet in silence. Hours went by, and the sun began to set. Finally, Kayla got a call on her phone from Natasha, asking them to start the jet. The team was heading home. Wanda shifted uncomfortably, getting up from the floor and taking a seat on the left side of the quinjet, near the pilot's chair where Kayla would undoubtedly sit. She knew the others would be mad at her, and she wanted Kayla to protect her from their wrath. That's what Kayla did, she protected Wanda.

Steve entered the jet silently, making his way towards the front where he ripped off his cowl and discarded it on the ground as he sat on a bench opposite Wanda. He didn't look up, he just held his head and his hand as he sighed. Sam followed close behind, discarding his pack to the right side and taking a seat next to the witch, smiling reassuringly at her. Natasha though had little sympathy for the girl, and stopped in front of her, wanting her to understand the repercussions of her actions.

"I know it was an accident, but we are in some deep shit Wanda." Nat snarled, hands on her hips as she flung her long red hair over her shoulder.

"Nat..." Kayla started, turning to face the woman berating her friend.

"This is your fault too. We had it under control, you weren't called in. If you hadn't been there we would have disarmed him earlier."

"You don't know he wouldn't have blown you up sooner!" Kayla bit back, moving to stand in front of Natasha.

"Well, are you happy now? Rumlow is dead. You got your revenge. But at what cost?" Nat finished, moving to sit next to Steve, arms crossed as she stared at Kayla. "Now let's go home."

"Okay," Kayla responded, taking her spot in the pilot's chair as she took off for New York. The eight-hour flight was tense, Sam occasionally tried to make small talk, but was ignored by Steve and Wanda, and shot down by Natasha. Kayla tried to help him keep the mood light, but none of their teammates were having it.

The next morning when Kayla landed the quinjet, Wanda was the first to dart off the jet, making a beeline to her bedroom past Vision, who was at the launch pad to greet them. Natasha and Sam followed with Kayla and Steve brought up the rear.

"I saw the news. Is everyone alright?" Vision asked the Captain as he fell in step with the pair.

"We are all fine. There were over one hundred casualties." Steve answered faintly, looking straight ahead. "We neutralized Rumlow and were able to retrieve the biohazardous weapon he had stolen. But Maximoff caused a lot of damage. It was my fault, but she's taking it really hard."

"Perhaps I'll speak with her, see if I can help." Vision looked after the brunette. Kayla nodded approvingly, telling him to go to her friend. She knew Wanda harbored fond feelings for Vision, and the feeling was clearly mutual.

Then Steve and Kayla were alone outside the compound. He was the first to break, turning to face his fiance. "I'm sorry Kay... he said Bucky and I just couldn't look away-"

"Yeah, I noticed." Kayla grumbled, but her eyes softened quickly, "I'm sorry too. I was hungry for revenge. He took everything from me. I put a gun to his head and even still he mocked me."

"Where did you get that gun?" Steve asked quickly, not letting her confession go so easily.

"Nat gave it to me. Said I should be able to defend myself if I was going out in the field. Even just once." Kayla answered simply, beginning to walk back to her apartment.

"Keep it."

Kayla stopped and turned to Steve, surprised by his answer. She opened her mouth to ask what he meant but he interrupted her before she could speak, "Keep it, Kay. Even if you aren't in the field I want you to be protected. I'm... more vulnerable than even I thought. And you are stronger than I give you credit for. If you hadn't come in with my shield I don't know what would have happened..."

"You would have defeated him. You always do." Kayla kissed Steve on the lips, then motioned with her head to the building. "Come on, let's get out of these dirty clothes." Steve took her hand and let her lead him to her apartment.

When they reached the door, she pushed it open and Zawadi ran toward them, jumping up on Steve. "Down Zaddi," Steve commanded and the dog listened, as he always did to Steve. Kayla took off her belt, then began to unzip her suit, pulling the skin tight material off her arms. She sighed as the suit sat on her hips, finding herself in the same position as she had been two days ago before the team left for Lagos. However, this time was much different. Steve looked at her longingly, but there was sadness in his eyes instead of lust.

He felt responsible for what happened. As did Kayla. So she continued to strip off her clothes and take them to her bedroom to dump into the hamper that sent them out for cleaning. She went to the bathroom and closed the door before turning on the shower, knowing Steve wouldn't be joining her that day. What she didn't expect was Steve to still be in her kitchen when she emerged in her pajama pants and sports bra.

"You're still here?" She asked softly, walking to her stove top and turning it on before grabbing her little black tea kettle and filling it with water.

"It's been a hard day. I've had a hard day. And I'd like to stay if you'll have me." Steve stood, shuffling quietly over to Kayla and wrapping his arms around her as she placed the teapot on the stove. "Can I stay?"

"Yes. But you need to change. You smell. Take Zaddi with you, I'll have a cup for you when you get back." Kayla looked over her shoulder to her fiance, nuzzling him gently before pulling his arms apart.

"Yes ma'am." Cap complied as he saluted his girl, then turned on his heel, clicking his tongue for the dog to follow. Ten minutes later Steve returned in jeans and a collared shirt, taking his seat dutifully at the table where Kayla had two cups of tea sitting. Kayla had placed her apron over her sports bra and was baking, the smell of brownies filling the kitchen as she opened the oven. Steve took a long breath before asking her, "When will they be done?"

"About fifteen minutes. I just put them in." Kayla rubbed the brownie batter from her hands to her apron before taking a seat next to her future husband, watching him as he took a drink. "I've never seen you drink tea." She said flatly, a slight smile twisting the side of her mouth up.

"I won't turn down an offering from a beautiful dame," Steve answered slyly, a goofy smirk growing on his features.

Kayla rolled her eyes and swatted him away, "Oh don't go all vintage on me, Rogers."

Steve pretended to look hurt, sticking out his lower lip, "Come on doll..."

"Don't doll me Captain, or you'll be sleeping on the porch tonight," Kayla growled as she turned away, and Steve grabbed her waist, pulling her into his lap as she laughed, trying to wiggle away. Then he swept her up in his arms, standing in one fluid motion and carried her bridal style to the bedroom and closed the door.

Fifteen minutes later the timer went off on the oven, and Kayla came running out in her underwear to get the brownies out of the oven, switching it off as she set them on potholders on the counter, then trotted back into the room, giggling as the door slammed closed.


"Only two months until the wedding." Kayla came from behind Steve who sat at his desk, watching news from the attack in Lagos. It had been three weeks since the attack and the news stations were still reporting it, holding nothing back about their feelings about the Avengers, specifically Wanda. Kayla's eyes drifted down to the computer screen, her face crunching at the image it showed.

"What are they saying?" She mumbled as she wrapped her arms around Steve's chest and placed her chin on his shoulder to watch the news with him.

"Eleven Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred."

King T'Chaka was shown giving a speech on screen and Kayla's breath caught in her throat at the sight.

"Do you know him?" Steve asked, looking up to his fiance.

"No, I know of him. I know his kids..." She trailed off as the new ticker showed the King of Wakanda demanded accountability from the Avengers. He called them indifferent. Steve's face fell at his words and as the screen moved onto a news anchor Kayla grabbed the remote and paused the newscast.

Her jaw was stern and her eyebrows drawn. She was partially to blame, but she didn't exist. The Avengers would face trial without her, even though she played a part in the destruction as well.

Steve stared at the screen blankly, not acknowledging that his girlfriend seemed to have a change of demeanor. Both Steve and Kayla looked toward the door as the sound of news radiated from down the hall. Steve stood and followed the sound while Kayla stayed in place. When he reached the frame, he looked back to his fiance. "It's Wanda..."

Kayla motioned for him to go on, staying where she was, "I've talked to her. It is your turn now. She needs to hear it from you. You can't avoid her anymore." Kayla twisted her hands together nervously, throwing her head back to flip her hair over her shoulder. Kayla just nodded again, telling him to go to the girl.

When he reached her open doorway to her small room, he grabbed the remote and turned off the television. Wanda sat on her bed, holding her hand to her mouth as she watched. She didn't turn around when she spoke to Steve, but she noticed it was him from the corner of her eye. "It's my fault."

"That's not true." Steve shook his head as he leaned against her door frame.

Wanda tilted her head towards the soldier, "Then turn the TV back on, they are being very specific." She finally looked at him fully, surprised that he was alone. "Where's Kayla? I would have thought she'd be with you."

"I should have clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it. Kayla realized something was wrong, and she tried to get me to focus and I couldn't." Steve started walking towards the girl, uncrossing his arms as he moved. "Rumlow said Bucky and all of a sudden I was a sixteen-year-old kid again in Brooklyn." Steve sat down on the bed next to Wanda, looking ahead as he spoke again, "And people died. It's on me."

"It's on both of us." Wanda added, looking from the Captain to the floor, having accepted her role in the accident.

Steve took a breath before beginning again, looking from his hands to the girl beside him, "This job... we try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody." Wanda met his gaze, staring thoughtfully into his eyes and seeing why Kayla always seemed to be drowning in them, following the soldier blindly to her death every chance she got. He was steady and he was gentle, and he was trying to make her feel better despite the guilt that was consuming her. "If we can't find a way to live with that, then next time... maybe nobody gets saved."

Suddenly Vision appeared through the wall to the left of them, causing Wanda to chastise him, "Vis! We talked about this." She said calmly as Steve stared at the android, wondering how many times he'd phased himself through his wall into Wanda's room. A small smile grew on Steve's lips at the androids explanation that the door was open so he thought it was fine, but Vision quickly turned to Steve instead of Wanda's questioning glance.

"Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving." Vision explained and Steve tilted his head back, remembering the request before thanking Vision.

"We'll be right down." He added as he turned to the purple man.

Vision motioned toward the door, looking out of place in his dark blue sweater and dress pants, "I'll use the door. Oh, and apparently he's brought a guest, so I suggest keeping Miss Ellis out of sight."

Steve looked up casually, not alarmed by Vision's tone when telling him to hide his future wife. This was normal whenever anyone came to the base for something other than wedding business, "We know who it is?"

Vision's eyes focused in on the pair as he answered, "The Secretary of State." He bowed his head slightly and walked out the door, leaving Wanda staring at the place he once stood while Steve sat thoughtfully, knowing this visitor wouldn't bring any good news for Wanda and the Avengers.