Kayla rocked back and forth on the dirty bed of the motel they'd found to stay in. She hugged her knees to her chest and cried, as she had done consistently since she met up with her mom and friend late last night. The crying started when her phone started dying, because she knew Steve would have to go. He shushed her and soothed her until her phone battery died, taking away his gentle voice and caring words.
She couldn't sleep, so she sat up and replayed the night over and over again, knowing that she was almost blown to pieces along the boulevard. And that man- he- he'd walked away unscathed, as if he was healing from the inside out. It was like the super soldier serum, but far more intense, as if whatever inhabited him could form its own matter.
"Honey," Sandra said as she sat on the bed beside her daughter, "Your father is coming to pick us up."
"I thought we were going to a safe house?" Kayla squeaked, her voice gone from crying so much.
"We were, but now we know there's nowhere we can go that's safe. We need to go home." Sandra said, her own voice shaky, "We can't run from him, we have to destroy him. Your father is calling in the Avengers."
"Yeah, not sure how much good that's going to do." Tiffany mewed softly from the other bed, pointing to the television. Sandra and Kayla turned, seeing missiles blow up a house on a cliff. Tiffany took a long, shaky breath, "That's Tony Stark's mansion."
Kayla shook as she watched, until multicolored bars overtook the newscast.
"He's on again." Sandra said darkly as the Mandarin appeared before them.
"Mr. President. Only two lessons remain and I intend to finish this before Christmas morning."
President Ellis leaned forward against his Resolute Desk as the broadcast continued, zooming out to show a man crying on the floor at the Mandarin's feet. Ellis held his mouth as Travis's phone began to buzz.
"How did he hack my phone?"
"I have to make this call." Ellis said, taking the phone as head of security advised him against it. He looked across the room, his heart stuck in his throat. "It's the right thing to do."
Ellis made the call and watched the screen as the Mandarin's phone began to ring and ring and ring. The terrorist lifted the gun and fired it at the poor soul sobbing on his rug. President Ellis felt his arms quiver as the shot hung in the air. He set the phone back down as the Mandarin stared through the camera just to him.
"There's just one lesson left, President Ellis. So run away, hide, kiss your children goodbye. Because nothing, not even your red, white, and blue attack dog, can save you. See you soon."
Kayla gasped as her hand flew to her mouth, sobs ripping from her throat as Tiffany scrambled over to the other bed to hold her. "It's just empty threats, Kay."
"He shot an innocent man in cold blood and you think it's an empty threat?" Kayla screeched, tears welling in her eyes, "We're all going to die."
"No, we're not. Tiffany is right, they are empty threats. The best trained men and women in the world will be there to protect us and your father. It'll be okay. They're gonna find him, and this will all be over." Sandra said, reaching over and stroking Kayla's long blonde hair.
Being the President's daughter was fun when Kayla got to sleep with celebrities and chase aliens without repercussions. It wasn't as fun now that her family was on the brink of execution.
President Ellis clenched his jaw, staring at the television angrily as the Ten Rings symbol vanished from the screen, "That monster tried to kidnap my daughter. He won't get the chance again." Ellis looked up to his cabinet members. "All resources need to be put toward finding the Mandarin. I sent my family away to safety and he found them regardless. Prepare Air Force One, I'm going to get them myself."
"Mr. President, we can't get a hold of them, and their location is hidden." The Secretary of State said softly, looking around the room, "I apologize, but we have bigger priorities than your wife and daughter."
"No." Ellis stated, looking over at the graying man, "There is more at work here. I know my daughter, and if she says this is an Avengers level threat, we call in the Avengers."
"We should keep them on standby, once Colonial Rhodes locates the Mandarin, we should send them all to retrieve him. We may need the extra man power." Vice President Rodriguez suggested and Ellis nodded, turning to the others.
"Get SHIELD on the line, let them know we want the Avengers assembled and ready to go once we locate him." The President ordered and his secretary started dialing Nick Fury. He looked to his VP, "I still want to pick them up myself. Nothing but the highest security in the world for my wife and daughter. You don't have any idea what she's capable of."
Rodriguez smiled as the President walked away, knowing exactly what Kayla Ellis was capable of. Perhaps Killian could kill two birds with one Iron Patriot.
Ellis held his jaw, considering his options, "Tell SHIELD to stand by with whatever they've got. The Avengers, their elite kill squad, I want it all ready to go if Rhodes calls for them. I have to go collect my family. Be safe, and have a Merry Christmas." Ellis addressed the room, shaking his Vice President and Secretary of State's hands before following his aid to his car to take him to Air Force One.
"Can I charge my phone? Please?" Kayla whined from the backseat of the car Sandra hot wired. "What if I need it?"
"Oh, like you needed it last night? You didn't call me or Tiffany, the two people actually in the same state as you." Sandra snapped, looking up at the rear view mirror. Tiffany used her phone as a GPS, giving directions while Kayla sulked alone, laying across the backseat with her feet up in the air. Sandra sighed, reaching her hand over her shoulder, "Give it to me. I'm charging it up here. Tiffany's in charge because I don't trust you."
"I had a near death experience!" Kayla yelped, leaning forward just enough to plop her phone into her mother's palm, "I was so scared, I just wanted to hear his voice."
"Oh yeah, that guy who isn't your boyfriend? You could have called the cops. You could have called the national guard, but no, you decided to call your platonic bestie who's several thousand miles away." Tiffany said over her shoulder, teasing her best friend in a vain attempt to ease her nerves. "Seriously though, he's really worried about you. I can hear it in his voice."
"I'm worried about him, too." Kayla admitted, staring at the ceiling of the car as she ran her fingers through the ends of her hair, "You saw what they did to Stark's place, what if he means to take out the Avengers? It would make sense, if the Mandarin takes out all possible threats, he's unstoppable. And his goons have some sort of regenerative serum. I'm sure that's why they wanted me." Kayla chewed on the side of her index finger for a moment, "Could you imagine? A terrorist with an army of people like Steve?"
Sandra inhaled loudly, eyes focused on the road, "So many people have had that idea, honey. Thankfully it only worked once. That's why you can't work with the serum anymore, it's why your father made biotechnology research illegal."
"Oh, he did that just for me? That seems extreme."
"Kayla." Sandra warned, looking up in the mirror to check on her daughter, "Look alive, we're almost there."
"When will Dad arrive?" Kayla groaned as she sat up and stretched.
Sandra took a right and parked in the cell lot, pulling out her own cell phone. "Two hours. He's en route now."
Kayla made grabbing motions toward the front seat and Tiffany unplugged her phone, handing it into the backseat, "Please don't call- it's already ringing isn't it?"
As Steve's busy message played, Kayla's heart plummeted, "His phone is never off. What if something has happened to him?"
"He's probably being called in, you know this." Tiffany sighed, twisting her ring around her pinkie finger. "He's going to be fine."
"You don't know that!" Kayla yelped, tossing her phone into the front seat at Tiffany's lap.
"Hey!" Sandra yelled, grabbing the cell and plugging it back in before turning to look at her daughter, "Grow up. We have bigger problems right now than your crush. Your father's life is in danger, your life is in danger, can you be serious for once?"
Kayla wrapped her arms around her chest, sinking into the fabric seat, "Selfishness helps me cope with difficult situations."
Tiffany squinted her eyes and shook her head at her friend, unable to believe Kayla thought she was 'coping' with this shit show.
"Your father sent a message saying Rhodes is already back to America. Apparently it was a false lead." Sandra said sadly as she locked her phone screen. "The Mandarin is still out there."
"Of course he is." Kayla grumbled, playing with Steve's dog tags around her neck. She prayed that wherever Steve was, that he was safe. Right now he was probably assembling his team to take out the Mandarin and his allies. He'd come out of the battle beaten, but alive, and Kayla would be there to greet him when he got back.
She imagined him running off the Avengers' jet and right into her arms, picking her up and spinning her around while he kissed her softly and told her he loved her...
"Kay." Tiffany said, breaking Kayla from her daydream, "You hungry? There's a Jack in the Box down the road."
Kayla looked to her mother pleadingly, "Pleeeeaase, you know I can't eat fast food at home, it ruins my image."
"And your famous figure." Tiffany teased, pulling her seat belt on as Sandra pulled up directions.
Two long hours later, Sandra looked down when her phone buzzed, quickly straightening at the message, "They are on the tarmac, it's time to go."
Kayla settled back into her seat as Sandra buckled back up, driving them slowly toward the main airport. She stopped the car in the drop off area, seeing Travis waiting with four secret servicemen.
"I'm sorry your trip has been cut short, Mrs. Ellis." Travis said as he held open a door to a van that would take them to Air Force One before people realized what was happening.
Sandra gave a short laugh, "It's not like we were having a good time."
"The manifest has been updated, and we're ready to take off as soon as you're all onboard. Colonel Rhodes should be here any second to accompany us back to D.C." Travis explained as they drove down the tarmac toward the massive plane. When they parked though, President Ellis was trotting down the stairs to meet them.
"Daddy!" Kayla thrust open the door and ran to her father, enveloping him in her arms at the base of the stairs, "I've been so scared."
"I know. I know, we never should have let you guys leave, it was a mistake, but nobody will hurt you now. I promise." Mathew Ellis kissed his daughter's head as Sandra approached, wrapping her arms around her husband in a loving embrace. Tiffany gave a short wave, but Mathew pulled her in for a hug as well, "I'm so glad all my girls are safe. Come on, let's go."
Mathew led Kayla, Sandra, and Tiffany toward the plane, only stopping when he reached the stairs because Iron Patriot landed at the edge of the security officers standing at attention. He stomped down the corridor of officers, coming to a stop before Mathew and his family. "Colonel Rhodes, glad to see you could make it! I feel safer already." Mathew saluted him and turned to go up the stairs with Sandra right behind him.
Kayla lingered a moment, staring at the Iron Patriot with disgust until she finally scoffed, "You look stupid," before following her parents up the stairs.
Iron Patriot stared at her for a long moment as Tiffany began apologizing profusely, "I'm so sorry, Colonel Rhodes, I think you look great." She said, looking over her shoulder, "Kayla's just a little possessive, over the whole America thing." Tiffany considered her words and quickly scaled the stairs toward Air Force One as the iron suit lingered behind.
As they reached the entrance to the plane, Mathew turned to look down at his daughter, "I have an early Christmas present for you, Peanut. I hope it'll make up for everything that's happened."
Kayla looked to Tiffany and she just shrugged, so Kayla slowly moved up the last two steps into the familiar plane. She looked around expectantly, unsure what her father had in store for her. Mathew pointed toward the front of the plane, toward his own private quarters, "It's in there. Just a little something I know you've had your eye on." Kayla smiled weakly, trying to be thankful but feeling sad nonetheless. She didn't need jewelry and trinkets and fancy clothes. Kayla just wanted to feel safe.
She entered the room and closed the door behind her, finding it empty as the corridor had been. Kayla sat down on the bed, considering taking a nap before they got home to D.C. She assumed it would be a long couple of days trying not to be murdered.
"Is this soon enough for you?"
Kayla was sobbing before she could even bring herself to turn around. She nodded as she stood to face Steve, seeing him standing in the doorway of the restroom in his stealth suit. "You came for me?" She whimpered as she took a tentative step closer to the man, unsure if he was real.
Steve closed the gap and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly against his strong chest, "Was there ever any doubt?" Steve asked against Kayla's hair, closing his eyes as he breathed her in, rubbing her back with his thumbs, "I'm here now, and I'm never leaving you again."
"Promise?" Kayla whispered, zeroed in on Steve as if he was the only person in the world.
Steve nodded, his mouth watering as he realized what was about to happen, "As long as you'll have me, I'm yours."
Kayla reached up and pulled Steve's lips to hers, kissing him hungrily as he kept her body pressed against his. Kayla held his cheekbones tightly, not allowing him to escape her clutches as she fought her tongue into his mouth to taste him for the second time. She pulled away slightly to take a breath, but Steve chased her lips with his own, stealing small kisses until she was ready to dive back in.
The blonde snaked her hands from Steve's face to the back of his neck, holding him tightly. He grabbed her ass and hoisted her up, leaning his head back to keep kissing her as he carried her back to the bed. He dropped her on her back and knelt over her, beaming from ear to ear, despite the nature of his business trip. Steve leaned down and pressed a wet kiss to Kayla's lips, then peppered kisses down her neck to her collarbone.
Steve had spent months imagining this moment, when she'd finally let him in again. He had planned out a thousand ways to show Kayla Ellis what she meant to him, but none of his fantasies compared to having her here under him. He nipped at her soft skin, sucking gently and leaving marks just beneath the fabric of her black blouse.
"I can't believe you're really here." Kayla breathed, tugging Steve's hair so he'd come back up to her lips. In between kisses, she told him how much she adored him, but those weren't the words he was looking for. Steve knew he hadn't earned those words yet, but he knew this woman's mind and heart better than he knew himself. With every late night phone call and every morning wake up text, Steve grew more sure of his feelings for Kayla.
Despite all of her flaws, her stubbornness and her selfishness, and her brash tendency to act without thinking, Steve realized he didn't want to give his time or attention to anybody else. She made him happy, and he meant what he said, now that she was in his arms, Steve would never let her go.
Kayla reached up and pressed her hand against the silver star on his chest, feeling him rise and fall with every heavy breath, "So, like, we're not friends anymore right?"
"What?" Steve spat, a look of confusion and hurt across his face until Kayla giggled.
"No, I mean-" She laughed and moved her left hand to stroke his cheek, "We aren't just friends anymore? Friends don't do this." She gestured between herself and Steve as he pulled away slightly.
"Well, I don't know, I don't remember asking you out." Steve said stoically, leaning back to sit on his knees. Kayla gasped in mock surprise and Steve just shrugged, his sharp jaw teasing Kayla as he opened his mouth to taunt her some more, "If you don't want to be friends, I can go wait outside the door and-"
"Captain Steven Grant Rogers," Kayla said, sitting up and leaning back onto her hands as she tossed her hair back from her face, "Will you please allow me the honor of being your first modern girlfriend?"
"Who says you're my first? You didn't want to commit so we could see other people while we got to know each other." Steve reminded as he began to crawl over her, loving the way her lip stuck out in her frustration. He leaned himself down, pressing all his body down on hers, barely holding his own weight on his forearms and knees as he felt her breath beneath him, "You're my first." Steve pressed his lips to Kayla's, pulling away only to tell her, "I'm yours, and yours alone, Kay."
She leaned up and kissed Steve again, tracing her fingers along the neckline of his suit. His large hands roamed her body slowly, painstakingly, taking in every curve and crevice he could find access to while she was still clothed. Steve tentatively played with the edge of Kayla's shirt and she pulled away to look up into his eyes, "I'm going to be completely honest with you, I'm not ready to have sex with you right now."
"Oh, okay." Steve stammered, his mind having been nowhere near sex. "That's fine. I wasn't planning on it anyway."
"I mean, it's really just because I almost died yesterday, and it's been a crazy time, and we're just starting out you know? Like, we talk all the time, and you're so good to me, but I don't want to throw away everything we've built. I want to savor it."
Steve nodded, pulling his hand away from her lower stomach, "I'd like that too. We can still take things slow, let's just take them slow together. Physically together, like this." Steve laughed and Kayla thought she'd have a heart attack from how much her heart swelled at his smile. He kissed her again, then rolled over to lay beside her, tangling his fingers with hers. "Please don't push me away again. I'll give you anything someone else can offer, just be patient with me."
"I know. I'm ready." Kayla said as she nuzzled her forehead against the rough shoulder of Steve's suit. She turned over so her cheek laid against his chest, cuddled against the thick leather strap for his shield. "I feel so safe with you."
"Good. There's no safer place in the world than with me. You are my priority." Steve said, turning his face to kiss Kayla's forehead.
Kayla tilted her chin up to look at Steve as he stared at the ceiling, "Perhaps right now, at this moment, but I know who you are. You're Captain America, people need you."
"But I need you." Steve assured Kayla, knowing she was the best part of coming out of the ice, "I'll protect you first and foremost, and everyone else after. I can't get any more calls from you that you're being followed or kidnapped or threatened- you're my best friend."
As Kayla laid across Steve's chest, feeling it expand and deflate underneath her, she remembered the man who broke down in her arms months ago. She'd talked him through panic attacks and depression and thoughts of suicide. When Steve thought he should have never woken up, Kayla reminded him how important he was, not only to the world but to her. Over the past seven months, Steve had become more confident that he had a place in this world, and Kayla worried he'd find that place without her.
But now, draped across him as he rested, Kayla knew she'd found home. He was her rock, and he was her best friend, too. Steve Rogers made Kayla consider settling down at twenty-four, something she never imagined or planned for. She was starting to think she'd found the best she'd ever get, and as scared as she was, Kayla knew she couldn't survive with him.
"Steve, I-"
"Shh!" Steve put his finger to his mouth, sitting up slowly, "Did you hear that?"
Kayla watched as he stood, creeping toward the door, "No?"
"Gunshots." Steve said, holding his hand up to Kayla to tell her to stay put, "I'm gonna check it out." He scooped up his shield and latched it onto his back, but Kayla stumbled to her feet and grabbed his arm.
"What do you mean, gunshots? That's impossible, this is Air Force One!" She hissed, but Steve put his hand over her mouth to silence her as he carefully pulled the door open, peeking out into the hallway.
"The hallway's clear, but the plane is losing cabin pressure." Steve said, noticing the masks hanging from the ceiling, "I think somebody shot out one of the windows."
"Steve... Steve, what about my family, you gotta do something." Kayla cried into his palm as tears started to fall from her eyes.
Steve leaned over and kissed the top of her head comfortingly, "I'm gonna go check it out. Whatever happens, you stay here. Hide under the bed, I'll come back for you."
"Promise?"
"I swear on my life." Steve kissed her quickly and snuck out the door into the main corridor of the plane.
Steve pulled a gun from his belt as he tip toed through the halls of Air Force One, looking for the source of the gunfire. He heard a footstep around the corner and pressed his back against the wall, cocking the gun quietly in case he needed to attack.
He spun around the corner swiftly, gun ready, but it was Sandra Ellis who threw her hand up the grab the gun and push it above her head. When they realized who the other was, they relaxed. Steve spoke first, "Mrs. Ellis."
"Steve." Sandra wrapped her arms around Steve's neck in a tight hug. She pulled away, yanking Steve into the nearest restroom and closing the door, "The staff are locked in the back conference room, all of Matt's security is dead, and Matt's been taken in the Iron Patriot suit." Sandra looked over her shoulder, "Where's Kayla?"
"She's hiding. I gotta get you out of here." Steve explained, grabbing the First Lady's wrist but she pulled back.
"No, I'll be okay, get Kayla to safety. She thinks they're after her for her work with your serum. Don't let them get her. If he was going to take me or kill me, he would have already."
Steve nodded, allowing Sandra to open the door and sneak out, heading in the opposite direction of where Kayla was hiding. Steve walked silently down the hall, unlatching his shield from his back to hold in his left hand as he rounded a corner and caught a glimpse of a man he'd never seen before, wearing a captain's hat that clearly wasn't his and strapping on a parachute.
The sound of people yelling from down the hall caught Steve's attention, and when his head was turned a blast shot through the wall, causing the wind to blow through the plane as it continued to lose altitude.
"Cap? What the hell are you doing here?"
Steve turned to see Tony standing behind him, "Stark- there's hostages in the back conference room."
"Okay, go get them." Tony pushed past Steve and knocked out the hijacker from behind.
Steve turned and found the conference room where the staff was trapped as he heard them yelling through the door. Sandra tapped against the melted metal doorknob, looking up at Steve hopefully, "Think you can crack it?"
"I can try." Steve said, bouncing on the balls of his feet before smashing the door in with his shield. He reached into the broken wood and pulled open the door, but as the staff started to approach him, the back of the plain exploded and the air current started sucking them out.
"Help!" Tiffany screeched as she held onto the side of the chair for dear life, staring at Steve with terrified brown eyes. Her hand slipped and she was pulled out just as Sandra slipped and slid across the floor toward the back.
She looked up as Steve clung to the wall, pointing to the parachute on her back, "Get my daughter."
Steve pushed the door closed again, sprinting back toward the corridor yelling, "Stark!"
"I'm on it." Tony's metallic voice echoed loudly as the suit burst through the wall, creating another hole in the side.
Realizing the man Tony attacked was nowhere to be found, Steve started moving back toward the front of the plane, needing to get back to Kayla to get her out.
Meanwhile, Tiffany was free falling through the sky over the gulf of Mexico. She'd run out of breath for screaming and had more or less accepted this was how she'd end, until Iron Man appeared beneath her.
"Miss Jones, long time no see!" Tony's voice called, recognizing the girl despite her lack of color and traumatized face.
"FUCKING SAVE ME YOU ASSHOLE!" Tiffany screeched as Tony grabbed her, explaining how he was going to need her help to save everyone else. Tiffany nodded, tears blurring her vision as Tony gave her directions of when to grab onto Travis. Still free-falling, Tiffany's gaze went up as a blue parachute opened, signifying somebody outside of the trapped staff escaped.
"Grab onto her, we've almost got them!" Tony yelled as they approached the water.
Suddenly Tiffany's hand released and she was dropped into the water, dipping under the surf before coming up for air. She gasped and looked up, seeing Air Force One explode above her as the First Lady's parachute floated closer to the water. Tiffany looked around, realizing somebody very important was missing, "Where's Kayla? Stark! Stark!" Tiffany turned to see the Iron Man armor crash into a truck on the overpass. She looked up nervously, wondering if her best friend was still up on the plane, "Kay?"
Meanwhile, Steve was thrown to the side as an explosion rocked the back end of the plane, "Kayla!"
"You looking for this?" The hijacker appeared from behind the doorframe, holding Kayla's throat in one hand and a gun in the other. Steve put his hands up in front of him, dropping the gun to show he wasn't a threat. "That's better." The man sneered, taking a step closer to the gaping hole in the wall as the plane shook again, "You try anything, I'll snap her neck."
"Steve- help me." Kayla gasped as the man's hand began to glow orange, heating up.
"Let her go, please, I'll do anything." Steve begged, taking a step back. "What do you want?"
"I want her. She's coming with me." The man said, approaching the hole in the wall as the wind gusted, the plane spiraling from a third explosion. He lost his grip on Kayla and she slipped toward the door, but he reached out and grabbed her long hair at the nape of her neck as she held onto the shattered interior of the plane.
Kayla looked to Steve as he held onto a table, trying to keep himself steady as they got closer and closer to the ground. "Kay." Steve squished his nose, realizing something was burning the same time his girlfriend did. "Take her. I won't interfere."
The man tilted his head curiously, face glowing orange as his hand continued to burn through Kayla's hair, "Why?"
Steve looked from the man to Kayla, seeing her locks melt away until he was barely holding her. Captain America clenched his fist, knowing if the man didn't take Kayla soon, she'd be swept out the side of the plane. "Whatever happens, I'll save you, okay?"
"Please don't let him take me." Kayla cried, tears rolling over her red cheeks. She pulled away, trying to get closer to Steve, but as the man tightened his grip, he burned through her hair and she was ripped out into the open air.
The hijacker realized his error and dove after her as Steve caught his leg. The two tumbled out of Air Force One as it exploded in half, drifting farther into the gulf. The man grabbed onto Steve's neck and began to squeeze, heating up until Steve screamed out in pain, bashing his shield against the attacker's face. When Steve pulled it away, he saw a star shaped imprint on the soldier's face as he smiled toothily, "You're gonna have to do better than that."
Steve heard Kayla's ear-piercing scream as she plummeted ahead of them. He turned as they fell, kicking the man hard in the stomach to put some distance between them as Steve tried to free-fall faster. He ripped open a pouch on his belt, grasping for a small grenade until he felt burning from the back of his arm. Steve flipped himself around so he was face to face with the man, watching him simmer as he got hotter and hotter until Steve worried his arm might burn off as easily as Kayla's hair.
He shoved his free hand towards the man's stomach, shoving the grenade forward and causing enough of a distraction to pull away and squeeze his body behind his shield. The Extremis soldier reached toward the grenade when he realized Steve hadn't pulled the pin, and his heated touch caused the grenade to explode, thrusting Steve closer to the ground from the blast.
He adjusted his body to thrust his arms forward in an attempt to fall faster as Kayla got closer and closer to the water below.
Time seemed to stop for Steve, the only thing he could hear was the pounding of his own heart as his mind calculated the probability of surviving. He could handle the jump, but if Kayla hit the water without a parachute, she'd be dead at impact. She looked up and screamed for Steve as he focused his mind on rescuing the only good thing to happen to him in the past sixty-seven years.
He found himself closer, almost able to touch her fingers as the ocean breeze hit his skin. She looked up at him with those green eyes and he went numb, reaching forward and grabbing Kayla's outstretched hand. Steve pulled her to his chest and quickly flipped over so his boots took the landing while his shielded arm protected Kayla's body from the impact of the water.
The water in the Gulf of Mexico was warm, but it reminded Steve of the arctic. As he sunk deeper into the surf, he remembered succumbing to death and falling asleep, thinking his pain and troubles were over. Steve's legs ached terribly, and he realized he'd probably broken several bones hitting the water as fast as he did. He began to forget why he jumped from the plane without a parachute...
Kayla.
Steve's eyes burst open and he realized she was still in his arm, limp and lifeless as they sunk further into the water. Steve kicked his legs to propel them to the surface, ignoring the searing pain in an effort to get her back to the surface.
Steve burst through the water, looking over his shoulder to see several boats speeding through the water toward the people who floated in the distance. He sighed when he realized Tony had saved what staff he could, but he had to continue on alone. Whoever managed to overtake Air Force One was looking for Steve's girl.
He drug her toward the shore, finding a large dock that went out over the water, allowing him a quiet place to rest and heal. Steve pushed Kayla's singed hair away from her face, running his fingers along the red burn marks on her neck. "Come on sweetheart, wake up." Steve began to perform CPR, careful not to crush her rib cage as he tried to bring her back to the land of the living. "Please." Steve begged, pressing his lips to hers to pump air into her lungs, "Come on!" Steve pushed particularly hard, starting to think he was too late, but Kayla sputtered water out of her throat as she turned over, throwing up the saltwater in her lungs.
"Steve." Kayla gasped, letting herself collapse into the sand, "You saved my life."
"I told you I would." Steve said, carefully caressing her neck, "I'm so sorry, I should have gotten you out right away."
"What about my parents? Tiffany? Where are they?" Kayla choked, leaning her cheek against her arm. She was too exhausted to move.
Steve looked back as the medical boats brought back the staff members in the water, "I don't know for sure sweetheart. The First Lady said they took the President in the Iron Patriot armor. I know Tiffany and your mother got sucked out the back of the plane."
Kayla began to cry, still unable to move, "You'll take care of me, right? You're all I have left."
"We don't know that." Steve said, stroking her cheek as he sat beside her, dripping wet, "Stark saved a bunch of the staff."
"What do we do now?" Kayla whispered, shifting a little so the scope of her vision could include a view of Steve.
He grimaced as he moved his legs, unsure if he was even able to stand, "Can we hide out here for a while?"
"Yeah, I'd like that." Kayla sighed, closing her eyes, "If I've lost everything, at least I've got you."
Steve laid down on his back, resting his arm up and around Kayla to protect her as she fell asleep. He began to panic at the idea that he was all this woman had left. If she really lost her family, her best friend, and everything she loved and cared about, how was he supposed to provide for her? Steve stared ahead, wondering if he'd inadvertently bit off more than he could chew.