A/N: This is another short one. Sorry.
Almost all the avengers gathered in the living room as they waited for Bucky, Natasha, Sam and Vanessa to return. Clint stared at the doctor like he was slightly delusional.
"Yeah, I think not," Clint objected.
"Why not?" Bruce questioned.
Clint threw up his hands, before responding. "Gee, I don't know, maybe because she's a Hydra agent. What other reasons do you need?"
"Everything she has said so far has proven to be right. She had a chance to escape and she didn't. I think we should."
"There is no way in hell, we are allowing her to freely roam the compound. For you to even think that; and here I thought you were supposed to be a genius."
Bruce rolled his eyes as he looked at Rhodes. "What do you think?"
Rhodes ran a hand over his head before shrugging. " I mean I see both sides to it, but I agree with Clint."
"Thank you," Clint said with a smile.
A hand popped in the air. " Hey, yeah. So I think, even though none of you asked, that Bruce is right." All eyes landed on Scott who held up a hand as if to ward off any objections even though none came. "Listen, Brucey brings up a lot of good points. Not to mention-"
"Don't call me Brucey."
"-apparently Hydra already found the compound. I mean how else would Frank's body end up here and with a threat to end Spiderman's life."
"Which brings me to the question, why are we discussing this when we should be discussing a new location," Tony asked as he walked into the living room carrying a glass with brown liquid. Rhodes opened his mouth to say something no doubt, but stopped when the door opened and the last of the Avengers walked into the room.
"What did we miss?" Sam asked as he sat down.
"The compound has been compromised, possibly by Hydra, Frank Jones is dead, and Spiderman is now a target. Oh and we're discussing if we should allow Vanessa Foster to roam around the compound freely and without the confines of her cell," Tony rattled off as he took a sip.
Bucky, Sam and Natasha sat in silence for a moment as they took in the knowledge. Walking further into the room, Tony continued, "In addition to that it appears that Bruce's DNA results are true. Foster is my half-sister, through my father. Older half-sister."
"Um...congratulations," Sam said cautiously which earned him a look from the former playboy. Bruce leaned forward to bring the conversation back. "So, what do you guys think?"
"Yeah, it's a no from me. I say she stays in her cell," Sam voiced.
"Why, she has been nothing but cooperative with us and honest," Bruce added.
"She's Hydra," Sam said as if to explain that the sky was blue.
"Thank you," Clint said as he leaned back.
"True but I don't think she would be a problem." All eyes fell on the Black widow as she leaned against the back of the sofa. "As long as we keep an eye on her, then she should be fine. She seems more concerned with getting her son back than anything else. Besides, we might get more information from her if we allow her some liberties. We can only hold her for so long before she decides to stop talking or worse escape."
"Nat's right," Bucky added as he looked around the room.
Tony shook his head. "There is no way I'm allowing that woman to walk around my home freely."
"It's not just your home, it's our home too and we should have a say," Bruce argued as he stared at the billionaire full on. Tony glared at the scientist before shaking his head.
"Alright, look here's the deal, we have four no's: Clint, Rhodes, Sam and Tony. We also have four yeses: Bruce, Scott, Natasha, Bucky. Steve, you're the tie-breaker here. What'll it be?"
The first Avenger stood leaning against the back wall staring at the ground with his arms crossed over his chest. Silence filled the room as everyone stared at him, waiting on his answer. Soon one minute turned into two. Finally Tony spoke up, "Hey, you want to chime in here, Captain Underpants?"
Steve lifted his head and stared around the room. "What?"
Tony narrowed his eyes before turning his entire body towards the man. "Have you been listening?"
Steve ran a hand over his face before pushing himself off the wall, only to step forward. "Yeah, I was listening."
"Then what will it be?"
Steve stood in silence as he looked around the room. His silence was answer enough for the man of Iron who rolled his eyes. "Do you want your baby momma to be allowed to roam freely around the compound?"
Steve's blue eyes narrowed at the comment before shaking his head. "I don't care."
"You need to make a decision, we're tied up right now. You're the tie-breaker," Sam informed him.
"Alright, fine. Let her out."
Tony narrowed his eyes as annoyance filled his entire being. "Are you insane? You would really have a Hydra agent walking around the compound?"
"Listen, I don't care. All I care about is finding Peter, so if having her walk around freely helps with that then yes."
"What about Spiderman?" Scott asked as he looked around the room.
"Find him and bring him here. He knows where Peter is, we can have him tell us."
"And for his safety," Bruce suggested.
Steve waved a hand in the air. "Yeah that too. Tony see if Friday can find Spiderman. When you find him, you and someone else bring him in."
"And where are you going?"
"To talk to Vanessa."
Steve turned on his heels and walked out the room, heat filled every step.
Steve stood staring at the woman he met all those years ago as she sat on the floor against the wall of her cell. Her brown hair fell from the top of her head like the mudslide they went on for their third date. The constant flow was interrupted when she ran a hand through the strands and allowed a sigh to escape her lips.
You can't avoid her forever, his brain reasoned.
Shaking his head, Steve squared his shoulder as he strolled purposely into the room. He came to a stop at the cell door and waited for her to look up but she didn't.
"You know," she said without looking up. "Even prisoners of war are allowed to shower."
"You can shower once you get assigned a room," Steve announced as he watched her head snap up and their eyes locked. Something flashed in her eyes before it disappeared. Vanessa stood and came to the cell door.
"A room?"
"Yes."
"You're letting me out?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Now."
Vanessa's lips pursed for a moment before she chuckled. "Same old Steve."
"Meaning?"
"Giving one worded answers when you're mad. You're forgetting I know you." Steve didn't respond as he studied her.
She looked the same. The same confident expression she wore when she knew she was right. The way her lips curled when she allowed a smirk to grace her face before it broke into an outright smile which always was followed by a chuckle. The same soft lips that kissed him, fifteen years ago give or take, to wake him from another soldier-filled PTSD nightmare. The same lips that formed the words that were whispered in his ear to tell him that he was safe. The same lips that formed the big three words during a night of passion that apparently created their son. I love you.
These were the same lips that kissed him during the day before kissing his best friend at night. Did she whisper the same words of comfort to him? Did she say the three words to him as well?
A hand on his broke Steve from his thoughts as he stared into the brown eyes of his former lover. Her voice reached his ear as she spoke softly. "Hey, are you okay?"
Steve pulled his hand away from hers and nodded. "I'm fine."
"No you're-"
"Here's the deal. Because you have been cooperative we are going to allow you to have a room here at the compound, on the condition that you remain cooperative."
"Okay."
"Someone will be down to come and get you soon."
"Okay."
Steve turned to leave but her voice stopped him. "Wait a second." Steve turned to look at her. "We need to talk."
"Now is not the time. I'm busy."
"Right, you're so busy that you had time to come down here and tell me that I'm being released. You could have sent someone down here and they could have released me."
"Ms. Foster-"
"Ms. Foster, why are you being so formal? Jesus Steve, I just want to talk."
"Vanessa, look we can talk later but not now. I'm busy."
"I know Peter isn't here. I just want to know if you found him? As you know, my brother escaped and it'll only be a matter of time before he finds him and turns him over to Hydra."
Steve's lips pursed as he let his eyes fall to the floor before travelling back to Vanessa. "No, Peter is not here. We're still looking."
"You're doing that thing you do when you have something to say but you don't want to say it."
Steve cocked his head to the side and opened his mouth to ask what that was, but Vanessa shook her head to indicate she was not going to tell him. "Tell me."
"I think-"
"Steve, just tell me."
The former war captain licked his lips as the words formed but they couldn't seem to sprout from his lips. The curious look one her face transformed into one of worry as she stared at him, waiting for him to say something. "Just tell me."
"It's your brother."
"What about him?"
Steve wanted to say the words but they refused to come. He looked away again hoping not to see the look of despair on her face, but as he opened his mouth to tell her another voice spoke instead.
"Your brother, Frank, was found dead earlier."
Steve turned to see Natasha standing in the doorway. When their eyes locked, she nodded towards him. "Tony found him. We're getting ready to leave." Without another word, Natasha left the room. Steve turned to Vanessa who seemed to be frozen at the door to her cell.
"I'm sorry."
Following the Black Widow's example, Steve turned and left as the soft cries of Vanessa started to vibrate around the room.
Upstairs, Steve walked into the room to find the Avengers suited up. "Where is he?"
"He saved a kid from a fire a few days ago, then he fell off the grid but Friday picked him up on a building near the old Avengers tower."
Steve nodded as he grabbed his shield from Clint. "Alright, let's go bring him in."
