"First rule of going on the run is, don't run, walk," Nat informs as we walk through the mall.
I snort. "Wonder why they call it going on the run."
"If I run in these shoes, they'll fall off," Steve responds, causing me to laugh.
We walk into a Mac store and Natasha leads us straight to a computer. "The drive has a level six homing program, so as soon as we boot up, SHIELD will know exactly where we are."
"Well, how nice," I mutter, causing Steve to send me a look.
"How much time do we have?" Steve asks.
"Uh...about nine minutes from..." Nat pops the flash drive into the computer. "Now."
She rapidly clicks and types on the computer as I look around for any SHIELD agents. "Fury was right about that ship, somebody's trying to hide something. This drive is protected by some kind of Al, it keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands."
"Can you override it?" Steve questions.
"The person who developed this is slightly smaller than me," Natasha responds. "Slightly."
"I'm gonna try running a tracer. This is a program that SHIELD developed to track hostile malware, so if we can't read the file, maybe we'll be able to find out where it can from," Nat states.
An Apple employee with long hair and a beard approaches us. "Can I help you guys with anything?"
I immediately jump into action by throwing my arm around Steve's waist. "My friend is helping my fiancé and I pick out a honeymoon destination."
Steve looks very confused before he finally catches on. He throws his arm around my waist and pulls me into his side. "Right! We're getting married!"
"Congratulations!" the Apple employee responds as he peaks over at the computer Nat is typing away at. "Where are you guys thinking about going?"
Steve and I look at the computer to see that the signal traces back to New Jersey.
"New Jersey," we say at the same time.
"Oh," the Apple employee nods before an excited look appears on his face as he stares at Steve. "I have the exact same glasses!"
"Wow, you two are practically twins," Nat states sarcastically. A laugh involuntarily leaves my throat that I immediately turn into a cough.
"Yeah, I wish. Specimen," the Apple employee says. "Uh...if you guys need anything I've been Aaron."
"Thank you," Steve says as the man walks away before turning to Natasha. "You said nine minutes, come on."
"Shh, relax," Nat assures before typing one more thing. "Got it."
Wheaton, New Jersey.
A gasp leaves my lips as a look of recognition appears on Steve's face. Nat turns to look at us. "You two know it?"
"We used to. Let's go," Steve states as he grabs the flash drive from the computer and rushes out of the store with us right behind him.
I look around, taking notice of all the agents around the mall. "Standard tac-team. Two behind us, two across, two coming straight at us."
"If they make us, Avery and I'll engage, you hit the south escalator to the metro," Steve announces to us as two agents come straight towards us.
"Shut up and put your arms around us, laugh at something we said," Nat commands Steve.
A look of confusion spreads across Steve and I's faces. "What?"
"Do it!" Nat demands. Steve immediately obeys, placing an arm around each of us, and laughs hysterically.
We bypass the men without any trouble and head over to the escalators. As we're riding down, we notice Rumlow on the escalator heading up.
Natasha turns to Steve. "Kiss me."
I look over at her in disbelief.
"What?" Steve asks in surprise.
"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable," Natasha informs.
Steve nods. "Yes, they do."
"Woah, woah, woah, what are you two about to-"
I'm interrupted as Natasha quickly pulls down Steve's head and kisses him. I put my hands in the air in exasperation. "What am I supposed to do?"
As expected, I am ignored. Rumlow gets closer, so I use a last resort.
I plop myself down on the step below Steve and Nat's feet. I stay down until the two lovebirds stop kissing, meaning that Rumlow is gone.
Steve looks around for a second before finally locating me on the ground. "What are you doing down there?"
"Oh, you know, the usual. Searching for my identity," I state sarcastically. Steve rolls his eyes and pulls me to stand up on the step.
As we get off the escalator, Nat ask Steve, "You still uncomfortable?"
"It's not exactly the word I would use," Steve replies. I laugh as we start towards the doors of the mall.
()()()
"Where did Aftermath and Captain America learn to steal a car?" Nat asks from the backseat.
Steve and I exchange a look before responding, "Nazi Germany."
"Mmmm," Natasha voices.
"And we're borrowing," Steve tells her. He then looks over at me from the driver's seat. "Avery, get your feet off the dash."
I smirk slightly. "Actually, Stevey, I don't think I will."
"Stevey, I like that," Nat comments.
Steve looks at Nat through the rearview mirror. "Don't motivate her."
"Alright, I have a question for you, of which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know?" Nat asks Steve.
"What?" Steve asks.
"Was that your first kiss since 1945?" Natasha asks, giggling slightly.
If I didn't know who Steve kissed in 1945 and how heartbreaking it was to see him lose her, I would be laughing.
"That bad, huh?" Steve asks.
Nat shakes her head. "I didn't say that."
"Well, it kind of sounds like what you're saying," Steve retorts, slightly annoyed.
Nat tilts her head to the side. "Nobody special, though?"
Steve chuckles. "Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience."
Natasha looks over at me and then back at Steve. "Are you serious right now? You two are literally like the same people. Both of you were in World War Two, both of you stand for the same values, and both of you have been through hell."
A sad look appears on my face as I look out the window, immediately thinking Bucky.
Though, to be completely honest, if Bucky actually did die when he fell off that train years ago, I'm sure Steve and I would be together today.
I snap back into reality as I remember that Natasha is waiting on an answer.
"Our hearts belong to other people," I plainly say. Steve's hands tighten against the steering wheel at the thought of Peggy.
Nat nods in understanding. "Well, you could always make something up."
"What, like you?" Steve asks.
"I don't know. The truth is a matter of circumstances, it's not all things to all people all the time. And neither am I," Nat states.
I laugh slightly. "Ya know, you just made me feel completely innocent about lying to people."
"That's a tough way to live," Steve comments.
I nod at Steve's statement. "That's a good point, Stevey."
"It's a good way to not die, though," Nat adds.
I tilt my head to the side in thought. "That's also a good point, Nat."
"You know, it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone really is," Steve retorts.
"Yeah," Nat starts off. "Who do you want me to be?"
"How about a friend?" Steve offers.
Natasha laughs. "Well, there's a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers."
"I just wondered how much practice you had," Nat comments.
"I don't need practice," Steve retaliates.
"Everybody needs practice," Natasha informs.
"It was not my first kiss since 1945. I'm ninety-five, not dead," Steve retorts.
Natasha then turns to me. "What about you, Avery? Any action since 1945?"
I look out of the window just to notice that we've arrived at our destination.
Talk about saved by the bell.
"Oh, look! We're here!" I exclaim as I jump out of the car, escaping Nat's question altogether.
