Steve ran up to the man who was now lying under a tree, deep breaths possessing him as Steve continued to laugh. He didn't want to count all the times he passed him as this stranger just did one lap around the National Mall. He jogged over to him, putting his hands on his hips to look down at him. "You need a medic?"

He laughed while shaking his head, continuing to breath heavily. "I need a new set of lungs."

"Dude," He spoke, looking up at him, Steve thankfully blocking the sun for him. "You just ran thirteen miles in less than thirty minutes."

Steve shrugged, looking at the path he just ran. "Guess I got a late start."

"Really?" He laughed back at him. "You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap." He turned away for a moment before looking back to Steve. "Did you just take it? I assume you just took it."

Steve laughed while shaking his head, deciding to ask the one question he knew he could relate to him. If you were a military man, you knew one when you saw one. "What unit you with?"

"58th Pararescue." Steve nodded, slightly impressed. "But now I'm working down at the VA." The man brought his hand out, realizing that he hadn't introduced himself yet to Captain America. "Sam Wilson."

Steve leaned forward, suddenly realizing how rude it was of him not to introduce himself, he made up for that by helping him off the ground. "Steve Rogers."

Sam groaned before putting his hands on his knees, still unbelievably tired. "I kind of put that together." He straitened himself up, looking the super soldier up and down. "Must have freaked you out, coming home after the whole defrosting thing."

Steve smiled a little bit, when first meeting him, a lot of people liked to beat around the bush to get to that question. He liked being directly asked this time. "It takes some getting used to." He looked back to him before waving a goodbye. "It's good to meet you, Sam."

Sam looked at him, noticing something no one else noticed. "It's your bed, right?"

Steve stopped, turning around, slightly confused. "What's that?"

"Your bed, it's too soft." He turned his head slightly, confused about how he knew that. He didn't get to talk to many veterans after waking up from the ice. "When I was over there, I'd sleep on the ground, use rock for pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed, and it's like..."

"Lying on a marshmallow." Steve added through a smile. "Feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor." He studied Sam for a moment. "How long?"

"Two tours." Steve nodded, impressed as Sam kind of laughed, wanting to make the conversation light again. "You must miss the good old days, huh?"

Steve smiled a little bit. He loved the convinces of this day in age, but what he really did miss about the 40s were the people. "Well, things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better. We used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading that a lot, trying to catch up."

Sam smiled before an idea clicked in his head. "Marvin Gaye, 1972, Trouble Man soundtrack." Steve nodded, pulling out his small notebook to scribble it down. "Everything you missed jammed into one album."

"I'll put it on the list." He told him with a smile before his phone went off. It was a text from his great niece. Mission Alert. Extraction imminent. Meet you at the curb :)

Steve smiled just a little bit. Melody knew he liked texts straight to the point, but Steve also knew that she was a fan of the smiley face. "All right, Sam, duty calls." He spoke as he brought the phone up before leaning in to shake his hand. "Thanks for the run. If that's what you want to call running."

Sam began to laugh. He couldn't believe he was just insulted by Captain America. "That's how it is?"

"That's how it is."

"Okay." Sam spoke, still laughing. "Any time you want to stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know."

"I'll keep it in mind." He spoke with a nod just as an all-black corvette pulled up.

Melody rolled down the window, looking at the two from the driver's seat. "Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil." She looked at Steve the whole time while delivering that line. She was pretty proud of it.

Steve gave her a dry laugh as he climbed into the passenger's seat. "That's hilarious."

Sam's eyes almost bulged out. Two Avengers in one day. It was like Christmas. Melody was giving him a smile. "How you doing?"

"Hey." She spoke with a nod.

Steve looked back over at Sam with a shrug. Sam wasn't sure if it was because how nice to car was or how hot his niece was. "Can't run everywhere."

"No, you can't." Sam sang out.

Melody gave Sam one last flirty smile before rolling the windows up and taking off. Melody turned to look at Steve as she drove. "I'm funny."

"You're not." Steve protested while shaking his head.

"Oh, you know 'fossil' was a good one."

"Barely." Steve spoke, not looking to her.

Melody turned to him, slapping him on the arm, Steve ending up doing the same back at her. "I'm driving!" Melody complained, Steve rolling his eyes, knowing she always used that excuse when they got into one of those play fights. She just wouldn't be able to take him. That's why she did it. Or that's why Steve thought she did it.

"So is Clint still alive?"

Melody chuckled, Steve always knowing how to approach conversations like that with her. "He was just taken off of life support, expected to make a full recovery."

"Good," Steve scoffed while shaking his head. "Because last night, his survival was questionable."

Melody let silence pass over them, before she thought of something. Maybe Steve would know, something…anything about what was going on with her. "Did Maria or Bucky ever have health complications?"

Steve kind of stiffened at the names, he didn't think he would ever be able to stop that habit, but his eyebrows also furrowed at how random the question was. "No, they were both healthy. I on the other hand…" He trailed off as he turned to look at her, her face possessed by thought. "Why?"

Melody shook her head, knowing she had to come up with a lie quick. "Ever since my blood fought off Extremis, I've been kind of looking more into my medical history, and then there was my dad's death." She shook her head, not understanding how an anomaly in her blood would end in her getting a deathly aliment never found out by the best doctors on the planet. "The biology just doesn't make sense."

"Well, I don't know anything about biology." Steve spoke while nodding his head, taking in the information. "But Maria did. I can see if I can get my hands on some of her old journals. Maybe there might be something in there. Biology or health wise."

"That would be fantastic." Melody spoke, turning to look at him at a red light.

"When we get back from this mission, I'll go through some old boxes."

Melody felt a small smile creeping on her face as she leaned back into her seat. "You don't understand how helpful that would be."

Steve gave her a tight smile, not sure what this was all really about, but he knew something was up. "Anything for you, Melody."

Rumlow stood in front of the screen that would explain their mission to them. Even if Steve was a Captain, STRIKE Team: Delta had and always will be Brock's team, Steve was just running it. "Target is a mobile satellite launch platform. The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them ninety-three minutes ago."

"Any demands?" Melody asked, her eyes still fixated on the screen.

"Billion and a half."

Her eyes finally moved from the screen to Brock, confused at how high the number was. "Why so steep?"

"Because it's SHIELD's."

Melody and Steve's eyes suddenly clicked together, understanding what this mission actually was, and they were both so tired of these. "So, it's not off course, it's trespassing." Melody mumbled while shaking her head.

"I'm sure they have a good reason." Clint spoke with a shrug. After he was done speaking, Melody turned over to look at him, half wanting to choke him and half wanting to leave.

"You know; I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor." Steve spoke, leaning in a little close to Natasha this time.

"Relax." She breathed out an annoyed breath before turning to him with a smile. "It's not that complicated."

Melody and Steve shared another irritated glace before Steve looked back to Rumlow. "How many pirates?"

He looked to the screen quickly before answering the Captain. "Twenty-five." He then blew up a picture. "Top mercs led by this guy. Georges Batroc. Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."

"Hostages?" Steve asked while rubbing his chin from thought.

"Mostly techs. One officer. Jasper Sitwell. They're in the galley."

Melody's eyebrows began to furrow. She knew Sitwell, and this was not his cup of tea. "What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship?"

"All right," Steve spoke, ready to give his orders to the group. "Melody and I are gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, you and Clint kill the engines and wait for instructions." That's when Clint and Brock shared a bit of a look no one really picked up on. It was a look like Clint knew that his job wasn't what Steve told him, and Brock knew it. "Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get them out. Let's move."

"STRIKE, you heard the Cap." Brock spoke while beginning to put some gear on. "Gear up."

The ship took off, Melody and Steve beginning to run through some last minute checks. "Secure channel seven."

Melody clicked a little on the laptop she was given before shutting it and standing up. "Seven secure." She then looked to her great uncle, knowing his love life was something that had not been picked up since awakening from the ice. "Did you do anything fun on Saturday?"

"Well," he began fixing up all his spy gear before looking to Melody with a sly smile. "All of the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead," Melody gave him an irritated stare as Clint just smiled. "So, no, not really."

Steve then got the alert that he was right above the drop zone, leading to him moving to the back opening of the aircraft. "You know," Natasha spoke, placing her hands on Melody's shoulders to look at Steve, she was also in on this setting Steve up thing. "If you ask out Kristen from Statistics, she'd probably say yes."

Steve chuckled before putting his helmet on. "That's why I don't ask."

Clint moved closer to where Steve was, getting a smirk on his face at what the two girls were doing, deciding he was going to have some fun with it too. "Too shy or too scared?"

"Too busy!" He called over the engine just before jumping.

"Got it." Melody spoke with a nod as she approached the hanger as well, looking to Clint and Natasha before finishing her thought. "Too scared."

Melody followed Steve's lead, free falling in the air, Melody loving that feeling. Rollins then walked up to Brock, his eyes wide, wanting to make sure he saw what he thought he saw. "Were either one of them wearing a parachute?"

Rumlow began to laugh while shaking his head. First time he saw it, it scared the hell out of him too. "No. No they were not."

Once Steve and Melody landed in the ocean, they both climbed up the chains from the anchors, getting on the ship, Melody having the responsibility of knocking whoever was guarding unconscious. They both ran, but there was more. Steve threw his shield at one as Melody fought off the other one, finally pushing him off the ship.

The two continued through the ship, taking down everything and everyone who came in their way with a simple ease. This was one of the reasons they were always paired up on missions. Their dynamic with the other was just pure magic. It was like a perfectly practiced routine taking place before your eyes.

When they got to a more populated area of the ship, their dynamic came even more handy. Steve had to drop his shield to go after one, Melody picking up the shield and slamming into another man's body, sending him back into the ship. The original man who Steve went after began attacking him with a knife, the two switching opponents. Melody kicked him at the knee sending him straight down to the ground before snatching the knife from him.

Steve then looked to Melody's original opponent. He was going for an alarm so Steve went to Melody's belt, finding the Chinese ring dagger Natasha had given her for Christmas, and chucked it at the man's hand, nailing him to the ship.

Melody then looked over at Steve, kind of offended. "Those are my favorite daggers; you better get it back."

"No problem." Steve spoke, kicking the man in the face, leaving him unconscious and ripping the dagger from his hand. He then handed it to her with a bit of a smile. "Happy?"

She took the dagger from him, placing it in its holster. "I would be happier if you didn't touch my stuff."

"Shut up, Barnes."

They continued down the ship, flipping off the side and fighting off all the other guys on the deck. They fought them all off with ease before one man put up a gun on the back of Melody's head. Steve looked to her, giving her a panicked look. That's when Rumlow dropped down from his parachute, shooting the guy instantly. Melody turned around, giving him a slight smile. "Thanks."

"Yeah." He chuckled looking in between Melody and Steve. "You both looked pretty helpless without me."

Natasha and Clint then joined the two as they walked. Natasha hurrying up to Steve. "What about the nurse that lives across from you? She seems nice."

Steve scoffed while shaking his head. "You two, secure the engine room and then find me a date."

"Come on, man." Clint spoke while getting his arrow set up so he could just fly across the way. "We're multitasking." He then grabbed Natasha by the waist, the two flying over the ship to get the engine room.

Rumlow and Rollins moved to the room where the hostages were outside of while Natasha and Clint secured the engine room, and Melody and Steve waited to take on Batroc. They all waited in intense silence, all of their hearts pounding in the same beat. "On my mark." Steve spoke through the walkie, eyes trained on the room they were being held in. "Three…two…one."

The second he said one, Rollins shot up the terrorists in the room with Rumlow breaking in and getting all the captives, Jasper Sitwell looking to the dead men lying on the floor. "I told you." He spoke as cool as if he wasn't just being held against his life. "SHIELD doesn't negotiate."

In Batroc's room, no one was responding to him, making him worried that SHIELD was coming. And in that instant, Captain America's shield shot through the window. Melody and Steve split up, Steve going into the room as Melody moved to just outside it. Batroc hit Steve down and proceeded to make it out of the room, but Melody was waiting for him.

The second he got out of the room and onto the deck of the ship, Melody punched him in the throat and kicked him in the chest, knocking him down. Steve ran up to her, but the second Batroc saw him, he tried to kick him, but Steve put the shield up, blocking both him and Melody as the sound echoed throughout the whole ship.

Every hit Batroc tried to make was blocked. Mostly by the shield, but also by Melody's expert combat skills. After some impressive back flips, Batroc was a few feet away from them, staring them down. He opened his mouth, his words pouring out in French. "I thought you were more than just a shield."

Steve glared at him, pulling his helmet off and dropping it to the ground, ready to show him what he really was. "Let's see."

Batroc was first to lunge at them, kicking Steve in the thigh as Melody rammed her elbow into his shoulder. Batroc grabbed her by the waist, trying to fling her away, but Melody stuck the landing as Steve began to kick Batroc. Melody moved to the two, punching him the face and kicking his ankle whenever he tried to come back and kick her. Steve then kicked him in the abdomen causing him to stumble back before doing a flip in the air and kicking Batroc to the ground.

He slowly began to get up, Melody running after him and ramming him into the nearest door, ending up on top of him in some computer room. He was unconscious, Melody smiling a little at her accomplishment as Steve helped her up. "Well this is awkward."

They both snapped their heads to see Natasha and Clint working away on the computers. Melody began to walk up to the two, all the anger from last night rushing right back to her. "What are you doing?"

"Backing up the hard drive." Natasha spoke nonchalantly as Steve looked over at Batroc to make sure he was down before joining them all. "It's a good habit to get into."

"Rumlow needed your help." Steve complained as Clint ignored direct eye contact with Melody. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Melody looked to the screen, scoffing once she saw what they were doing. "You're saving SHIELD intel."

She looked to Clint, but he didn't look at her, continuing to go away on the computer. "Whatever we can get our hands on." He simply responded. After he said it, though, he immediately began to regret it. She was going to kill him. For real this time.

"Our mission is to rescue hostages." Steve spoke, exasperated with their actions.

"No." Natasha sang out. "That's your mission." As Clint was done with his computer work, Natasha pulled out the flash drive to face an angry Steve and Melody. "And you've done beautifully."

Natasha began to walk off, but Steve just grabbed her arm. Melody just continued to stare at Clint, but his head was down in shame, not wanting to make things worse, but somehow they already were much worse. "You just jeopardized this whole mission." Steve scolded.

"I think that's overstating things."

That's when Batroc jumped up from where he was lying to throw a grenade in their direction. Clint wrapped his arm around Melody as Steve's went around Natasha's. The pairs jumped up as Natasha shot at the window and Steve's shield blocked them from the glass, but Melody bolted right into it.

Melody groaned, feeling shards of glass in her body as she scooted her back to the wall. Melody moved to sit with Steve, specifically moving away from Clint. They all let out deep breaths, mostly from pain. "Okay." Natasha breathed out. "That one was on me."

Melody turned to look at her, beyond angry as Steve just continued to stare straight forward. "You're damn right."

Steve stood up, automatically going to help Melody up. At the sight of Melody grabbing her side that had blood coming out on her uniform, Clint stood straight up. Steve turned around, stopping him immediately. "Haven't you done enough?" He growled out before continuing to help Melody out.

Clint looked so hurt. He wanted to help Melody. He wanted her to not be mad at him, but he just seemed to be doing everything wrong lately. He backed into the wall, his head falling back as a deep sigh took over his soul. He messed up. He had really messed up.

I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and the action scenes. They came out a little meh, but you guys know by now my action scenes are a little meh to begin with. Remember to review your thoughts and let me know what all you want to see in this story. I will try to work in y'all's suggestions. (God I just used y'all's, I'm sorry I'm so Southern). See ya!