Hey, everyone. If you can, on both my stories, please comment. I would love to know what everyone thinks.
Also, I know I have started posting on weekends again and started to get a rhythm going, but this past weekend was stressful, but expect a new chapter soon.
Now, enter the Winter Soldier. It's been a few days since Chapter 23, so it is a small time jump. We are getting closer to the big reveal. We all know Steve's reaction, but what about Dalla? Ahhh! I can't wait to see!
Differences in this chapter: Dalla follows after the shooter on Eldr.
Dalla woke up in Steve's arms. His hair was still damp from his shower after his morning run. He hadn't bothered with clothes, causing her to smile. She loved looking at him as the early morning sun peaked through the windows. She ran her fingers over his abs, teasing him for a few minutes so that he sucked in a breath each time.
"So, what are we doing today, Captain?" Dalla asked, their sheets wrapped around her as she leaned up on her elbows to look down at him as if she hadn't just made him full and aching.
"Well, we have a moment to breathe," Steve answered, his voice husky. "How about we take the bike and just ride around? Have a picnic?"
"Now that sounds lovely." She kissed him. "We haven't been on a date in a while."
"Then, we should get ready. First stop, the Corner Bakery Cafe."
"Then, we can get lunch to go before heading to West Potomac Park."
"And ending with dinner at The Occidental."
"Where we had our first date when we moved to DC? Oh, Steve!"
He pulled her in for a passionate kiss, rolling so that he lay over her. "But first, I want a pre-breakfast snack."
Dalla giggled before gasping as Steve kissed down her body. Every time he did this, he lavished each scar on her body with such love, Dalla nearly came undone just from his lips alone. When he finally got to her weeping core, she was panting with need and gasping his name.
She loved mornings like this, where Steve would just cover her in his love. Many of the other people in their building had already left for work by the time Dalla woke up, so she didn't have to worry about keeping her voice down when Steve wanted her first thing in the morning. She would never get enough of how much he loved her or how often he wanted to show it.
Dalla ran to the door of their apartment building, nearly bouncing up and down, as she waited for Steve. Riding around on the bike always made her feel all tingly and needy. Steve couldn't help but smile at his girl. He enjoyed having her holding on to him, her arms tight around him. It always felt right when she rode with him.
On the way up the stairs, their neighbor, Kate, stepped out of her apartment, talking on the phone to someone as she carried a basket of laundry. Dalla felt something was off with her, but she was so nice, the Asgardian didn't want to be rude… often. She even refrained from reading the woman's mind as a courtesy, though the fact Kate flirted openly with Steve didn't stop the urge from growing. Dalla gave her a smile and Steve gave her a small wave with his own smile.
"I gotta go, though," she said, finishing her call. "Okay. Bye." She looked at Steve and Dalla with an answering smile. "My aunt. She's kind of an insomniac. Yeah."
There was a moment of awkward silence before Steve said, "You know, if you want, you can always use our machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement."
"Oh, yeah? What's it cost?"
"You can join us for coffee," Dalla said, trying to play nice for Steve's sake alone. "It's always nice to make new friends."
The blond woman thought for a bit. "Thanks, but I already have a load in downstairs and you don't really want my scrubs in your machine. I just finished a rotation in the infectious disease ward, so…"
Steve gave a small chuckle and said, "Ah, well, we'll keep our distance."
"Hopefully, not too far." She gave Steve a coy smile.
Dalla's face fell, seeing the neighbor flirting with her boyfriend again, and said, "Yes, well, we should be getting inside. Steve?"
She nodded, getting the hint. "Oh, I think you two left your stereo on."
Steve and Dalla shared a look before he said, "Oh, right. Thank you."
"Yeah." Then, Kate walked away.
After she was gone, Steve and Dalla looked back at their door. Neither of them would forget to turn their music off when they went on missions. Steve leaned his ear towards the door as he put Dalla behind him, trying to see if he could hear anyone inside. But there was no sound. Dalla tapped his shoulder and pointed back at the window.
They climbed out and used the fire escape to enter their apartment. Steve opened their window and climbed in. He turned back to help Dalla through. She nodded her thanks before they heard the music restart. She grabbed Eldr as Steve grabbed his shield. She didn't want to alert anyone that they were there and kept Eldr in its scabbard.
Dalla stood a little behind Steve as they made their way to the living room. He looked around the corner. The street lights and the small amount of sunlight still left filtered through the windows. It allowed him to make out a figure in the corner of the room, one he recognized as Nick Fury. Dalla looked around Steve to see what he saw, moving to stand beside him.
The supersoldier said, "I don't remember either of us giving you a key."
With a grunt, Fury sat up and said, "Do you really think I'd need one?" He leaned on his elbow on the arm of the chair. "My wife kicked me out."
"I didn't know you were married."
"There's a lot of things you two don't know about me."
Steve moved away from the wall to the light switch with a sigh. "I know, Nick."
Dalla replaced Steve at the corner as she said, "That's the problem. One both have."
Steve turned on the lights. Both he and Dalla were shocked at the state Fury was in. He was holding his side. He had fresh cuts that were still bleeding. He held up a hand to them both, signaling them to not speak, and turned off the lights once more. He typed on his phone and turned it for them to see his message. EARS EVERYWHERE.
Steve let his disappointment show as Dalla joined his side, both looking around. At the same time, Fury said, "I'm sorry to have to do this to you both, but I had no place else to crash."
He showed another message. SHIELD COMPROMISED.
Dalla clenched her jaw. Steve felt his stomach drop. Both had dedicated so much time to SHIELD. Dalla was a founder. To have it be compromised was a huge blow to them both.
"Who else knows about your wife?" Steve asked after a moment, both him and Dalla now understanding the code.
He stood up, limping to them as he showed a third message. THE THREE OF US. "Just… my friends."
"Is that what we are?" Dalla inquired.
Fury looked between Steve and Dalla before answering. "That's up to you two."
Suddenly, there were gunshots. Fury gasped in pain and fell to the ground. Steve kept himself between Dalla and the window as they went to Fury's side to drag him out of the line of fire. As they did, they both looked out the window, trying to spot the shooter.
Dalla knelt next to Fury as Steve went to get a better look. Fury stopped him and handed him a USB. Dalla looked between the men.
"Don't trust anyone," Fury gasped out.
They both heard the door break open before hearing someone come in with a gun and ask, "Captain Rogers? Agent Odinsdottir?" She found them, Steve looking around the corner at the door in a defensive manner. "Guys, I'm Agent Thirteen of SHIELD Special Service."
"Kate?" Steve asked, confused.
"I was assigned to protect you both." She moved past Steve to where Dalla and Fury were.
"On whose order?" Steve was getting agitated by all the surprises.
She looked at Fury for a moment. "His."
She and Steve joined Dalla. Kate… No, Agent Thirteen set her gun down and checked Fury's pulse. Dalla and Steve shared a look. Neither liked the situation, especially after the day they had just shared. They looked back at the agent as she pulled out a walkie-talkie.
"Foxtrot is down," she informed the ones on the other end, "he's unresponsive. I need EMTs."
The dispatcher on the other end inquired, "Do we have a twenty on the shooter?"
Steve looked around the corner to check as Dalla joined him. They saw a glint of metal as whoever has shot Fury began to run.
"Tell them I'm in pursuit," Steve said.
"And that I'm going with him," Dalla added, taking Eldr out of its sheath.
"You are staying safe." The dominance in Steve's voice made her want to obey, but this was not the time when the director of SHIELD lay bleeding out on their floor.
"If he has someone waiting for him, you'll need me, so I'm going." Her tone told him it wasn't up for debate.
"Fine but be safe."
"You follow him in a direct path. I'll go around to head him off."
"At least you aren't in the line of fire."
"You would waste time if I tried to do anything else."
They shared a brief kiss before they split up, Dalla going out a window and jumping on Eldr after Steve broke it to gain a head start. Whoever they were after was fast. She heard Steve crashing into walls as he made hard turns. She had to dodge some pigeons he scared into her path. He crashed through another window to land behind the shooter, just as she managed to get around the office building.
Steve rolled onto the roof and stood up, throwing his shield as hard as he could. The shooter turned and caught it with a metallic thunk. Steve stood shocked. Dalla stopped Elder so fast, she nearly fell off and had to regain her balance.
Two piercing blue eyes stared at them, heavily surrounded by black camouflage makeup, and the man's lower face was covered in a dark mask. Dalla felt a sense of familiarity, but it was small and fleeting. Those eyes were filled with… hate? No. She recognized eyes like that. Those were the eyes of someone who followed orders without question, more robot than man. They showed no real emotion. Just what would intimidate the enemy. She pitied those soldiers the most. Ones who only lived to do as others bid.
They were both stunned when the stranger threw the shield back at Steve. He caught it before it could hit him, but it moved him back. Dalla jumped to brace him so he stopped. They looked back to where the assailant was, but he was gone. They ran to the edge and looked down, but he had disappeared into the night. They looked on, feeling a sense of both dread and defeat.
A new threat had emerged.