Two days and Andie Knight's entire world had changed. From knowing she was doing good in the world for SHIELD to the uncertainty that plagued her mind. And all it took was Captain America plunging through a glass roof and orders from the top to hunt him down. Andie was supposed to trust Jasper Sitwell, world's biggest asshole, over Captain America. To trust Alexander Pierce. While she couldn't speak for everyone, trusting them over a literal paragon of purity like Captain America was a hard sell. Cap practically walked around the Triskelion with rainbows and puppy dogs following in his wake; it was hard to believe he could be at the heart of something sinister.

And everything she had seen - or, rather, what she hadn't seen - since had her convinced she was on the wrong side. Missing files, redacted information, and classified this that and the other. Yet nothing she'd looked up was so sensitive it should've needed such secrecy.

Secrets and compartmentalization she understood. Usually, she could hack her way around it, if she wanted to, but she understood the need for it. Fewer points of failure, fewer weaknesses.

On top of it all, Nick Fury being dead left a black hole in the middle of it all. Even Maria Hill had vanished.

Now SHIELD headquarters, the Triskelion, the place she'd considered almost a home for years, felt oppressive as she walked the halls. Who around her could she even trust? It wasn't like a video game where she could equip a heads up display that automatically pointed out every enemy. But years of training, time in the field, she was confident she could at least manage to not get herself killed.

From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Alexander Pierce and a group of delegates she recognised as being from the World Security Council. There was something off about the way the sole female delegate walked that piqued Andie's curiosity. Something wasn't right.

But before she could work it out, the group disappeared.

So Andie continued on. She'd need access to the servers to find out what the hell was going on. And they were closely-guarded. Heavily-guarded. And on the 41st floor, so it wouldn't be an easy escape if shit hit the fan. Which, knowing her luck…?

She tried not to think about it, though. Heights weren't her thing. At all. Especially all 41 floors of it.

Twirling her badge in her fingers, Andie made her way to the elevators and hoped like hell the modifications she'd made to her access would work.

"Attention, all SHIELD agents," Captain America's voice echoed through the speakers and the halls. "This is Steve Rogers."

"Yeah, no shit," Andie snorted. She had managed to get into the server room and gain access to the files she was looking for.

"You've heard a lot about me over the last few days."
"Understatement." Her fingers danced over the keys.

"Some of you were even ordered to hunt me down." While she'd known he was a fugitive, the phrasing made it seem more…predatory than she'd imagined. More sinister. "But I think it's time you know the truth."

Andie hit the 'download' button and held her breath, waiting for Cap's next words.

"SHIELD is not what we thought it was," he continued. "It's been taken over by HYDRA."

Every muscle in her body tensed. That certainly explained a thing or two. Was there even any point in continuing? Or maybe she was getting everything before HYDRA could wipe it. No, she had to keep going.

"Alexander Pierce is their leader."

That clocked. She'd never liked Pierce and the way he barely reacted to Fury's death was unnerving. If he was HYDRA, that explained a lot.

"The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well."

Again, not too surprising. Rumlow was a major asshole. And his team? Always gave Andie the willies.

"I don't know how many more."

"You and me both, Cap," Andie muttered. The bar on-screen moved way too slowly. And security knew she was in there. Whether they were HYDRA or thought she was, that confrontation wouldn't end well.

"But they're in the building." Captain America? More like Captain Obvious. "They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want - absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there."

Did he mean some random HYDRA agents managed to take out Fury? Jesus. Not what she would've expected. Either they were well-trained or damn lucky.

"If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them."

If the download moved any slower, it would be faster to pick the damn servers up and carry them out. "Come on."

"I know I'm asking a lot. But the price of freedom is high, it always has been."

Steve Rogers had a flare for the dramatic and Andie couldn't help but wonder if it was ingrained or if he'd learned it from his days touring with chorus girls and doing shows for the frontline.

"It's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it."

The dramatic pause was almost palpable and Andie smiled.

"But I'm willing to bet I'm not."

The speakers cut and she mumbled, "Did he write that down first or riff off the top of his head?" But she couldn't help the grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. While it took her a little longer to get there than Cap, it was good to know she wasn't wrong.

The download line eked forward, the percentage increased. Painfully slowly.

And the door to the server room rattled.

Andie ran over and broke the 'in case of emergency' glass, kicking the door back as it started to open. She sprayed the fire extinguisher through it, then locked the door and rigged the extinguisher to go off again when it opened.

Just in time for the download to complete.

And without access back to the stairway, it was time to find another way out.

Whoever had cut power to the elevators was on Sam Wilson's shit list. Okay, he wasn't coming up from the ground floor but 20 damn floors down from the roof, two steps at a time when the elevator could've got him there in less than a minute? Irritating wasn't a strong enough word.

When he reached the 41st floor, he heard grunting and the sounds of fists hitting flesh. And crashes.

"You can't beat me, sweetheart," Rumlow laughed.

And a woman growled, "You talk too much."

Sam burst through the door in time to see a redhead launch herself at Rumlow bodily, throwing them both into a nearby server tower. Rumlow managed to get a leg between them and kicked her off, sending her flying straight at Sam; he caught her like he was in the corner of a boxing ring. Blood dripped from her mouth as she looked up at him and pushed out of his arms with a snarl.

"Look," she said, "I'm a little busy, if you want to fight too, we'll have to -."

Rumlow grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back, throwing her across the room. But before he could go after her, Sam reached out, spun him around and decked him. Only to be thrown back land on his ass. Hard.

"There are no prisoners with HYDRA," Rumlow said, lifting his fists, ready to fight. "Just order. And order only comes through pain. You ready for yours?"

"Nobody asked for your villain monologue," the woman growled, knocking Rumlow down with a large piece of metal.

She grinned and offered Sam a hand up. "Andie Knight."

"Sam Wilson."

"Cute," Rumlow growled. "But I'm -."

"Shut up!" they both shouted, advancing fist-first simultaneously.

Rumlow took Andie's punch and kicked out at Sam, knocking him back. He then grabbed Andie's arm and before he could snap the bone, she kicked out between his legs. An angry groan left Rumlow as he charged her, shoving her bodily into the wall.

Andie let out a pained grunt and brought her elbow down on the back of Rumlow's head. He let go and took a couple of steps back, grinning at her in a way Sam didn't like. Sam charged forward and threw a right hook, catching Rumlow on the chin as Rumlow went for his gut. Doubling over with the hit, Sam took another punch and went flying backwards. But Andie jumped on Rumlow's back and wrapped a cable around his neck, anger twisting her features.

It was kind of hot, he had to admit.

And he'd always had a thing for redheads.

Rumlow reeled back, then lurched forward and tossed her over his shoulder, sending her crashing into Sam.

He caught her and rolled with the momentum of the throw, landing on top of her. "You okay?"

"You're out of your depth, kids," Rumlow said, grinning ear to ear.

Behind Rumlow, through the one way glass, a Helicarrier was approaching. Crashing. Fast. And the door was closer to it than them.

Sam pushed off Andie and helped her up, triggering the radio in his ear. "Please tell me you got that chopper in the air!" he shouted as he and Andie ran.

"Sam?" Natasha's voice replied. "Where are you?"

"41st floor, north-west corner!" he shouted as the Helicarrier crashed behind them. Debris flew up all around them - computers, cables, twisted bits of metal. And sparks flew from the live wires. It was an obstacle course he'd rather not be running.

"We're on it," Natasha said. "Stay where you are."

Sam grabbed a big piece of metal as they ran. "Not an option!" He threw the twisted bit of server at the window.

"What are you doing?" Andie shouted.

Rather than answer, he pulled her into his arms and leapt through the broken window just as the floor began to give way under their feet. He curled into her and landed hard inside the helicopter, taking out the door on the opposite side. Natasha managed to grab hold of them as Fury regained control and righted them, just shy of sending Sam and Andie into the river 40 floors below.

Andie was shaking in his arms for a brief second before shoving him back and glaring. "You threw me out a building!"

"I saved your life!" he shot back.

"By throwing me out a damn building!"

"You're welcome!"

Andie kept glaring at him.

Nat smirked at him, then reached a hand out and introduced herself.

"Andie Knight," Andie panted. She turned to the chopper pilot and startled. "Director Fury."

"Not anymore, Agent Knight," he said, angling the chopper back downward. "Not anymore."

Sam tried to help Andie up, but she slapped his hand away and pulled herself into the seat next to Natasha.

"You okay?" Natasha asked.

"Peachy." Andie closed her eyes and leaned back in the seat, white-knuckling the handrail behind her.

Sam sat upright as Natasha radioed to get eyes on Cap. At least the only casualty of the Helicarrier crash was Rumlow, even if Andie was pissed. He was pretty damn sure he could win her back over eventually. Just turn on that old Wilson charm.

As the chopper landed, he turned his attention to the search for Cap. Hopefully he'd made it out before the Helicarriers went down.

It wasn't the direction he thought his life would take, but 3 days after the Triskelion battle, Sam Wilson stood in a Washington, DC cemetery with Steve Rogers - Captain America! - ready to follow him anywhere. Honestly, he'd known the guy less than a week and he already had him back in the fight. He could see why Rogers had been such an effective leader during World War II. Unlike other leaders, Steve Rogers led the charge, he didn't send men and women anywhere he wouldn't go himself. That kind of attitude fostered loyalty. Even if Rogers himself wasn't fully conscious of it.

No, not Rogers. Steve. He may be Captain America to the world, but Steve Rogers was his friend. Calling him 'Cap' felt like respect, but Rogers? That was too impersonal. Especially after the last week.

Sam narrowed his eyes a little as he watched the cemetery while Steve talked to Nick Fury over a gravestone - Fury's gravestone. He couldn't even imagine how it must feel to look at your own grave, to watch your own funeral from a distance. It freaked him out a little.

Instead, he let his mind wander a little.

It had been days since he'd heard from Nadia. And when he went by her house to check on her, it was empty. Or at least everything important was gone, including her prized record collection. Only 4 days since she'd barged into his house looking for the girl she thought he was hiding, only to find Natasha and Steve in her kitchen.

An image of the hot redhead, Andie, popped up in his mind's eye and he grinned. Nadia would never let him hear the end of it when she found out about Andie. Those hazel eyes, that smirk. Oh, he was cooked. If he could get her to talk to him again.

When Steve gave him a nod, he shook it off and approached the grave.

"We've been datamining HYDRA's files," Fury said, still staring at the fresh dirt piled on top. "Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm headed to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come." The sunglasses he wore hid the scarred eye formerly covered by the eyepatch. A new look for a new life, Sam supposed.

Steve nodded. "There's something I gotta do first."

Fury turned to him. "What about you, Wilson? Could use a man with your abilities."

Sam exchanged a look with Steve - no way was he going to follow Nick Fury before his friend. "I'm more of a soldier than a spy." Was that diplomatic? Shit, he hoped so.

Fury took a deep breath and nodded, before extending a hand. "Alright, then."

Sam shook it as respectfully as he could. Sure, Fury wasn't clean from all the dirt staining the last few days, but he wasn't covered in it either. Best to keep on the man's good side for now. And if Steve Rogers trusted Fury - at least for now - then that was more than good enough for him.

"Anybody asks for me," Fury said, nodding as he shook Steve's hand. "Tell 'em they can find me right here." And without another word or even an acknowledgement he walked off.

And Natasha Romanoff approached. Another hot redhead. Sam smiled to himself.

"You should be honoured," she said, coming to a stop in front of Steve. "That's about as close as he gets to saying 'thank you'."

If Fury heard it - and he wasn't that far away - he showed no signs of it. Didn't even flinch. It was eerie as hell. What must it even be like inside that man's head?

Sam tuned out a little as Natasha and Steve talked; he didn't like to intrude. And honestly, it was a nice day. Birds in the sky. Sunshine. Okay, so they were in a cemetery. But it was still a nice day.

In his peripheral, he kind of heard Natasha teasing Steve about the nurse-who-isn't-a-nurse and filed that away for later. Until he heard 'Andie'. That brought him fully into the conversation.

"Look who's awake," Natasha teased, glancing at Sam before turning back to Steve and gesturing to a post-it note on top of the file he held. "She's waiting for your call."

"Thank you," Steve said.

Uncertainty creased Natasha's brow before she said, "Be careful, Steve. You might not want to pull on that thread."

A look passed between them before she nodded and left.

"You going after them?" Sam asked, glancing at the file. Bucky's file. After the last few days, he knew enough that the question was almost rhetorical. Of course he was going after Bucky. And the mystery of the disappearing Nadia, well, he was pretty sure he'd struggle to keep Cap away from that.

Steve nodded, eyes never leaving the file. "You don't have to come with me."

Like there was any chance he'd let his friend do this alone. "I know," Sam said. "When do we start?"