Fixed in the Shadows

The two days are up. Today is the day we finally stop Arnim Zola from attacking the capitol. Or... at least try to stop him.

"Dat ass!" I exclaim when I see Steve come into the room with his Captain America uniform. Steve blushes and walks over my Tony and Bruce.

"He does have a nice ass," Natasha mutters next to me.

"It's perfect," I say, mesmerized by my lover's figure. I then walk up behind Steve and wrap my arms around his waist. He then brings his arm around my shoulders and kisses the top of my head. "Hey," I say softly, suppressing a grin.

"Hey," he says back, smiling.

"Alright, Avengers," Fury says, standing in the doorway. "We're ready to go."

The six of us follow the director of SHIELD out onto the flight deck. "Hey, when is Thor going to get here? We could really use him," I ask.

"He'll be here shortly," Fury answers.

We board the jet and zoom toward Washington, D.C.. Natasha and Clint take the pilot's seats. Steve and I sit on one side and Bruce and Tony sit on the other. I stare at my lap as I fiddle with Steve's fingers nervously. He can feel him staring at me as I do so.

"So," Tony says, breaking the awkward silence. "How have you guys been? It's been awhile since we've gotten to actually talk."

"I'm well," I mumble.

"Yeah, same here," Steve answers. He clears the shakiness from his throat. I don't think he's scared himself but more fearful for me. My powers have grown stronger. What is going to happen this time?

"We're getting close," Natasha calls back from the pilot's chair.

"Really?" I ask, excited. I unbuckle my seat belt and climb toward the front of the plane to look out the window. I look in awe at the beautiful city of Washington, D.C.. I've always wanted to visit but never go the chance to, surprisingly.

"Uh oh," Clint says, looking down to his left. "Looks like the fun has already begun."

I gaze over to my left and watch as doughboys and minions tear apart the city. Fire flickers off buildings. Explosions bloom like flowers waking up from the cold night. People run and scream. It looks like they are starting at the out parts of the city and working their way toward the White House. Oh God.

"We need to land. Now," I say gravely.

"Got it," Natasha responds, flipping switches. "You may want to sit down and buckle in."

I hold on to the walls of the jet as I clamber my way back to my seat. Tony closes the mask on his Iron Man suit and opens the back of the plane up. He jumps out, flying down to help as soon as he can.

I strap myself as tightly as I can to my seat and squeeze Steve's hand so hard that I can feel his pulse in his fingers. "Here we go," I whisper cautiously.

"Here we go," Steve mumbles assuringly.

I squint my eyes shut as Natasha and Clint land the plane in the street that has been blocked off by a wall of fiery crushed cars. They seem to be herding all the citizens toward the White House by putting those fortresses up. What is he planning? I grip my sword tightly with my left fist as we settle to the ground. The back of the jet opens and we scramble out.

"What's the plan, Captain?" I ask when we run out into the bright sunlight, still holding his hand.

Captain America looks around at the mayhem. "I... I don't know. Let me think." He searches his mind and then it comes to him. "Clint, Natasha, I want you to take the minions on the outer parts. Kill as many as you can. Bruce I want you to try to take out the doughboys. Give him the Hulk smash. I don't care. Skylar, you're with me. We're going to head toward the White House and defend there. Alright, go!"

Hawkeye and Black Widow sprint away from the group. Bruce steps back and lets the Hulk out. He leaps into the air, grabbing a doughboy and ripping it apart. But it just comes back together. Captain America and I make our way toward the president's home.

As we run, I hear explosions above me. I look up to find Iron Man shooting through doughboys. "Cap," I say, stopping. I point above us.

"Tony!" Captain America screams into his ear piece. "Just keep doing what you're doing. Hopefully your technology will be enough." We continue our journey to the White House.

Suddenly, I'm hit with the force that knocks the air out of me and I'm thrown on the ground. I shake my the blurriness out of my eyes and look up to find a minion staring down at me. He has a sinister smile on his face. "You did not just do that," I say angerly.

"You killed my master. Now I'm going to kill you," he says in his mutated voice.

"Skylar!" Cap calls at me.

"No, Steve, just go. I can handle this." I pick myself up and pull out my sword and a pistol. "Let's dance," I breathe huskily.

The minions goes for a punch in my face but he is too slow. I dodge it. I swiftly move around him. Dizziness overcomes him as he tries to keep up. Finally, he stops, trying to catch his breath. I jump on his back. "You see, the problem with you guys is that you may be big and strong but your agility is shit." I then slit his throat with my sword. When he falls face-first onto the ground, I shoot the gamma backpack strapped to him.

Just then, I am surround by more minions. They are angry and they want revenge for their fallen leader and master. I move to my fighting stance and as eight of them create a circle of fury around me. I twist and turn the sword in my hand, preparing for battle. I take a deep breath and wait for it. But unexpectedly, I hear thunder. I look up to the sky. The bright blue sky turns gray with storm clouds. Lightning strikes and lights up the earth. Cold rain begins to fall. The chilly water drips down my back and causes me to shiver.

I then see a man floating in the air, waving a hammer, causing this storm. "Thor," I whisper thankfully.

"Taste my lightning, fiends!" Thor bellows in his deep voice. He points the mjolnir toward me and takes out all the minions. They are electrocuted and fall in a giant heap.

I shoot each of their gamma packs, making sure that no one ever gets the technology again. "Thank you, Thor," I whisper to myself. I then remember my mission and begin my sprint to the White House. Now that we're all here, we're unstoppable... right?

When I finally reach the Pennsylvania Avenue, I find Captain America fighting off more minions. I join him. I slice through the genetically engineered men. The Captain knocks each of them out with his brilliant Vibranium shield.

I then hear a cackle. I turn around. Arnim Zola is standing on the balcony of the White House. "No," I mutter in disbelief. "Steve!" I point.

"How are we ever going to stop him? Not even Thor's lightning can take down the doughboys." He sighs, rubbing his grimey forehead.

I'm quiet for a moment, just staring at the man responsible for this chaos. I now realize what I must do. I let out a shaky breath. "I know what we need to do." I look at Steve, a warm tear traveling freely down my cheek.

"What?" He then comprehends it. "No!" He exclaims. "No way! There has to be another way!"

"There isn't, Steve. Trust me. I can do this." I cup his cheek in my hand.

"You don't even know how powerful you are or what it's going to do." Tears begin to form in his gorgeous blue eyes.

"It's our only option," I whisper assuringly, smiling lightly at him. I kiss him. "I can do this." He nods.

I step slowly out onto the front grass of the White House lawn. I plant my feet firmly on the ground. "C'mon. I'm letting you take over," I mumble to myself. "C'mon, please, work. I give myself over to you." More tears fall from my eyes. "Come on!" I'm starting to grow angry. I'm letting the adrenaline take over.

Just when I think it is not going to work, I feel a powerful thrust in my midsection. My breathing grows heavy and desperate. I feel myself start to be lifted up. Fear wells up inside me but the adrenaline is too strong. My head falls back and my limbs dangle as I'm slowly brought up what seems like a hundred feet in the air. Rain drips from my fingertips and uniform. Higher and higher I rise as I watch the fighting below me in shock as the sounds become quieter and quieter. This is really happening.

"Oh God, please watch over Steve," I pray.

A splitting pain then rattles through my skull. It's happening. My eyes, my fingertips, my scars, my mouth, my nostrils, everything begins glowing white. I feel light and high. I feel like nothing can stop me now. It feels as if even my tears are glowing that brilliant white. I let out a soft breath just as a doughboy is surrounding himself around me. Everything is dark until I see a light. I watch as a white orb of white begins to grow and surround my body, starting at my core and expanding outward. The doughboy begins to dissolve and then everything goes completely white and I cannot see a thing.

After just a few seconds, I begin to float back down to the ground. I lie on the ground, feeling helpless. I can barely move. Steve is then right there, with me.

"Skylar? Skylar, are you okay?" He asks frantically, cradling me in his arms. He tears off my mask and wraps his arm around my head, holding it tightly against his chest.

I look up at him with half-closed eyes. "Steve?" The name is barely audible. Out of the corner of my eye I see the rest of the Avengers circle around us but keeping their distance. My vision goes blurry. I look up at the sky. I feel the light rain drops on my face.

"I'm here, Skylar," he says. He wipes my hair out of my face. A tear rolls down his face. "I'm here." He voice becomes soft.

I cough and taste blood. I don't have much time left. I know this. Hot tears trickle down my temples as I come to realize I must say good-bye to Steve. "Steve, Steve..." I observe his face. He has a gash at his hairline. It's dripping blood. There is dirt all over his beautiful face. His cute little eyelashes are wet with tears.

"Yes, Skylar?" He says. His lip is quivering. There is a tinge of hope in his voice. He searches my face, looking for the answer.

My face grows hot. There is a slight tingling in my nose as my crying grows harder. "I think it's time to say good-bye now," I whisper hoarsely.

"What? No!" Steve exclaims. "You can't say good-bye! We're going to get you help! You're going to be okay!" He squeezes me tighter in his arms.

"No, Steve. I think it's time to say good-bye." I push my arm up with all my strength and lie my hand against his cheek. "Be a good man. Protect the Avengers. Protect our friends." I blink my eyes to try to stop the stinging.

"I will! But you're going to be able to protect them with me because you're going to be fine! We're going to take you to a hospital and you're going to be fine!" He is now sobbing.

"Okay," I whisper, knowing that is not going to happen. "Steve?"

"Yes, Skylar?" He lets out a breath.

I motion for him to come closer. He does so and I take my last bit of strength to give him a passionate kiss. Our tongues dance together. What would normally be a upbeat, fun jive or a sexy, sedutive rumba has now been reduced to a awkward, weak prom dance. "I just want to let you know that... I--I love you. I always have." I squint my eyes shut at the pain rumbling through my body.

"I... I love you too, Skylar." He sniffles. He seems relieved to finally say those words.
"Good-bye, Steve," I finally manage to say as the life drains from my eyes. The last thing I feel is Steve squishing me tight against him. The last thing I hear is him crying out a horrifying scream and then everything goes black.