The Guide To Moving On

Chapter 20 - Prepare

Steve's POV

It was a fairly average day, I had woken up, had breakfast, trained for a few hours and now I was working in my sketchbook that I had purchased the other day when I was sent out to get groceries.

Truth is, New York has changed so much since I sketched it back in the 1940s, and sketching it kind of helped process all of the new changes in my mind. As if by taking the time to draw and process each building, everything was a lot less scary.

I was about to add the final touches to my drawing when I FRIDAY piped up loudly, scaring me and causing me to draw an unwanted line across the page. I huffed at it and then paid attention to what she was saying.

"Director Fury needs all Avengers to report to his office immediately for an assignment." She informed. Well, that's strange, when does Fury ever call us in for a meeting about a mission? Part of me was relieved because it meant we weren't in trouble but it was still strange.

In the past few weeks of working with SHIELD he always just alerts us of the mission and doesn't give us any information about it until we are about to jump on the plane. What was so special about this one?

I put down my sketch, deciding to fix my mistake after I came back from the meeting. I stepped out into the hallway right as Natasha stepped out as well. I smiled at her and we both walked to the elevator.

"I take it you were told as well?" Nat asked as we stepped into the elevator.

"Yep, although I am struggling to get used to FRIDAY." I chuckled and she laughed along with me.

"Eh, for a grandpa you're doing pretty well." Nat joked, smirking at me playfully.

"Oi!" I reprimanded, feigning hurt and nudging her side.

"Well, you technically are 93 years old, grandpa!" She retorted.

"I have only lived and look 27 years old! And stop calling me that." I reasoned, it did tick me off and was a constant reminder of how much of my old life I had lost. Especially when it wasn't my fault that I ended up in the water for so long, that plane had to go down and I was the only one left to do it.

"Sure, grandpa." At that, I had had enough, and I grabbed her and started tickling her. She squealed and laughed which soon turned into desperate gasps.

"C-c-can't b-breath." She rasped out and I decided to let her go. She regained her breath, still slightly giggling and I just smiled at her. She is just so cu- no Rogers! She is your teammate!

The elevator dinged which pulled me out of my spiraling embarrassing thoughts. We walked together down the hallway and into Fury's office in comfortable silence, smiles wide on both our faces.

When we got there, I quickly realized that we were the last to arrive although it didn't look like the others had been there long either. We joined them at the long table, Nat and I sitting across from each other at one of the ends.

Fury entered a few seconds later and stood at the other end of the table, as we looked up to him waiting eagerly for him to give us some information about this assignment.

"So, Avengers, you are all here because you are a part of an initiative to protect the world from threats we can't. It's about time you start living up to that. So far, I have been giving you fairly simple missions, but it is time to step it up a notch." He instructed causing us to all get excited, well Clint and Nat to get excited anyway.

I suppose they were already agents of SHIELD before this and so the missions we have been sent on lately were probably things they could accomplish alone, blindfolded and with their hands tied behind their backs. I know they could.

"So, you are all going to infiltrate a base that has popped up on the radar lately. There have been significant energy signatures coming from there and rather a lot of cars going in and out of that area. We believe this base is responsible for the manufacturing of a significant amount of high-tech weapons." Fury continued and we all nodded along at the information.

"You are all to go to the base which is located just outside the Capital city of Germany. Dismantle the base and apprehend the people responsible, I want a word with all of them. However, if all fails, kill everyone and get the hell out of there. Your health is more important than the mission, don't forget that." He finished and looked around at us all.

Germany, damn the last time I was there was during WW2. I wonder if much has changed, what are you saying Steve? Of course, things have changed since the 1940s, just like everything else!

WW2... the worst part is, in my head, my memories from it only feel like they happened a few weeks ago. I was fighting HYDRA and then I went in the ice, woke up, and although it has been 70 years, it feels like it happened yesterday. The very thought was enough to make my head spin.

"You leave in an hour exactly. Don't be late." Fury said as he dismissed us. We all stood up and left the room promptly. We all got into the elevator and pressed the button for the floors we stayed on.

First, we went up to Tony's floor and then traveled down to Nat and I's floor where we both got out.

"I guess I'll see you in an hour then," Nat said as she opened her apartment door. I nodded and walked into my room closing the door softly behind me. I had to prepare for this mission. Sure, Fury thinks we can handle it, but we still need to remain vigilant.

But I have faith in my team, we have worked together for a few weeks now, sure we didn't know much about each other and how we worked but it didn't seem to matter, the job got done anyway.

If only I knew.