I Can't Help It - Steve Rogers

Chapter 11

Rachel enters the medical bay and finds Clint's room. She enters to see Nat sitting beside Clint's bed. "Is he ok?" she asks. "He's gonna be fine" Nat answers as she stands and shares a quick hug with Rachel. Clint regains consciousness and starts shaking his head and seeming disorientated. "Clint, you're gonna be alright" Nat assures him attentively. "You know that? Is that what you know? I've got no window, I have to flush him out" Clint replies as Rachel pours him a glass of water. "You've gotta level out, it's gonna take time" Nat tells him. "You don't understand. Have you ever had someone take your brain and play? Pull you out and stuff something else in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade?" Clint asks the girls. "You know that I do" Nat answers while Rachel simply lowers her head as she remembers her own past.

"Why am I back? How'd you get him out?" Clint quizzes. "Cognitive recalibration. I hit you really hard in the head" Nat answers as she sits beside him and starts removing his restraints. "Thanks" Clint chuckles at her. "How many agents did I-" Clint starts to ask before the girls quickly interrupt him. "Don't do that to yourself Clint" Rachel warns him. "This is Loki. This is monsters and magic, and nothing we were ever trained for" Natasha assures him seriously. "Loki, did he get away?" Clint asks. "Yeah, don't suppose you know where?" Nat responds hopefully. "I didn't need to know. I didn't ask" Clint answers and Rachel turns around in frustration. They need to find Loki, he killed Phil and Phil was her friend. "He's gonna make his play soon though. Today" Clint adds as he sits up and takes his glass of water. "We gotta stop him" Rachel quickly responds with dedication. "Yeah, who's 'we'?" Clint replies. "I don't know. Whoever's left" she answers.

"Well, if I put an arrow through Loki's eye socket, I'd sleep better I suppose" Clint states, causing the girls to chuckle. "Now you sound like you" Nat says with a smile as she sits beside him. "But you don't, neither of you do" Clint replies, looking between the girls. "You're spies, not soldiers. Now you want to wade into a war. Why? What did Loki do to you?" he questions them. "He didn't. I just..." Nat starts before hesitating. "Natasha" Clint urges her softly as Rachel sits beside her, showing support. "I've been compromised. I've got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out" she finishes.

"What about you?" Clint asks as he looks at Rachel. "Loki killed Phil, I want him to pay for that" she answers simply. Clint only nods and they're silent before Clint starts cleaning himself up. Suddenly, Steve enters the room in his full suit and Rachel and Nat turn to him. "Time to go" he states. "Go where?" Nat asks as they both frown at him. "I'll tell you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?" he answers, clearly eager to leave. Clint leaves the bathroom with a towel in his hands. "I can" he states and Steve looks at Rachel and she gives him a nod of confirmation. "You got a suit?" he asks Clint. "Yeah" Clint replies. "Then suit up" Steve states before exiting the room.

Clint, Nat and Rachel suit up and meet Steve as they walk through the hanger. They enter a jet and the agent inside stands abruptly. "Hey, you guys aren't authorised to be in here" he states. "Son, just don't" Steve says as he stares at the agent, clearly in no mood to be slowed down. They need to get to New York now. The agent leaves and Nat and Clint get into the pilot seats while Steve and Rachel stand in the back as Steve explains the situation.

They arrive in New York to see the portal open and Loki's army flying towards the ground, firing at the streets. "Stark, we're on your three, headed northeast" Nat informs Tony as they arrive. "What? Did you stop for drive-through? Swing up Park, I'm gonna lay them out for you" he replies. Nat prepares the jet's guns as they approach the Park and fires at them as Tony flies past with them on his tail. They fly up to Stark Tower to see Loki fighting with Thor. "Nat" Clint says and she swings the jet around to aim the guns at Loki. Before she can get a shot at Loki, he fires a blast of energy at the jet and destroys one of the rotors, setting it on fire. Nat and Clint try and control the jet as it falls to the ground. Steve and Rachel grab the roof of the jet as it tilts and shakes, trying to keep themselves in one place.

They crash to the ground and rush out with their gear. "We've gotta get back up there" Steve states as they run towards Stark Tower. They stop as they see a Leviathan flying through the portal, roaring as it gets closer. They all stare in shock as it flies over them and aliens jump out from it's sides and onto the surrounding buildings. "Stark are you seeing this?" Steve asks through coms. "Seeing, still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?" Tony responds. "Banner?" Steve questions. "Just keep me posted" Tony replies before the group start fighting the aliens.

The group of four crouch down behind a taxi to take cover. "We've got civilians still trapped up here" Clint states as alien ships fly past and fire at civilians. "They're fish in a barrel down there" Steve comments before Nat and Rachel stand and fire at more aliens. Nat looks over at Steve, "We've got this, it's good. Go" she tells him. "You think you can hold them off?" Steve asks Clint. "Captain, it'd be my genuine pleasure" he answers with a grin. "Rachel, with me" Steve orders and Rachel nods in response before they jump off the bridge and towards the crowded street.