I Can't Help It - Steve Rogers

Chapter 17

Rachel assures Steve that she's fine, since she relaxed and slept a little on the jet. He nods in agreement before storming off to Fury's office while Rachel went to change out of her uniform.

As Rachel is leaving Shield HQ she sees Steve storming towards the garage. "Hey Steve" she says, catching his attention. "Hey Rach, how you feeling?" he replies. "I'm ok, thank you. Are you ok?" she answers, noticing his tense stance. He sighs as he looks down at his feet. "Yeah, I'm fine" he replies and Rachel assumes that he doesn't want to talk about it so decides to try and cheer him up instead. "Movie night? We could watch Pirates of the Caribbean 2" she suggests with a beaming, hopeful smile. He laughs at her excitement and nods at her with a smile. "Sure. Meet at my place tonight?" he suggests. "Yeah" she agrees before they both make their way to the garage and go their separate ways.

---

After Steve visits the Smithsonian and Peggy, he heads to the VA to see Sam. He waits for him to finish his session before approaching him. "Look who it is, the running man" Sam greets with a smile. "I caught the last few minutes, it's pretty intense" Steve comments. "Yeah, brother. We all got the same problems. Guilt, regret" Sam replies. "You lose someone?" Steve asks in sympathy. "My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission, standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before. Until an RPG knocked Riley's dumbass out of the sky. Nothing I could do, it's like I was up there just to watch" Sam explains sadly. "I'm sorry" Steve says with a kind nod. "After that, I had a really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?" Sam finishes. "But you're happy now, back in the world?" Steve assumes with a smile. "The number of people giving me order is down to about zero, so hell yeah" Sam answers with a cheerful smile.

"Are you thinking about getting out?" he questions Steve. "No. I don't know" Steve answers. "To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did" he adds truthfully. "Ultimate fighting? Just a great idea off the top of my head" Sam suggests, causing the pair to laugh. "Seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?" Sam asks. "I don't know" Steve sighs. "What about that brunette from this morning?" Sam questions with a grin. "That's Rachel" Steve explains with a laugh and Sam only raises his eyebrows at Steve. "I mean she's amazing and I really care about her but... I don't know" Steve elaborates with a defeated shrug. "If you like her, you should go for it" Sam states and Steve nods with a grateful smile.

---

Rachel leaves her apartment and walks down the hall to see Steve standing outside his apartment door, leaning towards it. "Steve?" she questions and he raises his head to her quickly. "Is everything okay?" she asks. "Did you leave my stereo on when you left this morning?" he asks her. "No, I didn't even put it on" Rachel answers confused. "Well it's on now" Steve explains and they both decide to enter his apartment from another direction.

Steve pushes the window open quietly and climbs in, he offers Rachel a hand which she takes as she climbs through the window as well. Steve leads the way, grabbing his shield on the way while Rachel stays behind him, ready to use her powers if needs be. Steve peers around the corner and relaxes, causing Rachel to frown and look over his shoulder. She sees Fury relaxing in a chair beside the playing stereo and she sighs. "I don't remember giving you a key" Steve states. "You really think I'd need one" Fury debates as he sits up with a grunt. "My wife kicked me out" Fury explains. "I didn't know you were married" Rachel comments. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me" Fury states. "I know Nick, that's the problem" Steve replies as he turns a lamp on.

Steve and Rachel can now see the blood and bruises on Fury's face, they both look concerned but are silenced by Fury's raised hand. He turns the lamp off before raising his phone, stating 'ears everywhere'. Steve sighs as he glances around the apartment. "I'm sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash" Fury apologises before raising his phone again. However, this time it stated a more concerning message; 'Shield compromised'. "Who else knows about your wife?" Steve questions, trying to inconspicuously get more information. "Just my friends" Fury answers, raising his phone with the message, 'Just you two and me' as he stands. "Is that what we are?" Steve questions. "That's up to you" Fury answers.

Suddenly, gunshots are heard as bullets pierce the wall and hit Fury. He cries out in pain as Steve raises his shield and pushes Rachel behind him. The gunshots stop and Steve drags Fury as he groans and coughs around the corner for cover. Rachel instantly kneels beside Fury and puts pressure on his wounds. Steve goes to step away from them but Fury grabs his hand. "Don't trust anyone" Fury warns in between coughs as he hands Steve a hard drive and glances at Rachel.

The sound of the apartment door being kicked in alerts Steve and Rachel to more threats. "Stay here" Steve warns as he starts peering around the corner again. "Captain Rogers?" a female voice calls into the apartment. "Captain, I'm Agent 13 of Shield Special Service" their neighbour Kate explains as she makes her way through the apartment with her gun raised. "Kate?" Steve and Rachel question at once. "I'm assigned to protect you" she states. "On whose order?" Steve asks. "His" Kate says when she sees Fury. She kneels beside Fury before pulling a walkie from her pocket. "Foxtrot is down, I need EMT's" she orders. "Do we have a twenty on the shooter?" someone asks in response. "Tell him I'm in pursuit" Steve states before walking away. "Steve" Rachel calls as she climbs to her feet and follows him. He turns to look at her. "Be careful" she pleads and he nods with a smile before rushing after the shooter.