I Can't Help It - Steve Rogers

Chapter 27

Rachel walks onto the bridge to see Steve looking out into the abyss, seemingly lost in thought. She makes her way towards him before taking his hand in hers. "You know he's gonna be there, right?" she checks as he tightens his grip around her hand. "I know" he sighs, without moving his gaze from the trees ahead. "We're gonna need to stop him" she states. "I don't know if I can do that" Steve replies, glancing at her briefly. "I said stop, not kill" she adds and he looks at her surprised. "We can try and save him, bring him back" she explains and he smiles at her thankfully. He cups her face and pulls her into a kiss. They pull apart and rest their foreheads against each other and Steve whispers a 'thank you' and she whispers a 'you're welcome' in return, with smiles on their faces.

"Gear up, it's time" he states as he pulls away and starts walking away. "You're gonna wear that?" Rachel questions. "No. If you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform" Steve answers and Rachel frowns before entering the warehouse to put her own uniform on.

Rachel, Maria, Sam and Steve exit the trees to see Shield headquarters just ahead and continue their walk to the facility. They arrive at the control room door and Maria disrupts their signal. The group wait at the door until an agent opens it to see Maria and Sam holding their guns at him. Steve steps forward with Rachel just a step behind. "Excuse us" Steve says and the agent steps aside, allowing them into the control room. They enter and Maria and Rachel start working on the system to allow Steve access to the intercom.

"Attention all Shield agents, this is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days. Some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth; Shield is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by Hydra. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The Strike and Insight crew are Hydra as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. 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. If you launch those helicarriers today, Hydra will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way. Unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, the price of freedom is high, it always has been. It's a price I'm willing to pay and if I'm the only one then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not" Steve gives his speech through the intercom.

"Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?" Sam questions and Rachel chuckles from her chair as she types away at the computer. "He has a way with words" she comments with a smile before finishing her typing. "You good here?" she asks Maria and she gives a nod before Steve, Sam and Rachel leave the control room.

They run across the roof of the building as Maria informs them of the launch through their comms system. "Hey Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" Sam asks as they run. "If they're shooting at you, they're bad" Steve states simply before Sam opens his wings and flies off. Steve and Rachel jump from the building and land on the helicarriers, Steve using his shield and Rachel using her powers to land softly. Rachel sees the second helicarriers rising from below them and runs beside Steve so that she can jump to the other helicarriers. They were assigned a helicarriers each.

Before they can run any further bullets are fired at them and Rachel creates a barrier in front of them as they run for cover. Steve engages in combat with one agent and removes a grenade from his vest. He throws it to a group of agents coming towards them while Rachel attacks another agent. "Hey Cap, I found those bad guys you were talking about" Sam states through comms. "You ok?" Steve asks. "I'm not dead yet" Sam replies. Rachel glances to her left and spots the second helicarriers already above them and sighs. "Damn it! I missed my gap" she states in frustration. "Don't worry, we'll cover both together" Steve compromises.

Steve and Rachel continue fighting their way through the swarm of agents. They reach their console and remove the carrier's targeting chip and replace it with their own. "Alpha lock" Steve informs Maria as him and Rachel run back out to the carrier's flight deck. "Bravo lock" Sam states a minute later. "Two down, one to go" Maria states hopefully. "Sam, can you give me a ride?" Rachel asks, knowing he'll need to give her and Steve a lift. "I'm on my way" he replies. Not long after, Rachel spots Sam flying straight towards her. She raises her hand for Sam to grab before looking at Steve and saluting him as Sam grabs her hand flies off with her.

"Sam, I'm gonna need that ride" Steve informs Sam through comms as he lets Rachel go on the third and final carrier. "Rogers, let me know when you're ready" Sam replies as he flies back towards Steve. "I just did" Steve states as he jumps from the carrier and free falls. Sam flies after him and grabs his hand, flying him up to the third carrier where Rachel was waiting. Sam drops him beside Rachel before landing just behind them. "You know you're a lot heavier than you look" Sam states, seemingly unimpressed. "I had a big breakfast" Steve argues and Rachel chuckles at them. Before anyone can react, Bucky runs out from behind a crate and kicks Rachel into Steve and they both fall off the carrier, leaving Sam behind. "Steve! Rachel!" Sam shouts as he opens his wings to catch them both. Unfortunately, Bucky grabs one of Sam's wings and disables his suits by ripping the wing off and kicking Sam off the carrier.