Breaking the Shield {Captain America / Steve Rogers Fanfic}

Part 9

As the weeks went by, Steve continued to spoil Grace with intimate dates. Sometimes they were planned and sometimes he would turn up and surprise her, whisking her away for a secluded breakfast, lunch in the middle of the day or an early dinner in town. It was new territory for both of them, and Grace regularly reassured Steve that she was enjoying taking their time just as much as he was. She couldn't deny wanting to tear his clothes off sometimes, wanting to feel his firm body and smooth skin on hers, but she had no doubt he had the same urges, and they were both happy to wait for the right time.

On a cool morning run one morning he scooped her up and ran back with her, Grace squealing for him to put her down. They arrived to find Nat waiting.

"Get your bag and be in the jet in ten," she said. "Tony needs us. You too, Grace. Bring anything you think Tony might not have."

Grace ran to her room and then to her office, grabbing her field kit. As she was leaving she spotted Helen. "You're coming, right?"

"No. Tony wants me to stay here and finish up the new units. He thinks we might need them."

They settled in to the jet and it was only then that Grace noticed Barton was piloting.

"Someone has infiltrated Stark tower. They've taken Pepper, he hasn't told me what the demands are yet. Obviously the mission is getting Pepper back in one piece."

"It's Pepper, Steve. Do you understand that? They have Pepper. I'll give them whatever they want."

"Tony, if that technology gets out-"

"If she dies, it won't matter."

"Millions of others could die if you do this, Tony."

Nat, Clint, Grace and Rhodey could hear the argument from outside Tony's office. Nat was pacing. "Those two will just keep going around in circles, Clint. We need a plan."

"I thought he could track Pepper somehow, in case this exact scenario happened?" Rhodey asked.

"He can but they're jamming it or something. And he's not thinking straight. They knew threatening Pepper would bring Tony immediately to his knees."

"Nat," a voice said behind them. "Please don't be mad."

Nat turned slowly. Grace had never seen her surprised before, but she had seen the hurt hidden deep down that was now threatening to bubble over.

"If you've been here this whole time Bruce..."

"I haven't I promise. Just in and out a couple of times. I wanted to tell you but I didn't want to hurt you."

"You didn't want to... forget it. We have bigger problems, it can wait. Can you help?"

"Yeah, I just heard you talking about tracking Pepper. She doesn't just have one, she has a few. Her phone, watch, maybe some other jewellery from memory. I can try to boost the receiver on this end and see if we can get a general area."

"Do it." Grace could see Natasha's hands had balled in to fists and she forced them open.

Tony's office doors burst open suddenly. "Hydra have her. I don't know where. But we have 48 hours. Actually we have 47 to find them. After that I'm giving them what they want."

"If anyone has Fury or Coulson on speed dial now would be a good time to speak up." Bruce said.

"I don't have either of those," Grace said. "But I do have someone almost as good. Give me a few minutes."

She pulled out her phone and dialled, walking back out to the hallway. She frowned when she got a voice mailbox but immediately recognised the voice. She mentally crossed her fingers that Bobbi was still checking her messages.

"Hey, it's Grace. Can you call me when you get this please? I'm hoping you might be able to help with something."

On a whim she tried the number she had for Hunter but wasn't surprised when it was disconnected.

"Any luck?" Steve asked when she re entered the room. Grace shook her head.

"Not yet. How's it going?" She said quietly.

"We've narrowed it to a few hundred square miles." Bruce said. "Nice to meet you Grace," he said barely turning his head away from the screen.

"You too. If she gets back to me it still might help, I'm hoping she'll have some ideas," Steve, Barton and Rhodey turned to leave. "Where are you going?"

"I can't just stay here and do nothing. I have some old sights to check out, maybe we'll get lucky."

"Be careful."

"I will," he said with a subtle wink. "I'll take care of these guys too."

"Grace did you bring scrubs?" Nat asked.

"Ah, yeah, they're in my field kit. Why?"

"Those three never fail to get in to trouble. You might want to get changed."

"That's reassuring," she said, heading for the quarters Nat had pointed out earlier. Grace got the feeling she just wanted a moment alone with Bruce but she wasn't about to argue. She took her time, knowing they would contact her if she was needed.

When Grace returned the tension was palpable, and if she hadn't known they'd seen her she'd probably have turned back. "Well now you look like a doctor!" Nat said. Grace had changed in to maroon scrubs and brought the kit with her, stethoscope around her neck.

Tony strode through the doors. "Give me some news, Banner. Good news."

"I don't think they're jamming the signal. I think maybe they're holding her somewhere it just can't get through."

"Like underground?"

"Like underground in a bunker, yeah. With a lot of interference. The best signal is always her phone, which stops as soon as they left the tower, so it was deactivated. The watch one just gets weaker and weaker. They're in New York somewhere. I think that's the best we're going to get."

Tony slammed his hands down on the table. Grace could see he wasn't going to be a lot of help. And that's exactly why if you want to get to Tony, you do it through Pepper.

"What about Brooklyn? Too far?" Grace asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Nope, it's a possibility. What's in Brooklyn?"

Nat smiled. "You're thinking that's where Steve would have gone?"

"Maybe." Grace's phone rang in her hand. "Bobbi?"

"Yeah, can't talk long, what's up?"

"If Hydra were going to take a hostage and keep them somewhere in New York..."

"Christ Grace you're talking hundreds of possibilities and that's just the ones we know about."

"I know. Narrow it to underground, like a bunker or a sealed facility that would prevent a tracker sending a good signal."

"Stark tower?"

"Nope. That's where we are now. The SSR facility in Brooklyn. What happened to it?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D gutted it and used it as a safe house. So it's a safe assumption Hydra has it now."

"Anything I need to know about it before they go in?"

"Yeah. Don't. There's only one way in and out of there now, it's perfect for an ambush. It was only ever used as a last resort for that reason."

"Noted. Still under the antique shop?"

She heard Bobbi sigh. "Must be one hell of a hostage. Yeah, you'll have to force your way in though."

"I know. Not me specifically, don't worry."

"Give me a call when you're done treating the casualties then, I want to hear all about it!"

"Will do. Thanks Bobbi."

"Did you get all of that?" Grace said to Natasha and Bruce as she stuffed the phone in her pocket.

"Let's go." Tony said. "We can call the others on the way."