When Time Collides ★ [2] ✔

History Can Be Painful

He hugged me so tightly that I struggled to breathe.

"It's good to see you again," he said.

"It's good to see you too."

And then the question I'd been dreading struck him. He pulled away. "What are you doing here?" He frowned. "Where have you been? You just disappeared. It's been a month!"

I bit my lip. I already had a sick feeling that Steve wasn't a big fan of Fury. But the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was the reason why I was on the Lumerian Star. 

I had my own reasons for why I dropped off the map. He wasn't going to like why I appeared out of nowhere. And he especially wasn't going to like my reply about my disappearance. But I wasn't going to lie to him either.

"Fury sent me," I admitted. "He told me that you needed back up."

Steve's expression crumpled to a scowl. "I can do this without his help."

"I'm just following orders."

He crossed his arms. "But you've never been one to follow orders."

I smirked. "I've had a change of heart."

He raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you're working with S.H.I.E.L.D.? I thought you hated Fury."

That was true. I wasn't a fan of the guy. But he had something I wanted: Project Hourglass. We had an agreement that if I worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. I would get everything the project had to offer.

"He made me an offer I couldn't refuse," I replied. I raked a hand through my hair in anticipation. "I've been on a classified mission for the past month. I've been searching for something."

"What?"

"That's classified."

"Where?"

"That's classified."

I heard a groan nearby. Batroc got to his feet. Without hesitation, Steve charged at him, lifting him off his feet and ramming him into a nearby door, ripping it completely off its hinges.