Winter

2.

Steve didn't look happy at work. I was walking to get coffee, and he was still in uniform, walking to the elevator. " Steve." I stopped him, " Hey."

I ran to catch up to him. He was a little beat up, but nothing awful, " What happened?" I asked.

" Little side jobs for Tony, huh?" He grumbled.

I rolled my eyes, " Steven, I beat up a bartender who wanted to attack the tower. You're being dramatic."

" Why do you put yourself in danger? You have a safe job, you don't do the whole superhero gig anymore."

" No, I do the Make Sure Steve and My Friends Don't Die gig."

He frowned, " We'll talk later. I'm too angry to look at you."

" You know what Steve? You're a real righteous asshole. Watch your god damn tone with me." I snapped at him.

He didn't answer me, he just got in the elevator. " Whoa, what's wrong with him?" One of my co-workers asked me.

I didn't answer, but my mug shattered in my hands, coffee spilling all over the floor. 

***

I went home before Steve did. He could make his own dinner tonight, since he wanted to act like a dick. I began cleaning up the house, throwing all of Steve's laundry onto his bed. 

I was in my room when I heard the door slam. " Marilyn?"

I didn't answer, I kept putting my laundry away. Steve leaned against my doorframe, he looked stressed. " I'm sorry." He finally said.

" Good. Because no matter what your role is for the Avengers, or what people think, I don't listen to you."

" I know, I'm not supposed to talk about what happened but I was in a bad mood and I snapped at the first person I saw."

" I'm your sister, Steven. You don't get to snap at me."

" I know, and I shouldn't have done it."

I turned around, " No, you shouldn't have. So the mission was bad?"

" Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that. I have... I have bad feelings. Can you not go to work, just for 3 days."

He had his look in his eye that I didn't like. Steve never looks nervous like this. When he did, it was right. I nodded, " Okay, I trust you."

He sighed in relief, " Okay. Can we go get dinner now? My treat."

" If you're buying."

***

Steve told me the basics of the mission. Pirates. People lying. Lots of drama. He had a talk to Fury, things he couldn't tell me.

We spent a whole night out, stopping for ice cream and finally taking a cab home. Our apartment was dead, mid-work week usual was. As I was taking my keys out, another door opened. " My favorite twins." A sweet voice said.

Our neighbor Kate was sweet. She was a nurse, blonde, pretty, totally had the hots for my brother. Steve 100% was into her, he just never acted on it. " Hey," I smiled, " How are you?"

" I'm peachy. Washing my nasty scrubs." She gestured to her laundry basket, " How are you two?"

" We're great." Steve said nervously, " Just had some dinner. Getting ready for work tomorrow."

" How is work, Marilyn?" Kate asked.

I sighed, " Something else. Steve, how's everything with you?"

" Eh, work is work. Too many late nights." Steve smiled, " Luckily I don't need much sleep anymore."

" I'm so glad to hear that. I gotta go find some dimes, get this washed."

" Wanna use ours?" Steve asked.

Kate smiled, " What's the charge?"

" Coffee? Maybe some pie?"

My brother often forgets that it isn't 1935 and he isn't asking a girl to prom. But Kate laughed, " As much as I'd love that, raincheck. These scrubs have been through a lot today. But I will get that coffee. Have a good night."

" Have a nice night, Kate." I smiled, and grinned at my brother when she walked away, " She's so into you."

" Shut up." He groaned, " You don't date because of Bucky. Ever think that I'm holding off because of Peg?"

We walked inside, and I was teasing him, " Steve, Peggy is in her 90's and WANTS you to date. I can't-"

I put his hand over my mouth, " Listen." He whispered.

Our stereo was playing. I quietly opened a kitchen drawer, pulling out my gun. I crept forward in front of Steve, since, at S.H.I.E.L.D's request, I take bullets for Captain America, but in reality I take bullets for my big brother. I turned the corner, shocked at the sight of Nick Fury in our living room.

I sighed, " Nick, what the hell?"

" Steve, will Marilyn be understanding of my hardships in life?"

Steve's face did not look good. It was like a thousands pounds was resting on his chest. He looked nervous, but nodded, " You know Marilyn is an understanding girl. She's your best employee."

" That's very true."

" What are you doing here?" I sighed, putting my gun down.

He pulled his phone out, and began typing, " My wife kicked me out."

" You're married?" 

He nodded, " There's a lot you twins don't know about me. But she kicked me out, and I had nowhere else to go."

" You don't just break into people's apartments." Steve said, his tone scarily suspicious.

Fury held his phone out, " I'm sorry, but this was the only place I could go."

I grabbed my brothers arm when I read the screen. S.H.I.E.L.D. is compromised. Ears everywhere. I took a deep breath, " Why did you wife kick you out?"

" Big fight. She just kept going, so I left."

Trust no one. Just each other.

I nodded, " Well. I'll get you some sheets and you can crash on the couch."

" Tell me more about what happened, with your wife." Steve said.

I quickly went into the room, opening the closet. For the first time in two years, I picked my shield up. I took a deep breath, wiggling my right leg so it didn't tense up, " Alright, Mar." I whispered.

I put my hands on the door, and the second I did, gunshots rang through my apartment. I opened the door, seeing Nick Fury, bleeding on the ground.