★ ★ ★

To say Marlena was uncomfortable was nothing more than an understatement. She had never been so cramped before in her life, and the fact that she was the smallest among three well-built men made it worse. She could only imagine how they must've felt being cramped inside such a small vehicle; all she had to go off of were their thoughts, and from what she could make of them they seemed to be in the same boat as she did.

"What the hell kind of getaway car is this, Steve?" Marlena grumbled as she attempted to get comfortable in the seat behind him. "You couldn't have found a nice Jeep or something roomier?"

"Hm, are you uncomfortable?" Steve hummed.

"Yes, and I'm tired as hell," Marlena breathed out as she pressed her forehead to the back of Steve's seat. "At least in a Jeep I could sleep in the trunk or something."

"Well, maybe you wouldn't be tired if you and Bucky hadn't spent the entire night fucking each others brains out. You look like a walking hickey," Sam retorted, though he was only half-kidding.

"Shut up, Sam."

Steve laughed at Sam and Marlena before shifting his seat backwards as he drove, leaving the brunette in a fit of agitation. "Just think of this as a small punishment for that stunt you pulled back in Romania."

"What stunt?" Marlena exclaimed. "You mean the stunt where I saved you from getting shot?"

"No. I'm talking about the stunt that resulted in you falling from the sky and onto the hood of the car I was driving," Steve scoffed.

Marlena rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. That entire incident had been Sam's fault, and she refused to sit there and listen to Steve blame her for it. "Sam snatched me up, Mr. Wakanda swooped in, and then I just kinda fell. Just be glad I fell on you instead of the road."

"There's gotta be a better way to phrase that, cupcake," Sam snickered.

Marlena snapped her head over to Sam. "I will rip out your larynx."

"If we could level down on the hostility, that would be great," Steve said, his voice raised slightly.

"If anyone's being hostile here, it's baby Mar," Sam chuckled. "I'm wondering if it's getting to be that time of the month; she seems extra moody this afternoon."

Marlena shook her head and averted her attention out the window. "I can't believe I'm stuck here with you idiots."

Bucky gave her a look, though she couldn't see it. "Why are we idiots?"

"Oh, you don't need me to go there, sweetheart," Marlena said as she looked over at him, a sarcastic smile on her face.

Bucky pursed his lips as he took in her expression, and he shook his head before sinking down as far as his small seat would let him.

"I love moody Marlena," Sam chuckled. "She doesn't give a shit about anything, it's great."

"Damn straight, Wilson," Marlena muttered as Steve came to a stop underneath what seemed to be an abandoned bridge.

Marlena craned her head around Steve's seat the moment another voice registered inside her head. She looked outside to see Sharon Carter leaning against a slick black vehicle, one she wished Steve would have chosen instead of the one they currently sat in. She wondered, however, why they were meeting Sharon. Steve didn't like to tell people things, and Marlena was much too lazy to concentrate on sifting through his mind.

"Why are we meeting Sharon? And why don't you tell me anything?" Marlena asked as she looked at Steve.

He raised his brows at her. "Why do you ask so many questions, Mar? And do you really want to fight without your suit and your weapons?"

"I'm just surprised you're letting me fight without protesting," Marlena scoffed. "That's a first."

Steve shook his head at her and opened up the door. "Please don't make me regret it, Marlena."

Marlena let out a breath and sat back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. It was quiet for several moments, the only sound being that of Steve and Sharon's hushed conversation and the hum of the car engine.

Bucky shifted uncomfortably in his seat, attracting Marlena's attention. He was among the largest of the three men, and being stuck in the back wasn't exactly his cup of tea. The only reason he was even in the back in the first place was because he wanted to be near Marlena and Sam refused to sit anywhere but the passenger's seat.

"Can you move your seat up?" Bucky asked Sam rather nonchalantly.

Sam stared straight ahead, his eyes never leaving the two adults standing in front of the car. "No. Wanna know why? Cause the second I do, I become the front-row seat to a super-soldier sex throwdown back there and though I often wonder, 'Did Hydra enhance his dick, too?' I really don't wanna find out."

Marlena furrowed her eyebrows at first but then chuckled to herself; she couldn't deny that Sam was pretty funny. The three had been bantering with one another since Bucky had woken up from the incident with the helicopter.

"You seem a bit. . .agitated, Sammy," Marlena mused as she gazed down at her slick black fingernails. She was a bit surprised they weren't chipped already, given everything that had happened, but to her, gel polish was the equivalent to an industrial cement. "Is it because you never get laid? Or does Redwing do a lot more than we know?" She remarked, letting out a giggle.

Sam turned slightly in his seat to look at Marlena. "Well, Marley, I am agitated, but not for that reason. You must know that you're like the annoying little sister I never wanted, and as I sit here I think back to a time when it was just me, you, and Steve—y'know, because Stark made us stay with you after the Lagos incident to keep you from going more insane than you already were. I think about how long I spent watching you cry because of this idiot, though, and—dare I say it—it made me want to cry, too. And I'm a man; I'm the fucking Falcon; the Falcon don't cry."

"Oh my gosh," Marlena muttered in response.

"I was only trying to protect her, Wilson," Bucky grumbled from his spot. He grabbed Marlena by the waist and pulled her from her seat and onto his lap, eliciting a surprised squeal from the small girl. In a split second their positions had been switched; Marlena now sat behind Sam, while Bucky now sat behind Steve's seat. "And did something happen in Lagos that I don't know about?"

"Am I the only one who knows Marlena can protect her own damn self?" Sam remarked, moving his seat up slightly to give Marlena some leg room. "And yes, yes it did. She and Wan—"

"Sam," Marlena cut him off, her fists clenching in her lap. "Please don't."

With everything going on, she had barely had any time at all to think about what had happened back in Lagos. Now that Sam had brought it up, however, her mind began to torture her with images of the burning building and the pained screams of hers and Wanda's victims as they fought for a way out.

Bucky furrowed his brows in concerned as he watched Marlena. "Marlena? What happened in Lagos?"

"I'm not talking about it." Marlena let out a sad sigh and focused her gaze out the window, where Sharon and Steve were currently in a deep conversation; Sharon was moving exceptionally closer to Steve as well, which disturbed Marlena slightly.

"It wasn't your fault, Marlena," Sam tried to assure her, just as he had been doing so for the past month.

"You keep telling yourself that," she said, furrowing her eyebrows at the pair outside of the car.

"I'm so lost," Bucky muttered.

"Stay lost," Marlena said, her eyes widening slightly as she sifted through the mind of the blonde woman closing in on Steve. "Pretty sure Sharon likes Steve, and I'm also pretty sure she's about to try and kiss him."

Sam shook his head before looking out the windshield. "Poor woman; she's in for a big let down."

"But why?" Bucky asked as Sharon leaned in to kiss Steve. He was a little taken by surprise as he watched Steve move in for a friendly hug instead, leaving Sharon a little flustered and just a bit embarrassed. "What the hell? Why would he not kiss her?"

"Maybe because he has a thing for badass brunettes with dainty eyes," Sam snorted.

Marlena gave him a look, knowing more than anyone what he was talking about. "Must you start?"

Sam simply smirked, while Bucky sat back in his seat, glancing between Marlena and Sam with narrowed eyes. He was confused and a bit agitated; he felt as if Sam and Marlena were keeping something from him and that was something he didn't like at all. He would wait for a later time to confront the two about it, however.

Steve turned towards the car as Sharon made her way back to the driver's side of her own. He looked at the three inside the small vehicle, a breath escaping him as he took in their expressions. Bucky was still agitated, Marlena was looking at him with pursed lips, and Sam was looking at him with a smirk on his face. Steve merely shook his head at his friends and gathered the items from Sharon's trunk before placing them into the trunk of their own. He hopped into the car as quickly as possible, wasting no time at all in taking off down the road.

"She likes you, y'know?" Sam spoke as Steve drove.

Steve chuckled, "Clearly."

"It's a bit weird, though, considering she's your ex's great niece," Marlena chimed in, leaning forward in her seat. "Don't you think that's weird, Steve?"

"You're romantically involved with your great grandfather's best friend; don't you think that's weird, Mar?" Steve retorted, earning a laugh from Sam and a head shake from Bucky.

Marlena glared at Steve and sat back in her seat. "You are the very bane of my existence, Rogers."

"I love you, too, sweetheart."

The rest of the car ride was silent. Steve pulled into the airport's parking garage about ten minutes later, driving up a few levels before parking several spaces away from a large white van. Steve and Sam got out first, leaving Bucky and Marlena to get out last. Marlena nearly fell on her face trying to get out of the car, which only earned her a laugh from Sam and Bucky; neither of them tried helping her, which pissed her off ever so slightly.

"You're both assholes," she grumbled as she stood up, looking over as the sound of doors opening and closing met her ears.

She watched as Clint stepped into view, and before long Wanda hopped out, her eyes brightening when she took notice of her older cousin. Marlena let out a sigh of relief and rushed over, pulling Wanda into a tight hug as Steve greeted Clint. It hadn't been long since the two had seen each other, but to them it certainly felt like it.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Wan," Marlena breathed into her neck, pulling away after several seconds but not once releasing her hold on her cousin.

"I'm glad to see you're okay, too," Wanda smiled, squeezing Marlena's hand slightly. "And I'm sorry I wasn't able to call you back the other day; what was it that you needed to tell me?"

Marlena shifted uneasily on her feet and shook her head. "Um, it's okay—it's nothing."

Wanda narrowed her eyes at Marlena's lie, sifting deep into her cousin's mind for any sign of what she could possibly want to tell her. Her eyes widened slightly as she stumbled across one of Marlena's memories, and she glanced over at Steve before fixing her gaze on Marlena. Wanda pulled Marlena a few feet away from the group so the two were out of earshot.

"Have you told Bucky about this?" Wanda practically chastised her.

Marlena frowned and shook her head. "I can't—not right now anyway. There's too much going on, and telling him that would hurt him."

Wanda pursed her lips as she tried to formulate a response, but she wasn't allowed a response as Steve stepped forward, a small smile on his face as he looked at Wanda. Marlena stepped off to the side, her focus on Steve with Sam lingering slightly behind him; Bucky remained at his spot behind the car.

"Thanks for havin' my back," Steve said to Wanda.

Wanda shrugged and let out a breath, still unable to get the image of him kissing Marlena out of her head. "It was time to get off my ass."

Steve averted his attention to Clint. "How about our other recruit?"

Clint chuckled and ventured back over to the van. "He's ready to go. Had to put a bit of coffee in him, but. . ." Clint pulled the door open, removing the man (Scott Lang) inside from his slumber, ". . .he should be good."

Sam and Steve exchanged glances with one another as Scott sat up.

"What time zone is this?" Scott questioned Clint as he hopped out of the van.

Clint just looked at him and gestured him forward, urging him to continue on towards Steve. A look of shock and surprise fell upon the man's face as he took notice of the Captain, and Clint lightly pushed him forward.

"Captain America," Scott greeted excitedly, holding his hand out for Steve to shake.

"Mr. Lang."

"It's an honor," Scott said as he glanced down at their hands. "I'm shaking your hand too long," he released his hold, "Wow, this is awesome."

He turned to glance at Marlena and Wanda, his eyes still bright with excitement. "It's Captain America—and the twin-witchy-sister people. I know you two; you're great."

Marlena gave a small smile, while Wanda merely grinned at the man.

"Twins? Do we really look that much alike?" Marlena spoke telepathically so only Wanda could hear her.

"No, but you should be flattered anyway that people see us as twins," Wanda replied.

Marlena only chuckled and focused her attention on Steve, Scott, and Sam.

"Look, I wanna say. . .I know you know a lot of super people, so thinks for thanking of me," Scott said, turning to look at Sam. "Hey, man."

"What's up Tic-Tac?"

"Uh, good to see you," Scott replied rather nervously. "Look, what happened last time—"

"It was a great audition, but it'll," Sam chuckled, "it'll never happen again."

Marlena removed herself from Wanda's side and strolled over to where Bucky stood leaning against the old car. He looked down at her, his blue eyes softening as they met hers. She wrapped her arms around his side and pressed her head against his shoulder. Bucky gave a small smile before wrapping his arms protectively around her.

"My love," Bucky said quietly so he wouldn't interrupt the conversation Steve and Sam were having with Scott.

"Now's not the time," Marlena replied with a smile, looking up at him.

Bucky gave a low chuckle. "You weren't saying that last night."

"Shut the hell up."

His eyes fell to her bare neck, and his brows furrowed. Her locket was absent, which was strange to him; she never took it off, and he even remembered her wearing it during the police confrontation back in Romania.

"Where's your locket, Mar?"

Marlena frowned. "Kinda got ripped off back in Berlin when you were. . .y'know. I looked for it but couldn't find it."

"Please tell me I wasn't the one who ripped it off," Bucky said, his blue eyes sad.

Marlena wasn't given the chance to respond before a voice sounded through a loudspeaker overhead, attracting everyone's attention. No one understood the language being spoken aside from Bucky.

"They're evacuating the airport," he told everyone, his grip on Marlena tightening.

Sam looked to Steve. "It's Stark."

Steve let out a breath. "Suit up."

Marlena made a move to retrieve her suit and her weapons from the front of the car as everyone else dispersed to retrieve their own, but Bucky stopped her, his grip on her wrist tightening.

"Buck, we've gotta go," she told him, attempting to remove herself from his grasp.

"And we will," he replied. "I need to know, though—am I responsible for what happened?"

Marlena shook her head. "You're not—he is."

Bucky frowned and ran a hand through his hair. He opened his mouth to respond, but wasn't given the chance before Marlena began pulling him towards the front of the car. Sam handed Marlena and Bucky their suits, before grabbing his own and taking off elsewhere.

"Well," Marlena started, releasing her grip on Bucky's hand. "I'm going to change."

She turned to walk away, but Bucky pulled her back. He didn't give her a chance to speak before pressing his lips against hers in a loving and rather lustful kiss.

"I love you," Bucky sighed as he pulled away from her. "Just-just hurry up and come back to me, okay?"

Marlena only nodded, a small smile coming onto her face. She scurried off to change her clothes, not at all prepared for the battle that was about to ensue.