𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗 || 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭

JAXON HADN'T CONSIDERED HIMSELF TO TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY. From what he had felt for the past day or two, that feeling hadn't made him see things any differently. Only now, having encountered his past target, he sure as hell took it personally. Especially after that man arrived at the one place Natasha was staying. Destroying it and leaving it in nothing but flames.

Which was exactly what Jaxon watched from the TV inside Harry's hideout. A small cache of vehicles and weapons was located in an old abandoned subway. The room he stood in was pushed off to the side, a wall of glass dividing him from the garage where Harry stood taking a phone call. But he couldn't be bothered to pay attention as his gaze was focused on the TV. Watching the entire news broadcast show the feed of the fire of Natasha's apartment run rampant.

Ever since they got to the hideout, there had been an unusual amount of tenseness in his bones. A red flare rushed through his veins, mind running chaotically with his hands gripping the back of the leather chair he stood over. The feeling was far too familiar for his liking but had him ready to go out there and hunt down the man for the cause of the destruction he had left in his wake. The urge was almost irresistible to act upon, the bloodthirsty rage running through his blood. A hot flame burning underneath his flesh, bloodstream roaring in flames with the only way to put it out to be from killing the man that he hunted years before.

He wanted to make this man feel pain. It may have just been perceived by a natural reaction for anyone who watched on from a distance. But for Jaxon, it all came from the fact that if the incident had happened at any other time. Such as when Natasha was home and she got hurt because of him, just the thought enraged him. It was one thing for him to be caught in the gunfire, but something about the possibility of Natasha being caught in the crossfire had him reeling.

"Jaxon?"

Blinking, the man in question snapped out of his thoughts and gasped. Orange wisps had wrapped around him, reaching outwards to take hold of the other chairs within the room. Lifting them off the ground with the orange tendrils slithering around them slowly. "What the fuck?"

Stumbling back in fear, Jaxon shook his hand rapidly, the chairs floating in the air crashing to the ground. Crashing into Harry's chest, Jaxon stared at his hands, fear filling the depths pits of his stomach. "Harry, what the fuck is wrong with me? Was that just me or did you see that as well? Harry, what the fuck is going on?"

Despite the fear coursing through him, power mixed in as well, anger. The feeling of being able to tear the entire world to shreds didn't seem too far of a reach. And understandably, that scared him. Having this much power that seemed to grow stronger with his emotions is a risky game to play considering everything going on. Not to mention that if he lost his way, his skills as an assassin would be a terrible mix for anyone he came into contact with. The last thing he wanted was to hurt either Harry or Natasha because of nearly uncontrollable rage coursing through his bloodstream.

But that fear could be felt throughout the room. A hand falling to his shoulder and the other cupping his cheek, the touch was rough from the calloused hand of years of working in the MI6. Harry clenched his jaw as Jaxon stared with glossy eyes, a rare occurrence of emotion that wasn't what he was used to seeing on Jaxon.

For years, he'd seen the man as this rough and straight-to-the-point man, eager to get the job done and get on another. It had been the reason why they clicked so well when the Quantum department began working with MI6. They had been tasked to work together to find the bomb maker and Terrorist cell leader, Balshier. And back then, although the ranks between them were very different, Harry held respect for Jaxon as he followed orders and always got the job done.

So, this side of fear and confusion seemed like the mask Jaxon once had on was cracking incredibly faster than expected. "It's all right, son. Just breathe." Harry brought the man into a warm embrace. A surprising action for them both, but Jaxon didn't push it away. Allowing his breathing to slow, come to a steady rhythmic beat that repeated over and over again.

They just stood there for what felt like hours, a calming sensation blanketing over the entire cache as Jaxon sat in his thoughts for a moment. Not even noticing when Natasha arrived, parking her car by the entrance and rapidly getting out.

"Are you hurt?" That had been the first thing to slip out of her lips, shocking Jaxon, but allowed him to pull away from Harry and give her a half-hearted smile.

Except he was met by a tear-stricken Natasha, eyes bloodshot and her once confident posture crumbled down to one of sorrow. Not daring to say a word as he quickly closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around the woman. Held tight against his chest, listening to the gasp that left her lips as she stood tense for a moment. But soon soaked in his warmth and wrapped her arms around him. Hands balling up the back of his jacket.

Whatever amount of fear and anger that once ran rampant in his bones was nothing more than a soothing and buzzing sensation. "What happened?" The answer given, was her tugging him closer, not wanting to answer immediately, only wishing to enjoy the comfort he brought to her.

And after a few moments, she finally pulled away with a sniffle. "Someone killed Fury." She confessed, eyes flickering to Harry who approached with a slight scrunch of his eyebrows. "They killed the old man?" She nodded, bottom lip trembling as Jaxon held her upper arm gently.

The warming sensation only lasted a second before he pulled away. Natasha noticed this, frowning in slight confusion as the man swallowed the knot in his throat. And even before she could ask, Jaxon looked at her with a pleading look. "Did you know?"

It was broad, with no actual definitive area it was based around. But the lack of touch, the sight she saw when she arrived, it didn't take Natasha long to realize what he meant. So, with a short nod, Jaxon's eyes welled up. He didn't blame her for it, hell, he wasn't sure he could blame her for anything. It just seemed like a concept that was rather incapable by him since there was a clear connection between them.

Whatever she did, not tell him or telling him had a reason behind it. That much Jaxon knew, but this new part of him, the clueless side of him would've liked to know. And it showed by the fact that he stepped back with his throat trying to give something in response. Anything that could reassure her that her decision hadn't been the bad one. But all he could offer was a small, "Oh, god," before he turned and began walking away down the long tunnel.

The need for air became a desperate need. Trying to create a clear line between him and Natasha as it seemed like the best decision for the moment. Who was he kidding at this point, it was the fear that he held towards himself. Wanting nothing more than to be locked in a cage where these powers wouldn't be able to get out there and hurt anyone. Especially her.

This carried far too much weight for him to handle at this point in time. Now, wasn't the best of times to discover his abilities. If it'd been after, when he could at least train himself, then maybe he might feel at ease. But with his past target coming after him and now a clear threat was emerging with Fury's death, this wasn't the greatest of times for these powers to start emerging.

And if there was one thing he'd learned so far about Natasha and what he knew just from his few feelings about her, she was a stubborn woman. Which came to no surprise to Jaxon when he felt her arm grasp his shoulder. "Jaxon-"

"Why? Why do you have care so much?" Jaxon exclaimed, cutting the girl as stared at him wide-eyed. "Why can't you see that ever since I returned, I seemed to bring a whole wave of problems with me?"

The questions were ones that needed answers, for Jaxon at least. At least then, maybe he can feel the tiniest bit better about being around her. He wasn't repulsed by her presence, it was the uneasiness he felt now with her around. Once a warm and overwhelming warmth now crumbled down to the fear of hurting her because of his inability to remember anything about himself and his powers.

Because the last thing he wanted was to lose the one important part of himself from before. The one part that seemed natural and fulfilling. Even now, having shared everything in the apartment last night and seeing a side of her he was sure no one else had, it was the one part of himself he couldn't let go or lose. Their promise had to be fulfilled and Jaxon had no intentions of cutting this reunion short.

He could see it in her eyes. The pain and sorrow as she swam adrift in what he once was. Now being forced to look at someone who didn't fully recognize her from before or fully know what they were before. Only left with these feelings that he felt naturally from her in their small encounters. The warmth, the protectiveness, the sadness, the love.

And even now, through all that emotion and the facts, she stood right in front of him. Tears brimming in her eyes as she reached up cupping his cheek. Instinctively, he leaned into it, jaw clenched as she smiled faintly. "It's alright," Natasha whispered as Jaxon closed his eyes, pursing his lips. "You know why?" She inquired softly.

Her free hand found one of his, watching him try and pull it away. But it had been no use since Natasha grabbed his wrist and pulled it towards her. His hand trembled as she interlocked their fingers, holding his hand tightly, begging him to not try and pull away. And after a few seconds, he relaxed, slowly brushing his thumb over the top of her hand.

It was a small action, but Natasha nibbled on her bottom lip, blinking rapidly to try and hold back the tears. Jaxon always used to do it all the time, when she felt uneasy about something happening. She could be stressed and it could be anywhere and he would find a way to comfort her.

"Because I don't plan on going anywhere without you." She confessed as he stared down at her. "If we have to start just so I can  have you stay here with me, we will."

Jaxon inhaled deeply as he closed his eye once again. "Would you be able to do that? Restart?" Natasha smiled, standing on her tippy toes and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I've loved you more than anyone else in my life, Jaxon. I don't plan on giving up on you even if you don't understand or know anything."

Something about that relieved a significant amount of weight from his shoulders. There was no mistaking the feelings he felt towards Natasha were unconditional and unmoving. He knew that in his heart, with memories or no memories, he would love her deeply. Still, be the one part of him that would be prominent in his mind forever. The one part he could never forget, even if he tried.

But it still left a part of him not wanting to put her through that. Having her have to sit there and watch him relive things that he's already experienced in his life. That alone could be gruelling, heartbreaking even in some cases and Jaxon wasn't sure if it was him that wasn't prepared for that or Natasha. As he stood before this beautiful woman, her emerald eyes piercing and vulnerable, he knew she was willing to do anything for him. All of it in the name of love.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jaxon nodded. "Ok. Ok, then we can restart."

A smile formed on Natasha's lips as she stepped back. "Come on. Let's figure out what's going on." She beckoned with a tug of his hand as he smiled softly and followed.

Approaching the TV room where Harry had fixed all the chairs, the man looked up. "Ah, you two love birds done?"

"Same old Harry. It's good to see you." Natasha smiled hugging the older man. "You as well, Romanoff."

Once they pulled away, Harry leant over his laptop and pressed a few buttons before looking up at the screen. Displaying a file and picture of the man who had been currently hunting both Jaxon. "Ryan Hunt. Former Quantum agent, former Navy Seal and a man who had been the cause of problems for Catherine Kelly for the past few years." He explained briefly.

The mention of the woman's name had Jaxon frowning slightly in thought. "That's the woman that hired me." He said aloud as Harry nodded before waving towards him. "She's also the reason for your powers. Catherine has always wanted to top S.H.I.E.L.D." Harry stated as Natasha sighed. "So, she worked with HYDRA." She said aloud.

Harry nodded before motioning back to the screen. "He was the first Quantum agent to ever grace this world and he was a pretty damn good one. Top of his class, Aptitude test marks were off the charts which left him a jack of all trades." He explained with his arms crossing over his chest.

"Now, I've been building up a case towards Quantum, you could say. For years, I've been entering their systems stealing small bits of information one at a time. Trying to find something concrete against them to hopefully have MI6 do something against Kelly." He stated before pressing on another document.

On the screen, pictures that were in black and white showed what seemed to be tubes. Human-sized with frost obscuring what was inside of it. Scientists with clipboards in their hands as they wrote on paper, taking notes. "People have questioned how Catherine is pumping out these agents back to back and only ever having one defect, which was Ryan Hunt."

"Wait, why did he leave?" Natasha spoke up as Harry pointed at her. "He found out what was happening during a mission to stop Balshier and ended up killing the fellow agents with him before disappearing. Now, he fell off the face of the earth for years, no sign of him anywhere. He was a ghost." He explained. "Until 5-years-ago, in Santorini where you both were. It hadn't been a group that found you Jaxon, it was Ryan Hunt. Instead of you hunting him, he was hunting you."

If Jaxon hadn't been any more confused, then he surely was now. And Harry saw it all over his face which ad led him to approach the man as Natasha stared at the tubes. "So, what do they have to do with this?"

Instead of answering her, Harry leaned on the small round table. "You might want to sit, Jaxon." Doing as told, Jaxon sat down with his leg suddenly beginning to bounce. "Do you remember what I told you about there only ever being one true agent?" A nod was given in response and Harry sighed as he clicked another button on his laptop and looked up at the screen.

What appeared was DNA tests with a picture of Jaxon and Ryan across from them. Between them was said DNA test with a loading bar appearing. Gradually increasing before hitting 100%. Right when it did so, in large bright green letters read, "DNA MATCH."

Jaxon had to take a second, trying to process the information. But when he did, he had stood up abruptly with his chair sliding back and hitting the wall. Eyebrows knitted together as he stared at the word flashing on the screen. DNA MATCH.

"So, like, what? We're brothers or some shit?" His tone had been harsh, not intentional but it hadn't fazed Harry who shrugged. "That is one way of looking at it. But it's not really what it is."

"Then what the fuck is it?" The tension and anticipation were killing him, his emotions running high as he could feel the return of the burn within his bloodstream. Clenching his hand tightly in an attempt to stop any form of his powers to emerge.

And the tension had snapped with Natasha speaking up. "Jaxon," His head snapped in her direction as she pursed her lips. "You are him."