Hi guys! -Allie and James

  ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ C H A P T E R F O U R T E E N ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬  

"James,"

The blonde turned around and saw the archer struggling to lift a couple of boxes. He could barely see his head over the pile. "Need help?" he asked, already moving and taking one at the top. "What's in these?"

Clint grunted, careful not to drop it. "Our stuff. Ammo." 

James took a peek, and sure enough, it's filled with that. There were even a couple of pistols inside.

"Help me put it on the jet," Clint said.

Box by box, they began packing up their stuff so they would be good to go. They were supposed to land back at the compound in approximately thirteen hours from now. It was a long flight. And they needed to make sure they got everything they need.

"You heard any word from Tony yet?" His uncle asked him.

James shook his head, placing the box on the shelves. "Not since the mission ended. Why? Did you?"

"Oh, yeah." He said in amusement. "He's worked up. Worried as hell even if he tries hard not to admit it. Is he really like this in your time?" 

"Not that I know of. I mean, yeah, he worries, but not this worried." He sighed, "But maybe because I did promise him I wouldn't do anything stupid."

Clint quirked a brow. "Did you?"

James turned to him, confused. "What?"

"Do anything stupid?"

"Yeah..." He said, slowly. As if reminding him of what just happened. "I ran into a collapsing building without thinking of the consequences. I was lucky to get myself and the girl out. They could've fired a bomb on us or something and make things worse."

"But they didn't." Clint countered.

"Luckily."

Clint gave him a disapproving look. "Look, champ, maybe what you did wasn't your smartest move but you did the right thing. And luck isn't certainly the reason why you and that girl got out alive. You fought. You saved. You're the son of two Avengers. I don't know about that, but that doesn't sound like luck. You're too much like your old man to not see what you did. What you can do."

James stared at him, speechless. 

He clasped his shoulder, giving an encouraging smile. "I'm proud to have a godson like you, kid. Cap and Nat are seriously lucky."

James could only smile. Feeling a gush of warmth surge through his chest. "Thanks, Uncle."

"Don't mention it. Now, speaking of your parents, do you know where they are?" he asked.

"I thought I saw Allie talking to dad and Uncle Sam earlier." He said, looking around only to find the spot that was formerly occupied by the mentioned names to be empty. 

"Well, we need to get going. Like right now. I can't see Nat anywhere either." Clint informed.

"You go find mom and I'll go find dad?" James suggested.

"Roger that."

The two split up and immediately started searching. The other agents stayed at the jet to keep watch. James was having a bit of difficulty in finding them since there were so many people, but all he had to do was search for a tall, blonde... oh there he is.

His dad stood up among the crowd like a beacon of light. Literally. Because he was about a head taller among the rest of them. His blonde hair was easily seen in the sea of brunettes and raven-haired. 

"Cap!" His voice boomed across the area. Steve had heard it, but he didn't hear it clearly enough to find the direction it came from. He kept looking around. "Captain Rogers!" 

James still finds it weird every time he calls his parents by their professional names. And he wonders if he'll ever get used to doing it.

Finally, his blue eyes met his green ones.

A redhead emerged through the crowd too. He saw a head popped up, looking back at the face of his sister as she gave a wave. Then she disappeared back down. The next thing he knew, they were already making their way towards him. 

"Hiya, big brotha. Is there something you need?" Allie asked as soon as they came into view.

"We need to go," James informed. "Clint said we need to get moving if we want to make it back by morning."

"Already?" She whined. "But we're playing tic tac toe with the kids! Right, Sam?"

Sam snorted. "I wouldn't mind leaving. It's a boring game."

"It's not." Allie defended. "It's a game of strategy. Come on, Steve thought it was fun. Didn't you?" She turned to him.

Steve shrugged, giving a lopsided smile. "I wouldn't mind doing it again but we really should get going. We can just play another time."

She sighed in defeat. "Fine."

James eyed the frown in her face, the crinkle in her forehead. She looked like a little girl whose candy had been taken away. He laughed hard. "You're such a baby."

"What would you think if this baby  accidentally lands her fist on your face?" She asked, glaring.

His smirk grew wider. "Then you're a bad baby."

Allie rolled her eyes. "You're impossible, James."

"Incorrigible is more likely."

"Are you two done?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because I'd like to get on the jet now."

Steve shook his head, slight amusement filled his face as he drank in the scene in front of him. 

God. These two weren't lying when they said they really were siblings.

     —————————————————————————————    

Once they were all seated inside the jet, Clint immediately took place as the pilot.  Natasha as her co-pilot, while the rest of them were seated in the back. They waited until the jet was stable in mid-air.

Steve was the first to speak up. "So, I guess I could say that despite things not going as planned, still, this mission ended the way we initially expected it to be." He said, finally addressing the issue the first time around.

He gave all the agents a look of content. A small smile forming on his lips as if to tell them he's more than pleased with their work. With the help they provided the team with.

Lucas Whitmore was the first to put two and two together. The meaning behind the captain's words finally dawning on him. "You mean... we did well?"

James and Allie's faces lit up. A wide grin was etching to rest on their lips.

"Not just well," Steve corrected, smiling almost like a proud mentor to his young apprentices. "You guys did great."

If it was from any other guy, if it was from Tony Stark or Clint Barton, or hell, even Natasha Romanoff, they would have second doubts about it if they would be given them compliments.

But this was Steve Rogers. And everything he said was purely honest. If you suck, then he'll tell you just that. But this? His voice was nothing but completely genuine. Speaking of the truth.

James and Allie could never be gladder to see the look on their father's face. This wasn't the first time he told them he's proud of them, but it still sparked up the same amount of elation in their chests whenever he does it. Whenever either of their parents does it.

"Well, that's saying a lot coming from the legendary super soldier." Natasha intervened, coming up right behind them. None even noticed her move out from her seat. She was that good at being subtle. "Take note, kids, he's probably gonna be convinced to take all of you instead of Stark the next time around. Don't grow on this old man too much."

Steve tried to send an exasperated look in her direction. Then again, tried. Because he could never find himself getting annoyed at Natasha no matter how much she did annoy him. Or tease him. Or whatever she was doing to him.

"If you're going to be this obnoxious, I'm gonna be convinced to take Tony instead." He asserted.

She quirked a brow, feigning disbelief. "You'd choose him over me? I'm highly offended, Steve."

He rolled his eyes, trying oh so hard to hide the small smile threatening to break from his face. Fortunately, he did manage. "Lay off, Nat."

Ironically, Natasha didn't seem offended in the least bit. Just gave him a quick smirk and turned her attention to the agents, who were clearly watching their banter in thick-coated amusement. The playfulness quickly washed died down, replaced with a look of a guarantee. "In all seriousness, though, you guys really raised the bars higher."

"What you did wasn't easy, especially because this is also the first time you've all partaken on an assignment out in the field," Steve chimed in, "But you pushed through. You did it. And not every agent gets to accomplish something as big as that. It's something to be proud of."

Each pair of eyes is too awe-struck to even move that they could only blink in response. These two people's words, these two Avengers, their superiors, are giving them the words they've been wanting to hear for a long time now. That they all worked hard and was finally rewarded with this certain words of gratitude. 

And Captain America and Black Widow telling you that you guys did a great job? That's definitely something you'll be proud to announce to every single person in your life!

In the siblings' case, no matter how often their parents kept telling them this exact same thing, it still felt different than they were hearing the exact same words from Captain America and Black Widow. Not just from their mom and dad. It only means that they succeeded to impressed them both ways.

Ha. The Rogers' siblings slay again!

"Duly noted, Captain." James voiced out, giving both his dad and mom a big grin. "Thank you."

Steve smiled, nodding in acknowledgment. 

Suddenly, the plane jerked backward. It was sharp and abrupt enough to throw them off of their seats if it weren't for them wearing their safety belts. And it was a good thing they didn't take it off.

A loud crash resonated at the back of the jets. Their cargo must have fallen off from the shelves.

Natasha, however, stumbled over to the walls of the jet since she was standing upright. She shot a look at the pilot's seat, eyebrows knitted together.

"Clint!"

"Sorry! I didn't think the pressure up here is strong enough to almost flip us over." He exclaimed, pulling on the controls to steer the jet to the side. 

Obviously not expecting Clint to take such a sharp turn again, she had hit her back once more against the wall. Sending a jolt of pain up her lower back and shoulders. She let out a string of curses. "What's going on?" 

"Atmospheric pressure." He answered simply, sighing in aggravation. "We're caught in the middle of a storm."

"What?" She asked like she had misheard him.

Steve took off his safety belts, instructing the others to stay in their places as he came over to where Natasha and Clint were. "A storm? Weather reports didn't say anything about a storm."

"Yeah, well weather reports can be a bunch of hooey most of the time too. They're not exactly accurate." Clint disapproved.

It was at that moment, Sam came out of the other side of the jet. Toilet paper still clung to the soles of his shoes, and he didn't even notice it. He looked pissed. "Dude, what the hell just happened? I was taking my business in there when the jet suddenly pulled a 90-degree mambo jumbo. I almost flipped my shit! Literally!"

Their faces scrunched into a look of disgust.

"Oh, man," Steve complained, seemingly revolted at the visual idea of it. "You don't need to tell us everything."

"Well, it's what you're getting for making me go through that." Sam contented.

"I'll try steering us out of here," Clint informed them. "Could you guys check the back and make sure everything's back in place?"

"Sure."

"Fine."

"Whatever you say, Katniss."

Though before Sam could even make a step, Clint's voice made him stop in his tracks. "No, you, Wilson — you stay here."

Sam expectedly looked at him in confusion. "Why?"

Clint nodded at the seat beside him. "Sit." He looked behind him, to throw him a quick glance. "You're a pilot, right?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I never told anyone I was a pilot."

"But you are one, right?"

Sam shrugged, already moving towards the co-pilot's seat. "It's been a while since I sat in the front seat."

"Let's see if your piloting skills are just as rusty as I expected." Clint gave him a smirk, "Prove me wrong, Wilson."

"Game on, Barton."

Natasha shot Clint a flippant look. Her arms crossing in front of her chest. "And you're just going to throw your real co-pilot to the side?" 

"You get your turn next time, Tasha. Don't get jealous now." He reprimanded, tone all the while teasing.

She scoffed, shaking her head and heading towards the back compartment with Steve trailing behind her. 

Once Clint was sure they were out of sight, he glanced back to give James and Allie a subtle wink. The siblings smirked in response, knowing full well what their uncle was up to. 

They were all in this together to play matchmaker for their stubborn parents.

   —————————————————————————————      

"This looks like a lot of work," Natasha remarked, eyeing the weapons scattered on the floor. The boxes were flipped upside down, and the knives, guns and even their ammo were everywhere. 

Steve couldn't help but agree, sighing. He knelt over and started picking it up three at a time, grabbing a box and tossing the contents in.

Natasha started helping him out, making sure that everything gets back inside the boxes. "You know it's not just them who did a great job out there." She blurted out. 

He slowed down his movements, looking at her with slight puzzlement at her randomness. 

"You did too. You know, with guiding those kids out there." She praised, giving him a smile. 

Steve blushed faintly at the compliment, though he brushed it off with a smug look. "Well, you know me. The old man taking responsibility as a leader and a hero."

She laughed, picking up a full box and placing it back on the middle shelf. "You're still pretty frisky for a ninety-year-old. Be proud." She then paused, as if thinking in deep thought. "But I have to ask you something..."

He stood up, taking one of the boxes in his hands and started putting it on the shelf above the middle one. "What is it?" 

Natasha tilted her head questioningly, a crease appearing on her forehead. "Any sign of arthritis showing up?"

He ignored her remark. Instead, focusing on the topmost shelf that was too high up even for him to reach. His eyes darted at the box then back at Natasha. A bright idea suddenly popped into his mind. 

"Need a hand?" She offered, already noticing the look on his face.

"Yeah, I need you to... hold this." Steve placed the last box in her hold. He observed the look of confusion on her face. "Put it up there."

She arched a brow. "I think you're kinda forgetting that I'm a head shorter than you. If anyone's going to be putting this up there, it's you, Rogers." 

"I'll give you a lift then." He explained, pointing at his back. His lips stretched into a playful smile. 

Natasha swore something tug in her stomach the second she saw that smile. But she ignored it, brushing it off as nothing. She smirked, "This better not be just an excuse to get my legs between your head, Cap."

Steve flustered, turning beet red as his mouth fell agape. "Wha—of course, not!" He defended, eyes widen in embarrassment. 

She shook her head, amused at his reaction. "I'm messing with you. You never get used to me, don't you?"

He didn't answer. He wasn't given the time to think about it when she was ordering him to kneel down while she sat on his shoulders. 

Steve was starting to get the impression that this was a bad idea. Especially when the contact from Natasha's body was giving him the heat he desperately didn't want to feel right now. He tried hard to fight back the blush spreading down to his neck and ears, focusing not to stumble and lose his balance. 

They had done this numerous times before. But why should now be any different? Feel any different? That, he didn't know.

His hands reached out to grasp her calves, stabling her while she returned the box to its proper place. 

Natasha didn't even need to see it to confirm it. "You're blushing aren't you?" She asked, humorously. 

Steve pressed his lips together. "No." he denied, his body reacting oppositely when his face flushed harder. Dammit. Why was she taking so long?

As if to answer his inside question, she said, "Hold on. I gotta make sure this doesn't go anywhere." 

He could hear the sound of something ripping. It was more like a sound of a packaging tape. So, he looked up to figure out what she was doing.

Which was a completely wrong move.

Because Natasha was leaning closer to the shelves, she was blocking her view from whatever she was doing. Instead, he looked up to be greeted by the sight of her front side. 

Steve swiftly retreated his eyes back down, staring at the floor while desperately trying to shake the mental image out of his head. A pool of heat filled his stomach. 

God, what was wrong with him? You pervert. You shouldn't be thinking about Nat this way. And you have a girlfriend for crying out loud!

As if fate wanted to play tricks on him, she brought up the topic he wasn't particularly comfortable discussing now. "So, how are things going with Sharon? I haven't talked to her in a while."

"We, uh, we're good. We're not fighting anymore if that's what you're asking."

"That's good to hear." She said, though, she felt a strain hidden beneath the words spilling out of her mouth. The same feeling bothering her ever since she walked in on them kissing. "You planning on taking her to the party?" 

"You mean Tony's party?" He hadn't thought about it, really. So far, he hadn't been going to parties because he was sure he'd feel completely out of place. But that was before he had started dating Sharon, maybe it wouldn't hurt to try it this time around. "Probably. If she wants to."

Natasha didn't say anything after that. Only the ripping sound of the tape piercing through the silence.

"How about you?" Steve asked after a pause.

He could feel her tense up. Her movements slowing down, and he almost felt guilty for asking her. "That all depends," she muttered.

"On what?" 

"On him."

"On Bruce?"

"Who else?" 

Steve sighed. "I thought I heard you talking things over the phone last night. I assumed everything's all right now."

"In a way, I guess. He asked if I was alright and... you know, stuff about the mission." Her voice got quieter, almost sounding disappointed. "But he didn't say anything about the fight we had."

"Maybe it was something he wanted to talk to you with personally. Not on the phone."

"Well, he's confusing the hell out of me by sending all these mixed signals. And yet people say it's women who are hard to understand." She heaved an irritated sigh. "Besides, I don't think he's comfortable going somewhere with a crowd of people."

"If he knows how much you want to go, he'll do it for you," Steve assured, almost realizing the similarity it presented in his case.

She finished up what she was doing, looking down at him. "You think so?"

Steve glanced up at the same time. With the light shining above her, he couldn't help but be in awe. Her green eyes looking right at his blue ones. She looked beautiful. She always does. Suddenly, he finds it difficult to breathe. Almost stammering over his words.

He smiled warmly. "Without a doubt."

As if picking the worst of times, the jet lurched forward again. Since neither of them was prepared for it, they ended up losing their balance and rolling to the floor. Steve hadn't been quick enough to catch her because it was another sharp turn. 

The thunder echoed outside the jet.

Natasha groaned, lying on her side. 

Steve immediately went to check on her, kneeling over her form. His blue orbs filled with concern. "Sorry, I wasn't fast enough to catch you. You okay?"

She took this moment to flutter her eyes open. Her breath hitched in her throat as soon as she came face to face with his face. His handsome face that was dangerously close to hers. 

Suddenly, she couldn't utter a single phrase out. All she could do was stare at him. The loud drumming of her heart echoing against her ears.

Steve took her silence as a bad thing. He was snapping his fingers, becoming more worried when he tried to bring her focus back. "Hey, Nat." 

Natasha knows she's been making bad decisions lately. Having these conflicting emotions that are a bad sign lately. And she knows it's wrong. It's oh so wrong in so many ways. But it doesn't stop her from doing what she feels right. 

"Natasha—"

She leaned up and kissed him.

Steve froze. Heart leaping out of his chest. He stopped breathing. Stopped moving. Stopped doing anything. He just stared at her, blue eyes widening in complete surprise. 

But before he could even make sense of what was happening, before he could get the chance to respond back —she was already ending it as quickly as she had started it.

Natasha backs up immediately, gasping like she couldn't believe what she had done. She looked conflicted. Guilty.

And Steve doesn't know what to do or what to say. Because he couldn't understand what had just happened either. "...Nat?" 

"I—" She was turning red. Almost like the color of her hair. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

She pushed him off and scrambled to get up. She was running out of the door without so much as a glance back. 

Leaving a very very confused Steve Rogers behind.

   ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ E N D O F C H A P T E R ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬  

I'm sorry for taking such a long time to update my stories. School is eating up all my time now. Our midterm exams are coming close and so are tons of projects.

But I promise you guys I am trying my very best to update as soon as I can. 

Anyway, what are your thoughts on this chapter? Especially about that... (kiss).