DYER | STEVE ROGERS

𝐈𝐈.𝐗𝐈

〚 FALCON 〛

Steve threw Sitwell across the roof of the building, making him roll backwards.

"Tell me about Zola's algorithm." Steve ordered.

"Never heard of it." Panicked Sitwell as he put on his glasses and walked backwards, trying to avoid Steve's anger.

"What we're you doing on the Lemurian Star?" Steve questioned, his jaw tightening. Darla watched with a smirk as Steve advanced towards Sitwell.

"I was throwing up. I get seasick." Sitwell lied.

"He's lying." Darla said as Sitwell reached the edge of the building and let out a small gasp as he was about to fall, but Steve grabbed him in time. He lifted Sitwell up so his feet dangled above the floor.

She didn't need the voices to tell her that he was lying. His body language was doing all that for him.

"Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof? Because it's really not you're style, Rogers." Sitwell said with a knowing smirk.

"You're right. It's not." Steve smooth out the mans suit. "It's hers." The blonde let go of Sitwell and stepped aside. Natasha used all her strength to kick the man off the building before turning to Steve.

"Oh wait, what about the girl from Accounting...Laura?" Natasha had been trying to convince Steve to ask someone on a date. But each time she mentioned someone new, Darla got more and more jealous.

"Lillian." Steve answered as he noticed that Natasha was struggling to remember the girls name. He placed his hands in his pocket and looked towards Darla who was looking off into the distance and avoiding eye contact. "Lip piercing right?"

"Yeah, she's cute." Natasha smiled towards her friend.

"Yeah. I'm not ready for that." Steve shook his head, his eyes flickering to Darla, who was anxiously chewing at her bottom lip.

Darla couldn't help but chuckle as she heard Sitwell's screams when Sam dropped him back on the building.

"Zola's algorithm is a program for choosing," Sitwell put his hands up in defence as Darla, Steve and Natasha all walked over to him. "insight's targets."

"What targets?" Steve questioned.

"You." Sitwell pointed to the man. "Her." He motioned towards Darla. "A TV anchor in Cairo, the Under Secretary of Defence, a high school valedictorian in Iowa City, Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA. Now, or in the future." Sitwell explain.

"In the future? How could it know?" Steve continued to question.

"How could it not?" Sitwell laughed. "The 21st century is a digital book." He said slowly standing up. "Zola taught HYDRA how to read it. Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, emails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores!" Sitwell paused. "Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future."

"That's bullshit." Darla snapped. "People can change."

"Like you did?" Sitwell raised his brows at the girl. "I know all about you, Darla Dyer."

"And what then?" Steve cut the man off, he noticed that Darla's fists were clenched and her breathing had become more rapid.

"Oh my God. Pierce is gonna kill me." Sitwell said upon realisation that he had said too much.

"He asked you a question." Darla shouted, gripping the mans jacket. "What then?" Sam had a hold of the man's blazer so that he couldn't try and break free. He sent a small nod in Darla's direction, saying he supported her.

"Then the Insight helix series scratch people off the list. A few million at a time." Sitwell said calmly, which only angered Darla more.

She released the man from her grip and clenched her fists. She looked towards Sam, who still had a tight grip on Sitwell before she swung and hit the man across the jaw.

Steve's eyes widened and wrapped his arms around the girls waist, pulling her back into his chest.

"Breathe baby, breathe." He whispered soothingly into her ear.

Darla felt his cold hands against the skin on her torso. She tried to listened to his steady breathing, to focus on something else but it felt like nothing was working.

The voices were coming back for the first time in what seemed like weeks and she felt like she couldn't cope. She clutched at her head and screwed her eyes shut, wincing in pain.

"Just stop." She whispered. "Please."

"Shhh." Steve hummed in her ear the same song that she was humming in the shower. The same song her father would sing her and her siblings to sleep with.

Natasha watched as Darla rested her head on Steve's chest and relaxed into his arms. They'd be good together. He knew how to calm her and make her feel safe and she knew how to ground him.

She'd never seen such a perfect match.

"So, are those two dating or?" Sam whispered to Natasha.

"Unfortunately not." Natasha uttered back.

Darla felt herself calm down and the voices slowly disappear. The thoughts of her family flooding her mind. Her brothers, her sister and her parents. She felt Steve begin to trace patterns on her waist.

"I've got you baby, I've got you." He repeated calmly. Darla linked her hands with Steve's and opened her eyes.

Sitwell, Sam and Natasha were all watching her, which made her feel embarrassed for her outburst. Steve managed to pick up on her embarrassment and span her round to her head was resting against his chest. He never wanted her to feel embarrassed about something that was beyond her control.

His hand cupped the back of her head and his fingers raked through her blonde hair. Darla listened to the steady beating of Steve's heart.

She didn't understand how he could be so calm when HYDRA want to wipe millions of people, including the two of them and their friends.