A week later, you were walking through the streets of Manhattan on the way back to your apartment. It was dark, of course, it was the middle of the night. Benny had tried to make you stay in his apartment on his couch, but you told him that you needed to go home. As you walked, you heard a van approach you slowly. It was weird, and you didn't want to seem suspicious, so you continued at the same pace as before. You were happy you were just wearing a simple pair of converse, you found it easier to run in them than your boots.
As you adjusted your messenger bag, so it was closer to your body, you made a run for it. The van's tyres squealed against the tarmac as it followed you through the streets. You were so busy trying to get away from the van that you didn't realise who you were running into. A man grabbed your arms, restraining you. You fought roughly, slamming your head back into his nose and breaking it, but he was too busy shoving a needle into your neck.
Whatever was in it was forcing you to lose consciousness very quickly. The last thing you felt was being dragged into the back of that van.
----
"Steve." Natasha called through JARVIS to Steve's floor.
"Natasha, what is it?" Steve looked up from the sketchbook. Sydney's sketchbook.
"You better come down to the living room." Natasha wasn't sounding as calm as she usually would be.
"Why? What is it?" Steve stood up slowly, placing the sketchbook on his coffee table.
Natasha spilled. "It's (Your name). She's in trouble."
----
You were awoken by the harsh coldness of a bucket of water being thrown in your face. "Up an' attem, girlie." A sinister voice called as you realised what situation you were stuck in. You were tied to a chair, arms and legs bound tightly with rope. There was a cloth gag tied around your head, stopping you from speaking. You were in a small, dark room, facing an open laptop. You were still adjusting to the bright lights coming from the screen, your vision was all out of focus.
Once your eyes adjusted, you could see Steve on the screen. There seemed to be a two way call, but they were using your broken up phone. You whined at that, all your pictures were on that phone. They better not have smashed your memory card. "There we are all awake now." The man grinned at you before returning to the camera. "Now Avengers, or more specifically Captain America, I've been trailing you for a while, trying to figure out your weakness and now it seems I've found it." He placed a hand on your shoulder. You pulled away as he did, shivering with fear.
You liked to say you were cool, calm and collected in this type of absurd situation but right now you were not feeling it. You were scared and you really did not want to die. Steve was yelling down the line, he seemed really angry. "What do you want?!"
The man became enraged. His grip on your shoulder strengthened, and you turned away whining with pain. "I want you to feel the pain I felt. I lost my family because of you, I lost everything I ever had because of YOU." You started crying, silently, thinking you weren't going to get out of this alive. "Since I have lost what is closest to me, I believe it's only fair that you lose that which is precious to you."
There was some quick movement in the corner of your eye before an intense pain ripped through the right side your abdomen. You screamed in pain, higher as the knife was ripped out again. Your vision blurred and it felt like your ears needed to pop. You could barely hear Steve yelling down the line. You could feel your blood dripping out of the wound, and the life draining from you. You had enough medical knowledge to know that he hit one of the major arteries and definitely tore through your intestines.
You were plunged into darkness, the camera and the laptop being turned off and taken away, leaving you alone, bleeding out, in this dark room god only knows where. This wasn't how you wanted to die.
---
"Where is she Natasha?!" Steve screamed angrily at the woman tapping away violently at the computer in front of her.
"I'm searching, it's taking a while! I'm not as good as she was." Natasha tried to calm him down.
"Is, not as good as she is." Steve snapped.
Natasha nodded, trying to locate her phone. You were a hacker which meant you would definitely have a back up GPS transmitter that would allow her to find your phone. Though a series of commands she got the signal. "There. She's in an old power station, Yonker's Railroad. We'll take the quinjet."
Steve nodded, leaving to grab his shield and his uniform on his way up to the quinjet. "Stay with me, (Your name)."
---
You were still alone when there was a loud banging outside the room. You were weak, the blood still draining away. Your jeans and your favourite pair of converse were soaked in your blood. You tried to breathe carefully, but that ended with coughing up blood. Then the door burst open, the light blinding you.
"(Nickname), (Your name)!" Steve shouted as he kneeled at your side. "Hey, hey, you're gonna be okay, I've got you." He cut the ropes that held you down.
"Steve." You breathed. He helped you stand, but you were too weak.
He caught you before you fell, and carried you bridal style out of the building. "Hold on (Nickname), we'll get you to a hospital," were the last words you heard before you passed out.
----
There was a loud, incessant beeping when you woke up. You shifted, before groaning in pain. "Oww, that hurts."
"That's what getting stabbed does to you." You looked up to find Steve sitting by your side, with your sketchbook in his hands. "How are you feeling?"
"Pain, so much pain. All the pain." You joked, watching Steve's smile turn into a frown of concern. "I'm kidding, I'm okay. The morphine is doing its job." You pointed at the IV drip hanging next to you.
"Glad you haven't lost your sense of humor." Steve shook his head, smiling at her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have put you in danger like that."
"Steve." You moved your hand to place it on top of his. "Trust me, the amount of hacking I've done in my life has earned me quite a lot of enemies, but so long as you're around. I'm gonna be fine."
"I will, I'll keep you safe. I promise." Steve squeezed your hand as he replied.
"Good," You smiled. You glanced to the sketchbook and saw the progress he had made. "Woah." You nabbed it out of his lap to place it on top of the covers, marvelling at the sketch. It had been drawn and coloured, and it looked fantastic. It looked like the photo only so much more real. "Steve, this is amazing." You barely remembered the girl, your younger self, but the art in front of you was slowly reminding you of your old life. The life you had with your father back home with the horses.
"Hey, are you okay?" Steve noticed your frown.
"Huh? Oh yeah." You smiled at Steve. "Thank you. You really didn't have to do this."
"I wanted to." Steve beamed.
You bit your lip.
"Look, I uh, I wanted to tell you this when I gave this back but.." Steve stuttered. "Then they kidnapped you and God, I was so scared. I thought I was going to lose you. I thought I was going to lose my girl."
"What are you trying to say Steve?" You smiled softly, trying not to jostle your wound.
"I love you. And I think I have for a while." He admitted, staring into your (eye colour) eyes. "And I'm sorry if you don't feel that way about me but-"
You placed the sketchbook down on your lap and grabbed Steve's collar, pulling him closer to you so you could kiss him and shut him up at the same time. He seemed a little surprised at first, flustered by your actions, but quickly accepted it and kissed you back.
When you broke apart, Steve had to reassure himself. "You sure?"
"Hell yeah. I've kinda been wanting to do that for a while." You wink at him, biting your lip slightly, watching Steve grin happily.
"Yeah? Me too." Steve smiled dreamily, holding your hand in his. He wanted more than anything to slide into the bed with you and cuddle but he knew that would only result in pain for you, and neither of you wanted that.
Just as Steve finished his miniscule confession, the group you had helped out a week ago. Natasha led the charge, standing by your side as she smiled softly. "How are you feeling?"
"Good." You glanced at Steve before expanding, "Great."
Tony seemed to catch the look and the fact that you were holding hands and the whole situation clicked for him. "It seems Capsicle has found himself a little girlfriend."
"Tony, don't start." Steve sighed heavily.
"Nah, man. I'm happy for you. You seem to care a lot about each other." Tony approved of your budding relationship before walking out of the room with a quick goodbye.
"Okay, well. I'll let you rest. You better do the same Cap." Natasha seemed to be warming up to you well, which was great because she was, is one badass woman. You yawned once Natasha had left, your eyes starting to blur.
"Tired?" You nodded as you drifted off, Steve's hand squeezing yours tightly as he continued, "Goodnight, (Nickname)."
You fell asleep that night, with a hero by your side, and a happy smile littering your lips.