The Family Business (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 3: Yeah, I'm an Asshole

Cara stood there in surprise taking in the tall blonde haired blue eyed man who seemed to tower over her. His face was stern, each of his features chiseled and distinct. In the deep ocean of blue that were his eyes there was just a little bit of green which she found oddly soothing. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized she was staring just a little too long at the man she recognized but had never met.

For a moment she thought she saw his face soften just a little, taking her in as well. It only lasted a moment though and he was back to the serious look. He hoped she hadn't seen his moment of surprise at the beautiful girl in his grasp but unbeknownst to him, she had. Shaking his own thoughts aside Steve spoke again this time a little louder and a little more stern.

"I asked you a question"

"Well technically you asked me two questions do you want me to answer both or-?"

Steve stared back at her slightly annoyed at the hint of sarcasm in her response, deepening his stare.

"Right, yeah, I'll answer both. Hi I'm Cara, Cara Barton, Agent Barton, I'm a SHIELD Agent, a um field specialist, um kinda sorta in training but not really in training, I'm pretty good at what I do actually."

Steve stared back silently at her rambling, processing the information as it spilled out of her mouth.

"Oh! Why I'm here, that was your second question.. I feel like the first answer answers both questions right? SHIELD Agent, SHIELD helicarrier." She motioned with her hands from the elbow down accentuating the connection between agent and helicarrier.

Cara was nervous and her words were spilling out of her like a faucet. He was taller than she had expected him to be, more muscular. It definitely never came up in any conversation Natasha and she had had about the team, and Clint would never talk about his friends in that way ever. Not that she would talk to Clint about his friends in that way either, the thought alone made her want to gag.

Steve looked at Cara questioningly but slowly let go of her all the same. His face started to soften slightly the more she continued to ramble on in his silence.

"So you're Captain Steve- I mean Captain Rogers! Clint and Natasha- well mostly Natasha- have told me so much about you guys and I've met most of the team here and there, well not most more like several, a few maybe? Anyway I'm Cara." She rambled holding out her hand.

Steve slowly shook it still staring at her taking everything in. "You said that already."

"Right. Well this has been interesting, I'm just going to go-"

"How do I know you're telling me the truth?"

Cara wasn't sure how to answer this, she didn't know him and he didn't know her let alone trust her on her word alone. Much to Cara's relief a familiar face peered into the maintenance corridor door. A smirk plastered on her face she leaned against the door frame crossing her arms in amusement.

"You always interrogate specialists in maintenance closets Rogers? Seems a little unorthodox, especially for you."

Cara's eyes grew wide in excitement and a smile spread across her face as she threw her arms around Natasha. She smiled, laughing just a little at her excitement.

"Nat! Oh my gosh!"

"Hey chickie! Spying again?"

"How else am I supposed to find anything out? You know Clint doesn't tell me anything."

"There's probably a good reason for that." Nat said narrowing her eyes at Cara teasingly.

Steve was now completely relaxed watching the two women interact the way they did. Now he just felt foolish for his assumptions about the girl. No wonder he had never seen her before, Fury had been running Clint and his "trainee" ragged with missions. Now he knew who the trainee was. He realized he was staring at Cara again, taking all of her in when he caught Nat smirking at him out of the corner of his eye.

Immediately dropping his gaze he excused himself from the maintenance corridor, blushing just slightly as he brushed between the two women as he left. Nat watched Cara watch him leave, a small smirk appearing on her face. Cara blushed slightly having been caught staring at Steve walking away, secretly hoping he might look back just briefly, but he didn't.

"It's nice right?" Nat said

"What is?"

"Watching all the cake walk away from you."

Cara burst out laughing as Nat lightly chuckled. When they had stopped laughing and were catching their breath Cara playfully punched Nat in the arm. She rubbed her arm pretending like it hurt and looked at Cara in surprise.

"What the hell was that for?"

"For not warning me about the cake!"

Nat shrugged her shoulders, truly unapologetic.

"Can't spoil all the surprises now can I?"

Just as she was about to respond Cara saw Clint exit the bridge, walking toward the two of them. Immediately her mood changed, the smile fell from her face and was instead replaced by a frown. Without a word Cara turned, heading away from Clint down the hall. She needed away from him for now, she was still too angry to have a decent conversation with him. She heard his footsteps quicken as he called after her.

"Cara... Cara! Cara wait-"

Without turning around she charged down the hall headed toward anywhere but Clint as she called back to him.

"I can't even walk to my room solo now?! I really must be hopeless."

Hearing the anger in her voice he stopped in his tracks letting her storm off. He had more than a feeling she had overheard his conversation with Fury, making him hang his head, now conflicted about his decision to tell Fury about her mistake. 'Yeah, I'm an asshole' he thought to himself as Cara rounded the corner out of his sight.