The Family Business (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 37: Right Now

Everything seemed to move around Steve in a blur as he stood there staring in disbelief. The broken window letting in a cool breeze that caused the curtains to blow fluidly. Her things, thrown from the now empty desk, scattered across the floor. The other side of the room, a rounded indent high on the wall where a shelf had been, which was on the floor closer to the bathroom door, archery trophies and books scattered across the floor as well. A second smashed planter, dirt strewn around the floor, the plant laying sadly in the middle of everything no longer in its pot. Small spats of blood dotted the floor and two empty syringes lay in the mess as well. She had put up one hell of a fight, that was certain.

As SHIELD agents, Nat, Clint, and Bucky whirled around on phones, analyzed evidence and took pictures of everything, Steve slowly made his way over to the remnants of her desk items. A Polaroid picture flapping gently in the breeze caught his attention, pinned under the edge of her desk lamp, now broken and laying on its side. Bending down gently he unpinned it turning it over. He let out a sad breath at the sight of it as he stood up again, staring down at it, frozen. She had printed it. There in his hands was a Polaroid picture of the two of them on the lock bridge in France. Her smile and her laugh from that moment rushed through his head, through his ears as he stared at it defeatedly.

As he continued to stare at it, lost in the sound of her voice in his head, another voice slowly came into focus. He furrowed his brow trying to place it, until Bucky firmly grasped his arm, turning his attention from the picture he looked back at Bucky, the sounds of the present rushing back into his ears.

"You going to put that away or are you going to let Clint find it in your hands?"

Steve nodded as he pulled out his wallet and put the Polaroid in it. To his surprise there was already a Polaroid in it. Slipping the first picture in the wallet he pulled the other out to examine it. It was another picture of the two of them from an ice cream date they had snuck out for not too long ago, both of them laughing, his ice cream on her nose and hers on his. Underneath the picture, an arrow had been drawn in pen, looking like a feather arrow. Turning it over she had written a note.

'Surprise! Now you don't always need your phone to keep me with you! I love you, Cara'

Swallowing the hard lump in his throat he put that photo next to the other and closed his wallet, putting it away just as Clint walked over to he and Bucky. Bucky was still looking at him sadly, having read over his shoulder and seen both of the pictures. He knew how much Steve loved Cara, truly loved her, and the emotions he must be going through right now while trying to pretend he wasn't having half of them.

Clint looked at Steve stone-faced.  Not speaking right away, Steve sighed frustrated, scowling slightly at Clint. He crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly speaking first.

"You going to blame me for this one too Barton?"

Clint swallowed hard looking down shaking his head slightly. He deserved that. He had done nothing but treat Steve like shit since he had claimed Cara as his trainee and now partner. Though he had been trying to make a better effort lately, Steve had not deserved that. If anything, he had done an amazing job pushing her to be stronger, to be better, so he didn't need to rely on Steve to protect her, that she could protect herself. When Clint looked back up, Steve could see the remorse in his eyes, softening his stance slightly.

"We need a plan Cap, we need to get her back." He said fighting tears.

"Do we even know who took her yet?" Steve asked.

"Well whoever did is probably pretty sorry they did. She's a fighter and she put up one hell of a fight. But, uh, I don't think they know yet, they're still getting evidence and collecting the blood- they're getting samples, but no not yet."

"I think I know who took her." Bucky said quietly, almost in a whisper.

He had spoken barely loud enough for them to hear him but they did. Turning to him and leaning toward him, they encouraged him to go on together.

"Who? And how do you know?"

Bucky turned pointing to things as he spoke.

"Because I've seen those syringes before, and I know what Bruce is going to find remnants of in them when he tests them. And there's only one type of person who could of slammed her into the wall that hard to leave that kind of dent."

Steve brought a hand up to his chin, resting a bent finger against his lips already knowing what Bucky was saying. A pit forming in his stomach hoping Bucky was wrong. But Clint was either in denial or truly didn't know.

"Who and what and why for that matter?" Clint asked bewildered.

Bucky looked at Steve uncertain but before either of them could say anything, Nat walked over, all business.

"A super soldier. Tony and Fury have called a meeting with everyone in the board room." She said abruptly before turning to leave.

"When?" They all called after her.

Without turning she answered, "right now."

As she disappeared through the doorway, Clint, Steve and Bucky all shared a brief look with each other before they followed behind Nat out the door.