California

Chapter 12

We all gathered in the lab trying to remain calm.

"Okay." Bruce breaks the silence. "The hospital is 4 blocks from here. Now that we can access it, we need to go there and help with the cure."

Clint shook his head. "Not right now. It's the middle of the night. We need to wait until daylight. In the meantime those of us with weapons need to keep an eye on all exits."

"And what are we supposed to do?" B questioned with fierce irritation.

"Help Bruce gather whatever you guys need to take to the hospital. Try to keep a light load though cause we need to be stealthy." Steve tried to sound reassuring.

"There's enough of us that I think we could split it between us all to lighten the load. So they need to take what will be useful." I interjected. I know B would get paranoid about slowing everyone down and might miss something important.

"We're not all going." Steve said stiffly.

"Excuse me?" Syd questioned. 

"Clint, Tasha, and I will take Bruce, Bucky, and Brook to the hospital. The rest of you will stay here."

"Absolutely fucking not." Ace spat out. "There is no reason for us to stay here. We need to be out there with you making sure those three make it to the hospital safely."

"Too many people will just slow us down." Steve retorted.

"I don't know man, maybe she's right. Besides if they stay here, what if people try to break in?"

Steve tilted his head at Bruce. "Why would anyone want to break into a law/PI/pathology office? People probably won't even know what it is let alone if there is anything of value in here."

"Uhm they would try to break in for shelter? Money? People will break into just about anywhere during a crisis if it means they get cash or safety out of it." Peter chimed in, warranting looks from everyone as if we all forgot he was in the room.

"He makes a valid point. You don't. We're going with you." My voice is challenging as I stare down Steve, who I can tell by his clenched jaw that he is cursing my existence right now.

"You will be too distracted. You just want to go so you can see your boyfriend." His features turn to stone.

"And why are you going? We have the exact same training. I could protect them just as well as you could. But Peggy is in there. So that's why you are determined to go right? Or is it because you have to be in control of every goddamn situation like you've always tried to do?" I started raising my voice. "I want to go because I will never forgive myself if anything happens to B and I wasn't there to try and protect her. Also because my FRIENDS are in that hospital and I want to make sure they're okay and help them in any way I can. So fuck YOU and your fucking leader mentality. We're all going whether you like it or not."

"Guys." Tasha yelled out to break up the tension. "That's enough. It doesn't matter why anyone is going other than we need to help find a cure. So... as difficult as it will be having such a big group, we can break up into smaller groups and just try to stick close to each other. I have walkies in my bag so we can communicate if we get separated." She turned her attention solely on Steve. "Come on Steve. You know them. If we tell them to stay, they will just come on their own once we're gone. We might as well do everything we can to make sure we all travel safely."

"Fine." He squared in on me. "Not like you've ever listened to me anyways. So why start now?"

"Fuck off Steve." I pushed past him and stormed into my office, slamming the door behind me.