Obsession-Book Three (Steve Rogers)

3. GAME PLAN

Don't want to let you down,
but I am hell bound
Though this is all for you,
don't want to hide the truth
No matter what we breed,
we still are made of greed
This is my kingdom come,
this is my kingdom come

-Demons by Imagine Dragons

As the team broke from lunch, Nat decided to keep talking with Sophia, Steve, Wanda, Bucky, and Sam. They moved to the Rogers floor at the compound and into the private lounge. Nat was pissed and felt like taking it out on Sophia. "Rose, why? I need to know why you couldn't trust us? It's not like we aren't here together 24/7. I need an explanation."

"Nat, honey, come on. Calm down." Sam went to comfort Nat but she pulled from his grasp. Nat was seething. She didn't like to be blindsided. Someone was after her and she needed to know what the next play would be.

"Natalia, look at me," Sophia pleaded. "I know that we always talked about being honest with everyone but if I said I got a strange message with no explanation, what would be your first reaction?"

"To investigate the hell out of it. To get to the person who sent you that."

"Right. And if I had no answers, how would you react?"

"Pissed the hell off that I couldn't do anything."

"And what are you doing now?"

Nat stopped. She looked at her best friend. Sophia had lost weight in her struggle. She looked so much more tired, her cheekbones showing more. Nat was rarely emotional outward except when it came to Sophia. She reached over to hug the brunette. "I'm more pissed that you let yourself get sick my милый (darling)."

"I know Natalia. I'm so sorry again. I really thought I was protecting all of you. I was hoping to have answers first." Sophia yawned.

"Why don't you take a nap, Rose? We'll be right here." Nat suggested.

"Ok." Sophia stood and left the room.

Nat turned to Wanda and the other guys. "What do we do about this?"

"Well Tony has already started running decryption on her phone," Steve said. "He thinks he may be able to find out more. And I think Sophia is right about Ross. I know he has only been the Secretary of State for a few months, but he has taken a stronger interest in the Avengers than the others before him."

"But what do we do about Sophia?" Nat asked. "We have like 5 missions coming up in the next couple of weeks and we just got the intel on a potential Rumlow sighting. We may have to be overseas. She obviously can't be on any missions, but we can't all be gone now. One or two of us have to stay with her, if only to make sure she eats and sleeps. Obviously, Tony and Pietro haven't been checking closely enough."

Steve stood up, crossed his arms and looked out the window to the compound grounds. "Ok, we'll have to take shifts. Sam and Nat, Bucky and Wanda and then myself. I can handle her by myself. I don't want her to get worse. We can't stop her from worrying but we can try."

"I mean, what are we supposed to go if they overlap?" Bucky asked. "I mean it could be days before we come back from a mission, especially if it heads south."

"We just have to work through it. Hopefully this passes and we get an answer fast. And Wanda, I'm not opposed to you using your magic on her, if only to get her to sleep for a little bit."

"Steve, you should talk to Marie about that," Sam commented. "Give her the choice."

"I will. But I wanted you all to know that I was giving Wanda my blessing just in case. I'm just trying to anticipate any eventuality." Steve ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck! We are so close to the happy ending she deserves."

Nat patted Steve on the back. "You will get there, Rogers. We all want that."

"Thanks Nat. I'm going to lay down with her to make sure she sleeps a little. Can you wake us for dinner?"

"Of course." Nat watched the Captain head to his quarters. Bucky and Wanda made their way off the floor and Sam walked to Nat, putting his arms around her. "Nattie, she's going to be ok. We have a game plan."

"I should have seen it better, Sam. I was here and I still didn't see it. What kind of friend am I?"

"The one who, when she did notice something, told the one person who could actually bring this up without her killing all of us. Natalia, look at me."

Nat lifted her face and looked into Sam's eyes.

"You did everything right. We can only know what she tells us sometimes. You are being the best friend she needs."

Nat sighed, breathing in Sam, calming herself. "I know, babe. But look at her. It breaks me that she took this on herself. She's never held back like that before. She's always talked to one of us. Something has changed."

"I know. I see it too. Right now, let's just get prepped on being here when we need to be there and take care of her. Let's go over the schedule."

Steve walked into his room with Sophia, seeing her not in bed but curled on the couch looking out the window. "Love? What're you doing?"

"Thinking. I couldn't sleep. It's too lonely."

Steve picks up Sophia and takes her to the bed and lays her down. He lays down next to her and pulls her towards him, her back to his front. He wraps an arm over her waist and props his other arm up to hold his head up. He watches as Sophia closes her eyes and starts to settle. He starts to hum the words to their song. Soon she is asleep again. Steve sighs. What do I do? How can I help her? Is it time for us to walk away? Start our lives as a family away from the team?

"We can't walk away," mumbles Sophia. She had felt his thoughts. She turns over to face Steve. "We can't walk; not yet. I need to know how this is going to end." She buries her face into Steve's chest. "I'm afraid, my Steven."

"We will stay together Sophia. No matter what. Even if we have to take the seven of us and run. I won't let you lose your family."

The next few weeks are chaotic to say the least. Four of the next missions require Steve to be the leader. Nat, Sam, Bucky and Wanda have to switch on and off staying with Sophia. Most nights, Sophia stays with Nat or Wanda at night, sleeping in their bed. She resisted the first couple of days but finally she had Wanda put her to sleep if only so her body wouldn't shut down. During the day, she works with Tony or Vision or on research on Ross with one of the quintets staying close by.

One day, Sam and Bucky ran into Sophia's office. "Hey doll, we've got some news. Do you know where Steve and the others are?"

"They should be down in simulation. Something about using Wanda's powers to lift Steve up if needed." Sophia got up and went with Sam and Bucky down to the training area. When they got there, they watched as Wanda used her magic to lift Steve and then Nat to the top of the matts. "That's a neat trick, Maximoff," said Sophia, "but how do they get down?"

"Hey, they only asked if I could get them up. They never said anything about coming down." Wanda smirked. "Although, I do need some chores done if they want to exchange services." She gave the duo a wicked smile.

"Hey love," Steve called down to Sophia, "can you help a guy out?"

Sophia smirked at her fiancé. "Umm, I don't have that kind of power. I think you need to use those negotiation skills to get yourself down."

"What do you want Wanda?" Asked Nat.

"I think I need a girls night from you and Sophia, Nat and I think I need help redecorating Steve."

Steve groaned. "Can I at least ask for help this time?"

"Sure. We got a deal." Wanda started to bring Steve and Nat down. Sophia whispered to Wanda, "that was excellent extortion. Even if I did get roped into it. Not that I'm complaining."

"I learn from the best," Wanda said, giving a wink to Sophia.

Once the duo was down, Sam cleared his throat. "As entertaining as this was, we have a serious update."

"What's going on, hon?" Natasha asked.

"We got a lead. On Rumlow."

The color on Sophia's face drained away.