Whatever It Takes

Chapter 38 - Time To Close That Chapter

After leaving Nat to freshen up, you try and hunt down Banner, desperate to apologise on barging in on what was a VERY private conversation. Not being able to find him you head outside for some air, trying to wrap your mind around the last few hours. "You ok Volkova?" Stark surprises you while you stand on the porch, lightly pressing a hand on your shoulder. "You look lost."

"I am," you chuckle, pressing a hand to his, before turning to face him. "I should be asking how you are."

"Had better days," He smiles. A large whack distracts you both, drawing your eyes to see Steve chopping wood. Stark gestures his head towards him so you join him in walking down. You talking a slower set of steps than Tony, not really sure if you're ready to talk to Steve or not, despite the voicemail he had left you, you were still pissed at him. While Stark picks up an axe and starts helping out, you march towards the large pile of wood standing next to Steve. "Thor didn't say where he was going for answers?"

Steve doesn't answer straight away, just continues to swing the axe, you can't help but notice the tension in his large biceps as he brings it down hard. "Sometimes my team mates doesn't tell me things." You can't help but scoff at his remark, rolling your eyes, knowing damn well he was one to talk. Both men give you a look, before resuming chopping, Steve's eye lingering on you a little longer than Tony. "I was kind of hoping Thor would be the exception."

As Steve looks over you follow his eyeline to watch Barton and his kids, fixing the porch. While it warms your heart to see your friend in his happiness, you look up to the bathroom window, knowing that Nat's heart was breaking over the same thing. The sound of Tony and Steve's voices raising brings you back to reality.

"Banner and I were doing research," Stark rings out, while Steve grabs another log.

"That would affect the team," Steve responds, bringing the axe down again. Frustrated at both their bickering you sit down on Steve's log pile, pulling out your knife and using it to carve into the wood.

Feeling frustrated too Tony throws down his axe and marches over to Steve. "That would end the team," he bites back. "Isn't that the mission? Isn't that the 'why' we fight, so we can the fight, so we can get to go home?"

In an eruption of anger Steve rips the next log in half with his bare hands, sending splinters flying everywhere. Unexpectedly you flinch at this show of strength from him, making you once again think about Barnes. "Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time." The two men stare each other out, your mind still trying to catch up, before Barton's wife walks up, breaking the tension when she asks for Stark's help.

"Volkova, finish my pile." Stark shouts as he walks away. Steve follows your every movement as you stash your knife and pick up the axe, a lot heavier a weapon than you had been used to, but you couldn't help but admire its simplicity.

"You look like you got something to say?" Steve asks. You don't respond, lifting a log, swinging the axe and splitting the wood in two. "If this is about telling Stark," he spits out, grabbing another log.

"Sometimes your team mates don't tell you things," You shrug, slamming the log down he marches over to you. "Doesn't seem to matter when it's the other way round does it Rogers?" Walking straight up, getting in your face, you simply turn to face him. "You don't scare me Cap."

"What's your problem?" He seethes out, keeping in mind that Barton is watching ever so closely.

"My problem is keeping secrets from a man clearly going through something..." You start, turning away from him and stacking up another log.

"Something of his own doing..."

"And Banner's." You correct him, even though you still feel guilty about the interruption with him, but you weren't wrong - based on what you had read in the lab Banner had been an essential part of the work to create Ultron. "And he's not wrong Steve." You break that log with the axe, finally getting into the rhythm of it.