~ New Amsterdam Hospital~
Ava walks into the emergency room in her navy blue scrubs and her black eumelanin hair up in a clutch. A paramedic rushes in.
"Alright. What do we got?"
"Carlee Heit. 45- year-old female. Open abdominal wound with omental evisceration."
Ava yelled, "We need to get her into an OR as soon as possible. Page Robins. Move fast people and we will be getting more patients. Move move move. Thorne, Webster Trauma 1. Kim, Spencer Trauma 2. Move fast people."
After giving out orders, she ran to the bathroom to puke. Baby Sarah did not agree with Omental evisceration.
The whole trauma was handled in 5 hours. All the patients were attended to.
A brunette doctor sidled up to her. Ava was filling out her patient forms. She turned her head to see him smiling. "Did you catch any sleep, Rogers?"
"Yeah slept for an hour in the on-call room"
"You look beautiful today, Rogers." She analyzed him. Something was off. He complimented her and called her Rogers.
"What did you do?" A tired look flitted across her face.
"Nothing, Rogers. Can't I just compliment the best Trauma Head in the hospital?"
She deadpanned, "I am the only head of Trauma. I swear to God, Even if you are an attending I am gonna bury you in the clinic and scut for the next month if you don't tell me, Matthew James Howard."
"Can you please take my next shift? It falls on Jo's birthday."
She sighed and laughed, "Oh you idiot. You scared me. Of course. But you need to pay back." "Oh, so this isn't an IOU."
She said, "I am kinda having a hard time. I am taking the week off."
Matt turned serious, "Ava it's totally fine. I understand. Everyone needs a breather from time to time."
"Thanks, Howard. " "Don't mention it, Rogers."
After the end of her shift, she walked out to see Steve. Her tired, sleepy eyes lit up. She smiled and got in the car.
Steve started, "What happened to Lauren? Why did she resign?" Ava's mood visibly dampened. "She is a bitch Steve. Fucking harlot I say. You know she accused me of sleeping with her for my position."
Steve was shocked and angered. "Oh, I am gonna kill her. She came way after your promotion as the Head of Trauma." "I fucking know right. So, I said I slept with her, not for my job but for orgasms which I had to fake because she didn't do her job." Steve laughed.
"She was so embarrassed. I accidentally may have yelled it out in front of Chief Hunt. In my defense, he was behind me." "But what does that do with her resignation?" Ava smiled evilly. "Turns out she was playing both me and Owen. Bloody harlot."
Steve was angry at Lauren for treating his doctors like that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ava stared back at the dull haggard reflection. Her big whiskey eyes were dull and red. Tear stains marred her face revealing the girl's distress. She looked at the knife sitting on the white marble counter. It stared back hauntingly. The walls were very close. The bathroom felt smaller.
She looked down at her hands to see bloodstains. She hastened to wash it out. The tap let out blood-red water. The girl shrieked. She looked up in the mirror to see her parents with execution-style wounds. Her screams were drowned out by the loud gunshots.
Jamie was at Pepper's having a sleepover. Steve was awake in the kitchen, battling the aftermath of his nightmare. He rubbed his hands on the grey sweatpants. His blue t-shirt was drenched in sweat. He grabbed a water bottle.
Through his enhanced hearing he heard whimpers which turned to full-blown sobs. He ran towards the room beside his. The brunette lay on the bed with her eyes screwed shut. Her hands grabbed fistfuls of the lavender comforter. Tears leaked and stained the pillows as she wailed. Steve rushed to the olive-colored girl and shook her. "Rose. Wake up. It's me, Steve. Ava, Wake up, sweetheart."
She woke up startled. She tried to gauge her surroundings. Her frantic brown eyes found the calm and concerned blue eyes. Steve helped her out of the bed. She hugged him and the tears rimming her eyes now fell freely. Steve wrapped his left arm around her midriff. He ran his free hand through her hair. It broke his heart to see Rose so vulnerable.
They both went and sat down on the hammock Steve had set up for her in the backyard. They silently settled in. Ava laid back on his chest as his arms wrapped around her bump. The silence wasn't awkward, It was rather comforting. They watched the sunrise together and walked back into the house. They both freshened up and removed the signs of yesterday's turmoil.
Ava was dressed in a white sundress with daisies on it. Her shoulder-length hair was open with a small daisy clip on her side. Her Captain America-themed loafer socks padded down the stairs. She beamed at seeing Steve cook breakfast. He was in his jeans and a flannel shirt, which was a bit too small. But hey she was not complaining. She loved to see the poor seams stretching to accommodate his broad shoulders.
She walked into the kitchen and slumped on the counter. Steve lowly chuckled and grabbed her coffee tumbler and placed it in front of her. She opened her eyes and visibly brightened at the smell. Steve maneuvered around her to get the items required to make waffles. Bucky and Wanda came with a chorus of good mornings. Bucky's vibranium arm was not hidden. It was on full display. The black and gold match Wanda's blouse and leggings. Ava growled at the noise.
Everyone laughed. Bucky patronizingly patted her head with his metal arm. "Don't patronize me, James."
"Then stop growling at the sight of us, Rosie."
"Oh, Fuck off. Why are you here? It's Saturday, innit?"
He ruffled her hair and said, "No, It is Waffle Sunday. And it is 11 am."
"Bollocks. Today is Sunday."
Steve exhaled as Wanda helped him set the table. He whispered under his breath to Wanda, "Oh she is a fucking hypocrite." Wanda stifled a giggle. Ava said, "Care to share your thoughts, love" Steve looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Nothing darling. Do you want some berries? I set a bowl aside." Wanda and Bucky shared a knowing look. She telepathically said, "Simp." Bucky nodded discreetly.
Steve's phone rang. "Steve Rogers speaking. Uh-huh. Okay. Thank you." Wanda asked, "What happened? Who was on the phone?" Steve smiled widely, "I am finally cleared. Only short missions except when we are specifically requested." This was followed by a celebration of a waffle brunch and mimosas.
