TOXIC ~ STEVE ROGERS [1]

Chapter Thirty-One

"Walsh? Is that you?" Rogers stepped out of the light and into the small space we occupied behind in the truck.

"Good Lord Rogers, you almost scared the kid to death," I scolded. Michelle looked up in admiration at him. Hell, I looked up in admiration at him. When he caught her staring, she scooted out from the truck and out into the light, behind Rogers.

"What happened?" Rogers said seriously. I puffed away on my cigarette.

"I had to use a force field to save her, and drained myself in the process," I tried to sit up more, but black spots clouded my vision, and I realized I didn't have enough energy to do that yet.

"You can make force fields?" Rogers seemed suprised. I cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, this is why I prefer not to."

He didn't even crack a smile, instead he crouched down close to me. He was so close I could smell him, a mixture of sweat and old style cologne, the kind that made you want to dance in red lipstick on a checkered dance floor.

It was incredible.

"May I?" Rogers had his shield on his back and had his hands out in front of him. It occurred to me he was offering to carry me.

It might put a chink in my dignity, but I wasn't going anywhere without him.

I nodded, and his huge arms enveloped around me, and lifted me up bridal-style. One arm was draped around his neck, the other holding the cigarette in my mouth.

Michelle waited for us outside the wreck. Her mouth curled into a grin at the sight of us.

"Are you boyfriend and girlfriend?" She blurted out, giggling despite the situation. Rogers cheeks blushed a brilliant red, and I almost laughed out loud.

"No kid. We just work together," I smirked. Michelle winked at me, and I winked back. Rogers kept his eyes focused forwards. He began to walk over the rubble and around the overturned cars towards the intersection of the street. Michelle followed closely, her hand lingering on Roger's leg as we walked. She was scared, despite how much she tried to be brave.

Suddenly, a door to a small cafe on the right side of the street swung open, and a dark skinned woman ran out, her clothes dusty and ripped.

"Michelle! MICHELLE!" She screamed, and without a word Michelle took off into her arms. Rogers stopped walking, and we watched as they embraced, mother and daughter. Michelle's mother didn't say a word, but the way she looked at me was enough. I'd saved her daughter's life, and she was eternally grateful.

We didn't stay. I could hear the chaos and screaming of sirens from the other streets that were not free from the Chitauri, and both Rogers and I were needed. Rogers began to run with me in his arms, and soon, as the smoke and dust enveloped us my strength began to return.

"You can put me down now," I said, throwing my cigarette to the wind. Rogers stopped running and looked down at me.

"You sure?" He smiled. I grimaced and gritted my teeth.

"As much as I love being carried around by strong, handsome men, I'm not going to be much help just lying here, am I?" Roger's eyes glanced to the right as he set me down on my slightly unsteady legs.

"Strong and handsome huh?" He muttered. I looked pointedly at him.

"I'm not going to say it again," I dusted off my hood, and adjusted my mask.

All round us were crashes and bangs and booms ricocheting off the buildings. Rogers and I began to run, cascading over cars and pieces of wall.

"Why do you wear the mask?" Rogers said while we ran, smacking a soldier in the mouth swiftly. He wasn't even puffing. But then, neither was I.

I was rather taken aback by his question. Was it any of his business? No, not really. But what was the point of refusing to tell? I'd told enough lies already.

"There's people I need to protect. If the world knows who I am, they could get hurt," I dodged a flying piece of metal and blasted at a soldier.

"That's where you disappeared to before, right? To see if they were safe?" Rogers already knew he was right, but he asked anyway. I nodded.

"And are they? Safe, I mean?" Rogers questioned.

I sighed in frustration.

"Yes. For now."

Authors Note
Stuff it I can't resist updating