Brooklyn Hearts

13

Blaire was in her private sitting area when Lily burst through the door, dark curls flying about, out of breath. "They're back!" And then she disappeared just as quickly.

Blaire jumped up from her seat and followed Lily out to the hall where the elevator had just opened. They went up a few levels and were at the main common area as they waited for the team to walk through the doors. Tony was the first to walk through and then Clint, Natasha, Sam. Lily's smile fell as she saw how somber they all looked. Then Bucky appeared with Steve on a gurney. Steve was on the gurney with an IV attached and he had large bruises on his face. He had been unconscious for most of trip back. Bucky was worried about him since this was one of the worst beatings he had seen Steve take. And he had seen a lot. Blaire kept her face from reacting, but she stood by Lily and held her hand. She knew Lily was worried and on some level Blaire was too.

"Hey Kiddo, we're banged up a little but we're ok. Steve's going to be fine. He just needs some rest and he'll be right as rain." Tony patted Lily on the head as he passed.

Lily followed Bucky as she looked at Steve with concern on her face. Bruce came and met them, taking Steve the rest of the way to the infirmary. Bucky took Lily's hand and pulled her to the side. "I'm going to freshen up a bit. After than do you want to play some games?"

Lily nodded her head and took Bucky's hand as he led her towards the elevators. Blaire had managed to slip away from the group and felt her heart racing. She didn't understand the feeling of fear she had at seeing Steve injured. She grasped her shirt and then headed towards her room. She grabbed her backpack from under her bed and took the service elevator down to the parking garage, and then onto the streets.

Bucky and Lily were playing some poker and he asked, "Where's Blaire?"

Lily looked up from her hand and shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno."

"Friday, where is Blaire Escobedo located?"

"Miss Blaire is not currently in the building."

Lily set down her cards and looked at Bucky with raised eyebrows, as if to say, "Uh oh."

"Does she normally just take off and disappear?" Bucky asked.

"Not normally. Sometimes she has to leave to do a job, but she always tells me before she goes. She'll come back."

"How do you know?"

"Because she'll think about mom and dad and then me. I'm too cute to walk away from." Lily grinned as she placed her hands under chin, like an angel.

Bucky chuckled, and then said, "Come on, let's go find Tony."

"She's headed towards Bryant Park. She's trying to avoid the traffic cameras but I was still able to pick her up," Tony said and then bit into an apple.

"I'll go find her. Let me know if anything changes with Steve." Bucky turned and left the room.

Blaire hadn't made it very far before she became panicky. There were too many people on the sidewalks and she wasn't in a familiar neighborhood. The sun was beginning to set and there was a chill in the air. She shouldn't be out in the cold air since she just recovered from the flu. She had to leave the tower because she felt like she was suffocating. She never relied on anyone and didn't want to start now, but seeing Steve hurt was more than she could handle. He had a resemblance to her father who had been her hero. It was like she saw her dad injured and dying again and she had to escape. Blaire walked with her head down and hands stuffed in her pockets. People would occasionally bump her shoulder, nearly knocking her over. With each pass her eyes began to tear up a little more. It was how she felt inside. Just battered and defeated and she didn't know if she could take it anymore. Blaire stopped at a cross walk and felt someone behind her. She didn't want to turn around just yet so she kept her face forward and walked with the mass of people. She made it to the library and climbed the steps. She wanted to lose the presence behind her. She walked between the columns and then quickly turned and hid behind one, hoping to see whoever was following her. She hugged her body to the column and she saw Bucky walk past and then stop; turning his head left and right to see where she had gone.