NEW YORK
america
____________________________
STEVE
I'm not really sure how long I sat in that uncomfortable plastic chair; with my long legs crossed diagonally and tired arms resting loosely by my side. A baseball cap resting on the crown of me head, eyes dropping every so often in sheer exhaustion, growing used to and accustomed to the steady beeping that told me, I'm fighting, Rogers. Don't give up on me yet.
The only proof of time passing was when the sun once again came through the window, shadowed by the New York skyline that had changed so vastly since I walked around the streets of Brooklyn. That and the man who took residence next to me; with an unbearable stench of body spray and a glowing chest.
"She'll be alright." Tony said. His voice was quiet, as if he was trying to convince himself and not me. "Nut?"
"What?" I asked. My eyes dropped down to his outstretched hand, where peanuts were cupped in the red palm of it. "No, I'm not hungry."
"I'll eat for the both of us then. My horrifying near death experience has left me with quiet the appetite, I'm afraid. Pepper is going to just love this." Tony's voice wasn't a comfort in my ears; and I wondered if I'd rather have the cold Russian assassin instead of the Iron Man sitting next to me.
"Don't you have a flight back to California?" I asked with aggravation in my tone. My eyes met his for half a second before they dropped to the floor. "Sorry, I-."
"Don't sweat it, capsicle. Just for your own personal enjoyment, I told the pilot I wouldn't be leaving today. Figured you could use some company."
"I don't need anything from you, Stark."
Tony threw his hands up in defeat and he sighed. "And here I thought me sacrificing myself for the city would bring us closer."
I raised an eyebrow. "Not if you keep talking about it like it's the best thing since sliced bread."
"You should know, you were alive when it was." Tony said.
A low rumble started in my chest before a small chuckle escaped my lips. With a shake of my head, I nudged his shoulder. "That's how I know."
Then our eyes met and Tony once again stuck out a hand to offer me the food he was eating. "I was thinking we should get matching leotards for the team. Maybe some sparkly spandex, what do you think?"
I was just about to answer him, something sarcastic no doubt, but the sound of coughing filled the room and my head snapped to look at the culprit of the noise.
My feet were immediately bringing me towards the hospital bed, where the brown haired girl was slowly groaning on the white sheets. The cut above her eye was covered in a white bandage, but I could see the discoloring in the center of it from her blood.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked. Her eyes were phased over; I could barely recognize them. I knew it was because of the drugs she was on, because they had pumped them into her like hell after surgery.
"Steve?" She asked; and then started coughing again.
"It's okay, just breathe." I told her, setting my hand on the top of her hair. Her hair was slicked back with sweat, and her skin was pale. She didn't look like she recovering after her surgery.
"My favorite agent has awoken." Tony said. I hadn't noticed he had crossed the room to stand on the other side of the bed. "Great look."
"Fuck off, Stark." She said breathlessly, her eyes floating between us.
"Maybe you should get the doctor, Tony." I said, "She doesn't look to good." My eyes left those of the woman before me and met Tony's, just in time for the beeping of the machine to start going crazy.
The color from my face drained as I stared down at her; dark eyes shut again as her body went lax. "No, no, no." I started to shake my head and I grabbed her pale hand.
"Code blue in room three seventy two, code blue in room three seventy two." It was a voice on the intercom; someone was already informed that her heart was flat lining.
"Tony..." I started to say because I didn't have anything else. My heart was beginning to beat out of my chest.
The door to the room burst open as the familiar looking doctor walked in. "Get the defibrillator on stand by! Lisa, clear the room." The doctor yelled.
"No, no, wait." I started to say, then I felt Tony's hand in my arm.
"Come on, Rogers. We need to give them room." I heard Tony's words but they didn't register in my mind.
"No, come on Stacy, don't do this to me." My eyes were still locked on the bed as I watched them begin to prep the machine. And the sight in front of me caused my stomach to drop like a rock and I couldn't find the strength to stand.
Tony used whatever body strength he had to help me out of the room; but my eyes were still locked on the sight before me. The door shut just as I watched them send a bolt of electricity through her chest to restart her heart.
"I need her," I said then when the door was shut, and I could only see my reflection through the glass. "I still need her."
"I know, hey, I know you do." Tony said. His grip on me was tight, but I could have pulled away if I wanted to.
"It's my fault. I should have been paying more attention." I said as tears blurred my vision. I ran my hands over my eyes. "I was distracted. I didn't notice she went away."
"Hey, if I know anything about that asshole in there, it's that that's where she wants to be. If it was between her and the kid she saved, she'd take it." Tony said. I think his words were meant to comfort me but they only brought anger.
"She shouldn't have to." I said and pulled my arm away from him. I moved to the wall opposite of her hospital room and leaned against it. The room was spinning.
"I know." Tony said. I felt his hand in my back. "I'm sorry, I wish I could help."
It must have been only minutes, but it felt like hours. The door to the room opened and the few nurses walked out, and then finally the doctor. I looked up immediately and felt my heart beat erratically. I told myself to prepare for the news; that she didn't make it.
"She's stabilized." He said. "She's awake. Her heart is still weak but we pumped some medicine into her system. She's going to make it through this."
I let out the breath that I had been holding in and a smile broke out into my face. My eyes met Tony's and I didn't stop myself from hugging him.
"You can go in," The doctor said. "Just try not to excite her. She needs a lot of rest. She won't be discharged for weeks."
"Go in, I'll wait here." Tony said to me.
I nodded once before I walked into the room, closing the door gently behind me. My eyes locked into the brown ones that I've come to know well enough and I felt everything in my body ache with relief.
"Hey, Stacy. You scared the hell out of us." I said. Slowly, I walked over towards her bed. My knees dropped to the floor and I looked at her pale face.
Her head titled slightly, eyes blinking slowly as she looked at me. She was on too many drugs, I knew that. I didn't think she could manage to speak, and I wasn't expecting her too. I knew that her body was working through the trauma it had only just endured.
A half groan and grunt fell from her throat and her mouth parted for a second. Her tongue poked out to wet her dry lips and then her eyes opened slightly wider, still with slow blinks.
"Don't try and talk. Just rest." I told her.
Her eyes squinted softly and if she was feeling better, she probably would have told me off for telling her what to do.
Instead, half a smile formed in her face and she said words that brought a wide smile to my face.
"So when's our next mission?"
Stacy Cortez will return