We all gathered in the lab trying to remain calm.
"Okay." Bruce breaks the silence. "The hospital is 4 blocks from here. Now that we can access it, we need to go there and help with the cure."
Clint shook his head. "Not right now. It's the middle of the night. We need to wait until daylight. In the meantime those of us with weapons need to keep an eye on all exits."
"And what are we supposed to do?" B questioned with fierce irritation.
"Help Bruce gather whatever you guys need to take to the hospital. Try to keep a light load though cause we need to be stealthy." Steve tried to sound reassuring.
"There's enough of us that I think we could split it between us all to lighten the load. So they need to take what will be useful." I interjected. I know B would get paranoid about slowing everyone down and might miss something important.
"We're not all going." Steve said stiffly.
"Excuse me?" Syd questioned.
"Clint, Tasha, and I will take Bruce, Bucky, and Brook to the hospital. The rest of you will stay here."
"Absolutely fucking not." Ace spat out. "There is no reason for us to stay here. We need to be out there with you making sure those three make it to the hospital safely."
"Too many people will just slow us down." Steve retorted.
"I don't know man, maybe she's right. Besides if they stay here, what if people try to break in?"
Steve tilted his head at Bruce. "Why would anyone want to break into a law/PI/pathology office? People probably won't even know what it is let alone if there is anything of value in here."
"Uhm they would try to break in for shelter? Money? People will break into just about anywhere during a crisis if it means they get cash or safety out of it." Peter chimed in, warranting looks from everyone as if we all forgot he was in the room.
"He makes a valid point. You don't. We're going with you." My voice is challenging as I stare down Steve, who I can tell by his clenched jaw that he is cursing my existence right now.
"You will be too distracted. You just want to go so you can see your boyfriend." His features turn to stone.
"And why are you going? We have the exact same training. I could protect them just as well as you could. But Peggy is in there. So that's why you are determined to go right? Or is it because you have to be in control of every goddamn situation like you've always tried to do?" I started raising my voice. "I want to go because I will never forgive myself if anything happens to B and I wasn't there to try and protect her. Also because my FRIENDS are in that hospital and I want to make sure they're okay and help them in any way I can. So fuck YOU and your fucking leader mentality. We're all going whether you like it or not."
"Guys." Tasha yelled out to break up the tension. "That's enough. It doesn't matter why anyone is going other than we need to help find a cure. So... as difficult as it will be having such a big group, we can break up into smaller groups and just try to stick close to each other. I have walkies in my bag so we can communicate if we get separated." She turned her attention solely on Steve. "Come on Steve. You know them. If we tell them to stay, they will just come on their own once we're gone. We might as well do everything we can to make sure we all travel safely."
"Fine." He squared in on me. "Not like you've ever listened to me anyways. So why start now?"
"Fuck off Steve." I pushed past him and stormed into my office, slamming the door behind me.
About an hour later, I heard a knock on my door before it opened. Scott poked his head in. "Can I come in?"
I nodded, looking back down at the file in front of me. "What's up?"
He sat down in the chair across from me. "Are these case files?" I nodded. "We have no idea how long this is gonna last and you're worrying about your next trial?"
I slammed the file folder closed and met his confused stare. "What the hell else am I going to do? I'm in the way out there. We're not leaving for another," I lifted my wrist to look at my watch, "four hours. I'm just trying to keep myself busy."
"Okay okay. I was just joking with you Chuck." He sat in silence for a minute as I grabbed another file and started absentmindedly flipping through it. "Are you sure you're up for this?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" I couldn't hide the irritation in my voice.
"Because man, there's going to probably be a lot of gunfire. And bodies. It's going to be intense going to the hospital."
I glance up with a bored expression. "Nothing I haven't experienced before. Probably seen worse actually. I'll be fine." My voice was clipped.
"Charlie. Stop being fucking difficult. This is me you're talking to. I just don't want you to start having flashbacks or something. You have to be level headed out there."
I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just so stressed and angry."
"At Steve?" He questioned.
"At a lot of things but yes Steve as well. I mean we haven't been together or even seen each other in years. He still hated me. I told him the truth and he hated me a little less but still it was there. And I know something is going on with him and Peggy which is fine! It's been years! But for him to get so mad about Jake? Who I'm not even dating? It's so fucking unfair."
Scott scratched his beard. "Does Jake know you two aren't dating?"
I tilted my head slightly to the side. "What do you mean?"
"Come on, Chuck." He threw his hands up. "I've seen the way you two look at each other. And that was just on video chat like twice."
I huffed as I crossed my arms over my chest. "It doesn't matter Scott. I'm not talking about this right now."
About that time, I heard a rapping on the door frame and looked up to find Steve standing in the doorway.
"Sorry to interrupt," he says boredly. "Can I talk to you for a second, Charlie?"
I shifted my eyes to Scott and nodded quickly. He stood up and excused himself. I motioned for Steve to come in. As I stood up to put my files away, he shut the door and took the seat Scott was just occupying.
"What's up?" I asked, continuing to face the shelf and take my sweet time putting the files in their proper spots.
"I don't hate you." His voice cracked.
I whirled around to face him. "You were listening to my conversation with Scott?"
He cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to. I was coming to talk to you anyways and I heard you talking. I stopped and before I turned around to leave, I heard you talking about how you think I hate you. And have hated you. But I don't. And I never did."
He motioned to the seat beside him "I'm listening." I said as I reluctantly sat down.
"I was angry after your mission with Scott. I knew something happened and when you wouldn't tell me it killed me. I'm angry that you let me believe for five years that you had slept with him when you didn't." I started to protest and he held his hand up, stopping me. "I know now why you did. You're right I probably wouldn't have accepted anything else without knowing the whole story. And that was unfair of me."
I pondered what he was saying. But irritation still flooded through me. "What were you coming to tell me before you heard me say you hated me?"
His shoulders dropped a little in defeat and he shrugged. "I came to talk to you about us."
"There is no us." I spat out harshly.
"You made sure of that didn't you?" His tone was defensive. He shook his head and collected himself. "I was miserable after we broke up and I stopped hearing from you. Even without dating, we've known each other a long time and have been through a lot together. And then you just cut me off. That destroyed me. I lost people too during that mission, not just you. I needed you and you left."
"I had to. That was the second time people I cared about were killed because of me. Sam was my best friend. And I've barely talked to him since that mission. I see Scott maybe once a year. Banner was not pleased that I called yesterday because that's how awful I have been to EVERYONE. I burned a lot of bridges when I got into law school because I needed a break. I needed time to work through everything and I went about it the wrong way. I can't apologize for needing to heal myself but I don't think I can apologize enough for abandoning you." I swiped a tear that had betrayed me and fallen from my eye.
"It's not entirely your fault. I should've given you space and tried to help you get through everything. I should've been more understanding. But the point is, as hurt as I was and am, I don't hate you. I don't think I ever could."
"I'm really glad to hear that." I shifted in the seat. "I overheard you talking to Bucky about your feelings for Peggy. So why are you on my case so hard about Jake?"
Steve sighed heavily and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Peggy and I have been dating for a few months now. It took me a long time to get over you. And I'm happy with Peggy. Really happy. But then I get here and I see you and it's like all my feelings for you came back. Then you pretty much demanded I share the pull out bed with you," he smirked as I covered my face from embarrassment. "You told me the truth about Scott and Iraq. I thought maybe you still had feelings for me. But then I saw you talking to Jake. And I just got confused. I'm still confused honestly."
I dropped my hands into my lap. "I think I'll always love you. And deep down probably have feelings for you. But ... It's been five years, Steve. We don't even really know each other anymore so how can we truly have feelings for each other?"
"Maybe we get to know each other. Start over?" His voice is gruff.
"What about Peggy?" I glanced up from my hands to meet his confused gaze.
"What about Jake? Are you two dating?" He questioned.
"We've been seeing each other but we've never actually talked about what we are. But I do care for him a lot."
"And I care for Peggy a lot. But," he leaned forward in his seat, pushing my hair behind my ear and trailing his hand down until it rests under my chin. "I can't help but think this is something we have to at least consider." He breathed out as he leaned closer.
My breath hitched in my throat. Caught up in the moment, I closed my eyes and started to fill the gap between us. Suddenly, a bang on the door startled us, and we jerked apart from each other. The door opened and Clint stuck his head in.
"Oh uh did I interrupt something?" He seemed to notice the sudden tension between us.
I shook my head and stood up. "Nope. What's up?"
"It's time to go. Grab what you need and meet us in the lobby." His eyes flicked between us in hesitation before he backed out and closed the door behind him.
I rubbed my hands on my thighs nervously. "We better get going." I cross the room to retrieve my emergency bag and my gun from my desk. "Do you need to grab anything?"
Steve stood up slowly, shaking his head. "Are we going to talk about what just happened?"
"Nothing happened. And we're about to go out into an extremely dangerous area. Let's not make the same mistake we did last time by being distracted. We can talk about things later. Okay?"
He didn't seem too pleased with how I brushed off our almost kiss but he agreed anyways and stormed out of the room. Awesome. Just when things were civil between us, he had to go and get mad again. I groaned as I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder and made my way to the lobby. Clint was eyeing me as he whispered to Ace who simply shrugged and shook her head. Steve was across the room looking tense, never once looking in my direction.
"Okay so we have 11 people. We will split into three groups. Me, Tasha, Clint, and Ace will be in one group. Uhm I guess Steve, Bucky, and Brook in one. And then Scott, Charlie, Pete, and Syd in the last group. If you're okay not being with Brook, Syd." Bruce motioned to Sydney respectfully.
"As much as I don't like the idea of not being by my sister's side, I trust Steve and Bucky to keep her safe. Cause they know if anything happens to her, I will murder them." She grinned widely at Bucky who laughed and nodded.
"Okay good to go then. Sync up the walkies," he raised a walkie talkie Tasha had given him as she passed one to Steve and me. "We will stay close but not right on top of each other. A little bit of space might help us get through safer. Be aware of your surroundings. Don't get distracted. Don't touch anyone. So far they think it's passed by bodily fluids and open wounds. So wear a mask, bandage any wounds, and let's get going. We only use the walkies if there's an issue."