Distressed // Steve Rogers

14 - When It Matters

The weight of her skull was pulling her down. Nausea rolled through her as the world moved quickly around her. Beneath the pain and the darkness she felt herself falling apart; she was afraid and exhausted. He had held her against him and taunted her. He had hurt her. Again.

Groaning, Talia pulled her hand up to her face only for someone to grab her wrist, stopping her from touching the gaping wound on her cheek. She opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. Somehow she was in the back seat of one of the team's SUVs, her head in Steve's lap as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. It took her a moment to register it was him holding her wrist and a sudden wave of embarrassment washed over her.

"What - how did -?" She took in a deep breath as her head span and she tried to sit up, dizziness overwhelming her.

"Easy Runaway..." Steve soothed, letting go of her wrist and running his hand over her arm as she put her head back down and closed her eyes. "You're okay. We're going home, just rest. Okay?"

While she lay there, her eyes closed and pain radiating from the side of her face, she focused on the gentle rhythm of Steve's breathing and the soft touch of his fingers in her hair. Peace crept towards her and she slipped into a comfortable sleep.

*

In the bathroom Talia sat with her feet in the sink and tweezers in her hand. Beside her was a small pile of bloodied cotton wool balls. She flinched against the pain of it all as she dug for the small pieces of grit and gravel in the open wound, tears stinging her eyes and the memory of his voice clinging to the air.

"Shit." Talia threw the tweezers down, having pushed too hard forcing the small grain she was aiming for further into the wound, and grabbed another cotton ball, dipping it in the bowl of warm salty water and bringing it up to her cheek. It had been a few hours since they had arrived back at the compound and Talia had locked herself away from everyone. Her heart pounded as she heard him again: telling her she was weaker, whispering into her ear as he pushed his hand into her wound, knowing he was hurting her, revelling in the fact he was hurting her. Shaking her head she picked up the tweezers again and began to aggressively pick at the torn skin once more.

*

Steve sat in silence between Sam and Bucky, staring blankly at the screen as the news recounted the fight in the street. As the masked figure swung Talia down to the floor Steve heard the crunch of gravel as clearly in his mind as he had over coms. He flinched away from the noise, screwing his face up in disgust as the camera zoomed in on him as he ran to her, dropping to his knees beside her just as Matthieu disappeared.

"Turn it off," he grunted, closing his eyes as he put his head in his hands.

Sam shut the TV off immediately and patted Steve's shoulder as he got off of the couch before heading towards the kitchen.

"Are you alright?" Bucky's voice was gruff and low.

"No." Steve sighed, moving so that he could lay back against the cushions, his eyes fixing on the ceiling. He wanted to check on her but knew she didn't want him to.

"Look Steve," Bucky waited for Steve to roll his head around to look at him before he spoke. "I know every time I say it you hate me a little more, but you're my brother, and I am just looking out for you the same way I always have Steve. Today should have shown you that there's more to her than we know. You heard him on the coms, whatever happened there isn't over and she's not exactly down here offering up any insight into that, is she?" He watched as Steve got up and walked across the room, his arms folded, shaking his head. "At least consider the fact I could be right Steve."

When Bucky left the room Steve slumped forwards, running his hands up his face and through his hair. He didn't know what to do.

"Mr Rogers?" The soothing timbre of Vision's voice broke through his thoughts and Steve felt himself standing taller immediately, impulsively, becoming Captain America once more. "You do not have to do that, you know?"