Damaged Goods

Part 16

I take a deep breath before looking back up to where Bucky left. Shit.

I run out of the training room at full speed.

"Steve! Steve, come back here!" I yell to him as he stops storming away from me and abruptly stops, turning around.

"What Vanessa?! Do you want to talk?! Sure, let's talk about the fact that you and my best friend were a thing, and still are! Let's talk about how you two were ready to start a family! Let's talk about the fact that you slept with him LAST NIGHT!" Steve yells. I freeze in my spot. I have never seen him this angry. "Or we can talk about how we kissed once and you ran away! Oh, or we can talk about how the reason you have your memory back is that we kissed! That has to mean something right?!" Steve continues on his rant and I let him, I deserve this. "But it clearly meant nothing to you. So I guess we have nothing to talk about. Thank you for the answers." Steve sneers at me, turning away. Oh hell no, it's my turn now.

"It did mean something," I answer firmly, grabbing his wrist, twisting him back to face me. "It meant something to me, Steve."

"Then how come you slept with Bucky last night, and I just saw you both kiss?" he asks, accusingly. I sigh.

"The truth is well...I honestly don't have a good excuse for last night, other than I was just happy to see him again and it brought back old feelings. I felt weak and I just wanted to feel ok again, I wanted to feel safe. And Bucky provided that, he was there. I'm sorry Steve I was not thinking, I just didn't want to be alone." Steve's expression softens. "As for the kiss, I had just finished telling him I need time to sort stuff out. He was understanding and gave me a goodbye kiss. That was all." I finished.

"Is that what you need, time?" Steve asks, calmer now. I nod my head.

"Yes. I don't know why but I feel obligated to explain myself to you. I feel so guilty and stupid and I just don't want to lose you." I admit. Steve reaches up to my face and wipes away a tear I didn't even know was there. His eyes, soft and understanding. He gently wraps his arms around my waist and I tightly wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him into a much-needed hug.

We stay like that until I have gathered myself enough to pull back. As soon as I do I hear alarms all around the compound blare, indicating a breach. I look at Steve, waiting for instructions. He immediately gets on coms.

*On coms*

Steve-Tony, what's going on.

Tony-A breach at the north entrance, all hands on deck.

*Off coms*

Steve motions for me to follow him and I do. We run side by side until we reach the north entrance. The fence has been blown open and I watch as HYDRA agents come barreling towards us. Tony lands and begins to fight, along with Wanda, Nat, Steve, Vision, Bucky, and I.

"Split up! I want Nat with me and Vanessa, taking the middle. Vision and Wanda will take on the left. And Steve and Bucky handle the right. Stick together!" Tony orders. We all nod and go to our assigned posts.

I defend the middle where the majority of the agents are emerging from, fighting alongside Nat and Tony. I scan the crowd for any people I recognize, finding a few faces and making sure to take them out.

I turn around for a second to check on my team and feel a searing pain through my side and scream in agony. I turn around to confront the source and find a HYDRA agent holding a gun aimed at me. I immediately wave my hand, disarming him and sending the gun flying into a tree where it breaks in two. The agent lunges at me and I take a knife from my holster and slash his throat. He pauses and falls to the ground where I leave him to bleed out.

"Are we almost done?!" I scream to the team. I reach down to my side and notice the blood left on my hand, I look down and see the bullet wound. I grunt and try to avoid the pain in my side, pushing the thoughts to the back of my head.

"Almost done kid, I'm just taking out a few last people!" Tony yells back. I watch as he flies over my head, blasting three HYDRA agents and landing next to me.

*On coms*

Wanda-We are done here on the left.

Tony-Middle is clear.

Bucky-Right is almost clear we'll meet you guys inside.

*Off coms*

I let out a sigh of relief and allow myself to remember the pain as it surges on my side. Tony, Natasha, Wanda, Vision, and I gather on the lawn.

"Good job guys..." I trail off, feeling faint. I sway on my feet and hear a few voices before I collapse, feeling someone catch me just before I hit the ground.

"Kid! Kid, stay awake!" Tony demands. Like I have control over that. I feel my consciousness start to fade.

"I-I'm okay..." I barely manage to say before slipping away into darkness.

*****

*Author's Note*-I know this book is taking me longer to upload and this chapter was slightly shorter, but I wanted to get a new part out, so here it is. I hope you enjoyed it! Please vote for more! I love reading the comments too. Thank you for all the reads, votes, and support! Love You 3000!