Baby Barton

Chapter 111 - Chloe Barton

Sam drops you both at Clint's ranch, he was going to hang around and take you back to the compound but he had done enough, and you both wanted to drive back and squeeze out every last drop of alone time before you are thrust back into Avenging.

"Wow! Great tan, look at you both.  You look great." Laura beams pulling you both into a warm hug.
Clint circles around you both, his awkward glances at Steves hand resting on the small of your back make you giggle.
He shrugs, "I don't know why you had to go away for so long. You looked uh... rested."
He still hates that you are together, even after everything you went through. Then again, he would hate whoever you were with. Super-soldier or not...because you are his baby sister.
And deep down, you know its nice to have someone in your corner no matter what.
"It was paradise, but we're back now. We wont stay long, probably split our time between here and the tower." You reach for the keys to your little apartment that Clint built above the barn, they hang next to Clint and Lauras decorated with a silver 'C' keyring.

You shower separately, the cubicle is far too small for you to share. Probably Clint's very bright idea when he installed it.
Sitting on the end of your bed towel drying your hair you watch as Steve slides on a pair of black sweatpants and a white vest, every curve of muscle visible.
God he is so fucking hot.
How the hell did you get so lucky?
You smile as he brushes his teeth in the basin, and instead of making your heart swell like these mundane days normally do, it makes it sink.
You zone out, remembering all of the problems you left here.  Sweeping them under the carpet to deal with later. It all comes crashing back, overwhelming you with anxiety.
"Chloe?" Steves muffled voice grows louder, "Chlo, are you listening?"
His face appears before you, his wide eyes searching for yours.
"What did you say?" You ask.
He shake his head furrowing his brows, "it doesn't matter.  Where did you go just now?"
He rubs his thumb across the back of your hand, but his touch isn't enough to settle your nerves. Not this time.
The all too familiar itch begins to irritate your veins.
"Talk to me." He rests his other hand on your bobbing knee.
Talk to him Chloe, don't bottle it up.
Its never done you any good before.
You take a deep breath and nod reassuring him that you are going to, in your own time.

Sitting for what felt like an hour Steve barely moved, he just watched over you.  Continuously soothing the back of your hand, just letting you be.
Letting you have this moment.
"It's weird being back here." You say.
The corner of his mouth twitches, you're not sure if he agrees or that he's just relieved that you eventually spoke.
"Don't you think?" You continue, pushing back tears.
"A little," he replies, wiping away the little stray tear that rolls down your cheek, "whats goin' on?"
You look up from his hand on yours and catch his gaze, the blue of his eyes boring into your soul.
"We never got the chance to be a couple, to do this job whilst being together.  Do you know what I mean?" You shake your head, knowing that you aren't making much sense but you're unable to put how you are feeling into a coherent sentence.
A mixture of words and feelings all fighting their to way to filter through, jumbling up in the process.

Steve leans closer into you, "you're scared something bad is going to happen."
Yes! Exactly.
"You aren't?" Steve presses his lips against the back of your hand, "be real Steve, all of this isn't terrifying to you? How are you not shitting yourself?"
He scoffs gently, "Chloe, after everything...all of what we've been through...what could be worse than that?"
"You've fucking jinxed it now..." you roll your eyes.
"Nah...if we can get through that, we can get through anything."
How is he so sure of everything all of the time?
"I don't think I'm worried about us. I'm worried about the situations we'll be thrown into." You throw your head into Steves lap, "fuck, why couldn't we have stayed away?"
Steve lifts you up supporting your head with his gentle hands, "because they need us." He brushes his lips against your forehead.
"You, maybe. Not me."
"Chloe, its always you. You are the heart of the team, maybe even more. I wish you could see that, we all see it." His voice has a hint of anger to it, clearly frustrated with the lack of faith you have in yourself.
Still self doubting.
"Sometimes I forget that we're Avengers." You gulp back the painful lump that swells in your throat.
Steve taps your chest, "you're more than that to me."
How is it he always knows what to say? It would be easy to say that he is perfect, but that would be wrong. 
Because he's not perfect, he's so perfectly flawed in all the right ways.
It's like he was built for you, to challenge and make you a better person.
And so far he's succeeded.
"Stop smiling at me like that, Rogers." You lick your lips, "my brother could walk in at any moment."

Steve smirks leaning back crossing his arms across his chest, "well...I guess we better hurry and get own place."