Deceitfully Devoted

Chapter 11

The next hour consisted of Steve badgering me to tell him what Sam and I had been talking about. He kept finding ways to bring it up in conversation, refusing to let it go until one of us told him. Every time Steve brought it up again, Sam would start laughing and then flash a sympathetic look in my direction.

I continued to deflect, knowing that would only last so long. I needed an excuse to cover for what had actually happened.

"Eventually you'll have to tell me," Steve huffed from the backseat of the car.

I glanced in the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of him sulking as he crossed his arms and looked out the window.

"Are you going to complain the whole ride there?" I asked, sounding annoyed.

"Man, you really won't let this go," Sam laughed. He looked over at me from the front seat, giving me a knowing look.

"I just don't like that you two are keeping something from me," Steve mumbled.

"I'm not keeping anything from you," Sam insisted, raising his hands up in defense. "I'm just not getting in the middle of it."

"By not saying anything, you are getting in the middle of it, Sam," Steve exhaled.

"Okay, that's not fair," I exclaimed, turning to look over my shoulder at Steve. "How many times have you kept things from me over the years?"

"That's different-" Steve began.

"No, it's not," I interrupted, shaking my head. "You, Clint, Nat, Fury, the list goes on and on. You've all kept information from me in the past. And usually for good reason."

"In all of those cases, it was about a mission," Steve argued, raising his voice slightly. "And in the end, you found out. One way or another."

"Not everything is about a mission, Steve," I fumed, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Why wouldn't he just let this go?

"Then what? Is it something personal?" Steve questioned, leaning forward in his seat. "We don't keep secrets from each other, Taylor."

"Maybe you don't keep secrets from me, Captain Honesty, but I have definitely kept things from you," I grumbled. "Especially when it's something that I know will upset you."

"So this thing you two aren't telling me," Steve prodded, "you're worried about hurting my feelings?"

I let out a loud sigh, shaking my head as I pulled the car over. I moved the gear shift to park, closing my eyes for a brief moment before opening the door. My mind was racing with what to tell Steve to get him to drop this. The last thing I wanted was more questioning about my time spent with the god of mischief.

Sam got out of the car and quietly followed behind me as I led the way to where our meeting would take place.

I spotted the large bouquet of white roses and quickly began heading in that direction. I paused when I heard the car door slam loudly as Steve exited the car. My pace slowed down as I neared the headstone.

"You know, sometimes I feel like I can't trust you," Steve exhaled quietly as he approached from behind.

"Maybe you shouldn't," I whispered as I looked down to read the name inscribed on the stone.

Col. Nicholas J. Fury.

"What is it you're not telling me?" Steve asked quietly. I felt his fingertips brush against my arm.

I contemplated what would happen if I came clean and told him what went down after I left his hospital room. I knew he would be concerned for my safety, and pissed that Loki had somehow snuck back on Earth, undetected. I didn't want Steve's opinion of me to change. I didn't want things between us to suddenly be different. But he was right. We don't keep secrets from each other.