Loving The Captain

Chapter 25

A/N There is a movie reference in this chapter. Can anyone find it? Also I do not claim any kind of ownership of the reference or the movie it came from. Remember to comment and vote, thanks everyone!

Cora wiped angrily at her eyes, the bitter wind biting into her bare arms and reminding her that she had left both her coat and purse back at their-no. Not their apartment. Steve's apartment.

She pulled at the bracelet that Steve had given her for Christmas. Steve had told her that there was a tracking device inside one of the locket charms. "Just in case something ever happens." Popping open the charm, she dug the computer chip out, dropped it on the ground and stomped as hard as she could. Satisfied Steve couldn't track her with it, she kept walking.

Reaching into her pocket, she saw that she had eight dollars, a paperclip and some pocket lint. Tossing all except the money into a nearby trash bin, she took the money and stepped into a café.

Before taking a seat, she made a beeline for the lady's room. Going to the sink, she splashed cold water on her face, grateful that she had forgone make up that morning.

"What is it? Men or money?"

Cora looked up from the sink as a woman stepped up to the one next to her.

"Whenever I cry, it's either men, or money." The woman ran a brush quickly through her short brown curls, fluffing them out around her head.

"A man." Cora sniffed, grabbing a paper towel and dabbing at her face.

"What did he do? Leave?"

"Not exactly."

The woman pulled a tube of mascara out of her purse and began to apply it to her lashes. "He didn't come back did he? That's even worse." Putting the mascara away, she pulled out a lip gloss and applied it. "Some lose gets a crush on you. Can tie him to a piano and toss him in the river and he'd come back faster than a dog with a bone." Putting away her make up, the woman smiled at her reflection. "Why I bother to look so good when there's no one to admire the end product is beyond me."

Cora laughed despite herself. "Can't argue with that." Throwing away the paper towel, Cora turned to the woman and said "You want some coffee? I need a coffee."

***Steve's POV***

Steve fought the urge to run after her, telling himself that that it was for the best. He didn't need her around to mother hen him. He'd lived with these problems before and he would do it again. Steve would figure out a way to make it up to Cora once all of this was sorted out. If it got sorted out.

Opening the door to the lab, Steve saw Tony and Bruce staring at it. When he stepped in, Bruce's face flushed and he dropped his head, muttering something about getting back to work. Tony spoke up first.

"No Bruce. Fuck that. Did I just hear you say what I think I did?"

Steve gave an exasperated sigh. "Stark. I'm not in the mood." He set the container of vials filled with his blood on the metal work table.

"No. You don't get to come into our lab, and act like you're higher and mightier than the rest of us. Did you really just tell Cora that you don't need her? Did you really just send her home? As in, Ohio?"

Steve crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course not. I just told her to go back to the apartment. I'm sure she's there now, probably getting lunch ready or something."

"You are unbelievable!" Tony took a step forward, glaring down at the shorter man. "That's not what I heard you say. You told her you didn't need her anymore. To go home. And that sure as hell sounded a lot like a break up. And I don't care what you're going through health wise, your self-righteous, America ass needs to realize that you just told the best thing that has ever happened to you, that you didn't want to be with her!" Tonys face bright red and his voice rose in volume.