To The Moon And Back (Fanfic)

Chapter 17

"He lives!" Clint teased, throwing his hands up in the air as he and the others entered the hospital room to see a very battered, but breathing, Steve.

They crowded around the end of his bed, eagerly waiting to hear him talk for the first time since being shot at the prison. His lips curved upward in a sarcastic smile and forced out a small laugh, "Surprise."

His voice was raspy. His tiny breaths shook with every inhale and exhale; the faint pain that came with every breath gnawed at his lungs – causing him to cough unwillingly and wince as he swallowed. He was uncomfortable; the surrounding of his teammates made it far worse than he imagined. Though they had seen him beaten pretty badly before, this was different. It was like he could sense the pity in their stares – the way they hovered above him with sorry looks; the way they exchanged looks with one another after eyeing him up and down. He didn't like that feeling... not even from them.

But he also didn't want them to leave. It was weird. It was two completely contrasting wants. He wanted them at his side in the exact same way he didn't even want them to look at him. He wasn't sure why this was, but he didn't enjoy not being able to see things clearly. All he knew for certain was one thing.

He wanted to go home.

"That's a relief," Scott broke the silence with a nervous laugh, "Not gonna lie, I already had your funeral planned out."

Wanda, who was standing next to Scott, shot him an icy glare and dug her elbow hard into his side. He winced at the contact and folded over in pain, "It was a joke!" He moaned through his teeth.

"Funny; jokes are supposed to be funny." She pulled gently on his shoulder to straighten him up.

Steve laughed, with his voice still raspy, "It's alright, Wanda." He adjusted himself in his bed but grunted at the sudden movement. The nurse in the corner rushed over to his side to steady him as he sat up straight, exhaling as the pain went faded from his muscles.

Wanda rubbed the side of her arm and lowered her eyes. "We were worried about you."

"You took a bad hit, man." Sam emphasized.

"Did I? I almost forgot in the ten minutes I've been awake." Steve said sarcastically.

"I'll be honest, I did not think you were gonna make it." Scott laughed, receiving another threatening look from Wanda. He shielded his face with his hands "Please don't hit me!"

Bucky shook his head in agreement with Scott, "None of us did."

Steve rolled his eyes teasingly, trying to avoid the negative. "Well thanks for the positivity, you guys."

There was a short silence. Everyone in the room exchanged a look, unknowing of what to say. Wanda rocked back and forth on her heels with her lips pursed – a sign that she was uncomfortable. Then again, everyone in the room was. Clint blew an air bubble in his mouth and popped it slowly, looking nervously around the room as he waited for someone to say something. Steve sighed and lowered his eyes. So this is what it's come to. Nobody knows how to talk to nobody anymore.

Then Sam turned to the back of the room. "Natasha, you're being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal." He mocked, hoping to get a lighthearted, or at least slightly sarcastic reaction from her, as she had said the same thing to Tony the last time they were all together peacefully in a group setting.

But he got nothing. Nothing except an alarmed glance from her – a sign that he had just interrupted her thoughts – and then a slow shift of her eyes to Steve in his bed.