Hello Captain (Steve Rogers)

Temper

Steve's POV

    I sincerely hoped the doctor was able to talk some sense into Sarah, because I couldn't seem to get through to her what I felt when I watched her get injured and push herself to the limit. I wasn't sure if it was because of her youth, because she was just that stubborn, or some combination of both.

    My phone buzzed just before I walked into the gym. I pulled it out to see a text from Sarah.

    Sorry I was stupid. XO

    I smiled to myself and shook my head as the next message came through.

    I have to get scanned and get a transfusion, so u can take Nat tonight if u want.

    She was giving me an out if I was still angry with her, but I didn't want an out – I wanted her. I leaned against the wall to reply before she made plans for me instead. You aren't getting out of our date that easily, doll. Wear something nice.

    Like a dress?

    You look nice in dresses, doll. You look nice in everything.

    Even right now? I got a picture with this one of her in her blood streaked capris and sports bra, sitting on a hospital bed. I think you need to get your eyes checked.

    Even right now. I assured her, now that I knew she was going to be fine, I could breathe again. See you at 1600. I've got some work to do yet.

    K

    I tucked my phone away and walked into the gym. Everyone was still there since I hadn't been gone for more than ten minutes.

    "How's Evans?" Maria asked, turning to me as I reached her.

    "She's fine now. Somehow she got a chunk of wood in her from one of the broken staves in her shoulder."

    "That's surprising. It shouldn't have been able to get through her suit." Natasha said, having heard what I'd said.

    "She wasn't wearing the reinforced one, was she?" Maria sighed. "She would have thought that was an unfair advantage over the Strike teams and she wasn't planning on sparring with Mystique this morning either."

    "Bingo," I said. "That's exactly it. She's had some horrible luck recently."

    "Where is she now?" Clint asked. "Everyone's finally up and moving again."

    "Getting a scan and a transfusion. Doc said she's lost too much blood the past week, sent her down to Bruce for a while. The rest of the guys okay?"

    "Yeah. I'm going to have Natasha work with them for a while, so would you take Mystique up to see Fury?"

    "Sure. If you don't need me after that, I'll be in the conference room working on prep for the next mission." Maria nodded and turned back to the crew. I gestured to the shapeshifter and we headed for the door.

    "She really does care for you, you know." Mystique said as I held the door for her.

    "How do you know that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

    She morphed into Sarah right before my eyes. "I know what she thinks, how she feels. She's afraid you only want to be with her because she looks like Peggy, and she wouldn't be totally wrong now, would she Captain?"

    "It's what drew me to her initially," I conceded. "But if you know that, then you also know that isn't the only reason I like her."

    "Mhh, ah yes, better and better, the reasons you give. The best friend that so strongly resembles your former best friend, Bucky." She shifted again, this time into Bucky – the way he was before the war. My heart pounded as I stared at him, shaking my head to break eye contact with the shapeshifter.

    "Stop that, Mystique. Bucky's gone and he's not coming back."

    "You're sure about that?" A shiver ran down my spine as Jace's voice came out. I wasn't expecting that. "They defrosted you just fine after all. Who's to say he isn't a popsicle somewhere in the Alps? That river never truly thaws, you know."

    I saw red as I turned to her, slamming her into a wall with one hand on her throat. "Bucky's gone, so find another form fast, shapeshifter – or I won't be responsible for my actions."

    She morphed back into the blond woman she'd been earlier, a grin on her lips. "Temper, temper, Captain; although you might want to let me go before someone gets the wrong idea about us." Her eyes cut to the bystanders who were watching us with interest. "I certainly wouldn't mind another kiss, Steve. We were so rudely interrupted last night."

She brought her hands up to caress me and I roughly pushed away from her, unwilling to have her touching me like that. I continued striding down the hallway, neither knowing or caring if she was following me anymore.

    "I seem to have hit a nerve." She said when she caught up to me. "You're even more handsome when you're angry. Those blue eyes – mhmm- mm- mm!"

    "Leave me alone. I have a girlfriend and I'm not interested in you."

    "Liar. You're not even dating her yet."

I stopped outside Fury's office and knocked on the door, not waiting for him to tell me to enter before opening the door. He looked up at me with an amused expression on his face, which didn't help my mood any.

"Director Fury, Mystique is here to see you." I stood aside to let her enter, scowling when she chose to brush up against me as she passed. I left without another word, at the last second remembering not to slam the door, shutting it loudly instead.