Something More [The Avengers: 1]

Memories [8]

I watched the news as I stood beside Tony. His wound, of course, had reopened again and was gushing with blood. When we got on the Quinjet that took us back to the Helicarrier, I told Romanoff to request a medical team, despite Tony's protests. Multiple screens were up and reporting on what just happened in New York. A team of doctors worked on his arm, stitching it up and putting medicine on the wound. They poked around a lot more than I had, and I felt him flinch and grab my arm. I glanced down at him, but he kept his eyes on the multiple screens around us. I turned my attention back to the screens.

I watched as people expressed their gratitude towards us and as people doubted us. One couple looked nervous, and expressed their discomfort with us. I shifted on my feet, and felt Tony squeeze my arm. I smiled and looked down at him, finding him looking up at me with a smile of his own.

"These so called 'heroes' have to be held responsible to the destruction done to the city," a politician spoke firmly, gaining my attention. "This was their fight. Where are they now?" I sighed and let my head drop a little. I put a hand over Tony's hand, giving it a light squeeze before walking out of the room.

I needed to think, and I couldn't do that with multiple news casts on in the same room. I walked around the floor for a little bit before finding a secluded hallway. I walked towards a door and opened it, realizing I was standing in Tony's private lab. I softly closed the door and walked towards a bench, sitting down on it. I put my head in my hands, resting my elbows on my knees. I took in a shaky breath, staring at the tools that littered the floor. I closed my eyes and let the breath out.

Behind my eyelids, I watched as Tony fell from the portal again. I watched as that situation could have gone so much worse. I watched as Tony lay motionless in front of me, still motionless as the Hulk roared in anger. I watched as Tony fell, not slowing, and no one caught him. I watched as Tony didn't emerge from the portal at all, and instead became lost in space, his body obliterated by the explosion. I watched as Tony didn't carry the missile into the portal, and it carried out its mission and blew up the Manhattan island.

"Cap'?" Tony called. I looked up, then realized that my earpiece was still in. "Where'd you run off to?"

I sighed, a sigh of relief. I'm glad he came out of the portal okay. Well, as okay as he could be after that. I hesitantly stood, taking in a deep breath to ground myself. "I just needed a minute to think."

"I hope that minute is up. Fury needs us for debriefing."

I nodded, then realized Tony couldn't see me. A big teardrop fell from the tip of my nose, and I was suddenly grateful that Tony couldn't see me. I wiped my face. "I'll be there." I took one last glance around the room, my eyes fixing on Tony's busted up armor for a moment longer than I needed to, before setting off towards the bridge. I sat down at the table in the last open seat between Tony and Thor. This debrief felt important, and it certainly was -- we just saved New York from an alien invasion, this was unprecedented -- but I couldn't focus on the words spilling from Fury's mouth. My eyes remained on the table, sometimes glancing up at Tony, sometimes glancing at Fury. Tony fidgeted next to me, and my eyes focused on him as he played with his bandages, not really paying attention. He must have felt my eyes on him, because he glanced up, catching my gaze. Heat climbed to my cheeks and I turned away, placing a hand on my cheek to hide it. He nudged his knee against mine, and I glanced towards him, taking note of a piece of paper between us that wasn't there before.