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I love you.
Now go.
It was so quick, that moment. Time was ticking but it was like we were frozen in time.
‘Ha,’ I think to myself. How ironic. Sitting here, nothing left to do except play it over and over again in my mind. “Why did I have to go and do it then? I couldn’t have waited?” I say out loud to myself, knowing no one could hear me. He must have been so distracted. I mean, it’s not every day a woman just blurts out her love for a man in the middle of a fight against your best friends. I grumble to myself bitterly, thinking about how we wouldn’t have even been in the fight in the first place if Tony had just listened to Steve about seeing the bigger picture. Now look at where we ended up. I get up off the floor and walk to the door of my cell to look at the surrounding cells. Sam, Clint, Wanda and Scott are all sitting around, probably wishing they were literally anywhere else than the Raft.
It was worth it though. Steve was worth it. The others know it to, so I highly doubt they regret the decision. We all knew the risks, and yet, we saw the bigger picture. “Why couldn’t Stark?” I say with a curled lip. “Ugh, Stark. How dare he come in here, talking about how he FINALLY believed Steve and that he didn’t know we’d be locked up!” I slam my fist against the wall beside me and let out a curse. What a damn fool. “Speaking of fools…” I sigh and slide down the wall.
His bright blue eyes, staring at me in shock. I’ll never be able to get that sight out of my head. I didn’t give him time to respond, there wasn’t any. Time was not to be wasted, Steve and Bucky had to stop the other soldiers. Do I regret telling him? No. Do I regret not letting respond? Also no, because I don’t think I could handle the rejection. All we’ve ever been is teammates… really, really close teammates, but teammates, nonetheless. “That’s not the only sight I’ll never be able to get out of my head,” I say with a smirk, thinking back on the time I walked in on him changing while we were on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D. Great times, really great times. However, this time? Not so great.
Everything was going to hell. Everyone was fighting each other. “This shouldn’t have happened.” I say, turning to look at Steve. He looked back at me, exhausted. There was a little crease between his brows, showing how deeply he’s thinking. I can hear Bucky speaking on the other side of Steve, saying how the guy in probably already in Siberia. Steve, always the man with a plan, never one for leaving his team behind, spoke up saying how he’ll take on Vision. “No, you get to the jet! Both of you! The rest of us aren’t getting out of here,” Wilson said over the comms. I looked at Steve while he hung his head. “This isn’t the real fight, Steve.”
“As much as I hate to admit it, if we’re gonna win this one, some of us might have to lose it.” Clint chimed in. “Alright, Sam, what’s the play?” Steve sighed. Moments later, everyone froze and stared up in shock as Lang got really, really, really big. Steve was the first of us to break the silence, “I guess that’s the signal.” As Bucky looked out for anyone coming towards us, I grabbed Steve’s arm right before they took off towards the hangar. “Steve, we’re running out of time, but I need you to know something” I say quietly. He turns his body towards me fully and holds his breath, like he’s knows I’m going to say something important. “In case we don’t see each other again, because we all know what the outcome is gonna be after you leave, I need you to know that I love you. I have for a long time. Now that I’ve said it out loud, it doesn’t seem like quite the right time, but it’s as good a time as any.” His eyes get all wide and he freezes. We’re just staring at each other, and it’s like time has stood still. All the action, however, is still going on and the soldiers are still a very big threat.
Okay, doesn’t seem like he’s gonna respond. Huh. Not how I thought this was going to go down. I snap back to reality when Bucky appears over Steve’s shoulder from where I’m still crouched on the ground behind the truck shielding us. He laid his hand on Steve’s shoulder, “Steve, we gotta go” he said quietly, looking at me with what seemed like sad eyes. Steve shakes his head a little, looks at Bucky and agreed. As they moved around the truck, he looked back at me one more time. I nodded my head in encouragement, even though I knew that this fight and the conversation were far from over. He disappeared from my sight and as soon as they escaped, we were captured and sent to Raft. I just hoped that they had stopped the guy in time.
“What an idiot” I mutter, hanging my head. No sooner than I say that, the lights go out in the main area. I get up off the floor and walk back towards my cell window. I stare into the darkness, waiting to see something. Anything. I hold my breath, prepared for anything. Only to release it when I see Steve walking up to my cell door. I smirk when I realize he’s here to bust us out of this joint.
It doesn’t take him long for him to get us out of our cells and away from Raft forever. Once we get away, Lang decides he’s gonna make a deal, because he’s got a kid that he needs to be there for. Clint has his family that is still hidden from the Marshals, so he heads there. Wanda and Sam decide to stay with Steve. As for me? I don’t know what I’ll do. If Steve doesn’t want me here after what appears to be my earth-shattering confession, I guess I’ll find a new alias and head out… maybe I’ll go to Budapest. Steve finishes a quiet discussion with Bucky, and they reroute the Quinjet for Wakanda. Steve looks at me over his shoulder, pats Bucky on the shoulder and turns to head towards me. He stops in front of me.
“Can we talk?” He asked, ducking his head to meet my eyes. I nod my head towards the back of the jet. “You know, what you said back there… I agree, your timing was awful” he says quietly, as to not let the others overhear. “I know, but-” I start to say, before he cuts me off. “You didn’t let me finish. Just like you didn’t let me respond, which is why your timing was so bad.” He puts his hands on my upper arms. “I’m beginning to see that timing just isn’t your strong suit. However, you were right, then was as good a time as any.” That’s when he kissed me. Fireworks, like on the fourth of July, shot off in my mind when his lips touched mine.
We only pull away when we hear cheering coming from the cockpit. We look over to see Sam pumping his fist in the air and Bucky sitting next to him smirking. I roll my eyes as Steve flushes red. “I knew this was gonna happen since Washington. It’s about damn time!” Sam says, as Bucky turns to glare at him. “You should have seen how determined he was to get back here.” Bucky says to me, eyes still on Sam. “Oh, so that’s why he went to your cell first, huh?” Sam said, jokingly upset. I chuckle and look back at Steve, “And they say chivalry is dead.” He shakes his head with a little happy smile on his face and says “Well, I couldn’t just leave my best girl in a cell. I was gonna tell you that I’d be back for you back by that truck, but then you dropped that confession on me. I just knew I had to get to you first after that. I had to let you know that I felt the same way.”
Wanda coos from her seat near the cockpit while the boys share a sly smile. Who knew Steve Rogers could be that smooth? I chuckle and shove his shoulder gently. “Yeah, yeah,” I say to the others, “get on with your lives.” I turn back to Steve and wrap my arms around his waist, feeling the rumble of his chest as he laughs. Anything could happen, whether it be when we land or even a week from now, but right in this moment, being here with Steve?
Well, I’d be fine if time did actually stop.