The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 61

The phone started ringing as she was working on the homework she had not done the night before. Absently looking down at it, she frowned when she saw Steve was calling. He had gone to the tower for the day, with the intent on catching up on his own paperwork, most of which had built up over the holidays, when he had been noticeably absent. He had voiced his surprise at how, even when the Avengers weren't active, paperwork seemed to pile up.

Answering it, she tucked it between her ear and shoulder, as she returned to trying to figure out the proper order of operations on the math problem. "Hey, Baby."

"Brooklyn, Bruce was hoping he would be able to come over today, after Juliana gets off school. He would really like to get the samples, if possible." Steve began, sighing. "I know I said I wouldn't push... but we really need to be realistic about this. We need to know what's going on in your body, and Juliana's. If only to make sure the files are correct. I promise, it won't be invasive."

She froze, staring at the number she was in the middle of writing out. "Steve... I just..." she took a deep breath, and tried again. "I'm concerned about the samples being available to everyone."
"It won't be. I promise. Bruce has set up a personal server, that is not connected to any of Stark's systems. It's not connected to the internet. It's password protected. It's not perfect, but its the best he can do, and Bruce is pretty damn smart." Steve assured. "He's going to do everything he can, to keep this as under wraps as possible."
Setting down the pencil, she took the phone in her hand, resting her forehead on her other hand, and her elbow on the table. "Steve, it's not just all that. Its... it's willing submitting myself to testing, again. I thought I had left all of that behind, back in April. This... I know why you and Banner need me to do this. But at the same time... can't I just be scared of it all?"

He soothed her, his voice calm. "I know. But that's one of the reasons Bruce wants to do it there. Because maybe by taking the action out of the lab, and into a safe space, you won't be as... anxious about it? I guess that's the word I want to use."

"That's a pretty good word to describe it." She sighed, rubbing her forehead. She realized this wasn't going away. They had broached the subject to her, back in November, and it had been over a month since then. Realistically, that was more time than she had ever been given, in her life, in regards to a choice. If she was ever offered one. And Steve was right. The fact that it was happening in her own home might be slightly more comforting than going to the Tower and being in the labs there. Or even in Dr. Gibson's office. Maybe it would make it easier. "Fine. Fine. Just... Fine."

He was silent, but she could hear his long drawn out breath. "I'm sorry."
"No." She snapped. "Don't. It is what it is. Now, if you don't mind, I need to finish my fucking math homework, so that MAYBE I can pass my fucking test to get my GED, and maybe somehow get a degree that will help me contribute to fucking society."
She hung up on him, setting the phone down with a little more force than was probably needed. Groaning, she rubbed her face roughly, before picking up the pencil again.

It was a few hours later when she heard the key in the door. Looking up from her language worksheet, having finished the math homework, she frowned at Steve as he came in. She realized how she must look. She hadn't really put much effort into her appearance. She was currently wearing a pair of boxers, with knee high socks, and a tank top under a sweater. She wasn't even wearing a bra. God knew even her hair was a mess. Between constantly tugging at it while doing her homework, and not combing it this morning, the ratty ponytail was half falling down. Steve had wanted to go as early as possible to the Tower, but he had still waited until he could take Juliana to school, simply because she had been eager to jump on her homework, before class the next day.

As it was, she wasn't sure she had eaten anything more substantial than the bowl of cereal while Steve and Juliana got ready to go. She had been drinking coffee and water all day, so focused on getting the homework correct, that tearing herself away for anything more seemed like too much of a distraction.