The Family Business (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 36: Everything Went Black

Entering the dining room, Cara took the empty seat between Wanda and Bucky, and Steve took the seat across from Bucky, sitting between Nat and Sam. This was the first time they had all been home in the tower in nearly 3 months, which is why Tony wanted to have a "family dinner" tonight with everyone. Cara looked around the table excitedly, looking at all the familiar faces she now called her family, as well as a couple faces she didn't recognize. When her eyes landed on Loki her smile faded.

He had been staring at her since she had walked in with Steve, a devilish grin on his face as he twisted the wine glass in his grasp back and forth. She looked down awkwardly clearing her throat before looking back up at Steve. He had noticed the drop of her smile, looking down the long table at Loki. Noticing the way he was looking at Cara his eyebrows furrowed, puffing his chest slightly. His blue eyes finding hers as if for reassurance. Not able to help it, she smiled lovingly back at him, without a doubt reassuring him entirely.

As Tony stood clinking his glass for everyone's attention, Nat motioned to Cara's necklace with her eyes giving her a subtle thumbs up and a wink. Cara placed her fingers on it gently, smiling but blushing slightly. The conversations slowly stopped and everyone turned their attention to Tony who stood with his martini glass in hand.

"I want to thank all of you for coming to their mandatory family dinner," everyone chuckled lightly except Loki, "uh a few special announcements, just so we are all on the same page. First, Thor has so graciously brought Reindeer Games back to us, so yay for all of us," more chuckles from some as Loki rolled his eyes, "second, for those of you who don't know, or couldn't attend the welcome party of the century, the smoking hot, could kill you with looks, lady down that way, is Cara Barton-"

"Oh come on man!" Clint yelled out as others laughed.

"She's Cap's new sidekick, as well as our newest addition." Tony continued.

"She's my partner not a sidekick." Steve added.

Ignoring him Tony went on.

"Cara, this is Scott Lang, his partner in crime, Hope van Dyne, aka Ant-Man and The Wasp. As well as our collective adopted teenager, unofficially of course, Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. Of course they don't live here, they're just visiting, but family all the same. Thirdly-"

"Wrap it up man, no one else likes to hear you talk nearly as much as you do." Rhodey interrupted getting some laughs as well.

"THIRDLY, I'd just like to say, whoever, keeps putting the oat milk back in the fridge empty, you're a monster." Everyone laughed looking around, Cara elbowed Bucky slightly knowing it was him, "and uh yeah, enjoy!"

They all mockingly clinked their glasses at him as he jokingly took several bows before sitting down again. Bucky leaned over to her saying something about why he put the oat milk back empty all the time just to mess with Tony, causing Cara to laugh. Steve smiled at his best friend and his girlfriend getting along so well but from down the table a few seats, Clint stared daggers at Bucky. Catching the look on Clint's face Bucky stopped laughing, talking to Cara without looking at her before he took a sip of his drink.

"You know he thinks the worst right?"

"Oh most definitely."

"And that he probably wants to kill me?"

"Yep."

"Thank you, both of you for that, I just feel so warm and fuzzy from all the love from you two."

Cara elbowed him again laughing, "oh come on, you'll be fine."

"Besides it's much appreciated." Steve added happily.

"Yeah, yeah, but don't think I'm not cashing in on that debt."

"Yeah we know." Steve said scoffing.

Servers brought appetizers out setting each plate in front of everyone, as other servers refilled drinks. The conversations never stopped even as empty plates were removed and another course was set in front of them. When a glass was empty, it was refilled within minutes and everyone was genuinely enjoying the evening. When dinner was over they all made their way to the entertaining space to enjoy more of the evening together.

Though Steve and Cara mingled separately with everyone, occasionally finding themselves paired up for some game or telling a mission story together, when they were apart they made eyes at one another discretely. This night had been loads of fun already and she was enjoying spending so much time with all of them. She introduced herself more formerly to Scott, Hope and Peter. As Peter talked her ear off about anything and everything like a spazz she couldn't help but laugh, even doing a video answering some questions for a vlog he did occasionally.

When she finally got away however, she was realizing how tired she was getting. Just as they did any night a group of them did something together, she decided to be the one to leave first this time. Saying good night to everyone, she also hugged Tony, thanking him for such a nice night and they kissed each other's cheeks briefly, something he had started at her welcome party. Which weirdly enough, Clint never seemed to be bothered by. Walking back to her room she had pep in her step, smiling to herself, feeling pretty lucky to have the life she had.

Reading a few texts from Steve as she walked, about being down soon and what exactly he planned to do to her, as well as a text from Sam that made her laugh which simply said 'y'all nasty for that' clearly having read Steve's text to her over his shoulder or something to that degree. When she walked into her room she barely got the door shut when she was grabbed.

Instinctively, she began to fight back, managing to get the arm from around her neck, she landed a few good punches and a kick before flipping backward away from the assailant toward her desk where her gun was. Before she could grab it, she was thrown onto the desk and wiped across it knocking everything to the floor. When she was yanked up she threw her head back into their face.

They grunted in pain as she heard the cracking sound of their nose. She quickly reached back, grabbing two fistfuls of their jacket and flipped herself around onto their shoulders squeezing their neck with her thighs. But they ran backwards slamming her into her shelves on the other wall, knocking one down and causing things to fall off others. Letting go she fell to the ground crying out in pain.

Just as she was about to get up and fight again she was suddenly stabbed in each side of her neck. Before she realized what had happened she felt a cool sensation running through her neck, slowly making its way down her shoulders and through her body. She also felt dizzy, sleepy, her vision becoming blurry. The two, now empty syringes were yanked out of her neck and clattered to the floor. Before she lost consciousness, she saw herself being dragged across the room, the sound muffled as a hole was cut in the window and she was picked up, held tightly as the man jumped with her to a waiting jet of some kind.

Laying on the floor of the jet, everything becoming blurrier as she slowly drifted into unconsciousness, the man, her assailant, bent down leaning over her. He had a mask over his mouth and goggles over his eyes, much like Bucky had when he was still the Winter Soldier. But looking into her eyes he put one single finger up to where his lips would be under the mask, making a shushing gesture as everything went black.