Just For Tonight || A Steve Rogers Story

You're Not Alone

You land a little later on the roof of the hospital. "Remember what I said Nor'-I'm your strength. I love you Twinkle toes." He squeezes your hand and you smile "Love you too babe, more than anything." It seems to take the elevator hours to get to the ground floor, you rock back and forth on your heels, you can't let yourself feel what your body wants you to. You can't let yourself think that she might die, and she might. As you step through the doors Natasha launches herself at you. Her whole body shakes and you feel your own resolve crumble piece by piece. "Any news 'Tasha?" you try and keep your voice steady. "No, they won't tell me anything. "she stutters out. You close your eyes and slowly take a deep quivering breath. "What names she under?" You know your baby sister, she won't have used her own. "Cara Bradley." you smile, of course she used Bradley, that was your go to when things went south, it was so common nobody ever gave it a second glance it's why you'd stuck to it for so long. It was who you were, you were Nora Bradley.

"Perfect, be right back, Steve look after her please." winking at him nervously you head towards the reception. "Hello, can you help please I'm looking for my baby sister please she's been shot." "As I told your wailing friend I won't tell you anything without proof, this is an active police matter." she smugly replied. Your blood boils. Slapping your ID on the counter in front of her "Does that suffice?" you snap. "Suppose it is going to have to do, I'll just let the authorities know you're here then shall I?" "I suppose you shall." you sarcastically reply sneering at her as you turn away. "Why are they making it so fucking difficult? 'Lena is the one that's been fucking shot, she's not the god-damn shooter!" you slump yourself onto Steves lap, needing to be close to him but also needing to take Nat's hand. He instantly wraps his arms around you and lightly rubs his thumb over the knuckles of your free hand. "Tasha she's going to be okay, it's Lena she's a bloody indestructable machine you know that as well as I do." "But what if she's not, what if we've lost her because YOU couldn't leave well enough alone!?" The venom laced in those words was like a knife to your chest. You drop her hand, stunned. "Miss Bradley you may see your sister, only one visitor at a time, we dont want to over stimulate her." The portly nurse gives you a warm smile. You instantly leap to your feet and sprint through the double doors not giving Natasha a chance to wound you further.

***

Steve waits until the doors close behind Nora before rounding on Nat. "what in the hell was that!?" Not giving her a chance to respond he continues. "Yelena chose to follow whatever leads she did, who even says that this is a result of what she was searching for. You've said it yourself Yelena hasn't exactly been straight laced since she got out has she!? She chose to help Nora, chose to help your sister, just in case you forgot she's YOUR SISTER TOO!" He glares at her waiting to see what her response was going to be. "I... I didn't mean it like that. I'm just scared." Steve shakes his head, he knows what she means but that doesn't excuse the way she spoke to Nora, nor does it justify the words she used. "Did you stop for even a second to think that she is too? That she's blaming herself too?" Tears stream down her face. "I... I didn't mean it. I love my sisters." "Nora worships the ground you walk on Nat, you're just treated her like an enemy, like she's as worthless as she believes she is sometimes. I can't look at you right now." He gets up and heads towards the doors Nora disappeared through, he needs to know she's okay.

***

You close your eyes, too scared to look at her. When you finally feel brave enough you let out a strangled sob, she has wires and tubes coming from all different angles. "Oh Lena Loo what happened?" you gently stroke the rogue strands of blonde from her face. Her eyes flutter open and she starts to fight to get up. "Yelena it's okay, you're safe. ty ne odna sestra." "You're not alone either twinkle toes" turning round you see him standing just inside the door "Babe can you get someone please, she's waking up" you give him a tear streaked smile and he disappears from the room. Yelena mutters nonsense in Russian. "Lena I don't have a clue what you're saying. Rest, whatever it is can wait." Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder you feel her lean into you. "Can I ask you to wait outside Miss Bradley" The Doctor nods towards the door, emphasising the lack of a request. You begrudgingly, obey, stepping in to the corridor and straight into Steves waiting chest. His arms wrapping round you, shielding you from the world. What had you done to deserve this man?

"Where's 'Tasha?"you glance around and can't see the fiery red head. "Still in the waiting room. You know she didn't mean it don't you? She was lashing out." He gently rubs his hands up and down your back soothing you in the same way he would comfort a child. "Was she though? And let's be honest Steve, she was right. I have my family. I have you, Tony, Buck and my sisters. I don't need someone who threw me away like I was trash. I never should have asked Lena to do this. I never should have put her at risk." you break down in his arms. Overwhelmed not only by Nats words but by how fragile Yelena had seemed. "Sssh my angel I'm here. It's all going to be okay I promise." he buries his nose in your hair kissing the top of your head. You fall into him, consuming yourself in his comfort, your hands like vice grips on the back of his shirt. You feel like you are clinging onto him for dear life. The truth is, you are. The walls are closing in and it's getting harder to see the light... But you made a promise didn't you?

"Miss Bradley you may come back in. we have had to place her under sedation as she was getting very stressed and agitated. We should be able to bring her around again soon. For now she needs rest." "No problem, thanks Doc. Can we bring their other sister on through?"Steve speaks for you, both arms still firmly locked around your quivering body. "I'm going out to get some air Steve, I'll be back in a couple." You need to get out of these stone walls. Away from the sickening 'too clean' smell. "I'll come with you." "No, stay with Tasha. I promise I'll be fine and back soon" you reach up, gently cupping his cheek in your palm, relishing in the feeling of him leaning into it, placing a soft kiss dead in the centre. "Okay, but don't be long and call if you need me Nora." You smile in response, stepping on tiptoes to slowly kiss him your hand moving from his cheek to the back of his head and pushing his head closer to you.

You step out into the muggy evening air, glancing over your shoulder to make sure neither of them have followed you. Snapping open the Archaic flip cell phone you had slipped out of Yelenas bag. Scrolling through messages and finding one with substance.

Have the information you demanded... Corner of 29th-9 pm.

You look at the time, it was 8pm. The Subway would get you there in about forty five minutes. You chew at your lip contemplating going back in for Steve but decide against it. You weren't willing to put him at risk too. If you didn't make it back so be it at least he'd be safe. As you turn to head to the station you walk squarely into someones chest. "sorry" you stutter out. "Oh Nora it's you, I was coming down to check on you all." "Hey Barney, I'm actually just leaving... Pretend you haven't seen me." You pat his back and attempt to walk past. "Oh no you don't Miss, what's going on?" "I'm following a lead that Yelena had on my parents, I want to find out who the hell tried to kill my sister." He smiles concernedly at you. "You're not going alone, come on I'll get us a cab, it'll give me a chance to talk to you." You tilt your head in confusion. "We talk all the time dinosaur... or are you forgetting things in your old age?" you try to keep your voice jovial but unfortunately your face reads a different story. Opening the door of the car he's just hailed.

He shakes his head, hair ruffling across his brow causing him to run his hands through it. "Barney what's wrong? You know you can talk to me." "It's not that I'm forgetting Nora, it's that I'm remembering; that's the problem." He looks at you, a strangely lost look washes over his chiselled features. "I'm remembering being in the Red Room in the Eighties, I'm remembering being awake for periods of time; of being me, not the Winter Soldier. I remember a friend I had, how beautiful she was. How somethings happened that changed everything." Tears pool in the corners of his eyes, "Bucky what happened?"you set your palm on his forearm. "I... I think she was pregnant." he pauses for a second, the next words a deathly whisper "With you."