Don't f*ck this up - BlackHill

TWENTY TWO (the end)

When Maria came back to consciousness, she wasn't in the forest anymore. She heard someone walking next to her. "Seems like you're up," A familiar voice spoke, with a dull tone. Maria slowly opened her eyes and tried to sit up but couldn't. It hurt too much. She saw Bruce next to her.

"Try not to move too much, you lost a lot of blood but otherwise you're okay. The bullet didn't break any organs, so you're lucky" He kept speaking but still retained the dull tone in his voice.

After a few moments Maria had gathered her thoughts somehow and realized that she was laying on a table in the Quinjet. Her suit was undressed to her waist, so her chest was on full display with only her bra on.

Bruce seemed uncomfortable, he was sat on another table in the ship. Maria caught him glaring at her, from her neck to her collarbone and to her stomach. Shit, the hickeys. Maria remembered last night vividly - Natasha kissing, or more like sucking dark marks along her torso all the way down.

"Thank you," Maria said, feeling a little uncomfortable. Bruce turned his head to face Maria again. "Thank you for stitching the wound and well... keeping me alive" She smiled sheepishly and sat up.

Bruce just nodded and turned his gaze to the walls again. He felt uncomfortable about the situation. There were so many things he wanted to ask or say. "Umm...I just-" Bruce coughed to make his voice steadier. "I, I just wanted to ask..." He continued and turned his gaze closer to Maria but didn't look at her.

Maria knew what Bruce was about to ask. The situation was getting more and more uncomfortable every silent second. "Uhmm..." Maria hummed, trying to get Bruce talking. "Are you and Natasha now...?" He asked, his voice fading quieter every word. Maria didn't know what to answer, she wasn't sure how things were. "What do you mean exactly?" Maria didn't mean to annoy Bruce but she needed to know how he felt about all of it.

"Are you two... dating or just sleeping together?" Bruce questioned awkwardly. Maria looked at Bruce and sighed. "What do you mean...Why do you think that?" She answered, with a slight frustration in her voice. "I was just, 'cause you know..." Bruce said and mentioned his hand towards Maria's bruised chest and lower stomach.

Maria took a deep breath. "You really want to know the truth?" She asked, trying to calm herself down. This wasn't the conversation she wanted to be having after being shot or the person she wanted to talk to.

Bruce nodded.

"I love her," Maria said and turned her gaze away from Bruce. She didn't want him to see how vulnerable she was. Bruce turned away and took a few steps towards the door, he chuckled. "Is that funny to you and where is Tasha anyway?" Maria questioned and looked confused.

"Tasha? Oh god...you got pet names for each other now too" Bruce sounded bitter. "And I just think it's ironic...that's all" He continued, remaining the bitter tone in his voice. Maria looked at him blown away. This was a side of Bruce she had never seen before. "Oh...So where is she?" She asked, trying to remain polite. Bruce shrugged.

"They're keeping her hostage" He said matter-of-factly. Maria's heart sank to her chest. This isn't really happening... "Why the fuck didn't you tell me that in the first place?" Maria raised her voice, trying to get Bruce's attention. He turned around and looked at her with a stoic expression.

"I guess you don't care about her as much to ask... or notice she isn't here" He said with a provoked tone. Maria looked at Bruce, she couldn't believe what he had just said. "Excuse me?" Maria said blown away, she wasn't sure if all of it was actually happening. "What the fuck, don't tell me who I care about and who I don't!" She continued but couldn't focus all her energy on the argument because most of it went to just keeping herself together.