Combustion ✦ STEVE ROGERS² [✓]

28 | GOOD COP/BAD COP

IT WAS AFTER THE FIGHT, AND THE TEAM WAS IN SHAMBLES.

Vision had accidentally hit Rhodey while trying to stop Sam from escaping, leading Rhodey to crash into the ground and suffer severe injuries. Sam, Clint, Wanda, and the shrinking man had been arrested, but it seemed almost trivial now, considering what had happened to Rhodey. Tony and his team had won, yes. But what had it cost them?

Now, Kato stood in a hospital corridor next to Natasha, worry eating away at them both. Rhodey had just been sent in for a CT scan to assess the severity of his injuries. But both women could tell right away - it wasn't good.

However, Kato knew that there was more on Natasha's mind than just Rhodey. The redhead had told Kato that she'd let Steve and Bucky escape, despite the fact that the whole point of the fight at the airport was to stop them. And Kato was angry at her for it - not furious, but angry. She couldn't believe that Natasha had just... let them go. Yes, Kato understood that Steve was Natasha's friend, but that didn't excuse her actions. And even though Kato cared about Steve deeply, she had to put that aside and do the right thing. Why hadn't Natasha done the same?

After several long minutes of tense silence, Natasha turned to Kato. "Look, Kato-"

"Save it," Kato snapped bitterly, cutting her off as she refused to look at her friend.

Natasha let out a soft sigh and looked away, falling silent once more.

Several more minutes went by before Tony walked out into the corridor. He turned his head, seeing Natasha and Kato standing several paces away. His eyes met Natasha's for a brief few moments, the two not saying a single word. Then, Tony jerked his head slightly to the left, signaling for them to follow. Clearly he wanted to talk in private.

The three of them left the corridor, walking out onto a balcony overlooking a row of trees. They stood staring at the treeline, Tony on Natasha's right, and Kato on her left. It was silent for a few beats before Tony finally decided to speak.

"The doctors say he shattered L4 through S1," Tony said, gripping the bars of the railing with his hands. "Extreme laceration in the spinal cord. Probably looking at some form of paralysis."

Natasha glanced down at the ground for a moment, her arms crossed over her chest. "Steve's not gonna stop," she said thoughtfully, then looked up at Tony and added, "If you don't either, Rhodey's gonna be the best case scenario."

"You let them go, Nat," Tony replied, refusing to look at her.

"We played this wrong," Natasha told him.

Kato let out a dry, bitter, humorless laugh. "'We'?" she said. "Oh, so there's a 'we' now? Surprising, considering what you did."

"Yeah, it must be hard to shake the whole double agent thing, huh?" Tony agreed, giving Natasha an accusatory glare. "It sticks in the DNA."

Natasha raised her eyebrows in surprise before she scowled at him. "Are you incapable of letting go of your ego for one goddamn second?" she snapped. She then turned to Kato. "And you. I thought you knew me better than that."

Tony rolled his eyes, looking away again. "T'Challa told Ross what you did, so..." He glanced back at her. "They're coming for you."

"I'm not the one that needs to watch their back," Natasha retorted angrily. Facing Kato, Natasha scowled at her as well and added, "You know, I thought you of all people would understand where I'm coming from, Kato." Natasha huffed dryly. "Guess I was wrong." Then, without another word, she stormed off.

Kato and Tony watched her go, and Kato's shoulders sagged in defeat. She felt awful; she'd never lashed out at Natasha like that. And Natasha's words, "I thought you knew me better than that." It only added salt to the wound.