Project Alpha

Chapter 33- The Waterworks

"Okay, it's time to start the search," I say, walking into the common room. I need Bucky back, Steve needs Bucky back, and this place needs some hope again.

Everyone has been wallowing about anything and everything for the past couple of days, and I will admit that I was, too, but now we needed to get our shit together and do something about it. Bucky was gone, but that didn't mean that we couldn't get him back. I needed to get him back.

"We are doing what we can, Aria," Steve says, then goes back to reading whatever is in the newspaper that he's holding. I've noticed that he has been reading a lot of things from the 40s, but honestly, I don't blame him. I would read stuff that happened in the world while I was captured too if it didn't hurt so much to be reminded of everything that I missed out on.

"Well, then why are you just sitting around reading a newspaper, when you could be out searching?" I ask, knowing damn well that there is hardly any way he can respond to that.

"You know that isn't how it works, Aria," Nat chimes in. I would say that she is sitting next to Steve on the couch, but they are next to each other with like 5 feet between them.

I'm starting to realize how weird it got around here while I was gone. I have no idea what to do about any of it, though. Nat says that it's gotten better since I got back, but if this is better, then I do not want to see what it was like when they were at their worst.

"Okay, that's it," I say, unable to put up with this any longer. "What the hell is going on between you all?"

Nat and Steve take a quick glance at each other before looking back at me with their mouths open but saying nothing.

"Seriously nothing?" I ask, ready to murder both of them. They just continue to stare at me with gaping holes on their faces. I'm not proud of what I'm about to do, but it seems to be the only way to get what I want from these two.

"I just don't understand why everyone is so angry at each other," I begin, forcing the beginnings of tears into my eyes. It's beginning to work too because Steve immediately looks concerned, but Nat looks like she knows that I'm full of shit.

"I just feel like everything is my fault. You guys used to be happy together and then this all happened and now you guys can barely look at each other without scowling. And with Bucky gone," I let out a sob. Yeah... not my proudest moment.

I drop to the ground and let out another sob, just to solidify the "grief" that I'm feeling. In all honesty, I am starting to feel the sadness a little bit, but I am still choosing to pretend that I am this upset.

Steve gets up from where he is sitting to comfort me since I'm crying hysterically. Now would probably be a good time to reign it in before it gets out of control, but why stop now when I'm so close?

"It's not your fault, Aria. None of this was ever your fault," Steve says as he wraps his arms around me.

"Then, why does it feel like it is? You and Nat can barely look at each other and it was never this way before I left."

"Nat and I are fine, Aria. It's nothing we can't get past, and it is nothing that you should worry about because no matter what happens between any of us, we are still a team."

"Do you really mean that?" Nat asks from her spot on the couch. She seems skeptical to believe Steve, but also like she wants with all of her heart to believe what he said.

Steve looks up, making sure that he makes eye contact with Nat as he says, "Of course I do. As much as I might want to sometimes, I don't think that I could ever live without you guys."

And just like that, the waterworks fixed a problem, now if only I could stop them. All of this emotional talk just took over me and I think that my heart just associated the whole situation with Bucky and me. This urges me to say, "We're still missing a member of our team, though."

Steve and Nat's heads snap back to look at me, almost like they both completely forgot I was in the room, which is weird because Steve still has his arms wrapped around me.

"There's more than a few missing," Nat says. "And people aren't the only thing we are missing."

Steve seems to realize everything that the team needs to accomplish because his grip tightens around me. Nat wipes away her tears and seems to get serious about whatever it is that is also missing. Suddenly, I feel left out of whatever silent communication is going on between the two of them right now.

Sensing that some action is actually going to get done, I wipe off the tears, and ask, "Can someone please fill me in on literally anything because I don't know what the hell is going on around here anymore."

Steve laughs as he releases me from his arms. "Loki's staff went missing when we took down Hydra, but we haven't been able to find it yet," Steve explains.

"Loki as in Thor's brother?" I ask.

"Yes, but we've been searching everywhere for it."

"When we found you, we really were meant to be looking for the staff, but you just happened to be there," Nat chimes in.

"So what exactly can this staff do?" I ask.

"Once we find the team, they can tell you all about it," Steve says, leaving off in a kind of mystical way, but I honestly don't have enough energy to ask what he means by that.

The team is gathering and plans are being enacted, which is honestly more than I hoped for in the scene I pulled.