Torn {Bucky Barnes FanFic}

Chapter 21

I could tell this meeting was going to suck. When Bucky and I walked in, Clint, Bruce, and Natasha were seated at the table, and looked up at us wearily. A large platter of bagels sat untouched in the center, and I took one eagerly. The door opened and Wanda walked inside with Sam, both looking slightly worried. They sat down next to me.

"This is going to be wonderful," Clint muttered sarcastically. "Anytime there's food at a meeting means they've got something bad to say."

"Who's running this anyway?" Sam asked, shifting in his chair.

"Us."

We all turned towards the door, where Tony and Steve now stood. Everyone fell silent, and a blanket of tension settled over the room.

Tony cleared his throat and made his way to the head of the table. Steve shut the door and stood off to the side, his arms folded. Tony's eyes met mine for a moment, but they darted away quickly.

"Well, in light of recent events, I've decided it's time to, uh, come clean about some things," he began.

Clint knit his eyebrows together and looked over at me. I pretended I didn't see him.

"I've been in contact with the Secretary of Homeland Security about the act he proposed a while back."

"You what?!" Wanda cried. "How could you do that?!"

Everyone looked a little shocked at her outburst, and I put my hand on her shoulder softly. She looked over at me, her eyes wild, and shrank back into her seat.

"I want to make it clear that I'm just trying to buy us some time to figure things out," he continued. "Nothing will be set in stone unless we are all agreed. And I have a feeling that won't be happening for a long time."

"That won't ever happen," Steve added sharply. "We have absolutely no plan to pass this act. Ever."

"Well, that's a little closed minded, isn't it?" Tony said, leaning against the table.

Steve's face hardened and he stepped forward. "No, I don't think it is. Reid have no right to come in and order that we register with the government like criminals."

"I have to admit, I didn't expect that from Mr. Rah Rah America," he snapped. "You've always been a fan of structure. You know, like the government's little bitch?"

"Tony!" I yelled, jumping up from my chair. "Stop!"

Steve glared at Tony angrily, and I was afraid that he was about to kill my brother with his bare hands. But before they got the chance to throttle each other, I ran between them.

"Both of you need to stop acting like children," I hissed. "The one thing that'll destroy us the fastest is if we turn on each other. And God knows I am not going to let that happen."

"He started it," Tony mumbled.

Steve's jaw tightened and he tried to step forward, but I pushed him back.

"Watch yourself, Stark," he growled.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, Capsicle, you know-"

"Shut up," I cut him off. "Steve, go take a walk. Tony, go to the lab or something. You both need to calm down."

They began to protest, but I narrowed my eyes at both of them.

"Go," I repeated.

Steve glared at Tony and shook his head slightly, but quickly turned and walked out the door, heading towards the elevator. I looked at Tony expectantly; he followed suit but went to the stairs down to the lab. The room was thick with silence again. I turned around and pinched the bridge of my nose.