Take Me Home || Steve Rogers

CHAPTER SEVEN, God, please help me

Four days.

That was how long Claire was unconscious. They brought her to S.H.I.E.L.D HQ and Bruce began creating the antidote. Steve never left Claire's side, even when the doctors were bustling around Claire. The rest of the team waited outside for news of Claire recovery.

Claire woke up late at night. She thought she was alone and that Steve coming to rescue her was just another mind trick.

"I knew it couldn't be true," she cried, covering her eyes as she sobbed.

"Claire? Hey honey, you're okay, you're okay. It's over. You're safe." She heard someone said it over and over again.

When she finally opened her eyes again, it turned out to be Tony.

"Are you real?" she whispered.

"I don't know, you tell me," he said, taking a sit next to Claire on the bed.

She stretched out her hand and touched Tony's arm. Flesh, she felt. This was not an illusion.

"You're real, you're real," she kept repeating.

"Of course I'm real. Wouldn't be here if I wasn't. How are you feeling?"

"Disoriented. I cannot tell if something is real or not."

"It'll take some time. Bruce found the antidote and it seems to be working. You're not screaming in your sleep like the past two days and you talked more now."

"You mean, I was awake a couple days ago and did not speak?"

"That is exactly what I mean. But come on, you need to sleep." Tony pushed her back slightly but she refused.

"I think I've slept too long. Where's Steve?"

Tony shifted his gaze over to the machines in the room. It was obvious something happen to Steve. Either that or Steve was avoiding her.

"He blames himself, doesn't he?"

"Look, you've been through alot and this can wait till morning."

Claire ignored Tony's remarks and yanked her IV drip, panicking Tony who scrambled to put it back in place.

"Do you even know how to put it back? Seriously Tony, tell me where Steve is or I'll just find him on my own."

"You do realise I'm your boss right?"

"No, Pepper is my boss."

"Right. Come on then," Tony offered his arm.

Tony brought Claire to the conference room where Steve and Sam were. She received looks of sympathy as she walked down the corridor. Along the way, they bumped into Natasha who embraced Claire tightly.

They reached the conference room and found the door to be slightly ajar. Claire was about to enter when she heard Steve talking. She had pulled back Tony to her side, eavesdropping on the conversation.

"She's in there because of me, Sam. Hydra couldn't get me, so they used her. She's not safe around me."

Claire could feel her heart breaking to millions of pieces. Tony held her close as silent tears formed.

"Claire is safest with us! With you! She needs you, man. Especially now. Don't let her down, Steve," Sam warned him.

"I can't. I cannot be with her if it means Claire getting hurt. I need to keep her safe."

Claire had enough of it. She pushed the door open, stepping into the room, startling the two gentlemen.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Claire asked.

Sam and Tony made their exit as quickly as possible.

"Claire, I don't mean for you to find-"

"To find out this way? Too late, Rogers. Or should I say, Captain," she said spitefully.

"I just want you to be safe. That's all. Us being together makes you a target."

"Leave."

"Claire, I-"

"I said leave!"

Claire broke down and did not care for who was watching her on the other side of the glass window. Clint and Natasha came in minutes later after an agent called them and told Clint the situation.

"I'm gonna kill him," Clint declared.

"Well get in line because I'm gonna kill him first," Natasha intervened.

"Nobody's killing anyone. If that is what he wants, then fine. I'm just so tired, I can't think right now," Claire cried.

"Alright, let's get you to bed." Clint carried her as Claire buried her face into her friend's chest.

That night, no sleep came to her. Not even the drowsy medicine that Bruce gave her could make her sleep. Her eyes were opened wide, staring at the ceiling. In her mind, she kept replaying the moments she shared with Steve. Those were the only thing that kept her mind sane while being held hostage.

And even those cannot save her relationship.

"God, please help me."