Take Me Home || Steve Rogers

CHAPTER TWELVE, Take me home

Claire was pacing back and forth in her room. The invitation card that were in her palms were almost crumpled.

"Miss Carstairs, are you in need of any assistance?" the AI asked out of the blue.

"No. Thank you, JARVIS. Are the Avengers back yet?"

"Your timing is impeccable, Miss Carstairs. They have just arrived and Mr Stark is asking for you."

Claire dashed to the main lounge. It was as though she flew into the room, crashing into Steve, who did not manage to catch her in time.

"Really Cap?" Claire asked as she rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry! I didn't see you there. Where were you off to?" Steve helped her on her feet.

"To see you guys! It's been days! I was worried! You decided to go radio silent! Again! Is everyone alright? Are you?"

"Slow down, Claire. We're pretty beat up but no one's seriously injured. What's that?" Steve pointed to the invitation card.

"Nothing. It can wait. I want to meet the rest. You sure you're okay? I can take you to the infirmary."

"I'm okay, really."

"Do you need to hold onto something?" She held out her hand.

Steve gladly took her petite hand and they started walking to the rest of them after a while. Steve was limping but decided not to say anything. Instead he appreciates the closeness between him and Claire; wishing that they could go back to how they were before all of this.

Everyone was sprawled either onto the couch or on the floor. Their faces were covered in dried blood but none bothered to do anything about it. They were still in their uniforms too.

"That bad, huh?" Claire commented.

"Sort of."

"Hey guys," Claire called out. "You guys look..." she tried to find the right word but couldn't find any.

"Don't worry, kid. It takes more than Hydra to take us down," Tony said.

"I'm glad then. Which means you guys can come to my graduation," she mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing important," Claire waved her hand over. That was when she saw the Asgardian. "Thor?"

"My Lady Claire! It is good to finally see you after hearing so much from the captain. He speaks highly of you."

Steve scratched the back of his neck, obviously embarrassed by the disclosure. Thor came forward and hugged Claire tightly, almost lifting her off the ground.

"I'm sorry to hear what has happened to you," he whispered so that only Claire can hear.

"Thank you," she replied, fighting back the tears.

Natasha snuck behind Claire and snatch the invitation card right off Claire's hand. Her eyes scanned the card before Claire took it back.

"You're graduating? And you didn't tell us?"

"I was going to but you guys seemed ... you know...hammered. So I thought maybe I could tell you guys later tonight or tomorrow."

"Nonsense! This is important! You're getting a PhD!" Bruce said proudly.

"Alright, alright. I'm graduating in four days. And my friends are bringing their parents. But I don't exactly have them around anymore. So what I'm saying is I would like to invite all of you, including you, Thor, to my graduation because you guys are the closest thing I have to a family."