Into the War || A Captain America Love Story

31

STEVE

As soon as I get the call from Natasha, I'm rushing back to the quinjet. My heartbeat quickens once I'm told that it's because Tori hurt herself. By the time I enter the quinjet, Natasha and Sam have just arrived, Tori still in Sam's arms. I drop my shield and swiftly take her from him, setting her in a chair. Her cool skin causes goosebumps to rise on my own.

She bolts awake, squinting her eyes shut from whatever pain she's given herself. I order for the two to get me any blankets or anything to warm her. I wrap her up as she shivers and winces as I put a beanie over her head. She points to a pair of gloves that sit on the seat next to her. I quickly put them on her trembling hands, watching her cool breaths coming from her mouth. That's definitely not normal in a seventy degree room.

A few blankets and scarves later, Tori stops shivering in her cocoon of warm and soft objects.

"I'm good," she insists, still slightly shivering. "I'm okay."

"You clearly weren't a few minutes ago," I growl. I whip my head to face the two that stand behind me. "What the hell happened?"

"Stopped a grenade from exploding and killed the man who was going to drop it," Natasha says, gently enveloping her with another blanket. "She saved a lot of people, but she almost killed herself."

I pinch the bridge of my nose, shaking my head at my fiancée. "You have to be careful. And how exactly did you manage to make your body heat plummet?"

As Tori starts to remove the layers that we piled on top of her, she opens her mouth to speak, but she's stopped by a cry that escapes through her parted lips. She doubles over, holding her stomach in pain. I quickly rush to her side, sliding onto the floor in front of her and whispering comforting words to her. I set my hand on her knee and try to get her to focus on something other than pain. A tear falls from the tip of her nose, making me feel a pang of guilt.

"It's gonna be okay," I tell her, watching Sam and Natasha throw the layers back onto her. "Look at me, honey. Just look at me."

Her brown eyes are replaced by light blue orbs that are glazed over by tears. "I-I think it's affected an organ," she laughs, still clutching on to her abdomen.

"Get some hot water, please!" I order to Sam, who scampers off to do my bidding. I gaze back at Tori, holding her shoulders. "It's gonna be fine. I-I-I think that'll work."

Sam returns with a glass of hot water in hand. I swiftly snatch it and hand it to Tori, who forcefully gulps it down. She sets the empty glass on the seat next to her, wincing as the warmth moves through her system. If this doesn't solve our little issue here, I'm going to have to call Tony, who might have some sort of idea what he's doing unlike me.

"It worked," she says truthfully. "It worked, Steve."

I sigh of relief, running a hand through my hair. My heart still hammers against my chest, but my breathing has slowed. My first instinct is to wrap my arms around Tori, holding her as close to me as physically possible. "Please don't do that again," I plead.

She laughs softly, her fingertips peeking into my hair. I don't want to let her go in fear of her freezing up again, but duty (Tony) calls for me to return to the field.

•••

After much persuasion, I finally allow Tori to come with me to the building that HYDRA infiltrated. Natasha and Sam return to the city in case of another attack. I forbid Tori from using her powers, which she instantly agreed to, so she adorns her Mystérieux uniform and the watch that commands her suit.