The fire

Second Thoughts

"Stark where are those electric things you promised me?" Nat called from a stool in the lab.

"Hang on just hooking up the... OW SHIT!" Stark squealed feeling the effects of a strong electric shock.

"Awe did you get singed?" The redhead teased.

"Shut it Romanoff, here you go, all done. Keep them away from your skin they're hot." Natasha smirked at Tony, as he handed her two glowing blue batons.

I sat a bit away playing with my knife. I could feel the electricity bubbling from Nat's new weapon. We're going on the raid tomorrow, I felt sick. Every time I see everyone smiling or joking my head begins to spin. Maybe I should just forget it, I didn't need to find my mum. I shook away the thought, she's my mum if she's alive I want to know about it.

"You okay?" Banner asked, searching through the drawer next to me. I nodded half heartedly. "Sure?" I nodded again as the Doctor rushed away with a couple of test tubes.

Steve entered the lab and made his way over to me. "I've sorted through the maps of the tunnels and I found the route that you and Tony are gonna take. There's a small drainpipe that leads straight to the blocked entrance."
Placing my knife on the table my eyes drifted to the pink highlighted line that ran through the landscaped blueprints.

"Got it. Stark come look at this." The genius fast walked over and quickly absorbed the information.

"Oh before I forget, firework, Cap. New comms system has a tracking device enclosed and is smaller, less likely to break." He put his hand out displaying two little earpieces. Mine was orange, Steve's blue.

"Thanks, useful if the Mort decide to do some kidnapping aye." The super solider laughed elbowing me.

"My thoughts exactly Capsicle. It's alright Em we won't let anyone hurt you." The tin man ruffled my hair affectionately. Which only made me feel worse about running away.

I felt my chest tighten at the thought of leaving everyone. Why did I have to make this choice? If I stay I may never see my Mum again, if I leave I lose everyone that I've grown to love, if I take them with me and the Mort are involved it would put them and my Mum at risk. Nobody would win.
My head was beginning to hurt again. I decided to rest it on my hands until I could slow my heart rate down. It was starting to climb slightly. I was getting too stressed.

"You tired?" I heard his casual voice blur in with the sounds of Tony's many machines. Metal grinding, the low mumble of Banner talking to himself, the dropping of tools. It all became a big mess of noise. "Em you've gone pale, what's the matter?"

My breathing sped up, fuck not again.

-

Emilia sat with her face buried in her hands. She felt her breathing hasten. Why did this keep happening to her. She wasn't one of those sorts of people. She didn't have anxiety. Her hands started shaking.

"Banner!" Cap yelled rushing round to her side.

The Doctor put his glasses on and hurried over to the panicking blonde.
"What happened?" He asked.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm f-fine." Em replied attempting to control her rasped breaths. She didn't need everyone thinking she was this delicate flower. "I-I don't n-need you." She felt her legs give way as she tried to stand. Steve broke her fall with his strong arms.

"Em, you need to relax. You're getting yourself into more of a state." Banner said calmly taking her wrist. Emilia shook her head, tears were now spilling out her closed eyes. Banner was taking her heart rate. He gave Rogers a worried look.

He turned to his sort of girlfriend. "Hey I need to you to look at me. Just let us help you yeah, you're going to be alright." Emilia felt herself getting lightheaded, her breaths became scrappier. No she didn't need them. She was trying to convince herself she could control this but in reality she felt as if she was dying. Her eyes still closed, a small tingle filled her body as the Cap touched her arm. "Lia listen, please just look at me." She opened her eyes. He called her Lia? "Let us help."

Eventually nodding through the whirling room she allowed them to help her.

"Right Emilia I need you to take your hands like this. Then place them over your mouth." Bruce cupped his hands together to show her what he meant. Her shaking hands copied his actions. "Now try and take nice deep breaths, in and out, in and out." She felt the oxygen slowly return to her lungs. "That's it, well done." He placed his fingers on her neck and smiled at his watch. "There we go, going down already." He said referencing to her heart rate.

The captain pulled her into a side hug and she buried herself into his chest "You're alright now."

"I'm gonna get you some water, just keep breathing." Bruce got back onto his feet and headed over to the fridge where Tony had been working.

"What is it with anxiety and this job?" Tony asked bitterly.

"There really is no escaping the things you see is there?" The scientist replied sorrowful.

"How you feeling?" Banner asked handing me a glass of water.

I cradled my still trembling hands. "Better."

"That's good, you should go get some rest. Tomorrow is gonna be a long day." He replied his eyes still full of worry.

I nodded letting the boys help me up.

"Let me walk you back." Steve said still with an arm around me. I nodded resting my head on his side.

-

"Hey Em you in?" I was currently curled up on the sofa watching Jeremy Kyle.

"Yeah come in Nat!" I called back, the door opened and she entered, sitting down next to me.

"Heard you had a hard day, so I bought ice cream." She was literally a legend.

"Nobody attack you at the store?" I asked taking a spoon.

"Nope completely fight free. Except from some middle aged bitch who tried to take the last cookie dough, she'll have scratches for weeks." She joked resting her head back on the sofa.

I laughed allowing my eyes to drift towards the to screen where some prick was yelling at Jezza about how he didn't mean to steal £200 pounds it just fell into his boxers.

Nat burst into laughter. "That's like saying, I didn't kill her I just dropped the knife on her heart."

I joined the laughter. "Trust."