Alone Together

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

After we had cleared the train of civilians, Steve somehow managed to procure a jet for us to fly back to base with. He wouldn't tell me how he did it, but I surmised that the process involved compromising his star-spangled morals.

The flight back to the Avengers tower was uncomfortable to say the least. For months, I had dreamed of what it would be like to be reunited with the Maximoff twins, but never had I thought our reunion would be comprised of tense interactions and awkward silences. Part of me yearned to go sit with the twins, to talk and laugh with them. I knew that we would be able to pick up exactly where we had left off like nothing had changed. But everything had changed. And that was why I stayed up in the cockpit with Steve, my arms wrapped around my knees as I curled up in the copilot chair.

Steve flashed me a reassuring smile before divulging his plan in low tones. It was rough, and we ran the risk of destroying the Avengers if we were too hasty. I sighed and chanced a glance back at the twins, only to be met by Pietro's startlingly blue eyes. Despite the distance between us, both physically and emotionally, I could feel a flush creeping into my cheeks and could have sworn that I felt the ghost of his hands running down my back. I suppressed a shudder and turned back around, wrapping my arms tighter around myself as I settled in for the long flight.

Hours later we landed at the tower. It was eerily empty except for the lab which shown brightly in the twilight. As we approached the glass room, we could hear voices echoing down the corridor.

"This framework is not compatible," there was no mistaking Tony's voice, and Banner's followed shortly after.

"The genetic coding tower is at ninety-seven percent. You have got to upload that schematic in the next three minutes."

Steve gave us a tense nod, our signal to follow him into the lab. "I'm gonna say this once."

Steve and I faced Tony and Banner, and though no weapons were drawn, the atmosphere was too energized; everyone was too edgy. Wanda was practically clinging to her brother, it seemed that Banner's hateful glares had not gone unnoticed by the brunette.

Tony gave Steve a patronizing look before letting his gave slide to the rest of us and smirking, "How about 'nonce'?"

Tony's attitude was starting to get to me and I fought the urge to throttle the man before me, "Shut it down, Tony!"

"Nope, not gonna happen." If it wasn't for Steve's quick reflexes, I would have finally been able to break Tony's neck like I had been dreaming about doing for months.

Steve was just as angry as I was, but he was containing it for now. "You don't know what you're doing."

Bruce shot Steve a frustrated glare, "And you do? She's not in your head?"

Wanda held up her hands as if to placate Bruce, "I know you're angry."

Her gesture was clearly meaningless, if not offensive, to Bruce, because he practically growled at the woman. "Oh, we're way past that. I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade."

I was suddenly immensely grateful for Steve's strong grip on my arm or else I might had tried to attack Banner for his threat against Wanda. The super soldier's calming presence was the only thing keeping me levelheaded.

Despite my restraint, I couldn't stop myself from making my feelings known to the scientist. "Come on Banner! After everything that's happened..."