HUNTED ~ STEVE ROGERS [2]

Chapter Two

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. My ringtone was turned up all the way, and The Runaways Cherry Bomb pierced my ears and I groaned. My right hand fumbled for the phone and when I finally grabbed it, I saw an incoming video call. The name at the top of the screen made me smile.

Steve.

I swiped the call button and Steve's face filled the small screen. Around his eyes and cheekbones were bruised and battered, but he looked better than the last time I saw him.

"Hey," he said quietly. I grinned, but had to stop myself from looking like an idiot. I hadn't seen him for a week, while I'd been cooped up here in the hospital. He was only a few doors down but we couldn't see each other. Not yet.

"I would ask how you're doing, but that seems a stupid question," I said, adjusting the sling around my left arm. The drugs hadn't quite kicked in, and there was a dull ache throughout my whole body.

"Well, I'm alive, thanks to you," Steve shrugged. I looked down, my cheeks hot.

"Just returning the favor," I said. I looked back up and into his eyes. There was silence for a few seconds. But it wasn't awkward. It was natural.
"How are you?" Steve asked softly. The corners of my mouth turned up.

"I'm fine. I'm good," I replied, my eyes flicking to the side.

"You can't lie to me Keight," Steve said, so quietly I almost didn't hear.

My lips turned down, and I sighed.

"I'm fine Steve. You don't need to worry about me," I said through gritted teeth. Steve narrowed his eyes at me, and shook his head.

"You know, partners are supposed to tell each other stuff," Steve said coldly. My lips pursed together in a thin line, and I cocked my head.

"I don't need to talk about my feelings Steve, I need to heal and get out of here," I spat back at him. He looked back, hurt in his eyes. He shook his head and chuckled slightly. When he chuckled like that, I knew I was not in his good books.

"You'll never change, will you?" He snapped. My eyes narrowed and the muscles in my arms clenched painfully.

"Do you want me to? Is that what you want?" I raged. Steve's face went from anger to regret.

"Keight you know that not what I meant," he said, a sorry written all over his face. But I was too angry to except his unspoken apology.

"No I think it was. Goodbye Steve," I said bluntly, and before Steve could plead for forgiveness, I ended the call.

I threw my phone on the table next to my bed, and, leaning back in my bed, I closed my eyes and breathed deep.
I should call back and apologize, I thought. I really needed to get my anger under control. My anger issues were what was going to make my friends stop wanting to be with me anymore. Or it might, you know, get me killed or something.

Deep breaths. Relax the muscles. Deep breaths. Relax the muscles.

You're ok you're ok you're ok.

I repeated the mantra in my head over and over. The anger management therapist had told me to fine something that would calm me, and repeat it over until I felt calm and collected.
The only thing that worked was telling myself I was ok, even if I wasn't. Did that make me delusional? Probably. But for that moment I decided delusional was better than facing my feelings.

At that moment I heard the door creak open and my eyes snapped to attention. I knew better than to assume whoever was coming in had my best interests at heart. Not many people did anymore.

I rolled my eyes at the figure who entered the room.
Could my day get any worse?

Agent Sharon Carter sat down in the chair next to my bed. I sat up, wincing.

"Kat- uh Sharon, what do you want?" I kept thinking of her as The Other Kate from our apartment block, rather than a special agent assigned to Steve and I while we lived there.

"I wanted to say sorry," the blonde haired woman said, her hands folded neatly in her lap. I cocked my head.

"For what? For shooting me? Because trust me, if I were you, I would have shot me too," I said sarcastically. Carter nodded her head slowly.

"I hope you won't hold it against me," she said, her pretty eyes holding onto mine. I cleared my throat.

"Don't get me wrong Carter, I don't like you. At all. But you were just doing your job, and I can respect that," I said, a bit more harshly than I realized. Carter looked down, and breathed out.

"Uh, thanks," she stood up and walked to the door. Before she reached the handle, I called out.

"Are you going to see Steve?" I asked desperately. She turned.

"Yes, I am," she replied. Her eyes said it all. She knew that Steve, well, Steve and Natasha were everything to me. Carter knew.

"Can you tell him...." I trailed off. Carter leaned forward.

"Tell him what?" She asked irritatingly. I sighed.

"Nothing. Don't worry," I said, and watched her leave. I looked around my hospital room in disgust. I didn't want to be there. It was constricting, like having someones hand around my throat and they won't let go. My whole body was tense, my muscles clenched in anticipation of attack.

Because SHIELD was gone, and sooner or later, someone would come for me.

All I could do is wait.

Authors Note.

Sorry?