Bed of Roses [N. Romanoff]

Chapter 2.14

Bailey zipped up the side of her old suit, a burnt hole still rested on her shoulder where extra padding should have been. The greying material was like a comfort of going home, everything pre-Ultron and now everything after.

There wasn't a magical poem to describe exactly what was happening, what Bailey was feeling. She could easy state anxiety, fear, sadness, determination, power, nostalgic... it went on and on and on. Bails herself couldn't point out the main one, maybe it was homesickness, maybe it was missing Emma and Bly, maybe it was the parting with Nat and only seeing one another in the battle field.

It was no secret Tony was rounding up his own team to stop them, and it definitely wasn't kept well if he was trying to keep it in the shadows. They were here now, and Bailey had watched the Red Hair through a window.

To end up battling a person she considered to be her soulmate definitely would not have appeared in her 'ten year plan' months ago, she would never be able to foresee such circumstances. Maybe she dreamed to live a life where she helped out the man, working day to day to make a difference.

If there was one thing 2015 Bailey Baxter would have deemed the biggest plot twist, was to find a sense of love whilst achieving her dream.

"I need you on second floor with Clint and Wanda," Steve walked up behind Bailey, not noticing her deep concentration in thought.

"Uh, yeah. Right, I'll be there. What's the full plan? You taking Bug-Man with you I hope... Undetected. Maybe get Sam on perimeters-"

Steve cut Bailey off before she rambled herself into a mess, "I've got this... don't worry."

By his smile, she just knew what he had planned, "You're going out there by yourself, aren't you? Has Bucky not taught you anything? Steven Rogers are you that daft?" she tried not to raise her voice at him, but failed apprehensively.

"Here me out-"

"My god, Steve! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"You can't fight it, he'll just end up in another alleyway getting beaten by the third bloke that day," a new voice joined the conversation, and Bailey relaxed at the sight of his best friend.

"Buck, you're letting him do this?" she asked in disbelief.

"I'm sending the little guy out with him. I also managed to convince him that your trio can provide as back-up," he grinned, clipping his bullet-proof vest on.

"I hope that's 100% Kevlar, Barnes, because I'm about to beat you with a gun-"

"Bax," Baileys head snapped to the side at the nickname, cringing a little as she could almost hear Tony's voice instead of Steve's, "I know you think you won't provide much up there, but Wanda and Clint can. That makes them vulnerable. Worse hits the floor and you can jump in, for now you've done enough."