California

Chapter 15

Once we were finished and redressed, I checked my appearance in the mirror. I couldn't go back looking all disheveled or it would give people ideas.

"So they're going to be suspicious with how long this took. Especially if we go back in together." I turned back around to catch him sliding his shirt back on and running a hand through his short brown hair.

"Well you haven't seen the others yet. You could always go back and catch up with them and I'll head down to the lab." He suggested innocently.

"I'm sorry, you want me to go hang out with your girlfriend after we JUST had sex? Seems like a solid idea."

"I'm going to hang out with your boyfriend after we just had sex."

"Yes," I shrugged. "But after your cold introduction, I'm sure he wouldn't try to talk to you again. Whereas me and Peggy have been friends for YEARS!"

He sighed and tilted his head, squinting at me. He then straightened his head and tsked. "Go downstairs and see Syd. Nobody would question that. And I'll just say it took me so long to get to the lab because I was... finishing up my conversation with Jarvis. You came and told me to head to the lab and then you went to find Syd. Plain and simple."

"Eh I guess that works. I do want to go check on her." I started to walk towards the door but hesitated to open it. "You know this doesn't really change anything right? If anything, we've made things more difficult between us. We were supposed to talk about maybe starting from scratch. Or at least try and evaluate our feelings for each other and the people we're dating. But we just skipped over all of that and now we're all stuck in a building together. There's no way this ends well."

"Well you were clearly interested in sleeping with me. So you must have some feelings, right?" I gave him an aggravated look. He sighed. "I'm sorry. You're right I should've never initiated this. At least not without us talking things out first. But I went to see Peggy and the spark just... wasn't there. All I could think about was you. And then of course you and Jake which is why I was walking out of the room when you came up. I felt like an ass sitting in there with her when I wasn't even excited to see her like she was to see me. I kept thinking how happy you were to see Jake even after our conversation so I figured maybe this was just one sided and I needed to clear my head. That's why I was mad when I saw you in the hall."

Not knowing what to say, I glanced down at my watch. It had been over half an hour since I left the lab. "Well you better get down there before they send someone else to look for you. I don't know what I'm feeling right now. I got caught up in the moment and didn't have time to process anything. Just please don't say anything to Jake or Peggy yet. This doesn't mean we're back together or gonna get back together. You needed to clear your head, now I gotta clear mine."

Looking unsatisfied with my remarks, he nodded grimly and reached around me to unlock and open the door. He stepped out first, making sure no one was out there before stepping into the hall and motioning me out. "Elevator over there will take you to the ER. Sydney should still be there." Without another word he turned and walked away.

I made my way downstairs in search of my best friend. I silently hoped no one else had the same idea to come see her before I got in there, otherwise Steve's story wouldn't match up well enough. I thanked the gods when I opened the door and saw just her and Pete.

"Hey guys." I said quietly as I shut the door behind me.

"She's asleep." Pete whispered. "They gave her some pain meds so she's been in and out of it."

I nodded and sat in a chair beside her bed. "Has anyone else been down here to see her?"

Pete raised a questioning eyebrow but shook his head no. I reached out and gently squeezed her hand, causing her to stir.

Syd groaned a little and her eyes fluttered open. "Charlie?"

"Hey love. How you feeling?"

"Like I had a pole sticking out of my leg." She joked. "How's the cure thing going?" She shifted with a wince so she was sitting up a little more. Her eyes were more open and alert.

"Uhm I'm not really sure. I know Cannerts has tasked the brainys with things. I kinda tried to stay out of the way." I shifted my glance away from her with my last sentence.

"What have you really been doing?" She questioned.

"Well I saw Jake so I talked to him for a little bit. Then I talked to Scott about the drama that is my life. Then I had to go find Steve who was with Peggy so he could go back to the lab."

"What drama?" Pete questioned. I realized I hadn't told
anyone but Scott about the ordeal at the office before we left.

"Steve tried to kiss me before we left the office. Clint interrupted it. I kinda shrugged it off and pissed Steve off. Then Jake kissed me in front of everyone. When he introduced himself to Steve, Steve barely acknowledged him and then stormed out to find Peggy."

"Holy shit Charlie. I can't believe you didn't tell me this! Why did you go find him if you knew he was mad at you?"

I huffed at Syd's question. "Clint voluntold me basically. He picked up on the tension in the room whenever he interrupted our kiss so I guess he figured I should deal with it."

"And did you? Deal with it?" Pete chimed in.

I leaned back in my chair and started fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. "Sort of... not really."

"What did you do?" Syd's voice was stern as she ordered me to answer.

"He kissed me in the hallway on the way back to the lab and then we hid in an empty room... and.... well slept together."

"Woah! Maybe I should leave the room. I don't need to know about your sex life, Chuck." Pete exclaimed with a grossed out expression.

"Shut up Pete you're not going anywhere." Syd barked out at her boyfriend. "How does that make things any better between you two!?"

"That's the problem. It doesn't. He said he wasn't excited to see Peggy like she was to see him. And it made him feel like shit because I was so excited to see Jake. So he felt the feelings between us were one-sided. But then when I came to get him, he just couldn't let it go. That's why he kissed me. We both agreed we never should've let it get so far. Especially since we're all four fucking locked in the hospital together. But I begged him not to say anything to Peggy yet or even talk to Jake. Because I'm more confused now than I was before."

"What are you gonna do then? You can't avoid them all."

"I'm gonna try my hardest to do just that. I'll hang out here with you guys or explore the hospital with Scott or something. I don't know." I sighed with a shrug.

"Real mature way of handling this, Chuck."

"Bite me, Peter."