acceptance ♜ b. barnes [O.H.]

𝑻𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚-𝑻𝒘𝒐

Bucharest, Romania, 2016

The Lagos incident came and passed. As did Vienna which was a truly awful event. James had gone out for fresh produce that day, and Lenna stayed at home. She had watched it live on her laptop before resorting to shutting off her phone and laptop due to the nonstop attempts to try to contact her from, not only Tony but Steve and Natasha too.

It wasn't James. She thought adamantly as she paced the length of their shitty apartment. These morons have no idea what is going on.

The rattling of a door handle jolted Lenna out of her thoughts. She was shocked to see Steve stepping through the threshold. Lenna didn't say a word and moved around to the near the entrance of the room as Steve took in the place.

"Don't," Lenna said as Steve opened James' journal. A cool land rested on her shoulder and she looked back to see James standing there eyeing Steve cautiously.

Steve muttered something into his comms before spinning to look at Lenna. Clearly, he wasn't expecting his old best friend to be standing there.

"You know me?" Steve asked with hope barely noticeable in his voice.

"You're Steve. I read about you in a museum," James replied.

"I know you're nervous," Steve said as he readjusted his weight, taking a step closer. The ex-assassin also moved so Lenna was positioned behind him ever so slightly. "You have every right to be. But, you're lying."

"It wasn't me in Vienna. I don't do that anymore." Lenna moved him to the side slightly and took a step towards the blonde.

"Steve, what's going on?"

"Well, the people who think you did are coming here now, and they aren't planning on taking you alive," Steve said, clearly after listening to someone else speaking.

"Who's that in your ear?" Lenna asked curiously.

"That's smart. Good strategy."

Lenna watched as James moved closer to the door and began taking a more defensive demeanor.

"This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck," Steve, ever the do-gooder reminded him.

"It always ends in a fight."

"You pulled me from the river," Steve said more urgently as James took off his left glove. "Why?"

"I don't know," James said, looking him dead in the eyes.

"Yes, you do."

Lenna morphed as grenades began flying in the house. As a ram, she covered her and Steve as James used the mattress as a quick shield. The metal table they occasionally used was thrown against the door as two men came in the windows. Lenna became human again and kicked the man who stood on the terrace off the building.

"Buck, Lenna, stop! You're going to kill someone!" Steve said angrily.

James punched a hole in the floor right by Steve's head and threw out two backpacks—Lenna caught both—before replying: "I'm not going to kill anybody."