Chapter 6

They didn't take me to the hospital, and instead I slept it off. Steve on the other hand was rushed in immediately following the destruction of the hellcarriers. When I was fully functional again, I went straight to see the Captain. He was awake when I walked into the room, and I sucked in a breath when I saw him. He met my gaze, and I saw relief shining in his good eye. The other was still shut, and the cut and bruising around it looked uncomfortable.

"You're okay," he whispered, his voice rough.

"Hardly a scratch," I smiled softly, walking over to him.

I pulled up a chair and scooted up to the bed and sat down. Steve reached out for my hand, so I allowed him to grab it fiercely. He was alive, against all that had happened. I knew he was strong to begin with, but if Barnes had not jumped down to save him, Steve surely would have drowned. I blinked a few times, and leaned my head down, against our hands. He stroked my forehead with a finger, giving as much comfort as he was able. That made me smile.

"If I had reached you in time, you wouldn't be here," I murmured.

"Yeah I would have. I only got shot three times," Steve chuckled weakly. "Don't beat yourself up. You had enough of that."

"He saved you," I murmured. "Dove in and pulled you out."

Sucking in a breath, Steve looked at me for a moment, and then leaned his head back. He closed his eye, but a small smile graced his expression. I squeezed his hand gently, and stayed with him for most of the day. I was still extremely exhausted, but that was only because of all the healing my body had done. I ended up falling asleep, leaned on the bed after resting my head in my hands. I assumed Steve did the same.

When I woke up, he was stroking my hair and from the sense I caught he was still in some pain. I couldn't help but hum at the contact, and he continued to run his fingers through my hair. I wasn't sure if it was helping him, or me. Probably for the both of us. I kept still, but managed to glance up at him to see that his eyes were close. I yawned, unable to help it and blinked a few times. Sam walked in a few minutes later with two coffee's and he chuckled when he saw me.

"You should go back and go to bed," he chuckled.

I gave him a fake glare. "I'm fine. How long did I sleep?"

"Both of you fell asleep for at least four hours," he grinned.

"That explains why my back hurts," I sighed, and Steve chuckled.

I sat up slowly, and stretched quietly. Sam handed me the coffee and I gratefully accepted it. I drank it while moving out of the way when the nurses came in to check on Steve. He was healing quicker than expected, but then again he was a super soldier. It was a relief to see that the bullets had gone straight through him. When I sat down, I sighed again.

I stayed with him for most of the day, ignoring his light protests to send me home to sleep. Now that he had back up, Sam went home to catch some rest himself. I watched him leave, and glanced down at my phone when it beeped. Maria Hill told me everything was going as it should. She was now working for Tony Stark. I was informed that Stark wouldn't mind letting us come to the new headquarters in New York.

Tilting my head, I sighed a little at that bit of news. I enjoyed our apartment here in downtown D.C. I wasn't exactly wanting to move or change that, but I supposed that wasn't up to me. Steve slept for a little longer, before he woke up, startled. I looked up from where I was curled up comfortably in the chair.

"Steve?" I asked slowly, and he blinked and looked over at me.

"Just a dream," he sighed, then grunted. "I hate being stuck here."

"I'm sure you'll be let out once you can manage to walk," I mused, getting to my feet.

"Hopefully tomorrow," he rumbled. "You should go home. I won't be here forever."

Looking at him with a sigh, I finally gave in. It was close to dinner anyway, and I wouldn't mind sleeping in my own bed tonight. The apartment had been cleaned up while we had been here, so I wasn't worried about a mess at least. Sharon, the woman who had been assigned to look after Steve said it was no trouble.

"Stay out of trouble," he rumbled.

"Even in a hospital bed, you're still giving me orders," I grunted.

He chuckled. "Damn right I am."

I couldn't help the fond smile that lit up my expression. Leaning down, I kissed him on the cheek and let him wrap his good arm around me.

"You would have made a mighty dragon," I said softly. "And you are an even mightier human. Rest well. I'll return later."

Steve gently squeezed my waist, and I leaned back and left the room. These humans were quickly becoming my clan, and I hadn't felt something like that in hundreds of years.

He was out of the hospital in three days, looking like he had only been roughed up a little. His ability to heal was something that had always surprised me. That humans had been able to enhance him the way they had was astounding. I was sitting on the couch napping when the door opened, and I startled awake. He arched a brow at me, and I decided not to let my surprise show. I had expected him to stay in for at least a week after he had woken up. Then again, he had been in there a whole week, he had just slept through most of it.

"How are you feeling?" I asked casually, as he sat down in the recliner.

"Like I got into a bar fight," he mused. "That's about it."

I chuckled at that. "Better then being shot, thrown from a carrier..."

He huffed out a soft laugh. "Much better then that."

Stretching, I got to my feet after asking him if he was hungry. That had been a silly question to ask, because Steve was always hungry. I decided to make a late lunch for us and handed it to him when I finished. He happily accepted the plate of food, while I just decided to drink a cup of coffee.

"And you? How are you feeling?" he asked, swallowing a huge bite.

"Well, I'm glad you aren't dead," I replied. "I'm glad all of us made it out alive. That is all I could ask."

"I got word that Tony wanted us to move to the new headquarters," he answered, taking a drink of water.

"So he wants us to..." I glanced at him.

"I'd assume so," he shrugged.

His phone beeped not long after and he sighed and checked it. Putting it back in his pocket, he got to his feet and put his dish in the sink.

"Fury wants to meet at the grave site. Want to join?" he asked.

"No, you go," I shooed him away. "I'm fine."

After the hearing that had gone on, it was known that a dragon was here on earth. We had gone several years not worrying about it, but now, Natasha had no other choice. Because of that, I was trying to lay low and not show my face in public. Everyone knew who Steve Rogers was, and it would only connect who I was, well rather what I was if I was seen with him. I chose to stay out of it.

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