The Pursuit of Liberty
AN: Thanks to Grey Vipointe, amy, and pizzagirl for reviewing the last chapter! May update again tomorrow since my college class is over in the early morning. Depends on how I feel and whether or not I have to run errands. By the way, I'm feeling much better. I'm finally kicking my horrendous cold to the curb!
To amy: your suggestion is interesting, but Dog Steve's going to disappear within the next chapter or two, so it likely won't be used. Thank you for contributing, though!
Let me know what you guys thought of the Steve/bed scene! That was a rushed – maybe weak – taste xD. I need to figure out my style for him. Bruce was much easier to do, for whatever reason.
Seven: Odd Orders
To: Dr. Eliza Abbot
From: Bruce Banner
Subject: Thor's Approach
I know you expect Thor to be penning this, but I'm saving him AND you the headache (trust me). Liberty begrudgingly drank with Thor and consumed roughly three beers. While I can't say that she was more confident, the subject showed a lighter and more carefree disposition. She sang and danced, trading songs with Thor. The subject smiled more.
Any in-depth analysis was interrupted by Steve Rogers. He seems to display protective instincts (which may or may not be owed to the flushing of the dog allergen Fury told you about) and removed her from the environment. The two had a brief exchange before he carried her off. Thor would like to include that Steve was particularly stressed and/or short about Liberty's condition. Though Thor could not confirm the sight, JARVIS catalogued Steve depositing Liberty in his room.
The AI believes Steve…relieved himself…while she slept. This report is steadily focusing on Steve, but I feel compelled to include his presence. He led Liberty to the tower, and she took him in during the beginning of his transformation. These two can help each other, I think. In the context of a character study versus our earlier discussion of Princess Syndrome, Steve seems to be the perfect candidate to reintroduce and reform Liberty's personality.
She, in turn, could be the gentle shift he needs to truly recover from his cryogenic stasis. Liberty displays fondness for music from his era, and was raised with the strict propriety women were supposed to have back then. Her personality differs widely from that of the marketed woman's image common in media. This may help Steve feel less alienated, I think. This is all we – Thor and I – could make of the incident.
Regards,
Dr. Banner.
Eliza tucked the report in Liberty's newly made folder, slipping a copy into Steve's before shutting the cabinet. Mr. Rogers was due any minute. She didn't want him catching Liberty's name in print. If he did, the super soldier would probably clam up and make the session difficult. Steve didn't like talking in-depth about women; most of his memories were tied to two very important, deceased women: his mother and Peggy.
"Good morning, Dr. Abbot." Steve stepped in after knocking; two long steps bringing his knees together and keeping his toes facing outward. Punctual as ever, mused Eliza as she gestured for him to sit. Obediently, Steve sat. He never slouched, just sat calmly with his shoulders back and chin raised up slightly.
"Hi, Steve. Thank you for coming." Eliza smiled.
"You said you wanted to see me?" Steve swallowed. Oh god, oh god, oh god…please don't ask about last night! he prayed. Dr. Banner gave him a bit of the antidote before his appointment, cutting down on the possibility he'd say something outlandish. Dog Steve had a way of making him very blunt and honest. He didn't want Dog Steve helping him comment on Dr. Abbot's sizeable bosoms or – god forbid – making him bite her as a response to an accidentally intrusive question.
She nodded absently, raking brown eyes over him. He was trying to withhold a blush, she could tell. It pooled lightly against his pink cheeks and highlighted his blue eyes. "I just…wanted to see how you were feeling after getting your body back." partially lied Dr. Abbot. Using 'How do you feel Liberty?' as her first question would be detrimental to the rest of the session.
"Oh." he seemed rather relieved at that. She watched his shoulders relax, nearly missing it within the confines of his layered apparel. "Well…it feels a little odd. Dr. Banner's antidote is flushing it out bit by bit, but I'm not myself yet." Steve admitted.
"Is it a good "odd" or a bad "odd"?" she pressed gently.
"I don't know how to classify it. As with anything, there are perks and setbacks. I'm just not used to how it makes me feel. The thoughts and impulses aren't something I can't control; they shoot through in an instant. For a brief second or two I'm completely powerless, but I'm always there when it's done." Steve explained.
"And how does that make you feel, being there when those moments pass?"
Most would scratch their hair or rub it. Steve did not. Dr. Eliza saw him rub his neck. It fit his tidy nature and near-compulsion to have things as they always were. She had a feeling his army-cultured desire for order was the source of his emotional fluctuations.
"A bit embarrassed. I would…I would never act that way! I mean, Tony's enough of a child. I don't need to be one, too!"
"You consider yourself a child in those moments, Mr. Rogers?"
"When I reflect on what Dog Steve has done it…I feel like I had no sense of improper or proper. No concept of rules. It's like being ridiculously fascinated by everything. Or being excited for no particular reason."
"Do these "Dog Steve" moments happen constantly, or are they triggered?"
He thought long and hard. Dr. Abbot watched his eyes drift absently to the framed diploma and awards hanging overhead. Silence lapsed for a few moments.
"Triggered." decided Steve. "The first one I had was when Liberty took me in. She was trying to find me a name, petting me on the stomach. When she stopped...I—I wanted more petting."
"That's perfectly understandable." assured Dr. Abbot.
"R…really?"
"Of course! Aside from dogs liking petting, humans crave touch in times of stress. You, as a human, had just undergone something terribly startling! Seeking out comforting touch is natural, Steven. Anymore moments?"
"Well, the muffins." Steve remembered. He'd stuck to human thoughts until the muffins arrived.
"The muffins?" parroted Dr. Abbot, confused.
"Oh, uh, Liberty made muffins for breakfast the morning after taking me in. I wanted some. It was human food…I was excited."
"That's also fine." Dr. Abbot promised. "A person wants to eat normal food. If any sane person was offered kibble they would jump at the first chance to have real food, too."
"Another one was when I first reentered Stark Tower. I knocked Tony down and…uh, licked him in the face." Dr. Abbot let herself chuckle at his bright red cheeks. Fury warned her time and time again that Stark and Steve weren't to be put in her office simultaneously. Their relationship was largely love-hate. To hear him admit that he licked Tony showed that Steve wasn't as strict as Tony claimed he was.
"Tony's your fellow Avenger. Under the distress of being separated and changed, licking is acceptable. I think, inherently, as a human, you knew he was looking for you. All of them were, and they were all worried about you."
"Then there was the lab. When Fury recovered Narcozi's tag from Liberty's apartment."
"You thought you were a "good dog"?"
"Yes." Steve flushed again.
"Dogs can be proud, too. Instead of being trained, however, your pride originated from a matter deemed important by your human mind."
"I also tried to bury the tag in Liberty's apartment. I consider that a dog moment. People don't try to bury stuff like that."
"But they like to keep it in a special place, which you couldn't do in a dog body." pointed out Abbot.
"The last one I can think of was when Liberty was singing. It was yesterday…she was a bit drunk and dancing with Thor. I just…I mean…Dog Steve didn't like it."
"Dog Steve didn't, or you didn't?"
Steve didn't answer. She didn't expect him to answer everything, anyways. If he did, they wouldn't have multiple sessions. He seemed particularly mortified by revealing that. Consoling him was important if she wanted anything else out of him.
"It could be because you see Liberty as yours. She took you in during your time of need, and, subconsciously, I think you're trying to repay her for that. Deep within every man is the primal urge to protect women."
"So…am I alright or is there something wrong with me? Dog Steve makes me feel weird." mumbled Steve dejectedly. A soldier was always prepared. Always sound. Having his brain split between Dog Steve and Human Steve had him off his game.
"You're fine. I think Dog Steve is an expression of your restricted wants and emotions. You're always the leader and soldier, Steve. From what I understand of your file, you've always been very mature. You never gave yourself time to dally like men should before they grow up.
"Dog Steve breaks those boundaries to give you the chances you never took!"
"Will he go away if I…indulge in them?"
"Do you feel settled or "normal" when you do?"
"…yes."
"Then yes. But your lackadaisical schedule could be to blame, too."
"My schedule? I don't really have one."
"That's the point! You're used to being busy, being the symbol of the Avengers! This spell as a canine nixed all your usual duties as an active protector. Your body and mind may not know what to do with the excess energy after being used to such a packed schedule."
"What do you suggest?"
"Gradual reintroduction to your participation in the Avengers. That should level you out. I'd like you to try that, then come back and see me. If you feel any other changes, or don't think that's working, don't hesitate to make another session, okay?"
"Yes ma'am. Thank you, Dr. Abbot."
"GIRL SMASH!" ordered Hulk excitedly, breaking another wooden creation. Liberty wasn't as easy to nickname as Cori, so she was simply "girl". Her name couldn't be shortened as easily. He gave a demonstrative punch to a nearby cinderblock that crumbled on contact. Wincing, not a fan of loud noises, Liberty put her hands up near her face.
The explosion of dust couldn't be healthy for her lungs. "I think I'll just…hit the punching bag." Liberty inched towards the stitched remains of said bag. This "Smash Room" was made of things she couldn't begin to measure up to, much less destroy. Hulk snorted, only mildly approving, and shifted his weight to watch her. Bruce and Dr. Abbot entrusted him with bringing out her inner animal.
Bruce thought Liberty could overcome Caroline's rigid practices by being able to express herself. As a basic creature with many enemies, Hulk knew smashing could do the soul good. It could regulate emotions and cleanse the dark weight hiding within. Liberty had no way of alleviating the weight if she didn't strike, though. Her blows were weak and lacked heart.
"Not smashing!" Hulk shook his head disappointedly. "Girl need smash!"
"B-but I'm punching the punching bag!" Liberty pointed out, throwing another left hook to prove herself.
"This Smash Room! Things need be smashed!" Hulk dropped his left fist into his open right hand for emphasis. His green eyes combed the room filled with metal, plastic, concrete, and wood. There had to be something in here she could take her rage out on! After Liberty had been knocked on her ass by the ricochet of a partially broken piece of wood, Hulk realized she needed something more her size. Everything in here was meant to suit him, and therefore remained a worthy foe to her petite stature.
The punching bag barely moved beneath her gloved hands. Dummies of straw and cloth dangled from the ceiling. Hulk liked them up there because it reminded him of the Chitauri invasion. Having to reach and jump for things helped him feel free. Like he was in a natural, open space.
He tugged one down, muscles rippling as the rope snapped in his grip. Hulk lightly tossed the creation towards Liberty. Of course, he forgot these things were Hulk-sized. The lumpy cloth figure fell like a rock, pinning Liberty to the floor. "How much straw is in this?" wheezed Liberty, shoving aside the frumpy head to breathe properly.
Crudely drawn crayon eyes stared at her as the head flopped forward. Liberty felt like she was trying to disarm a live bomb. Figuring out the exact pattern and process to remove the weight was difficult. "Girl smash dummy! Take anger out on dummy!"
"But…I'm not really angry." that was a lie. She was. Liberty was just going about her anger in a different way; she used it to fuel productivity and fitness. Her anger was channeled into succeeding without Caroline Ramsey's help. Exhausting her rage came in the form of defying Caroline Ramsey by doing whatever she wanted.
The shackles were broken now, and had been for quite some time. Her only real rage came from staying silent. If anything, speaking would cure her better than hitting the dummies. Destruction had nothing to do with her healing. Liberty idly buried the boxing gloves into the dummy, watching its body rise like some kind of waterbed as she poked around the tied off sections representing its limbs.
"I…I just can't. It's mean. Hitting just to hit is wrong." Liberty frowned. She would know. It wasn't right to make the doll an inanimate version of herself. One Caroline Ramsey was enough for the world. The idea of bludgeoning the doll became even harder once she made the comparison between her childhood and the task at hand.
"Just because girl hit doesn't mean she mean. Nice people need smash sometimes, too. Tony smash. Tony smash work garage when making suit. Steve smash, too." Hulk took a break to sit next tiny Liberty, hoping she would see it was not despicable to let loose once in a while. She was like a speck in his massive room. Being part Banner, having shared Banner's childhood memories, he realized the issue she was having. Abused children could adopt aggressive behavior easily, but Bruce and Liberty were in the opposite group. They weren't abusers; they were givers and helpers.
Big Green did have a point, Liberty had to acknowledge. Tony and Steve were well-adjusted individuals, and they exercised all the time! That's what this was – exercise, not abuse. She just had a hard time thinking of it like that. Knowing normal people could do this kind of thing and not get caught up in remorse or hesitation was oddly comforting.
"If not comfortable with smash, pretend." offered Hulk. "Hulk like to take dummy, say dummy is Puny God, and smash!" he plucked the straw doll up like it was a feather. Liberty ducked as he began to fling it from side to side. Seams popped and straw clumped rapidly in effort to absorb the force. He wasn't even trying to bash the doll; it was startling and stunning.
Hulk's exuberance ended up dislocating one of the cloth arms. The dummy flopped to the ground as small explosion of straw flew into the air. Liberty couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her as pieces nested in her hair. It was like snow, but it wasn't. Something about it was just…funny.
Like the rare, quick pillow fights she and Juanta used to have. One of the throw pillows busted in the living room once. Caroline was furious, but hadn't been able to prove what happen because Juanta stuffed her uniform with the feathers. It was their secret for the rest of the day; Juanta danced like a chicken every time Caroline had her back turned.
Only Liberty knew why, and the sight made her laugh every time.
Hulk was pleased to see her giggling. He pinched straw between his fingers as best he could and threw it at her. Liberty swatted it away, brushing herself off. "Smash good, see? Smash funny." Hulk proved.
"Maybe a little." sighed Liberty blissfully with pink cheeks. Hulk purposefully stomped on the dummy as he stood. Straw burst from the doll, coating Liberty instantly. She chuckled.
"Now girl can smash. Doll not so heavy." Hulk nudged it towards Liberty with his foot. She grabbed the drooping head, wondering what to do with the ruined dummy. It wasn't smashing, but Liberty had fun jumping on the doll. Jumping was harmless, really, and let her be rambunctious like Caroline never allowed.
And, if she was honest with anyone, she could pretend to be jumping on Caroline. Liberty paused, stepping tentatively on the dummy's flattened midsection. "Does this make me a bad person?" she looked up to Hulk. It was fun, but she felt a tad guilty for secretly enjoying the dummy losing its stuffing.
"Hulk not think so."
"Good enough for me." Liberty shrugged, staring at the head and hopping her way down to its toes. The dummy seemed to smile in approval with its tomato red lipstick lips. It was another sign that this was fun rehabilitation and nothing more. No dark memories could be roused from this harmless play. Thoroughly flattened and weightless, Liberty knotted the arms and legs together to make it into a sash-like object.
She carefully ascended the replica skyscraper in the back left corner. Her mother's twin sister, Janie, let her play like a reckless child during rare visits. If it wasn't for the Callari side of the family, Liberty wouldn't know basic – potentially life-saving – skills like climbing. Of course, carrying out such mischief was inappropriate and not what girls do, according to Caroline. Because the Callari children and relatives had illnesses ranging from cancer to Alzheimer's, Caroline gained sole custody of Liberty on the basis that no Callari was capable of childcare.
The last time Liberty saw a Callari had to be around her sixth birthday. She bounced between the Callaris and Ramseys while Caroline's attorney and the man in charge of her parent's Last Will and Testament reviewed the options. Not that she was old enough to know what was going on. Much less remember any of it. Liberty only knew – definitively – that she'd visited the Callari relatives for six weeks, went to the Ramsey's for two, found herself at the Callari's for three additional weeks, and then ended up at Caroline's house.
All of the Callaris, all of her happiness, vanished like smoke on the breeze. She returned to the present when something cracked audibly. Hulk was tall enough to reach the skyscraper without effort. He was rescuing the makeshift, stranded civilian from the pointed top when it began to break. Liberty's suspended weight, combined with Hulk's muscled arm, had compromised the structure.
Hulk had a fleeting moment of panic. Just grabbing her wouldn't do. Someone of Liberty's size would condense in his hand with the slightest of squeezes. Raising his leg to stifle her fall would likely break her back. Immediately dropping his hands to form a protective cradle, Hulk waited for her to land. She never did.
"Let myself in. Hope it's okay. JARVIS thought you guys were winding down." smiled Steve sheepishly. Liberty was dazed, surprised to meet a soft landing. Steve's hands were firm and warm, but soft. She could hear his heart beating calmly and strongly through his jacket and shirt.
"Th-thanks." Liberty blushed. Steve nodded, casting the husk of a dummy aside like the cloth it was. He absently brushed bits of straw from his neatly combed hair.
"What Steve come in for? Steve want smash, too?" Hulk squatted to see the tiny blonde. According to Bruce, Steve was supposed to be meeting with Dr. Abbot. "Time for Steve's shot?"
"Shot? What shot? Are you sick?"
"I…uh...it—it's nothing." assured Steve quickly. Hulk widened his eyes slightly, unaware that Liberty didn't know of the injections. He turned away, poking at the broken tip. Pretending not to hear them cut down on embarrassing Steve more than he already had.
"What are you here for?" Liberty couldn't help but wonder. She shouldn't bother him with a question since he just saved her from getting a bruise – or worse – but it slipped out. "Want something to eat?" teased Liberty curiously, poking him in his bellybutton. Steve gave a low, mortified grunt-hum that reminded her of Captain.
"A-actually…I'd like to speak with you outside, if that's alright."
"Sure." and I'm sweaty. Great. Wish I could freshen up first. Liberty found herself thinking. Erratic jumping on the dummy and trying to exercise adequately with Hulk's massive equipment easily helped her work up a sweat. She was a bit embarrassed to be lightly coated in such stink. Women were supposed to smell nice, after all. Steve didn't seem to notice as he led her just outside the automatic door.
"Feel free to say no…" he started, holding his hands up and spreading them out like he was trying to smooth over whatever news was to follow. Liberty grinned crookedly, amused at how he was already thinking ahead. With his broad shoulders, slim waist, and powerful legs he was easy to look at. His gentle consideration seemed ill-fit for such a physique until she accounted for his kind blue eyes. Steve could easily be some sort of salesman and succeed.
He unknowingly sucked people – like her – in with those baby blues. A downplayed musk hung in the air, revived by his movements. It was rich, but not heavy. Steve smelled clean and purely male. "…but I'd like…I mean, I wanted to know if you'd accompany me to a parade?"
"A…a parade?" stuttered Liberty. Where was a parade coming from? Was this Tony's way of repaying her for the coffee? "Why is there—"
"People saw me in the park, apparently. They know I'm not missing anymore. To honor my return, Senator Sterns wants to hold a parade."
"But why do you want me to—wait, why were you in the park?"
Because I was tracking down Juanta, Steve wanted to say. He knew better. Finding Juanta was supposed to be a surprise. It would stay that way, too.
"Just…finding time for my motorcycle again. You know, since I'm not a dog anymore."
"You have a motorcycle?" Liberty couldn't easily picture it. Steve Rogers seemed much too proper and sweet for a motorcycle. Or maybe it looked that way because people thought of gangs, leather, tattoos, and large muscles when mentioning motorcycles. The idea of Steve Rogers on a motorcycle made her laugh, though. It was like a sexy smear to his golden boy image. "What a naughty thing for you to own, Mr. Rogers." joked Liberty as she flashed him a crooked grin, rolled forward and back on the balls of her feet, and tucked her arms beneath her tiny breasts.
Steve flushed slightly. Liberty surely stressed "naughty" to tease him, but likely hadn't meant it in the way he heard it. Her tone was playful and sultry when she told him he was naughty. Some weird part of Steve liked that. He was slightly alarmed by this, mostly because it was not time for another injection.
Dog Steve couldn't be blamed for the twitch of arousal constricting his khakis. He briefly wondered how his life would differ if he were a bad boy. Would he have gone into the army? Been selected to become the first super soldier? Bad boys would certainly get women – a twisted fact he didn't totally understand in the forties – and that may serve him well here.
A powerful – nearly illogical – urge to want Liberty assailed him. The emotion coursed through him endlessly, strong enough to imbue every doctored cell with heat. He couldn't audibly define it – refused to – but in the back of his mind Steve heard it clearly: want, need, take, protect, mine. She was remarkable, really, acting as she did despite her upbringing. Liberty was a woman without a man; someone who deserved a significant other.
He wanted more than anything to be that man. Part of Steve didn't know why…couldn't understand why. The other part of him – Little Steve, pre-Super Soldier Steve – knew why. She was perfect for who he had been. Liberty's penchant for old music and keeping the team fed called back to his time, a place he sorely missed.
She was healing his wounds. Easing him into the current time by being a modern woman who indulged in an era she never experienced. It was cute, really. Admirable, even. He appreciated her for it, even if everything was unintentional.
And, of course, he was a sucker for a starlet smile. Her grin was typically gentile with a hint of impishness, but it was killer all the same. "It…it was a joke, Steve." Liberty stammered. His brain started up again, processing her hesitancy.
"Of course! I know, I know. I…uh, sorry." Steve cleared his throat. "Anyways, I was wondering if you'd accompany me to the parade?"
"But…why? People think I'm dead. I kind of don't mind that, honestly." Caroline couldn't sink her claws into her if she was dead. Not that she tried since Liberty claimed her independence years ago. The young girl wouldn't doubt that Caroline would try to reclaim her in front of the cameras. It would seem ridiculous not to after the reports of visitors weeping over her makeshift memorial. Hulk's smashing may have inspired a giddiness in her now, but Liberty knew that would change the moment she saw Caroline.
She felt better after yelling some truthful, long withheld things in the kitchen. Hollering and smashing was no match for the real thing, however. Caroline Ramsey had a way about her that made Liberty tremble. The old woman had secret, piercing looks and an uncanny talent to slither out of trouble. To redirect blame and paint Liberty to be a stumbling idiot.
There wasn't a person alive who liked running into their bully. No one liked being made a fool of, either. Steve's blue eyed gaze softened. His face lit up in a smile that screamed simplicity. It was like he'd won something, or had thrown down a really good card he'd been saving for a special occasion.
"You took me in." Steve let his hand rest gently on Liberty's little shoulder. "If you didn't call me over, if you hadn't saved me from the woman with the broom, who knows what would've happened? I could've ended up at the pound, or worse!" he pointed out. "People are going to be celebrating the return of a hero tomorrow. I'd like it if they could see my hero."
He was corny. So corny. But…Liberty found that incredibly endearing. Steve was sincere about it, too, which made the whole thing worse. Denying that sweet smile and those fixed, sparkling blue eyes would surely be the cruelest act in the world.
How could she do that to him? She couldn't, and she knew it. Steve seemed to know it, too. His lips twitched slightly as his grin grew. He was annoyingly gorgeous and ridiculously persuasive for someone who did so little.
"I'll even get down on your level to ask you personally." he jested good-naturedly, sending his weight into his left knee as it met the ground. Liberty blushed. She never thought she'd see the day where a man would kneel before her. Not her, the girl with the secrets and scarred back.
"I hope your pants rip." Liberty blurted, not really thinking. She needed something to distract her from the intensifying blush. Needed something to break up the seriousness and ruin the spell of his captivating eyes as they threatened to pull her in and sweetly drown her. Steve chuckled, nose wrinkling slightly with his smile.
"Will you, Liberty, come to the parade with me?" Steve asked. Liberty tried not to shiver, able to feel his breath on her cheek. His eyes were hypnotic. Big, long fingers moved delicately to her wrists, drawing her in to meet him. There was little space between them now.
Contact was useful in persuasion, Steve knew. He hoped she said yes. If she declined, well, he had this moment. His broad hands and long fingers were like silk against her arms; Steve waited for the slightest hint of acceptance. While waiting he enjoyed the smell of her hair, the fact that he could make her blush so deeply. Her blue eyes caught his in a blank stare, tipping him off about her drifting mind.
Mustering some bravery from the Captain, Steve pulled her in a little closer. The movement would refocus her attention, and he'd be able to read her eyes. Having her lips close enough to kiss was just a bonus. "Well?" murmured Steve curiously, grinning slightly as her lips twitched receptively to his breath. His eyes threatened to become half-lidded as the temptation of flicking his tongue out to taste her crossed his mind.
Would she be sweet like the peppermint products in her hair? Or taste of the lavender body wash that softened her skin? Could she be sharp and cool, satisfying and rich like the mint chocolate cake she made for Pepper? Steve was all too curious. She needed to answer him before he lost it and sated his curiosity.
Before he did something she might not like. Before something happened that he wouldn't be able to fix.
"I suppose I can go." Liberty found herself absently combing rows through the blonde hair by his ears.
"Great!" Steve smiled brightly, pinching her hands softly. He stood, babbling something about training and all but ran to get away from her. Too excited! Emotional overload! Need regulation. Steve told himself. Preventing her from seeing the stiffening erection brought on by her fingers running through his hair was also motivation for his leave. Liberty felt stupefied as the curious, hopeful, wanting heat within her began to fade.
The man can coax a reply, she admitted to herself. Bruce stumbled out of the Smash Room in his tattered ensemble. He seemed fairly pleased. He complimented her, patting her shoulder as he staggered to the lab. "We'll be doing yoga tomorrow morning." Bruce called over his shoulder.
Liberty didn't reply. Her mind went to showering. A shower was just what she needed at the moment. It would strip the sweat from her and hopefully dull the mounting thoughts concerning Steve Rogers.
