Sorry to all my readers who were waiting for new chapters. I had a lot of things happen these last few months but now I will be back on track with regular updates. Thank you for reading. Hope you like it.
8 Welcome to the teamTony was not kidding when he told me he was going to keep me busy.
But I love it.
It reminded me so much of old times when I would work late at Shield working on a new exciting project when I could not wait for the new answers to science. Margaret always critiqued that Shield was overworking me but she didn't realize I was the one offering to work the overtime. I didn't think it would bother anyone here but it did to two people.
"Go home Doctor Noble, can I call you Doctor Donna? You know like that Doctor Who show? Anyway go home, you're too new to already become one of my most paid employees." Tony would tell me several times a week. I would just give him my usual eye roll before responding to him.
"What happened with I quote 'end up living in the lab'?" I would ask sarcastically before getting off my work station.
"Changed my mind," he would respond every time I asked that question. It's difficult to describe my relationship to Tony. We put our differences aside when we are working in the lab together making a new discovery but when we leave we are still cold towards each other.
Tony's concern about my work time I can deal with easily but Steve on the other hand…
"Stark isn't working you too hard is he? I mean I could always talk to him if you want so you could-"He starts off but I always cut him off.
"It's okay Steve. I'm actually the one who voluntarily stays in the lab this long. It's fascinating studying the cellular biology of you, Banner, and Thor. Maybe one day we can figure out how to help Banner control his Hulk side, or find a medicine that can help heal wounds faster, or find cures to things like cancer! There are so many possibilities! We can…" I would continue on and on about possible discoveries and Steve will stand there listening with that smile of his that was secretly melting me inside making me feel warm and good.
That warm fuzzy feeling isn't going to last long today though.
Today is Wednesday, my least favorite day of the week. Every week on Wednesday Steve's girlfriend comes for a lunch date with Steve. She is a nice girl and beautiful, I can see why Steve likes her. If I knew her under any other circumstances I would have loved to have her as a friend, but seeing how Steve looks at her it makes my heart crack.
I decide to stop staring at Steve and try to prepare myself. She will be here in three, two, one.
"Hey Steve" right on que Shannon comes in. Immediately I would lose Steve's attention and become a background spectator. He would greet her with an even bigger smile than any he has given me and always give her a quick peck.
"Hey beautiful," he greets back after the kiss. As they begin to talk I try to silently pick up my things and make my exit before my heart rips more. Unfortunately I can hear their conversation right now.
"Hey I have been meaning to talk to you. Guess what?" she asks.
"What?"
"My work gave me a three day weekend!" she announced excitedly.
"That's great! What do you want to do with you three-day-weekend?" Steve asked smiling brighter than earlier. I was still trying to pick up my things as fast as I could without looking like I was a jealous person who wanted to escape.
"Well I heard my favorite band is in town this weekend but that the tickets are sold out. I don't know what to do now."
"Well then I have a surprise for you then." Steve announced. Shannon raised her eyebrow at that. I froze. He wouldn't.
"I have two tickets to the concert!" Steve announced earning an excited squeal and a hug from Shannon. I decide now is the time to make my escape.
I couldn't believe Steve did that. The reason he had those tickets already is because we were going to go to that concert. I guess that plan has changed. The elevator door opened releasing me to my apartment. I dropped the paperwork I brought with me on my kitchen counter, no longer having any desire to work tonight.
I wondered into my room and sat on the bed unsure what to do with myself. I had nothing to do but stare at Margaret's old work. Brought me a little bit of peace seeing her things. I have finally come to terms with Margaret being gone. I do wish she was still here of course especially now that I need a friend to talk to.
"What am I doing?" I ask out loud to no one.
"Acting on your heart," Margaret would say while working on a painting probably.
"Well it's not good for me. I keep pretending I'm okay with just being friends and the truth is I'm not. I like him more than I should and that's never going to work out," I responded back in my mind.
"How do you know that? Who knows maybe this is the person you're meant to be with," she would contradict.
"Yea right Captain America with me? I have been a trouble maker my whole life. He has been some incredibly brave, true to his values, and his country. No way will Captain ever see anything in me. I've never done anything for anyone else before. I always have only looked out for myself. He won't love someone like me," I rebutted.
"Who are you to decide who Steve loves? That's his choice and I think you should tell him. Otherwise you are depriving him from his happiness," she would smirk back.
"Yea right," I finally said out loud.
"You know it's true," she teased.
Wow maybe Steve is right, I am becoming like Sherlock. Talking to myself alone in my place. That isn't healthy for me. So I decided I'm going to take a jog on my treadmill instead. Since I'm staying in my apartment I changed into jogging pants and a sports bra. I don't usually wear this in public because I'm pretty self-conscious about my bullet scars on my stomach and back. The scars I gave myself taking down my ex-fiancée. I looked at myself in the mirror.
Those scars were pretty prominent. A permanent reminder why love is bad for me and why my feelings will be bad for Steve. As upset as I feel right now with Steve I'm not going to show my anger. There should be no reasons for them. I'm his friend and I should be supportive of his opportunity to be with his girlfriend. Steve feels lonely enough as it is being out of his time. I should be happy for him.
I don't know if I felt sincere about this or not but it's what I'm going to do. I leave the bathroom, grab my iPod off the bed, put my earbuds on and start jogging on my treadmill.
Steve's POV
I feel this terrible guilt in my gut right now. I just promised Shannon tickets to her favorite band without asking Elena if that is alright. I noticed she left really quickly after I said that and that's when the guilt started coming in.
But why am I feeling this guilty?
Well I know I just pulled a jerk move but I kind of feel guiltier then I should. Shannon asked me how I knew I should get the tickets and I lied and joked it was my Captain America "senses." How cheesy is that? I lied about Elena and I going together this weekend instead of her and I. It's not like I have kept Elena a secret. I've told Shannon about her and the things we do and say. She knows we are great friends but why did I lie? Why did I do that to Elena too?
I shook my head trying to clear out my thoughts. I'm currently in the elevator on my why to Elena's apartment. I needed to talk to her and do this the right way like I should have done earlier. But I felt so nervous to face her. Why? I think I can say she's become my best friend. I should be able to talk to her like we always do but I don't know. This feels so… different. Like I'm going to confess I cheated or something which sounds ridiculous because we are friends nothing more.
Finally the elevator door dings releasing me of my thoughts in the elevator. I walk into Elena's kitchen. Her kitchen was pretty much clean except for a messy bunch of paperwork sitting on her kitchens island. I walk further in to see the living room empty too. I would have stopped and waited for her to appear because this is the furthest I ever aloud myself into her home. But I heard a sound of a machinery on. I've never heard that noise here so I decided to go further in to check it out.
Around the corner what I assume is her bedroom (only place in this apartment without glass walls for privacy). I find a small workout room and see Elena running on a jogging machine half naked.
Okay she wasn't naked but I come from a time where ladies were covered from their shoulder to their knees at all times. Unless they were swimming then it was a one piece swim suit. It shocked me the first time I saw a lady running in the park with nothing but spandex and a bra basically.
So Elena wasn't naked she was wearing one of those sport bra I think they are called and knee length jogging pants. Still took me by surprise, I've never seen Elena show so much skin before and it was hard not to look. Especially because of a small set of scars on her back. I remember from her interview she said she inflicted those on herself to shoot down her fiancée and take him down.
That must have been hard to realize the person you most loved and trusted is a criminal who lied and used you for their own advantage. Selfless of her to be willing to sacrifice herself to stop this mad man from destroying the government then probably next the world. What kind of world would I have woken up to if she didn't do that? She deserved someone amazing, someone who truly values her for who she is. In the short time I have known her I've learned so much. I really hope for the best for her.
Which is why I need to do the right thing and apologize.
"Hey Elena," I tried to interrupt. She didn't turn my way. That's when I realized she had earphones on.
I touched her shoulder next thing I knew a sharp pain went through my head and everything went dark.