Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers.

I can't let this go. I know, I know, is not canon but... We have Clintasha everyyyywhere these days, so if Mocky is available why can't she give some love to Steve, right?

Chapter 14: The elephant in the room

By the time Penny got to the office, Hoban was near a nervous breakdown. He explained how he was running tests on the subject sample and it was an incredible amount of data to process. She told him he could use Elinor, the AI dedicated to the medical officers to process the samples more quickly.

She took off her shoes and went to her office after waving at Bruce, who seemed concerned; she checked on him "Aren't you going with the guys?" He shook his head, "No, Steve wants me to stay and help you. And I agree" his tone stated a lot more than what was happening. He gestured to his ear and then did some eye thing pointing at his guard outside. She was a bit confused but was pretty sure this was code for something.

He took a deep frustrated breath and started writing in a post it, looking for the perfect angle not to be caught on camera. Ohhhhhh "Brandon, go radio silence" he half smiled "You have to explain what you're doing at some point you know" She smiled "At some point, yeap. What's up?"

He was taking his time. Whatever it was, it was big "Steve is sick". Steve is sick. Steve can't be sick. He can't get sick. I mean, scratched, broken, yeah, but sick?

"Define sick" Bruce explained what happened before.

"Get his ass here, shit I gotta take this call" she picked up and transferred the call to her desk phone. She placed Stark's and Romanoff's flasks in the sample reader and started working on her PC, getting the data from the samples "Hey you"

"How are you?! I've been calling all day for two days now Nell! I was dead worried!" she sighed

"I'm okay Tricia, I had a little fall yesterday and I've been packed with work, that's all. I'm really sorry" the young woman on the phone seemed upset.

"Some guy picked up the phone yesterday and explained you were "unavailable", he was very interested to know who I was" Penny took a deep breath "That was Clint probably. He got my phone fixed. What did you tell him?"

"Oh, Clint. Not much, just my name and to call me when you were okay"

"I'm okay. How's Zoey?"

Bruce called Steve to come quickly but stayed hovering around discussing with Hoban the possible threat and showing Penny screens with the data they had so far in a low tone.

She muted the phone and asked the AI to run tests and compare the latest blood samples with last months' and also setting them as Ground Zero for the bio threat exposure window.

The voice on the phone sounded young and cheerful "She's grown so much and is getting so pretty. You have to come see her!"

Hoban left to keep on running DNA scans using Elinor at his office. She un-muted the phone again "I really like to see her, feels like ages. And we gotta catch up!"

"Then come visit!" Penny took a deep breath and pretended to forget Bruce was right at his doorstep. "I will, soon. Weekend maybe? If I manage to skip work"

"About the weekend! Auntie wants you to come over for brunch"
"Auntie- Your aunt wants to see me? Since when?"

The voice cleared her throat "Well, you have a lot in common and we're all family and you both love Zoey very much. You're family too and she wants to bond I guess" the voice made a pause "Look, she's old fashioned and I'm a single mom Nell, it's not what she dreamt for me"

Bruce then noticed that Penny's expression turned gloomy. "Things will look up Tricia, you'll see, I'm working on it"

"Well, I may have got a job, it's just a gig on Sunday but it's a start"

"That's great news! I wanna hear all about it." She heard a little knock on the door. Steve was standing next to Bruce, sharing odd looks "But I gotta run now."

The voice was understanding and very kind "See you Sunday then? You may need to look after her if I get this job"

"Count me in, can't wait to see the little one. You guys take care ok?"

"I will, miss you!"

"Miss you too. Bye" she hung up and looked at the guys. "Sorry about that, I just had to talk to her, she had that worried mommy tone"

Steve came nearer her and touched her forehead. "She wasn't the only one worried" Apparently he didn't care about propriety when he had a fever. "I'm fine, I'm fine" Bruce repressed a smile at Steve's gesture and decided to test a theory "So, was that your… partner?"

Both Steve and Penny looked at him puzzled "What? As in… Oh. No Bruce, I don't play for that team! She's a friend that's all. Oh c'mon, you really get a gay vibe around me?" Bruce couldn't help but repressed a laugh considering the way Steve and her were lingering around each other "Well, no, but you seem close"

"We are. We've been friends for some time now and she's a single mom. Her daughter (she showed them her iPhone background picture) is only 6 months. She moved to NY not a year ago so" Steve was a bit drowsy but was still following "and what about the baby's father? He took off?"

And that's when Penny's expression changed to something Steve had never seen before. She took off the phone from his hand in a moved away showing distress "God no. He'd never do that." Steve felt he needed to apologize and Bruce came nearer them since she seemed clearly upset "He was going to see her and… there was this… robbery and the idiot started fighting someone stronger than him, and well… he…"

Bruce and Steve brushed her back in a comforting way "I'm sorry, I just assumed"- Penny was still mad at him "You assumed wrong. He's a great guy. He, he helped me a lot while growing up and when all that happened I looked for her, and she was expecting Zoe and I couldn't leave her alone, I owed him that"

Steve brushed her arm and left his hand there "I'm really sorry Penn" she looked at his hand and then at him. "You're boiling. Brandon, Patient confidentiality protocol" Bruce took off to his own desk restraining a proud smile and left them alone.

She closed the door and led the way to the back of the office where the stretcher was concealed behind three screens "You don't look too good"

"You look great, as always" She half smiled and felt a blush coming to her cheeks "Was that a compliment? That's two in one day Rogers, I may get used to it" she came nearer him and kissed his forehead to check his temperature. He accidentally took a tiny peek inside her blouse and then blushed at the thoughts he was having "What was that for doc?"

He couldn't keep those thoughts of his head. Unbuttoning her blouse, kissing her neck slowly, feeling her skin against his. He cleared his throat.

"It's an old grandma thing. You can tell if someone has a fever like that. What else do you feel? When did it start?" She looked worried, dead worried, but not trying to show it. He explained that it started a few hours ago and that he had to take off in 2 hours with the rest of the team otherwise "Everyone'll know something's wrong and then" "-Lab rat, I know. Don't worry. I'll fill you up with meds, but you need to come in the moment you're back. I need to leave you in observation" All alone, just the two of them. Not ideal but it could work.

He may get the nerve to ask her out, or not. This was ridiculous.

"Observation? But I-" She smiled at him "We'll figure something out, don't worry. Here" she handed over the thermometer. Then she started giving info to Brandon, who kept answering and greeting Steve. He was quite excited to be able to show himself to someone new.

"How are you feeling Penny? How's that?" he moved his hand to her scar again, brushing the stitches and her cheek slowly with his fingers. He felt her holding her breath and could've sworn she looked at his lips for a second "I'm okay, I'm fine. I got a bit trippy today but it's okay"

"I was worried yesterday. You were…" she was going through the medicine cabinet next to the stretcher and stood on dry. She still couldn't remember much of the previous day, only that he was there. "I'm so sorry about yesterday Rogers." She got some pills and left them next to him.

"Oh, don't be, you were very sweet" Sweet. That's not good. I can't be sweet. She looked puzzled.

"You don't remember anything, do you?" She gazed at him while checking his temperature. 101.3 degrees. An infection, anything could be causing it. But why was he getting it? Why now?

"Okay, so, I'm gonna get a bit of blood to see what's causing your fever, okay?" He was concerned that people would realize but then she explained they need samples from everyone as ground zero for bio threat procedures. "Was I… weird yesterday?"

She got the needle in his arm and he twitched a bit "I'm sorry" he looked up "No more than usual" he couldn't help a mischievous laugh and she mocked hit him in his shoulder while half smiling "Jerk"

"You seemed… happy. Do you remember any of it?" She took the needle of his arm and asked him to push the little cotton against the puncture. While setting up his blood flask in the sample reader she answered "I remember Clint being there and you being there, and then… I hugged Bruce? Why would I hug Bruce? And then I was" she looked around "I think I was sitting on that couch. But then I was at a beach and it was sunset, it was very soothing and warm" he couldn't help beaming at her "Was it?" Uh oh.

"What's so funny about that?" he repressed the smile. His head hurt a bit "You mentioned a beach, and sunset I think." She raised her eyebrow but he frowned, his ears felt clogged. She checked his ears, throat, nose, lungs. And then she heard his heart. She held the stethoscope and looked at his eyes. He could see her concern. She pushed the stethoscope closer to her ears and held it with her whole hand against his chest, trying to improve the sound. Her warm hand in his chest only drew him closer to her. When she realized she could feel his breath near her skin she moved away.

"What is it?" She faked a half smile. "Nothing, I was just checking how everything was. I think you have a cold" she placed the stethoscope over her neck and tried to look away but he grabbed her by her arm and brought her closer to him.

"Penny, please" He just looked at her "It's nothing, really" then she dropped the smile "You've been out in the last few days, you were bound to get a cold, it's winter outside"

"Now the truth please?" she went through the drug cabinet again and got a new needle, filled it up with some medicine and stabbed his arm with it. His eyes were still fixed on her "You smell like coffee" now her eyes were fixed on his. "I have no idea what's happening Steve"

She took the needle off and threw it to the trash, and moved back to face him. She was going to say something else, but Hill burst in.

"I'm sorry, you can't be here, I'm with a patient." Penny crossed her arms and got between Hill and a sitting down Steve. "I thought we had an understanding Dr. Morse"

Suddenly, someone else was behind Agent Hill. "I'm sorry, who are you?" She turned around and saw Dr. Hoban, "Who are you?" If there was one thing Alan didn't like, that was rudeness.

"I'm Dr. Hoban, the new Lead MD. Please come this way" he moved his arms pointing towards the door while Penny restrained a smile. "I'm Agent Hill. Now Dr. Morse-"

"Dr. Morse is with a patient. I'm going to have to ask you to leave now." He stood still trying to seem taller than what he was, and more serious. The Hawaiian shirt under his robe didn't help. "You don't understand, she"-

"I think you don't understand, please come this way." He shut the door behind them winking at the pair inside. Penny exhaled loudly "He just made an enemy right there" Steve felt that sudden rush of anger again, the same he felt when he read "husband" the night before "So that's Dr. Hoban?"

"Yeap, and he reports directly to Fury. I'm prrreetty sure your girlfriend there doesn't know that little detail" she handed over the pills she took from the cabinet.

"My what?" She snorted "Take one of this in 3 hours if you still feel drowsy" he was clenching his teeth at her previous comment. She tried to repress a laugh.

"Oh c'mon, that chick wants you so badly" he frowned "Hill?" Penny nodded "She hovers around you every chance she gets. I bet she's your liaison and will want to liaise with you in no time" he scorned at her "That was subtle for make a move on you"

He was angry at her for thinking that but at the same time she was still too close and he couldn't help thinking how much he'd like to be somewhere else with her. Maybe ask her out. Dinner and a movie, maybe even stealing a kiss from her while walking her home.

No, things don't work like that anymore.

Penny misread his awkward silence "OMG she has hit on you already and you never told me? Are you sleeping with her?" She was standing in front of him and wouldn't let him move.

"Lord No Penny! She's a bully, and very rude with anyone under her" Penny chuckled "You know, I could make at least 5 different sex jokes with what you've just said, but I'll take the higher ground. You're all set."

He got up inches from her and they both started acting awkward around each other, lingering there. "Well, thanks Dr. Bobbi" She went pale "Oh my God, what else did I tell you?" He pat her shoulder in a mocking way. "Something about going to college at 14, but I guess we'll need to leave that for another time"

Dr. Hoban came into the room "What a kwong-juh duh!" Penny started giggling at Alan's comment. "We're in the US Hobbie, English only. Captain Rogers, let me introduce you to our new Lead MD, Dr. Alan Hoban, AKA my partner in crime"

Alan came nearer him and they shook hands "It's an honor to meet you Captain Rogers" Steve nodded "Nice to meet you Doctor. Agent Hill is a bit of a-" Penny interrupted "a bitch Hob, thanks for keeping her out".

The doctors shared a smile "No problem birdie" She was beaming at the sight of her friend "I am SO glad that you're here!" She hugged Alan while saying Thank you and Steve started walking to the door.

"Remember to come back later" She smiled at him, but he didn't smile back.

"I'll see what I can do. Thanks Dr. Morse, Dr. Hoban" and he stormed away. She looked at him walk away through the glass office and met Bruce's eyes since he was staring at them.

"What's the quarterback's problem anyway?" she sighed "I don't know, don't' call him that!"

She looked at Bruce again, who was pretending not to be looking at them. When he looked up, she was right next to him "What was all that about?" he was staring firmly at his screen.

"You know I'm one of the very few people in this building that can tell that what's on your screen right now is pure gibberish, right?"

Bruce turned around smiling taking off his glasses and started cleaning them with this sleeve. "What do you need Penny?"

"Why did he leave like that?"

"Well, I'm no expert but I guess you hugging your… friend there, I guess he wanted to leave you guys alone. You know how he is"

"My… "friend"? He's, he's Hobbie! There's nothing going on there. We were stationed together in China, he was my doctor when… We're friends, that's all!"

"Have you noticed how much you explain yourself when someone asks you about relationships? I mean, I'm not sure how you are with other people but with us…"

"What is that supposed to mean?" He kept cleaning his glasses "I think you want to make sure that no one thinks that you're with someone."

"Aha… because I'm not"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm not."

"And there's no one you'd like to be with…?"

"No, my work is the most important thing for me right now. Where is all this coming from?"

"I don't know, I just think you may be interested in someone" He raised both of his eyebrows and moved them like a cartoon character.

"Really? Really. You are going there. You just went there. I am not interested in you. Or him. At all. C'mon, we're science buddies. Well, we're science buddies when your boyfriend Tony isn't here. And Steve is… Steve. He's Captain Nice guy. He's just… Steve."

"Exactly. Steve. The nice guy. I see no reason why you or anyone would feel attracted to him. Good God!" He put his glasses back on and resumed staring at the screen.

"I can't believe you just did that. It's so NOT true. Not true. Not true. Not talking to you today."

"Good, cos I got work to do."