Live Wild
It was a cold winter night, your best friend Natasha and Sam, her boyfriend, were walking hand in hand while you trailed behind them. The store was just around the corner.
You passed through the automatic doors of the supermarket and let the warmth of the atrium seep into you. Both floors were crowded, even though it was almost closing time. You looked around you as you shoved your gloves in your pockets.
“What do we need?” You unzipped your coat and turned to look at Sam.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and stared at the bright screen. “Um, chips, salsa sauce, cake-”
“Why does Foggy always throw a party when his cupboards are empty?” Natasha said, her brows pulled together.
“Okay, we need a shit tons of things. It’s best if we split up.” Sam clapped and rubbed his hands together like he couldn’t wait to get started.
“Y/n, you take care of the chips. Nat, you’re in charge of the sauce and I will take care of the rest.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss on his girlfriend’s lips.
“See you soon, sugar.” Natasha winked at him and looped her arm through yours.
“We’ll meet back here in 15 minutes!” We warned, walking backward towards the escalator.
“Yeah, yeah,” You grinned at Natasha and dismissed Sam with a wave of your hand.
You and Natasha were talking about trivial things when a man almost bumped into you. He apologised quickly and ran after a woman. You turned your heads to look at them. The man with a goatee held out a large box and smiled brightly at a blonde woman with high heels.
She kept one hand on the cart and pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. It didn’t seem to deter the man, he kept a charming smile on his face until the blonde shook her head. You chuckled when the man jutted his bottom lip out in a pout, but the blonde only rolled her eyes and walked away.
“Let’s go.” Natasha took your hand and walked through the aisles until you found the one with the chips.
You followed her, keeping up with her pace when you noticed that a blond man was staring at the both of you. He was wearing sunglasses and a beanie with an arrow on it. He peered at the two of you through his sunglasses and grinned. You glared at him, your brows slightly furrowed and he threw you an amused wink. Natasha put bags of chips in the basket and looked at the time. Sam was probably already waiting for you.
“I need one more thing and then we can leave.” Natasha said, turning around and hurrying to the next aisle.
The supermarket was busy, you went to the checkout counter and looked behind your shoulder to see if Natasha was coming back. The line you were in wouldn’t move at all, which was starting to upset you.
Suddenly everything went quiet, like the calm before a storm. The sound of what appeared to be firecrackers made you jump. Screams rose from the back of the supermarket, then everything turned into chaos. You shouted Natasha’s name as people ran towards the exit. You fought you way back to Natasha, like a fish swimming against the tide and fell to the ground.
The loud popping sounds came closer, you looked up to see a man dressed in black pointing his gun at the ceiling and pressing the trigger. You crawled to the nearest hiding place. Your heart was racing, your stomach tingled nervously. You wondered if your friends were okay.
Apparently the man was only trying to scare most of the customers away. He caught a few people and led them to the back room. You pulled your phone from your pocket and dialed 911. Closing your eyes, you repeated the words ‘pick up’ like a mantra.
“911, what is your emergency?”
“I’m at Fairchild, the store is being robbed.”
“Okay, Ma’am, a patrol car is on its way. They should be there shortly, stay where you are.”
You heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming closer to you and quickly cut off the call in a dumb, scared move. You put a hand over your mouth and nose so that your ragged breathing wouldn’t betray your position and waited.
A few minutes later, you saw the red and blue lights of police cars, which were parked in front of the store. Soon your phone started to vibrate insistently in your hand. An unknown number flashed on the screen, making you frowned as you swiped your thumb across the screen to take the call.
“Ma’am, this is Detective James Barnes with the one-o-seventh. Are you okay?”
“Some dudes are walking around with guns, I’m hiding behind a pile of soup cans and I have no idea where my friends are… Honestly, I’ve had better days.”
Your sarcasm made Detective Barnes smile to himself. He cleared his throat and asked, “Ma’am, may I ask your name?” You told him your name and he repeated it softly.
“Miss Y/l/n, everything is going to be okay. I’ll get you out of there, but you need to stay calm and do what I say. Understand?”
When he heard you snort on the other end of the line, Detective Barnes rubbed his forehead with two fingers. He had the feeling you were not going to be so cooperative.
*
The police had set up a perimeter. Yellow tape that warned in big, bold letters ‘POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS’ was stretched around lampposts and bins. The bright blue and red lights from the police cars were casting ominous shadows across the detective’s face.
Detective James Barnes just arrived at the scene of the robbery with his partner T’Challa who flashed his badge at a group of cops near the Command Unit van. James looked around him and sighed, it was going to be a really long night.
“Barnes!” Captain Carter shouted when she saw him near the patrol car. “We have the number of the civilian who called 911. I want you to call her and find out what she knows. Keep her calm.”
She handed him the phone and walked away. Taking a deep breath, James pressed the call button. He tried to keep you calm, but you sounded more annoyed than scared.
“Did you see the assailants?” He tilted his head to the side while waiting for your answer.
“I saw a man carrying a gun.” You whispered so low that he had to close his eyes to focus on the sound of your voice. “I heard footsteps.”
“Stay hidden. Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Anyone requiring medical attention?”
“No idea. They don’t seem to be hurting people, but the ceiling took a few bullets. Can’t you just barge in here or something?” You asked, annoyance filling your tone.
“I could… if we were in a TV show.” He smiled to himself when you snorted. “Tell me what you can see.”
“Not much,” You replied, shifting on the balls of your feet. “But if I move-”
“Do not move!” James shouted into the phone. “Stay hidden and don’t do anything reckl-”
You put the phone to your chest to muffle the sound of his voice and slowly peered out between two cans of soup where you were hiding. The supermarket, which had been crowded just a few minutes ago, was now empty. It reminded you of a scene from a disaster movie. Broken boxes of cereals and other products were scattered on the floor.
You put the phone back to your ear and opened your mouth to tell Detective Barnes that no one was in sight when you spotted a little girl.
“There’s a kid.” You gasped into the receiver. “I can see a little girl.”
James flinched when you mentioned the kid, his hair stood up on the back of his neck. He waved at his superior. “Is she hurt?”
“No idea. I’m gonna go see her.”
“Don’t move!” He shouted again, earning an incredulous look from Captain Carter. “There’s a kid, she’s going after her.”
“Tell her to stay where she is.”
James told you to stay still, but you didn’t respond. He could hear you speak to someone and he assumed it was the kid. He could barely hear your voice. You crawled to the kid and sat next to her. With a small smile, you brought your knees to your chest and retreated into a ball.
“Hey! What’s your name, sweetie?”
“Cassie.” The girl replied around a mouthful of cereal like it was no big deal. “I lost my daddy. Do you know where he is?” She looked up at you with big brown eyes.
“No, sweetheart, I don’t know where he is. Why don’t we stay together, um? We’ll find him later, okay?”
“Why is everyone playing hide and seek?” She asked, returning her attention to her cereals.
You mumbled a ‘dunno’ before you put the phone to your ear.
“She’s fine, she thinks it’s a game.” You explained to Detective Barnes. “I’m going to stay with her.”
“It’s very important that you stay hidden, no more reckless move, okay?” You could hear sirens and people shouting in the background. “I will call you back in five minutes.”
He ended the call and squeezed the phone, bringing it to his forehead. He closed his eyes and mumbled incoherently to himself before he took a deep breath. Reporters with mics and cameras were gathering around the supermarket, bringing with them a growing number of onlookers. James avoided a woman who wanted to interview him and entered the police van.
“I just got off the phone with a certain Y/n Y/l/n. According to her, they took hostages, but she doesn’t know where they are. She also found a little girl.”
“Anyone injured?” Captain Carter asked, taking a sip of her coffee before she tossed the Styrofoam cup in a bin.
“Not that she knows of.”
“They blocked the exits and broke the security camera.” T’Challa said, eyes locked on the computer screen. “Looks like your Y/n is our best source of information.”
“Barnes, you’re in charge. Think you can handle it?” He nodded firmly, seizing the opportunity to impress his superior. “Good.” She left the van and shouted at her men. “I want two snipers on the roof.
James walked over to T’Challa and put a hand on his shoulder as they both looked at the security footage.
“Hey, she said she was hiding behind a pile of cans. Think you can find her?”
T’Challa hummed, typing away at the keyboard until he found what he was looking for. He zoomed in and the two men watched as you squatted down behind a pile of soup cans. The video stopped soon after.
“Here’s your girlfriend, Barnes.” T’Challa grinned. “You should call her back, she’s probably worried sick.” He let out a small laugh when his partner rolled his eyes.
James left the van and put the phone to his ear. You didn’t pick up, he frowned and tried to call you again when a man walked past the security and grasped his arm.
“My friends are in there..”
“Okay, sir, calm down.” James raised both his hands. “What’s your name?”
“Foggy Nelson. You gotta help her, man.”
*
Detective Barnes asked Foggy Nelson to come with him. They went out onto the street where they could speak without being interrupted. James retrieved a small black notebook and a pen from his inner breast pocket and opened it to a new page.
“Sir, I understand you are under great stress, but I need the names of your friends.”
“Sam Wilson, Y/n Y/l/n and Natasha Romanoff.”
“Y/l/n?” Detective Barnes’s head snapped up to look at Foggy while still scribbling down in his notebook.
“Yeah, I talked to her like five minutes ago. We were expecting them, but they were late so I called her and… Oh, fuck, man!”
“Sir, who is Y/n?”
“She’s my assistant. I’m a lawyer,” He gave him his card. “Yeah, I know, you think we’re scumbags. Don’t give me that look. Nelson & Murdock. I’m Nelson.”
“Yeah, I got that.” James took the card between two fingers. “Listen, you need to let us do our job. Stand back, and I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”
“But dude… um, I mean, Officer…”
“Detective,” James sighed, closing his eyes.
“Detective, these people are my best friends. Please, save them.”
“We’ll do our best.” James waved at an officer and nodded towards Foggy. The officer came closer and asked Foggy to follow him.
*
“I need milk.”
You stared ahead of you, deep in thought, and frowned when you heard a voice.
“What?” You looked down at the kid who was sitting next to you.
“My cereals need milk.” She looked at you with raised eyebrows and a dumbfounded grimace.
You blinked, pulling yourself back from your reverie. When the words finally registered in your brain, you leaned closer to her.
“Sweetheart,” You said softly. “These are really crunchy and… and we’re… we’re trying to win this hide and seek game, remember?” You used words that wouldn’t scare Cassie.
“Yeah, but I’m bored. How long are we going to stay here?”
“Until…” You tried to think of something to say that the six-year-old would believe. “Until Santa tells us we can move, alright?”
“Pff, you know Santa Claus?” She asked with a cocked eyebrow.
“Yeah, I have his number. We’re old friends. Just stay put.”
As if on cue your phone vibrated, Foggy’s name -and dorky face- appeared on the screen of your phone.
“Where are you guys? We want food!”
“Foggy, I’m at Fairchild. There’s a robbery, I have no idea where Sam and Nat are.”
“Jesus! I’m on my way!” He shouted and ended the call.
“What the-” You pulled the phone away from your ear to look at the screen and groaned.
Foggy was a great boss and a dear friend. He would do anything for his friends, but honestly, what could he do? Barge into the supermarket and beat the robbers with a metal bat? Oh no, wait, he would totally do that.
About ten minutes after Foggy’s call, your phone buzzed again.
“Ah!” You said, throwing Cassie a side glance. “Santa is calling.”
She looked ready to stand up and do a cartwheel. You took the call while trying to shush her.
“Cassie, remember what I said about being quiet?”
You heard a soft laugh on the other end of the line. “The kid’s not behaving? Geez, I wonder what that’s like.” Detective Barnes sassed you over the phone.
“Glad to hear you’re having fun, Detective, but we’re about to die. And for the first time in my life, this isn’t a euphemism.”
“What’s a euphemism?” Cassie asked, scrunching her nose up, revealing a missing front tooth.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have joked about it.”
“No,” You sighed. “I’m sorry. I, too, make jokes when I’m stressed.”
There was a small pause, you knew he didn’t hang up because you could still hear sirens blaring in the background.
“It’s gonna be okay,” Something in his tone made you want believe him. His voice was low and kind, it felt like a warm embrace. “Y/n, can I call you Y/n?”
“Yeah.”
“Y/n, I want you to do something for me. You need to keep the little girl safe. Can you hide her somewhere? Like a closet or a room?”
“I saw a toy box when I was shopping.” You recalled.
“Great, do you think she’ll fit?”
“I think so but…” You trailed off and swallowed the lump in your throat. “It’s three aisles away from where we are.”
James held the phone to his chest so that you couldn’t hear him mutter a soft “shit.” He gritted his teeth while trying to find a solution. There was only one solution and he knew it, but he couldn’t ask you to risk your life.
“Detective? Are you still there?”
“Yeah,” He put the phone back to his ear and pinched the bridge of his nose. You knew what he refused to ask.
“I’ll go.” You said in a decisive tone. It was going to happen that he liked it or not. Cassie’s safety was your number one priority.
“Don’t hang up and be extremely careful.” He emphasised the word ‘extremely’.
Cassie tugged on your arm, making you turn your head to look at her. “What did Santa say?” She looked so excited, a bright smile plastered to her face.
“Santa is sending us on a very special mission.” You replied with a smile.
Innocent, little Cassie didn’t notice how fake and tight your smile was. A shiver of fear chilled your bones while Cassie squealed gleefully.
*
James kept his phone glued to his ear while you moved around the deserted supermarket. He closed his eyes and tried to picture himself with you and Cassie. His heart was beating fast, anxiety grew inside him and he tried to shake the feeling away.
You were making a lot of noise for someone who was trying to be discreet.
“Okay, it’s done. She’s safe.” You whispered, breathing hard into the phone.
“Are you okay?” He cringed at his own ridiculous question. “Sorry, stupid question.” He braced himself for your sarcastic comeback, but you didn’t say a word. It made his eyes snap open. “Y/n?”
“D-Detective Barnes, I-I can’t b-breathe.”
Almost instinctively, James looked around for backup. He was the only one who could help you, he had to stay calm.
“It’s too hot in here.” James heard the rustle of clothing and assumed you were working on removing your coat.
“You’re doing really well. I know it’s scary, but you can do this.”
“I can’t-” You sobbed.
“Hey, Y/n, listen to me. I’m right here, I won’t let you down.” He said calmly, but firmly. He used that concerned tone again, the one that made your stomach flip.
He could still hear your laboured breathing and muffled cries. He closed his eyes again, trying to remember what they taught him at the academy. His mind went suddenly blank, the only thing he could remember was helping his childhood friend whenever he had an asthma attack.
“Focus on my voice and follow my lead. Think you can do that for me?” He heard you humming softly so he continued. “Great! Take deep breath and hold it.” He paused when he heard you suck in a breath.
“Now hold it for a few seconds and breathe out slowly.” He paused again, listening to your breathing. “That is really good. We’ll do it again, together.”
Your fists were clenched, your eyes closed shut as you tried to concentrate on his voice. After a couple of minutes, the panic left your chest, allowing you to breathe normally again. He could hear your breathing returning to normal.
“I am proud of you.” His praise made you feel warm and fuzzy inside. “You need to stay strong, I know you can do this.”
“We don’t know each other, Detective.” You pointed out.
“True.” He agreed with a nod. “Let’s get to know each other better. You can call me James. I saw your boss, he’s really something. Do you like your job?” A smile lit up his face when you let out a small laugh.
“You saw Foggy? He’s great. Matt’s more reserved, but they’re both so generous.”
“And your friends,” He looked down at his notes. “Sam and Natasha, how did you guys meet?”
“Natasha’s my best friend, we met when we were young. She’s in the army that’s where she met her boyfriend, Sam. He’s a doctor.”
“I had a best friend too.” James recalled fondly. “We were inseparable, until he moved to Europe.”
You talked with James for almost an hour, although you would have never guessed it. He described himself as a single, pizza-lover, twenty-something living in Brooklyn.
This made you laugh and even though you couldn’t see it, a victory smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. He made you feel better, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t wonder what he looked like.
“James?”
“Yes, Y/n.”
“Thank you for getting me through this. Your voice is very soothing.”
James looked around him, he had been so focused on you during the conversation that he was completely unaware of anything going on around him.
“Likewise,” He smiled when you chuckled softly. “You have a really nice voice.”
“I bet you say that to all the hostages you have on the phone.”
The smirk in your voice made him shake his head. A silly smile spread across his lips until it wrinkled the skin around his eyes. He bit his bottom lip, vainly trying to stifle a chuckle. A comfortable silence settled between you. It was as if he was there with you, holding your hand.
“James fucking Barnes!”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” James muttered to himself. “Y/n, I gotta go. Call me if you need anything. I’ll call you back as soon as I can. Be careful.” His last two words sounded gentle, almost pleading.
He ended the call, his heart sank at the thought of leaving you on your own. He collected himself quickly and turned to face the man who so eloquently called his name.
*
Trying to appear unaffected, James walked back towards the police van where Sergeant Brock Rumlow was waiting for him.
“Taking a break to call your girlfriend, Barfs?” Rumlow asked with a large insincere smile. “Do you realize that we’re here to work? To catch the bag guys?” He moved his face a little closer, taunting James.
James’ jaw clenched, he had to bite his tongue to stop himself from replying something nasty. Rumlow was his direct superior and a daily nightmare. He couldn’t disobey his orders.
“I was talking to a witness.” James walked past him and entered the van.
“A mystery witness? Please, tell me more.” Rumlow followed him closely.
The small place felt like a sauna despite the cold weather. James started to feel lightheaded and slumped down into a swivel chair next to T’Challa. He tilted his head from side to side, trying to release the tension in his neck and shoulders.
“A woman called 911, she’s hiding inside the supermarket with a little girl.” James explained. “And before you ask, they are both safe. She hid the kid in a toy box and found a hiding place nearby.”
Rumlow nodded, his face suddenly grave. He took a deep breath and raised a hand to scratch his temple.
“Still doesn’t explain why you were smiling like a doofus.”
This made T’Challa snap his head towards James, his brows furrowed together. James quickly avoided his partner’s eyes and gnawed on his bottom lip instead. Rumlow bossed them around a few more minutes before he left the van.
“Please, explain to me why you were ‘smiling like a doofus’ while you were talking to one of the hostage?” T’Challa spun around in his swivel chair and crossed his arms over his chest, expecting an answer.
James threw his head back dramatically and ran both hands through his hair. “We just talked, she was having a panic attack.”
“That still doesn’t explain the goofy smile.”
“I smile normally.” James sighed forcefully. “Rumlow’s just being a pain in the ass. Anyway, we got anything new on our case?” He pushed back his chair to stand up.
“Well, yeah, believe it or not, but we actually worked while you were hitting on our witness.” He returned to his computer while James rolled his eyes. “Rumlow wants to storm the shop. It’s gonna happen soon.”
James, who was pouring himself and T’Challa a well-deserved cup of coffee, turned around so fast that he spilled hot coffee onto his hand. The sudden pain made him jump, dropping both cups to the ground.
“He can’t do that. We have no idea where they’re holding the hostages. Hell, we don’t know anything about the robbers. What did Captain Carter say?”
“She said yes. We don’t have much choice, we’ve been here for over five hours.”
James left in a hurry. He looked around and spotted Captain Carter, everyone was around her, including the notorious pain in the ass.
“Captain,” James shouted, easily catching her attention. “If your order that raid, it’s going to end in a bloodbath.”
“Our team is the best, Barnes. The negotiations failed, they refused to take our call. We have to act now.”
“With all due respect, Ma’am, we don’t know how many of them there are or what they’re like.”
“We know they have guns, it’s enough for me.” She replied with a nod. “Unless your witness saw something that could help us, we’re going to launch the attack in thirty minutes.”
Time stopped at that moment and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. It was an odd experience, James had no control over his words. What he said was stupid, irresponsible and could end his career.
“She saw them.”
A few heads turned to look at him, he suddenly felt really nervous. He cleared his throat and held his head high.
“She saw the robbers and she knows where the hostages are.”
Captain Carter looked relieved and it made James’ stomach tie up in knots.
“We have to postpone the raid.” She told the others before she turned to James again. “Call her back, find as many information as you can and we’ll plan another attack.”
James wished the earth would just open up and swallow him whole. Why did he lie to his Captain? He’d been in this kind of situation before, so why was he acting like this? He jeopardised his entire career and he couldn’t fathom why.
He walked back to the Command Unit van and took his phone out of his pocket. He pressed the call button and waited.
“James?”
His heartbeat quickened at the sound of your voice. Maybe asking you to call him James wasn’t such a good idea. A fire swept through him and he closed his eyes to control himself.
“Y/n, I’m so sorry. I did something really stupid.”
“It’s okay. Tell me, I-”
James called your name when you stopped mid-sentence. He could hear someone with a deep voice speaking to you in the background.
“Turn around, you’re-“
Suddenly the voices stopped. James looked at the screen of his phone, a perplexed look on his face. He tried to call you, again and again, but it went straight to voicemail. Your battery was flat. His blood ran cold and his legs felt like jelly. He returned to the van on shaky legs and closed the door behind him. T’Challa looked behind his shoulder and frowned. He could see how pale his partner was.
“I lost her.” James breathed out, closing his eyes.
*
You looked down at your phone and saw that the battery was dead. Great! The man behind you said something, but you were too terrified to move. He cupped your elbow to help you to your feet. He wasn’t brutal and that pulled you out of your stupor. Behind you a tall, broad-shouldered man was looking around him, worry etched across his face.
Cassie had her legs wrapped around the man’s small waist, her head rested on the man shoulder as she slept. He was carrying her with one arm under her butt, his free hand still holding your elbow.
“We gotta go!” He whispered.
You put your phone into your back pocket and followed the mystery man down the aisle. The sound of someone walking slowly towards you made you look behind your shoulder. You saw the shadow of a man holding a gun and quickly made a dash to the right where you ducked down behind a shelf. When the thief left, silence took over. The blond sighed in relief and looked at you.
“I’m sorry if I scared you.”
“What was that?”
“I was looking for Cassie, her father is hiding in the employees’ breakroom with a few more people. I saw you before I heard one of the robbers ask the other to go check out the toy section.”
You took a deep breath, trying to process all the information. The good news was that you were no longer alone, but you also lost James.
“I’m Steve.” The blond extended his right hand. Your hand slowly lifted from your knee to grasp his. You told him your name and shook his hand. Shaking a man’s hand in the middle of a robbery was kind of unsettling.
“We should go back to the others.”
Your heart was beating like crazy, the feeling never left you since this whole thing started and you didn’t get used to it. Steve and you were really careful, peeking around corners and walking fast until you found the door to the breakroom. He knocked once, waited and the door opened.
A young brunette with long brown hair kept the door half-closed. When she recognised Steve, she stepped away from the door and let the three of you in. The breakroom was small with lockers everywhere, a door on the left led to the restroom. A few people were sitting on the floor.
“Natasha!” You almost cried when you saw her.
You both ran towards each other and hugged. You held each other for a moment, happy to be reunited when a man cleared his throat.
A dark-haired man with a goatee and another with a beanie were looking at the two of you with a half-cocked grin. You remembered seeing them before the robbery. The blond nudged the man sitting next to him and mouthed the word ‘lesbians.’ You rolled your eyes and turned back to Steve who introduced you to the people in the room.
“This is Wanda, she works here,” Steve gestured toward the brunette who waved at you. “That’s Clint, Tony and Scott and I think you already know Natasha.”
You nodded greetings and told them your name. Scott took Cassie from Steve’s arms and kissed the top of her head. He gave you a small smile while he rocked his daughter in his arms.
“Welcome to our makeshift shelter,” The man named Tony said.
“I don’t suppose any of you have a charger.” You said, fishing your phone out of your back pocket. “I was on the phone with a detective.”
Wanda snapped her fingers and opened a locker. She searched her purse for something and pulled out a portable battery charger.
“I always carry one of these.” She explained, handing you the charger.
You thanked her, plugged your phone into the charged and turned it on. You looked around you and noticed a pile of papers spread out on the floor. It looked like a battle plan and you knew whose idea it was. You knew Natasha pretty well, she was always so calm and organised.
“What is that?” You nodded towards the papers.
“We’re planning an attack.” Natasha squatted down and explained her plan. “When I was hiding I saw where they took the others. They’re in the backroom near the central aisle.”
“And what are you going to do? You can’t just show up there and punch people in the face.”
“I know that,” She rolled her eyes. “That’s when Tony comes into play.”
Tony squatted down next to her and started drawing on a piece of paper. “I’m a chemistry teacher. There are very simple ways to make ‘homemade’ weapons. We’re going to make smoke bombs and Molotov cocktails.”
“I know my way around the supermarket.” Wanda stood next to you. “With Steve and Scott, we’ll get Tony whatever he needs. We’ll also grab a few baseball bats, just in case.” She shrugged.
“Last but not least,” Scott squatted next to Tony. “We’ll break into team of two so we can cover more ground, and then we’ll make a hell of a noise. This will distract the robbers, they will have to split up to catch us.”
“And then the best part, we beat the crap outta them!” Clint finished, hitting his fist in the palm of his other hand.
They all looked at you as if it was the best plan ever. Napoleon probably had that same toothy smile before the battle of Waterloo…
You were speechless, it could go sideways really, really fast. They looked so indifferent, you looked around for hidden cameras. Unfortunately, it was real.
“So? What do you think?” Natasha asked with a glint of hope in her eyes.
You opened your mouth to speak, but no words came out. Your phone buzzed in your hands, you looked down at the screen and saw five missed calls from James.
“Excuse-me, I have to make a phone call.” You said as you walked into the restroom.
*
You were calling James when Natasha put a hand on your shoulder. You stopped and turned around to face her.
“What’s going on?”
Her question made you cringe. “Isn’t obvious? In case you haven’t noticed, we’re trapped in a supermarket.”
“No, you don’t think we stand a chance against these guys!” She flinched when you avoided her eyes. “I know what I’m doing. It’s my job.”
“Your job, not ours!” You raised your voice. “What if they’re armed, what if they fight back? What if there are more than three robbers? What if some people are still hiding? Nat, do you even have answers to these questions?”
“You talk like a cop, Y/n. Who’s that detective?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“He’s a-”
“A guy? Well, that explains everything!” She snickered, a cold laugh escaped her lips.
“It’s not like that. James is helping-”
“Wait,” She cut you off again. “You call him by his first name?” Your phone started to vibrate in your hand. She looked at it and scoffed. “Go on, you don’t want to make Jameswait.”
She turned around without adding anything. You had your lips pressed together, tears started to blur your vision. You took a deep, shaky breath before answering.
“Y/n? Y/n, are you okay?” James’ panicked voice in your ear made you close your eyes.
“I’m fine,” You leaned against the wall.
“I couldn’t reach you. What happened?”
“I found a group of people, we’re hiding in the breakroom. Apparently it has just been renovated and it doesn’t appear on any maps. I found my friend, Natasha, she says the hostages are in the backroom near the service corridor. That’s all I know.”
“What about your other friend? Sam.” He didn’t even have to look at his notes anymore.
“He’s still missing.”
“You’ll find him,” He said in a gentle tone. “You sure you okay? Is your friend hurt?”
“No, we’re all fine. It’s just…” You trailed off. You used your free hand to rub under your eyes. You quickly weighed the pros and cons of telling Detective Barnes the truth. “I’m tired and scared.”
You didn’t like lying to James, but you couldn’t let Natasha down.
“I know, but you’re safe now. It’s the only thing that matters.” He exhaled quietly. Now that he knew you were safe, he had to tell Captain Carter the truth. “Listen, I did something incredibly stupid-”
“Oh, yes you wanted to tell me something. What’s going on?”
“I-” He seemed to hesitate. “I lied to my superiors, but don’t worry about it. The thing is, I have to tell them the truth and… I don’t think it’s going to end well for me.”
“James, you’re scaring me.”
“Don’t be, I only lied to keep you safe.” He replied quickly. “This is probably the last time we’ll talk to each other.”
“But-” You closed your eyes and imagined you were with him.
“You’re a great woman, so strong and… maybe a bit stubborn.” He laughed softly and closed his eyes, picturing you beside him.
“But you’ll be there when everything will be over, right?”
“I don’t think so. Just promise me you’ll stay where you are. No more reckless moves, okay?”He tried to keep his tone playful.
You pressed your lips together into a thin line and kept your eyes closed. When you didn’t answer he called your name.
“Yeah, promise.” You murmured.
“Goodbye, Y/n.”
And then nothing.
You collected yourself before you returned to the locker room. Natasha was sitting on the floor. You walked over and sat down beside her. You stayed quiet for a few moments before you both said at the same time, “I’m sorry.”
You looked at each other and chuckled.
“You were right,” She continued. “It’s not a good plan, but I can’t stay here and do nothing. I’m scared that something will happen to you or Sam. I don’t even know where he is. It’s driving me crazy.”
“Nat,” You held her hand tightly. “He’ll be fine, Sam’s a survivor.” She nodded slowly, looking straight ahead. “You were right too, I may have a crush on the detective.”
“You don’t say?” She turned her head and smirked.
“Shut up,” You nudged her with your shoulder. “Six hours ago I didn’t know him and now I’m worried because he’s going to be fired.”
“Why would they fire him?” Natasha frowned, a deep crease between her brows.
“He said he lied to his boss to keep… me safe, but I’m sure he meant us, all the hostages.” You shrugged. “I’m just another damsel in distress. He’ll forget me in a day or two.”
“That’s not true,” She shook her head.
“No, he’ll remember me, but not my name. I’ll be a story, nothing more.”
“Stop being hard on yourself,” She slung her arm around your shoulders and hugged you close. “I met Sam right after I got shot, he saved my life and then asked for my number.” She chuckled.
“Well, James already has my number.”
“Good, now all he needs is to grow some balls.”
“Nat,” You scolded and immediately laughed.
“Oh, Detective James!” She teased you. “I love you so much.”
“Oh, just shut your mouth,” You pulled away with an offended gasp. “I’m not in love with him. I just think he’s nice and-”
“And you want to have his babies.” She poked your cheek and laughed when you rolled your eyes.
“No! Urgh, you’re the worst.”
“I love you too.” She said before her face fell serious again. “So, what do you say? You’re coming with us?”
“You’re still going after the robbers?” When she nodded, you sighed and looked down at the floor, deep in thought. “Well, I can’t let you do that alone.”
“I’m not alone, I have the gang.” She gestured towards the others. “I understand if you want to stay here.”
“It’s fine, let’s go punch people in the face.”
You stood up and shoved your phone into your back pocket without realizing that James never ended the call. He heard everything.
*
James stood in the middle of the police van when Rumlow entered. He cocked a brow at James, wondering why he looked so flabbergasted.
“Seen a ghost, Barnes?” He closed the door behind him and stood in front of James who still had his phone to his ear. “Oh, it’s that witness of yours. What’s going on?”
James was too stunned to speak, he just heard that you had a crush on him. Earlier, after he said his goodbyes, he remained silent and tried to find a way to ask you out. You were in the middle of a robbery and he knew it wasn’t the right place, or the right time, but it was his only chance.
Soon he would tell the truth to Carter and he wouldn’t be able to talk to you. He gathered his courage and opened his mouth to finally ask you out when he heard you sigh forcefully, followed by the sound of your footsteps.
He wasn’t sure what had happened until he heard you talking about him with your friend. You thought he had hung up and returned to the breakroom, unaware that he could hear your conversation with Natasha. He also heard that you and the others were going after the robbers. It was -hands down- the worst idea a group of hostage could come up with.
“Barnes, talk to me. What’s going on?” Rumlow put both hands on his shoulders, pulling him back to reality.
“I have to go.” James mumbled, pushing Rumlow’s hands away. He walked past him to leave the van, but Rumlow grabbed his elbow to stop him.
“Whoa, wait a second! Where are you going?”
“See Captain Carter-”
“You have new information?” Rumlow raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, a genuine curiosity in his voice.
“Let me go.”
He wiggled free of Rumlow’s grasp and left the van in a hurry. It made him physically sick to know that you were in danger. He shouted his Captain’s name, making her turn around.
“Your witness gave you new information?”
“The hostages are in the backroom near the service corridor.” He repeated what you told him. “Ma’am, we need to act quickly.”
“That’s it? I thought you said she saw the assailants as well.”
“I lied,” Captain Carter gave him an exaggerated, astonished look that made his jaw clench. “You were going to storm the place and kill everyone on sight. I couldn’t let that happen.”
Captain Carter folded her arms over her chest and looked at him in the eye. “You leave me no choice, Barnes.” She sighed. “You’re suspended with immediate effect. One month. Give me your badge and gun.” James pulled off the badge he had clipped on his belt and removed the holster with his gun. She took the items and motioned for him to leave. He pretended to leave the scene and looked over his shoulder.
When he was sure she wasn’t looking at him, he entered the police van. James released a relieved breath when he saw that Rumlow was gone. He started to look for the map of the building when Detective King came back.
“What are you doing?” He closed the door behind him.
“I’m looking for the map of the supermarket.”
“Near the coffeepot,” T’Challa walked over to the table and rolled out the blueprint onto the desk. “Looking for something in particular?”
“An extension. Y/n mentioned they were hiding in the breakroom, she said it was new.”
“There,” T’Challa pointed on the map to an empty building next to the store. “You see the Chinese restaurant right next to the store? They plan on using it to make the supermarket bigger. This is great, now we have a possible way in. I’m going to tell Carter.” He turned around to leave, but James stopped him.
“She suspended me.”
“What? What did you do?” T’Challa stared at him with his eyebrows raised high in surprise.
“I lied about knowing where the robbers and the hostages were. Carter’s plan was a mistake and you know it. I had to do something.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Listen, I need your help, man.”
“I can’t do that, James.”
“I just need an hour. Give me one hour and if I’m not back, you can tell Carter.” He paused to gauge T’Challa’s reaction. “You owe me, T.”
“It’s about that girl, isn’t it?” T’Challa sighed, rubbing his hands down his face.
“Yeah,” James replied quietly. He was in it too deep to lie anymore. T’Challa sighed heavily, already regretting his decision.
“Okay, one hour and if Carter asks, I didn’t know you were suspended.” T’Challa waved his finger at him to emphasize his words. “So what are you going to do now?”
“Officially, I’m going home.” He took a piece of paper and reproduced the map.
“And what are you really going to do? From friend to friend?”
“I’m going to save Y/n.”
“You’re really into that reckless witness, uh?”
“You have no idea.” James folded the piece of paper and left the van.
An officer lifted the yellow tape over his head as James left the scene of the robbery. He returned to his car, which was parked a few steps away and grabbed his own weapon from the glove box. He removed the jacket of his black suit, reached into the back seat and grabbed his black leather jacket.
He looked around to make sure no one was watching him and slid the gun into the back of his trousers. Carefully, he walked towards the abandoned Chinese restaurant and kicked the back door open.
He drew his weapon from the back of his trousers and raised it high as he walked into the kitchen. The kitchen was torn to pieces, the renovation work has already started. A plastic curtain covered the hole in the wall separating the restaurant and the supermarket. Taking a deep breath, James pushed the plastic curtain and walked warily through the narrow pathway, entering the deserted supermarket.
*
You were sitting on the floor with Tony, making smoke bombs out of tin foil and ping pong balls while Clint and Natasha were talking strategy.
“Did you guys hear that?” Tony raised his head and looked around.
“Yeah, it’s coming closer.” Clint whispered, wrapping his fingers around the handle of the frying pan he found earlier.
He walked warily towards the noise while you all tried to hide, makeshift weapons in hands. It couldn’t be Steve, Scott or Wanda, they were on a mission in another part of the supermarket. Clint turned the corner and held the frying pan above his head.
A man turned around and pointed his gun at Clint, his eyes narrowed in anger and fear.
“Who are you?” Clint whispered loudly, grasping the handle with both hands.
“NYPD! Detective Barnes. Drop the frying pan!”
You crawled out of your hiding place when you heard his voice and ran towards him.
“James!” You held out a hand to him and pulled him to his feet.
“Step away from him, Y/n. I want to see his badge.”
Tony and Natasha stood behind Clint. The three of them were looking at you with puzzled eyes.
“I don’t have my badge. I’m here unofficially.”
Natasha took a step towards you, she looked down at your hand. You were still holding his hand, your fingers linked with his.
“Y/n, is this James?” She asked with a nod towards the man standing next to you. You nodded. “You never saw him before, how can you be sure?”
“We talked all night long. I know what he sounds like.” You held Natasha’s stare with a pointed look.
“I came back for you.” James looked at you. “I heard what you said about me. I heard everything.” He turned to look at the others and your eyes opened wide. “Including how you plan on attacking the robbers. Are you all insane?”
They fidgeted uncomfortably under his stare. He sighed, and gestured towards the employees’ break room.
“There’s a hole in the wall near the back of the shop. It leads to a restaurant, it’s safe. Detective King will take care of you.”
“My wife’s in there, I’m not going anywhere.” Tony said with sudden confidence.
“I’m not leaving my fiancé.” Natasha shook her head.
“I just really want to punch someone in the face.” Clint shrugged, giving him an ‘I don’t care’ look.
James ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. He turned back towards you, hope in his eyes.
“I’m not going anywhere. Sam is one of my best friend.”
A deep silence settled, he looked at you with pleading eyes. You stared at each other for a moment before Clint opened his mouth to speak. Natasha tugged at the hem of his sleeve, leading Tony and Clint away from you and James.
He was the most handsome man you had ever met in person. His eyes were red-rimmed from lack of sleep, his cheeks darkened with day-old stubble. His hair was short on the sides and a bit longer at the top, tousled to give him a carefree look. Black suit trousers hugged his long legs, showing off his muscular thighs. You stared at James with parted lips. He looked at you with the most endearing smile, his eyes roamed your face to settle on our lips.
“So you heard everything?” You asked and he nodded. “Everything?” You emphasized, cringing a bit and he nodded again.
He chuckled when you covered your face with your hands. Your palms muffled your embarrassed groan.
“Don’t be embarrassed.” He gave you a lopsided grin.
“Embarrassed? Why would I be embarrassed? You heard that I liked you and we never even met before.”
“Sometimes it happens.” He shrugged one shoulder.
“Oh, my God!” You rubbed your hands up and down your face. “I didn’t check my phone, I thought you had hung up.” You explained, confirming what he already suspected.
“I didn’t, I was actually trying to find a non-creepy way to ask you out.” He raised his hand and rubbed his neck. He looked very sheepish, his grey-blue eyes crinkled at the corners.
You looked at him for a moment, the words slowly registering in your brain. So, James was into you? Well, it would make things easier. He looked at you, nervously waiting for you to say something.
“Came up with anything?” You chuckled and he seemed to relax a bit.
“You mean that breaking into a supermarket in the middle of a robbery isn’t an efficient way to ask you out?” The corner of his lip curled up into a cheeky grin that made his eyes twinkle with malice.
You kept your eyes on the ground and raised your head when James started to rub your knuckles with his thumb. “I’d love to go out with you.” You said with a genuine smile.
“Great, now I really need to get you out of here.” He tried to keep his tone light, but his stomach was churning with fear.
He licked his lips, slicking them nice and shiny, and leaned forward to kiss you. He moved impossibly slowly, giving you the chance to say no, but you were ready. More than that, you were craving his lips on yours. If he didn’t kiss you right now, you were going to explode. And of course, Steve’s voice made you both turn around.
“Bucky?”
Who the hell is Bucky? You thought.
*
“Steve Rogers?” James recognized his childhood friend who moved to Europe years ago. “I thought you were smaller.”
“Puberty.” Steve shrugged. “It’s been a while, Buck.”
“No one calls me that anymore.” James chuckled. “Let me guess, this was your idea? Every time a fight is gonna happen you show up. Some things never change.”
“Actually, it was her idea.” Steve nodded towards Natasha.
“I didn’t hear you complain, Rogers.” She smirked and joined you. “You okay?”
“They know each other?” You looked at Natasha with the most confused expression on your face. “Feels like we’re in a sitcom.”
If Steve hadn’t rudely interrupt you, you would be kissing James right now. The sudden urge to slap Steve across the face made your dominant hand shiver.
“Guys, you should come over here.” Steve gestured for everyone to gather around him, Wanda and Scott. They came back with baseball bats, lamps and kitchen knives. “We saw them.”
“Who?” Tony asked, with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
“The Backstreet Boys,” Steve replied, rolling his eyes. “Honestly Tony, who do you think we saw?”
It took a few seconds before Tony gasped out loud and hit his forehead. “The robbers!”
“Yeah, two. They were arguing so we hid behind the information desk.” Steve explained.
“They took off their masks.” Wanda continued. “One was tall, lean with dark hair; the other was a bit taller, long blond hair kept in a messy bun and arms the size of hams.”
“They called each other Loki and Thor.” Scott concluded.
You were all standing in a circle, listening attentively. James took your hand and you saw the apprehension in his eyes. He laced his fingers with yours, holding your hand tightly.
“Thor and Loki? Are you serious?” Tony cringed. “If that’s their real name, you can all call me Lady Sif.”
“Wait, who’s that guy?” Scott pointed at James who was right in front of him.
“Nevermind him, he’s a cop. Tell us what the robbers said.” Clint dismissed his question with a wave of his hand.
“They talked about Y/n and Cassie.” Scott continued, his voice was starting to weaken. Scott hid Cassie in the breakroom and hoped that nothing would happened to her. He took a deep breath and continued.
“Apparently a man called them earlier and said that two people were hiding in the toy section. But they didn’t find anyone and the guy on the phone wasn’t happy. How did he know where you were hiding?” Scott looked at you.
For a few moment, they all tried to come up with an answer, but you knew. The only person who knew where you were hiding was next to you, holding your hand. You tried to slip your hand out of his, this made him look at you with knitted brows. Natasha must have come to the same conclusion because she subtly took the frying pan from Clint’s hand.
“James?” You took a step back. “You’re the only one who knew where I was hiding.”
“He told the robbers what was happening inside.” Natasha pointed the frying pan at James who lifted both hands up.
“I didn’t!” He took a step back now that everyone sided with Natasha. Steve stood between James and Natasha so that she couldn’t hit him. “Y/n, you gotta believe me. I never lied to you, please listen to me.”
He tried to take a step towards you, but Natasha tutted and raised the frying pan above her head.
“Touch her and I’ll break your face.” She gripped the handle with both hands, reading to swing the pan.
James looked over his shoulder, they were getting pretty loud. “Please, listen to me.”
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he looked around, trying to understand what was happening. He rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes to focus on what happened a few hours ago in the van.
“I didn’t even tell my boss where you were hiding.” His voice faltered, his eyes were watery and pleading. It had been a long night, longer and more intense than he could have imagined. “The only one I told was my partner, but he would never do that. I’ve known him since the academy.”
James looked like he was telling the truth, you really wanted to believe him. Natasha didn’t lower her weapon, her lips were drawn tight in concentration.
“You’re the only reason why I’m here.” James reached out to take your hand again, but Natasha glared at him. He turned to Scott. “Sir, I wouldn’t have harmed your little girl. It was just me and Detective King in the…” He trailed off, remembering one other cop. “Rumlow.”
“What’s Rum-low?” Scott frowned.
“He’s a Sergeant, he was in the van when I explained Y/n and Cassie’s situation. He’s a fucking moron.” James turned to Scott again. “Sir, there’s a hidden passage in the wall near the locker room. I want you to take your daughter and leave this place.”
Scott turned to look at the others, the prospect of finally leaving this place made him want to trust James. He nodded slowly as Wanda picked up a baseball bat and put a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m coming with you, in case it’s a trap.” They both hurried back to the employees’ breakroom to find Cassie.
“You should all leave.” James turned to the rest of the group.
“In your dreams.” Tony muttered under his breath.
James faced you again, he looked so furious at himself. You walked past Natasha and took his hand, pretending not to see the look she gave you.
“I believe you.” He muttered a ‘Thank God’ as he rubbed his forehead with his free hand. “What are you going to do?”
“I have to call my partner.” He said and slid his phone out of his pocket. He speed dialed T’Challa’s number and it picked up almost instantly. “T, it’s me. Rumlow is working with the-”
On the other end of the line, a dark laugh cut him off. “You’re a clever fellow, Barfs. I’m coming to get you. See you soon.” Rumlow chuckled ominously before ending the call.
*
“James? What is it?” You asked as James pocketed his phone.
“Rumlow is coming.” James muttered, trying to wrap his mind around the situation.
What did Rumlow do to T’Challa? If he hurt him, James would never be able to forgive himself. He felt his lungs constrict, his breathing hard and shallow. It wasn’t his first case, but this one was different. It felt personal.
He flipped his writ and checked the time. Captain Carter was probably already outside with a SWAT team about to storm the building. James was terrified, he was standing with a bunch of civilians who wanted to punch their way out of the shop. Even if he was suspended, he considered it his duty to protect them, to protect you.
“Okay, I’m in charge here.” James ran a nervous hand through his hair. “First, I’m calling off your little operation. Second, you do exactly what I say. It’s too late for you to leave now.”
He turned to Natasha who was watching him with her arms crossed over her chest. He knew he had to do something to appease your friend.
“Natasha, Y/n told me you’re in the army. Can you take the others and find a place to hide?”
She sighed and seemed to relax a bit, tilting her head enough to look behind her. “Yeah, I’ll keep them safe.” She replied before she led the others away from the main aisle. “You’re coming?” She whispered loudly, holding out a hand to you.
You turned to look at James and he gave you a small nod, taking your hand and kissing the back of it. “Go with them. I’ll find you when this is all over.”
“I don’t want to leave without you.” You looked over your shoulder, Natasha was still waiting for you. “It’s crazy. I’ve never met you before tonight, but I feel safe when you’re near me.”
“You’ve been through a lot,” He smiled and let his eyes roam over your features as if memorizing them. “When everything will return to normal, you’ll realize I’m just an ordinary guy. You may even want to cancel our date.”
“Not a chance,” You smiled, placing the palm of your hand in the centre of his chest.
His heart was beating so fast and hard that it made him dizzy.
“Promise me you’ll stay with them.” He looked deep into your eyes.
“I swear.”
“I mean it. No matter what happens, you don’t turn around, you don’t come back.” He put his hand on top of yours.
His words made you pull back slightly. You tried to gauge his expression, but he carefully avoided your eyes, which only increased your worries.
“James? What is Rumlow going to do when he’ll find you?”
“Nothing I won’t try to do first.” He replied quietly before he leaned in to whisper in your ear. “All you need to know is that I’m the best shooter on the team. Don’t worry about me.”
He kissed your temple and pulled back, giving your hand one last squeeze. As if on cue, a loud, taunting voice came from somewhere behind you.
“Barnes!” Rumlow laughed and it made you shiver. “Where are you?” He drawled out the words, enjoying this way too much.
“Y/n, you gotta go!” James pushed you towards Natasha, but you clutched your fist into the lapel of his leather jacket.
“Not without you.”
“I’ll be fine. Go!”
Natasha hissed your name, urging you to follow her. Leaving James was beyond your strength, your feet were stuck to the ground unable to move.
“No,” You whined, your eyes locked on James while Rumlow kept shouting.
“Go, please. You promised.” His voice cracked and so did your heart.
You grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and crashed your lips against his. It was sloppy and hurried, all tongues, teeth and desperation, but never had a kiss felt so good before. You refused to let him go. Perhaps it was because of the adrenaline, or just because even though you met him only a few hours ago he made you feel at ease and protected.
James kissed you back with the same insatiable need before he grabbed your shoulders, trying to convince himself to push you away. As much as he enjoyed the kiss, he had to know you were safe. Yet, he couldn’t stop kissing you.
He could hear Rumlow getting closer and the agreeable flutter in his stomach turned to anxiety.
“Go,” He mumbled against your mouth.
You gave a chaste kiss and pulled away, your eyes were stinging with the effort to hold back your tears.
“Please don’t die.” You breathed out, your warm breath fanning over his wet lips.
Reluctantly, you joined Natasha and started running away from the central aisle. Despite your frantic breathing and the blood pumping through your ears, you could hear James talking to someone. You heard voices and two gunshots before someone fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
You turned around, the whole supermarket suddenly became completely silent. Natasha made you duck behind a pile of soup cans before you could even think about running back towards James. She wrapped her arms around your shoulders to make sure you’d stay with her. From where you were, you could hear a SWAT team barge into the backroom. You put your hands on top of your head and prayed that everything would end quickly.
*
You vaguely remembered a man dressed in black tactical gear asking you to keep your eyes on the ground as you and the other hostages walked towards the exit. The white linoleum was covered in blood and you decided that it was safer to focus on your feet.
A gust of cold wind slapped you in the face as soon as you stepped outside. Bright lights blinded you, reporters shouted over the already loud police officers. You couldn’t focus on anything, you just stood there in the biting cold.
Suddenly, you felt an arm around your shoulders. Sam hugged you and Natasha tightly, wrapping his golden survival blanket around the both of you. It felt so good to be in someone’s arms, you started crying uncontrollably. It had been a really long night and you couldn’t believe that it was finally over.
“They want to take our statements as soon as possible.” Sam pulled away to look at the pair of you. “I’m so glad you’re both okay.”
You wiped the tears away from your eyes, giving him a small smile. “Likewise, Sammy.”
“Urgh, don’t call me that.” He grumbled, but couldn’t stop the smile forming on his lips when you and Natasha started laughing.
“We were going to rescue you,” Natasha kissed his lips. “But Y/n’s boyfriend was a pain in the ass.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” You rolled your eyes.
A knot formed in your stomach as you remembered the gunshots you heard before the SWAT team rescued the hostages. You looked around to find James, the knot crawled up to your throat.
“Y/n has a boyfriend? Damn, I really missed all the fun.” Sam frowned, squeezing Natasha’s waist.
“Yeah, they kissed and everything. That was so hot, she sucked on his tongue.”
You were looking for James, but Natasha’s words made your head snap back to her. “You watched?”
“Yup,” She said, popping the ‘p’. “So hot.”
“Show me,” Sam pulled her closer and tilted her head up, claiming her lips in a heated kiss.
Scrunching your nose in fake disgust, you left them alone. You walked among the police cars and ambulances, your legs shaking and barely supporting your weight, when you heard his voice. He called out your name, his voice weak and quavery.
“James!” You rushed to his side.
He was lying on a gurney, an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose. You turned around as two paramedics carried a body bag on another stretcher. James lifted his hand, pulling your attention back to him.
“Told you I was a better shooter.” He smiled weakly.
You wanted to climb into the ambulance with him, but an officer came to take your statement. Officer Peter Parker was wearing a uniform that was too big for him. He led you away from the crowd, his eyes sparkled with awe.
“Oh my God,” He gasped. “I can’t believe I’m talking to one of the Avengers!”
“The what?”
“The Avengers!” He beamed. “That’s what we call you, the group of reckless witnesses who wanted to punch their way out with baseball bats! You guys are so cool!”
You rubbed your hands down your face and tried to focus on what happened. Slowly, the fog clouding your mind started to lift.
You told Officer Parker what happened. He kept gasping and saying things like ‘wow’ or ‘psyched’. You could see in his eyes that he was already starting to daydream about it so you snapped your fingers in front of his face.
“Sorry,” Parker rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, we’re done here. Most of the hostages are in the hospital, it’s just a simple check-up. I’ll take you there in a minute.”
Officer Parker took you, Sam and Natasha to the hospital where you were reunited with Tony, his wife, Clint and Steve. You were relieved to see they were fine and hugged them as if you knew each other for years. The friends you made during the robbery were unique and you knew you would see them again.
You were surprised to learn that it was the middle of the afternoon. You lost track of time during the robbery. After the doctors allowed you to leave, you returned to the waiting room. Natasha was falling asleep with her head on Sam’s shoulder. He, too, dozed off, an arm wrapped around her shoulders.
“I’m going to see if I can find James, okay? Then we can leave.” You smiled at Sam who smiled back and watched you turn the corner.
He waited until he was sure you couldn’t hear him before he rested his cheek on top of Natasha’s head and closed his eyes.
“Seriously, who’s James?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. I think he’s going to stick around.” She replied with a smile and nestled closer against him.
You pushed the restroom door open and made a beeline for the mirror. You cringed at your reflection; you looked like you haven’t slept in years, your mascara left black smudges under your red-rimmed eyes. You drew in a heavy sigh and washed your face.
Once you were done, you returned to the hall. After you explained who you were and why you wanted to see Detective Barnes, the nurse kindly directed you to his room. James straightened up when he saw you standing at the threshold of the door. You entered slowly, smiling shyly as you sat in a chair next to his bed.
“How are you?”
He had his left arm in a sling, his left shoulder wrapped in bandages. You stared at it with a frown.
“Better,” He smiled tightly, fidgeting in his bed.
“What happened?”
“Rumlow said that everyone would believe I was the one who orchestrated the whole robbery and he’d be a hero. He tried to kill me, hit me in the shoulder,” He nodded towards his shoulder. “But I hit him in the neck.” He finished with a small, proud smile.
“So it was him in the body bag?”
“Yeah, he’s dead.” He reached for your hand.
“I’m sorry-” You trailed off, feeling tears brimming in your eyes. “It’s all my fault. If you didn’t come to my rescue you-”
“Shh,” He said softly, kissing the back of your hand. “It wasn’t your fault. You gave your statement already? Are in trouble?”
“Foggy took care of everything. Perks of working for lawyers.” You flashed him a tight smile. “You?”
“Suspended for six months without pay.” He grinned and shrugged at the same time.
“I’m so sorr-”
“I told you, it’s not your fault.” He cut you off. “I disobeyed my superior’s orders and it was my choice.”
“But you foiled Rumlow’s plans that should count.” You protested and James chuckled.
“That’s why I’m only suspended, I should have been fired.” He explained.
A moment of silence passed between you. You stared into nothing, thinking about what he just said. The knot in your stomach loosened a bit. He looked at you and took a deep breath, gathering his courage.
“Do you like food?” The words came out as one syllable.
It pulled you out of your thoughts. You jumped, startled by his sudden loud voice and looked at him. He was cringing at his own dorkiness.
“Sorry, I’m a bit rusty.” He raised his head to meet your eyes. “What I meant was, do you want to have dinner with me? I make the best macaroni and cheese you’ll ever eat.”
“You want to cook me dinner?” You asked with a growing smile.
“Well, now that I’m suspended I won’t be able to take you out to a nice restaurant.”
“We’re not in 1940, I can pay you know.” You smirked at him as he fidgeted in his bed.
“I know, I know,” James ran his only available hand through his hair. “I was thinking that… I could cook you dinner instead of going out. But you don’t have to say yes… it was just an idea and um-”
“You really are rusty,” You replied, a lopsided grin crept onto your face. He let out a quiet groan. “I’d love to have dinner with you.”
A sigh pushed past his lips, making you laugh heartily. The sound of your laugh warmed his heart and calmed his nerves. A long silent moment passed between the two of you as you looked at each other. He bit down on his bottom lip, his eyes were on your lips. Unconsciously, you licked your lips and looked at his mouth.
“You know,” You broke the silence. “According to Natasha, our kiss was hot.”
He laughed, his smile reaching to the corners of his blue-grey eyes. You got lost in your thoughts again and only came back to reality when he pulled your hand, tugging you closer.
“Of course it was,” He smiled at you, the tip of his nose touched your cheek. “Can I kiss you?”
You squeaked out a high pitched yes before he tilted his head and pressed his lips against your own. He pecked your lips once, his gaze flicked to your lips and he pecked them again. You let him kiss you again, this time lingering a bit.
His lips caressed yours in a slow, closed mouth kiss. It was gentle and, in a way, much more intimate than your first kiss. He took his time, making sure you enjoyed it just as much as he did. The taste, the shape, the softness, everything was perfect. Someone cleared their throat, making you pull away from James. A tall, strong-shouldered man entered the room. He smiled at you and you swore his smile could save lives.
“Let me guess,” He extended his hand to shake yours. “The reckless witness?”
“Y/n,” You replied with a scoff and shook his hand.
“T’Challa, I’m this idiot’s partner.” He nodded towards James who rolled his eyes. “Because of him Rumlow stole my phone and locked me in the police van. Thanks, man.”
“Complain all you want, but it could have been worse.”
“Yeah,” T’Challa nodded absentmindedly before he turned to face you again. “Nice to meet you. I heard a lot about you.”
James called T’Challa’s name, warning him to shut his mouth. When he opened his mouth to speak again, James tried to kick his leg. T’Challa let out a buoyant laugh that made his shoulders shake.
“I’ll let you guys alone.” You chuckled at their banter.
“I’ll call you.” James said as you reached the door.
“You have my number, detective.” You winked and left the room.
************
There will be an epilogue soon
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Meanwhile, take a look at my obsession Detective!Barnes
