What Happened In Budapest *unedited*

Chapter 15: We Run

“First things first,” Barton said while I was re-cleaning his wound. “We need to-” He winced.

“Sorry, I swear I’m trying to be careful,” I Said. “But it’s not as easy as it looks so please just stay still.”

Barton sighed and let me finish my job before he spoke again. “We need to get out of here.”

“Well, duh. Thank you Captain Obvious.” I said, pulling off the fabric that wrapped around my leg. “I’ve already packed.”

“You’ve what?” He asked.                                                                                 

“I packed. Ready to leave whenever.” I said casually. Well, as casually as I could while cleaning bullet wounds.

“You… packed.” He said again. “Exactly how long have I been out?”

“A day? Day and a half?” I replied. “I don’t really know. I shut the windows and closed the curtains. I have no idea if it’s night or day.”

“Okay…” He said, and flopped his head back onto the pillows.

“I kind of like this place,” I said, hoisting the duffel bag and taking one last look around the room.

“Nat,” He said, leaning against the doorframe and staring at me disbelievingly. “You fell off the roof. Your nose exploded in the bathroom. Are you insane?”

“Probably,” I replied, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the room and out into the hall. “But we should really go. I have the bare minimum, the suits, some weapons, food, water, and money. A sleeping bag.”

“One sleeping bag?” He asked.

“We only have one,” I shot back. “What do you want me to do? Get another one? We don’t really have the money. And besides, it’s a S.H.E.I.L.D. bag. It’ll be better than anything else.”

“Yeah, okay,” Barton sighed. “Let’s go.”

He shut the door behind him and leaning heavily one me, he made it down the stairs. We didn’t need to lock the door. If Hydra was after us, a simple lock wouldn’t be much help.

The bell rang above me as I helped Barton into the store.

I spotted Isobel (remember her?), still in her fifteen-year-old looking body, sitting at the check-out counter, her eyes boring into me.

“You,” She said, her tone flat.

“Me,” I replied, tossing my hair over my shoulders. “But it’s not just me. We need help.”

Isobel regarded me and said; “It’s just me today. If anyone else had been here I would have told you to go away, but I can see he’s in trouble.” She nodded her head at Barton.

Barton blinked. “Lady Isobel, we need your help.”

“I already told her that.” I said, but he ignored me.

“We have a problem. And it’s not a small one.”

“Go on,” She said, in a tone that meant I’m listening.

“We need shelter, please. We’re being followed by murderers, who may stop at nothing to get us, now that they know we’re here. We can pay you for the space, but please, we just need help.”

She stared at him. “Fine,” she said at last. “I know of these people you speak of, and I can give you shelter. I won’t speak of your presence, in fact, I don’t know you. The room is in the back, on the left. Good luck.”

Barton made a failed attempt to bow. “Thank you.”

I helped him get to the backroom, and it took a lot of effort. I spread out the sleeping bag and pushed him into it. His face was white and his expression was set, like he was trying not to show how much pain he was in.

I sat there for a while, until I was sure he was asleep and I climbed in next to him. He wasn’t as asleep as I thought he was, because he wrapped his arms around me. I was too tired to argue.

*cough cough* one sleeping bag. *cough cough*

nufflepuff