The second time the steel hits Steve feels his hand close around Dorian's wrist and squeeze until it gives like a dried-up twig. He holds himself in trembling suspension over the immortal, blood patterning irregularly from three separate injuries as he doesn't-doesn't-doesn't land the killing blow. The briefly killing blow.

Something gives. Maybe it's that the spirit feels its target's weakening body, that it's tired of the fight and in search of something easier, but Steve feels control enough to drop his hideous weapon and roll off of Dorian, to lay in the dirt next to him with his back to the smaller man.

He has a spur of metal in his stomach.

That's going to be a hard one to make excuses for.

Slowly, something else gets Steve onto his feet. He staggers a little, makes it to the console. Is this thing, whatever it is, trying to get away?