A/N: This one-shot is based off of my previous Avengers/MCU fanfic, Unchained. I highly recommend reading it first.
Standard Disclaimer: All rights belong to those whose rights they belong to, primarily Marvel, though quite namely not me. Don't own a thing aside from my OCs.
Mountain View Bar, Upstate Pennsylvania
The bar was rather run-down and dingy, as if it had started out under the loving care of a proprietor who took pride in their establishment, but eventually slid down the path of entropy. The colors were faded and dull, perhaps half of the light bulbs were burnt out, and the posters on the walls were of vintage rock bands from the seventies. They also looked as if they were originally hung there in the heyday of those bands.
The clientele were a bit incongruous from the classic rock settings, mostly younger men. They were a mixture of bikers, construction workers, laborers, and even some office workers.
The din of conversation was fairly muted for a Friday night, but it cut off as the door opened and a very odd pair of individuals entered.
The two teenage girls were the same slim build and height, perhaps only five feet even, enough so that they might be considered twins were it not for their differing hair. One had curly brown hair, pulled back into a ponytail, while the other had longer and straighter red hair put up into a pair of high pigtails that trailed behind her shoulders. Looking closer one might also notice the smattering of freckles across the redhead's nose and cheeks, further differentiating her from the other.
The small brunette was wearing a faded jean jacket with a bright yellow sundress under it, while the second girl wore dark skinny jeans and a grey halter top under a black leather jacket. Both wore leather sandals despite the Spring chill outside.
The bartender gazed at the pair suspiciously but the rest of the patrons picked their conversation back up, unconcerned as to the threat two small girls posed.
The teenagers calmly walked up to the bar and hopped up onto stools, the redhead having a bit more difficulty.
"Why do they make these chairs so awkward?" the redhead complained.
The brunette shrugged good-naturedly. "They're called bar stools. And it's so short folk like us can reach the bar when we sit at it."
"That is logical, I suppose," the other girl grumbled in reply.
"Can I… get you two something?" the bartender rumbled in a voice that seemed to come from the depths of the floorboards.
"Wow, you've got a really low voice," the brunette commented. "It's kinda cool."
"Thanks, miss," he chuckled in reply. "Now what do you need?"
"Oh! Right, so I'm Caitlin, this is my sister Rebecca."
"Hello," Rebecca nodded.
"...And we were told there's a Daniel Robson that hangs out here. You know him by any chance?"
The bartender looked the pair of girls over, the brunette with an easy, confident smile and the redhead looking very solemn. "Okay, kids, what's this all about?"
"Just need some info, that's all," Caitlin assured him. "Really, we just wanna talk."
There was a scrape of a chair from behind them and then a couple of heavy steps. "I'm Dan," a rough voice answered over their shoulders. "Whaddya want?"
The pair of girls swiveled to face the newcomer. He was easily six foot two and likely worked in landscaping or some such, with a dirty white shirt, jeans, and muddy workboots. In any case his biceps were bulging with muscles.
"Big one, ain't ya?" Caitlin grinned. "So, hey there, Dan. We're actually looking for a woman, she's in some trouble, goes by Addy. I think you know her, yeah?"
Daniel crossed his arms in front of him, trying to loom threateningly. The bartender noticed curiously that neither girl looked particularly impressed.
"And what if I do?" he growled.
"Look, Dan, we just wanna help. Friend of a friend asked us to, dunno why for sure, but we can protect her." The brunette gazed up at him with sincerity in her eyes.
"Yeah, I don't think so."
Caitlin sighed regretfully as she began to ease herself off of the barstool. "Well, I tried this the easy way…"
"Wait, please," Rebecca said quietly, laying a hand on her sister's arm. "I read about something that might assist us without undue violence."
"Since when were you opposed to violence?" Caitlin asked curiously.
"The owner of the bar is not involved in this. He should not have to pay for our indulgence."
"Okay, fine, you've got a good point. That's smart thinking."
"That is because I am the more intelligent sister."
"Don't push your luck, Becca," Caitlin growled, sounding like an irritable kitten.
Rebecca turned back towards the waiting man. "You perhaps require reassurance that my sister and I are capable of protecting this woman, yes? What if Caitlin were to… arm-wrestle you? Is that the correct term?"
Daniel threw his head back and laughed uproariously. "Really? Yeah, okay kid, yer on. I could use the entertainment."
He retreated back to his table, which cleared of other patrons so that Caitlin might sit across from him. Rebecca stood next to them patiently.
"Alright, kid," Daniel began, flexing his arm. "So what do I get when I win?"
"When I win," Caitlin emphasized, "you tell me Addy's location. If you win, well…" A mischievous glint twinkled in her eyes. "You get to sleep with my sister."
"What." Rebecca turned to the brunette, her eyes flat with irritation.
"Hey, you started this," Caitlin shrugged.
"I am not amused, Caitlin."
"Really? Because this amuses the hell outta me, Becca."
"Hold up," Daniel interjected. "I ain't sleepin' with no jailbait."
"Oh, she's legal," Caitlin assured him.
Daniel looked the redheaded girl up and down with a lewd grin. "Well, then, I suppose I'm game. You gonna honor the agreement, little girl?"
Rebecca rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Yes, I shall honor your wager."
"Careful, Becca, you roll your eyes that hard, might give yourself a headache."
"Be quiet, Caitlin," Rebecca grumbled. "You are the one giving me the headache."
Chuckling, Caitlin placed her small arm on the table, hand upraised. "Uh, might need something under my elbow…"
After a few minutes they were ready to begin. Daniel's arm was raised and clasping his large hand with Caitlin's tiny one, her elbow resting on a telephone book that was over a decade old.
"Ready?" Daniel grinned.
"Yep," Caitlin grinned back anticipatorily.
"Go!" the bartender shouted.
Daniel pushed only half-heartedly, but Caitlin didn't budge an inch.
"Really?" Caitlin smirked. "That all you got?"
With a growl the muscular man put all of his strength into the effort. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as the gathered crowd chanted his name. He began to slowly bend Caitlin's arm back, who was regarding her sister with a grin.
"Caitlin," the redhead stated calmly, "you are being an ass."
"I just want to hear you say it."
"Say what?"
"That I'm the more intelligent sister."
Rebecca regarded her levelly.
The brunette shrugged her one unoccupied shoulder as her right hand crept ever closer to the table, slowly but surely. "Getting tired, here."
The redhead snorted and folded her arms. "You will suffer for this at a later date."
"Oh, no doubt, but I'll take the little victories as I get 'em."
"Very well. You, Caitlin, are the more intelligent sister."
"There, was that so hard?" Caitlin grinned. With a quick flex of her arm her hand flipped Daniel's to send it crashing to the table. "Now then, where can we find Addy?"
Cooperstown, Pennsylvania.
The girls stood in the shadows against a high wooden fence surrounding a yard. Just down the street was their target address, but they wisely decided to reconnoiter the area first.
"So, who do you think they're with?" Caitlin murmured sub-audibly.
"Unsure," Rebecca replied as she squinted her pale green eyes. "They do not wear suits or earpieces. Nor is it a vehicle typically associated with a government agency."
"Right, they really don't scream feds to me."
Rebecca glanced over her shoulder, her eyebrows furrowed. "Why do you believe they should be screaming?"
"Sorry, meaning they don't look like them," Caitlin corrected herself.
"I see. A figure of speech, then?"
"Yep. So, you wanna do the honors?"
"That is acceptable. Are fatalities allowed?"
"Hmm," Caitlin mused thoughtfully. "Well, they're just observing, not initiating violence, so let's keep it non-lethal for now."
Rebecca shot her sister a tight grin. "It is more challenging that way."
"And more fun," Caitlin chuckled, completing their running joke. "Go get 'em, Becca."
With a nod Rebecca faced the black sedan parked across the street. There was a collection of cigarette ash piles outside the driver's side, indicating a certain level of sloppiness which she hoped to take advantage of. Flexing her legs under her she sprang upwards, somersaulting as she soared across the street to land on the roof of the car in a crouch.
The roof dented upon her impact, and startled shouts shattered the stillness of the night as both of the men inside scrambled out of the auto, pulling sidearms out of their holsters as they did so. As soon as their heads were level with the roof Rebecca spun on her hands, kicking her feet out viciously to connect with their foreheads. Both men landed in crumpled heaps.
Caitlin was at the side of the driver in a flash. Rebecca wordlessly hopped down to inspect the passenger.
"Michael Rumsley," the brunette murmured. "Washington DC driver's license. Maybe feds after all."
"Or something else," her sister whispered. "This one, George Simms, has a tattoo on his forearm. It looks to be of a military variety."
Caitlin scrambled to the other side of the car to peer down at the arm Rebecca was holding out. "Yep, looks like some sorta Special Forces or something…" she mused. "I got a hunch, lemme go check out the trunk."
She shifted back over to the driver's side, pulled the keys out of the ignition, and then walked around to open the trunk up. When she did so she let out a low whistle.
Rebecca walked over to stand by her side. "That is a considerable amount of weaponry."
"Enough to start a small war," Caitlin agreed. "I'm thinking mercs."
"Mercs?"
"Mercenaries. Soldiers for hire, private contractors, that kinda thing."
"So what do we do with them?"
The diminutive brunette let out an irritated huff. "There's not enough room in the trunk, and I really don't want to lock them in with guns anyway… and I don't want to leave all these guns in the seats…" She shook her head. "Right, we're just going to have to truss them up and leave them in the back seat. They'll be discovered eventually, so we're gonna have to move fast. There's ropes in here, let's do it."
Within a short amount of time they had completed their task and were walking up the steps to a small bungalow-style brick house. Caitlin noticed the side curtain twitch. "Becca, back door," she whispered urgently.
In the blink of an eye her sister was gone from the small porch. Caitlin raised her hand to knock, but paused as she heard a commotion.
She pivoted and darted around the side of the house, skidding to a stop next to her sister. Standing in the open back door and framed by darkness was a young-looking woman with long, straw-colored hair, wearing patched jeans and a baggy black sweater. In her arms was clutched a small boy of perhaps six. The pair of them looked at the new arrival fearfully.
"This is my sister, Caitlin," Rebecca said soothingly. "As I mentioned, we are here to help you."
"Please, Addy," Caitlin added with a warm smile. "We were sent by a friend."
"Who?" the woman asked. Her voice had a slight trace of an unidentifiable accent. "Who sent you?"
"Natasha Romanov. She in turn was contacted by Vladimir Yronkov."
The woman looked between the two small girls, both who tried to remain as unthreatening as possible. She finally let out a resigned sigh. "I still don't know if I can trust you, but it seems I have little choice. How did you find me?"
"Spoke with Dan," Caitlin said, decided to gloss over the details. "Convinced him we were trustworthy."
"Addy, there were men observing this structure," Rebecca interjected intently. "You were already found."
"Oh, no," she moaned. "Then we have to run again, we have to-"
Her words were cut off as a resounding crash split the silence of the night. Shouts came from inside the house.
"And that's our cue," Caitlin murmured. "Becca, you cover the rear?"
The redhead nodded solemnly. "I will catch up with you."
The brunette closed the distance and clasped her sister's forearm. "Be careful."
"You do the same," Rebecca murmured, returning the grip.
With a brisk nod the redhead turned and darted into the darkness of the house, pulling out a pair of knives to fill each hand as she ran.
"Okay, she's gonna buy us some time," Caitlin stated, taking hold of Addy's arm and pulling her along. "But we're gonna have to move now. How fast can you run while carrying your child?"
"His name is Alec," the woman replied, a determined look in her eyes as she began to jog forward. "And I shall run as I always have, the wind in my hair."
"Poetic, but I like it," Caitlin laughed, jogging alongside and keeping her eyes roaming for threats. Sounds of combat rang out from behind her. "Don't suppose you can drive?"
"No, I do not have a license."
"Pity. Foot it is, we don't wanna get caught on public transportation."
They ran across the small town in silence. Even the small boy kept quiet, evidently used to such a necessity as he buried his head in his mother's shoulder.
Once outside the small town's limits they paused behind a deserted gas station. "Why are we stopping?" Addy whispered, panting but still on her feet.
"Rendezvous point," Caitlin explained tersely, gazing back they way they had come. "Rest for a few. Becca should be here soon."
She heard the woman slide to the ground, murmuring to her son consolingly.
"Do you know why these people are after you?" the brunette asked after another minute passed.
"Yes, I do," she replied softly. "But… I cannot tell you. I'm sorry."
Caitlin nodded slightly, but then froze as she caught movement on a rooftop. A grin spread across her face. "She's here," the brunette murmured, turning back to the blonde woman.
"Where?" Addy asked.
A small dark form dropped from above, landing in a crouch. "Here," Rebecca answered softly.
"Any problems?" Caitlin asked, quickly looking her sister over for injuries.
"None," she replied. "And you may stop looking, I am fine. I heal faster than you in any case."
"Yeah, yeah," Caitlin snickered as the small group rose to their feet. "You and your badass mutant healing power."
"Are you mutants?" Addy asked curiously but without any rancor.
"I am, yes," Rebecca replied factually. "My sister is enhanced."
"But I have a whole different set of tricks up my sleeve," Caitlin smirked. "C'mon, we need to move. I'll take rear now."
Rebecca nodded and briefly clasped hands with her sister before jogging forward alongside Addy who still carried her Alec in her arms. Caitlin waited behind, giving them a head start while she kept an eye on their trail.
"You two seem very close," Addy puffed out as they ran.
"Indeed," Rebecca replied, not out of breath at all. "We share a special bond. I have heard it is similar with twins, though we are a few years apart."
"Really? You two look the same age!"
Rebecca smiled wryly. "Our appearance can be deceiving," she stated. "We were both grown in the same laboratory. In actuality I am less than a year old."
Addy stumbled a step, shocked by the disclosure. "Oh."
"Does that bother you?"
"No, not at all, just… unexpected. I'm happy for your help, really. I will do anything to protect my son, and if you're able to keep him safe, then I am beyond grateful to you."
Rebecca nodded, but then held up a hand to halt their progress. "One moment…" she murmured, her head tilted to the side. "I hear a vehicle approaching. We must move away from the road."
They headed back further into the dark woods that lined the road. The redheaded girl pushed the woman and her son down behind a tree and stood over them protectively. She watched as a pair of headlights approached but then kept going.
"Alright. Let us move again."
They continued on for another hour before Rebecca noted that Addy was beginning to falter in her steps. Truthfully she was surprised at her stamina so far. "There is a convenience store ahead," she murmured encouragingly. "I think with a small eating place attached. We may stop there for nourishment and rest."
Addy nodded wordlessly and kept plodding along, unable to run any more. Soon enough they entered the roadside market store, and Addy gratefully sank into a booth at the back of the store.
Rebecca left her there to go round up some snacks and drinks, keeping eyes both on her charge as well as the front of the store. She paid for her purchases with cash and then returned to Addy and Alec.
"Here," she said softly. "Nourishment."
The young boy eagerly tore into the sugary snacks, while his mother opened a bottle of juice for him. "Thank you," she said quietly. "For… well, for everything."
"It is our pleasure," Rebecca replied solemnly, her eyes focused on the windows to the front of the store.
"Will your sister be joining us?"
"I do not know for certain. She is still a ways off."
"You can… sense her? Where she is?"
Rebecca nodded calmly. "Yes. It is our bond."
Addy nodded as she took a long pull from her sweetened tea. Rebecca had one for herself, but only took small sips from it.
"Where is it we're heading towards?" Addy asked after another minute's silence. Alec was looking intently between the two women while chewing, seemingly entranced by the strange redheaded girl.
"I am not certain where a safe haven would be," Rebecca replied, glancing down at Alec and noting his attention. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Natasha had recommended we return to her for safety for the time being. Why is he staring at me?"
"Well, I don't know. Why are you staring, little chlapec?"
"Pretty," Alec giggled, and then hid behind his mother's arms.
Rebecca regarded him in perplexion while Addy laughed softly.
"Well, he is six," the blonde woman stated. "But he has good tastes."
Rebecca tilted her head towards the woman consideringly. "Do you consider me to be… pretty then, as well?"
"Well, I don't exactly swing that way dear," Addy laughed. "But yes, you are a very pretty girl."
"I do not 'swing' that way either," Rebecca mused, gazing out the front of the store once more. "My sister does. However, I do have a… friend. I think he might see me as pretty also, but he has not said as much."
"Well, then, he's not trying very hard to woo you."
"We are not… wooing. We are attempting to…" Rebecca sighed softly. "I do not know what we are doing," she continued somewhat sadly. "I believe I would like to be close to him, but I do not know how to do so. I am… inexperienced with feelings."
"I see," Addy murmured. "Well, that's to be expected if you're as young as you say you are. Have you tried being open with him?"
"He is still somewhat reserved. We have been working on getting past his fixation on our apparent age differences."
"Oh, I see. Yeah, if he's an older guy, that could cause problems. But you don't come off as a teen. You're more mature than a lot of grown-ups I know."
"Yes. I believe I have adequately impressed upon him that my apparent age is not relevant."
"Then maybe you need to make him see you in a different light."
Rebecca turned to her, startled. "How would I do so?"
"Well, maybe go out on a limb. I dunno, get him to see you as an adult, not the child you appear to be." Addy smiled at her gently. "If he's worthwhile he'll come to his senses soon enough."
Rebecca chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. It was a habit she'd picked up from Blink, somehow the act helped her to focus when she really needed it. "I will… consider this."
"You do that, sweetie," Addy smiled. "Well, I'm rested enough, and the snacks are done. We ready to get back to it?"
Rebecca nodded and closed the lid on her half-empty bottle. They exited the store, Addy once again carrying Alec, but paused by the edge of a fence encircling the property. Rebecca crouched down and carefully set her bottle of sweetened tea against the wood.
"It is for Caitlin," she answered Addy's unspoken question. "She enjoys the taste of this beverage as well."
"And she'll know it's there?"
"She is within sight and observed me leave it for her. We should continue on, however."
Meadville, Pennsylvania.
The small group kept on through the night, alternating between jogging and walking and taking short breaks. Eventually they came to a much larger town than the one they had left behind.
Rebecca and Addy walked into a busy gas station and perused a street map of Northern Pennsylvania. "I believe if we continue to head north, here on route nineteen, and then to route six…" Rebecca peered at the map, her brow furrowed. "Yes, it will suffice. We will be on the road for some time, however. Alternatively, we may summon a transport from the facility."
Addy laughed softly. "I don't know how much more my legs can take," she replied wearily. "I was a track and field champ in high school, but that was quite a few years ago. At the very least, I'm going to need to sleep soon." She peered down at the downy-soft top of her son's head, who slumbered on despite the noise of the store patrons. "And I need to put this little guy down as well, my arms are about to fall off."
"I can carry him for you," Rebecca offered hesitantly.
Addy smiled. "That would be a tremendous help. But yeah, I think we should call for a ride."
"Very well then," Rebecca said as she pulled her Stark Enterprises phone out and tapped a few keys. She brought it up to her face and waited for a second. "Yes, Control, this is Rebecca Brown. I am requesting a quinjet pickup at Meadville, Pennsylvania. Three adults and one small boy." She listened further and then looked at Addy, nodding reassuringly. "That will be sufficient. Yes, I can locate that. Thank you for your assistance." She smiled again slightly. "Yes, Maggie, I shall tell her you said hello."
After she hung up, she tapped out a few more keys to text the change in plans to her sister. Rebecca then held her arms out to Addy. "I shall take him now. There is a golf course at the north end of town. We will make for that and rendezvous there."
Addy gratefully slipped her son into Rebecca's arms and then massaged her own sore limbs. "Oh, that feels better," she sighed. "Right, shall we?"
Rebecca nodded and began to walk towards the front of the store. She froze, her eyes widened as she spied a pair of men enter. They were cut from the same paramilitary mold as the pair of observers she took out earlier that evening.
"We have been discovered," she whispered urgently, keeping her eyes on the two men as she steered Addy around the checkout counter and towards another entrance. So far they had not noticed their presence.
"Rebecca…"
"Do not think. Just stay with me. I shall keep your son safe, do not worry for him."
"Alright," Addy whispered, her eyes wide with fear.
And then one of the men turned their way. Their eyes met for only a brief instant, but the shock of recognition flashed across his face.
"Run!" Rebecca yelled, charging at the doors. She drove a foot forward, kicking the handles of the glass doors to send them slamming outwards. Another pair of men were there and caught the doors in their faces. They staggered backwards, bleeding from their noses, but the nimble redhead did not spare them a second glance. She merely hopped over their bodies and darted across the parking lot.
She glanced back to see Addy sprinting forward as well, but there were several large and angry men chasing her.
Much to her relief another small form dropped down from the gas pump overhang, in between the men and Addy. Caitlin lashed out with her feet, knocking two of them back on their rears. A large black van pulled up with a screech of tires and more mercenaries began to spill out.
"Becca, go!" Caitlin shouted as she flipped over the head of one merc, twisting with her hands as she went. The sound of his neck snapping was audible across the lot.
"Please, Rebecca," Addy pleaded as she paused, panting, at the edge of the parking lot by the redheaded girl's side. "Please take Alec and go, I will join you, but keep him safe, please…"
"I will, Addy," Rebecca said quietly. Alec was awake now, and the woman briefly bent down to place a kiss on his forehead before Rebecca darted off into the night.
Addy sighed in relief and crouched down to put her head between her knees. After all the running she'd done, that last sprint had given her a stitch in her side. She had to get going again...
The sound of a gunshot make her heart seize up in fear. She looked around to see the new entrants wielding a variety of sidearms, attempting unsuccessfully to pin down the small girl who whirled like a demon among them. She definitely needed to be on her way before she was noticed, and had to trust that the brunette would hold her own.
She had just turned to leave when a stray shot caught her in the back, tearing through her lung and breaking a rib on the way out.
Addy gasped, painfully, and sank to her knees, looking down at her wound uncomprehendingly. She sagged onto her back to stare up at the night sky while the sounds of battle behind her dwindled down.
"Oh, no," Caitlin breathed as she skidded to a halt next to Addy. "No, no, no… Okay, hang in there Addy, I'll get you to the transport-"
"No, Caitlin," she gasped. "I'm… not important… my son, please… protect Alec…"
"Rebecca has him, I got you, okay?" the brunette whispered tearfully. "I can carry you!"
"Too… late…" Addy breathed, her vision starting to grow dim. "Need to… tell you… secret… my name… and… Alec's father…"
Caitlin leaned down to hear Addy's last painful words. A few seconds later, when she sat up again, the woman was dead.
The brunette girl knew she needed to get going and make the rendezvous, but her mind whirled with the implications of what had been revealed to her. She uttered the only response that seemed appropriate at the time.
"Fuck me…" she breathed.
Avenger's Training Facility.
Upstate New York.
Caitlin and Rebecca were standing at the back of the conference room as most of the Avengers wandered in. Both had neutral faces as they regarded their once teammates. The little boy, Alec, sat in a chair next to them, swinging his feet curiously while watching everybody file in and take their seats.
"Alright, Miss Browns," Fury said from the front of the room. "We have everybody here who's going to be here. Go ahead and start."
Caitlin nodded to Rebecca and glanced around. Sam, Rhodes, Vision, Wanda, Rogers, and Barton were all sitting and waiting expectantly. Natasha was off back in Meadville with Maria handling the local authorities, cleaning up the mess they'd left behind.
And retrieving Addy's remains.
"Last night Caitlin and I attempted to escort a single mother and her child to safety," the redhead began quietly. "We were only partway successful. We were ambushed by a large paramilitary group. The boy next to me, Alec, was the only survivor, but was also the real target."
"What about him?" Rogers interjected curiously. "Why were they after him?"
"It is not so much for who he is as who is father was, Captain. I think it might be easier to reveal the full name of the mother."
She glanced back at Caitlin who sighed heavily, looking down at the small boy who gazed up at her with a solemn expression, looking far older than his six years of age. "His mother's name," her brunette sister finished for her in a murmur, "was Adriana Sykora."
The room was silent for a moment as the other occupants looked at each other to see who might understand the significance of the name. Wanda finally spoke up softly. "Wait, I know that name… My brother Pietro used to date her…" The Sokovian native's eyes widened as the realization of what Caitlin was implying dawned upon her.
Caitlin nodded somberly and picked up the little boy who had been watching the proceedings with large expressive eyes. "Alec, this is your Aunt Wanda."
"Boze moj (Sokovian: My God)," Wanda breathed wonderingly.
Sam Wilson's Room
Sam wearily keyed the door to his room open, closing it behind him without bothering to turn the lights on. He'd left his blinds up as usual and could see well enough without them. It'd been a long day, made longer still by Caitlin and Rebecca's revelation. He'd hoped to have at least a little time to spend with Rebecca before she took off again as she and her sister were wont to do all too often, but before he could corner her she was gone.
He wondered dimly what the fact that she'd left without saying goodbye bothered him so much.
"Hello, Sam," a soft voice called out.
He jumped slightly but then grinned and walked further into his room, dropping his jacket off on his desk chair. "Hey, Becca, thought you and your sister took off already."
The slender redheaded girl was sitting cross-legged at the head of his bed, barefoot and with her silky red hair unbound, looking up at him intently with her enrapturing pale green eyes. "No, I wanted to spend some time with you," she whispered, with a trace of apprehension that Sam hadn't heard before. He noted that while she had the same crop top on as before, she'd changed into her jean shorts. "Caitlin is conversing with Natasha and Maria."
"Oh, well, that's cool," he replied. "Um, you want me to turn a light on?"
Rebecca shook her head slowly, never taking her eyes off of him. "No, Sam, I would like you to sit."
He complied, sitting down next to her with his feet still on the floor. She wasted no time in unfolding her legs and crawling over to straddle his lap, her arms loosely held around his neck.
"Um, Becca," he breathed uncertainly. "What are you…"
"Do you think I am pretty, Sam?" she asked earnestly.
"Yeah, Becca, I do, I think you're beautiful."
Her lightly freckled face split into a wide, pleased grin. "I am… beautiful?"
"Yeah, you are. Um, what are you doing?"
Her grin evaporated and she became serious once more. Something shone in her eyes, an unidentifiable emotion that swam just beneath the surface.
"I want you to not see me as a child," she whispered. Her hands snaked down, grabbing the hem of her crop top and pulling it off, letting it fall to the floor behind her.
Sam's breath hitched in his chest.
"I want you to not see me as just a friend," she continued, pulling his hands onto her bare calves and moving them up, past her shorts until they were resting on her hips. Sam followed the motion, running his fingers along her sides and causing her to shudder slightly.
"Sam," she gasped, and then swallowed hard before continuing once more, her voice now heavy with need. "I want you to see me as something more." She reached forward and tugged his shirt upward. He lifted his arms to comply, revealing his lean and muscular torso.
She sighed, running her fingers down his chest, and looked down shyly. "If you would like to stop, I shall do so," she murmured. Then she leaned in, their noses almost touching, and fixated him with her intense gaze. "Do you want me to stop?"
"No, Becca," he whispered desperately. "No, I don't."
"Then, Sam," she murmured again, this time against his lips. "Make love to me."
A/N: Yay for my second one-shot in the Brown sisters' universe! This follows on the heels of Unleashed, and ties into Unchained Vignettes somewhat, though the latter is still in progress. To check these titles out, or the original finished Unchained story, please visit my profile page!
W00t for Sam/Becca goodness! 'Bout damn time they ended up together.
FYI, chlapec is 'boy' in Slovak, which I think is as close to Sokovian as we're gonna get. Ditto for Boze moj.
Thanks for reading, and please leave me a review to let me know what you thought of it!