Big Blue Eyes
Her tiny whimpers was what drew him to her. Her cries for help echoed in his bleeding ears as he looked around, trying to the find the source.
"Hello?" he called out, his smooth voice spread across the damaged street, reaching her ears.
Her tiny whimpers ceased for a minute, and just when he thought he imagined it, he heard them again, only louder.
"Is anyone there?" he began to search through the rubble, looking for the lone survivor. He followed the soft yelps as they grew louder and louder.
"Ma'am?" he hollered as he looked underneath an overturned yellow cab, only for his heart to shatter at the sight that was before him.
A little girl laid under the taxi, softly whimpering to herself as her clouded big, blue eyes looked left and right frantically. At first glance she seemed fine, only for him to notice the small, dark puddle forming underneath her small, frail body.
"Oh no..." he breathed as he saw her struggle to move her legs. "Stark!" he shouted into his ear piece as he grabbed the back end of the taxi. "Stark!"
The red iron suit dropped out of the sky and landed with a thump next to Captain America.
"Give me a hand with this," Steve instructed as he, slowly began to lift it up. Tony went along with him and grabbed the other side, heaving it off the ground only to toss it a few yards away onto another shattered, beyond recognition, vehicle.
Her little mouth opened as she gave a high pitched whine in fright from the sudden noise.
Steve immediately rushed to her side, placing his hand on her rapidly rising and falling chest as she tried to breathe. Her little mouth moved as she tried to form words, only for nothing but a rush of air to come out instead.
"It's okay," he tried consoling her as he heard Tony call for an ambulance, "We're going to get you some help, you'll be fine,"
He gently rolled her onto her side, wincing at her pained cry, trying to see how severe her injuries were. His eyes widened when he saw the massive glass shard sticking out of her back, right in her spine. No wonder she couldn't move, she had been paralyzed.
Her little, pink and bloody fingers grasped onto his hand in a desperate attempt for to call for help. Every second that passed, the paler her skin was, her lips became bluer, and the puddle of blood only spread across the dusty concrete.
Steve gently wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into his arms, cradling her fragile being into his chest as he tried to comfort the dying child.
Her big eyes gazed off at nothing as her mouth opened and closed, again and again, trying to say something to him but only whimpers came through. Tears started trailing down her puffy, red cheeks, landing on his torn and ripped blue suit.
"Shh, it's okay," Steve falsely reassured her as he rocked her back and forth, being mindful of the glass shard sticking out of her back.
Her cries quietened as she listened to his soothing voice, her blind, big, blue eyes still searching for something. She raised her hand and softly grabbed his face, looking for comfort.
The blood slowly leaked out of her back and dripped down his suit. Her little puffs of breath gradually slowing down.
Her big eyelids drooped as she fought to stay awake. Steve knew the ambulance wouldn't get here in time, so he held the little girl to his chest and softly rocked her, humming her to her final sleep.
"Shh, you're okay. It's okay," Steve held her tight as a little sigh left her blue lips as she slowly lost all feeling inside her body, the pain drifting away. She thought it was time for bed. She thought she would wake up from her nap.
But she was wrong. She was too little and tiny to understand that she wasn't going to see her mommy again. But for now, she was okay to just fall asleep in this stranger's arms.
Her face fell towards him, her face burying itself in his dirty neck as her big eyes closed. A little coo left her lips as her heart beat slowed down.
Steve felt a drop of water fall from his blue eyes as he felt her chest stop moving. He shakily lifted his hand and felt her soft neck, looking for her heart beat.
Silence.
There was nothing there. More droplets of water fell down his face as he gazed at the lifeless doll cradled in his arms. Her soft round cheeks, her wavy and slightly tangled blonde hair, the little white dress that covered her battered and bruised body.
Captain America was a soldier. He fought to protect people who couldn't protect themselves. He spoke up for people with no voice. He cared for the people who had been abandoned.
And he failed. He failed this little girl who died in his arms. Steve Rogers knew he couldn't save everybody. But it never hit him as hard as it did with her. She couldn't be more than three years old.
He wondered what happened to her parents. Were they looking for her? Were they caught in the crossfire?
More tears fell down as his face. He heard the sound of wailing in his ears. The ambulance came to a stop a few feet away. The paramedics exited the vehicle. But they couldn't fix her. It was too late.
They took her precious body away from him, covering her peaceful face in a white sheet before hauling her body away from him.
He looked down at himself. He was covered in blood. His own and hers. He swore he would never forget her face.
The little lost girl would forever haunt him. But that's what kept him inline. That's what kept him on the side of good. The little girl would be his devil and angel.
He glared into Loki's eyes. The monster stood before him in chains with a mask covering his mouth. Loki just stared at him, like he didn't care that he was caught. Like he didn't care about all the people he just killed. Like he didn't care about the little girl he murdered.
He watched as Thor took him back home to face his punishment. Whatever they gave him, it wouldn't be enough. It wouldn't bring back the little girl he killed. But it was a start. He straddled his motorcycle and drove off his mind still occupied by the little girl and her eyes.
Her big blue eyes.