ACT 2 Is here! If new readers haven't checked out my prequel story(Down To Earth), just hop onto my profile to get some context! This fanfic takes place during the events of The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
I hope you all like it, I welcome reviews and criticism as I am new to all this stuff! ENJOY
"Who is she?" a careful voice broke through the everlasting darkness, stirring Bethany from her silent slumber.
Where am I?
Slowly awakening from her dormancy, she weakly grasped at her consciousness, gradually peeling away the overbearing exhaustion.
"Someone I left behind." another voice replied with a certain tone, the familiarity of the sound ringing inside her blocked ears.
Who are you? she tried to mutter, but her mouth disobeyed.
"Where did they find her?" the recognizable voice asked, vulnerability plain in his stern tone.
"Somewhere in New Jersey. Not sure where. Does it even matter, Steve? We found her, just like the reports said."
Steve. The name felt like a heavy weight was being placed on her chest, but she couldn't remember why. Progressively forcing herself to open her drained eyelids, she continued to calmly listen to the two bickering voices.
"Get her out of there. I need to talk to her."
"This isn't your order to give, Rogers. Fury would be pissed-"
"I don't care what Fury wants. He got me out of the ice, i'll get her out of the water." the familiar voice was final, silencing the opposing other with strong certitude.
Rogers. The names and tones of each sound throbbed against Bethany's reserved mind with desperation, sending static vibrations through every powerless limb. With enough sluggish effort, she eventually furrowed her brow, and continued to slightly move smaller parts of her floating body.
"It isn't your call."
"You have no idea what it feels like to lose your entire life, Nat. I've fought for S.H.I.E.L.D, and I still do. The least you could do is give me this chance-"
"No, I don't have any idea about what you've been through, but what I do know is that you're thinking irrationally-"
Before the voices could finish, Bethany flung open her eyes in sudden alertness, as her awareness was quickly overcome with unfamiliar feelings spreading thought out her unprepared body. Her eyes immediately stung from the bright lights surrounding her, as moist sensations engulfed her skin with rapid discomfort. A mask of some-kind covered her hyperventilating mouth as she screamed in terror, fearing the unknown. Her thoughts ran wild as she was overcome with confusion and discontent. Silence escaped her gaping mouth, frightening her further into madness, as she quickly revered to banging against the smooth surface that held her suspended body.
"Bethany!" Steve shouted in shock, astonished by her sudden revival.
She watched in unnerved panic as he began pounding his fist against the outer side with determination, each action cracking the glass further than the last. Without warning, the case cracked open, sending Bethany's inanimate body smashing against the concrete floor. Before she could react she felt Steve's arms nurturing her shivering figure, embracing her soggy body with tenderness.
"Where am I?!" she croaked with panic, looking around recklessly for an answer.
He held her tight as she desperately tried to escape his strong grasp. After a moment of thrashing around like a fish out of water, Bethany slowly began to calm down, breaking into tears from the overwhelming fright.
"It's just me Beth. It's gonna be okay." Steve cooed, rocking her gently against his sturdy chest.
"This isn't real." she breathed, sobbing harder with frustration.
Steve didn't respond, but instead, gently kissed her damp forehead, resting his lips on her shivering skin. Unable to comprehend what she was experiencing, Bethany could only whimper, as her long-lost best friend comforted her on the drenched concrete.
"Do you remember your name?" Natasha Romanoff asked with concern, crouching beside Bethany on the saturated laboratory floor.
It had taken an excruciatingly long time until Bethany could accept what had just transpired. Steve had cradled her weakened body for most of the time, as he simultaneously explained the reasoning behind his death. A part of her didn't want to believe it, but there was no other possible explanation.
"Bethany Summers." she answered solemnly, staring nonchalantly at the destroyed tank that had contained her comatose body.
Natasha gave a small smile, looking up at Steve with slight relief. The other woman had introduced herself when Steve eventually stopped embracing Bethany. She had large, piercing grass green eyes that calculated Bethany every so often, a sharp face and mid length shining fiery hair. She was impressive, but futuristic looking, much to Bethany's continued confusion.
"Maybe Fury won't be so pissed after all." she sighed, standing up to position herself beside Steve.
Bethany averted her gaze to Steve looming over her, watching her with carefulness and worry. He looked exactly the same as the last time she saw him, a familiar determined expression plastered to his chiseled jaw, strong physique and full blue eyes. His hair, however, had transformed from dirty blonde to fair. To her silent surprise, he wasn't wearing his normal military uniform or his iconic Captain America outfit, but a brown leather jacket and ironed denim jeans.
Why is he wearing something like that?
Slowly, but gradually, Bethany's muddled memory began to clear, remembering the dirt and claustrophobic Earth sinking into every pore of her bare body...
"How long was I asleep?" she whispered, scrunching her brow in unease.
Natasha and Steve exchanged worried glances, sharing expressions Bethany didn't understand.
"I think it's better that Fury explains everything." Natasha acknowledged, giving Steve a look of concern.
For a moment he stayed silent, but eventually nodded at her suggestion. He continued to bend down, scooping Bethany carefully off of the damp floor, and proceeded to carry her out of the unfamiliar laboratory. She couldn't object towards their immediate decision, as the fatigue consumed most of her overworked body. She dangled limply from his secure arms, resting her throbbing head on his stone shoulder. As they exited the room, blinding lights shined unwelcoming into her tired eyes. Wincing in discomfort, Bethany quickly buried her face harder into his shoulder. Along the way to their unknown destination, Bethany could faintly hear Steve and Natasha exchange small conversation, but the tiredness kept her from concentrating on what exactly they were discussing.
Eventually, the trio finally came to a stop, as Steve gently placed Bethany's unsteady body on a comfortable surface. Opening her weakened eyes, Bethany blinked the wavering vision to focus on her bizarre surroundings. It was an spacious office, overlooking a futuristic city she had never seen. There was one single steel desk planted on the other side of the room, containing a large African-American in a full length leather jacket. He was facing away from her, staring out the spotless window in thought.
"Fury, we asked Hill to tell you-"
"I know, Rogers." Fury interrupted with impatience.
Bethany stared at the man called Fury with intrigue and intimidation. Slowly, he turned around to peer at her, a large eye-patch covering one side of his frowning face. His scowl was filled with curiosity, walking slowly up to her with consideration.
"Do you know who I am?" Fury asked.
"You're Fury. I keep hearing your name." she replied, blinking up at his cold demeanor.
"Nick Fury, to be more specific. Don't worry, you'll get used to the name." he said, his bald head shining from the natural light enveloping the room.
"It's been a long time since you were awake, Summers. A lot has changed." he continued, turning away from her confused expression to slowly pace around the room.
Confusion riddled her thoughts, quickly glancing up at Steve with apprehension. He responded with a supportive smile, resting his broad hand on her thin shoulder.
"70 years, to be exact."
Bethany's heart abruptly dropped in her chest, as she stared at Fury in disbelief.
"But that's impossible-"
"In most cases, yeah. It's impossible. But you aren't most cases." he progressed, ignoring her bewilderment.
"You managed to plant yourself into the ground back around the 1940's. The Earth provided nutrients for your vitals and skin cells, pretty much putting yourself into cryostasis. Without the cryo. Now, here you are." he finished, and patiently waited for her response.
"How the fuck did I manage that..." she whispered in shock, hugging herself with doubt.
Overcome with disorientation and misconception, Bethany placed her aching head in her rough hands, unable to bear any more surprises.
"I can't do this." she mumbled, gripping her head tighter with uncertainty.
"I know it's a lot to take in, Summers. We'll give you some time to recover." Fury acknowledged, walking back to his desk.
"Oh, and one more thing...Welcome to the 21st century."
Bethany cried. She couldn't help herself. As soon as the hot water streamed down her naked back, she huddled in the corner of the futuristic shower and wept. Everything seemed so surreal and out of place, as the Washington she remembered had changed drastically over many years. 70, to be exact.
She shuddered at the truth, hugging her shivering legs tighter against her bare chest. It was one thing being told that you encased yourself in dirt to sustain yourself for nearly a century. But finding out your dead best-friend was still alive, was something else entirely. Steve's presence was shocking, as the last time they saw each other in 1945 didn't exactly end well. But also, in a strange way, it was also comforting, as he explained this was precisely how he felt when he was thawed out of the ice. Knowing he was alive helped ease the abnormality of the situation, but nothing could ease the guilt that haunted her very being. Remembering her final moments before she put herself in the ground crushed her soul. It felt like many years ago, and even though technically was, it still managed to shake her down to the core.
After her introduction to Fury, Steve had quickly taken her to his cosy apartment in the city. It was frightening, but the overbearing weight of remorse had suppressed her horror, and proceeded to quickly use his alien shower. Here she was, stranded in an confusing reality, sobbing in her dead comrade's shower with little to no clue about how the Hell she got there in the first place.
"You okay in there, Beth?" Steve called form outside the door, causing Bethany to twitch in surprise.
"I'll be out in a sec." she replied, concealing her wavering voice with effort.
Gradually picking herself up from the shower floor, she fumbled with the unfamiliar shower head, eventually managing to turn it off. Drying her scarred body with little enthusiasm, she rubbed her swollen eyes, itching from the crying. Quickly dressing herself in foreign attire, Bethany opened the bathroom door, automatically greeted by Steve. His large arms were crossed with concern, as he stared into her bloated eyes with alarm.
"Beth your eyes-"
"It's nothing Rogers, really. I might have a reaction to the water or something..." she shrugged, disguising her misery with a half-hearted smile.
He frowned with suspicion, gently touching her fidgeting arm.
"You know you can tell me anything. I understand what you're going through, okay? It's scary. But we're in this together and that's what matters." he said with carefulness, calmly pulling her towards him for an comforting embrace.
"I have no idea of what's going on, Steve. I just can't believe it." she whispered, giving in to her emotions with his reassuring words.
"I know, Beth. It's gonna take time, trust me. But i'm here." he murmured, squeezing her small frame tighter.
She suddenly began to choke, as his large bodice quickly suffocated her narrow body.
"Jesus, Rogers. How much have you worked out in the past 70 years?!"