I'm back! Because there is more to Origin taking place!
If you are reading Origin along side (as I think an AMAZING fan would) today covers chapters 7 through 10.
Where Steve learns that people know he's in Silven via tv, and he also learns what Heather thinks of him. Yay!
Also, here is the second chapter of the Promise~ -
"You're back!" Leslie cheers. She hugs Josh once she sees him coming down the hall. Her head just about comes to his shoulder, so he stoops down to hug her around her middle.
"It's good to see you too," Josh states. Leslie lets go, beaming. She looks through the group, but then falters.
"..Where's Jacey?" She looks at August. Heather's sister easily caught on to how August carried himself different from everyone else, as if he was the right person to ask.
"She and Nikki stayed with Heather, to help," August says.
"Help with what?" August looks up. Andrew is standing in his door, arms crossed. He looks at August carefully, a frown line creased into his forehead. "Is our sister in trouble?"
"No," Finn says. Andrew looks at him and relaxes, "Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark, and Dr. Banner brought something that will help Heather."
"Can we see her?" Leslie asks. Andrew puts a hand on her shoulder. She leans into him.
"Of course, why do you think we're here?" Josh jokes.
"Aww, and here I thought I'd get to finger paint a little," Finn replies with a smile.
August rolls his eyes, "You can finger paint later. We're staying overnight again, remember?"
"Jacey stays in my room!" Leslie says, excited.
"Shhh! Mom's sleeping," Andrew whispers. He stops and looks at the teens, "Should we wake her up?"
Josh shakes his head, "No, let her sleep. I hear she's in need of it."
"But I'll leave a note!" Leslie starts to go away, but then August puts a hand on her arm for a second.
"I have a better idea," he says when she looks at him. He sees a nurse down the hall. He walks down and taps her shoulder, "Excuse me." She looks at him. "When Mrs. Susan Morse wakes up, can you tell her that August and Josh Evert are watching her children? I don't want her to worry."
"Of course. When will they be back at their rooms?" The nurse asks, writing the request down on her clipboard.
"Within the hour, ma'am," August says. He hears Josh snort behind him. The nurse nods and turns away. August goes back to the group and starts walking to the elevator.
"You and your medieval movies-"
"Shut up, Jade."
Josh sighs, "How many times have I told you- told all of you," the doors close and August presses Heather's floor button. "The name is Emerald Tiger."
"Yeah, but," Finn points out, "That's so long, and hard to remember. Plus, jade is a type of emerald, right?"
"No, they are different stones. They are both green hues, but that does not make them the same," Josh says, exasperated, "and emerald is brighter."
"Right, like that's what a ninja needs," August says, a small smile forming at the corner of his lips.
"That isn't what I was meaning."
"Whatever you say, Jade." Leslie giggles while Andrew smirks at August's reply.
Josh sees them, "Don't tell me you two don't have nicknames you hate."
"Mom didn't approve of the one Andy gave himself, and he isn't allowed to repeat it," Leslie says. She looks at Andrew, who smirks deeper. "Heather… thought of mine," she adds.
The elevator goes deathly silent. No one looks at anyone else. 'Why isn't there any elevator music?' August wonders. The doors open and everyone leaves the space immediately. They find Jacey still waiting outside the door. Leslie gives her a hug, which the shape shifter reciprocates.
"We need another set of hands," they hear from inside. Josh takes that as his cue. Andrew and August watch from the doorway as Heather is lifted off the bed by the four men and placed into a wheelchair. Nikki is behind the wheelchair, steadying it. When Heather is seated, grimacing the entire time, the group moves away. Tony looks over her knee, which has a new brace.
The doctors said 'physically sound' for only one reason: There is no way to help Heather's knee. It was shattered, broken, and while the entry and exit holes had been healed, they will always have two dents in her skin with silvery tissue, and the bones underneath are still separated.
"Whoa.." Andrew says, seeing the brace. He walks over. Heather looks up at him. Andrew smiles, but she doesn't return it, as always. He then looks at the brace without touching it. "What can this one do?"
"The last brace only kept her knee together," Bruce says, sitting on the side of the bed, "this one will allow her to bend her knee, but she can't put any pressure on it. She can only use a wheelchair, no crutches."
Andrew continues to ask questions; How did it allow Heather to bend her knee without disrupting the bones? What was it made of? Was it the same color on the outside? Is it waterproof? Was it lightning proof? Will it give Heather super powers from any radiation?
Tony and Bruce answered his questions, but Heather watched him silently. 'That's Andy,' she thinks soberly. She almost smiles, but then she sees August watching her. She puts her head down, looking at the new brace.
It's a deep gray, while the other one was black. It has a few straps and thick poles on either side with a hinge next to her kneecap.
'My shattered knee cap,' Heather closes her eyes. She tries to breathe. But it only comes out as wheezing.
"Heather?"
Steve is squatting in front of her, his hands on her own.
"Heather, breathe. In slowly, hold.." She listens, only to falter. "Try again." She does and holds it. "Let it out, slow." Heather releases the air. "Again." Heather does so slowly, and she repeats it until she's breathing normally.
"I'm sorry.."
Steve smiles grimly, "There is nothing for you to be sorry about."
Bruce picks up the empty briefcase, "I'll put this back in the mini-jet. Does anyone want to come with to get any bags?"
Nikki stands up. Finn pats Andrew on the shoulder, then follows as well. Tony stands there a moment, then walks away to join them. Steve is looking at Heather, keeping her focused. She shudders, tears slipping down her cheeks.
"..Heather?" She looks to her left to see Leslie standing next to her wheelchair. Leslie puts a hand out, smearing Heather's tears. "Don't be sad, please.." Leslie pleads. Steve stands up.
"..I.." Heather looks away, her tears increasing.
"We love you, Heather. We all do," Leslie tries.
"I know you do. I love you too," Heather gasps.
"Heather, breathe-"
"I'm breathing," she says quickly. Steve backs up.
"Okay," he says softly.
"Don't blame yourself, Leslie. I'm… I am not mad at you," Heather whispers.
Leslie nods, but only so her sister doesn't have to worry if she gets it. "So.. Are you going to be leaving your room now?"
Josh picks up a blanket that was lying over one of the chairs. He places it over Heather's lap, tucking it under her legs a little.
"Yes, I am," Heather answers.
"Can we go to the fitness center?" Leslie asks, "I want to show you what I can do on the balance beam."
Heather looks at her sister. Eleven years old, and still going through trauma from the hands of Hydra. She still has life in her eyes, and Heather wants to kindle that fire as much as she can. "Okay," she decides.
Leslie smiles wider, "I'll push you-"
"Actually, Leslie, Heather's heavy," Steve says.
"Oh. Then you push her Captain- ..I mean Steve."
"My pleasure, Leslie." He stands behind Heather and pushes with the handles sticking out.
Heather knows that was a lie, but only Leslie didn't catch onto it. Heather hadn't moved from her bed for two weeks, and before that, she didn't have proper nutrients or exercise. So Steve shouldn't have been surprised to see she had less muscle than before. She wasn't frail, but she wasn't at her peek anymore.
Let's go to IAN:
1. Heather still has a busted knee
2. There's a little camaraderie in the elevator, but we can see everyone is tense.
3. *pfft* Jade. I wish I thought of that in Return.
4. Andrew is becoming a little engineering nerd, apparently.. Nothing wrong with that, just a thought.
If you have any questions, Origin or Promise, please leave a review!
Until next time!
~CtW