Olivia's eyes kept flickering to the bruising around his left eye while he went over the information he'd recovered for both her and himself, concern taking over her face. "Does it hurt?" Her soft accent voice whispered, causing him to pause, drawing a small smile to his lips.
"Only a little, Natasha has a mean right hook. Barton helped by kicking my legs out from under me…I guess I should have expected it." Coulson trails off when her eyes snap back to his from the small leather journal in her lap.
"Wha-what's he like?" She asked, her voice never wavering, but still soft and low as if she was frightened that she would set anybody off if she spoke too loudly.
She'd been at the base for about three weeks & was almost healed up from all her physical injuries, and while none of them had gotten every little thing from her concerning her relatives, the information she did give up surprised Coulson: a whole hidden world filled with super powered beings, although she insisted that they were not mutants after that was explained to her, called 'witches & wizards'. What irked him was the knowledge that she had been thrust into a position of a soldier when she was only eleven, only recently ending a blood filled war by murdering the man who stole her parents. Olivia had given up select memories of the war and downright refused to share others, shutting down on multiple occasions when prompted by either May or himself.
That she was asking after her biological father, something she had taken easier then Coulson had expected, was encouraging.
"Barton? He's sarcastic, stubborn, a pain-in-the-ass at times, loyal, smart-far smarter then he lets anyone know, driven, and excellent at what he does…he's protective and cares deeply for the ones he deems worthy. Honestly kid, I see traits of him in you when you let go for those brief moments…"He trails off, watching her reactions, surprised by the ghost of a smile that stretches her lips.
"He sounds nice." Still her voice was soft, knees drawn tight now to her chest.
Coulson remains silent for a moment before reaching out, pausing as she pulled back with a massive flinch, pushing herself back a little. He didn't move back, instead rested his hand near her leg. "Olivia, you're good, I was just going for that journal you mentioned. May said you'd gotten the unusual delivery this morning, meaning your letter to that bank was received. Wanted to see what you mentioned before…about your mother."
The teen was still backed up, but she was breathing easier-Jemma & Daisy had taught her how to control her anxiety attacks after one too many late night freak-outs that resulted in ripped out IVs- and was reaching for said journal, flipping pages open, slowly looking up at him, hesitant to show another part of her past.
"I got this when I turned seventeen-that's the coming of age in the wizarding world- along with a long letter from…from her." She found the correct pages, a folded and worn letter pressed in between them, before shakily holding them out to him.
Coulson smiled softly, taking the objects before sitting back. "So there's a reason why Barton didn't know about you?" She nodded but didn't elaborate, her eyes flickering away from him towards the wall and staying there. He starts reading both objects, eyebrows slowly raising the further down he went, muttering the words he read every now and then.
"Met this guy while starting my new muggle job over the summer…He's different from James in that he actually listens…I guess taking James' proposal might have been a bit hasty but with the war, life is too fleet. But to tell me he is now unable have kids? I don't understand…The guy's name, he says it's Clint, very American…I can't believe it, but James's idea worked, I'm pregnant. I feel like I've ruined Clint, he didn't want to do this because we want the child to only know James…I've never cried harder than when I had to wipe Clint's memory…" Here Coulson stopped, looking sharply up at Olivia, who had tears racing down her face. "That's a possible thing?" She nodded, still not looking at him. "And it just happens all the time?"
This time when she nodded, she looked at him. "There's a whole section of the ministry called the Aurors…kind of like you I guess, made to 'protect' the wizarding world. If muggles see magic or find out about it, they go and obliviate them…" She pauses, suddenly looking alarmed. "If they find out about me telling you guys…they might…damn it…I'm sorry I'm sorry…"
Despite the flinch it caused, Coulson gripped her hand in his, rubbing soft circles on her skin. "Sweetheart, breath, you're okay. Don't worry about them, focus on yourself, on us; we're not going to let anyone hurt you, you're safe."
Color him surprised when her fingers gripped his back while her breathing slowed, nodding her head a little. When he deemed her calm enough, he turned back to the letter/journal, letting Olivia compose herself.
"So, your mother felt guilt over this but not enough to contact Barton?" A shrug was the reply he received. "Worried he would fight for custody of you or worried that everyone would find out about James' secret?"
She let out a harsh laugh, anger suddenly filling her eyes. "A little of both, but mostly it was due to a meddling old fool who didn't want his damn plans ruined." The heart monitor picked up while the air around her started to get heavy. "He didn't want his precious weapon taken away because then his lies would be shoved into the spotlight…I could have…he prevented me from being happy…the bastard lied to so many concerning me…that damn Prophecy Ruined My Life!" The glass of water on her bedside table shattered, pulling her quickly from her state.
Coulson jumped up, cleaning it up before moving back to her, his heart clenching at the betrayed and sorrow filled look Olivia now bore. He tried to think of the words to say but was stopped when the door clicked opened, May making her way in before stopping near him.
"Sir, you're needed in the conference room, secure communication coming in and the caller only wants to speak with you."
He was conflicted, eyes locked on you before he signed and looked at May. "Stay with her?" When she nodded, he reached over to squeeze the teen's shoulders, his lips pursig when she flinched again, before walking out of the room.
May sat on the edge of the bed, watching her agitated form. She could see the guilt racking the young girl, drawing a concerned sigh from the Asian woman; despite the short time frame she had been here, with everything that had happened, May had quickly grown protective of the teen, having great fun when 'talking' the whale of a man that called himself her uncle. She picked up the journal that Coulson had left, eyeing it critically before looking up at Olivia.
"Whatever just happened isn't negative. You were upset and no matter what you might think, it's human to have reactions to your bad memories; just because your abilities enhance your emotions doesn't make them an undesirable thing. I don't care what your uncle ever said; you're nothing if not important."
Olivia was still, eyes locked onto May; she'd often spoken with the teen after her late night nightmares, gaining the girl's trust slowly while quickly growing insanely protective of the teen. She didn't let Olivia's powers or past change how she would wrap an arm around her shoulders, helping her calm down, singing sometimes in a language the teen soon learned was Chinese, fingers carding through the teen's hair until she went back to sleep; she was one of three people Olivia would let touch her, the others being Jemma and Coulson-progress from the first three days where no one could even come near her.
This was why Olivia wasn't afraid to now open up to the woman, drawing a deep breath before responding, her voice soft and shaky, afraid of any reactions that she might receive.
"I don't feel important, I feel like I was a weapon who did her job and then dared to try and think for herself. And after the war, I wanted to be alone: I lost so many people and needed time. But the Ministry and…the people who I thought were my friends decided that I wasn't ready to be out in the world, that I needed 'more time to adjust to non-war life.' Why they thought my aunt and uncle's was the right spot, I'll never know." She paused, her form trembling. "I wanted to die…after everything he did…"
May looked at her before she reached out and pushed a stray hair behind Olivia's ear. "But you didn't and now you get to move on, you get a second chance at living; something not many people get after war terrorizes their lives. Don't shut everything out, just give yourself a chance."
The teen was thoughtful before giving May a shaky nod, moving to lay on her side away from the woman, knees brought tight to her chest. Seeing the dismissal, May stood and left the room quietly, the lights dimming as Olivia's mind ran a mile a minute for hours before she finally escaped into the depths of slumber.
Whispered voices near her drew the teen awake, Jemma and Daisy soon coming into view, both looking over a tablet with interest; that is until Jemma sees her awake.
"Ah, you're awake, good. How are you feeling today? You're blood tests are spectacular, you're having great improvement with your anemia, your vitamin levels, you white count level-look here- has come back up." Jemma moves to the bed, where the teen was now sitting up, one knee drawn to her chest, allowing Daisy to sit. Olivia watched the older brit's actions with wonder, asking quiet questions until the doors slid open, Coulson walked in with a torn expression.
"Sir?" Daisy's asked, standing.
Coulson only paused, looking at Olivia with a now pained expression. "Sorry, guess they got impatient." He stepped to the side, revealing three figures: a woman with deep red hair, an Asian woman in a long white coat and finally a man who Olivia knew from the lone picture Lily had left in the journal and the images Coulson had shown her: he had short spikey brown hair and deep blue eyes that were locked on the teen, a myriad of emotions playing through them.
She felt the air catch in her lungs watching the man, a face to the story her mother had written and her blood confirmed. He was really real, there was no denying it now; not that she really could but what orphan wants to believe the worst in the parents that died for them? Olivia was pulled back into the conversation happening around herself and…and Barton when she heard her name mentioned from Jemma.
"She's doing really well, her numbers are up, but she's still got some sprained ribs, a broken ankle, her wound on the back is giving issues but is 85% healed." She was speaking to the Asian woman with what Olivia called her 'I'm a very important Doctor' tone, sharing the information via tablets, Daisy adding in what she knew every other moment.
"Olivia?"
Her head snapped back towards Coulson, who was standing near her, tilting her head in response, pulling a small smile to his lips.
"So, formally, I'd like you to meet a couple people: this is Agent Natasha Romanoff and A-"
"Name's Clint, don't call me agent." The man was suddenly next to Olivia, who screamed before falling off the bed, her panic attack hitting her in full force while crying out in pain, Daisy at her side trying to stem the worst of the mental pain, Jemma and the other woman working to prevent the IVs from ripping out again.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…." The teen was rocking back and forth, Daisy's hands gripping hers, whispering comforting and soothing words into Olivia's hair.
Barton had frozen in place, his childlike joy at meeting his previously unknown daughter quickly replaced with horror and anger; someone had hurt his child, badly judging by the reactions he just witnessed. He turned a hard, questioning glare to Coulson, seeing Natasha giving one as well, the man sighing before gesturing to the far corner.
"Explain Coulson." Barton's voice was tight, his fingers clenched in white knuckle fists.
"So, here's the thing…"
A/N: I'm just going to sit here and marvel at the fact that I almost never do kind things for my stories…I'm such an angsty Soybean.