Keep calm and read Stucky!
"So exactly what are you? Were you born this way?" Steve asked, his blue eyes hard and his spine stiff. He watched Aurora smirk and just watch him.
"I am what you would call a Mutant. Or for use of a common term between us, Mr Rogers, an experiment. I was born like this, in Canada. To a mother who never saw me as anything more than part of her power game. Something to be broken and molded however she pleased." Aurora cringed at the memory of the woman who had brought her into this world.
"So those have been a part of you since birth?" Steve said, gesturing to her wings, making her smile gently and extend the right one to wrap around her front so she could stroke the still soft feathers.
"Yes, they have been. And I treasure them, even if they have caused so many problems." Aurora sighed, letting the wing go and tucking it back behind her.
"Problems?" Steve coaxed, needing to know if she was a threat to everything. Aurora looked up at him, her eyes sad and lost.
"I cannot say, they still hurt after so long." Aurora whispered, feeling the darkness of her early years trying to bring her back into a state of eternal fear. Steve nodded and just watched her, as she curled up slightly and tried to control her breathing.
"We need to leave, Miss Aurora. This home is no longer safe if you are by yourself." Steve said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Aurora rubbed at her eyes slowly and nodded, standing up and going to pack her merger belongings. Steve waited patiently near the door, watching as she walked out with a medium sized suitcase and a backpack.
"Is that everything?" He said, a bit stunned at what little she had. Aurora nodded, looking at the bags and pulling her jacket on.
"Everything else can be replaced. It was never really home anyway." Aurora said, not lifting her head as she walked past Steve and outside, stopping dead when she saw the red haired woman leaning against a jet black SUV.
"Black Widow." Aurora stated simply, making the woman smirk before she opened the car door. Aurora slid along the leather and settled herself in the plush rear seats, taking care not to damage her wings further.
"Take her back to my place, I need to find him." Steve said, hoping onto a Harley and driving off, leaving Aurora alone with the female assassin.
"I know you, Miss Callum. Or shall I call you by your name I knew you by? Broken Angel." Natasha spoke as she sat in the driver's seat and started the car. Aurora flinched and curled into a ball.
"I am no longer that… thing they wanted me to be, Agent Romanoff. I am just Aurora now. Broken Angel died in the frozen tundra. And you know she did." Aurora snarled, her soul aching at the memory of that day. There was so much blood and the fiery red head who held the smoking gun.
"Can we not start over, Miss Callum. We both became reborn that day." Natasha sighed, looking back at Aurora through the rear view mirror. Aurora curled up into a tighter ball and tried to push the darkness back again.
"I'd like to try. After I confronted Him, I realised it's better to have backup." Aurora mumbled, lifting her head to catch the small but warm smile that curled Natasha's lips. They drove in silence to Stark tower, pulling into the underground carpark. Aurora noticed Steve was leaning against his Harley and her heart clenched at the sad aura he seemed to emit.
"Come, everyone will want to meet you, Aurora." Natasha nodded, getting out of the car as Steve stood and opened the door, lifting her bag out.
"Nat's right. And I think Sam will want to brag about his robot wings." Steve tried to smile but it didn't reach his eyes. Aurora nodded and followed them to the elevator and up to the higher levels, past the infamous 'A' that had become unquestionably the mark of the Avengers.
"Your room is across from mine at the end of the hallway. I'll go put your stuff on the bed. Try not to let them scare you." Steve shrugged, as the doors opened and four heads turned from the main screen. Aurora felt as if she had just walked into a schoolyard. Already judging her without knowing her because she was new and had wings.
"Well, I know Nat said I would have a run for my money but come on, Steve, an actual Angel? I thought I was the only one who was born to have wings instead of jets." Sam whined, making Nat giggle softly and Aurora to hide behind Steve a bit.
"Play nice. She isn't used to this." Steve commented back, nodding to Aurora, who stared up at him and let his shirt go. Steve smiled down at her before turning to go down the hall.
"So, who are you exactly? Nat told us to expect some company but as always, she was vague on the details." Tony Stark said, looking her up and down, more than likely taking in the plain outfit but his eyes became glued to her wings, making her try and pull them tighter behind her, wincing as she strained the now healing bones.
"Aurora Artemis Callum. Or just Aurora is fine." Aurora stammered, flinching as Tony smirked, his eyes filling with an emotion she only knew as danger.
"Where are you from? I hear a slight accent in your voice." Clint, or Hawkeye, mumbled past the edge of his coffee mug. Aurora froze, her right hand clenching against the urge to touch her throat. She had worked so hard to mask that damn accent that they had forced on her.
"It is nothing." She muttered, the room growing cold and quiet. Sam looked up from his phone as Clint placed his mug down. Natasha walked into the kitchen but kept her ears tuned to the conversation.
"I do not think it is 'nothing'. An accent tells all about a person, no matter how hard they try to mask it, Miss Callum." Clint warned, making Aurora growl and snap her head to glare at him, her eyes beginning to glow.
"Then I don't think they will mind if you explained to them how you know me then, Hawkeye. Such a failure on your part, that day. Did I fly too fast? Or did your 'owner' decide to pull you?" Aurora snarled, as Steve exited and Clint glared back. Natasha stepped back out of the kitchen as Tony and Sam just watched the show down.
"I had you lined up perfectly. I wouldn't have missed, you know? One shot and those pretty little wings of yours would have been nothing but burnt nubs and you would have never flown again. Exactly what they wanted. But no, that bitch decided to let you fly before calling you back 'home'." Clint snapped, making Aurora jerk as if she had been struck.
"That bitch was the woman who brought me into this wretched world. I did not ask to be like this. And I do not need your hate. You mistake me for a person long dead, Clint." Aurora shuddered, wrapping her arms round her body, trying to keep herself warm as cold memories tried to lead her into darkness.
"The Broken Angel never died, Aurora. You forced her to hide her true nature. Her true power so You could hide from your own Fear." Clint snapped, making Steve glare at him. Tony turned to look at Aurora, who was shaking slightly, her wings jerking at every slight movement.
"Broken Angel? Wasn't that the name of another Hydra agent who was able to escape? The one who the Winter Soldier was supposed to 'hunt' until they realised you were alive, Steve? I'm sure we saw that name in the list." Sam said, tapping his fingers on his knee in thought. Aurora felt her heart stop before beating a tattoo against her chest. She backed up a step, feeling her wings brush something before she snapped. She spun and flared her wings, holding her hand up, her mind not registering the now shocked Steve as her hand crackled with flames that matched the Northern Lights.
"Miss Callum…" "No! I Won't Return To That Hell! You Cannot Make ME!" She screamed, closing her eyes and throwing her body forward, ready to go down fighting. Steve dodged quickly and grabbed her as she failed to spin to counteract his movement. He pulled her tight against him and forced her to the ground, holding her as the glow faded and she clung to his shirt, her body wracked with sobs.
"I am so scared… Don't let them find me… I don't want to be Hydra's toy anymore…" Aurora cried, pleading someone would come save her. Steve just held her and glared at the others.
"Broken Angel was a Hydra supporter, why should we just forgive her, this Aurora, now? She is dangerous." Clint snapped, standing and glaring right back, ignoring Natasha as she took a step towards him.
"Because she is obviously defecting! Look at her, Clint! She can barely stand now! Look at what you have done. Really look at her, Clint. She is not what you remember." "And neither is your oh so precious 'Bucky'." Clint snarled, before he was slammed against the wall, Steve's blue eyes burning bright in rage.
"Do not speak of him as if you know him! He is my friend! Aurora, let's go." Steve snapped, dropping Clint and lifting her off the floor, half dragging her to the elevator, his anger not fading even after the doors had closed.
"I can't walk out with these in full view, Steve. Then they'd find me. Find you." Aurora stammered softly, flinching when Steve turned the cold glare onto her. She squeaked softly in fear when something heavy was drapped across her shoulders, making her look at her shoulders. Steve's jacket swamped her but she pulled it tightly around her shoulders, staying quiet until he opened the passenger door for her.
"Thank you, Steve. I… I hope we find him." She mumbled, curling up int a ball on the seat and buckling in tightly. Steve paused for a moment before closing the door and walking round to the driver's side.
"Why? He broke your wing, he was Hydra's weapon and everyone is afraid of him. Why hope that we find him?" Steve muttered, making Aurora smile and grip his forearm.
"Because he is your friend. And I get this feeling he wants to remember. I just know your Bucky is still in there amongst the white noise." Aurora spoke softly, allowing Steve to calm slightly. He smiled slightly and pulled out of the carpark and onto the streets.
An hour of driving
"Where are we?" Aurora looked around, confused. They hadn't left Washington but she didn't know exactly where in the city they were.
"From the reports Nat unleashed onto the Web, you could track people by their auras. I just want to find him, Aurora. I miss my friend." Steve sounded broken, hurting in a way that made her heart ache.
"Can you get me to the river? Where he pulled you out. That would be the better starting point than anywhere he may have visited." Aurora spoke softly, knowing that this may be her only chance to prove to Steve and the ones who judged her that she was not Hydra. That she was just Aurora Callum. Steve nodded, turning off the main road and onto a dirt track. Aurora snapped her head up and sighed sadly, closing her eyes.
"Stop here. I need the area clear of electrical background." She mumbled, opening the door and stepped out, barely realising she had jumped out of a still moving car. Steve threw the handbrake (A.N.) on and slammed on the brakes, watching the young woman almost float across the uneven terrain. He stepped out of the car, shutting it down and walking after her, his eyes drawn to the glow she seemed to radiate.
"He… He's so confused… I can't track him… Wait, are you sure he pulled you out here?" She asked, turning to face Steve, her teal eyes glowing a sea green.
"Yes, it was him. I may have blacked out but I can remember the arm." Steve shuddered, crouching to brush a blood stained rock, as Aurora sighed.
"Now I see. Yes, he did. And then he ran." She stepped closer to the water and swirled her hand in it. "He is going back to where the Winter was born. But he needs to find something… Something important. But… It's dark, Mama. Where are we? Mama, why aren't you talking? Mama, no… No! It's hurts! Don't!" Aurora cried out and collapsed, her body jerking violently. Steve lifted her gently from the shoreline and away from the water, startled at how fast she had blacked out.
"Aurora. Wake up. They are just memories!" Steve tried to snap her out of it, his voice another in the darkness and pain. Aurora was thrown back to the day they had tried to break her. The day she had lost everything.
*****Flash Back*****
"Aurora, I want you to try really hard today, okay? Someone very important has come to see you." The dark haired woman smiled, straightening the pure white dress and petting down the stray pale gold locks.
"Okay, Mama. I'll make you pwoud." A 10 year old Aurora smiled before skipping into the beam and standing there, her wings held close and tightly to her body like her Mama had taught her.
"Hello, my name is Angel. Hail Hydra." She sung, hoping her Mama was watching her. The shadowy figures seemed to move before a glint had her trying to focus outside the light.
"Test subject name: Angel. Test: Aura and history. Begin." An almost mechanical voice stated as Aurora sat down and waited like her Mama had said to. She looked up expectantly when she heard footsteps but froze when the figure stepped into the light. His metal arm glinted under the light, his mouth and nose covered in a mask and his eyes blacked out, the ice blue of them slightly scary.
"He…hello. Please sit down." She stammered, watching as the man just stood there.
"Winter, you are ordered to sit as she requests. And stay still unless ordered." The mechanical voice snapped, as the man nodded and sat, his back rigid. Aurora gulped and closed her eyes, flaring her wings and bowing her head.
"Codename: Winter Soldier. Not much else can be seen. He… No… No! Just a bit further! No! STEVE!" Aurora screamed, her body jerking as her now glowing eyes filled with tears. She curled up in a ball, whimpering as the man just stared at her.
"Annabella, get that… thing out of the Soldier's sight. She will ruin our work." The voice snapped as arms grabbed her and dragged her away.
"No! He can be saved! No! Let Me Help Him!" She screamed, struggling against the guards, her eyes pleading with the man who was just staring at her.
"Angel. Hush. You have caused enough problems today. I am so ashamed." Annabella spoke, her voice tinted with disgust. Aurora sobbed, feeling the sting of a needle in the side of her neck.
"But Mama, you love me. Mama, I'm sorry. Please. Mama!"
*****End Flashback*****
"Mama!" Aurora bolted upright, looking around before breaking down into heaving sobs. She flinched and rounded on someone when a warm hand touched her shoulder. Steve smiled slightly and held his arms out.
"I… I knew him… His mind… He screamed…" Aurora sobbed as she buried into his chest and just sobbed, letting years of pain and loss out. Steve wrapped his arms round her gently, just letting her find the solace she had needed.
A few minutes later
"I'm sorry, it's just… 20 years of torture and pain. I wanted to be just Angel again… Not the Broken Angel they called me after that day. Even the woman who gave me this life stopped caring for me and moved on. And the continuous shut downs. I'm not like him, Steve, I never had those memories cleared, nothing to save me the horrors of what I did. He had the super soldier serum and all I got was a portion those bastards decided I needed! To keep me alive! As a weapon… That's how I knew Natasha and you, Steve. I was tasked to find both of you. I was the one who told them where Bucky would be, when you would be attacking the train. And the one who explained where Natasha would be." Aurora sobbed, shaking like a leaf in Steve's arms.
"So you defected the first chance you got? You left Hydra and began again?" Steve asked, trying to understand what she had been through.
"I tried so hard to get in contact with someone about New York. And the Hellicarriers. But if I had told them who I was, they would have found me. Steve, Captain Rodgers, I didn't want to do what they made me do. I just… I just wanted to see her smile at me like she used too…" Aurora sniffled, curling up into a ball as Steve rubbed her shoulder.
"It's okay, Aurora. We will figure this out. I just want you to help me find Bucky. To help him stop screaming. I trust you and I will make sure the others won't hurt you because of the need to feel a mother's love again. I know what it's like." Steve spoke gently, as Aurora looked up at him and smiled weakly past her red teary eyes.
"He is already gone but he is on his way back. He found the Winter but now he is more confused. He remembers the pain, that must have been why I broke." Aurora mumbled, as Steve helped her up and back to the SUV.
"How about we call it a day, Aurora? You have done your best." Steve smiled, buckling her in and going to the driver's side. Aurora nodded and let him take her back to the Avengers Tower. She couldn't feel much of her body so getting out of the SUV was a big issue until Steve tucked his jacket round her wings and lifted her up, carrying her up to his floor, thankful the only one there was Natasha, who just opened the doors for Steve. He placed her down on her bed and pulled the covers back over her, smiling when she shyly buried under the covers and closed her eyes.
Steve's POV
"She can't hide forever, Steve. She is so broken. How could she help find him?" Natasha spoke as she poured a cup of coffee for herself. I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms, still seeing Aurora crying and so distraught, it broke something within. How could they turn her into that? Into someone so lost within themselves they didn't know light from dark.
"I know, but she is the only link to Bucky. And she may come in handy as an unofficial Avenger. She just needs time." I said, looking at the tiled floor and smiling sadly, my mind on Bucky and how he could possibly be coping when my world had fallen apart and had begun to rebuild. My best friend was alive, I had a way of finding him without running around like a mad man but the only person who could help was a broken young woman who had once been a Hydra Agent.
"Well, if you trust her, then so do I. It's late, I'm off to bed." Natasha smiled, petting my upper arm as she left to go back down to the floor she and Clint shared.
Hey guys, SS Hoshi here. No reviews yet but I'm still going to write, even if I get none. I am giving Aurora a bit of backstory and Super Soldier Serum-ness to make her life more mysterious. Why does she black out? Why are her wings grey and white? All shall be revealed in due time, til then, SS Hoshi out!