Feral
Chapter 3 — Scaredy Cat
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"Captain Rogers, if you would please make your way to the living room on the eleventh floor!"
Steve jumped at the urgency in Jarvis' voice and immediately left the gym, running to the waiting elevator. "Jarvis, what's wrong?"
"It's Miss Felicia. I believe she may be sleep walking while having a nightmare."
Steve cursed under his breath and started to run as soon as the elevator door opened, slowing before he reached the living room. Carefully he eased into the room, quickly locating the young girl.
Felicia was curled into a ball, rocking back and forth on her heels with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her sleeves had been shoved up past her elbows and angry red welts covered her pale skin. She stared out the window with empty eyes that reminded Steve of the look in some soldiers' eyes.
Slowly, Steve took a few steps towards her. "Felicia?"
He froze when she tried to spin around, knocking herself onto her rear. She scrambled back till she hit the glass of the window with terror bright in her eyes. Steve tried to make himself smaller and took another step towards, as slowly as he could only to still again when she tried to scramble back further.
"It's okay Felicia. You're safe." Steve tried to be as soothing as possible, lowering himself and trying to subtly shift forward. Felicia's eyes widened in panic and she turned and clawed at the window. Steve hastily took a few step back, hoping the space would help. "Felicia, it's okay! You're safe, no one is going to hurt you! Feli—" Dark streaks were left on the window with each touch and Steve darted across the room. He gently pulled the girl away from the window and tried to catch her bleeding hands. "Shh. Shhhh, Felicia, it's okay."
She turned in his arms and started attacking him, her blood soaking into his shirt. Her movements begin to slow as she watched the blood. Slowly she looked Steve in the face, carefully reaching up and rubbing her fingers along his cheek, leaving a smear of blood. She sat tensely in Steve's lap as he slowly reached up and gently grasped her wrist. Carefully he pulled it away and began to examine the extent of her injuries. Suddenly he felt all the tension go out of her and she drooped forward, her shoulder landing on his chest. He gently lifted her other wrist to look at the injuries on that hand. Her knuckles and fingertips were scrapped raw, blood slowly oozing.
Carefully Steve picked her up and carried her to the couch. After he set her down he went to the cabinet where they kept a first aid kit, quickly returning to the couch and tending to her scrapes. He also rubbed ointment over the welts on her arms. Felicia caught one of his hands, carefully running her hands over the calluses on his palm.
Steve leaned down to look at her face. "Felicia, do you want me to go get Bruce?"
Her hands tightened on his as she frantically shook her head. "Don't want to wake him." Her voice was filled with guilt as she hunched her tiny shoulders. "Cause him enough trouble."
Steve watched as tears began to form in her eyes. "Felicia." She looked up at him and he opened his arms for a hug. She hesitated for a moment before scooting closer and pressing herself against his side. Carefully he stroked her hair, quietly humming an old song that his mother used to sing to him.
He waited until her breathe had deepened in sleep. "Jarvis, can you get the others to come here quietly?"
"Of course, sir." Jarvis' voice was quiet as he turned on low lights.
Bruce arrived first, settling on the other side of Felicia. Next was Clint, who quietly put away the first aid kit and handed a blanket to Bruce, who carefully tucked it around Felicia. Tony came in to the room with a coffee mug and a tablet, a frown on his face as he went over whatever was on it. Natasha brought with her a tray of mugs and a pot of tea, immediately pouring a cup for Bruce before sitting down and looking at Steve.
Steve looked at all of them. "We need to do something to help Felicia with her nightmares." He looked down at the sleeping girl.
"It may not be that simple Steve. We may not be able to do anything." Natasha carefully sipped at her tea. "She refuses to speak about it. We may just have to wait." She looked at Felicia, who seemed even tinier tucked next to Steve. "And simply be there for her."
Bruce's hands were tight around his mug. "Jarvis, how many times has she woken from a nightmare and not woken me?"
"This is the fifth time sir. The other times she simply wandered around the halls. This was the first time she caused harm to herself."
"It was like she didn't know who I was." Steve carefully stroked her hair. "She's always been a bit nervous around me, but when she looked at me earlier…" He looked at Bruce. "There was no recognition at all."
They were silent for a bit before Tony started tapping his fingers against his tablet again. "Jarvis, how close are you to finding out where Felicia is from?"
"I have narrowed it down to Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi Sir. There are still a startling amount of files to look through."
"Kids go missing all the time, and she might have been written off as dead already." Clint glared at the table as he spoke, the muscles in his jaw tight.
"I am aware of that, Agent Barton, which is why I extended the search to include crime involving a girl matching her description. I'm afraid it has slowed the process down dramatically." Jarvis' voice was clipped, as if slightly offended. "I predict that I will be done going through the files in the next few days."
"Thank you Jarvis." Bruce watched Felicia sleep with sad eyes. "Maybe then we'll learn something that could really help."
Clint stood, glancing out the window at the lightening sky. "I think I'll go get breakfast started. Nat, want to help me?"
Natasha rose with a sigh. "I suppose I must unless we want a breakfast of only pancakes and bacon."
"Tiny needs more meat on her bones anyway." Tony drained the last of his coffee and stood to get some more, following the agents out of the room.
Steve looked at Bruce. "I don't want to risk waking her up."
"No. Let her sleep for as long as she can." He reached for the remote. "She only seems able to sleep for about an hour straight, even on a good night." He turned on the TV and lowered the volume, changing channels till he found the morning news. And between them, the child slept.
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So this was originally going to be chapter four, but chapter three was having none of it. So I'm making this one chapter three. Sorry for the wait, hope you enjoyed.