I guess I'll post it right afterward. It's not too hard! (Chemistry. Chemistry is not that hard. Sorta.)
I don't own Marvel. But little cuties, Heather, and family are all mine. Do not borrow without permission.
3rd POV
Steve, Dr. Cho, and Heather walk out of the laboratory and walk along the many halls. The doctor takes them directly to the dorms. Heather remembers where her sister's room is and knocks gently.
"Hello?" Leslie asks from inside.
Heather takes a deep breath and asks, "Song-o-gram for a Leslie Diana Morse?"
The door opens up a moment after. "Heather!" She's attacked by a shorter, younger version of her mother. Leslie is still building herself back to her original strength, so Heather doesn't go toppling over. But it does catch her by surprise.
"Hey sis," Heather says. When Leslie finally lets go, the elder girl kneels down and receives a proper hug. "I brought my guitar, just as I promised."
"Okay!" Leslie pulls her into the room. The stuff Heather brought from home is around and some new drawings are on the white walls. Leslie sits on the bed and Heather sits next to her, sliding her guitar around so it's no longer hanging behind her back.
"What song first?" Heather asks. Leslie instantly has a song in mind and Heather starts to play. She sings at first, but Leslie joins in soon after. The open door reveals Andrew, who had been sleeping when Heather arrived.
Heather pats the bed when the song ends and he climbs up. Slowly, the room fills up with the kids that live in the hallway, all affected by Hydra's treatment. Heather's pity for the children grows, she hadn't realized how many of the rescued victims were underage. And this was a small percentage.
As Heather entertains them with different song requests, some of which she does her best at for the first time, her anger grows in the pit of her gut as well. 'These are children! Not science experiments! Hydra has no humanity!'
"Heather..?" Leslie asks.
"Yes?"
"..Do you want to play a game?"
"I want to play!" A kid on the floor asks, a faded blue dress and little brown vest over her thin form.
"Me too! Me too!" A little boy says, his orange hair unkempt in an adorable fashion.
"Can I?" A third asks, toying with the end of her slowly growing braid.
Heather smiles at the kids. "Sure. I think a board game can fit five people?"
"Or we could play this!" Leslie holds up a card game. Some of the kids were called away by caretakers or parents. The three that wanted to play a game don't leave and their caretakers tell Heather they will be back in a half an hour.
Heather sits next to the kids, her siblings joining her. "What are your names and how old are you?" She asks.
"My name is Ashton and I'm nine," the girl with short dark blond hair and the blue dress.
"Justin, ten years old," the boy with the unkempt fiery hair states proudly.
"..I'm.. Maddy, my mommy says I'm six," the final child states, turning her hair around in both her hands. Heather smiles.
"Ashton likes gymnastics," Leslie says excitedly, "there's a gym, Heather! I can't use the beam yet, but when I do, will you watch?"
"Of course," Heather states, "Now let's set up the game. Heather watches as Andrew deals out the cards to everybody in the circle. Heather begins the first round and has to help Maddy with reading her cards.
At this point, Heather realizes how much she's grown. She catches herself correcting the children or breaking up a squabble if someone thinks the other is cheating; much like her mother would. "Heather?" Andrew says, drawing his older sister from her thoughts. "I'm bored. Can you help me with my robot?"
"Sure. You four keep playing," Heather says. She and Andrew stand up and go to his room. Heather is given a tour of how the 'robot' is supposed to move. But Andrew doesn't know how to make it move all on its own, so it is just an action figure of sorts.
A few boys, one of them being Justin, walk into his room, he puts the project away to go be with his new friends. Heather watches fondly and then finds the nearest caretaker. "Where are my parents? The Morse's?" She asks.
The caretaker looks at the pad in her grasp. Heather sees there is a list of names in last name order of all the people in this section. She finds Colin Morse. "Your father should be back from his evaluation," she tells the soldier, "but your mother is sleeping."
"Thank you."
"They are both in need of sleep though," the caretaker tries.
"I will be brief. I need to see him," Heather says, turning away. Heather remembers where his room is and walks down to see him. She walks through the door. He's laying in his bed, the covers tucked around him. The image almost makes Heather cry.
"Heather," Colin says, smiling. Heather sits on a chair next to him, moving it from the desk.
"Hi Daddy," she says. He pats her hand. Heather knows he's only in his forties, but he looks strained, as if the months in the compound have aged him a decade. Heather tries to ignore it.
"My baby girl, so grown up.." he says softly.
"What have you been up to?" Heather asks.
"I was given a few books, other than the ones you brought from..." Both go silent. "..I admit I have been slow to read them. It's been tiring these days."
Heather stands up and finds the book with a bookmark in it. She walks back over to him and cracks it open. She clears her throat and continues where she believes he left off. After she gets to the bottom of the page, a hand is set on her arm. She looks up.
Her father is looking at her, amazed. "..You can read."
Heather smiles. "I can read," she confirms.
Her father mimics her smile. "Well go on. Continue." Heather looks back at the book and continues, finishing the next page, and the two after it.
Heather walks out of her father's room and closes the door so he can sleep. She turns to walk down the hall, but Nick Fury is standing there, waiting for her. She eyes him carefully. Steve sees her down the hall.
"Hey Cap, can you stay by my siblings?" She asks, giving note to the spy that Steve is still there. She doesn't fully trust him yet. Steve nods, even though he'd rather go with her. Fury motions down the hall and Heather follows him a short ways until they can talk without anyone overhearing.
"The Avengers are still together, I assume," he says, setting his hands behind his back. The hair on the back of Heather's neck stands up straight. She bristles, not liking where this conversation might lead.
"Yeah, they are," she says, a tension in her voice.
"You still think they are the team you need to be on?" Fury asks, "Your family is here. You could protect them. It's been almost half a week and they haven't found another base, have they?"
"Look," Heather says, catching the spy off guard. He looks at her stoically. "I am not one of your agents that you can push around. I am not turning my back on them. They are, complicated at times, but that is what family is."
"They are not a family, they are a danger," Fury states, "Dangers like that are need to keep under a close watch."
"I am part of said group and I'm not going to break their trust." Heather turns around and starts walking back to the dorm.
"But did they say you are an Avenger, officially?" Heather stops in her tracks. She looks over her shoulder just enough to see the tall ex-director of SHIELD out of the corner of her right eye. She then turns her head back and walks away as if nothing happened.
Fury knows that the question hit her hard, and Heather knows he is right. She isn't an Avenger.
Heather walks over to Leslie, who is holding Steve's hand. "Are you leaving?" She asks. Heather picks up her guitar and puts the strap around her shoulder.
"I'm afraid so," Heather answers.
"But why?" Leslie asks. Andrew walks over too, but keeps quiet. "I don't want you to leave!"
"I need to. I have to help other people, like I helped you guys," Heather says, kneeling down. Her sister is taller than when Heather's in that position, so the super soldier looks up at her sister's face. "But look," she says, taking out her phone. "I have this. I'll call every weekend I'm not busy, okay? And you can send me requests for songs and I will send them back after recording them."
"..And you'll visit?" Leslie asks timidly.
"Of course I will," Heather assures.
"..Okay," Leslie says, feeling a bit better. But she's still sad that she won't see her sister everyday. Heather turns to Andrew, waiting for his approval.
"Andie?" She asks, standing up.
He squares his shoulders. "Kick Hydra's butt," he states firmly. Heather salutes.
"I plan to," she says. Andrew smirks and raises his hand in a crooked salute in response. Heather lowers her hand and Andrew does as well. Both the children hug their sister, who keeps her arms around them for as long as she can. But then she hears Steve clear his throat. She backs away and they walk back to the quinjet.
Okay, met up with her family. Check.
New Avenger phone. Check.
Next chapter is a shorter one, I promise. And.. I don't know when I'll get it up.
Here's a question: What do you think of the Avenger Phones?
And.. do you have any questions?
~CtW