CHAPTER ELEVEN
"You don't get to tell people how to love you; you get to choose if you want to participate in the way they love." - Iyanla Vanzant
Wandering through the vast expanse of his luxurious home was Alexander Pierce, dressed in a hoodie and jogging pants there was no sign that behind closed doors the all-american man's life was crumbling down as easy as a sandcastle underneath a foot.
He walked down one of the hallways of his home into the kitchen, passing numerous paintings that he'd collected over the years as a pet project. It was something he did in order to distract himself from the distress he often felt at work thanks to the cursed brunette that always seemed to be causing some sort of issue. He'd missed when she was younger and more susceptible, she'd obey his every word out of fear, but it seemed by making her always vulnerable to punishment he'd accidentally built up her resilience and he was suffering for that mistake.
They'd managed to keep her fighting spirit down for a fair amount of years but it seemed they hadn't been doing enough as once more she'd caused a humongous issue for Hydra by being disrespectful. He'd truly believed he'd damaged her enough before the mission to ensure she'd only stick to her commands but she'd left with Captain America and it was seeming more and more like she was choosing to stick on his side.
Pierce had gotten a report from Brock Rumlow that they'd found signs of three people in the ruins of Wheaton, New Jersey which meant AS09 was definitely sticking with Steve and there was a possibility she might have even saved him.
The concerning thoughts constantly played over in his mind and they caused him to release a long frustrated sigh, the fiftieth one that day. Still he pursued his original intent, entering his kitchen (that was far too large for one man, but what others saw as vacant space he saw as proof of his power) and going over to the fridge so he could retrieve some milk, completely unaware of the man who was sitting patiently awaiting orders from his master. As he turned to put the milk down on the side, Alexander finally spotted the Winter Soldier.
"Going to go Mr Pierce," his maid announced, thankfully for Pierce she hadn't wandered into the kitchen and spotted his late night visitor. "Do you need anything before I leave?"
"No," he said, trying his best to sound casual and confident, "I, uh, it's fine, Renata, you can go home."
"Okay, night-night."
Pierce waited until the maid shut the front door on her way out before finally acknowledging the Winter Soldier. "Want some milk?" He asked, turning around so he could retrieve a glass for the beverage. The Winter Soldier didn't reply. He simply waited until his master was ready to get onto the important topic of his next mission, which meant enduring the seconds as Pierce casually messed around pouring himself a glass of milk, not caring if he was wasting the Winter Soldier's time.
The Winter Soldier had Pierce actually missing AS09, she was talkative to just him because no one else ever talked to her (because that's what he'd ordered). She was raised to see him as her only friend as well as her father and that's probably why he liked her so much, because essentially she was all his. Every part of her, mind and body, belonged to Alexander.
Eventually the man gave the soldier what he wanted, orders. "The timetable has moved. Our window is limited. Three targets, all level six." Alexander seated himself in front of the soldier, listing off all the necessary details for the assassins next mission. "They already cost me Zola. I want confirmed deaths for two of them in ten hours. Experiment AS09 is with them and we think she's gone rogue. Your primary objective is to subjugate and capture her… But if she puts up too much of a fight then you have permission to exterminate." He didn't want her to die, she was a very valuable weapon but if he didn't acknowledge that she was a lost cause when he needed to it could be detrimental to them. They could always create another AS09, it just takes a long time.
A noise from behind Pierce had him swiftly twisting in his seat, panic set onto his face though it melted when he realised it was just Renata. Though the sight of her did create a crack on the cold ice block in his chest that some would call a heart.
Meanwhile the Winter Soldier had managed to remain completely serene, the shadows that hid his face unnecessary as his mask didn't even twitch when the maid entered the room.
"Sorry Mr Pierce, I forgot my phone…" She nervously played with the sleeves of her sweater as she noticed the oddly dressed man sat opposite from her boss. Never before had she been so overcome by the urge to run.
Her nerves were not soothed when her boss let out a disappointed sight. "Oh, Renata," he cursed as he rose up from his seat, taking a hold of something that had been on the table though she wasn't able to see it initially as Alexander's body had been in the way. "I wish you would have knocked."
This was something he normally left to AS09 or the man behind him, Pierce wasn't the type to get his hands dirty. In fact he wasn't the type to use his hands for much other than signing off papers. They were silky smooth, kept under a lovely moisturiser regime that cost what most would compare to something more flashy, like a decent television, or a months worth of meals for the hungry. There was no roughness, no callouses, no scars. Using his flawless hand he brought it upward and finally revealed to the shaking Renata what he was holding, a gun.
The next day outside of a small home in Washington the trio stood, weakened, tired and dirty. It was apparent on all their faces how worn they were both physically and mentally.
Natasha stood in between Steve and Freckles, still not fully capable of standing up straight. Whenever she did manage to stand on her own two feet she'd involuntarily start swaying and either Steve or AS09 would rush to grab a hold of her in order to keep her from falling. Once they'd come to a stop outside of Sam Wilson's home they'd allow her to stand on her own but they still stood close by just in case.
Steve was the one to knock on the door and it was a short wait before a man answered, sweat was dripping down his dark skin and staining the purple shirt he wore. From his outfit AS09 was able to deduce the man had just been training, possibly jogging, and from the raised eyebrows accompanied by a slack jaw she was able to guess he hadn't been expecting three battered and bruised humans to appear on his doorstep.
"I'm sorry about this," Steve apologised, knowing there wasn't really a necessity for an explanation. Their dirty appearance made it quite clear for everyone that they'd been through an ordeal, and their appearance on his doorstep probably screamed 'we need your help', Steve did reveal what help he was hoping to get from his acquentice though, "we need a place to lay low."
Both Natasha and AS09 didn't trust being so out in the open, both pairs of eyes flitted around, prepared for any sudden dangers. "Everyone we know is trying to kill us," Natasha said, not holding back any information in order to rush past any questions.
The shock melted away from Sam's face and was replaced with a determined look, the kind of look you'd only ever find on a man dedicated to a cause. "Not everyone," he pushed open the door wider and allowed the trio to stumble inside.
"Hi," AS09 was the last to enter and she awkwardly introduced herself to the stranger, beginning to become uncomfortable with the amount of people Steve was forcing her to meet. She didn't trust that all of them wouldn't turn on her after learning of her past, she still wasn't 100% sure Steve wouldn't turn against her, she certainly enjoyed the thought that he wouldn't though.
Sam nodded his head back in greeting to her. As he went to shut the door behind the trio he looked around the outdoors, making sure their entrance went unseen by any of his neighbours.
Once in the safety of Sam's home they were all welcome to showers and clean clothes. Steve was quick to offer the girls first chance to the shower (talking about how it was the gentlemen's thing to do) which left Natasha and AS09 to choose who would go first. AS09 didn't even hesitate before telling the redhead to go first, she was the most worn out and would benefit the most.
AS09 had plenty of memories where she was in the same state as Natasha was, and she also remembered just how glorious a shower felt afterward.
To her surprise Natasha put up a hand and shook her head, "no, you've earnt it." To make her decision clearer Nat slowly lowered her aching body onto Sam's bed. AS09 opened her mouth to argue but was interrupted by the worn out agent, "you saved my life back there which means I owe you, just go and shower."Natasha wouldn't say it twice and AS09 didn't ask her to out of respect.
She'd just been taught a lesson that almost dying with someone was a great way to build mutual respect between people that once upon a time held a strong dislike for each other. Whilst it was good to no longer be fighting Natasha with every word she said, and have that returned, Freckles doubted she'd make a habit of using that particular bonding technique.
The brunette welcomed the scorching waters from the shower openly, feeling like the water was somehow soaking through the pores on her body and revitalising every single inch of her, filling her with life once again.
She tried not to take too long which meant forcing down the temptation to remain under the warm water for the rest of the day. When she was done drying off her body she got dressed in a navy blue vest and joggers which were very baggy on her but covered all her the parts of her she'd prefer to keep covered. They were clothes that belonged to Sam but she was going to have to make do whilst he washed her other clothes.
Natasha showered next, leaving Steve and Freckles to have a conversation but the two still felt quite worn out. "How are you feeling?" Steve asked first.
"I've been better," she'd responded, rubbing her hair with a towel to try and dry it. Thankfully it's shortness meant it was pretty easy to dry, there was a time before when she'd had all her hair shaved off but she'd learnt over time she much preferred having hair. When she noticed the guilty expression Steve sent her, like a damaged puppy, she quickly corrected herself through spluttered words and waving hands, "but I've also been worse."
"I'm sorry."
"I don't see why," she said the words quickly, so fast she had no time to actually think through what she was saying. "I came with you, I chose to use my powers to protect us. What happened is on me as much as it is you, and I don't feel sorry. We've got more information, we're not just at another dead end anymore."
Steve remained silent, sitting on the edge of Sam's bed with his palms placed together and his fingers on his lips. Thinking, AS09 figured, he was just thinking. It was hard to concentrate on much when he was sat in just a vest and joggings, his muscles were bulging and drawing her eyes the way nectar drew in a butterfly. It was another first for her that didn't feel any where near horrible, it brought along as much fear within her as it did wonder. Her eyes worked their way all around his body, taking in the shape of his nose, the way his stomach set when he sat down in a leant forward position, the way both his eyebrows and lips became a straight line when he was in deep thought, it was like she was seeing him for the first time.
Once Natasha returned from her shower Steve left to go have his, leaving the two girls alone. They sat in silence for a good five minutes before AS09 left. Just because they had mutual respect didn't mean they were friends, their was still some caution shared between the two. First came respect, then trust, at least it did for the two girls who had become who they were through pain.
She stumbled her way through the unfamiliar house until she found Sam Wilson in his kitchen, cooking food. For a moment she went delirious, a foreign smell wafted it's way to her nose and like a wild animal she was ready to pounce on the meal but her humanity kicked in just in time and forced her to stand steady.
"You making food?" She asked, trying to sound casual as she moved nearer, leaning against one of the counters as she tried to get a better look at what he was making.
He looked her up and down, she noticed. "Yeah," he responded, holding up a pan and shaking its contents, "is scrambled eggs and bacon okay?"
"I don't know," she answered honestly, feeling that same desire she'd had moments ago when staring at Steve bubble up as she stared at the food. "I don't think I've eaten scrambled eggs and bacon before, does it taste good? Definitely smells good." She leaned in closer towards him so that she could smell the food, as she inhaled an inhuman noise passed through her lips.
"So, can I ask you a question?" He busied himself with flipping over the bacon he had in a pan, giving her side glances numerous times and she was aware of every look. He was trying to figure her out, figure if she was a threat or not.
AS09 was doing the same in her own way. Whilst she was trying to follow Steve's previous rules that he taught her about conversation and interacting with other people, she was still being cautious, analysing his every word and movement. Though she came off relaxed and gleeful, she was readily prepared for him to attack her. It wasn't a case of 'would he attack' for her, it was a case of 'when'.
"You're making me food," she responded with a congenial smile, she wasn't the best at acting though so the mask was clearly a fake, "you get to ask me anything."
He emptied some bacon on a plate which already had bread and butter on the side. "No offence, but you don't really seem to fit in with those two."
She waited a moment but he didn't continue, his statement was on something very obvious so she couldn't understand what she was meant to exactly be answering, "where's the question?"
"Why are you with them?" Sam knew about Captain America from his own work life, he never thought one day he'd meet the real thing but it turned out the super soldier was actually a pretty cool guy. But there was something about the way AS09 teetered around that had him wary of her, she seemed like a wolf constantly crawling across the ground ready to pounce at the first sight of food. There was also the fact that Natasha didn't seem to trust her, Sam knew Cap was a nice guy and he was concerned his friend had gotten mixed up with the wrong sort of person.
"You're smart," she complimented, realising that Cap seemed to pick his companions well, he'd obviously made a mistake with her though. "I'm with them cause Steve has given me a chance to prove myself because I'm essentially the enemy, I first met him when he captured me." She laughed at the memory which seemed so long ago, even though it had actually only been two days since they escaped from SHIELD. "SHIELD, the place they work," Sam nodded to let her know he knew what she was talking about, "and also the place I was being held in, became compromised and Steve came to get me. He said he was giving me a chance, he seems to think I'm capable of more than I realise."
A small smile widened her lips, a genuine smile. It seemed to make her shy and she looked downward to the floor in order to hide it. Freckles recalled the conversation Steve and Natasha had in the car on their way to New Jersey, the soldier had said that he believed she could change the world. That was a lot of faith to put onto someone who had so far proved she could only destroy the world.
That's another thing he kept talking about, he seemed to think there was something wrong with the way she viewed herself but it was so difficult to view what she was as anything other than a weapon. She supposed, when simplified, it all came down to one thing. Who was right, Steve or her Father? Was she something more, or was she just a weapon? Was her life hers, or her Fathers? Freckles or Experiment AS09?
"Anyway," she looked back to Sam who was busying himself with finishing up the scrambled eggs, "I'm also with them because they have a folder which holds all this mysterious information about me in it, I don't know much about myself other than that I was created and they managed to get a blood sample so they know a lot more about me than I do. My date of birth, whether I'm entirely human or not," she widened her eyes jokingly and Sam gave a low chuckle. Then as an afterthought she added, "and maybe my name as well."
"Can you butter up some more bread please?" Sam asked, pointing towards a corner of his kitchen where there was butter laid out and a loaf of bread waiting to be used. She nodded her head, taking the butter knife into her right hand and feeling the fresh weight of it. AS09 was use to knives, she spent a lot of her time with knives, never before had she used one to butter bread. Steve had made her so domestic, she thought, internally laughing.
"So is that why they call you Freckles?" Sam asked, continuing their previous conversation.
"Yeah, technically the only title I've got is Experiment AS09 but they wanted me to have a proper name. I wanted it too," she answered, "how much bread do you need buttered?"
"Six slices please, or… do you think I should do more? Do they even eat breakfast?"
Freckles laughed lightly at his questions, "you'll have to ask them yourself. If not, then I'll happily eat their breakfasts."
"I doubt you'd be able to fit all this in you," he quickly argued and she raised an eyebrow at him, an eyebrow that said 'you sure you want to challenge me?' and it seemed effective enough because he soon left to go ask Steve and Natasha if they wanted to eat breakfast.
The pair joined Sam and Freckles in the kitchen and together they all sat and ate, Sam ended up giving her some more of his own food after she managed to get through the entirety of her own meal before they'd even managed to get to their third mouthful. Once they were done Sam took the dishes away from the table and they began to discuss what steps they would take next.
Natasha was the one who started it off, "so, the question is: who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?"
AS09 knew the answer to her question, she'd known who'd been behind it all ever since the night her father came to visit her when she was back in the SHIELD prison. She decided it was time for them to know the truth. She'd saved their lives, that was proof enough for herself whose side of the line she was hoping she'd be on when their mission was over. "The same man I worked for before being captured, my father, though I think you guys call him Alexander Pierce."
The shock in that room created a tension as choking as smoke emitted from fire, Natasha seemed to be repeatedly looking from Steve to Freckles, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in the latest revelation. Sam was watching Natasha and Steve's reactions, he still didn't totally understand the strangers place with them but it was evident she'd surprised them with what she'd just said. Steve was just staring at Freckles, his hand twisted around a fork but other than that the rest of him remained like a statue.
She stared back at him bravely, her face void of emotion as she waited for his reaction. She could understand if he was annoyed with her, she'd withheld some very important information that probably would have lessened the time it took for them to solve the mystery behind the flash drive. AS09 wanted him to show his anger, at least then she'd be able to defend herself and her choice to withhold the information, though Steve probably already knew what she'd say. 'He created me, my loyalties were with him at first'. She'd used that 'I'm a weapon' saying so much by that point she'd become like a broken record, far too predictable.
Natasha noticed Steve's silence though she couldn't tell if it was from anger, sadness or something in between. In order to carry on the more important part of the conversation she moved around the room, drawing their attention. "The same man who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world."
The soldier sighed, placing down his knife and finally looking away from the wary brunette, "but he's not working alone. Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star."
"So was Jasper Sitwell," Natasha reminded him whilst putting both her hands on her hips. They'd just figured out what their next step would be.
"So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?" Steve looked to everyone in the room hoping that someone would be able to provide the answer, he looked at everyone but AS09.
Until she spoke up, "I can do it. My father won't be showing loads of people pictures of me, he won't want to take the chance in case I do go back to work for him."
Steve seemed unsure at her proposition but he didn't share why, he still wasn't talking to her and it still wasn't clear why. Sam spoke up, dropping a file in front of Steve as he spoke, "and I'll go with her."
"What's this?" Steve stood up as Natasha picked up the photograph on top of the file, meanwhile AS09 leant forward in order to inspect the front page of the folder, identifying that it was a classified military project called 'Falcon'.
"Call it a resume."
Natasha seemed to have some know on his past, able to recall some mission Sam had participated in. They discussed his past and what AS09 was able to actually understand is that the stranger who cooked her breakfast had a seemingly impressive past, one where he was a pilot but not exactly a pilot.
"I can't ask you to do this, Sam. You got out for a good reason."
"You got out?" AS09 asked the question without meaning to, she was just so surprised that someone who shared their line of work could manage to dig their way out of the consuming lifestyle. Steve and Natasha didn't seem as surprised though, which was weird for her because she'd always assumed that jobs like being an agent, a spy, a soldier or an assassin were essentially the same thing just with different descriptions and requirements.
The realisation that they weren't actually all the same, and for some there was an easy way to get out of the lifestyle, made her wonder if it could be the same for her? Though the idea seemed more hopeless in her mind, at least it had her thinking there was a possibility for once.
"Yeah," he said in answer to AS09 as well as acknowledging what Steve was saying, "but Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in."
Steve exhaled his breath, not liking the idea of pulling someone into the life they lead, but Sam was his own man and could make decisions, the determination in Sam's voice was enough to make the decision for Steve alone. Plus the file showed Sam already had quite a bit of experience in the superhero life, in fact, he might be a great addition to their team. He certainly wasn't as much a risk as AS09 was.
"Where can we get our hands on one of these things?"
"The last one is at Fort Meade, behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel wall." What Sam said was supposed to sound like a challenge, he made it out like that but Steve looked to Natasha and she shrugged, Natasha looked to AS09 and she grinned.
That was all the confirmation Steve needed, he threw down the folder onto the table, seemingly carefree. "Shouldn't be a problem."
They all began to get ready, Sam gave her the clothes she'd arrived in that were once again clean and dry (and smelt like lilly's) so she removed herself for a moment to get back into the casual outfit. Though when she left the bathroom there was a block in the hallway consisting of Steve and Sam, they were speaking quietly and nearing the end of the conversation but Freckles managed to decipher what was being said through reading his lips. "Is that alright?"
"Yeah, course man." Sam responded whilst patting the super soldier on the arm.
Steve noticed Freckles first, he gave a respective nod to Sam who nodded back and went in the opposite direction to them whilst Steve walked up to her.
"Hello," she greeted, trying to sound cheerful though she was still quite concerned about his lack of response earlier when she'd revealed that Pierce was also her father. He still didn't look all that happy, she'd spent at least enough time with him to know the difference between Happy Steve and Not Happy Steve.
As he approached her she pressed herself up against the wall of Sam's tiny hallway, finding herself remembering all too well when she'd be placed in the same position with her father. She'd have disobeyed or withheld information he thought was important and then she'd get punished, AS09 was readying herself for the same treatment from Steve.
"Hi," he said back, and though he may have spoken to Natasha and Sam it felt wondrous to hear him speak to her again. What was even better for Freckles was the lack of anger in his voice, he was speaking gently to her and no matter how hard she searched for it there was no malice. "Look, I just spoke to Sam and Nat about it and we all think you should stay here and rest up whilst we go get Sam's gear."
It felt like her heart had dropped to the floor with an audible thud, with the kind of loudness that sent shockwaves all through her body and made all the hairs on her skin stand up straight. "What?" He was mad, she knew it. By trying to build more trust through revealing the identity of her father she'd simply burnt the bridge they'd been working hard to create. Looks like her father was right, all she was able to do was destroy things.
"You spent a lot of your energy protecting me and Nat back there, you need to get that energy back before you go on a the mission." He'd given a very valid reason but all she could think about was the reason she'd managed to conjure up. Dejected, she looked to the floor but it wasn't long before Steve's hand went underneath her chin and brought her head back up so she could look into his blue eyes, "I'm worried about you Freckles."
Honesty, that's all she saw in his eyes. There was no sign of hatred. So then why was it so hard for her to believe he still actually cared for her? With a sigh she took a hold of his hand in hers, deciding even if he did hate her she still liked the comfort, "there's no need to worry, I can still be useful on the mission. Please don't put me on the fence, I know you're angry with me because I never told you about my Father but I- I can-"
"I'm not angry with you," he interrupted, tightening his grasp on her hand ever so slightly as though that would show the strength behind his statement. Steve finally saw what he'd been missing, Freckles thought he was angry at her for taking so long to tell him about Pierce but she was so wrong. He was angry, just not with her. He tugged gently on her hand, cocking his head to the bedroom at the end of the hallway, "come on."
She allowed him to pull her where he directed, her mind busy processing that he'd said he wasn't angry with her. Her soldier had said he wasn't angry, he'd accepted her past, he'd said just that. Freckles wanted to laugh because still, she couldn't find it in herself to believe what he was saying to her.
After a short walk they ended up back in Sam's bedroom, Steve pointed to the bed, "Sam says it's okay for you to sleep here, so try and get more than twenty minutes. Have a full rest, you've definitely earned it and your body needs it."
"It's not as simple as that," she says as she turned to face him once more, still holding his hand and beginning to play with his fingers. AS09 didn't want to be away from Steve, she wanted to spend time with him trying to make him forgive her for withholding the information that she did. The last thing she wanted to do was sleep, it was hard enough for her to fall asleep in normal circumstances, to allow her mind to shut down and leave herself completely vulnerable. "I didn't even sleep longer than an hour when I was back at the base," she tried to explain.
"That's because you couldn't feel safe, not with Pierce around. But you're safe here, there's no threat here." His thumb gently stroked across the back of her hand and he smiled at her, finally, a smile.
AS09 had never cared much for people's smiles until she saw his, it always had this touch of shyness to it, especially when his head was bent downward slightly and he'd look up to her through his eyelashes. Then there was his big smiles, the ones that revealed his teeth and transformed his face into a beaming sun. Everything seemed right with the world when he smiled. It was a smile strong enough to actually make her believe maybe he really wasn't angry with her.
She couldn't help but smile back, not a smile that would light up anyone's room, just a small lift at the sides of her lips, but it was enough. "Are you sure?"
He stared at her for a moment before turning to face the king sized bed, all of a sudden he released her hand and moved towards it, throwing the covers to the end of the bed and then laying himself down on one side. Steve patted the other side of the bed, "come on."
"What are you doing?"
"Proving that there's no threat," he said, shrugging his shoulder and patting the empty space behind him again, "I'll protect you whilst you fall asleep, how does that sound?"
Her eyes turned to slits as she analysed the situation, for a second she was going to say no because there was always a chance that it was a trap which Steve would use to betray her but then she remembered the promise he made when they left SHIELD's headquarters, he'd promised not to betray her. "Sounds nice, actually," she caved in, moving into the empty space beside him and lying down so that she was facing him. "Well, this is comfy," she giggled.
"Shut up and sleep," he said, the statement light and joking, accompanied with an eye roll meant for her giggle.
She nodded her head and closed her eyes, but sleeping with Steve beside her wasn't actually that relaxing, not when all her thoughts were at war with worries that he hated her. After a minute she huffed and opened one eye, "can I ask you something?"
Steve, who had been staring at her and felt quite embarrassed when she caught her, tried to blow off what he'd been doing by nodding his head. "Just one question though."
"Okay," she said in agreement to his terms, "you said you're not angry with me but I don't believe you. My father was always angry when I withheld information or hid something from him and whenever the truth was revealed I would get punished. I can understand you being angry at me, but I can't understand why you'd say you're not angry." She thought it would hurt to be so honest with Steve, but the trust she had for the soldier (even after only knowing him two months) eased any pain that could have been caused.
"I'm telling you I'm not angry because I'm really not angry with you," he said, once again taking a hold of her hand and bringing it up so they're held hands rested on the pillow in between them. Automatically the two casually began to play with each others fingers. "I am angry, but all that anger is directed at Pierce. A long time ago I gave up a lot in order to stop Hydra, but it turns out Pierce - a man I've been working alongside - has been plotting this whole time… and learning that he's the one behind hurting you just added more fuel to the fire."
He described his feelings lightly, refusing to go in depth with just how angry he was because he didn't want to worry Freckles or make her feel any more troubled. But he was angry, more angry than he'd been in a long time and it wasn't a nice feeling. Freckles was damaged, brought up to see herself as only a weapon, brought up to herself as something only meant to destroy and it was all Pierce's fault. He'd truly misjudged the man's character, in the same way he'd misjudged Freckles at first. It had turned out Pierce was the real monster, not her.
Freckles eyebrows creased as he said the last part of his sentence, "why?"
Steve decided to continue in order to clear her evident confusion. "Okay, take the fact that you can't believe I'm not angry at you for example. You can't believe me because you've been taught to think everything you call a mistake will lead to you being punished in some way. That's why I'm angry. You say all you are is a weapon, something meant for destruction, because that's all he's ever taught you but there is so much more to you than that. And I plan on teaching you everything else there is. And we're gonna start off my lessons by ridding you of this view you have on yourself because you truly are more than a weapon, as hard as it may be for you to believe. You saved me and Nat didn't you?"
"I didn't want to see you get hurt," she replied, struggling to find any other reason for why she chose to save them. She'd hoped to find something that would argue against what he was saying but she seemed to only provide further proof. Maybe he was right.
"Yeah, those aren't the words of a monster to me."
Freckles didn't respond, she couldn't think of a good enough argument so she didn't bother speaking. Instead she closed her eyes again, shuffling forward a bit so she could press her forehead against his chest.
Ten more minutes passed and she spoke once again, "Steve?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm scared you might be wrong about me." She confessed, feeling the sleep drop on her like a pile of feathers being dropped onto her body.
He didn't say anything at first, simply breathing which AS09 felt (it was surprisingly relaxing for her and part of the reason why she was suddenly capable of drifting to sleep). "I'm scared too," Steve conceded, slowly bringing up her hand so he could press a gentle kiss on her knuckles, "but fear isn't always meant to make you back down, sometimes it's there to push you forward."
She nodded her head, her cheek brushing against his clothed chest. And then she fell asleep, or as close to sleep as she could manage. Every now and again she'd loom towards consciousness before falling back into rest mood, during one moment of consciousness she felt a brief but powerful pair of lips press down on her forehead, the second time she became conscious she realised Steve had left.
A/N: So, as we draw ever closer to the week of Infinity Wars release I'm hard at work trying to write as many chapters as possible. Today I've had two black coffees because I'm quite literally running on no sleep but I swear I'm gonna get a chapter done today! Hope everyone else's Sunday is going as fun as mine is.
I've also spent most of my week planning chapters, and I was just wondering if anyone had anything they really want to see? If so, tell me, ya never know I might write it in!
To Guest, pffffft whaaaaaat, noooooooo ( ͡º ͜ʖ ͡º)
To Sam0728, I can neither confirm nor deny your theory
To Unajet, who knows, I might have just thrown that news article in to be a red herring. Maybe she's secretly Steve's sister, wouldn't that be a plot twist. Would certainly make the rest of this story a little awkward.
To kuppcake, oh no! I'm sorry to hear that, if it continues let me know and I'll try figure something out. Like maybe sending you a PM or something? Anyway, I'm glad you've enjoyed all the chapters you missed!
And a big thank you to everyone else that read and commented, I'm over 2,000 reads now which is amazing and I'm just so happy to have you all here!
