Hi everyone and welcome! This will be my second fanfiction I've written and most certainly not my last, but by far this is my favorite story. It will center around my OC, and traverse the entire MCU, starting with Captain America: The First Avenger and eventually spread through to Endgame! I've spent a lot of time with this story in my head and I can't wait to get it down in writing and share it will you all! I try to keep updates on a regular basis, but this story is a monster and will take time to finish so, buckle up! I'm going to throw out the mandatory disclaimer that I hold no rights over anything Marvel. I own my OC and her story alone! So, with that being said-here we go! Xoxo-NickyLynn
November 1925 – Brooklyn
Darkness. That's all she could remember. There was only ever the same cold….empty…nothingness. So, when her eyes cracked open and she was greeted with a blinding white light, her eyes burned with the sudden change. She groaned, throwing a hand over her eyes to try to block out the assaulting light, only to feel a painful tug on her arm as she did so. She blinked down at herself to find an array of tubes protruding out of her flesh. Her heart rate began accelerating as her eyes took in the strange surroundings she found herself in. She could hear a loud beeping growing steadily faster as her eyes darted around the bright, white room. Images of strange objects filtered into her mind through her vision, but she could not make sense of any of them. She had no idea where she was. She had no idea what was going on. She didn't even know who she was. All she knew was that she was terrified.
A new sound entered her ears along with the sounds of her ragged breathing, and she turned her head to find a woman in white clothing and a cap entering the room. "Oh, thank goodness you're awake dear!" her soft voice floated over to her. The woman began walking towards her, her eyes drifting to the screen where the loud beeping was emanating. A look of concern washed over the woman's face as she looked down at her. "You've given us all quite a scare here, you know." She said, pulling on object from around her neck and placing two of the ends into her ears. She took a step forward, reaching out the other end of the object towards her small chest. The beeping was now so loud and fast that it made her ears hurt as she watched the woman reach out towards her. She flinched back from her touch, fear coursing through her.
The woman's eyebrows furrowed together, and she stopped her actions as she watched the small child flinch away from her in fear. She pulled the stethoscope from her ears and placed it back around her neck, taking a small step back to give the girl room. She began to wonder what the child had went through to have filled her with so much fear. She had been brought into the hospital after being found unconscious and freezing to death on the sidewalk. She looked down at the frail, terrified child, and her heart broke. As a mother of a small child herself, she couldn't help but feel a wave of protectiveness wash over her. "It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe now." She said, using the softest voice she could muster.
The small girl just stared up at her with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open ever so slightly. The woman reached behind her, pulling out the metal chair from along to wall. She placed it alongside the girl's bed and slowly sat down, moving carefully as to not startle the girl. "My name's Sarah." She told the young girl. "Could you tell me your name?" she asked. The girl just stared at her in confusion, her eyebrows drawing down in thought. "Can you-can you understand me?" Sarah then asked, beginning to wonder if the girl did not speak English.
The girl nodded her head minutely, but no sounds passed her lips. Sarah gave the girl a small smile, glad to have at least gotten some sort of response from her. "Do you know who your parents are, sweetheart? Is there someone we can call?" she asked her.
The girl's mouth dropped open and snapped closed a few times, not being able to find her voice. The girl raked her brain, trying to remember something…anything…but her mind was a complete blank. She began shaking her head as tears washed down her cheeks. Sarah's heart clenched as she watched the girl. "Do you not have any parents?" she asked her softly, wondering if she had been an orphan.
"I…" the girl began, her voice small and weak. "I don't know." She admitted as more tears fell from her bright blue eyes. Her mind was nothing but a whirlwind of confusion and fear. "I don't remember!" she sobbed, overwhelmed by everything she couldn't understand.
Sarah's own eye began misting over as she watched the frightened girl's thin frame shake. She reached forward, placing her hand gently over the girl's trembling one. "Don't worry. We're going to take care of you and get this figured out." Sarah said reassuringly.
Luckily, the girl's body was strong and after a few days of IV drips and some food, she was doing much better than when she had been brought in-physically, at least. Mentally, however, the girl's mind was still filled with nothing but memories of the all-consuming darkness. Even the simplest things, such as food, were foreign to her. Everything she came across was new to her, but she took in everything like a sponge. She memorized the name and function of the objects introduced her to, trying desperately to fill her mind with any sort of knowledge. She came to understand that she was being kept at a type of healing center called a hospital, filled with people called doctors and nurses who looked after people who were sick or injured. She didn't really care for the doctors who would come in and out, poking and prodding her, but she liked Sarah.
It was a week after the girl had been brought into the hospital, and Sarah was currently sitting next to the mysterious girl, smiling amusedly as she poked at the pile of jello on her plate in apprehension. "Do you remember the police officers who I told you about?" Sarah asked her.
The girl looked up from the strange, wiggling food to the kind nurse. "The ones are going to help find my family?" she asked softly.
Sarah nodded at her. "Well, see they've been looking awfully hard, but they haven't been able to figure out where it is you came from, little one." She tried explaining as simply as she could. The truth was that the police force were entirely stumped when it came to the girl's case. There had been no missing children reports matching her description and the news articles they had printed and passed along throughout the state were all left unanswered. No one came looking for her and no one knew where she came from. It was as if she just dropped from the heavens. And now that she was physically healed the hospital could no longer justify keeper her there. A waste of funds, they had called her. Truthfully, they didn't know what to do with her. When Sarah had overheard them talking about transferring her into an orphanage as a ward of the state, she couldn't bare the thought of it. She had come to care very much for the sweet, timid girl and refused to let her get lost in the broken system of abandoned children.
"They're still going to look for your parents, but in the meantime," She said, pausing to lick her lips. "I was wondering if you'd like to come home with me."
"With you?" the girl asked, confused. "I can't stay here anymore?"
"I'm afraid not." Sarah told her with a small frown. "But I've talked to the people who are trying to find your family, and they said you could stay with me until they do-or until your memories come back. I have a son about your age and if you'd like to, I would be happy to have you stay with us."
The girl looked over at the woman, biting at her bottom lip. "What if-" she began, dropping her eyes down to the blanket covering her lap, picking at the fabric. "What if they can't find my family? What if I can't remember?" she asked in a quiet voice, tears beginning to pool in her eyes.
Sarah reached over and took hold of her small hand. "I can't offer you much in the way of luxury." She told the girl, honestly. "But what I can offer you is a home…. for however long as you need one. Would you like that?" The tears slid down the girl's face as she nodded fiercely. "Well then it's settled. I'll bring you back home with me after my shift today." She promised, giving the girl a bright, comforting smile.
Later that day after Sarah had finished her shift, true to her word, she filled out the paperwork and brought the girl home with her. With her hand clasped around the girl's, she lead her through the apartment building she had been living in with her son since her husband had passed away. He had been killed when her son was still a baby, being taken by the war. So, Sarah had been forced to bring up a child on her own, which had proved to be incredibly hard on her. And while the run-down apartment in the Irish neighborhood wasn't much to be proud of, it was all she could afford.
Luckily for her, the apartment came with at least one good thing. The neighbor from across the hall was a sweet old woman who had offered to watch her son for her while she worked the seemingly endless hours at the hospital. Cera Brannon was her name, though she insisted on being called Gran. She had moved to the States after losing her husband ten years back. She had a head of thick, silver hair, a large belly, and a thick accent, but she was the sweetest woman and Sarah count her blessings when it came to having Mrs. Brannon in her and her son's life.
As Sarah came to a stop in front of her apartment door, sliding the key into the lock, the strong smell of herbs and spices could be smelt drifting through the wood and down the hall. Gran had been busy making a nice meal, to welcome the girl home, so to speak, and it smelt heavenly. Sarah looked down to the girl beside her with a smile. "You ready?" she asked her.
She squeezed Sarah's hand tightly, giving her a small nod, though inside she was filled with nothing but nervousness. Sarah pushed the door open and stepped through the threshold, the smell of dinner surrounding them as they stepped into the home. "Gran! We're back!" Sarah called, as she shut the door behind her.
The girl's eyes bounced around the apartment, taking in the strangeness of it all. It was so vastly different than being within the hospital. While the hospital was bright, empty, and white this place was filled with dark, rich colors, plush-looking furniture and decorations, making it feel more enclosed in the small space, yet somehow more relaxing. "Welcome home, dear." A deep accented voice called from the other room, causing the girl to stop looking at the pictures filling the walls and turn to find an elder woman hobble into view.
The old woman stopped as she took in the sight of the child at Sarah's side. "Oh, bless me, this must be the girl we've been hearing so much about!" she said, placing her wrinkled hand over her chest.
Sarah pushed the nervous girl towards Gran a little, but let her keep her tight grip on her hand. "It is. This is Gran, dear. She helps take care of me and my son. She's family, too." She said as an introduction.
"H-hello." The girl said timidly.
"Well, aren't you a pretty little thing. I can see why Sarah here was so taken with ya." She said affectionately.
"Where's Stevie? Sarah asked, pulling her coat off.
"He was cleaning up his toys before dinner." Gran explained, before shuffling down the hall towards the far side of the room. "Stevie your ma's home!" she shouted, her voice echoing slightly down the enclosed space.
A door creaked open and the sound of small feet running across the carpet hit their ears before a young boy with a head of shaggy, blonde hair came running into view. He was a thin, short boy, who looked no older than the girl. A wide smile was plastered on his pale face. "Mommy!" he exclaimed, running up to greet her. He stopped, however, when his eyes landed on the girl clinging to his mother's side.
"Steven, this is the girl from the hospital. The one I've been telling you about." Sarah said, giving her son an encouraging nod.
"Hi." He said, looking from his mom down to the girl.
The girl smiled meekly at him, finding it strange to meet another child. "Hello."
"Stevie, maybe you could show her to the bedroom?" Sarah said, letting her hand slide from the child's grip and pushing her gently towards Steven.
The young boy nodded his head eagerly. He had spent all day rearranging his room in anticipation of her arrival, being thrilled by the idea of gaining a friend his age to play with. Steven was unfairly born with a sickly body, spending most of his days indoors drawing with his crayons. He didn't have any friends so when his mother had asked him what he thought about bringing the girl home with her, he was ecstatic. "Yeah! Come on!" he squeaked, reaching forward to take hold of her hand and began pulling her down the hall with him.
The girl's nervousness reared up full force as he drug her away from Sarah and the comfort she provided. She remained silent as he pulled her along until he led her into one of the two rooms at the end of the short hall. He pushed open the door and her eyes swept back and forth as she took it all in. Steven let go of her hand and ran over to the far side of the room where a small mattress was resting on the floor, covered in a beautiful quilt. "This is your bed!" he said, dropping himself down on it. "Oh! And these are my toys!" he said, crawling over on his hands and knees to a wooden box at the foot of the bed across from the one he was sitting. He began pulling out toys, showing her each one he came across. "But, of course you can play with them, too!" he told her with a smile.
The girl watched him as he explained each toy to her and which ones were his favorite. She let her eyes drift around the room as he rattled on, looking from the small stack of books in the corner to the strange objects that were strung up from the ceiling scattered around the room. Steve stopped rambling as he noticed her staring up at his model airplanes curiously. "Is it true you don't remember anything?" he finally asked her, lacking the tact that came with age. She dropped her gaze back down to him and shook her head. "Not even your family?" he asked, not being able to comprehend the idea of forgetting his mother. Again, she shook her head at him, her mouth dropping down in a frown. Steven noticed her discomfort and dropped the toy he had been holding, walking over to her. "Don't worry." He said, taking hold of her hand again. "Me and Mommy can be your family until they find your real one!" he told her with a bright smile.