Hello everybody and welcome back to "To Eternity My Witch"! Unfortunately, these past two weeks have been full and busy with work and events that I couldn't get the chapters up. For that I apologize.
This week I will be trying to get three chapters out, if I am not too busy.
I DO NOT Own any of these as they are and were created by their respective creators. Marvel is owned by the late Stan Lee via Disney. Phantom of the Opera (PotO) is owned by Andrew Llyod Weber. LofZ : TP and OofT by Shigeru Miyamoto. Fire Emblem by Shouzou Kaga. Black Butler by Yana Toboso. And finally, Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 6 Healing Revelations
Steve's POV.
I could hardly believe it. Amelia had saved me from dying in the Arctic crash. Having given the plane its gradual descent path to assure my survival. And she gave an ability to me to become the man I am today. She was a great personal friend who suffered HYDRA torture to save the world. I remembered being influenced greatly by her friendship and confidant in me during the 1930s and 1940s. It had ripped me to pieces when I remembered that HYDRA had abducted her and held her under tortured captivity. I remembered the heartbrokenness and anguish I had at never being able to save her or ever to find her, just like the day I lost Bucky, my best friend.
Even though I loved Peggy, I loved Natasha more. I found new life and comfort with her I didn't even notice when Bucky raged out of the room by whatever memories ravaged his mind. And I thank Amelia for her influence in my life for everything. But how is it that Natasha is pregnant? Did Amelia who heal her? I didn't care though, too emotionally burdened about Amelia's suffering and my memories. I just wanted to hold Natasha, to grieve for what once was, but now, which was no more.
Pietro's POV
I had just arrived back from sight-seeing with Shuri, who had gone off to join her brother in the council room. I arrived in the lab when I joined Clint, Steve, James, and Natasha in the lounge. Natasha led the three over to Amelia's body, explaining how to get their locked memories unlocked. When Steve and Buck said, "Punk," and "Peggy", Clint and I watched as both Steve and Buck hunch over in pain, painful yelps coming from them, their free hands going to their heads in pain, as they shut their eyes. Natasha grasped Steve's arms as he groaned in pain. Bucky growled in pain as well, though he stumbled back, barely able to stand as he used his hand to stabilize his balance.
Clint and I rushed over, yet we were stopped in our tracks as Bucky fell to his knees, whispering to himself as he stared at Amelia in horror, "Oh god… oh god…". He then stumbled back up before he roared and raced out of the room.
Clint called after him, "James! Wait!" But James either didn't hear him or ignored him as he disappeared. Moments later, Clint and I heard anguished screams and curses from the roof. We even heard something being smashed. Multiple people's running feet sounded, which Clint and I assumed were people running away from Buck's raging. I looked over to see Steve had Natasha in his arms as he grieved at the newly restored memories he saw in his mind.
I felt helpless as I watched as Natasha tried her best to calm down Steve. There was nothing I could do to comfort him. Natasha could though. I turned to Clint, speaking in a low voice, "I'm going to check on Wanda, father, to see how she is doing." Clint nodded, before he went to join Nat to help and try to comfort and console Steve as I left wordlessly, feeling helpless myself.
Clint's POV.
I had been baffled and concerned not only for Steve and James, but for Wanda and Amelia as well. What also concerned me was Natasha. She personally had told me years ago that she couldn't have children because of the KGB taking her ovaries out in the Red Room experience when she was much younger. So, to hear yesterday morning that she was pregnant, not only elated me, but it was concerning me. Perhaps… perhaps Amelia healed her and Natasha didn't want people to know she could have children, believing she couldn't mother or be a mother to children. But to ask at this time when Steve and James just regained their memories of Amelia, it didn't seem appropriate.
Amelia had since quieted down since James raced out to scream anguished cries on the roof and Steve was being comforted by Natasha. I walked over to Natasha who held a crying Steve still, hesitant and worried.
Natasha took note of my closeness, whispering, "Clint what is it you want to ask me?"
I let out a humorless laugh, "You always know when someone is curious and has a question." However, our attention was pulled to Steve when he moaned.
Natasha patted Steve's back, rolling her eyes, "Steve, my love, you alright?" She pulled back, lifting his downcast face, a smile gracing her lips.
"I… I remember everything… Who and what Amy… or Amelia… was and is? She gave her life for mine. She also suffered much along with Bucky. He suffered with her. I don't know what happened between her and James, but during their time at HYDRA, it must have been horrible. Judging by the anguished cries I hear from him… Something must have happened between them." Steve's eyes were filled with sorrow and guilt, tears still flowing.
More anguished cries and screams of rage were heard, something sounded as if it were being smashed along with several long strings of curses in both Russian and Wakandan, causing Steve to cringe and hang his head in shame and guilt even more. "If James is that anguished about his memories, it will take him some time before he could come to terms with them and come back down. Besides… it would not be wise to approach him at present," Steve whispered, clearly dejected.
I broke in, "He is upset. I agree with you, Steve, as I was going to suggest we give him time to calm down. In time with help from us all supporting him and giving him love, he will heal. Changing subjects… Steve, how are you copping with your memories of Amelia?" I placed a comforting hand on his back.
"I'll be alright given some time to sift through the memories. But I think I'll be alright and back to normal when that comes, which will be soon. I've come to terms with most, if not, all my past memories since I was thawed from the Arctic incident. But let's put that on hold. I have a burning question, since yesterday. Nat, how is it that you can have children?! You've been avoiding the question too long. Both Clint and I had a long discussion about the topic yesterday afternoon while we were alone." Steve looked to Natasha with a frown, she was blushing.
I crossed my arms, glaring at her in anger, "Yes, I've been dying to know. We both know that you told us years ago that you couldn't. Why now? And how? Most importantly, why did you deliberately lie to us?"
Natasha blushed further, though she withered under our scrutiny surprisingly, something she never did before, "Well… remember I said that Amelia and I were like mother and daughter to each other after she escaped from HYDRA?" When both Steve and I nodded, she continued, making her way to the lounge to sit. Steve sat next to her as she paused. "Well, being a chronicler dragon, she has the ability to heal aside from the mind-speaking ability you know. She figured out almost right away that I had gone under a procedure to make me unable to bear children, or sterile… unwilling made barren… when I was first paired with her to do a… training session. She and I were set against each other to figure out each other's fighting styles. Perhaps to see if they could make her a black widow like myself." I sat across from her in a chair. She continued. Steve and I were perplexed, captivated by Natasha's story.
"But their attempts failed, she was already the perfect assassin because of her being a dragon and all. Sexy, deadly, level headed, intelligent, and beyond wise all in one. Somehow every time we were paired, she would grab me and hold me down in a specific pinning position I was unable to escape from even after the many sessions with her later. It was a pin that I could never understand. One I could never learn. Even after she explained, several times over in great detail may I add… It seemed either I never could figure it out even with the explanations. I finally came to the conclusion and assumed that it was a factor of her biology that prevented others from learning it. Even the KGB never figured out the maneuver. And I never remembered what it is called. All I know is that I could never learn it."
"So, she is a master warrior?" I interrupted, glancing at Amelia. Steve nodded as did Natasha. She continued; eyebrows furrowed as she remembered.
"Yes. Upon our first meeting, she spoke with me telepathically, explaining who and what she was. And over the course of the two years we were paired, both of us bonded over our life stories. When she tried to escape the first time from the KGB a day after she was captured, what was roughly nine years after my red room experience to make me sterile, she was able to get me alone in our first session, to heal me, though she was only able to restore one ovary. Just one. Using my own stem cells and hormones. Those stem cells were found in my teeth. She even used several proteins of her own to help speed up the process and to create it properly. These specific proteins, she mentioned earlier, are called photoreceptors and photoreactors."
Steve cleared his throat, and when Natasha and I looked to him with eyebrows raised, "I remember during my time in the War, Amelia quietly mentioned to me those two proteins in private and that they were used in the making of the serum that made me the way I am. She cornered me privately while I was on tour in Germany. I didn't give it much thought then. Now that you mention it, Tasha, it means so much more. Anyways continue…"
Natasha hmphed, standing and walking to Amelia. Steve and I followed and listened as Natasha continued, "Her race has these naturally occurring proteins that heal their bodies much faster than humans can heal. Both use light to work, and both work in aiding in healing. And if one is missing, the other can still fully function without the other. What would take a normal adult human a year or more to heal to become fully functional again, it would take her less than a month to become completely healed again.
"She cut herself and was able to leak a highly concentrated amount of them into my body to help with the process of healing. Apparently at her age, she is able to create and keep an extremely concentrated amount in her body. I do remember there was a lot of pain though…" Natasha paused, clearly still quite awed and grateful at the experience. Steve and I shared a relieved, yet awed glance. Both of us grateful to Amelia for what she had done for Natasha. She continued.
"Afterwards, I felt more… feminine… more natural… more normal with the restored ovary of mine. She mentioned to me that it would take me some time to get use to and adjust back to the natural changes to my body with the addition of the restored ovary, especially having years of the lower than normal levels of hormones that the red room had caused. But she was confident I could still be Black Widow with its restoration. She was right. She even was able to help conceal it from our captors, the KGB, at the time and up until we both escaped a year later. She to America for two years before going back to her world and me from KGB control, when you and I met, Clint.
"The reason why I told you both I couldn't get pregnant due to the red room experience is because I thought, even though she healed me, I could never, ever have children. I came to the belief because of my training, because of my time with the KGB's brainwashing, I would never have children. I believed I could and would never love and come to this point. Never be able to become a mother. I even doubted that the ovary that Amelia restored would be fertile and proved me with viable eggs. Thus, the reason why I lied and concealed it. Now I am soon to be married and soon to be mother. Before I had come here with the Avengers, I had nothing. I was nothing… Now… I have a family and a fiancé. I am loved," Natasha looked down, smiling, her checks red.
I gasped in awed relief, "I'm happy for you Nat. Both of you!" I looked around, noticing something behind Steve which caused me to perk up in surprise and concern, causing both him and Natasha to turn as well… There leaning heavily against the table in pain, was Amelia, who was crying metaphysical tears on her transparent checks. She limped over to us hesitantly, tapping her temple, asking for permission. Just like Wanda. We all nodded without hesitation, her presence hesitantly forming at our minds' edges.
"I'm… I am sorry for the sudden disappearance earlier. Every millennium, give or take a few years or even decades, that I am alive, my scars cause me great pain for minutes on end and I usually suffer from a seizure or two because of it. Enough to cause me to scream in agony, even in comatose states. The healers in my world have no way to heal me because of it. But that is not why I am crying… Steve… are… are you alright? With your memories of me restored?" She asked Steve, hesitantly coming forward to him. There was pain in her tone and her posture told of pain, twitches happening and her eyes seemed to dart around on their own once in a while. She was still feeling the after effects of her seizures.
Yes, just saddened and feeling guilty that I couldn't save you from HYDRA. I feel guilty still for what you and Bucky went through while under captivity with HYDRA. I am sorry. But Buck will need your reassuring words Amelia, much more than I do right now. He raced out of here some time ago, raging anguished cries and curses on the rooftop. Steve mused gently, grief-stricken and tears on his face again.
Amelia came over to Steve and placed a comforting transparent hand on his check, "Steve… be at peace. All is forgiven. As for Buck… I will see what I can do. Her twitching stopped and her eyes stopped wandering, though her posture and expression still bespoke pain. She looked up and raised off the ground, disappearing through the ceiling. I shook my head.
"I'm going to go check on Wanda and Pietro." I absentmindedly thought out loud. Standing, Nat and Steve nodded, staying on the couch to talk. I went to join Wanda and Pietro.
Amelia's POV.
I don't know how long my scars pained me or how long my seizure lasted. It always comes without warning these seizures… these pains. And at the worst of times. Paul always felt horrible about it afterwards, knowing he would forever have been the cause of it. Even though he had been redeemed from his possession. Though the poison and curse had been removed the side effects were these pains and seizures that happened every so often. My seizure and scars pained me had lasted long enough for Natasha to help James and Steve to restore their memories of me after I left Wanda. Pain still going through me in the aftermath of my seizure, I spoke briefly with them before I floated through the ceiling to go find James.
I stood on the rooftop, looking around the deserted rooftops, and discovered James in an anguished state near the garden's edge. He rocked back and forth, crying, hands in his hair, tight fist, shaking his head. Several broken statues and shattered benches littered the area around him. I'm glad no one remained. He must have been so enraged at HYDRA and at what he had been forced to do, he took his rage out on them. Better so that people didn't get hurt. I sighed silently, and walked over to him slowly, cautiously, entering his mind and at the edge, letting him know I was there.
Bucky's POV.
I raged in anguished screams for a time unknown. I didn't care who saw me as I raged and screamed in anguish. I was despicable. What would Wanda think of me now? My dove, my doll, who didn't know I had raped such a respected and innocent woman who I held in high esteem. I screamed to the heavens again for a time unknown, crossing between agonizing screams and raging curses and destroying nearby items, before going to my knees, crying as I rocked back and forth. The roof was deserted because of my raging, which was probably all the for the better. For the soldier was near to my mind's edge.
I soon felt the familiar presence of someone entering my mind, who was near to me. Amelia. Leave me… Why do you come to me? This… this monster… who can't and couldn't fight control? I raged growled in my mind, hopeless anguish bleeding heavily through the bond.
I heard her voice, soft and gentle, no condemnation in it, only love and forgiveness, confusing me to not end, "I said to you all those years ago that you are forgiven, James. With all my heart. To the end of the line."
To the end of the line? I am a monster, Amelia. A messed-up man who couldn't fight control. HYDRA messed my head up. I screamed in my mind, hitting the ground in anger, tears still running down my face. How can you forgive me of such an act of treachery and betrayal against you? Against everything and everyone.
"Because I have had much worse happen to me in the past and I have forgiven them. If I can deal with over 1500 years of tortured captivity and forgive those in time, I can forgive you. I have been whipped, beaten, and bruised by many worse people other than HYDRA. I've even been killed several times and revied. If I can forgive them, I can forgive you.
"You were a victim James, just like I was when I was under tortured captivity. Not just with HYDRA, but with other captors from centuries and millennium past. HYDRA forced you against your will to do that. You are not a monster. I see you as a person who needs love, forgiveness, friendship. I see you as a friend, a brother, a comrade, a fellow soldier. You remind me so much of my son Sesshomaru. So conflicted and yet so loved." Amelia explained with a loving tone as she came to stand right behind me.
I didn't turn around, barely able to believe those words she said. They were just the same as before, yet so much more freeing. She truly has forgiven me? Why would you forgive me? This… this… wretched creature? I asked in anguish, unwilling to turn to her.
"Because you never deserved what was forced upon you James. Neither of us did. Like I said before, you are forgiven. Besides… I know another who would wholeheartedly forgive you…" I heard the hope inside her tone, felt her determined smile I could not see. Yet I did hear her grief-stricken, yet hopeful reply.
I looked up as she came around to kneel in front of me, through tears as I refused to look at her, You mean Wanda would forgive me?
Amelia smiled, nodding, "Yes, I know for a fact she would forgive you James. Until the end of the line, remember?" Surprisingly I felt her hand lift my chin as if I were a child, forcing me to meet her eyes. Forgiveness was there in her eyes. Love as well.
I finally felt freedom, forgiveness taking hold. I let out a ragged freeing cry, finally able to let it all go. I laughed, joy, peace filling my soul as Amelia's joined mine. I stood, as did Amelia, surprised to see her scars had turned slightly jagged, but her smile made me smile. She approached me, saying, "Soon we will be able to hug again, James. As much as I want to do a Soul Merge to help you completely understand, it can't be done at the present moment. Come, let us join our family downstairs. They're worried about you."
I chuckled, a freeing feeling, "I am sorry to worry everybody down stairs. Sure, but Amelia. I have a question." She turned to me brow raised. "Do you truly forgive me?"
She smiled, a silent exasperated sigh coming out, touching her transparent hand to my check, "Yes I do James. I said it many times and I will say it again. I forgive you. Do not doubt my word, I mean what I say and never go back on my word. But before we do down, closed your eyes James… I want to give you a hug…"
Even though she was a spirit, I closed my eyes and I felt the arms of Amelia slid around me. She laid her head against my shoulder. I hugged her back, finally able to feel that sense of forgiveness and peace from her. Soon her reassuring presence against me disappeared and I opened my eyes to see her transparent form standing in front of me again. She chuckled. She did her best to take my arm I offered her, but being a spirit, she passed right through me. She sighed in sadness as she shook her head.
We went downstairs to see Nat and Steve cuddling on the couch, kissing. I smiled, glad to see Steve was coping and being so happy. Clint was gone, probably sightseeing. I turned to Amelia giving her a haunted smile.
She smiled, caressing my check gently, speaking softly, "If you need me, just call to me and I will hear you, Bucky." And with that she disappeared in moments and I looked around in wonder and wistfulness.
I sighed, still in disbelief, yet I was feeling peaceful, silently walking over to Steve and Nat. "Still at it despite having all night to kiss, punk?" I teased, humorlessly.
Steve and Natasha jumped, turning to face me. Both were happy, yet shocked to see me after my anguish since remembering Amelia. I could tell they didn't expect to see me until much later. Which I couldn't blame them, I thought I would be raging more as well.
"You alright, Buck?" Steve stood, asking me carefully. Nat remained sitting.
"Yes, I will be. Though coming to terms with my memories will take time. Especially with what happened between Amelia and I before and when she escaped HYDRA." I mentioned, relief and shame flooding my mind as I ran a hand through my hair. "Thanks for being there for me Steve."
"No problem, James. I love you, brother." Steve said as he gave me a manly hug.
"I am going to see to Wanda." I said, hugging him back before we parted.
Natasha nodded, smirking, "Alrighty James. Go and see your lady lover."
Yes, I know, compared to the last chapter this one is a lot shorter, but it will come with longer chapters later.
Until later.
