Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has been following along! I hope you are enjoying the story.
The song that Christiane sings in this chapter is 'J'attendrai by Tino Rossi'. It was very popular during WWII in France, originally an Italian song, "Tornerai by Nino Rastelli & Carlo Butti" and went on to have different versions equally popular like in Great Britain with "We'll Meet Again by Vera Lynn". The second song is La Marseillaise (France's national anthem).
Would love to hear your comments on how the story is going and about anything on it and reviews are always appreciated!
December 1931
It was a cold winter, where the children stayed at their mother's-side cabin in the Alps. Their mother had insisted to spend her final days at the cabin, a place she grew up in surrounded by her children. It was after a hard struggle, that she passed in her sleep. The next day, the Bougourd sisters dressed in black, with their warmest coats on as they walked through the village to put their mother to rest finally with her family.
That evening, their grandmother tucked them in, a tear streaming down her cheeks as she smiled weakly to her grandchildren.
"Sleep, мои маленькие (moi malynkyen - my little ones)."
Anya shifted around to put an arm on her little sister, quietly sobbing into her pillow.
"ба ба (ba ba – grandma), where has maman gone?"
"She's up in the heavens now" as she wiped a tear from Christiane and smoothed out Anya's hair. "She's is an angel now, looking over you."
That night, Anya drifted into sleep, her arm still tightly wrapped around Christiane, the tears finally dry on her cheeks as she curled herself into a tight ball asleep.
Anya felt herself being pulled down, a gravitational force on her chest pulling her until it finally propelled her forwards. Wind rushed through her ears, the lights blinding her in technicolor magnificence, and the smell of burning on her nose. All she could do was scream, she was flying.
Flying uncontrollably through a sort of shiny rainbow until suddenly she stopped, standing in a golden room with two openings. Both had the rainbow bridge extending, one to the darkness amongst the stars, and the other to a bright structure in the distance, almost rising to the sky. Her eyes squinted, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Daughter of Maria Andersen-Bougourd" came voice from behind her.
Anya quickly turned on her heels to look up at a man in armor, his golden eyes looking back at her intently.
"Y-y-yes" she stammered.
He knelt down beside her, putting his sword down. His expression changed from stern to one of concern and empathy, "I am sorry about the loss of your mother", he said with a sigh.
Anya looked down, her voice almost a whisper "How did you know?"
"I see all and hear all, Anya."
She looked back up, eyes hopeful, "You are Heimdall."
He nodded, returning a small smile.
"The gift has been passed on to you now."
Her eyebrows furrowed, "The gift?"
"Your mother once told you about the family legend did she not?", his eyes hopeful.
"She did, she told us we were Asgardian"
Heimdall stood up and chuckled, his eyes filled with amusement, "You are, despite the many generations that have passed, you still have the blood of Vili in you," he said. "You are now the eldest, Anya, and only now are you able to receive the gift."
"What is the gift?" Anya ran behind him before sitting down on the steps leading to a sort of podium.
Heimdall gazed out into the distance towards the palace. "Your gift, just like your mother's is the ability to control dreams."
"And how do I do it?", she looked up to him.
"You could either touch the person you wish to control their dreams, or with practice, enter a place of limbo where you can create dreams for somebody."
"Will you help me practice?", Anya replied.
Heimdall opened a pocket at his sword's belt, taking out a small oxidized copper coin on a lace. He placed the necklace in Anya's palm, revealing a rune.
"That was maman's necklace, and Christiane has one. How do you have one?", she looked at him questioningly.
"This rune is for protection. Your mind will travel to places you never knew existed. You come from a lineage of explorers and adventurers, Anya. This is all I can offer you for now."
"What gift will my sister get?", she sat down, looking at the rainbow bridge cross to a tall golden structure in the distance.
"Christiane will be able to control dreams also, as well as the ability to see her soulmate through space and time.", he sat beside her.
Anya looked up at him, whispering, "Will I ever get to see my soulmate, Heimdall?"
Heimdall chuckled again, smiling to himself as he closed his eyes shaking his head. "My dear Anya, when the time is right, you will know who your soulmate is. You will feel it," he pointed to his heart, "in here."
Anya leaned in closer, her eyes questioning him, exclaiming "But do you know who it is!"
"He lives here on Asgard.", Heimdall returned his eyes to the Bifrost.
Anya looked to the palace, "Can I go into the city?"
"Only through your mind, not physically. Nobody can see you here, but your presence is felt."
"How do I use my mind to go…" she looked back down, taking in the hollowness she felt inside before looking back up again, "there?"
"Close your eyes, listen carefully to everything around you and yourself. Breathe, Anya."
Anya closed her eyes, filling her lungs deeply with the cool air around her, letting her mind and ears try to take in the space. She could hear laughing before she saw where she was as it took her to a square with a tree in the middle. Around her were people going about their day, smiling, laughing and talking to each other. Leaning against the tree was a boy, not so much older than her with black hair and blue eyes. As soon as he saw Anya looking at him, he straightened up, looking at her questioningly before walking to her, never leaving his eyes from hers.
"You can see me," Anya looked up at him.
"Of course I can, everyone else is just too blind," he replied coolly.
"But Heimdall said nobody could see me," she furrowed her eyebrows.
"He's right, they can't," he smiled to himself, "but I'm special."
"Who are you?", Anya looked at him, his blue eyes endless.
"Loki, who are you?", he asked, smiling charmingly at her.
"Anya."
"Vili's descendant, you are mortal.", he looked back at her, her blue-grey eyes stirring like a storm over an ocean, the slit of gold almost gleaming.
"Aren't you?", she asked.
All Loki could do was smile back in return. He usually never got along with anyone else except for his mother and occasionally Thor, but he felt different with her. He felt safe and appreciated. His chest felt unusually warm, like his heart started beating faster as he approached her. He wanted to know everything about her, and be with her. He knew in that moment, he couldn't leave her.
"How did you get here?" he asked.
"Some sort of rainbow thing brought me here."
"Ah!", he chuckled, "The Bifrost. You'll only be able to come here if Heimdall allows you through the Bifrost."
"Heimdall said there was also a place of limbo I could go to also.", she looked up to the sky, with birds and ships floating in the sky.
Loki looked at her more intently now, "I could show you how to get there."
"You can control dreams?" Christiane asked.
"No but I'm quite good at illusions, which lets me go anywhere if I can picture it well enough." He turned to look up to the sky, "But what specifically can you do?"
"Heimdall said to control dreams, and something about seeing loved ones."
Loki smiled, "I believe your mother also had those abilities. Your grandfather though was completely different, he could teleport anywhere he wished."
Anya looked at him, her eyes squinting, "How did you know my mother?"
"She came here often, when she fell asleep, she found a way to get here somehow. She was very close to my mother."
Christiane looked down, kicking her feet at the cobblestone. Loki sensed she was sad, putting his hand on her arm, "I am sorry about your loss, it must be very difficult for you."
The tears started spilling again, quiet sobs as she looked up to the skies again, as if trying to find answers.
"I just don't understand, why maman had to go also. Papa died a few years ago, and now maman. My sister and I only have our grandmother left."
Loki took her hand, leading her to the shade of a tree with cobbled-steps under. He sat her down, tucking his legs under as he watched her cry.
"I'm not very good of comforting," he said quietly, "But maybe this might help". He turned his hand where a piece of chocolate appeared.
"How...did...", she looked up at him in both fascination and confusion.
Loki smiled, "Magic".
Anya took the piece, breaking it in half and handing a piece to him, "Thank you", she smiled in return.
Loki looked at her in confusion wondering why she would break the piece in half until he realized she was sharing it with him. He took the piece in awe, before standing up to look at her.
"Come! You don't have much time here so I may as well show you around and get you back to Heimdall before sun-down."
He extended his hand out to her, waiting for her to accept it.
Anya looked at him, seeing the wildness in his eyes. She took his hand as he brought her arm through his.
24th December 1940
Somewhere over the Atlantic
"Anya!", she shook her out of sleep.
"Hmm?", she turned around sleepily, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
Peggy leaned down smiling, whispering to her, "Come on, strap in. We'll be landing in Iceland soon." As she smoothed out Anya's hair and then walked to the cockpit to talk with the flight engineer.
Anya slowly got herself up, going through her pack to get her water canister. Her hands passed by the pocket she kept her most precious items. She opened it, taking out three items: a necklace, a photograph of her sister and her, and a bracelet. She put the necklace on, the one that was passed down to her, touching the pendant before looking at the photograph. For a moment, she passed her thumb over her sister's image, thinking of her, whispering to herself, "Joyeux anniversaire et Bon Noël ma poulette" (Happy birthday and merry Christmas my little chicken), before putting the photograph away. Finally, she brought up the bracelet. It had a green cord, with colored beads in between. She took it up gingerly, looking at it with both confusion and nostalgia. All she could do was whisper to herself through the howling of the airplane's rotors and the wind outside, "Where'd you go Loki..." she sighed.
24th December 1940
New York
Christiane stood in the small crowd of her school's auditorium, looking at the French flag and American flag hang side by side behind the stage. Her school principal crossed the stage with a glass of bourbon in his hand before clearing his throat.
"Bonsoir et bienvenue à tous! Ce soir, nous fêtons l'esprit d'être entre nous. Noël et le Nouvel An approchent, même si nous sommes pas en France, et nous sommes pas nombreuses, j'espère ce soir avec nos étudiants du lycée et leurs familles et amies, nous pouvons célébrons ensemble." (Good evening and welcome everyone! This evening, we celebrate the spirit of being together. Christmas and the New Year approaches, even if we are not in France, and we are not many amongst us, I hope this evening with our students and their family and friends, we can celebrate together.)
He raised his glass, before coming off the stage and putting the needle on the gramophone, singing songs of her fatherland.
Christiane looked around seeing whether Steve and Bucky had arrived or not.
Charles and Robert walked up to her on either side, "Tu cherche qui?" (Who are you looking for?)
"Mes amies" (my friends) she replied, tip-toeing to get a better look. She first saw Bucky, waving to him as he saw her.
"T'es sur le grand n'est pas ton petit copain?" (You sure the tall one isn't your boyfriend?) Robert nudged her, with Charles laughing cheekily.
Christiane glared at the two boys before they quietened with Bucky and Steve's arrival.
Steve was struggling for breath, gasping, "Sorry we're late." He looked up at Bucky, "Buck here got us lost and got off at the wrong station so we had to run."
"Manhattan is confusing", he muttered.
"Well at least you're here now! You didn't miss much." She looked to Robert and Charles, eyeing at them.
"This is Robert Dubois and Charles Mont-Rouge. They are my classmates."
Bucky extended his hand, shaking firmly. "Nice to meet you."
Steve did the same, "How do you do."
"We better get to our families or our mother's will give us a shouting later. Good luck up there!", Charles said.
Christiane smiled back, "Good luck to you too!" as they waved to each other.
Steve looked at them then her confusingly, "Luck? Why would you need luck?"
Christiane smiled shyly, "Every student has to perform something."
Bucky cheekily smiled, "Oh really? And what are you doing?"
"You'll see." she replied, before walking over to the food table.
After a few rounds, with Bucky and Christiane stuffing Steve with food, it came time for the performances. Charles and Robert cited poems by Voltaire, others played an instrument like the piano or violin, or sang. Soon it was Christiane's turn as the principal crossed the stage, smiling all too happily after a few more glasses of bourbon.
"And now, we have a special song for one of our very own student whose birthday is today," the principal waving his hands to dim the lights as a candle floated from one of the doors to her. Everyone around her started singing in French, with Bucky and Steve singing in unison in English:
"Joyeux anniversaire, joyeux anniversaire, joyeux anniversaire Christiane, joyeux anniversaire!" (Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Christiane, happy birthday to you!)
Bucky leaned in to Christiane, whispering in her ear, "Remember to make a wish."
Christiane closed her eyes, putting her palms together almost in a prayer as she took a huff and wished – for Anya and Peggy's protection, for the war to be over soon and for it to snow tonight – before she opened her eyes and blew out the candle on the cake and cut the cake for everyone to have a piece.
Steve tucked into his piece, "What did you wish for?"
"Isn't it against the rules to tell your wish?" she laughed between bites of the chocolate cake.
"Not if your secret is safe with us!", Bucky quickly leaned in kissing her cheek.
"Aie! Stop!" she giggled, pushing him away. The piano started playing again with some students singing French Christmas carols. Surrounding them was laughter and happiness, Christiane could only feel a sense of warmth, one that she hoped Anya and Peggy also felt wherever they were on their mission.
Before she forgot, she turned around to her bag wedged between herself and her seat, taking out two small boxes.
"It is Christmas after all," Christiane smiled to herself before giving Steve and Bucky each a box, "Bon Noël (Merry Christmas)"
Steve looked at her alarmingly, "Chrissy, what is this? You shouldn't have!"
"Open them!" she smiled, putting her hands together watching their expressions.
Steve opened his box first, revealing a small copper coin. Wide-eyed and smiling-wide, he jumped to hug her tightly.
"It's stunning! Thank you!" he smiled in awe at the little wooden box it was in.
Christiane turned to Bucky, "Open yours!" she bit her lip nervously, anticipating his reaction.
Bucky opened the box to reveal a copper coin with a hole in the middle as a necklace, engraved with markings on it.
"It's beautiful," as he took it out delicately, looking and feeling the engravings on his fingers. "What is it?"
"The coins, it was the last ones in my family on my mother's side. My mother had one, my sister got my mother's and I have one. My mother had two extra ones kept in case we ever had a little brother or sister."
He looked at her intently before looking back at the coin, feeling the markings again, "What does it mean, these lines?"
"It's a protection rune from the Vikings. My mother's father's side came from Norway so we always kept this in the family."
Bucky felt speechless, his mind gone completely blank. "Christiane, I can't take this. It has so much significance to you."
Steve feeling equally speechless, wide-eyed to Christiane, "It's meant to stay in your family, Chrissy."
"Which is why I want you to have it. You are like family to me now, and you," she turned to Steve, "Stop getting yourself into fights! If this thing even works, then by Heavens I hope it protects you from those darn Smith boys," before she turned to Bucky, "And you, you mean a lot to me and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Understood?"
There was a silence between them before a smile slowly crossed Steve's face as he tucked the coin into his pocket, "Yes ma'am".
"Good." She nodded to Steve.
"Thank you," Bucky put a finger on Christiane's chin, pulling her face to look at his before kissing her delicately and quickly on her lips.
After another song finished, the principal once again crossed the stage:
"And now, we have Christiane Gerard Bougourd, singing and playing the piano."
Christiane got up coolly, taking a look at both Steve and Bucky before getting up on the stage, smiling radiantly as she sat by the piano playing the first note, her voice high and clear.
J'attendrai
Le jour et la nuit, j'attendrai toujours..
There was a standing applause as the French in the room clapped and whistled. Some even stood during the performance, wiping a tear from their eyes.
Robert and Claude were seated behind Steve and Bucky, as Steve leaned over to Robert.
"Why are some people crying? What does the song mean?"
Claude whispered back, "It is about waiting."
Robert leaning in, "But most importantly, it's a song that everyone knows right now in France. It is very popular."
"But why are some people crying?", Steve questioned again.
"Waiting for someone or something. Like we are all waiting for the day we can go back and things go back to normal without the war. That's the way we interpret the song." Claude whispered.
Christiane skipped to the table, sitting down next to Bucky.
"How did I do?", she smiled, taking a sip of juice.
Bucky smiled again, whispering as he leaned in closer to her, "I didn't know you could sing and play the piano."
Christiane shrugged as she looked back to the stage to see the principal once again stand on the stage.
"The last performance for tonight will be performed by all our students. Something a little close to home."
"I'll be back," she gave Bucky a peck on the cheek and Steve a squeeze on his shoulder as she made her way with Robert and Claude and everyone else back to the stage. She took her stand in the front, looking at her other classmates on the violin and a teacher on the piano as he counted them in to the final song.
"Un, deux, trois, quatre." (one, two, three, four), he said while looking around at his students.
Allons enfants de la patrie, la jour de gloire est arrivé!
As the voices strong and fierce sung, the piano and violin equally playing strongly.
Steve and Bucky watched around them as parents and teachers stood up, chins high and sung with all their pride and force.
— Mugir ces féroces soldats, ils viennent jusque dans vos bras, égorger nos fils, vos compagnes!
They stood up too, witnessing a piece of France across the Atlantic, the spirit and wish for a free France high in the air.
Aux armes citoyens! Formez vos bataillons! Marchons, marchons, qu'un sang d'impure, abreuve de nos sillons!
As everyone erupted in applause and whistling. Bucky and Steve looked around in awe at the spirit coursing through the room between everyone.
Robert, Claude and Christiane stood front of the stage, raising her voice, "Vive la France!" as everyone proceeded to cheer with them, "Vive la France!".
As the evening's festivities ended, Christiane said goodbye to her friends for the holidays before walking back with Bucky and Steve to the subway back to Brooklyn.
"Thank you for inviting us," Steve looked up at Christiane smiling.
"I'm happy you enjoyed it," she replied.
"It's been a while since we went to a Christmas party like that," Bucky sighed, looking up to the sky.
"The last time must have been when our folks were still around Buck," Steve replied looking at him.
"It's really been a while hasn't it, huh?", he smiled quietly to himself, taking in the way the dark night sky seemed to extend to infinity before looking back at Steve and Christiane. "Well, the evening's not over!"
"What?", Christiane exclaimed in confusion.
"It's your birthday and it's Christmas! We've got to celebrate!" Steve laughed.
"You're kidding me, right? By the time we get back to Brooklyn it would be…" Christiane interjected.
"Come on! It'll be fun!", Bucky nudged her.
"Alright, where to then?", she halted, her hands outreached to the two men standing in front of her.
Bucky shrugged, "Back to your place", before walking forwards.
"What!", Christiane looked at Steve confusingly.
"Come on," he smiled, offering his arm for her as they walked.
As Christiane turned the key to her apartment, Steve reached for the light switch by the door. Christiane gasped, standing speechless as her hand went over her mouth.
The living room was decorated with a small pine tree in the corner with little paper painted ornaments she could only assume was made by Steve. Under the tree were two boxes as Steve went to stand by the tree.
"What do you think? Steve smiled brightly.
"It's…I can't believe it!" Christiane gasped, still in awe and shock.
She could feel Bucky beside her, "Look up," he whispered.
She looked up to see mistletoe – before she knew it, Bucky swooped her in his arms, dipping her and kissing her long and sweet.
"Ahem." Steve cleared his throat.
The two pulled apart, Christiane shyly moving away from Bucky before he engulfed her with his arm around her as they walked to the tree.
"Open it!" Steve handing her a box.
Christiane sat down, opening it to reveal a book, "Murder on the Orient Express", the tenth book of the Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie.
"Steve! How did you know I've been reading this?" Christiane smiled extatically.
"Anya told me," he smiled guilty.
She gave him a big hug. "Thank you!"
"Open mine now!", Bucky passed his box to her.
She opened it slowly, to reveal a small wood-carven bear.
"It's beautiful! How did you know?" she smiled, her head to the side.
"That you like bears?"
"What did Anya tell you?"
"That you and Anya used to look up to the stars when you were younger, and that you knew everything about each of the constellations, but your favorite was..." he replied enthusiastically.
"Ursa Major," she chuckled, shaking her head. "It's beautiful, Bucky. Thank you.", leaning in to kiss him, her hand on his cheek.
She pulled back, holding the bear closely to her before getting up. "I'll go make some hot chocolate, you boys make yourself comfortable."
They ended up spending the night talking and playing a board game Steve had brought along before they all fell asleep on the floor. Steve had taken the sofa, curled up in the cushions that seemed to swallow his small body, while Christiane and Bucky slept on the floor, closely hugging each other.
First light shone through the window as it hit Bucky's eyes as he awoke, looking out the window to see it had snowed overnight, making a mental note to take Steve and Christiane outside for a snowball fight and snow angels. He turned to see Christiane curled up beside him, pillows in between them for the sake of modesty. Her leg was halfway across on his side, perhaps in her sleep attempting to bring down the border as her eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks, her long brown hair splayed out behind her. Bucky made sure to memorize that moment eternally.