My mind was mostly asleep until I felt a slight pain in my arm, right about where the gash was located. It felt like I was being poked at. My eyes snapped open and I looked to my right. It was a man. He had stopped what he was doing to me and looked at me with slight shock. As my tired eyes came into focus, I recognized him. I couldn't believe it but, it was Steve Rogers. I wasn't phased by that though.
"What are you doing?", I nearly shouted.
I noticed a pair of medical tweezers in his hand.
"I-I'm sorry. I saw you on the roof by my window and your bandage was completely soaked in blood and I couldn't just leave you there. So, I brought you inside and went to change the bandage but I noticed small bits of glass so… Here we are.", he explained.
I looked around and noticed I was in an apartment, assumingly his.
"So.. you saw a wounded, complete stranger, and you took them into your home?", I questioned. "For all you know I could've robbed a bank or something!"
"I thought about that, but then I thought, 'I think if she causes any trouble I can defend myself.'", he said with a side smile. "What's your name, by the way?"
"Levi.", I said simply.
"Any last name?"
"Not so much anymore…", I said, thoughts of my father rushing back to me.
"Nice to meet you, Levi. I'm Steve Rogers."
"Yeah, I got that. I went to your exhibit yesterday."
He let out a small laugh and continued with removing shards from my shoulder. I simply stared at the back of the couch I was rested on. Millions of questions ran through my head, but due to my shyness, I kept quiet.
"That's an interesting necklace you have there.", he said, trying to break the ice.
"Yeah, thanks. It's the Celtic symbol for protection.", I said, looking at the miniature dagger like charm.
"Who gave it to you?"
"My best friend, sadly he committed suicide a few months back.", I said without thinking.
His actions stopped at my words. I looked over to him and he had a face with a mixture of sadness and surprise.
"I know what its like to lose a friend.", his words drenched in mixed feelings.
"I can imagine.", I said sympathetically.
I chose against the mention of Bucky's name, knowing it would give him heartache.
"On a different note, where are you headed?", he asked.
"I'm not sure, anywhere but back home, I suppose."
"Why so?"
I didn't answer, I just gave him a look and pointed to the gash he was picking at. He gave a nod of understanding.
"What about you? You just got done with the whole HYDRA thing, what are you gonna do next?"
"I'm gonna look for the winter soldier.", he said with a tone of grief.
"Oh fun. I heard that there were no sign of his whereabouts on the news. How do you expect to find him?"
"I have an idea of where he'll be."
"Look at the difference. You have a whole adventure in front of you and I don't have a clue of where to go.", I complained.
"Hmm, maybe you'll have an adventure too…", he said with a pondering look.
"Huh?"
"Nevermind, hold on this might sting a little.", he said holding up a small spray bottle to the wound.
I quickly tensed up as he sprayed it, feeling it burn into my flesh. I hissed slightly at the pain. The agony turned into a soothing feeling. I looked back and saw him beginning to wrap my arm in bandages.
"That's probably a smarter method than the small square of gaus.", I said, realizing my stupidity.
He let out a small snicker, gently lifting my arm to wrap under it to secure it.
"You should get some sleep, you must be tired.", he suggested.
I yawned and nodded before slipping my hoodie back on and snuggling into the soft couch. He laid a blanket over me and turned off the light to the room and left quietly.
I was awoken by the sudden sound of a toaster's 'ding'. I groaned slightly and rubbed my eyes open. The soreness in my arm woke my nerves instantly. Avoiding the use of the weak arm, I lifted myself to a sitting up position.
The memories of my rescuer returned to me. I looked around the room again, now in light. It was fairly clean and comfortable. Pretty normal for the most part.
"Morning, wounded soldier.", Steve said in a quiet tone, knowing I had just awoken.
"Not so sure about the 'soldier' part but definitely wounded.", I said with a half smile on my face.
He let out a small snicker and returned to what he was doing. My eyes wandered again at my upright position. I caught the sight of my backpack that I had packed the night before. My breath hitched for only a moment before I let out a slow sigh.
"This seems so fake.", I said out loud.
"How so?"
"I don't know, just that my dad would go that far, running away, being saved by you, etc."
"Your dad?", he asked in a concerned tone.
"Yeah, why?"
"Was he the one who did this to you?", he said, almost protectively.
I gave a small nod and an awkward smile. He returned it with a look of pity.
"Now you know why I'm running away."
"I suppose so. Would you like something to eat?", he offered, avoiding a tense subject.
"I've probably given you a hard time already, taking your food might be a bit far."
"It's not taking it if it's offered."
I raised my eyebrow at his technicalities, but shrugged and accepted the plate of food. It consisted of basic eggs, toast, and bacon.
"Eat up, we may have an interesting day ahead of us."
"How so?", I ask with a bit of food in my cheek.
"We'll find out.", he said with a small smile.
I just shrugged and went back to my food.
Steve insisted on changing my bandages again and I didn't oppose to it, besides the screaming pain. He also told me to stay at his apartment while he ran a few errands. I simply pulled out my phone out and listened to my music, while doodling in my notebook.
After a long 5 hours of waiting, Steve finally came home.
"Took ya long enough.", I complained.
"Sorry, I just had to get a couple friends.", he said with a small laugh at my remark.
He gestured to two people. One was a woman with red hair. The other was a dark skinned man, looking at me with a questionable stare.
"This is the girl who survived a blow to the shoulder? She's like 15!", he said with surprise.
"I'm actually 19, thank you.", I corrected.
"Levi, this is Natasha Romanoff and Sam Wilson.", Steve introduced.
"Nice to meet you, Levi.", Natasha said with a warm smile.
"I've gotta say, I'm impressed kid. How're you handling the pain?", Sam asked.
"Will power.", I said simply. "And pain meds I brought with me."
The three of them laughed at my small joke.
"So why did you bring them here?", I asked.
"Well, on my way to Sam's, I saw some missing person posters with your face on it. They looked homemade so I doubt many people will give it the time of day but, It made me think that we might need to hide you.", Steve explained.
"Or disguise you.", Natasha suggested.
"Another question, why are you all doing so much to help me?"
"Because, I'm bringing you with me.", Captain said.
"Bringing me where?"
"I want to take you with me to find the Winter Soldier."
My jaw dropped. Did he even know what he was saying? I'm just an average high schooler. I'm not a superhero. I'm no secret agent or anything like that.
"What?", was all that left my lips.
"I said the same thing.", Sam said.
"Wait wait wait, I'll just slow you down and get in the way!", I stuttered.
"I see great potential in you and I wanna see if I'm right. You're smart, and you seem to be good at improvising. That may come in handy. So will you be willing to let us disguise you?", he asked.
I had to think quickly. All of my excuses were pretty valid reasons, but I could be free from my dad. As well a I could possibly find the Winter Soldier! I would get a chance to work with Captain America. I shrugged with my good shoulder.
"How could I say no?", I said with a smile.
The three smiled bigger than they were before.
"We better get to work then.", Natasha said, clapping her hands together.
The four of us began brainstorming on what our plan of action was for disguising me, and what route we were taking to find the Winter Soldier. In all the bustling, I couldn't help but question them inviting me to join them. One question kept eating at me and reoccurred frequently.
"Why me?"