A/N Let me know how the chapter was.
Those words, I thought to myself as I ran faster on the machine. I love you. They weren't what I was expecting to ever slip from his lips. Of course I knew weeks ago that Erik had feelings for me, after all, who would risk their life to save mine; a lost and conflicted sixteen year old girl.
Falling from the moment, the leather belt below me had begun to slow. Landing my eyes on Erik as he made his way out of the booth, he had an odd sort of look on his face as he came to stand beside me "Are you feeling alright?" he asked while un-attaching the cords from my skin.
Nodding my head "I'm fine. Why?" I asked while looking up to see his brow furrowed as his watched, transfixed on getting me out of the entanglement of wires.
"You've just been running an average of 20 miles an hour" announced Erik while looking up to meet my brown eyes "you didn't notice?" he asked standing with his arms crossed.
"No…I just…ran" I said with a shrug of my shoulders "I didn't think about it" I added while staring down at my feet. Twenty miles I thought to myself, how does a person not know there running that fast; especially for a few hours?
Standing, the deafening silence in the room had caused tension around me, and suddenly I felt like shrinking away under Erik's gaze. I didn't know if this new bout of information was good or bad, but I'd rather it be the latter "…Let's go" said Erik while gesturing to the door "you should get some rest" nodding my head, his tone of voice was hard to interpret as we left to make our way down the hall.
Passing several security gates, I finally mustered up the courage to ask "…Is it bad? That I can run that fast"
Shaking his head, Erik looked straight forward "No, it's not bad…but it's not good either. It just means that the foetus is doing things we didn't plan"
"Like what?" I asked. I was curious and slightly worried. The way he said it, made me doubt that Erik's answer to my previous question.
"When babies grow, they are connected to the mother for the entire pregnancy via an umbilical cord. This allows the baby to get the proper nutrition it needs in order to grow. While this happens, you're also exchanging DNA…which means, the baby's DNA may be mixing with your own, causing it to alter itself…a side effect we didn't anticipate"
"I still don't understand…I've never heard of this happening to someone else before. Is this…ordinary?" I asked not quite understanding how the baby inside of me had anything to do with my new found speed.
"In a normal case, no…but this is far from normal" explained Erik as we turned a corner into another hallway "the father of your child…he was injected with a serum. It changed his biology, making him faster, stronger…a perfect soldier"
"…A super soldier?" I asked more to myself than Erik. I understood perfectly what he was trying to tell me, but I couldn't believe it.
"If you want to call it that" mumbled Erik. Turning my head, I looked up at him as we continued to walk side by side.
"Why did you do it? To him…to me"
Sighing, Erik had a look as if it were a long story that he didn't have the time to tell "…We did it…because we can. The soldier is a large feat in our eyes in terms of science and biology. We've pushed the boundaries…I admit, it could have been better. But what we made is a marvel, a great asset for Hydra and its future as an organisation. With his help, we'll accomplish much in the coming years. You're part in this was a small experiment to see if we could push it further"
Nudging the length between us, I felt uncomfortable with his words and how he spoke. He sounded passionate – a little too passionate "What's wrong?" he asked after he noticed my distance "did I say something to offend you?"
"No" I said quickly "I mean…you just sounded different" zoning out with a crease in my forehead, Erik had suddenly grabbed hold me in order to stop me from walking further. Looking around, there was no one else in the hallway, just us.
"I didn't mean to make it sound that way…I only meant it in the sense that it was indeed a breakthrough. What we achieved has only ever been done once, but the people responsible were selfish. Keeping it for themselves" said Erik with a look of hate. Giving me a smile, Erik rubbed my arms before pulling me close into a hug "I'm sorry if I frightened you" he said against my ear.
"It's alright" I replied before hugging him back.
It doesn't take us long to get back to the large clinical room as we entered through the double doors. Freezing in my tracks, Erik's hand rested on the base of my spine when it had come to my attention that there's another girl; one I hadn't met.
Situated in her own bed on the other side of my own, a thin girl sat playing with her fingers. Looking up at our intrusion, her caramel hair shook around her shoulders as it rested in a messy bob; her dark blue eyes pinning me on the spot "I have things I need to attend" muttered Erik quietly before taking his hand from my back and quickly exiting from where we came.
Swallowing, I took shaky steps forward before making my way to the middle bed and hopping in "Amelia" said Laura as I got closer "this is Helen…the doctors moved her in an hour ago"
Nodding my head once I had gotten comfortable, I turned my head to look at Helen "It's nice to meet you"
Playing with her nails out of nervousness, Helen squeaked "Hello" turning away from me, the petite girl looked as if she wanted to be left alone; so I did just that.
The next day, I had yet to hear another word from the quiet girl next to me. If it weren't for the fact that she had indeed spoken, I would have assumed she was a mute "Arm out" ordered Gregov as he stood poised with a thin metal needle. Doing as he says, I stretched out my arm that he had wrapped a rubber band around "…what's wrong. No fight today" teased Gregov with a smirk. Not reacting to his usual taunts, he tisked at me "giving me the cold shoulder…I feel hurt" still not speaking, the smirk dropped from his face as he withdrew the needle "have you asked him yet?"
Crinkling my brow, I didn't want to give in but I couldn't help it "…Ask who what?"
"Erik…or has that tiny brain of yours forgotten already" he said while flicking me on the forehead with his fingers.
Glaring at him, I answered "No, I haven't forgotten and no. I don't plan on asking him anything. You're a liar trying to get between us. Filling my head with stupid things that aren't the truth"
"Well if you're so sure that your Erik couldn't harm a fly…then why not humour me. It won't cost you anything I'm sure…and, you'll get to prove me wrong" spoke Gregov, his smirk present once again. He was daring me. Wanting me to fall into his trap. Sealing my lips once again, I leaned further away from the thin man and his poisoned tongue.
Grimacing at the food that lay before me, dinner had come all too quick "Pushing it around won't make it any better…hold your breath if you have to" said Erik as he stared me from beside my bed, a wooden clipboard in his hands.
"It's easy for you to say. You don't have to eat it" I groaned back as I continued to push the slop that had been delivered. Apparently we were no longer to receive the 'nutritional' packages anymore. That we were going to be given 'fresh' food now that we were all that are left. Three out of all us in the beginning are the only ones to make it to this point. The rest – dead.
Pushing the porridge like food around in the bowel, I eventually gave in and started to eat the flavourless and grainy food. Quickly finishing it off, I pushed the portable table away from me "See…not so bad" said Erik with a tilt of his head as he wrote on the clipboard in his hands "now it's time for your medicine" handing me a mini paper cup, I downed the pill with a sip of water. Looking at the double doors and then to the two curtains separating me from Helen and Laura, I pondered whether or not now would be the time "what's wrong?" asked Erik while looking up from his board "are you looking for something?"
"No" I said quietly "I was…wondering if I could talk to you. It's important" I whispered. I didn't want the other girls to overhear.
"Are you in pain? Not feeling well" he began to list. Shaking my head, I looked around again. How am I going to ask him? Should I forget about it? Not worry.
"It's not…anything medical" scratching the back of my neck, I listened to Erik sigh before he pulled back the blanket "what are you doing?"
"I'm taking you somewhere private…were we can talk" he said before making room for me to get up off the bed. Quickly moving, Erik walked us out of the room and into the hallway. Not stopping like I thought we might, we continued onward until Erik swiped a card at an unmarked door. Turning on the light, he nudged me in before closing the door behind him.
Taking a quick look around, I discovered he had taken me to another small but comfortable room. A single bed with a military green blanket lay on the left, while a desk and filing cabinet were placed on the right; a dark grey rug positioned below to cover the bare space "Where are we?"
"My room. Make yourself comfortable" he said while gesturing to the bed. Scratching my wrists from the sudden itch, I complied and sat down on the edge of the bed; a creak sounding under the strain of my weight "well. Now that were alone" Erik spoke while leaning against a wall "what did you want to talk to me about?"
Fidgeting, I tried not to think of his very words 'alone' I thought to myself. Not particularly where I wanted to be considering the question I was going to ask. It was the exact situation I was trying to avoid, but then again; if I truly believe Erik was innocent, what's the problem?
"A few weeks ago…before everything happened. Gregov told me things"
"What kind of things?" asked Erik, as he eyed me from across the room.
"About…what you do…he said that you were responsible for them. The others" keeping my eyes down, I stared at the floor. I don't want to look at him anymore.
"The others? Doing what?" prodded Erik as he took a step forward "what did Gregov tell you?"
Taking a deep breath in, I trembled and I had no clue as to why. This was stupid I thought to myself, I shouldn't be here; asking him this. It's not true, but I continued anyway "…When I tried to escape…there was a girl. I tried to help her but…someone did something to her. They hurt her Erik" I spoke, mustering the will to look up at the man that now stood before me.
Sighing, Erik sat down beside me; his hand rubbing circled between my shoulder blades "Gregov says a great many things. He's a manipulator. A liar. He'll get inside anyone's head. He's just trying to make you feel uncomfortable…ignore him" Erik said while leaning in to press his lips against my forehead "you have nothing to worry about. You'll always be safe with me"