CHAPTER 19

*Please note that Elliot Dawes is an OC of mine and that this happens after Avengers Assembled and before Captain America 2, carrying on into that timeline.*

"You're entire back had to have a skin graph," the doctor told me. "You've had eighteen knife wounds stitched up with permanent scarring. We've had to perform three surgeries on your spine and…"

He hesitated, looking unsure how to explain one of my injuries. I knew what it was. I could feel what it was. I sat up in the bed, dragging my lifeless legs with me. They unstrained me after they determined I was safe. Steve approached me and crouched down beside me.

"They've had to remove one of your legs," Steve told me. "The knife wound you received to it got badly infected and they couldn't save it,"

I let out a strangled noise and began to sob. Steve held me closely. He allowed me to sob loudly and messily into his shirt. He stroked the back of my head comfortingly. My hair was nothing but fuzz growing in. it'll be sometime before it grows at all. The doctor stepped back to allow me to have my moment.

"But Fury commissioned a prototype of some kind of leg," Steve continued, gently prying me off him. "Something to do with metal and electricity and reconstructing your leg,"

"A prosthetic?" I supplied.

"It's a little more advance than that, Miss Dawes," the doctor responded, stepping forward. "Allow me?"

He indicated that he wanted to remove the sheets. I took a deep breath and nodded. I braced myself for the worst. I was surprised at what I seen. My entire right leg was made out of metal. It was constructed to look like a normal leg but metallic. I looked at it with curiosity. At once I was itching to open it up and find out how it worked. I bent forward to touch it. It was cool to touch. I ran a hand over it.

"Well?" the doctor asked.

"I want to tear it apart and find out how it works," I responded in awe.

"In due time, Miss Dawes," a voice from the door said.

I looked up to find Director Fury standing in the door frame, watching the scene. I withdrew my hand and looked away meekly. The doctor bowed his head and left the room, making an excuse about looking at test results. I stared at the leg, trying to get used to it being attached to me. I had very little actual leg left. It was rather disturbing. I looked down at them and imagined my toes twitching. I let out a cry of surprise and delight as my metal toes wriggled as well as left toes. I distinctly remember not being able to walk for a bit. Steve looked amazed just as much as I felt. I guess he's never seen anything like this before. I should introduced him to FullMetal Alchemist someday.

"I suspect you have several questions," Director Fury began.

"Six actually," I responded.

He nodded, indicating I could fire away.

"What happened? How did you find me? Where was I? What happened to the Red Skull? Did he get Steve's blood? Is the formula safe?" I asked hurriedly.

Director Fury sighed in exasperation as Steve looked amused. I found myself blushing (which surprisingly hurt). Director Fury pulled over a chair and sat beside Steve. I had a feeling it would be a long ass story that would leave me with more questions than answers, like going to see a sequel that doesn't explain plot points from the first movie. Frustrating really. And a waste of time and energy.

"After you were kidnapped we had teams out searching the entire world for you," Director Fury began. "HYDRA managed to hide you and the Red Skull extremely well. It took was a few days, and I apologise for that until we found a feasible lead. It was Stark and Maria Hill who found you at last. We deployed Rodgers and a team of highly trained agents to collect you. Things got messy and bloody. We lost a few good men but HYDRA lost more. You were in Russian, buried in a converted underground bunker. Unfortunately the Red Skull got away when we attacked the base. Our mission wasn't him, it was rescuing you. And no, he never got Rodgers' blood," Director Fury said.

He kept it short and sweet. I was disappointed. I wanted details. I wanted to know everything.

"I made sure the formula you gave me was immediately destroyed," Steve added. "The world's crazy enough, we don't need more of me running around,"

I was a little irritated that my five years of hard work was destroyed but it made sense. We have enough crazy, we don't need more super soldiers in the world. Director Fury looked a little annoyed at the mention of the formula being destroyed. I bet he would have loved a couple hundred perfect soldiers. But he would only end up creating more Red Skulls. Doctor Erskine clearly stated what went wrong with Schmitt and what went right with Steve was their personalities. Schmitt was too ambitious whereas Steve was good. And I doubt there's anyone around that's as good and as righteous as Steve is. The doctor returned and insisted I needed rest.

The next few months consisted of me recovering. It was frustrating having to go through rehab but the most humiliating part was learning to walk again. The leg responded perfectly- they attached it to my nerves, but it was difficult walking. It was just so different from having a real leg. Steve tried to be there for me as much as possible but he was leading the manhunt for Red Skull.