𝑨𝒕𝒚𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒃𝒊𝒂 [Steve Rogers] On Hold

Epilogue

EPILOGUE:
Done

Renata's body was laying on a hospital bed, machines working silently all around her.

Clint was sitting on the chair next to her, his eyes never leaving her bruised-stained face. The doctors said it was better if she stayed asleep until her wounds could heal. Broken bones, scratches and cuts all over her body, a hole in her arm where the metallic bar had pierced her and a nasty gash on her head.

This wasn't the life he had promised her.

Why did he let her come with them to Sokovia?

The Avengers were shaken. Pietro was dead, Wanda wasn't talking to anyone, Bruce had disappeared and Renata was catatonic. And it was all Clint's fault. He could have protected Pietro, he should have convinced Renata to stay behind at the farm or maybe if she hadn't return for Wanda, Natasha would have agreed to split sooner and she would have gone to find Bruce.

He leaned forward and sighed as he ran his hands through his hair, pulling it with all his might as tears pooled his eyes. He quickly regained his posture when the door opened and Natasha walked in, Steve behind her. His friend placed her hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"Come on Clint, you have to eat something. Steve will stay with her."

Clint turned around; red, puffy eyes staring at them before nodding and getting up. Steve claimed the chair as they exited the room and it was now his turn to stare at the redhead in the bed in front of him.

He moved the chair closer and tentatively raised his hand and rested it on her own, his fingers lazily turning the ring on her pinky as he searched her sleeping face.

"Come on Ren... wake up.."

—<<•>>—

Long blonde hair and blue eyes. A scared gaze and arms covered in burn marks. A broken voice.

"Please, I can't do this anymore. It hurts too much!!"

"Let her rest! Pushing won't do any good! Let us go!!" River was fuming as she looked at the scientists around her.

She was in a spacious dark room, her ankles weighing her down as heavy chains were wrapped around them. Her body was freezing, frost slowly covering up her arms.

The girl on the other side of the room was on her knees, holding her burned arms away from her body as she sobbed in pain. But the scientists didn't seem concerned at all. They were disappointed.

"They are weak. We thought making them train with each other and fight would improve their powers but clearly it isn't working. We'll have to continue with jut the experiments for now and forget about training them." One of them said, his back turned to the girls.

Another scientist walked towards River with a blank look on his face.

"You all realize we had to sale E2 because Hydra is cutting our fundings after Anila's death, right? What do you think will happen when they hear that we sold her? What would Quivelt think of us? We let Anila die, Neria is sold-"

"You know he wouldn't care for Neria. She was too soft. Too weak." Another scientist huffed.

The man, who had know stopped directly in front of River and looked down at her, smiled.

"Indeed. But that doesn't change the fact that she was a successful Medusa. Now we only have River and Ruby. One of them is struggling to use and control her powers-" his face morphed into disgust as he turned around to look at the blonde girl "and the other one can't use her powers without setting herself on fire!" He roared. The girls cowered.

He sighed before adjusting his lab coat, the name tag catching the light from the dirty light bulb above them and shining brightly as River lifted her eyes. She was met with a sickly sweet smile as he reached forward and cupped her chin.

"Don't worry, we'll make you two into fine soldiers. The world will soon know The Winter Soldier and his Medusae." He released her and turned around to the other scientists "We are not done with training yet. Put them on cryosleep for a few months and then we will continue with the testings before resuming their training."

—<<•>>—

Renata opened her eyes with a gasp. She frantically looked around, her gaze settling on the sleeping form sitting on the chair next to her. His arms were crossed on the bed next to her, his head resting on top of them and facing away from her. She closed her eyes and gulped. It was a dream.

No.

It was a memory. Whatever Hydra had done to her memory, it wasn't permanent, she could now remember more things and she was terrified. As her hand softly ran through Steve's hair there was only one thing on her mind- Ruby. She is still alive, I have to find her.

—<<•>>—

When Steve woke up, Renata was still on the bed, her body unmoving. If it wasn't for her steady heartbeat and her soft breathing, one could assume she was dead. He sighed, got up and moved towards the door, one last look over his shoulder before twisting the doorknob and exiting the room. Clint was sitting on the couch outside and immediately got up when he saw him.

"Fury wants you in the new compound. Thor will have to leave soon, Tony has work to do and Natasha wants you to help her with training the new recruits." He said with a soft smile.

Steve nodded "What about you, Clint?"

"Laura will be going into labor any day now... she's on her way to the hospital right now so we will be close to Renata in case-in case anything happens."

And indeed something did happen.
Because two days after, as Laura was giving birth and everyone else was busy, Renata managed to sneak out of the hospital without anyone noticing. When they found out that she was gone, it was too late.

—<<•>>—
I CANT BELIEVE ITS OVER!! Jesus Christ that Epilogue was so hard for me to write because I wasn't sure how much I wanted and could reveal but WOO!
I know you are most likely confused, but everything will be explained soon. I hope to see you on the next book👀

Until next time, Yellow xx