Evelyn could hear the beeping of the machines around her and felt the warmness of the room around her. She was too scared to open her eyes - what if it was a trick? What if she dreamed the whole thing?
"Miss, I have informed Mr. Stark and Mr. Banner that you are waking up. They will be with you presently." a voice said to her and Evelyn's heart skipped a beat and she heard the machines around her match her increased heartbeat.
She dared to dream and opened her eyes slowly - it was so bright but she pushed her eyes open further. She was in a lab of some kind; it rivaled any hospital she'd ever seen and made the Hydra infirmary look even worse.
Her eyes shot to the left when she heard the noise of a door sliding and instantly looked back to the ceiling and froze.
"Hi Miss, my name is Bruce Banner and you are in the Avenger tower," he said smiling at her. "You were rescued yesterday and have spent the time since unconscious." This made sense to Evelyn as she felt more rested than she could remember being.
Evelyn nodded and started to say her name but felt intense pain and nothing came out. Her hand immediately went to her throat and looked at the kind man worry in her eyes.
"Your vocal cords are damaged," Bruce begins "We will be able to repair them but it will be a couple of days until we feel it will be safe to operate." Evelyn nodded understanding - she wasn't new to pain and afflictions.
"You'll be our very own Princess Ariel until then," the man she knew was Tony Stark. Her Father liked him. He had said any man who could do the good this man had done was okay in his book. She smiled at his joke. "Do you know who you are?" he added
She shook her head yes. Mr. Banner handed her a whiteboard and marker to help communicate and she took it gingerly; did she even remember how to write?
My name is Evelyn Bennet. She wrote on the board and cringed at the sloppiness of her handwriting
"Well, I guess if you prefer Evelyn to Princess Ariel I will accept that. I'm Tony Stark," She nodded her head; smiling knowing that nickname wasn't going away anytime soon.
"My name is Natasha," the red-haired woman said eyes on Evelyn. She looked - concerned. Then Evelyn recognized her voice and wiped the board quickly.
You saved me; I recognize your voice. Evelyn looks at the woman and tears well in her eyes and mouthed thank you.
Natasha was taken aback by this but nodded and said simply "My pleasure" She saw Evelyn writing on the board again and held it up.
Where is the man who carried me out? I need to thank him. She looked at Natasha.
"We can introduce you to the whole team if you would like?" Tony starts to say but sees the nervousness in Evelyn's eyes and hears the monitors pick up her heart rate. "It's okay, you don't have to," she looks relieved "F.R.I.D.A.Y. can you please ask Steve to come to the lab?"
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"Mr. Rogers, your presence is being requested in the lab," F.R.I.D.A.Y announces as Steve sits down in the common room with Bucky.
Steve looked at Bucky and stood up "You coming?" he asked his friend
"To the lab? Why do you need me to go with you to the lab?" Bucky asked looking at his friend from the corner of his eye
"Buck, you didn't see her when we got to her. She may benefit from seeing someone who has gone through what she has and come out the other side," Steve said walking to the door
"Steve, seeing me could just scare her more," Bucky said as he gestured to himself.
"Bucky, you have to have more faith in yourself. Just come with me and hang back and that way if she needs help you are already there," Steve said, waiting for Bucky to meet him. He knew he couldn't argue with that logic, "and besides when has James Buchanan Barnes backed down from helping a damsel in distress?"
Bucky looked at his friend in shock. "Low blow Steve," he said as he got up and headed to the elevator to go to the lab.
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The two men got off the elevator and made their way to the lab to see Natasha and Bruce helping the young woman into a wheelchair.
"I'll wait here Steve, just wave me down if I can help," Bucky said leaning against the wall. He preferred to observe from afar anyway.
Steve patted his friend on the shoulder and walked towards the lab.
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Evelyn looked up and saw a man walking towards the door. He walked with authority but still smiled when he walked into the room with her, putting her at ease and she was thankful they took her off the monitors because she felt her heart rate increase.
"Steve, this is Evelyn, she requested to meet the gentleman who carried her to safety," Natasha smiled and introduced them.
Thank you for saving me. Evelyn wrote on the board
"It was my privilege to help you ma'am," Steve said nodding his head to Evelyn. She could feel her cheeks turning pink and smiled back at him.
"Let's get you to your new room shall we?" Natasha said, grabbing the handles of the chair. Bruce waved goodbye to Evelyn and went back to work. She looked at Steve and whispered, "Can you help and make sure no one sees her?" He nodded.
"Evelyn, would you mind if I helped you get settled?" Steve asked, walking next to the chair. Evelyn nodded and as she did she looked at the elevator and noticed another handsome man leaning against the wall who raised his hand in the smallest of waves and she shot her head back forward feeling her cheeks burn again.
Bucky watched her go down the hall - eyes following her until she was gone past the corner. His hand still up in the wave he sent her.
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When they arrived at her room, Evelyn's mouth dropped open. It was huge and so cozy. She looked at Tony who was arranging the side table to have everything she needed at close range until she could walk again. He looked up at her as she finished writing on the board.
Seriously?
Tony laughed "Listen I am nothing of a gracious host and I won't be having it be said that when royalty needed help I turned them away."
Evelyn smiled and rolled her eyes. She was not used to kindness; at least not anymore but these strangers were doing so much to make her feel safe. These were the kind of people her parents referred to as "The Good Ones" and her sister would be utterly in love with Steve. Her smile faltered at the thought of her loss.
Tony saw the falter and decided to lighten the mood. "Okay, Capsicle; time to resume your status as a mule and carry Princess Ariel to bed."
Natasha leaned into Evelyn's ear "That's just his way of getting away with calling Steve an ass." Evelyn started to laugh and grabbed her throat. Shit that hurts.
"Okay so laughing is out so your Jester must leave before he causes you any more pain," Tony said bowing as he left the room with a wink.
Steve and Natasha looked at each other - Tony bowing?
Natasha pushed the wheelchair to the bed and held it while Steve helped her into bed. Evelyn nodded her thanks and after Steve left the room she grabbed Natasha's hand. She quickly wrote a note on her board.
If something happens how can I get help? Natasha looked at Evelyn and then took out her phone and gave it to her.
"Do you know how to use one of these?" Natasha said laughing out loud when Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Hey, you'd be surprised how many dinosaurs we have that don't know how to use a cell."
I'm almost 30 - yes I can use a cell phone Evelyn wrote
"Good. Call my room if you need anything. I'll recognize the number and come here right away. I promise," Natasha put her pinky up and Evelyn took it mouthing thank you.
Natasha smiled at the young woman and left the room. Evelyn lay in her very own bed for the first time in 5 years. She felt safe for the first time in 5 years and she's sure the pain meds that Tony and Bruce gave her were helping. At the peacefulness of her freedom, she dosed to sleep.
YOU ARE READING
Resilient
FanfictionEvelyn had lost everything the day Hydra took her. Her friends, her family, and her freedom. She had given up hope and then The Avengers attacked the base she was at and saved her; taking her to the Tower to heal. The Avengers are determined to h...
