Frostbite |The Alternate Timeline

Fire and Ice

Sarah had been right. AJ and Cass were indeed waiting, impatiently I might add, for me to get back. The gravel under my feet crunched quietly as I finished walking up the driveway. They both dashed down the steps, nearly running into me with their excitement. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

"Did you guys think I forgot about my promise?" I scoffed in fake disbelief. They exchanged a glance and kind of shrugged their shoulders sheepishly. I motioned for them to follow me, heading towards the water at the edge of their property. "Well, come on. We can't keep you two patient gentlemen waiting."

They laughed quietly, whispering to themselves as they bounced behind me. Sarah's car pulled into the drive and I gave her a small wave before turning back to them. She must have wanted to see it up close and personal as well, because she made her way to the back porch to watch. The boys enthusiastically greeted her, and she laughed.

"Any requests for what you want to see first?" I asked, pausing for an answer. They both shook their heads shyly, their eyes glued to my hands. "Alright, let's see what we can do."

I held my hand up; palm open to the sky. It grew darker overhead and slowly, white flecks began falling from the sky. The boys giggled, reaching out to catch as many as they could. My wrist twisted, creating an enormous sheet of ice that encompassed most of the yard.

I held my hands out to them and they eagerly took them. We skated across the surface as I propelled us forward, their laughs of pure joy echoing around us. We did this for several minutes until they wanted to try on their own.

They slid around, their bodies wobbling as they tried to balance and outdo each other. Sarah mouthed a thank you from her position, enjoying watching her children's joy. I nodded and waved dismissively. This was nothing; it was the least I could do in light of her generosity.

AJ stopped in front of me and breathlessly said, "Can you do anything else?"

"Of course," I replied, wiggling my eyebrows as I swept away the dark clouds. The sun shone brightly down on us again, and I moved to the small dock. They both followed closely, waiting for whatever was next.

Without warning, I jumped off the dock and landed on the water, taking a few steps across it. I heard the engine of a car and looked over in time to see Sam's truck pulling up, but I kept focused on what I was doing. The boys had moved onto the dock to see better, their mouths open at the sight before them.

I raked my hands across the surface, streaks of water flying up into the air. They twisted at my will, and I swirled them around the area, the water continuously flowing. It was an intricate knitted design by the time I was done. My hands dropped to my side and the water splashed back into place.

"This is my nieces favorite thing," I told them with a fond smile.

Manipulating the water again, thousands of droplets rose into the air, sparkling in the light. Cass touched one, pushing it through the air in amazement. Their eyes couldn't contain the wonder they felt. This was what I loved about my power. Not the death and destruction it could cause- but the beauty and joy.

I pulled myself back onto the dock and Sarah walked forward, her face pretty similar to her sons'. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Sam and Bucky watching as well. I hadn't realized they were still out here. Sam told him something quietly and Bucky nodded, his eyes locked on me. I forced myself to look away once they approached.

"What do you say to Melanie, boys?" Sarah reminded them, gently laying a hand on my forearm in thanks again.

"Thank you so much!"

"Yes, thank you."

"No problem. I'll have to show you some of my other tricks another time. The fighting moves are a lot cooler," I told them conspiringly.