A Heart Break In Time

Mommy Told Me To Come And Save You.

"We won?" Kai pulled away from me. "We won?! You almost died! You had no idea where I was, if I could get to you in time, if I could even catch you!" Kai started yelling.

I reached out to comfort him. "Kai, if you didn't catch me, someone would have. I'm sure I was another second from Sam or Rhodey swooping down to save me." I lied. "Besides. I knew you could." Kai didn't answer, he just walked away into the compound as the others started to join us.

"He was just afraid you'd get hurt and it'd be his fault." Angel grabbed my hand as she reached us.

"I know." I gave her a half smile. "But we won."

Everyone laughed, I smiled but I didn't feel happy. Maybe I did go too far. This was supposed to just be a fun team building, and I hurt my team. I watched as Kai disappeared.

Flashback

I sat in Natasha and I's living room floor. I poured myself a bowl of cereal and flipped on the tv. I was about to change the channel when I saw Natasha and Clint on the news. "Uh... what the fuck." I mumbled, dropping my spoon. I turned the volume up.

"...area is being evacuated as Captain America himself has given orders to local police. I have word that the national guard is being called out as well."

"What. The. Fuck!" I said louder and then my phone vibrated on the table beside me.

Unknown Number

I cleared my throat and then answered it. "Hello?"

"Talia Aimilios."

"Depends on who's asking."

The man on the phone sounded amused by the response. "This is Director Fury, of SHIELD."

I tensed up. "You're not supposed to know I exist." I thought about hanging up but he would be the one person to have answers of what the fuck is happening right now.

"That goes both ways, Aimilios. Have you seen the news?"

"Yes, I'm watching now. Is Nat okay?"

There was a brief pause before Fury answered. "Agent Romanoff is doing her job. I think it's about time you started doing the same."

"What?"

"Someone will be by to pick you up."

And then the call ended. What the fuck.

*

Everyone started to make their way inside and I looked for Kai. He wasn't in any common area, so I asked FRIDAY. She informed me Kai has been locked in his room. I walked there, trying to figure out how to apologize. I still hadn't come up with a good way but I knocked on his door anyway. When he opened it, I could see his face soften when he saw me, even though I knew he was still angry.

All the well thought out explanations I had left my mind, the only thing leaving my lips was, "I'm sorry."

"You can't do that to me. I can't be responsible for that." Kai leaned against his door.

I nodded. "Why, though? I trust you. And you caught me."

"I know that this is what I'm here for, but I'm not a hero, Talia. I just happen to have powers. That aren't exactly good ones."

"This is about your past isn't it?" I asked and he nodded. "Do you wanna tell me about it?"

Kai looked at the ground, he didn't answer, but he stepped back so I could walk into his room. He had decorated a bit, there were a few pictures around and a record player was even set up. I tried not to look too nosey. But I was definitely nosey. Kai let me look around and didn't say anything, just watched me.

"Can I sit?" I pointed at his bed and he nodded. I sat down at the bottom of it and he sat on his desk chair. I had the same one in my room, so I knew it wasn't the most comfortable.

"You didn't read all of my file, right?" He started. I shook my head no. "I was arrested, when Fury found me I was in custody. For Arson."

"I know that much."

"I used to be a cashier for a store, the company was problematic at best. Racist, sexist, homophobic, etcetera... I was only there a few months, but within those few months, two separate girls were drugged and assaulted." Kai took a breath. "They had both worked the day of, I thought it was a pattern. I brought it up to my manager and he flipped. Which, made it look worse. When I went higher up, I was fired. After that, two more girls were assaulted. I looked into other stores from the same chain, it was happening there too. All the same MO. They worked the morning shift, left and went home fine, but then woke up the next day with no memory and in pain. I told the police, they thought I was over reacting."

"Kai... My god..."

"There's more." He stated firmly. "There were more girls. I tried warning them, everything I could. It kept happening. One day... I walked in the store and pulled the fire alarm. And I walked the store, made sure it was empty... and then set it on fire." Kai sighed. "But then they just relocated the employees. It didn't stop. So I didn't either. Twenty stores total, every one in Arizona. And then I got caught."

I let the full story sink in. He wanted to save them. All of them. "So I have just own question for you."

Kai nodded. "Ask anything you like."

"What part of that exactly, do you think makes you not a hero? 'Cause to me that might as well be the definition of heroic. What you wanted to do was amazing. And sure, arson... but you didn't hurt anyone. And you did it to save so many young women... you tried to do it the right way. It didn't work. Sometimes that doesn't work. You found a way anyway. That is... you're definitely a hero, Kai. You're supposed to be here. And I was right to trust you. Besides, I don't judge people on their worst mistakes."

Kai looked up at me and I saw tears in his eyes, none spilling over. I hoped I didn't upset him but as soon as that thought entered my head, Kai quickly stood up and made his way to me. "Talia, I-" I looked up at him, waiting for him to speak again. But instead he just leaned down, pressing his lips against mine firmly. He wrapped his arm around me, resting on my lower back as he pulled me up higher on the bed and pushed me down, leaning over me. I didn't have time to think before I knew it, I was kissing him back.