All Along - Steve Rogers {1}

Chapter 9: Captain America and The Siren

Steve gasped, trying to form words to tell Nellie that it was him, but he couldn't even breathe air into his lungs. Nellie glared at the man in her room, the fogginess in her mind blinding her from the fact that she knew the man that she was restraining... that she was in love with the man that she was restraining. The only reason that she hadn't even killed him yet was because he had freed her, he bared no uniform that she recognised, just a brown leather jacket, dark pants and a helmet with the letter 'A' stamped on the front.

Nellie tried to relax herself and regulate her breathing as she straightened herself out. She had been strapped to that bed for what felt like an eternity, her legs were weak and she felt frail.

As Steve began to suffocate, Nellie flipped the switch to the light with a twitch of her fingers, ready to either free or destroy the man that had released her from her confinement, dependent on which side he fought for. As the light illuminated the room once again, Nellie choked on her breath and shut off her power before falling to her knees.

I have to be dreaming. This isn't real. He's not here.

Nellie forced her eyes closed, convincing herself it was a dream. She curled into herself and let the tears fall from her eyes. What were Hydra doing to her now to conjure up these thoughts, were they trying to find her weakness?

As she cried Steve's body slumped to the floor with a thud, breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. He stared at Nellie's crumpled body in the corner of the room with relief and... fear. What had she done to him? How had she restrained him like that? What had they done to her? She looked so small and frail, so weak and scared. Nothing like the fiery, confident girl he knew and loved.

"Nellie." Steve called out as he crawled across the floor towards her. He was wary but knew that she wouldn't hurt him now that she recognised him.

"No!" Nellie cried as she pushed herself away and further into the wall. "You can't have him!" She screamed out as she covered her ears with her hand. She wouldn't let Hydra see Steve, she wouldn't let them see her bond with him.

"Nellie." Steve tried again. "It's me. I'm real." Tentatively he approached her again, reaching out towards her body, and as soon as his fingertips brushed against her knee she opened her eyes and looked at him. As she searched his features, Steve removed his helmet and placed it on the ground beside them. "I'm here." He said softly, trying to smile and not show the horror that he felt inside when he looked at the state of her face. Her cheeks were bruised and cut, the left side of her jaw was purple, her chin was covered in dried blood from a split lip, and her right eye had a yellowing bruise. The bruises continued down her neck and then became hidden behind the collar of her torn clothing.

Instead, when Nellie looked at Steve, she saw a saviour. She had longed to see his face, to see the reassuring lopsided smile, his kind blue eyes. "S-Steve?" She stuttered, her throat hoarse and dry. She moved her hands from her ears to touch his face, feeling the light stubble across his cheeks on her fingertips.

"Its really me." He clarified as he placed one of his hands over her own, noticing the doubt that was still swirling around her green eyes. Nellie stared at him for a few moments more before her bottom lip wobbled and she released a sob.

"Oh my God." She wept as she threw her body forward and into his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her face against his shoulder. Immediately Steve enclosed his arms around her, holding her tightly against him as the tears threatened to fall against his own cheeks.

"Thank God you're alive." He sighed as he kissed her side of her head. "I thought I had lost you." He admitted as he held her close and rocked her body from side to side.