He brought me back to life; A Captain America romance; Book one.

Chapter 31; It's euphoric

It's hard to describe the sensation I feel right now. I can actually feel this poisonous liquid slowly move through my body. I feel it in my neck first and as it moves down into my chest and torso and down into my arms which are still pinned behind my back. It's like everything is moving in slow motion. It hurts. Really, really bad. I want to scream in pain but whatever is now running through my veins makes anything seem impossible, even breathing. My entire body feels like it's about to catch fire. I feel myself slump down against Malik, my eyes are rolling back into my head and my body convulses. I can hear Steve, I think, but I can't see him. He's screaming; muffled, painful wails ring in my ears. It feels like I'm being drugged and electrocuted simultaneously. I hit the ground and as I look up into the darkening sky, the feeling of acceptance and calm that consumed me in Berlin is here again.

The pain is gone, now. That must mean I don't have long left. My heart feels like it's beating a million times a second but I can't catch my breath. It feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest. I glance up at Malik. His looming figure sways above me, a wide, excited smile stretched across his yellow teeth. Then, his face contorts as he looks at my torso. He's in shock. He bends down and brushes his hand against my stomach wound. I expect to feel his coarse skin brush my flesh but instead, something makes him recoil in pain. He whips his hand back and darts his eyes over to Steve and the other soldiers. I turn my head and see four pairs of bewildered eyes gazing at me in utter shock. My body convulses again, suddenly. Shock waves soar throughout my bones but it isn't painful. It's euphoric

Malik scrambles back up into a standing position. He looks terrified. I smirk at him from behind my gag and as he searches my wide, blazing eyes and raises his gun, pointing directly at my head. Steve screams in terror. But I know there's no need for him to shoot me. This is just what dying feels like, it has to. The peace, the serenity I feel right now; It's incredible. I know I'm about to die. My heart is beating so fast and there's no air getting into my lungs. Malik is not the last face I want to see before I go.

I turn my head and find Steve. Tears are streaming down into his beard and he's screaming, frantically as he continues to struggle to free himself from the soldier's grip. Malik says something in German and one of the guards rips the tape away from Steve's mouth. He pants and screams my name. "Ellie, please no! Please fight, Ellie! fight! Stay with me, please."

I gaze into his vivid, dazzling blue eyes as my chest rises and falls, rapidly. I try to extend my hand to him from behind my back. He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "I love you, Steve Rogers." I croak, inaudibly and keep my eyes locked on his before my eyes close, slowly and my last frantic breaths escape my body.

***

I'm six years old and running through mid town. The sun is beaming down on me and me and my mom weave through the hoards of people out enjoying the July heat. I'm laughing as she yells at me to hurry. She's acting so strange but I like this game of hide and seek we're playing. She keeps looking over her shoulder, telling me that the man playing the game with us is going to find us soon and that we need to find another hiding place. She's so fast and I can't keep up with her. She scoops me up into her arms, sprinting through the Manhattan streets.

We run into a nearby park and hide behind a big tree, full of pretty leaves. I laugh and ask if we've won the game but she keep looking back. She looks really worried now. "It's okay mom, you're really fast. But I don't think the men will fins us here." She cups my cheek in her hand and smiles but then grabs me quickly as we duck down behind the trunk.

A man in a funny looking green costume with long black hair is standing a bit away from us. He's looking around the park and smiling, wildly. I giggle but my mom presses her finger to my lips, shushing me as she whips her head back to the man. He looks around for another moment before hurrying off in the other direction and disappearing. My mom slumps down against the tree with her head in her hands.

"We won, mom. He must be gone trying to catch someone else," I say happily and tug at her hand to get her to stand up. She sighs and stands up slowly. "We have to go home honey, we need to pack some things and go away for a while."

"like a vacation?" I ask, excitedly. My mom gives me a weird smile and her eyes look wet. "Something like that."

***

I lie, motionless on the ground. I must be dead. I mean, I have to be, right? But I can still hear. What is going on?

I hear Steve scream, again and the others laugh, unsteadily.

"Ellie! Please God, no! No!"

A low, sly laugh; "Wow. That was interesting, wasn't it? I thought for a moment there she-," Malik trails off as I feel him bend down beside me and place two fingers on my neck. "Hardly a pulse. What a waste. I had hoped something exciting might happen, but she just wasn't strong enough. She'll be dead in a matter of moments, it seems."

Why can I still hear him? Why can't I move? I'm paralyzed. What the fuck is happening?

Malik has me under the elbows, then. He's lifting me up but I'm completely limp. Fight him, Ellie. Kick him! Do something! My body is useless. I can't move.

"Well, I guess she has served some purpose, after all Captain. At least I know for sure that this serum is useless and just kills, like the others." Malik muses.

I feel him drag me across the gravel of the rooftop. Steve is screaming still, I can hear you, Steve, I'm here. The tape is still across my mouth and my hands are still tied. That doesn't matter though, even if I wasn't tied, I still couldn't do anything. I can feel the panic rise within me again, but it feels more like electricity again.

"No! Don't do it, please. Please just let her go!" Steve says quietly. He sounds like he's sobbing.

Malik chuckles, quietly and hoists me up so that I'm leaning against the edge of a small wall. The smell of the seaweed intensifies in my nostrils. I can feel droplets of salted water splashing against my cheeks. Oh shit

"This is it, Captain. Say goodbye to Miss har-,"

A huge bang attacks my eardrums and gunshots sound from every direction. I can hear Tony and Nat and the others scream as they burst onto the rooftop followed by lots of soldiers. This is torture! I can hear everything, I'm alive! Why can't I move! Malik yells in frustration as he shoots his gun rapidly, deafening me. He has his arm locked around my chest and continues to shoot. I hear something swoop by overhead. That has to be Sam. "Steve! Here! Sam screams and I can hear what sounds like a big metal Frisbee being hurtled past my head. The sound of bodies hitting against hard metal rings out as the guns continue to fire loudly. My heart is beating, frantically, again. I try to wiggle my fingers behind my back. My pinkie spasms. It's working! I can the blood slowly returning to my limbs. Open your eyes, Ellie! I try so hard but I just can't.

The reign of bullets and bodies dropping seem to be diminishing. Malik tightens his grip around me and take a step back towards the edge of the building, I assume. "Give it up, Avengers or the girl will be gone forever." Silence follows.

"Let her go you sick bastard!" Tony shouts, his voice riddled with panic.

"Drop her, or my next bullet goes right through your fucking heart," Nat growls, unsteadily.

It's hopeless. Save yourselves. I'm dying.

Malik pulls me closer to him, stepping up onto the small wall that edges the roof. He knows he's going to be killed. I can feel his heart pounding against my chest.

"You've ruined everything! Everything I've worked for! But I'm not leaving this earth without taking one of you with me." Malik screams, terrifyingly.

I feel something cold and hard press against my temple and Steve screaming "No!"

A gunshot booms and connects with something. Someone screams as I feel myself free falling over the side of the building.