A Heart Break In Time

You Know I'd Offer To Cook You Dinner But You Seem Pretty Miserable Already.

Clint walked up. "So that was weird."

I laughed. "Yeah, it felt weird."

"You looked like you were in a trance." Rhodey explained.

"Felt like I was in one." I rubbed at my head. "I feel really exhausted now. Sam?"

"Yeah... Me too." Sam agreed.

We turned to Wanda. "I'm sorry, I'm still trying to figure out all I can do. I didn't think-"

"It's fine, Wanda. I'm glad we got to see that."

The training room doors slammed open and in came Bruce. "The whole lab shut down. Everything. And Maria is awake."

Shit. I turned to the team. "Bruce, Shuri, T'Challa. Get the lab fixed. Kai, Angel, Eva you're staying here. FRIDAY, lock this room down when we leave. The rest of you, with me."

We all took off running toward the lab, the cell Maria was stored in was right next to it. I'm sure Bruce would have been able to stop her himself but he was likely afraid to hurt her. Natasha described him once to me as "The only man who avoids fights because he knows he can win." It summed him up quite well. He, Shuri, and T'Challa went to the lab to troubleshoot while the rest of us were ready for a fight.

When we approached the cell, Maria looked scared. I held my hands out to stop everyone. "Maria?" I spoke gently. "Maria, my name is Talia Aimilios." I said through the plastic wall separating us. Her head turned towards me but she backed up against the wall. "Your sister, Angel, told us where we could find you. I'm going to open the door, okay?"

Maria seemed to relax as I said Angel's name but her eyes were still wide. I put in the code to open the door. "Stay here." I whispered to everyone else as I started to walked through.

"Absolutely not." Steve whispered back, following me. I didn't want to argue with him in front of Maria, so I let him come. If Maria went crazy, I could use the super strength anyway.

"Maria, are you hurt?" I asked calmly. I stood three feet away from her now.

She looked at everyone behind us and then back to me. "N-no."

"I just want to help." I reassured her. She looked like she was in pain, but was untrusting of us. I couldn't blame her.

"My head." She still seemed unsure.

"Yeah, mine hurts too honestly." I turned around. "Sam, do you mind go getting Maria and I something for our head?" I turned back to Maria. "Are pills okay? We can also give you something through a syringe or IV, those will work a bit faster."

"No! No needles!" Maria stepped back like she wanted to disappear through the wall.

"Okay, pills. And water, Sam. Thank you." I smiled at him and sat on the cot we had in Maria's cell. Steve stayed by the door. Maria's eyes still stared at him. "Do you know him?" Maria opened her mouth but hesitated. "It's okay. We want to help you. We helped Angel find you."

"They-they showed us his pictures. Said he would hurt us. We were supposed to kill him and his friend first." Maria explained and Steve tensed up. We knew exactly what friend they meant. And they had him now.

I lifted my legs under me and turned my whole body to face Maria. "They lied. I know you've been there a while, so it's going to be hard for you to trust us. I understand. We're going to bring Angel in here to talk to you soon. But I wanted to talk to you first. You're safe here. Steve," I pointed behind me. "Is the most protective person I've ever met. He's selfless. If there was a grenade right there, he'd jump on it to save everyone. He's done it." Maria's eyes opened wide with that. A part of me wondered if she had similar abilities to Angel. She seemed to believe me.

"And Talia," Steve spoke while stepping forward. "Is the most forgiving and loving person I've ever met. She risked everything to save you, just because you were important to Angel. It was never even a question to her."

"You can see that, though. Can't you?" Wanda spoke from the doorway. "You're in their heads."

Maria tensed up again and I stood up. "No, it's okay. Angel does it too. I don't mind. I want you to know the truth."

"Can-can I touch you? It helps." She looked at the ground.

"Yes." I said confidently, stepping forward, hand extended.

Wanda moved closer, next to Steve. Both seemed prepared for a fight. Maria looked at my hand, eyes bouncing between me and the people behind me. "Hey." I whispered. "You're safe."

Maria grabbed my hand, it felt like my body was starting to float, but I looked down and my feet were on the ground. I felt weightless, almost drunk? I couldn't focus on anything except... Angel? I could see her in my head. When we first met. When we went shopping. In the pool. Getting ready for the party. All the memories of her flashed by. I felt... sad. I did love her. And then my mind went to finding out the truth, betrayed.

I urged my brain to focus. This is what Maria was seeing. I love Angel. I trusted her. I want to trust her. I want to trust you.

And then Maria let go of my hand.