Give me a sign!

25. Nothing Else Matters

The title refers to a song of Metallica that I was listening while writing this chapter.
And, as usual, it didn't change, I still didn't like Tony.

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- ... Return! she suddenly heard.

She blinked as her helmet opened.
The sun was shining and the birds were singing, and here it had been only a few seconds since she had left.
It was the first time she came back from a quantum journey.

She became aware of the pain in her thigh.
All eyes were already on it.
A red spot was beginning to form on her quantum suit.
She felt herself wobble, and felt something catch her and support her.
Turning her head, she saw that Kobik was at her side.

- What happened to you?! she worried, asking aloud the question that everyone was asking.

- Senior ordered me to be shot, said Nastya in a voice much weaker than she had expected.

She felt herself wavering.
Bucky was already at her side, soon joined by Steve.
Nastia smiled, then fainted.

Nastia thought she saw Bucky and Kobik hugging her. Then they left with Steve, and they adopted a golden retriever and lived happily on the farm.
Then everything went black, then there was a big white light, and Nastia was floating in a pure white place, immaculate, where there was a soft heat.
Then everything became black again.

- ...stia! Nastia! Nastia!

Someone was calling her.

Who?

She felt that someone was holding her. She was moving. No. She was being carried. To where? Somewhere else.

This explanation seemed to satisfy her.

Who was calling her again?

Someone was holding her hand. It was another hand. Small, cold. Cold, but giving off an incredible warmth. She couldn't explain it.

- Everything will be fine, a distant voice whispered. It sounded like Bucky's voice.

Nastia wanted to believe it and chose to believe it. Everything would be all right. She lost consciousness again.

When she opened her eyes again, she was in a white hospital room.
Alone.

She panicked and tried to get up, but a nurse who had just entered stopped her. He explained things to her, certainly, but she didn't have her hearing aids. She panicked even more.
The nurse looked like a fish drowning in air, opening and closing his mouth to form words and phrases that made no sense to the girl.
She tried to calm herself down little by little, and finally succeeded. She signaled to the nurse that she could not hear her, and he was confused.

It was only then that Nastia realized that her headphones were on the bedside table. She felt very stupid. She put them back, and could hear the inspector explaining her that her wound was healed but that it would leave a scar and that it would be necessary to go slowly and to make rehabilitation.
Nastia nodded and the man left.

It was probably Stark who had paid for the hospital room. The good thing about money was that it meant that no one would ask too many questions.
On the other hand, a black girl getting shot in the U.S. was unfortunately not that surprising.

Asimov told her that she had been in the doghouse for... She didn't want to know.
He did tell her that it was 2:30pm.

The AI didn't add that Bucky, Steve and Kobik had found her plans for portals to bring Bat back, with her Elvish notes on them, and that the one where the girl compared the Tesseract to a cube of crumb bread had made them laugh.

Bucky, Kobik and Steve arrived at about three o'clock. Kobik jumped into the arms of Nastia, who was lying down because she had been asked to, even though it was a pain in the ass, I must admit.

- Tasia! smiled the little girl.
We were so worried about you!

- Hi Koko, the teenager replied, returning the hug.

- That's right, said Steve, confirming the little girl's words, while Bucky simply nodded his head.

- Hi Buck, hi Steve, said the girl waving her left hand.
But you can take the nuclear garbage back to where you got it, she added, pointing to a spot behind the two adults.

- Excuse me? said Steve, turning around at the same time as Bucky, in a perfectly coordinated movement.

Behind them stood Tony Stark.

- Hello too, said Tony.

- What the hell are you doing here? said the teenager without any preamble and without any delicacy

- I'd like to know how a .44 magnum military bullet from the 60s got into your leg.

- Your father ordered the military to shoot me, she answered as if it were perfectly obvious.

- Excuse me?!

- Yep. I'm sick and tired of the Starks, all generations combined, and I can't see them anymore, even in paint!

- Why would Howard give that order?

- Oh, he thought I was a Soviet spy trying to steal the Tesseract.

- WHAT?!

- Long story.

- How long did you stay after I left, Anastasia? asked Steve in a very serious tone.

- About four months, Steven, she replied in the same tone.

- I'm sorry?!

- Four months?!

- I needed time. I had something to do.

- ... And you were able to do it?

- ... Almost.
By the way, she said, changing the subject, I met Bonnie and Connie! You know, the girls from the '43 Star Expo!

- Seriously? exclaimed Bucky in disbelief.

- Yep!

- How are they doing?

- They were fine when I left, and that was in 1970. Two little old ladies who are on fire!

- Ahahah, laugh Bucky, I recognize them there! Did they tell you that I covered for them when they went out?

- Yes they did.

Kobik was too quiet, it was strange.
Suddenly she seemed to wake up and said:

- When is Tasia coming out?

- As soon as possible, I hope! the teenager exclaimed, looking at Tony, hoping to go out that evening, which the adult confirmed with a nod.

- Thank you, Junior, she smiled.

- What's for dinner tonight? asked Kobik.

- French fries? proposed Steve

- Oh yes! French fries! the little girl agreed, jumping up and down with joy.

The teenager was able to leave the hospital, but had to walk with a crutch, which made her grumble.

On the way back to the car, while Kobik and Bucky were singing songs and Steve was driving, Nastya, leaning against the back window of the car, was watching the scenery pass before her eyes. This long day was finally coming to an end.

That evening, during the meal, Nastia told in long and in short what she had done during these four months, omitting big details, as for example her project of inter-world portal.
She dwelt more on the Elvis concert, of which she sent the video to Tolkienson.

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The sentence in the beginning « It was the first time she came back » made me cry