The Original Genius

23 - Wilderness

-back to Evie's perspective-

You'd been wandering around in the overgrown woodland for hours. Traipsing through the thick, crunchy snow, shivering.

You had managed to either kill or outrun the Hydra agents. You were heading south, well if you were being honest with yourself, you had no idea which way you were going.

You were cold, scared, but you were also pumped with adrenaline, it was a rush to go through what you went through, you understood why people wanted to join the army and fight in the war.

But it still didn't measure up to a rush you get when you get a formula right, when some technology works, when a presentation pays off and you win contracts.

Nothing quite met that feeling...

You noticed it was starting to get dark... quick.

"Damn it! Well if this is how I die, least it was for something good" You mutter to yourself.

Then you hear the dull roar of a struggling engine ahead. You see the headlights beam through the various tree trunks ahead of you, you quickly scan the area and jump behind a mound of snow.

Your breathing was quick, but you had to do your best to hold it... because of the cold, your breathe was visible, so breathing would have literally got you killed.

"Don't be Hydra. Don't be Hydra. Please, please, please." You think to yourself, your heart was skipping beats in the anticipation. Then you heard the car stop. The engine and lights still on, but the crunching and crackling of snow under the tyres had stopped.

A door opened.

Crunch. The noticeable sound of someone stepping on fresh snow.

Door was slammed shut.

Steps being made, you couldn't quite locate them. You buried yourself as close to the mound as you could to hide yourself behind it. You even turned your head towards it to breathe against it and hide your own breath.

You heard them coughing. Shivering, dithering.

"Dammit girl. I can't go back to Howard without you."

You hear a familiar voice speak. It calmed you, but then your overthinking mind had scenarios running through your head. It was a trap. A Hydra agent captured him. He was a part of it. He wanted you to lower your guard.

You tut at your own paranoia and worrisome ways and edge your head above the mound to catch a glimpse of whoever it was.

And it was the most comforting thing you could ever wish for.

"Colonel?" You whisper.

The Colonel whips round with a hopeful, happy and tearful look on his face "Evelyn?"

You don't respond, ensuring there wasn't anything else going on. You wanted to be absolutely certain you weren't falling into anyone's traps that would put you or anyone else in danger.

"Evie darling. Come out, please? Let me take you back to Howard" He speaks softly and watches around for the same reasons you stayed quiet. In case it was a trap, in case any harm come to him.

You take a deep breathe and stand up, he locks eyes with you and smiles from ear to ear.

"Evie"

"Marcus"

You run and embrace him, both of you slightly sob. It was only a few hours but felt like days. You just wanted to go home.

But first...

"Did-did St-steve and B-B-Bucky make it?"

The last few hours were a blur and you were struggling to remember all of the facts..

"They did evie, they did thanks to you." He holds onto your face, stroking your cheeks.

"Come on missus, let's get you in somewhere warm and get some water in you."

"Don't worry Colonel, I've had some snow." You grin.

He laughs, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. "I hope it wasn't yellow Evie."

You both burst out into laughter, as you tredge over to the armoured truck he arrived in. Medic van. Very clever. Not even Hydra would attack a medic van.

As you step onto the step and hoist yourself into the passenger side of the warm truck. You could feel the difference, it wasn't much warmer but it was still warmer than those woods and it made all the difference to you. Then a cold waft of wind hits you as the Colonel enters the drivers side of the truck.

He smiles at you, reaching behind you and pulling a blanket from the back, you wrap yourself in it and he rubs your shoulder before putting the truck into gear and making a u-turn.

"Let's get you to your man."

"Ex-excuse me?" You ask in shock.

"Oh evie, don't even play dumb. Everyone knows about you and Howard, except you and Howard." He laughs. Driving carefully but fast through the snow, tracing his own tracks back to base.

You sat back, looking out the window, thinking about what the Colonel said.

You knew how you felt about Howard, but was it mutual and if it was, how did you never notice? Is this a recent development? Or an old feeling?

"Evie?" The Colonel's voice snaps your focus back.

"Yes Marcus?" You ask.

"Get some sleep instead of overthinking. I'll wake you when we're nearly there to make you presentable." He winks and you can't help but laugh.

And of course the first thing you see as you close your eyes is Howard.

It was definitely time to talk to him.