Winter's Soulmate | Winter Soldier ✔

Chapter Seventeen

~Winter's POV~

Three days.

It was our third day here.

I woke early. It was still dark, the curtains pulled tightly over the windows, a splinter of faint light breaking around the edges.

Amelie was asleep. She slept a lot here. More than she had done when we were running.

At least she was healing when she was asleep.

She seemed happy here. Faint smiles, she was eating, but she was tearful. Maybe it was the painkillers, maybe it was the adrenaline burning out, who knows. But her emotions wavered moment to moment.

She was polite to everyone.

The happiest was when she saw her mother.

Maybe I should reach out to her.

What was her name... Mrs Parker.

Parker... was it a month she was named after? June? April?

It was a spring month, maybe summertime.

Why can't I remember that?

Her cousin was important to her too. I had met him now, the jealousy fading now I knew their relation.

I knew there was a voice in the walls. JARVIS. I could ask him.

No I couldn't.

Yes I could.

I couldn't leave Amelie could I? Would she be safe if I left the room?

I swung a leg out of bed, sliding carefully onto the carpet. My feet sunk into the plush rug... how could one square of rug be more soft and comfortable than anything in my life in the last... how many years have I done this? Been on the run? 

I picked my bag up, and placed it in the seat next to the bed. I opened it up, finding the most recent notebook and opened it to the next spare page.

Amelie Parker. Mother.

I flicked back, eyes scanning for dates, times, years.

How long was I the Winter Soldier?

Was I born a soldier?

Is this who I was born to be?

My chest ached as strong as my head. I squeezed my hand over my forehead, trying to balance the ache, trying to force it away.

I staggered to the door, creaking it open slightly.

I slipped out, but didn't shut the door. I could still see Amelie around the corner, the covers rising with her breaths.

I scanned the hallway, making sure I was completely alone. "JARVIS?"

His voice was quiet, and luckily Amelie didn't flinch as I had. "Yes."

I squeezed my shaking hand into a fist, ignoring the twisting and clenching of my stomach. "What is Amelie's mothers name?"

"May Parker. Her cousin is called Peter."

The tense feeling faded slightly. "Thank you." I muttered at a smudge on the wall.

There was silence. Almost like the voice knew I was finished.

I stepped back inside, shut the door and checked the lock was secured.

Amelie rolled over as I slid back under the covers, her hand finding my chest as she sighed. She was still asleep, snuffling a little as she curled back up.