The Seventh Avenger - (Marvel x OC)

CH 2.29 The Healing

Carol's hand shook as she tried to unlock the front door, petrified that she'd find Andrew bleeding on the floor again. She closed her eyes and took a long deep breath. She turned the key in the lock and opened the door...

Andrew slowly opened his eyes and smiled at Carol, happy to see that she'd come back.

"Hey, baby" Andrew spoke softly, everything still hurt from his beatings.

"Hi" was the only response he got. Carol hadn't looked him in the eyes yet. She walked by Andrew on the couch and went straight for the kitchen.

"It's good to see you, Carol."

"I'm glad you're alive" Carol replied solemnly, still averting her eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be alive? I'm fine" Andrew heard a cabinet open and close.

"How am I supposed to know that?" Carol asked, clearly holding back emotions.

"I--"

"Last time I saw you, you left to 'stop him' half dead. I didn't see you for the rest of that day, I assumed you were--" Carol's voice broke.

"I'm...sorry" Andrew sighed.

"It's fine" Carol huffed and sat on the end of the couch by Andrew's legs.

"I don't thi-- what are you doing?" Andrew interrupted himself after noticing the bottle of whiskey in Carol's hand.

"Really? Carol asked wiping her mouth after taking a swing straight from the bottle. "Judgement? From you?"

"That's not--" Andrew stopped himself. "I just don't think it's...healthy."

"I'm fine" Carol scoffed.

The two sat in painful silence for about a minute before Carol spoke up.

"How could you do that to me?"

"What?"

"How could you lie to me for a year?" Carol finally looked at Andrew, pain and sadness written all over her face.

"I...didn't want to."

"That makes it better" Carol sneered.

"I was--"

"Did you lie about anything else?"

Andrew froze. He had crafted such an effective web of lies even he didn't know where it ended.

"Oh my god," Carol chuckled and brought the large bottle to her mouth again.

"I'm sorry" Andrew pleaded.

"Sorry doesn't fix anything, Andrew!" Carol snapped.

"I know."

"I love you more than anything...and you've lied to me every chance you got. Was anything real?"

"The love I have for you...that was real."

"Bullshit" Carol groaned.

"It's true" Andrew sighed.

"I have no way of knowing that...you made sure of that."

"You're everything to me, Carol" Andrew muttered softly.

"I'm going to bed" Carol murmured, standing up and starting to walk away with the whiskey still in hand.

"Carol!" Andrew yelled after her as she started down the hallway.

"No!" She shouted back. Tears welling in her eyes as she slammed the door to their bedroom shut. A tear rolled down Andrew's cheek. He laid on the couch too injured to get up...alone with his thoughts...