A Troubled Mind

15 - BREATHE

FOR EVEN IF THE WHOLE WORLD BELIEVED IN
resurrection, little would change until we began to practice it. We can believe in CPR, but people will remain dead until someone breathes new life into them. And we can tell the world that there is life after death, but the world really seems to be wondering if there is life before death.
SHANE CLAIBORNE

"You did that when you signed," Steve stated, he didn't want to hurt his family, but he had tried to reason with them and they just weren't listening.

"Alright, We're done. You're gonna turn Barnes and her-" Tony stopped suddenly, as he turned his attention to the woman standing next to Steve to see her on the ground.

"Holy shit," Tony uttered, running over to the woman that now lay motionless on the ground.

"Tony what are you-" Steve started but immediately stopped seeing Allison on the ground. He immediately started into action, falling to his knees beside her.

"Friday," Tony questioned his AI, looking down at her to see her body lightly convulsing on the ground.

"She seems to be having a seizure, sir," Friday responded, her automated voice ringing through his ears.

"Tony! What is happening!" Steve yelled, bringing his attention back to the woman.

"She's seizing, hold her head still," Tony commanded, sending Steve flying to her head, holding her head as still as possible without hurting her. The whole group on the ground was gathered around the two men by now, swarming them with concerned looks on their faces. This woman was unknown and dangerous but she required help and that's what they did, all of them, saved people. As Steve supported her head he could hear the chatter blasting in his ear, realizing that he had a whole team set up out of view he pressed a hand up against the com in his ear, silencing anyone but him as he made the announcement.

"Stand down, Allison's down, you might wanna get down here Buck," his authoritative voice set the tone. No later had Steve stopped speaking when Allison stilled, causing Steve to jolt his head up towards Tony.

"Boss, her pulse has bottomed out, no vital signs," Friday informed, her calm voice doing little to settle Tony's nerves.

"Shit! Friday get a jet here now!" He yelled, shoving Steve out of the way as he started compressions.

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10..

James came flying out of his position, bolting for the crowd that had now formed around his wife. "Move!" He yelled, pushing his way to her, but as soon as he saw her he froze. Tony was over her pressing her chest in a steady beat as Steve sat by her side in utter shock. Her skin was pale and her body relaxed, still. She had never been still, not once since he had met her. Allison was always moving, doing the next thing, constantly. It was then that he let himself feel it, letting out a scream in agony as he fell to his knees and cried.

11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20..

Steve saw the look on his best friend's face as he fell to the ground, a scream spilling from his lips that rattled Steve to his core. He had never heard such pain, agony, and loss come from his friend and here he was sobbing on the floor over a woman. Steve knew she was important to James they were married for Christ's sake, but he wasn't sure if it was just Hydra manipulating them further making a connection they didn't have. However, seeing the look of utter and complete anguish on his friend's face proved him otherwise.

21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30..

James was now by her side looking down at her lifeless body, tears falling onto her face as they dropped from his cheeks. He leaned over pleading with her to stay with him, that he loved her, and that he couldn't do this without her.

"Boss, she's showing no signs of life, recommending professional medical assistance," Friday informed, after tony completed his compressions he ordered Bucky to give her rescue breaths.

"I have someone coming to assist you in bringing her back, she is almost here," T'Challa spoke up from the crowd, making his way into the inner circle.

"Fuck!" James suddenly sobbed, shoving his way out of the circle of people. Steve instantly tried to get up and comfort his best friend, but Friday's voice instantly stopped him in his tracks.

"Brain oxygen levels nearing catastrophic levels, immediate medical attention needed," the female voice warned, her voice blaring out of Tony's helmet.

"Shit. Cap take over compressions, cat man!" Tony called, pulling T'Challa's attention away from the lifeless woman at his feet. "Yeah, you. How soon can you get your guy here?" He rushed, moving away from Allison to let Steve take over.

"Five minutes," he responded, turning his remorseful gaze back down to Allison.

"You got two," Tony ordered, also looking back down at Allison. He immediately felt all the fight, hate, and anger leave his body as he watched, almost helplessly as this wicked woman fought for her life. She might have done things, horrible, awful, and unspeakable things, but this woman looked exhausted. Her skin was a grayish pale, her cheeks were more hallow, and her eye bags were darker than he's ever had to deal with. Tony knew from that moment, finally taking in how helpless and yielded she had been lying on that concrete, he knew that he wasn't going to do a single thing to harm this woman. At that moment, when Tony looked at her stiff body he felt a warm, protective feeling overcome him, one that he wasn't familiar with. It didn't matter how old she was or what she had done, this woman was fully and completely innocent, and Tony would give his life to keep her safe. Steve put his whole body into his compressions, trying his damndest to save his best friend's wife. Whether or not he wanted to admit it, this woman was family now, and he would do everything in his power to protect her. Steve could feel the crack of her ribs as he pushed too hard, lightening up with a wince, if- no when she woke up that was going to hurt like a bitch. A low rumble suddenly ate away at everyone's thoughts, a sleek jet appearing seemingly out of no where, landing with expert precision. A team of wakandan's filed out in haste, running with a stretcher being pushed along side them. A set of four doctors pulled around, quickly settling down next to Allison to start their assessment. James ran up to Steve, taking over compressions, tears streaming down his face in strong rivers.

"Sh-she was j-just fine a second ago, I-I don't," James stuttered, his sentence cut off as another sob wracked his body, so aggressive his arms and legs shook with effort to keep his body stable.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to take a step back and breathe," a calm feminine voice soothed, a tiny hand gently landing on his shoulder. He immediately looked at the woman assessing the threat, but there was none. "We are going to do everything we can sir, just please step back and give us some room to help her," she pleaded, her smooth, soft voice comforting. James did as told, backing off, landing into a sitting position. He pulled his knees up close to his chest, arms encircling them as he finally let go, bawling in sorrow for the love of his life.

"You! Yes, you in the suit, what happened," the woman then turned to Tony, her calm demeanor still present, but gone was the comforting tone. This woman was strong and knew what she was doing, Tony could only hope that the rest of this woman's team was just as capable. Steve watching the exchange, his eyes narrowing in on her strong face, and specifically her chestnut colored hair. Something in him was screaming that he knew her, but he couldn't for the life of him remember from when.

"She just dropped out of no where, I don't know anything about her, but she's been without a pulse for about twenty minutes," Tony informed, the waiver in his voice shocking him, he cared about the random woman on the ground, why?

"Thank you," she nodded, turning back to help her team in loading Allison onto the stretcher before rushing back to their jet.

"WAIT," James screamed, his voice desperate. Everyone froze, waiting for the next shoe to drop, waiting for him to lose control, but that moment never came. James was a grieving husband, vulnerable without his wife, but he was still in control.

"We need to take her back to Shuri, you can come with us, but you need to stay out of the way, got it," the same mysterious woman's voice ordered, looking at the man with sympathy. James immediately nodded, rushing after them with Steve close on his trail. The rest of the team would meet them wherever they were going later, T'Challa included.

( 1491 )
( July 2nd, 2022 )