Winter's Soulmate | Winter Soldier ✔

Chapter Twenty Seven

~Winter's POV~

"So who is Wade?"

"Er," Amelie wrinkled her nose as she paused, "He was a normal guy, then went through something, got bad scars so wears a suit, and finds actual bad people and kills them. But not like the Avengers did, he does it all by himself. And... he found Peter."

"Oh." I sipped the herbal tea Amelie made me, trying to let it soothe my worries. I had been to four therapy sessions and was working on my latest piece of homework - identifying my support network and explaining how they could help me, and I could help them.

Wade had appeared at mine and Amelie's door three nights ago, in a red and black suit, with a bouquet of flowers and chocolate to thank Amelie for being kind to him.

Amelie said she only met him once, whenever she tried to find Peter over the last week he had been at his classes or 'just going out to see someone'.

"Who have you put so far?" Amelie was perched on the counter, legs swinging next to my arm as I stared at the notebook.

"You and May."

"And?"

"And what?" I looked up at her as she frowned at me, eyes glancing from mine to the page.

"And who else? You have people here who support you. I think your therapist counts."

I shook my head, "Dr Smith says I need people outside of therapy sessions."

"Well," Amelie slid off the counter and began digging through the cupboards, "there are plenty of people here in your support network."

I paused, my pen resting against the paper, "I don't think so." I wracked through my mind, "just you two."

Amelie placed a box of eggs and bag of flour in front of me, eyes narrowing on mine, "am I allowed to help or do you have to make the connections yourself?"

I shrugged, "If you think that people here want to help me and not just tolerate me-"

"You used to work with Nat and she helps you to calm down, Thor sparred with you when you were worried about the soldier coming back, Steve set up a whole conference room to put a name to your past, Tony let's you live here rent free and found the therapist for you, Bruce sits with you when you get overwhelmed... everyone here doesn't just tolerate you, Winter dont say that. They support you."

She let her words linger, before pulling a bowl out of the cupboard and shook some sugar into it.

I considered her words, letting them sink in. Nat spoke to me in Russian when she wanted to get through to me - because she knew me, and wants to help. I had sparred two more times with Thor, as he was the only person I trusted to overtake the Soldier if he did come back.

Amelie was right.

Of course she was right.

I stood up and walked slowly around the table. She looked up, eyes twinkling with a smile as she put the wooden spoon into the bowl.

I scooped her into my arm, holding her closely to me, nuzzling into her hair. It smelt of her shampoo, her perfume seeping around my nose.

She pulled back a little, kissing my lips softly, "I'm sorry if I ruined your homework."

"You didn't, you helped me. You've always helped me."

Flickers of my past were returning through my therapy. Not a lot, but enough that I was piecing together my history.

I remembered thinking of Amelie when I was locked in rooms, being tortured. I remember hearing her voice through someones phone, seeing her smiling as she worked behind the bar - long before she knew I existed.