"Is she okay, Sam?" I asked as I moved hair away from her face.
"I'll bring her to the lab so Bruce can check her. You are staying here too. We don't need them following you home."
I laughed, "Home has my weapons." I started following him with Jessi in his arms to the door Bucky and Loki moved to the sides to let him pass.
"What weapons do you have?" Bucky asked curiously.
"Well. There is a lot. Remember I said I was from a small town?"
He nodded.
"Well, there I learned a lot of things like how to fight, how to hunt and camp. And how to gut a deer." After I said that Thor came up to us. We were still standing in the hall outside the room.
"Who is gutting something?" Thor asked, a little taken back by that statement. I just smiled.
"Ashlee was telling me what she learned from her hometown." Bucky said, "Along with...???"
"How to shoot and fight mostly. I can shoot guns and bows and rifles. I also can use knives when needed." I finished.
Thor and Bucky looked like they got it but Loki was stone faced.
"Wow, you kept busy at home." Thor said. We all started to walk to an elevator.
"Where will Jessi be?" I asked as we got in. Shockingly, Loki still followed. He was still staring at me, but I ignored him.
"So, what did you do to the guy someone taught you?" Bucky asked.
"Some yes, but most things just happen. Like I'm not incharge and someone else is taking control. I can still talk but I don't think about what I am going to do. It's weird to explain." I said as the doors to the elevator opened to a very bright room with glass walls and many clean-cut equipment.
"Ahh Jessi told Sam you lost your family at a young age, did some of those things help in that case?" I know Thor was being nice and just asking a question but when he brought it up it stopped me from breathing a little and a lot of memories came flooding back. I stopped and stood in the hall staring at the floor. I could feel someone touch my shoulder, but I was still in my brain.
"Ashlee.... you okay?" I could hear Bucky.
He sounded far away but for some reason my memories would not go away. I couldn't push them down in the little box that I put them in years ago. It kept repeating over and over again. I felt another hand on my shoulder and it squeezed my shoulder not hard, but I guess it was enough to get me back.
I shook my head trying to get rid of the last bits. "Sorry. Umm yea I guess something helped in that sense." We kept walking. I was also trying to figure out who touched me and got me back. When I came to and shook my head the hand was gone. And it was only Bucky holding my shoulder.
We got to a door and Thor opened it. When I walked in and saw Jessi. She was awake and talking to Sam.
"Jessi!" I rushed to her, and she smiled and opened her arms so I could hug her. All that happened scared the shit out of me. So, when I saw her smiling at Sam and being conscious. It was a relief.
"What did the dude want with you?" I asked when we pulled apart from our hug.
"I don't know, I'm just happy you saved me." She smiled up at me.
"Would do it again if needed, you know that sis." I smiled at her as I was sitting on the side of her bed. It looked like Jessi was out of her dress and in a baggy shirt. I was still in my dress which I was glad had two slits going up the front or I would have ripped my dress too.
"I know you would, you protect your family." she started giving my hand a squeeze.
I sadly smiled at her and looked out the window that was next to her bed.
"Sam, can I talk to Ash alone please.?" Jessi asked, smiling at Sam. He nods and walks to the door and closes it. He didn't leave, we could see him standing out there with the others.
"Ash? You know you couldn't do anything for them, but you helped me, and we stuck together right?" She said as she sat up and grabbed my jaw. She turned my face to look at her.
"I know," I sighed "but I still think I could have done something. Like warn them quicker or something" I started getting up and staking up to the window. It was dark but I wasn't really looking at anything.
"Ash, you did what you could and that's what counts. If you stayed any longer with them, you wouldn't be here with me." Jessi said, staring at my back.
"I do know that, but I hate that it haunts my ever being and it won't go away." I whispered, still not looking at her.
"How long has it been getting worse sis?" She sounded concerned.
"Since last month" I laughed a little. "I have been dealing with it but I'm so tired of the nightmares." I finally looked at her. "And when I saw you unconscious the feeling got worse. I thought he got you and I was too late." My eyes were red now and I could feel the tears that wanted to flow down my cheeks.
She held her hand out to me to come back over. I said, "I wish I knew how to get rid of all those memories and feelings, but I know you can get through all this with help." She looked behind me to Sam and the others.
I laughed, "Is that why you dragged me here?" I smiled at her.
She grinned at me. "Maybe, I know you don't like new people, but I believe they can help. You tried meds and that worked for only a few months. Maybe they will know more and also get you answers I know you still have." She smiled at Sam, and I turned to look over my shoulder and they all were looking in now.
"I don't hate new people. I just don't like talking about things unless it's people I trust and call family." I started looking back at her.
She shook her head and wiped a tear that fell from my eye.
"I also don't like getting close to people and you know why" I said looking back to the window.
"I do, it's because you can't protect a lot you keep your circle small." She added. "But they are strong and have things to help themself, so you don't need to worry about them." She grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
I gave her a small smile and took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Okay" is all I said.
She got excited. "This will help you; I believe it to be true." I shook my head at her. She looked like a kid that got a yes from her parents to go sleep over at a friend's. She waved at Sam, and he opened the door again and came in. Thor was standing there holding the door.
"Sam, she said yes to get help." I looked at her in shock.
"You talked to him about it already?" I started looking at her to Sam and back.
"I told him the cliff notes." She said with a small smile.
"She didn't give me a lot of info, but it seems that we could help you" he pointed behind himself. "Some of us have a shitty past that they are still dealing with. Maybe they could give you some pointers and help?" He added.
I just sighed and looked back out the window. "How would all this start?" I looked at Sam.
He had a small smile on his face. "Well, we would need more info to actually get a start, but we will go with how fast you want to take that. Jessi did say it was really hard for you to talk openly about that incident."
I nodded my head and kept looking at the window. "I'll try to not bore people with it all. I have tried therapy on all of it but if Jessi thinks this will help then alright."
"Jessi needs to rest, so. Thor and Bucky will show you to one of the open rooms and Nat is getting you some clothes. I don't think you want to stay in the dress?" He smiled. I gave Jessi a hug and walked to the door.
"If you need anything, get a hold of me, sis." I added with a smile. Bucky had the door open, so I was able to walk out and join Thor.
