Summer's End - Bucky and Mel Universe 1

Something Wicked This Way Comes

James was always on time, never late, kept his word, and made sure he heard her laugh at least once a day even if it was through a phone call.  She did take that Monday off.  It was the first day she had ever taken off from work.  She understood that sometimes missions would keep them apart but it made meeting together again so much sweeter.  There was something that loomed over her head.  She still didn't visit Dr. Strange.
One day, a note came to James at the compound from Dr. Strange.  It had his address and nothing more.  James had a sinking feeling in his stomach.  He learned over the years to trust these feelings.
"What's wrong hon?" Mel asked, "You are definitely letting me kick your butt today."
"We need to visit Dr. Strange," James was looking down like he was regretting something.
"Oh the doctor you told me about, from before Halloween.  You act like this is a bad thing."  She was walking back to a ready position.  She enjoyed James showing her new moves and fighting styles, it allowed him to practice and her to let off steam.  She practiced in her transmuted state, while she could feel impacts, he could try as hard as he could and not really hurt her.
"Sometimes, it's more than a social call."
"So, let's make it a social call, then.  Keep the ball in our court."
"Sometimes you know, you are a little too positive for your own good," he teased.
"Oh it is what you love about me the most, admit it." She hit him hard in the ribs, she knew she could never physically hurt him, she was faster than him after all.  He held up the time out sign.  She gave him a hand up and he pulled her under his arm.  She didn't care, they were both going to hit the shower after this in his apartments at the compound.  It had become her home away from home.  If she had school the next day, he took her in on the bike on nice days.  On rainy days, he took her in one of the cars from the motor pool.  She took shifts in the kitchen cooking meals.  Sparred with the other members, worked with Bruce in the labs.  Her life was exactly where she hoped it would be.
"Ah, Ms. Cymraeg, it is nice of you to visit us."  Dr. Strange lolled.
"I was told that you wished for me to visit, though I do not know why."  James was holding her hand tight saying nothing.
"Well it is not often that I meet someone of your unusual talents."
"Talents?"
"Let me explain, when you saved Mr. Totopolis' life, you stopped his soul from crossing over.  Not many people can do that, fewer still can put a soul back into someone's body.   Did you know that is what you can do?"
"No, I tried it once on a dog, and passed out for a couple of hours.  Mr. Totopolis was significantly larger than me so I guess the recovery time for me is proportionate to the size of who I was saving."
"That would be a correct assumption.  You could avoid the whole thing if you did it in your transmutted state."  How did he know, Mel thought.
Dr. Strange continued, "What you don't know is that you have a great deal more abilities than you know, you haven't tapped into them yet.  Please sit."
He ushered them to a set of chairs and handed Mel a cup of tea.  James rested his hand on her thigh.
"What do you know about yourself?" Dr. Strange asked.
"That is a strange question.  I was found on the steps of St. Mark's Church, bloody, raped, didn't talk for a year.  Was adopted a few years later, both of my adoptive parent killed in a violent car crash, yet I survived.  Fast forward, teaching helped Mr. Totopolis, passed out, got better, and am now here."  She said it as fast as she could in one breath.  She felt like she was a mouse being toyed with by a cat.
"The tests they performed before that lawyer showed up and ruined everything," Dr. Strange continued, Mel bristled at 'that lawyer' like it was an injury, "The Asgaardian cradle results were most revealing.  I continued a few tests while you were recovering, they only confirmed what the cradle indicated."
"Ok, mmmm, it sounds like this is a set up for something, yet I have no idea what."
"Here try this, put his on, think of a place you'd like to go, hold out your other hand and circle that has the ring on."  Dr. Strange instructed as she put the sling ring on, not knowing what it is.
"Ok," she did as instructed and her studio appeared on the other side of a portal.  She wasn't really trying, only doing one circle.
"Huh, that took me almost a month to master.  Before we go further, do languages just come naturally to you."
"Yeah," she said as she tossed back the ring.  "I have no idea where you are going with all of this.  Can you cut to the chase, please?"
"The cradle, you see is a piece of Asgaardian tech, it reads all sorts of stuff that earth's machines don't pick up.  It can tell if you are human or alien, god or demon, or something else."  James began to explain.  "Thor's people shared lots of tech with us."
"So, when all those 23 and me tests I took years of ago came back not reading anything, they were on to something back then?"  She joked, "So, I'm an alien?"
"I wish it were that simple...."  Dr. Strange began.
"God, things aren't going to start like popping out of me will it?"
"No, but ..."
"James, I'm so sorry if I laid eggs in you and they will eat you from the inside."
"That's not helping," James said.
"I'm being serious," she was getting frustrated.  Never in her life had someone taken so long to tell her something.
"I was hoping for alien, no it's demon.  I really suck at life if that is what I am supposed to be so I guess that is a good thing."  Mel was raking her fingers through her hair.
"Babe, settle down."  James grabbed her face with both hands, "Look at me.  Mel, look at me.  What ever it is, we will get through this together.  Ok?"
"I just don't want to hurt anyone."
"I know you don't want to, babe.  Even heroes can do bad things and villains can do good."
"God, what will the kids say...."
"Strange, he to the point, quickly." James stated.
"You're an angel."  Dr. Strange stated flatly.
"Like a cherubim?  From a Valentine's Day card."
"Yes and no.  Not the chubby little kid in a diaper that wings and shoots arrows of love exactly."  Dr. Strange began.
"The scars on your back they look like wings for a reason.  For angels to become mortal or somewhat mortal, they need to have their wings removed.  It's either by choice or it as a punishment."  Dr. Strange began.
The air around them changed and it was like they were in a ball of light as Dr. Strange's story took place.
Eons ago, when the universe was young, gods and demons existed.  There was order and chaos.  They developed all that we know and don't know, set up rules and how everything functions.  They created worlds, people, civilizations, soon, in some places they faded into the background.  In other instances, they came to the forefront.  Magic and science are the same, it is really the interpretation of each and how it started to be discovered in how it earned it's name.  That is why in Thor's world, things are magic and in our world, things are science.  Throughout time, gods and demons formed alliances, had relations so to say both with each other's and mortals.  The different combinations brought about those like you who were not god, not demon, but not mortal.  They excelled in the arts and sciences, they knew languages before they were spoken, could talk to animals and heal the sick.  Sometimes they were there to help, sometimes not.  IT depended on what side recruited them first.  That of light or that of darkness.  When wars happened between the different groups, gods and demons were not easy to kill.  Angels on the other hand, once their wings were removed, could be dealt with.  Often this occurred to get revenge upon a god or a demon.
The sphere dissolved and they were back in their chairs.
"You, my dear are an angel sired by a god.  This gives you the ability to transmute as you do.  The speed, strength, healing, those are all things given to you as a gift from your god parent.  From what I can determine, you have more powers.  I'd like to train you if you're willing."
Mel nibbled her bottom lip, "Can I think about it?  I'm pretty happy with my life right now, why complicate things?"
James, squeezed her hand, "Thank you, Dr. Strange, if there is nothing else, I think we will be going now."
Once they left, James turned toward her stating, "Are you really happy with your life?"
"Hm?  Yes, as long as I have you in it it is pretty wonderful." She snuggled into his side as they walked.  He could notice something was eating at her though.  Throughout the day it became more and more evident.
When they got back to her apartment, he started to rub her shoulders.  He could feel the tension in her body.  He ached to make her feel better but knew it was no use making her talk.  She kissed his hand in her shoulder and nuzzled it with her cheek.
"I'm going to take a long soak, if you'd like to join me," she offered.
What James loved about her place was the tub, it really was big enough for two to comfortably soak and it had heaters to keep the water hot longer.  It really helped after some tough missions to just sit and soak there.
"Only if you add bubbles," he smiled.
He sat behind her caressing her arms and shoulders.  She loved candles, if anything for the soft light they created.  She wasn't like other girls where everything had to be scented.  James reveled in her natural ginger smell she gave off.  It always blew his mind that she never wore perfume or anything and smelled so great.  She wetted a wash cloth, squeezed it and put it over her eyes.
"What's wrong my love?"  He asked.
"My brain won't turn off,"
"Would you like me to turn it off for you," he was nipping her neck now.
"As much as I'd like that, I'm just worried."
"Your worries are my worries, talk to me."
"Strange only said I had god genes in me, he didn't say what the other half was or why my wings were taken.  I mean what if I'm part demon and my wings were removed as punishment.  Not that having you in my life is punishment.  A lot of before we met was pretty tough."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"It's not very romantic, it's going to feel weird talking about things like this."
"We can always get out."  He teased.  James knew she loved her baths.  He was thinking of adding on to his rooms at the compound.  What he really wanted was to have her move in with him on a full time basis.  It would be safer for her at he compound when he was away.  He always worried about her being alone when he was gone.
"No, this feels too goo right now.  Right before the snap, Eric went o a trip.  When he returned, that was when we found out he had cancer.  It metastasized quickly, I couldn't heal him.  We were engaged, he didn't want to die before we got married.  We got married in the hospital.  As he was dying, he disappeared.  Eventually, I had a funeral for him.  Then everyone came back and it was like he was dying again.  I tried so hard to keep him from dying, I couldn't save him.  This time he died in my arms.  I don't understand why I can do some people and not others.  It scares me that I have this power to begin with, to not have it for someone I care about is maddening."
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that.  I don't know how to make it better for you and I wished to god, I could take the hurt and pain from you."
"The others, they keep asking me if I would go with you guys.  That's one of the reasons, I don't want to go.  If something happened to you and I couldn't fix it, I would never forgive myself."
"Actually, I think you would be the most distracting thing on a mission.  I couldn't keep my head focused."  He squeezed her harder and kissed the top of her head.  He continued, "I think you would be the best addition to the team.  You know how to do so much, a little more training, I don't see why you couldn't come along."
"Thanks James, I appreciate it."
"You have a huge heart, a good head on your shoulders, ability to improvise when needed.  You always looking for the best options for anyone involved.  You handle yourself really well under pressure.  You're selling yourself short.  Maybe take Strange up on his offer, think about it ok."
"To be in control, would be best.  I'm afraid of losing control.  I did once and if a friend wasn't there to stop me, someone could have gotten seriously hurt."
"Who was it that stopped you?"
"Matt, I know you two don't get along well.  He really does have a good side, he gets over protective of me.  To him, I'm still that hurt little girl at the orphanage that wasn't speaking.  Please try with him for me, please?"
"Ok, for you anything."
They soaked in blissful silence until a stomach grumbled.
"Ok, you are pruny enough, time for you to get out."
Getting out of the tub was always something, he couldn't keep his hands to himself.  She knew it was always in good fun.  Mel thought he did it on purpose to make her laugh and smile.  It was now late November.  James had drawers and half the closet to himself, Mel let him us the mirror in the bathroom as she used the one on the dresser.  Blow drying her hair, she always walked around doing other things at the same time.  It always amazed him how she could coordinate it all.  She chose jeans, cowboy boots, a cream v neck sweater, a few layers of necklaces, and hoop earrings.  She placed her hair up in a messy bun.  She grabbed her tan Sherpa lined leather jacket, she loved that jacket.
"Your ears are going to get cold."
"No they won't, you always cover them up to warm them up before giving a smooch."  She said winking but grabbed a hat anyway.
"That's my good girl."
"Am I your good girl?"
"Baby, you're everything I could hope for and more." He breathed into her ear as he kissed her.
James always looked spectacular in grays and blacks, he started to work in other colors.  Tonight it was a burgundy.
"I love that you always wear the necklace I gave you." He said as he played with the single bead.
"It makes it feel like you are always with me even when you're not around."
"Now let's get some drinks, play some pool, and have a great night together."
James always made it a great night whenever they were out.  He loved the idea of her being his and only his.  It was obvious the only man she saw when they were out was him.  Sometimes he would catch a guy try to hit on her as she came back from the bar or the bathroom, she was always polite and just kept going.  If someone got too over confident, she put him in his place.  He always thought it was funny when she did it taking on guys much larger than her.  Very seldomly did he have to step in.  She definitely got her dander up sometimes, he would just smile at how she couldn't understand while others couldn't figure out she was off the market.
Pool was one of her favorite things to do with him.  She was pretty proficient at it, but she feigned being terrible.  She loved how he would touch and guide her into position to help her get a shot.  Even without drinking she was bright and bubbly with him on their nights out together.  He never saw her drunk or buzzed for that matter, she always stopped before she got ahead.  If she was driving, she didn't drink at all.  Most of the time, James insisted on driving.  He loved to take her on his bike just to be closer to her.  She made him forget who he was and he could just be himself.