Frostbitten

Chapter 21

I wandered around the tower alone, everyone went out for pizza and I chose to stay behind. I was still trying to get used to Tony's automated butler in the tower, J.A.R.V.I.S, as it led me toward the labs. I had remembered that Hydra had used a drug on me to keep me from having children and I wanted to try and run some tests on myself to see if that was true. After a little while I found the labs and walked right in expecting there to be no one in the room. I realized my mistake as I came in upon a rather startled Dr. Banner.

"I'm sorry." I said, "I thought everyone left to get pizza. I'll be going now."

He stopped me before I left and told me it was alright for me to stay. "I'm not a very social person." He added, "I like to stay in here most of the time where I don't have to talk to people. But I don't mind company now and then."

I walked over to his table and asked if I could see what he was working on. He moved aside to show me and tried to explain it, but most his words went over my head.

"Hey, um," I stuttered, "I read your file and I just wanted to say..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm the hulk and you're gonna fangirl over me like everyone else." He cut me off.

"No, actually. I was going to say you're an amazing scientist with an incredible mind." I continued. His head snapped up and he looked at me in shock.

"Do you really mean that?" He asked. I nodded and he smiled. "Well that's a first. You're a good person Makayla. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

I hung my head in shame and didn't say a word. I decided to go to a different part of the lab and said goodbye to Dr. Banner, leaving him in peace. I looked around at the tables and in cabinets and found some needles and decided I would start by drawing blood. I didn't really know what to do after that so I but the blood in a vile and went back to my room.

---

I sat down on the edge of my bed and realized how little sleep I had gotten the night before. I laid down on top of the blankets and soon drifted off to sleep.

I saw Natasha and Steve running. Running from something but I didn't know what. They were yelling and Natasha got shot in the shoulder as she ducked behind a car. A man in a mask aimed a gun at her and prepared to fire. Steve came running and attacked the man but the man swung his metal arm and hit Steve's shield. Metal arm! He was like me! Another thought hit like a ton of bricks; Steve was fighting the Winter Soldier. There was no way he would win on his own. I got up from where I was hiding and ran to help Steve. If he was going to die, I would die to prevent it. The Winter Soldier kicked Steve away and began shooting at him. Steve blocked the bullets with his shield and I jumped onto the soldiers back and pulled him to the ground. The soldier landed on top of me and I felt his full weight come down on my leg. I felt a sharp pain and a sickening crack filled the air. The next thing I see is the Winter Soldier with Steve's shield and Natasha is dragging me away from the fight with all her strength. The last thing I see before Natasha lays me behind a car is the soldier choking Steve with his metal arm.

"Natasha, we need to help Steve. He can't win this fight. It's impossible." I whisper. I don't hear her reply but she leaves right away and I see her looking for a gun laying around. I get up and limp to the other side of the car and my leg is numb so I feel very little pain. I watch as Steve slams his shield into the soldiers arm and it wedges between the metal plates. Steve then grabs the soldiers face and backflips him onto the ground in front of me. His mask comes off when he hits the ground and he slowly gets up to face me. I see his face and a flash of memories floods my mind in seconds.

"Frosty?" I ask slowly. A flash of recognition comes across his face but it's gone in an instant. He turns around to face Steve and Steve stops in his tracks.

"Bucky?" He says slowly. The soldier stares at him with a blank face.

"Who the hell is Bucky?" he answers then starts shooting at Steve and I scream and...

I bolt up from the bed in a cold sweat and feel a hand on my shoulder. Instinctively, I rear back and punch the person touching me. The hand leaves my shoulder in an instant and goes to the man's nose.

"Mak! What was that for?" He asks and brain clears enough for me to see Steve leaning against my bedroom wall, clutching his nose and mouth.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry Steve! I just had a nightmare and you scared me!" I explained. He pulled his hand away and wiped it on his shirt, assuring me he was fine.

"I'm a super soldier after all." He said chuckling, "I'll heal fast enough. Now, are you okay? I walked by the door and heard you screaming so I came in to see if you were alright."

I told him I was okay and just had a nightmare, not ready to share the details. He offered to get me water before he left but I declined. He wished me goodnight and closed the door on his way out. I looked at my phone, not willing to believe it was late. The clock said 9:30 and I laid back down with a sigh. Just another normal, sleepless night for me.