Sunflower

67

The moment the door shut I lift my hands, letting the cuffs fall onto the floor. I stood up, walking to the glass, leaning against it with my back. Slowly I slid down, eventually sitting on the floor. I brought my knees up to my chest as I dropped my head to rest on them. I pressed my forehead to my skin, folding my arms around my legs.

The images of Emrys explaining to Dean why I wasn’t home yet burned into my eyes. I couldn’t  bare how scared Dean was. We have never been apart for so long. I just needed to know they were safe, both of them. I left them at the beach house, saying I was going to buy groceries.

Goodness it was a mistake to move back to NYC. We had to stay overseas. It was safer there for Dean. Even worse: if Tony traced my steps back to the beach house and they found my boy, I’d be sold.

Footsteps broke my thought, but not position and tears. They entered the room, suddenly stopping. I was out of their eyesight, which probably made them panic. The chair was empty with the cuffs on the floor. Their feet moved again, sounding calm, while walking around the cage. The louder they became, the more I knew they were walking closer to me. By the sound of it, they would be right behind me, where they stopped.

I swear if Tony stood there right now-

“Amber?” a voice asked, suddenly numbing my spine. He was calm, but yet happy and sad.

My head lift up, looking at the chair in front of me. I knew who he was.

How could I forget his voice?

Slowly I stood up, before turning around, meeting his ocean eyes. He looked down at me, his eyes teary and stolen by mine. My heart shattered seeing him again. Only he, was the person I wished not to see.

“Steve,” I whispered, looking at his eyes. “I can’t believe it’s you?"

Gently he placed his hand on the glass, his fingers spread out. Gently I placed mine in front of his, just wishing the glass could disappear and allow me to hold him in my arms again.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” he whispered, looking me right in the eyes. “How are you?”

I felt my eyes tear up more than they already were. “I’m okay. I- I’m alive.”

“For a moment I thought you were gone. I was really worried about you.”

I that moment I refused to believe him. I pulled my hand away from the glass and against my chest. Slowly I took a few steps back, pulling my eyes away from him.

“Steve I’m sorry that I left. I- I-” I hesitated, really hoping my words were okay.

He pulled his hand away, looking at me with more than sorrow eyes.

“Steve?” someone asked behind him, grabbing my attention.

A blond stood at the door, her eyes on Steve. Saying his name, she sounded more than just a friend. That made my eyes turn to him, seeing him look at me with guilt.

“Sharon?” he asked turning to her. “You got any news from the base?” he asked, seeing her walk to him.

The way he said her name was the same, more than a friend.

“They gave me her records, yes. She stayed in NYC after you went. But I’ll talk more about it tonight. She worked a nice, quiet, long life with the government. It’ll take time to explain it all. I’ll say it all over dinner.”

She gave a soft giggle. Her eyes looked at Steve’s with feelings, making my heart shatter.

Without a second to waste, the doors of the room opened, and Natasha walked in with another female. I dropped my sadness and switched to alert.

Natasha had a food tray in her hands with a glass of water.

After them Tony, Samuel and Bruce entered, darkening my mood more. At the moment I was in the middle of the room again but stood next to the chair with my arms folded on my chest. Sharon sat down, looking at me through the glass as Steve moved in in front of her.

“I brought you some food Amber,” Natasha said, walking over to a thick steel pillar.

She tapped on a screen next to the pillar, seconds before a small hole opened up and she slit some food threw, before it appeared on this side of the pillar.

Sam and Bruce sat down on the bench, while Tony walked to stand in between Steve and the unknown blondie. I slowly walked forward towards the food, looking at it. Pasta with meatballs. My favourite. Bending down, I smelled it, a grin growing on my lips as I stood back up.

Tony looked at me, curious.

“Really guys?” I asked, turning to face them. “Truth serum?”