Lost Between Worlds

Seventy-Five

Charley helped Steve out of the shower, flicking her hand to him, and changing his clothes to dry ones, then she did the same for herself. Helping him back to the bedroom, she eased him onto the bed, and got him to lie down. He still hadn't said anything, just staring off into space. She sighed, moving to the other side of the bed, and got on, laying down with him, and taking his hand in hers. She turned her head to him... 'Steve? I know what you're seeing in your head, his memories, and I want your permission to go into your mind, and take them all away..'

'Is this what they did to Buck too?..'.. He asked, his voice barely audible.

'Some of it..'.. She stroked her thumb over the back of his hand... 'It was worse for Grant, because he was Captain America. Steve, none of that is your memories, please let me take them away..'

'I see it all. What Hydra did, what he did. All of you..'.. Charley closed her eyes, hating that he was seeing it all... 'I can't sleep, can't eat. Its all I see, over and over..'.. His voice broke again, and she let his hand go, shifting to straddle him, and leaned down, wrapping her arms around his neck.

'Steve, I'm going into you mind, and I'm going to take it all away. I don't want you to resist me, but to trust me, can you do that?..'.. She asked quietly in his ear, his arms tightening around her.

'Yeah..'..

'I promise you, I'll take it all away, and you'll be ok..'.. She sat back up, and combed her fingers through his hair at the sides... 'Close your eyes, and let me in..'.. Keeping her hands there, she waited until he did as she said, them closed her own eyes, releasing her magic. The fastest way to help him was to use dark magic, but she couldn't risk herself, so she used Eldritch, making sure to keep her breathing even, she slipped into his mind.

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Charley opened her eyes, standing in middle of it all, all of Steve and Grants memories, mixed together. She glanced down to Steve, seeing him on the floor, his knees up and arms wrapped around them, staring off as every memory played. The noise of them all, were overwhelming, so she brought her hands up, watching the one closest. This one was of Grants, so she stepped forward, blasting it with her power... 'One down, a million more to go..'.. She took her time, walking through each one. Sometimes she couldn't tell who's memory it was, so she left it for later. Once she had gotten rid of enough, she could have Steve help her with the few she didn't know.

Charely was sure she had been here for hours, but she didn't care, Steve was important to her, to Evie, and this wasn't something she ever wanted him to experience. Though she could get rid of Grants memories, the trauma of them would still remain, Steve would need help, to talk through it all. They would leave an echo in his mind, but at least he wouldn't see them any more.

Walking back to him, Charely crouched down, and pried his hands off his knees... 'Hey Steve..'.. She reached out, and cupped his face, tilting his chin so he would look at her... 'I need you to come with me..'.. She took his hands again, and helped him to stand. He stumbled slightly, so she put an arm around him... 'There is one I want you to see..'.. She guided him through them all, right to the other side of the room, and stopped... 'This is his, but I wanted you to see it..'.. She gestured to the memory.

There she was, sitting up in bed, as she handed a newborn Evie to Grant... 'That's Evie?..'.. He asked, holding onto her.

'Yeah. Two days after she was born. He was away on a mission with Loki and a few others, Peter was with me, and she was born into his hands. I wanted you to see this, see her first moments. She may not be yours biologically, but she is every bit your daughter, as mine. She loves you, adores you, as do I. We're family Steve, and I will always be here to help you..'.. She turned him to face her, and held his hands... 'Now I need you to help me. There's a few more memories here, that I'm not sure of, so I need you to tell me if they are yours, ok? Can you do that for us?..'.. He blinked a few times and nodded... 'You'll be ok, I promise. Maria is waiting for you, and you still got to propose to her, before I do..'.. She teased lightly, and saw a small smile on his lips.