Cornelia Street - Avengers

Reminiscent

"I think of things that could have been. Oh, what's the point of potential if it isn't consequential?"

8 Days-Later

(Hummingbird, nilu)

...

Lucia jolted awake, her heart pounding as she fought to take in a proper breath. Putting her head in her hands she tried to regulate her breathing, but the memory of Rhode Island would be forever seared into her brain. 

And as hard as she would try to keep it together, she couldn't help but start crying once more. The past week had felt like months, it had been hell, and she hadn't even been able to go back to the compound. 

How would she go into the rooms where the memories of her and Steve were everywhere she would look?

Lucia had struggled to sleep, struggled to eat, and she could practically still hear the ringing of the EKG machine in her head. Memories of that day haunted her dreams, turning what was becoming a somewhat peaceful slumber into something ridden by nightmares once more.

She just had the image of the way he looked at her right before the explosion, his vivid eyes amongst a sea of flames. Like he knew he was going to sacrifice himself to save her, of course he would. 

She had these powers and yet she couldn't even help those she loved. Maybe if she had run faster, and used her powers quicker he would have been okay, if she hadn't run when her Dad found out about them, she would've never gone to Rhode Island after all.

And then none of this would have happened.

Lucia looked up at the same sight she had looked at for the past eight days. Him in the hospital bed, so still you wouldn't think he was breathing, but he was. He was going to be fine, but it didn't hurt any less. 

His body took a hard hit, and doctors warned her it might take him some time to wake up, even with the guarantee of him being okay. Gripping his hand, she lifted it slowly to her cheek, just like he always loved to do. 

Giving herself a few seconds to pretend he was holding her like he used to, she closed her eyes, stopping the tears before they could fall.

But it was pointless. She silently begged Steve to wake up, to flex his palm and press it against her without her having to do a thing but feel him, but, just like every other time she did this there was no response. 

Letting out a soft sob she turned her head, pressing the ghost of a shivering kiss to Steve's palm, before holding his fingers against her lips and kissing each one of them, like she could infuse life into him through it. 

The redhead hadn't left his side and hadn't seen outside of the hospital in days. The shower in the bathroom proved useful, and Ana brought her changes of clothes or spent the night on the couch a few times.

She had had her fair share of arguments with almost every single one of the team, even a few of the hospital staff who at first insisted she couldn't stay here overnight. But her Dad had helped with more than a few of those arguments.

"Hey, you," a soft voice called out, and she turned around to see her favourite brunette standing in the doorway.

"Hi," Lucia whispered, bringing a hand up to wipe her tears. She wasn't sure why; it wasn't like Bethany hadn't seen her cry throughout the past few days and year that they had known each other.

The brunette gave her a sympathetic look as she stepped into the room. "I came past a couple of minutes ago but thankfully you were asleep. I was hoping you'd stay that way for longer."