Ice Princess

43

"You left without really saying anything at breakfast." Bucky told Melinoe as she worked in the lab.

"Are you worried I'm not me, again?" She said quietly. It was the quiet the hurt Bucky more than the statement.

"No, just concerned is all." Melinoe didn't stop what she was doing.

"I just wanted one day to feel like normal. Is it wrong of me not to want to be constantly reminded of what I am?" She seemed to have gotten smaller, if that was possible. "Maybe my grandmother was right, I don't belong here." He could tell she was trying to hold it together as best she could but the threads were too many and starting to come undone. "And I don't belong with them. I don't belong anywhere." Bucky took a quick look around before hugging her hard.

"You do belong here. I can't imagine what you're going through or what you went through. But I'm here."

"Deep down, I feel Demeter is planning something. Something bad. I just haven't figured out what. I don't have enough information to see what is in her head like I can when I plan the missions. I don't want everyone here caught in the crossfire."

"We would come for you, we tried to get to you before..."

"That was different. I was protecting you and didn't see Doom's real goal." She pushed him away. "I need to talk to Strange and Wong. Something my father said the other night has been prickling at the back of my mind."

"Do you need me to go with you?" Bucky ran his thumb across the back of her hand.

"I'll be ok. However, their advice may be not what anyone wants, but what is necessary." Bucky didn't like what he said. She left in a poof of black smoke. He wished she would have let him drive her there. He felt like his time was running out and they had just made a clear path for them both.

______

Strange was already in the library when she arrived.

"Do you mind if I use your library? I've pretty much exhausted the texts at Karmar Taj. At least, that which Wong allowed me to access." She asked him.

"Yes, of course. Did he let you read the restricted texts?" Strange asked.

"There's more here that I haven't been through than what he has left I haven't read that is restricted." She told him with a weak smile.

"What are you looking for exactly?" Cleaning it up a bit, she told him what both her grandmother and father had told her. "So your options are to stay here watching the ones you love die and there is nothing you can do for them or be there, have the same thing happen, and be miserable for all eternity."

"If I can't find something to prevent Demeter from hurting the ones I love, I have to leave. But if I can make myself something they don't want, I can stay. Or maybe, unmake myself? There is a reason Demeter wants me there, I just can't figure it out. My father said she's jealous of me. She can change and create life, grant it, in plant form. I am of death. It be safer for everyone if I solve this problem one way or another. I can't make a good decision without more information."

"Can't you go back to the underworld?"

"No, Not for a thousand years. Meanwhile, she can hurt people here. I can only banish her a day at a time. That's going to get old quick and she's going to figure out a way around it."

"Well, let's get started." Both of them began pulling books and created a great stack. Sitting at a small table, Melinoe read each one, took notes, and reshelved what wasn't useful. It was well past midnight when she fell asleep. Strange reached out to Bruce, who then reached out to Bucky to go pick her up.

"I don't mind her using the library or staying this late, but part of me fears for her." Strange told him as he led him into the library. "She feels she has to do everything...."

"I know. Meli has had to rely on herself for so long, it's hard to ask for help." Bucky gently shook her awake. She rubbed her face and apologized to Strange. Strange told her it was fine, but to limit her library visits to only a few hours a day. Sleepily, she nodded. Bucky escorted her out to a car and helped her into the front seat. By the time he got to the driver's side, she was buckled in but sleeping soundly. When he got home, she was still out cold. Scooping her up, he carried her into the house to the bedroom. Removing her jacket and shoes, he placed a throw over top of her as he got ready for bed. He slid under the covers and brushed some hair out of her face. Melinoe snuggled into his palm but other than that remained asleep.

The smell of coffee, strong coffee woke her the next morning. Melinoe realized she wasn't at the compound, nor was she at Strange's. Vaguely she remembered Bucky waking her up last night. She noticed that she was still clothed and the other side of the bed was laid in, it smelled like Bucky which was oddly comforting. Never before had she been glad to learn the transformation spell for clothes. But first, a shower. He had already laid out fresh towels and extra toiletries for her. Stripping down, she washed up, got dressed and came back downstairs as quickly as she could. Bucky was sitting at the sunny dining room table reading the paper and drinking coffee.

"Hi." She said.

"Good Morning, doll." He hugged her deeply and she hugged him back. "Are you ok?"

"No....the cat!"

"Don't worry, Love is having a great time with the little fluff ball. I mean is everything ok up in here?" He kissed her forehead.

"I'm worried so much."

"It's ok to be worried. You're not alone though."

"That's just it. I'm afraid she'll hurt you, all of you because of me."

"Let us take some of the worry, help you carry it." He cupped her face and made Melinoe look him right in the eyes. "We know you would do anything to keep us safe, let us help you." At that she broke and buried her face in his chest. After several minutes, her stomach growled loudly. "And the first thing I need to help you with is feeding you. Which means we need to go out since I have nothing but coffee here. Do you think you will be able to do that?" She nodded.