Experimental

Chapter 2

Rising early in New York City allows you to hear the birds on the street before the traffic wakes up.
Central Park is the only greenery in the area, like a oasis in the blistering desert, Joggers gently weave in and out of the obstacles such as people dawdling. Thea was among those joggers. For some reason, she was compelled to stay in shape, like she was training for something.

"Come on..." Thea muttered to herself as she pushed her fifth lap around the path.
Her blood was pumping and heart beating wildly in her chest. Sweat poured down her chest and dampened her top while her feet pounded on the pavement.

"On your left," a sudden voice huffed as they ran by.

Damn. He's fast.

"But I'm faster," Thea pushed herself harder until she caught up with the guy, surprised by how fast her legs were moving. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins. "On your right," she coughed out, smiling as she passed him. They did this for about twenty minutes, calling out their sides as they took turns passing each other. Until finally, Thea was too beat to move, her leg gave out from under her and she tumbled to the pavement. "Ah, shit," she grumbled.

"Oh, crap! Ma'am, are you alright?" He gently made a grab for her hands, inspecting the cuts from the pavement. "I am so sorry," he held her arm and lifted her up from the ground.

Thea's legs were weak and could barely hold her weight. She looked up at him and almost passed out. Looking worriedly at her face was the Captain himself, Steve Rogers."

"I'm okay, thank you," she tried to pry her arm out of his grip and walk away, only to have her aching legs buckle.

"No way. I can fake you back to my house if you'd like, I have a first aid kit. And, well, an entire infirmary. Please, let me help."

Thea looked at his eyes again, they were pleading and clouded with so much guilt it was amazing he could see.  Finally, she nodded quickly, becoming light headed almost immediately.

"Wow," she touched her head. No blood. There was a sickening feeling in her stomach as he lifted her into his arms and walked in the direction of The Avenger's Tower.

It only takes about three minutes and nineteen seconds for the average person to walk from one side of Central Park to The Avenger's Tower. For Steve Rogers, even while carrying a 37 year old woman, it took two and a half minutes. Though those two and a half minutes, was plenty of time for Thea to be rendered unconscious. Her head felt like it had been slammed in a car door about twenty times and she felt like she was going to be sick. Nausea racked her body with every step he took, getting to be so bad that she passed out. When she woke up, Thea was laying on a white cot in an even whiter room. She was hooked up to several machines by more wired and cables than she could count. The room was cold, and the thin white blanket she was provided with did nothing to stop the cool air from hitting her bare legs. On the far end of the room as another cot, beside that a lab table, cluttered desk, several waiting chairs, and a counter. The counter was neatly stacked with papers and blood samples. How nice.

Thea sat up slowly and swung her legs from the side of the bed to touch the floor, the feelings of the floor send shivers throughout her body. She ran a hand though her messy brown hair and stood, almost immediately losing her balance and crashing to the floor.

"Shit," Thea blinked rapidly, trying to clear her now cloudy vision.

"Woah, woah, woah! You have to stay in bed," Her arm was grabbed by a calloused hand, causing panic to shoot through her. Thea shoved the hand away, still unable to see properly. The hand, gentler now, grabbed her arm again, only to be smacked away again.

"Get the hell away from me! No! No, get away!" Thea's screams bounced from one white wall to another as she fought away the man. Bruce Banner backed away quickly, feeling more frustrated than before.

"Cap, I need you in the infirmary before she hurts somebody. Including herself." Thea's sobs continued to sound through the room. She curled herself into a small ball and fit into the corner. Her mind was flooded with images similar to what she was experiencing currently. Her; laying on a metal bed attached to machines and needles. The doctor; his face covered by a white surgical mask, poking and prodding at her with different tools . Bright lights flashing as Thea was wheeled down hallways. And finally, a symbol; the skull with six tentacle type arms.

Thea shrieked when her hand was taken into another. This time, the hand wasn't rough or calloused, but soft and warm.

"Miss? It's me, Steve. I'm the one who helped you here. Do you remember?" Thea's eyes opened and were met with the same strikingly blue eyes as before. She nodded.

"Ye-yes. I remember."

"Good. Look, I think you should stay in bed, alright. We need to run a few tests to see if you're alright, you took quite a fall earlier," Steve hoisted Thea's shaking body into his arms once again, carrying her across the room and putting her back in the bed.

"Alright."