Burn and America (Avengers/Captain America Fan Fic)

Chapter 12

I slowly regained consciousness, but I couldn't open my eyes right away. Instead, I heard a conversation going on between my fellow Avengers.

"They should be fired at the least Fury!" The enraged voice of Natasha Romanoff remarked angrily.

"No woman deserves that, and any man that even thinks of doing such a thing is just as guilty as someone who actualy committed the crime.

"I agree." Bruce's voice piped in.

"Have them fired at the VERY least."

"We can always just drop them off the hellicarrier." Tony put in. You could practicaly hear the smirk in his voice.

"For once, I agree with you." Steve's voice rung out, setting fire to my emotions and causing my stomach to twist into a nervous knot. 

"Um, that's basically killing them Rogers." Fury says distinctly.

"And I thought you said you didn't want to kill them."

"I want to, but Freya wouldn't want that. She's too kind hearted. Well, we can ask her when she wakes up."

Dead silence.

"Steve....." Bruce trails off.

"She, she might be in a coma. We don't know yet."

No, no, no! I am right HERE. I'm just freaking sleeping, but my damn eyes won't open!!

I'm not in a coma! I can't go through this kind of sleep again!!

Cryotosis and a comatose state are very similar. Except the cryotosis is almost like sleep. You have dreams and see things, but here, I only see blackness, and I can hear.

This comatose state is much, much worse.

"Don't say that!" Steve yells, taking me by surprise. He must be really close to me, because it sounds like he just yelled in my ear.

"She'll wake up, of course she will!" I feel a hand slip into mine, and I'm sure its Steve's.

I don't hesitate in squeezing it as hard as I can. "Ow!" I hear him exclaim, and he pulls his hand out of my grasp quickly.

"Wait, she just squeezed my hand!" 

"That's not possible Cap. She's in a coma." Damn it Stark! Shut your mouth! 

"You don't believe me? Fine, why don't YOU hold her hand and see if she doesn't squeeze your hand?"

I feel a rough hand slip into mine a moment after. I squeeze as hard as I can. "You're right." Stark says, somewhat begrudgingly. Yes he's right you idiot! 

I AM RIGHT HERE.

I AM NOT DEAD!!!

"Maybe we can ask her yes or no questions, see if she can answer?" That's Fury's voice in the background.

"Sure." A new hand slips into mine, and I hear Steve say, "Okay Freya,  can you hear me? Do two squeezes for yes, one for no."

I feel the urge to be sarcastic, but I squeeze his hand twice anyway. If I didn't hear you, I wouldn't be squeezing your hand, would I?

"Do you like Steve?" I hear Tony's voice pipe up.

I don't squeeze Steve's hand at all. Instead, I try to lift a certain finger on Steve's open palm for all to see.

"Ha! She heard you Stark!" Nat exclaims laughing. 

"She can definetly hear us." Bruce says, and I curl my hand around Steve's again.

I squeeze Steve's hand twice. Yes.

"She said yeah."

"She may be able to open her eyes soon, I'm not sure though. Its evident she's in a somewhat coma like state, though she's still aware through all of this."

Well that's good to hear.

"Maybe we should let her rest." I hear Clint say.

"Yeah, we should leave her alone." Nat pipes up.

No, not so good to hear. I give Steve's hand one strong squeeze. 

"Wait guys!" He says loudly. "I don't think she wants us to go. Do you want us to go Frey?"

1 squeeze. No.

"She says no." 

"She probably wants us to talk to her or something. If she can hear us, she can listen. We should keep her company." Steve says.

"Okay, sure."

"That's fine."

"I'll just sit here."

"Okay."

"Anything for Lady Burn!"

"You can all stay, but I have to go. Inform me of any changes in her state." Fury directs them. "Yes sir." Steve replies.

After a some silence, Nat pipes up. "What should we tell her?" 

"How about how hungover Agent Hill is right now, but how she still managed to kick ass?"

"Oh my gosh yes. I'll tell her, I was there." Natasha responds to Steve's suggestion.

"Okay Frey, it was like this. We told Maria what had happened to you even though she was still so hungover from last night. Rational Maria wouldn't have done this, but hungover Maria did. She went right down to the prison cells, and kicked Agent Jacobs in the balls. She did that to every agent until we literally pulled her away from the situation."

Oh God, I wish I was there. Well, I wish I was anywhere but in this comatose state, but at least my friends were here to keep me company.

I listened to their laughter, and squezed Steve's hand twice. "I think she liked that story." Steve said. You could practically hear the smile in his voice.

"Wait, we should tell her about how Bruce beat up Loki last time he invaded Earth!"

I listened as they told me about some things in their past, some funny stories, anything and everything, trying to keep me occupied until I woke up.

It was like we were having a conversation, but I was keeping silent, not really contributing, but just observing, listening.

I realizd then that it must have been a long time, as my Avenger friends sounded tired and worn out. I felt really happy, despite being in a coma right now. They all cared enough about me to stay with me this long, just talking nonsense, telling me random stories trying to keep me company.

And Steve, his hand never leaving my loose grasp ever since they had all started telling me stories.

I liked it, holding his hand. I hoped that there might be a chance he wasn't just holding my hand to be nice. I was hoping he was holding my hand because he cared about me on a romantic level.

I quickly dismissed the thought. That's not possible. THE legendary Captain America, liking ME? How could a hero love someone who did nothing but destroy everything around her?

How could someone as heroic and good love someone who had done the things I have? 

And the simple, hopeless answer, was he coudn't.