Years Beyond - Old Soul Sequel

3

The next morning was filled with preparation. Doctors and nurses were running in and out of my room all day, finalizing their stats. Banner would pop in every hour, trying to convince me to give him more time. But everyone has waited long enough. A team needs a captain, not a powerless dying girl.

The other avengers visited me one by one. Thor fit his large frame through the door and awkwardly perched at the edge of my bed, saying how noble I was for volunteering. 

"This was your idea," I pointed out to him.

Thor chuckled slightly and patted my hand in his big, goofy, clumsy way. "Even on your death bed, you are modest Avalie Daniels."

It was not the most comforting compliment, but it was a compliment nonetheless. And coming from Thor, it was the equivalent to appraisal.

After Thor, Wanda stayed long. She held my hand and talked to me. The conversation had no real meaning, she just rambled on about a few things. She talked in a poisonous tone about Daphne. She mentioned details about her time as a Hydra agent, trying her best not to scare me. 

She talked about her brother. 

I listened to her with bleeding ears, wishing that I had the opportunity to become better friends with her. It just didn't seem real to me: this world I had been recently dragged into. I want more of it. I want to live, to breathe. I want to experience things people who live past their 20's can experience.

But at the same time, I've received everything I could ask for. Adventure. Knowledge. Maybe even love.

I guess I'll never get to confirm that one.

Before Wanda left, she shed a small tear. As she was getting up to leave, she placed her thumb on my forehead. Then with a minor intrusion, my mind was suddenly at ease.

"I have given you a gift," she said. "They will torture you. Take away your remaining humanity. You can't give into them. I have given you a peace, to shield the pain. Remember it."

She walked out of the door, and I shut my eyes. I felt it, perpetually swirling in the base of my skull. Not knowing exactly how I did it, I called it to the front of my mind. Suddenly it was all flowers, the smell of laundry detergent, and the softest silk against my skin. A breeze lifted my hair. A full heart made me grin. It wasn't just peace-it was bliss.

That calm state of mind almost lured me to sleep, the first wink of sleep I've had in a while that was natural, not drug-induced. Except I had more visitors. People wanted to pay their respects to the grave that I sat in.

After a few others, Sam came last. I was expecting him with dread, knowing that he could come up with some spontaneous plan to get me out of this. Except when he arrived, he only treated me with respect.

He walked into my room silently, his hands folded behind his back. He entered slowly, making it easy on my strained eyes. He didn't speak until he was fully settled into his chair.

He cleared his throat. "You are a soldier, Agent Daniels," he said.

I bit my lip. "I-"

"Steve would want you to know that," he continued, and I felt my throat tightening. Steve. Please, Sam, make sure he knows why I had to do this. Please make him understand. 

"You have assimilated into our team as if you were here all along. You have fought beside me. Fought beside the others... But today you make the ultimate sacrifice. And it just wouldn't be right to send you off as nothing but what you are."

He stood back to his feet, and his serious stature forced me not to say anything. I only watched with wide, red-rimmed eyes as he gave me the honor I didn't know what I did to deserve.

He saluted me, but as I watched him with his stiff posture, I had the sudden urge to cry.

"Sam..." I finally spoke. "Oh! I, uh, mean Agent Wilson..." I blushed at my error, knowing full well that it wasn't my first time.

"Sam is fine," he assured me.

"I just want you to tell Steve...that I've missed him," I said, a sad smile lifting the corners of my mouth in remembrance. The first time we met. Our first coffee date. Our first kiss. Our first mission. It all happened so fast. And even though it turned my life into hell, I had the best time walking through this fiery pit. Because I did it with him, and because of that, I somehow knew that everything would be ok.

"I'm sure he knows."

"Just tell him," I said.

I exhaled, unknowingly tapping into Wanda's gift. Suddenly her peace brought me a flood of joy as my senses became connected. The gift fused my thoughts with my memories, and then I could feel Steve's hand in mine. He held on tightly, encouragingly. You can do this, his grip seemed to say. I believe in you.

I opened my eyes. "Ok, let's do this. I'm ready."

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Yay, an update! I have complete chapters in the works, so I promise that I will have more frequent updates.

Thank you to everyone who leaves encouraging comments (or really just any comment, they all make me feel special ;)) and to the people voting for my story! It means more to me than you guys know.

-Captain_Stiles_24