Nightingale (Sequel to Solider Boy)

Seven

Few things in life were truly able to make Melody laugh. And not just any laugh, the sort of laugh that made her ribs ache and eyes water as she was overcome with glee. She had laughed like that exactly four times in her life and now, as she sat upright, watching as James's eyes were glued to the screen as Luke confronted Darth Vader she was certain it was going to be five. Melody had seen these films before with Sharon when she'd been in undergrad back when but the ending had already been spoiled for her. It was impossible to grow up in the twenty-first century and not know who Luke Skywalker's father was. However, James didn't have such claim to things, so Melody watched as she waited for the iconic line to hit the screen and shock him.

And soon enough, James Earl Jones voice broke out in the iconic line: "no, I am your father," Melody was quick to discover she would not be disappointed in his reaction.

James's jaw dropped open, his blue eyes growing wide as he jumped up and shouted: "What?" very loudly at the screen and Melody fell back against the couch, a loud, hard laugh bursting out of her chest at his shocked expression. "Are you fucking serious?" James ranted, on, eyes still glued to the screen as Luke escaped on the ship with Leia and the droids. "That cannot be real, Obi Wan said-are you kidding me?" He plopped back onto the couch, breathing hard and brushing his hair back from his face, eyes still wide with disbelief.

She wanted to answer him, assure that no, there was no kidding involved with this, but she couldn't do it. She was laughing too hard. She could feel James's glaring at her but still, it didn't matter. She didn't have any control over herself in the moment. Her breath came in short bursts, ribs and stomach muscles beginning to ache as more laughter escaped her.

"Please tell me," James began but his sentence was cut short, not by Melody's uncontrolled giggles but a loud bang  as something hard and heavy crashed against the floor. She sat upright, the laughter dying inside her, hand flying to the gun that wasn't there. She'd brought it with her, just in case, but it was still packed away in her suitcase. She'd figured, being in a base with Captain America, Hawkeye, the Falcon, the Winter Solider, Sharon and the Black Panther that she'd be pretty well protected, but she wanted to be prepared just in case. Adrenaline poured into her system, hot and fast as lightening. Everything came into sharper focus, the details of the fabric on the couch, the sounds of birds chirping outside, the hard, steady beating of her heart, but as her eyes zeroed in on the source of noise, the adrenaline burned out-they weren't in danger. Steve Rogers was in the room, breathing hard and looking around for a threat, the door laying against the floor.

Melody stared at the super solider. "Did you just kick down the door?"

Steve's face turned a bit red but his voice was firm when he answered her. "I heard shouting. I thought something had happened," his eyes flashed to James and then to Melody. The look on his face was clearly suspicion. She'd seen the same look on Agent Colson's face when they'd met two years ago.  He doesn't trust me, she thought, but she felt that was reasonable. They didn't know each other.

"What happened?" Steve asked, blue eyes still scanning the room, his blonde hair a bit askew from knocking down a door. "Buck, you okay?"

James hung his head, shoulders tense as he rubbed his face. "I'm fine, just watching a movie. I got a bit invested."

Melody snorted. "Downplay why don't you?"

James looked up and rolled his eyes at her. The expression would've looked annoyed, had it not been for the little smirk playing on his lips. That was one of her favorite smiles of his. "Have I told you that you're annoying yet?"

"I prefer the word persistent." 

"Comes to the same," he said with another smirk as he laughed; seemingly unaware of Steve's confused expression as he looked between the two of them. "Oh sorry, Steve this is Doctor Melody Frasier, Melody, Steve."

She got to her feet as Steve extended his hand towards her. "Nice to finally meet you."

Melody took his hand, noticing the thick callouses on his palms. "We've already met."

Steve frowned. "I don't recall."

"I'd hope you wouldn't. I was repairing your abdominal wall at the time." Melody let go his hand. "Sharon called me when you were in DC, I was the surgeon on your case."

"Your name wasn't on the file." 

"I like a quiet life," she replied, echoing the defense she'd given Sam Wilson two years prior. "Hard to do when people know the government has you on speed dial to fix superheroes."

Steve gave her a grudging smile. "Fair enough," he looked over at Bucky. "Though you might have one yourself if you convinced Bucky to change his mind."

"She didn't." James's voice was harsh. "I'm not going back Steve."

The super soldier's eyes flashed between them once again. "Then why is she here?" 

"Just catching up with an old friend," James replied.

"Old friend?" 

Now it was Melody's turn to frown. "Sharon didn't tell you?"

"Didn't tell me what?"

Oh dear. She stepped back from Steve Rogers; she could already see the anger building up in him by the way his jaw clenched. "James and I have met before; he stayed with me for a few months after the incident in DC. You'll have to ask him for more details, I don't know them myself."

The tension wound up in the room as the Avenger glared at James and Melody knew she didn't want to be there for the confrontation. "Well, as nice as it was to meet you Captain Rogers, I need to go. I have some unpacking to do. James," she waved at him, "I'll see you later." And with no further word, she walked briskly past the broken door and out into the hallway. She had no intention of unpacking, at least not right then. She needed to find Sharon and tell her about the slip up. 

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