Just An Echo

15: Welcome To The Jungle

I look around at their confused and stunned faces not wanting to believe it either. The stone told me and I have no reason not to believe it. All the times I thought I remembered something but couldn't fully see it, that was the gaps.

"I know, I know it sounds crazy but it's true."

"Echo memory gaps are sometimes associated with traumatic experiences or your mind blocking out bad memories-" Romanoff starts to argue.

"I know better than most about traumatic experiences and this didn't happen last time and don't you think it's suspicious that I can't remember anything about my parents or my childhood before I got thrown into the foster system." I feel my voice crack and I stand up daring anyone to prove me wrong.

"Maybe they erased them for a good reason." Steve says in a low voice. We all turn to him and even Bucky looks hurt.

"Maybe you'd like to share Steve," I snap and he looks scarred hearing me use his first name.

"What exactly did Abbott tell you that made you afraid of me? Don't think I haven't noticed you avoiding me. So what exactly did he tell you, maybe something about my past, that I'd like to hear."

"Echo you need-" Steve starts to interrupt but I'm on a fury induced roll and I'm not stopping anytime soon.

"I'll you what I need. My memories back maybe you have them stored away in your base or something because I've got some question like where did I live, who were my parents. I don't even know if this is what I really look like!" My last words fade into a whisper as the pain of the truth hits me all over again. I slump back into the chair and Steve turns away walking past Strange and leaving the room.

"I'm sorry." I heard Bucky mumble from behind me.

"Don't be. Pity isn't going to get me back my past but you can bet I will." I stand up taking a last sip of the tea before turning to Stark and Romanoff. They both look from me to Sam who just looks at me impressed.

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Stark asks looking me up and down raising an eyebrow.

"I um, I haven't got that far but first things first I'm going to find an inhuman to translate this scroll then whatever it says should help me learn about the stone and that should lead me to Abbott and where I came from" I say confidently but inside my head I'm counting up everything that could go wrong. Spoiler alert; it's a lot. Strange comes up in front of me giving me a small smirk and handing me the gloves I got back at the temple village. My breath hitches remembering the woman in the shop who gave them to me. I can still hear her voice in my head.

"Memories will save, listen to memories."

I slip on the gloves turning them over to reveal the stone hidden beneath the glass bubble. Romanoff looks over my shoulder studying the stone as well.

"They told me it was with you I just didn't know it was... this much with you." I look up at her as she watches the gem sceptically. Even Stark watches me from his place leaning against one of the large wooden beams.

"They told you about the stone?" I ask a little afraid of what else they told them. Romanoff nods walking over to talk to Bucky while Stark scans the room through his pink tinted glasses. I pull my hoodie off fixing my plain black shirt that was hidden below. Stark makes eye contact and points to his wrist telling me to pack it up. I give him an annoyed look before making my way back to the room. Walking down the halls I mentally prepare myself for undoubtedly running into to Steve. Trusting him completely seemed like it could happen a couple hours ago but now it was obvious he was hiding something and that made him very untrustworthy. I finally make it to the door and place my hand on the odd carvings pushing the door open. Peering inside I see Steve sitting on the bed looking out the small window almost lost in his own thoughts. I spot my bag just in front of him and am seriously debating whether I really need all my life's savings when he notices me.