The Fire Breather

17.

Olive's small body is curled into itself as she leans against the cool glass, the whispers of promises dancing through her mind as she stares at her pale reflection. Her thoughts racing too quickly for a single idea to be thought through. The fire begins to encase her body, the golden flames licking her torn clothes as her mind falls further and further into the mind-numbing spiral. Her eyes roll into the back of her head and the fire depletes, leaving Olive alone and hours away from self destruct.

******************************

"Captain Rogers" calls Jarvis, a screen halting Steve's movements towards the jet, "She hasn't long left" he speaks as the screen shows her body encased in flames only for all the readings to fall silent, a very slow, almost non existent heart rate the only indication of life.

"Get Nat, we have to leave, now" he speaks quickly and rushes into one of the jets to get it started while Jarvis scans the compound for the fellow redhead.

"Natasha," speaks Jarvis as Natasha walks past everyone's rooms and halts, "Steve needs you to get Olive out now" he finishes and Natasha runs towards the containment.

"Open it" she speaks to the scientists who are mingling around the door,

"She's unstable, we cannot ope-"

"Do it or die" she speaks flatly with one hand poised at her gun strapped to her waist, the scientist quickly press a few buttons then unscrew the vault like door before sliding it open. Natasha looks to Olive, her frail, small body curled in a ball - protecting her vital organs - leaning against the cool glass. She quickly approaches her and picks her up bridal style before running towards the jet and meeting Steve, Bucky and Bruce. Natasha places Olive on the bench in the middle of the room and Bruce takes over, injecting the girl with an IV with some nutrients added to the solution. The jet lifts and Steve pilots the small group towards Wakanda, wherever that is, only he knows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later...

Bucky had seated himself in the co-pilots seat and had talked to Steve several times before going silent. Natasha had wavered between sleep and watching over Olive, while Dr Banner was continually checking Olive's vitals as her body took in the nutrients. Natasha leaves her seat and looks down to Olive, her long brown hair, olive skin and soft features changes her mind about Olive's initial impression to the Avengers. She walks over to Steve and Bucky who fell asleep hours ago,

"How much longer?" she questions the super soldier who turns in his chair, 

"We have 40mins left before the shield and then 10mins after that till landing" he speaks tiredly,

"You should get some rest" she speaks, "I can keep an eye on the jet" she continues gesturing to the controls behind Steve who looks out the window before replying,

"I'd let you, but soon enough it'll go out of auto-pilot and I'm the only one who knows where to go" he speaks and looks back to Natasha, the redhead nods her eyes flashing with unanswered questions before she spins on her heals and heads back to her seat.

Steve turns his chair and watches everything fly past, his mind a daze as he thinks to all the times Olive has snapped at him. Remembers how her eyes change, almost like a fog when she snaps but scared and calm when she's being herself.

Her double personality wasn't just confusing Steve, Bucky hadn't slept since being in the jet. His mind a race with questions, Does he have a 'self destruct' within his mind? What else did Hydra do to him? How long does he have to live? Every question as frustrating as the last while the jet jolts slightly with turbulence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How is she Doc?" questions Natasha after sitting down for a long while, she approaches Dr Banner whose looking over Olive's frail body for what was the hundredth time,

"She's still alive, if that's what you mean" he answers looking up and taking his glasses off, "Other than that, I really can't tell you anything" he finishes putting his glasses next to Olives leg.

"Well, sure you can Doc" continues Nat leaning on the crib and flashing a small smile, "Give me some diagnostics" she finishes and Dr Banner falters before tapping a tablet above Olive's head.

"Well, Jarvis gave me the inf-"

"Bruce, what do you know?" Natasha presses,

"She's alive and if we fed her something she may not have destructed as soon as she did" he rambles and the pair break eye contact, knowing the Avengers didn't give Olive one of the basic human rights, her right to food.

"Get strapped in guys" calls Bucky breaking the small amount of tension between the two, "We're about to go through the barrier" he finishes and the two separate and straps themselves in.

A/N

Hello,

It's been a while, I decided to finally update, hope you are well during this tough time.