Warrior || an avengersxreader fanfiction

chapter five

You stand when Doctor Jones walks in. He walks over to your mother to wake her up and she sits up on the table. He pauses before speaking. Like he doesn't know how to say whatever he wants to say.
"You have the Spanish Flu," He finally says. "There was an epidemic last year. Many people died. I'm sorry to say..." He pauses, and a pained look comes to his face. "...it doesn't look like you're going to live more than a week; in your case, the sickness is accelerating quicker than most."

After his words register, agony tears through your stomach and heart. Outside, you look frozen, but inside, so much pain is ripping you apart. Something catches in your throat. You want to cry, but you can't. Crying might be a relief, but all you can do is sit back in your seat and stare at your mom who will die soon.

"We'll give you time to process," General Phillips says. He walks out of the room followed by Doctor Jones and Donna. For two minutes-or maybe it's been thirty, you're not really sure- you both sit in silence. Then you let out a sob that you didn't know was there. It brings your mom back to attention. Slowly, your tears start falling down your cheeks. Your mother looks over to you. I thought I was strong, you think. She tries to get up and walk over to you. "No!" You say. "No, don't get up." You move your chair over by her instead. She puts an arm around your shoulders, and you press your forehead to the table and cry silently.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," She says to you again and again.

You must have fallen asleep, because, when you lift your head, you see a large machine connected to your mother. She is still awake. She looks at you and smiles. She doesn't look like she's dying to you. You can't smile back, though. Because you know that she is dying. Quickly.
"What's that?" You ask, pointing to the machine next to her.
"Howard says it's a prototype for a machine that keeps track of the beats of a heart." She says. Any other day, you would be interested in this new machine. But you're not.
"Oh." You say plainly.
"(Y/N), I love you so much." She says, her eyebrows furrowing, causing creases to appear between them. You start tearing up.
"Then why are you leaving me?" You say, the tears coming again. "You're Peggy Carter! You can fight this. Don't leave me! Please." You know it's not her fault, but you can't help but feel like she can fight back if she wants to.
"I'm afraid I can't fight this time. I'm so sorry." She says, tears gathering in her eyes.

You walk out of the room. You can't be in there right now. She can fight. She has to fight! I can't lose her. I can't be alone, You think. You walk to the vending machine where you got your Hershey candy bar earlier and sit down next to it in the corner. You try to think of a plan. If your mother dies, you can't live on the streets. You can't live with Robert's family. You could work at S.H.I.E.L.D. and be an agent, like your mom. But that wouldn't be your first choice. You don't have any other family. You could not live in an orphanage, but you're too young to live on your own. You realize that this is the worst thing to be thinking about right now. So you stop thinking and start walking.