When You Saved Me

Chapter 11

I decided to change point of views mid chapter simply because I wanted to give ya'll a longer chapter. So hopefully it isnt confusing!

Bruce P.O.V

I turn around from filling the tub and to my surprise see that Tony has laid garbage bags on the floor with a stool set on top, and is messing around with an electric razor.

"Uh...Tony? What's all this for?" Surely he doesn't plan to shave her head...

"Look at her hair Bruce," he snaps, "like really look at it. Forget about the cakey, bloody mess, its riddled with bugs. And let's be honest, she probably has never seen herself in a mirror so she likely doesn't even know what her hair looks like. She won't care." He shrugs, plugging in the razor.

He has clearly thought this through and as I glance at Callie's head I quickly nod my consent.

"We'll need scissors," I tell him, "to trim it first so you know where to be gentle. There are likely sores on her scalp so I may need to do some stitching when we're finished." I explain as I rummage through his drawers emerging with a pair of scissors. I silently pray that this particular pair is used to trim his beard because I know for a fact that they're not for the hair on his head.

Tony moves Callie from the toilet seat to the stool and I position myself behind her and try to decide where I should begin. There are a few loose strands but most of it is hardened with blood and dirt too close to her head, "I think we should rinse her head in the shower first, I could get a few pieces here but most of it is so tightly tangled I'd be worried about cutting her by accident." 

Tony nods his agreement and proceeds to turn on the standing shower.
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Callie P.O.V

I am so overwhelmed by the size of this place. The bathroom Mother had me use was tiny and filthy and I only was brought in there for the customers that wanted me clean, for which I'm sure they paid extra.
Suddenly Uncle Bruce is carrying me towards a strange, steamy glass box. It isn't until he brings me a bit closer that I realize what it is. My heart drops into my stomach, I start shaking my head and pushing back against the man carrying me. I don't like those things, when  Mother would clean me the water would either scald my skin or be ice cold.  

As we approach the water I begin shaking, I can't believe I could be so stupid to think that life could be any different. I squeeze my eyes shut preparing for the pain, suddenly my head shaking is steadied by a pair of hands and I slowly blink my eyes open to meet a pair of deep brown ones. 

Daddy's eyes are laced in concern as he gently shushes me, "Hey kid, it's okay, no one is going to hurt you," he whispers. I find myself instantly calming at the sound of his voice.
"There's nothing to be afraid of, see?" He assures me, thrusting his bare arm into the stream. 

He doesn't wince or give any indication of discomfort so I reach my hand out to join his in the water and the temperature is neither scalding nor freezing. I feel the sudden urge to get into the shower completely, so I wrap my outstretched arm around  Daddy's neck and he quickly accepts me into his arms. I then point at the water, leaning forward into it, "Okay okay," he says laughing as he kneels down and sets me in the bottom of the shower. 

I close my eyes, the water is glorious, I've never felt so amazing in all of my life. Suddenly I feel someone gently scrubbing at my head and I open my eyes to see Daddy stretching into the shower, water is dripping from his hair and the forearms of his shirt are sopping wet as he begins rinsing out my hair. He grins at me and says, "that feels nice hey? Aren't you glad you decided to give it a try?" 
I nod my head in agreement, this is by far the pinnacle of my life, aside from being rescued of course. 
A few moments later he sits back, happy with his progress and turns off the water. I am only disappointed for a moment before I am wrapped in a towel and gently placed back onto the stool where he proceeds to use a second towel to dry my hair. 

I just realized I hadn't seen Uncle Bruce since Daddy put me in the shower and I begin to search around the room for him. 

"Bruce went to grab you some new clothes," he explains, "we sent your... Uncle Steve and Thor out to buy some so, I guess we will see what he comes back with." The way he said uncle was kind of strange, but I chose to ignore it, what I am more interested in is who the hell is Steve and Thor?! He continues chatting about the people I'm going to be meeting while he begins snipping away at my hair. Clumps of auburn knots are soon scattered around the base of my stool, and I honestly won't miss it, Daddy was right when he said I have no idea what I look like; the thought hadn't even occurred to me until that moment and now I am desperate to look in a mirror, but I'm angled just out of view of the only one in the bathroom. 

Just as Daddy begins shaving my head--an extremely strange sensation; Uncle Bruce joins us back in the bathroom carrying a bundle of clothes and holds up a t-shirt with a smirk. 

"All the tops are Avengers merch, I couldn't find anything that wasn't. And I'm guessing the majority of it was chosen by Thor as he is front and center of most of the designs," Bruce says, rolling his eyes. "This one at least has everyone standing in a line."

"And this is why I do everything myself, "sighs Tony. "Anyways, I've just finished, but check out the freckles Bruce," he says, I can hear the smile in his voice though I'm not sure what a freckle is. 

Uncle Bruce kneels down in front of me grins and pokes my nose, "I see that, super cute." 

"Yep, you sure clean up good kid," Daddy says as he lifts me off the stool and turns me towards the bathroom mirror. 

I stare at myself in shock. My eyes are ice blue, almost glowing. I bring my hand up to my button nose and trace the spots that are speckled all across my cheeks, "So that's a freckle" I whisper surprising both myself and the two men in the room. My throat still aches as I speak but judging by the look on Daddy and Uncle Bruce's faces, I shouldn't be able to speak at all yet. 

I glance at Daddy through the mirror and shrug, his face breaks into a smile and he starts to laugh.