Cold-Blooded

[]Chapter 2[]

"It started when I was a little girl- my passion for the snow. We lived in the mountains, so I had never had a lack of it. That was when my adventurous side grew in." Bruce was sitting at the table still, eyes on me. It felt nice to finally tell this story to some one who cared, or at least listened, instead of those I was about to kill for entering my territory.

"I found trouble. I wandered just a little too far, and fell into a canyon of ice. The strange thing was, I wasn't alone. Voices talked to me often, coaching me through the pain I had from breaking my legs. Eventually, they healed like they had never broken, and the voices guided me back into the world."

"Little did I know, I had been in the canyon for fifteen years. Fifteen years. By now my parents were long dead, and my siblings off and married with families of their own. I was left alone once again, even though I was out of the canyon." Bruce continued listening, never once interrupting me. I vaguely wondered if he actually cared for my story, or was putting up a show so I didn't kick him out.

"So, what did I do? I returned to the canyon, for the voices had become mentors, and friends. I spent what felt like a lifetime there, learning more of them. I discovered that they were the Gods and Goddesses my father had told me about, back when I was just a child and he loved telling me stories about their heroics. And I loved to listen."

"I gained immortality. My power grew as I stayed and communicated. They were overjoyed to have me among their ranks. Anyway, problems started rising. My people began to lose their faith in their Gods and Goddesses. So my dear friends slowly faded, and eventually disappeared while I was out getting an idea of what might be happening."

A look of sympathy crossed his face, and I knew he was actually listening. I was close to the end by now, so I finished my story. "I sat there, sobbing for hours. Who knows how long? Soon enough, my tears dried and turned into forked flames of anger. I brought down the canyon in my rage, and killed several people."

"And then I woke up. I saw through my hatred, and knew that I couldn't continue to do such things. So, I fled into the deepest recesses of the North, where no one dared journey at that time. I hid from myself."

"That's where I've been to this day," I completed. Bruce nodded again, this time in understanding.

"I apologize for disturbing your peace. If it was up to me, I would leave you to your home. I know how hard it must be for you to adjust, we're still going through it with Captain," he informed me, voice soft.

"I know enough. Ever since I got a visitor with a strange new weapon they called a 'gun', I began to make trips into the world. It had changed in the several hundred years I'd been locked away. Eventually, I caught up. Since it appears to be spring, however, I have not made my yearly trip during the winter yet," I responded distantly, gazing at my feet. The true power of my locked away emotions got to me, a tear ran down my pale cheek.

He wiped it away from my face. "I'll leave you to your thoughts," he said, rising to his feet. I nodded, then had an overwhelming, childish instinct to hug the first human to ever care for me since the man I unfroze several years ago.

So, I did. I leapt to my feet and wrapped my cloaked arms around his waist. "Thank you for listening," I murmured, so quiet I thought he didn't hear. Bruce turned in my arms, and hugged me back.

"No problem," he whispered back, surprising me. I finally pulled away, curious as to what had gotten to me, and Banner left.

I turned back to my room, and glanced over at a glowing orange button. I had been told by Fury, yesterday, that this was to summon one of them once I was ready to be part of a interrogation. From what I collected, this was much alike an interview.