Quiver | Pietro Maximoff ✔

Chapter Two

I woke up slowly, hearing a voice dip in and out of focus, talking directly to me. When I managed to open my eyes, I found I was still in the sterile, white room, but instead of Bruce sitting next to me, I made eye contact with my brother.

"Eliza, you're awake!"

I nodded sleepily, stretching my arms high above my head before pulling myself upright. My muscles protested; and with a wince I realised how sore I was. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Josh frowned at me, inching forward in the chair to take my hand in his, "You've been asleep for almost a week."

I choked, eyes opening wide as my mouth fell open. The events had been blurry as I'd woken up but now the memories of my recent past came flooding back, as clear as day. The Hulk, Bruce Banner, the Avengers... everything.

I groaned, resting my head in my hands. "Josh I'm so sorry! You must have been so worried!"

He just laughed, sounding relieved. "I'm just glad you're okay Liz. I've met Bruce Banner a couple of times while you were asleep, and he said that he'd asked you to stay here with him for a little while."

I nodded slowly, "Yeah, he said he wanted to help me with-" I gestured the length of my body, pulling a slight face as I met Josh's worried eyes. I frowned as he rubbed the back of his head, almost sheepishly. "Josh..?"

"It's work."

My heart sank. We'd been waiting for Josh to be deployed for a few months now, and it looked like it had finally reached that day.

I bit my bottom lip, not wanting to ask the question, but needing to know the answer. "When do you have to go?"

"I'll have to leave here by noon, latest." I gulped, feeling the thick lump in my throat beginning to rise at the thought of being left alone again. "Kid, I'm so sorry! I can try and stay here with you? I'm just so glad you're awake though, I wanted to say goodbye before I went. And Bruce is a good man, just let me know how you are-" He babbled, only quietening when I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

With our parents gone, Josh and I had grown closer than many other bickering siblings, and whenever he went away for long periods of time, there was always a worry hanging over us that it would be the last time we would see each other.

"Will you let me know when you get there?" I whispered when we finally let go of one another.

He nodded quickly, furiously wiping away the tear that threatened to fall onto his cheek. "Of course."

"And let me know when you can get back, I'll come and meet you at the airport," I bit my lip, pushing the lump in my throat away as I attempted a smile.

It didn't fool him, but Josh just smiled at me, before edging onto the bed so he could hug me again.

***

I slumped back into my pillows, a faint ache still lingering deep in my limbs. A nurse had arrived around an hour after Josh had left, forcing me to eat the contents of her full tray of food, insisting I needed the nourishment. I hadn't argued for too long, as Bruce had mentioned I'd be hungry, and just the sight of the food made my stomach growl louder than I thought it possible.

She'd also helped me into the shower situated in a small room attached to this one, although I asked her to stand outside and I would shout if I needed the help.

Now I was wearing a pair of dark blue flannel pyjama bottoms with a matching plain blue sweatshirt. Bruce said they were spares for agents or Avengers to wear after missions. After transformations, as he liked to call it when he turned into the Hulk, these were the comfiest clothes to wear.