2023
It's been several months since Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff gave their lives to bring back the trillions murdered in the decimation.
In the wake of the post - apocalyptic clean up, and the entirety of the universe adjusting to home the life...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
• • •
"My broken veins say that if my heart stops beating, 'We'll bleed the same way'."
The 1975 Pressure
• • •
C H A R L I E didn't wake for two days. In the time that she slept, doctors came in to stitch the wounds and cover them. She bleed through them often and was given to blood transfusions from Steve. They didn't have any other choice.
When she did wake, she didn't feel the pain. Instead it was only numb, because her heart hurt worse.
"Hey," Steve's voice was quiet and deep. For a moment, she thought she was in bed with Bucky. But their eyes are two different shades. She was brought back into reality.
"What happened?" Charlie asked; just a squeak of a question.
"I'm guessing flagellation." Steve said, he set the back of his hand on her forehead to see if she had a fever. "You've been out for two days."
Charlie nodded slowly and closed her eyes again. Then she let out a breath of air and looked up at Steve. "I remember water? You helped me."
"Of course I did," Steve knelt down beside her.
"I guess being cellmates means that we have to be best friends now." Charlie smiled softly. Then she remembered Noah and tears filled her eyes. "He's the reason I'm here."
"Who is? Bucky?"
"No, no." She shook her head. "His name is Noah. He was my boyfriend. Years ago. I think he's mentally ill. Something's wrong with him. Now more than ever."
"He brought you here?"
"No. He tried to find Hydra and have them take Bucky back. He found the Workshop instead and they found out I was the granddaughter of Charles Xavier."
Steve wasn't sure what to say, so he took her small weak hand in his and squeezed reassuringly. "We'll get out of here."
Charlie didn't say anything.
"They're going to come for you again. When you're better."
"I know." It was barely a whisper.
• • •
Steve's predictions proved to be correct. The following day, after Charlie floated in and out of sleep, the guard came back for Charlie. The same one that had beaten her senseless days before, and the same that's dark eyes had now begun to haunt her in her sleep.
