The Stars We Dream Of | A. Romanoff-Barton

Chapter 15: Monsters and Magic

The blonde-haired woman walked out of Fury’s office, shutting the door quietly. A slight smirk came across her features, the plan was all coming together. She didn’t understand why her assignment wasn’t to just take the child then, where it would’ve been far easier but she knew better than to question the authority of her superiors. 

Her phone buzzed and she took a quick glance at the caller ID and slipped it back into her pocket. She averted her eyes left and right before ducking into an empty room. She accepted the call and held the phone to her ear. 

She spoke in reply, “Yes I saw the child. I also have reports that she is expected to go on her first mission next week. When I get any other updates I will let you know.” She then hung up the phone and exited the room like nothing had even happened. 

_____

Alivana was silent as she once again sat in the car. She couldn’t get the woman’s words out of her head. She looked down at her hands which began to produce ice mists only to stop altogether as the child felt disgust and hatred towards them. She didn’t know why the woman had said that, but she couldn’t help but think that she was right. Perhaps, she really was a monster and a freak.  

“Papa?” She started, unsure of whether or not she should even ask, slightly afraid of what Clint’s answer would be. 

“Yeah honey?”

She swallowed thickly as she felt water prick the back of her eyes, “Do you think that I am a freak? Or a monster because of what HYDRA did?” Truth be told, she felt afraid of her abilities, as her parents dubbed. She couldn’t see the good in them, they were another cruel reminder of what had happened to her, and that she wasn’t normal nor would she ever be again. 

Clint seemed surprised by the question, Alivana judged based on the man’s pause. For a few moments, she expected him to say yes and get upset at her, but felt herself soften as Clint reassured, “Of course not pumpkin. You’re not a freak or a monster, you’re my daughter. My daughter is so strong and brave, she’s like the canary.”

Alivana echoed waterily, relieved that her father saw her better than she saw herself, “Like the canary?”  

“Yeah,” said Clint, “The strongest bird out there. What HYDRA did to you, doesn’t define you. You’re still Alivana Francis Romanoff-Barton. Not anything less than that, you hear me?”

Alivana nodded, quietly thanking him as she leaned her head against the windowpane as rain droplets raced each other down the glass. She figured that it wasn’t important to tell her father what had sparked the idea that she was something that children feared. 

It hurt though, to think about everything that had happened to her. She still had the scars that littered her frame across her arms and legs, thin ugly red lines that probably wouldn’t ever fade. Serving as a constant reminder of what had happened to her, and that she deserved this pain for some unknown reason. 

The idea that she wouldn’t ever be able to recover from the pain and trauma caused tears to prick Alivana’s eyes again. She wiped them away, unaware that her father was watching her through the rearview mirror. 

He asked softly, wanting to help, “Ally, you okay?”

“Yeah,” Alivana replied. “Just tired.” 

It wasn’t a lie. She was tired. Not physically, but mentally. She just wanted to lie down on her bed and curl up under the covers with her parents where nothing could hurt her. She asked as her eyes drooped, “Is Mama going to be home soon?”

She heard a reply but the answer didn’t register in her head as she drifted off into a dark abyss. 

Clint was still concerned about what had caused the sudden change of mood for Alivana. He’d look into it later, deducing that someone had said something to Alivana while he was with Fury.