Resurgence

Chapter 17: You Can't Have Me, None of You Can

The next few days I struggled to adjust to the events that unfolded. I kept having nightmares and waking up panting and gasping for breath. It didn't help having the team talk non-stop about the alien invasion. I had to push it all to the side to avoid drawing more attention to myself than I already had. Williams was already constantly checking on my every move to see if I'd develop any new powers or something. Derek would also follow me around like a puppy in desperate attempts to gain my forgiveness and attention. And Kai wouldn't stop being his usual jerk self but still he would slip in a not-so-subtle move on me.
The only real alone time I had now was at night where I'd lie awake avoiding my thoughts and my nightmares. I had so many eyes on me that I couldn't spend time with James like I used to. He was the only one that kept me sane. Now I was slowly spiraling from how mad everyone was driving me.
One of the many sleepless nights I went down to the kitchen to serve myself some milk hoping it'd help me sleep. Footsteps approached the room. It was Kai coming in to grab a mid-night snack. He was wearing his pajamas. His light hair was messily draped over his face. He seemed exhausted from the mission he had.
"Couldn't sleep? Hard mission?" I asked him.
"No and yes." He replied with a groggy voice.
I handed him a glass of milk to go with the cookie he was eating. He accepted it but still remained with a stern face. We stood by the counter drinking our glasses of milk in silence. Once we were both done I took both of our glasses to the sink. He followed my movements with his eyes.
"You know you're Williams' prize possession," he stated. I simply shook my head and kept a dour face. He continues, "Everything was going smooth before you came along. Now he only focuses on you. He never shuts up about how you're his perfect soldier. Derek is also blinded by you. The whole team worships you. You're the shiny toy everybody wants."
"I didn't ask for any of it," I responded. I moved back next to him, "Don't worry. You're still the star of the show. I don't want your spotlight."
He moved closer, "You already have it. It should be me moving up the HYDRA ranks, but instead they focus on you in hopes you'd be their next super weapon."
I didn't back away from him to show him he couldn't intimidate me. He now stood merely inches away from me. His unblinking eyes studied me carefully. His arms began to strain as his hands made fists. I tensed up getting ready for a fight. I calmed myself not wanting to wake the others, so I tried to talk him down with my charm.
"The shiny toy everybody wants? Even you?" I asked him.
He moved even closer, "You have no idea how much I loath you. But yes even me."
"You can't have me. None of you can." I said.
He snarled then planted his lips on mine harshly. His hands first on my face when I grabbed them and pushed them off and pulled away. He grabbed me again and kissed my neck and grabbed my ass. I kicked him off and slapped him. Furious, he launched himself at me and swung an arm in attempt to grab me again. I punched him and began a fight. I managed to avoid his swings and hit him a few times. Until I pinned him to the wall. I was about to punch him when suddenly a shine of metal pulled him away from my hold. His neck was now in the hold of James' metal hand. He was killing him. A part of me didn't want to stop him, but I knew Williams wouldn't let that slide.
"Stop! You're killing him! Stop!" I rose my voice and moved next to him trying to calm him, "Please. He's not worth it. Stop. Please."
James dropped Kai to the floor. Kai coughed his lungs out and gasped for air. I moved in front of James to push him back and away from Kai. I turned my back to James and kept my arms behind my sides in a protective stance when Kai spoke.
"You again. You protect her like she was yours. Maybe you two are fucking, but do you really think she could ever love you? An assassin. A monster. A machine," he said in between breaths.
This time I was the one wanting to kill him, but James put a hand on my shoulder to stop me. Kai now got up and left the room holding a hand to his bruised neck. I turned and looked up at James in hopes he didn't believe a word Kai said. His jaw clenched and his gaze remained on the door that Kai left through. My heart broke for him with everything Kai said. Fire remained in his eyes but was backed with a hint of gloom. I got closer to him and took his hand in mine. I asked him to walk me back to my room.
When we reached my room's door I spoke again, "I really did have it handled. I always do. You never let me finish my fights," I chuckled, "But thank you. And don't believe anything Kai said. You're not a machine. You're not any of those things. You are James Barnes. My hero."
He held back a smile but his eyes had a different shine to them. I thanked him again and went back into my room.
I was so tired of everything that was happening. I wanted Kai as far away from me as possible. I needed to figure out a way to convince Williams to send him away. I would have to wait for him to come back from his outside life to tell him my version of the story. The rest of the night I went over the scene again focusing each time of James' protection. I didn't need it, but I was glad to have it. I was glad to have him. As an ally of course.