Chapter 13
Ember's POV
I'm sitting in the corner of an empty room that was nothing but grey, my head was hung between my shoulders. My breathing was slow and even, I don't know how long I have been sitting here for but it feels like forever. My eyes are blood shot from lack of sleep, my right eye had become a black eye, I had multiple scratches on my neck, I had a big scratch across my right eye and left cheek that'll probably turn into scars. I am wearing the leather fighting suit that I was wearing on the first day as the Dark Solider in 1940, not that I had a choice anyway.
The door opens and closes again, I look up slowly only to see Bucky and – a kid? She seems like a kind soul but she could potentially be a dangerous threat, shit, my Hydra instincts are kicking in.
'Hey Ember.' Bucky says gently. 'How have you been? Did you get any sleep?' I blink tiredly at him, he sighs. 'I'm going to take that as a no. Ember, this Aurora.' The little girl that is behind Bucky peeks out from behind him and waves her hand slightly, I look from her to Bucky and back.
'She is not a relative of mine.' Bucky answers, he sits on the ground and the kid copies. The girl looks at me curiously and studies me, I do the same to her. She pulls something out of her pocket and looks at it for a moment, an emerald?
The kid stands up and cautiously strolls over to me, I couldn't move backwards any further because of the wall behind me. I tried my hardest not to fidget or flinch, but I flinched as soon as she was half a meter away from me. She stops and kneels down; I realised her eyes are the same colour as the emerald.
'You need this more than I do.' She says, she holds out the emerald in her right hand, a kind smile appears on her face. I stay still for a moment, is it safe? I didn't notice that Bucky was watching from the door with interest, I'm surprised the kid's really patient.
I slowly reach my shaky left hand out towards the emerald, but then I remember all of the people I killed, I am so close! I keep moving my hand towards the girl and gently pick up the emerald, she giggles which scared me.
'Your hands are cold.' She giggles as I realise my hand is still touching hers, a small smile appears on my face.
'Aurora, that's a beautiful name.' I quietly say as I meet Aurora's eyes, yep, definitely emerald colour.
'Thank you, my mother chose it.'
'It sounds like your mother was a smart woman.'
'Yeah.' Aurora says sadly, unexpectedly, I hug her. She snuggles into my chest; I rest my head on her head.
'I'm sorry.' I whisper.
'Everybody has to do it at some point.' She whispers back, I remember Naomi's last words: "I'm with you until the end of the line, Ember".
We pull out of the hug; I touch her cheek gently with my right hand and she giggles again.
'Your hands are still cold.' I smile, she grabs my left hand and wraps them in her small warm hands. 'Can Bucky sit with us?' She asks, I completely forgot that Bucky was in the room. I nod slightly and Bucky joins us.
'You seem in a happier mood.' He whispers, I chuckle lightly.
"Thank you" I mouth to Bucky; he smiles and nodes.
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Bucky's POV
The five minutes I was watching from the door was somehow the most interesting five minutes I have ever experienced; it went from a scared and quiet Ember to a snuggly and kind Ember.
When Aurora asked Ember if I could join them, I froze, they seemed so happy. Surprisingly, Ember agreed so I joined them. After a couple of minutes of chatting, we all fell silent.
'I have to quickly go and do something, is it okay if I leave her with you?' Ember nods and I quietly leave.
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I enter the meeting room where everyone else is, I saw they were watching what was happening in Ember's room.
'What are you doing leaving her with a psychopathic killer?!' Tony yells, I roll my eyes as I sit down.
'It's alright tin man, you were watching, weren't you?'
'Yes.'
'Then you saw how gentle and cautious Atlas was.' Stark falls silent, knowing that I am right. I look at the screen, wait – are they…asleep? I see Aurora had fallen asleep in Ember's arms as she was snuggled up close to Ember who had fallen asleep as well, this makes me smile.
'And if you were looking now, you'd see they're asleep together.'
'Whose side are you on Rhodey!' Tony snaps, Rhodey mumbles something to himself and then looks back at the tv. I sit down in a chair with a smirk full of pleasure ad I look back up at the screen. They're adorable together, hopefully Aurora can prevent a nightmare or two in Ember's arms.