𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎. | ❛ Words To Live By. ❜

     MUFFLED SOUNDS AND UNFAMILIAR VOICES WERE WHAT JAMIE HEARD ONCE SHE REGAINED BACK TO HER CONSCIOUSNESS. Hushed whispers and the loud sounds of the beep monitors made the Heroine groan in annoyance. Her eyes were still closed and she tried to remember when she passed out. She remembered being in the examination room and there was an attack on the building. She remembered Steve through her blurry memory and he was the last thing she remembered before the world went black.

The doctors stopped dead in their tracks when the brunette started to stir, slowly opening her eyes. Helen Cho, who was the lead doctor, rushed over to her side and held a gentle hand over her forehead, checking her temperature. "Take it easy, miss."

Jamie squinted her eyes as her vision became more clear. She looked around her surroundings with a confused look on her face and let her gaze trail down her body. She was hooked with needles and she noticed she was wearing a plain white dress that covered her knees. Before her brain could register where she was, she went into panic mode and started to shake, her eyes staring at the needles hatched into her skin.

More doctors came into view and she looked up, startled. Her hand came in contact with an IV drip plunged into her arm and removed it with a hiss and started to do the same with her other arm as her body shook vigorously. The beeping monitor beeped faster and she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, trying to remove the visions clouding her head.

Helen's eyes went wide and rushed back to the front door and clicked on the emergency button, calling the other Avengers. As she was about to head to her patient, Jamie broke free and flung her to the wall, her eyes turning black. She squeezed her neck and snarled, "You did this to me!" She cried out, the black veins appearing under her eyes as her vision took in Strucker who had a sickly smile on his face.

Small ragged gasps emitted from Helen's lips, the sudden attack startling her to death. She dug her fingernails into her wrist, but she was stronger and tightened her grip. Nurses quickly dashed towards them and called in for help. Not so long after, the others came inside the lab and rushed closer to the scene, worry etched onto their faces as they watched the ex-soldier holding Helen in a chokehold.

At this point, Jamie didn't know if she was hallucinating or reliving another memory. Heck, she didn't even remember how she ended up here. She wondered if her friends were here and looking for her. Her mind was corrupted; all she could see was Strucker torturing her and making her life a living hell.

Being too focused on the memory of Strucker, she didn't notice two hands holding her waist and releasing her grip on the poor doctor. Being brought back to the bed seemed to snap her back to reality, but she sprinted up from the bed and ended up crumbling to the floor as soft whimpers erupted from her trembling lips.

Natasha covered her hand over her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. She turned around, not wanting to see her friend in this state. Tony walked over to Helen, asking if she was okay. His attention quickly diverted away from her towards Jamie who was on the floor, shaking like a child. His heart clenched, his eyes softening. Steve crouched down to her level, letting his knees hit the cold floor as he brought his hands over her shoulders, gently stroking them.

Jamie felt his warm touch and almost melted, but it quickly vanished as it appeared. She was too locked up in her mind that she didn't notice his presence. She opened her eyes and was met with his soft blue eyes, looking at her with concern. Her mouth opened, but she closed it, being unable to let out a word. Tears slowly slid down her cheeks, the visions appearing once again and she closed her eyes shut, covering her face with her hands.

Steve's heart dropped, his face forming into a frown. He looked back at the others to see them looking at them, sympathy clouding in their eyes. He glanced at Natasha, whose back was turned away from her, making him sigh. He looked back at Jamie and grabbed her hands, gently pulling them away from her tear-stained face. He brushed a few hair strands away before cupping her face. "Hey, sweetheart. It's okay. We're here. No one's gonna hurt you." he said in a soft tone, wiping the remaining tears away with his thumb.

Jamie opened her eyes and looked at him through her glassy lashes. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her lips trembled like a small child. She let out a soft whimper and gasped for breath. Natasha, whose back was still facing them, quickly wiped her tears and turned around, her heart feeling heavy. Her glassy eyes darted across the room before landing her gaze on her friend. Tony sauntered over to Natasha and gave her a pat on the back, his eyes never leaving the scene in front of him.

Steve leaned closer, his nose almost brushing hers, "Breathe for me, doll. Can you do that?" he whispered, his gentle tone filling her ears. Her breath hitched and she could only let out a small nod.

Jamie closed her eyes once again and focused on her breathing. She inhaled and exhaled a couple of times before she regained back to her normal breathing. She let out a tired sigh before opening her eyes and leaning her forehead against his. His stomach fluttered as he stroked her cheeks before planting a kiss on her forehead, the peck lingering a little longer.

"There we go," he told her, giving her a soft smile. "You're okay," he said before gently scooping her into his arms, and picking her up. His warm touch made her stomach flare out with butterflies, making her head rest on his neck. She longed for his touch for months and she relived it, letting it engulf her with open arms.

The doctors stepped back and gave him space before silently going back to their reserved positions in the lab. Tony and Natasha came into his view, looking at Jamie curled into his arms like an infant. He glanced at Helen, who held her neck with a frown, looking at him with a reassuring smile, signaling that she was fine.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Natasha asked, her voice lacing with worry. She inched closer and brought a hand over her arm, gently stroking her bicep. She clenched her jaw, feeling the scabs and bruises at the tip of her fingertips. "Put her in my room. I'll take care of her, Rogers."

Steve nodded his head, gratefully looking at Natasha. "Good. She's gonna need to be placed somewhere else other than a lab or a hospital for that matter," he explained, referring to the scene that happened a moment ago.

"It's Barzinji we're talking about. She's gonna be just fine." Tony's voice broke through the pair's thoughts, and looked at the pair, nodding with his statement.