Lost Memories

Chapter 11

So much has happened in just few days. I have found myself a home. I have found a group of people that I can call my family. I have found my actual brothers that I didn't even know I had. I have found love that is growing stronger every moment. I have friends that I can feel safe around. I have powers that I never knew could even exist. And now I am sitting in my room, looking at this gorgeous creature, with bright red feathers that look like fire, staring at me. It felt like we were changing our latest news with each other, like old friends. I just stared at Funí, and he stared me right back. Bucky was with others so that I can have a moment alone with Funí. I feel like there is still some kind of barrier between us. Maybe he doesn't fully trust me yet. I failed him back in the days. I left him alone. I try to tell him silently that he can trust me. I start to feel things that I haven't felt before. I feel the other phoenixes. I feel their fear and that they are giving up. I need to tell the others!

Without hesitation, I run to the lounge where they are talking about me and Funí. "I can feel them. I need to save them. They need our help!", I yell. Everyone looks at me and then Thor realize what I mean. "You can feel the presence of the phoenixes?", he asks me. I nod. "They are not in this realm, but we need to go and help them.", I insist. Nat and Wanda stand up. "We are coming with you!", they tell me. I hug them both at the same time. Steve is now standing also. "How do we get there?", he asks. I don't know, but before I can say anything Tony and Bruce cough.

"We have designed and now we are in the process of building a new aircraft with Tony. It should be soon ready to travel between realms. We just need to fix few bugs in the system, but Vision could probably help us.", Bruce explains, "It shouldn't take long.". I tell them everything I know. While talking, Funí flies to the room and land on my shoulder. He shrieks loudly. Loki is holding his head with his arms and looks like he is feeling some sort of pain. Loki looks at Funí and uses his powers to show everyone what Funí wants them to know. He shows us a flock of phoenixes. There is only few of them left. They are in a cage that looks like it has been fixed recently. I realize that it is because of Funí. "Taran!", Thor gasps. Taran was his companion. They have been friends since Thor has been able to use his powers of thunder. That's why they gave Taran his name, it means thunder in old Norse. Phoenixes weren't just my friends; my whole family had a connection with them. Loki is staring at this one younger looking phoenix. "Spjalli.", he whispers. In old Norse it means 'Friend'. I figure that maybe Spjalli was Loki's true friend previously. When the phoenixes left, Loki lost his friend also. Maybe that's why he blames them for my disappearance. I see my brothers looking at their old friends and I get angrier. How could someone capture these majestic creatures. The messengers of love. The fire burns in my eyes.

It takes a while for me to calm down. We now have a plan. Vision, Bruce, and Tony are still working on the aircraft. Soon we all leave the lounge to go to bed. Bucky follows me to my room. Funí is now traveling on his shoulder, and they look like they start to really like each other. It's kind of cute to see them like that. Funí sits on lounge chair in my room. I lay on the bed. Bucky is next to me and has his arms around me. I look at him. This whole day has convinced me even more that he is the one that I am going to spend my whole life with. Funí starts to sing a soft song like a lullaby. I close my eyes but keep talking with Bucky.

"I love you Bucky! I have never had anyone that I have fallen this hard for. I know that you are my destiny. You are the love of my life. Even Funí knows this. I don't ever want to lose you. I promise to you that no matter what I fill always try to protect you and keep you safe. I will always keep you in my heart.", I tell him about my feelings. Bucky takes a stronger hold of me. He starts to speak.

"I fell under your spell when we first met. I still keep running from my past, but with you I have finally been able to forgive myself. I don't feel so much shame and guilt anymore. Your presence fills me with hope, that I don't even deserve. I will always be grateful to you for that. I don't have a lot in my life and somehow, I feel like we are alike in that way. I will always be here. I am never leaving you behind. I will always love you. I am always nearby.". Funí's song fits perfectly to this situation. "I don't care what anyone else says about us. As long as me and you are together, nothing can ever hurt us. As long as we are true to each other, nothing can break us apart. Your love has given me a reason to keep fighting. You have given me reason to live. Thank you for that. I love you more than I am ever able to tell you. I know you are my future. I have faith in us.", he confesses to me.

I look at him. He looks me back and we kiss. I rest my head on his chest. He caresses my hair slowly. I can hear him breathing. Every breath he takes, makes me fall deeper into asleep. I try to fight it for a while, but I drift into a dream.

I see myself and Bucky in Asgard. I see us smiling at each other and everything is peaceful. I see the phoenixes flying around near the palace that we live in. Then, I hear these little footsteps and suddenly someone shouts, "Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Loki is being mean!". This perfect, beautiful, little girl runs towards us and jumps into Bucky's arms. "Nanna, you know they are not real things that your uncle shows you.", he says to this little angel that he is holding. I step closer and give her a kiss on her forehead and at the same time Loki steps into the room with worried look on his face. "Sorry, if we woke up the baby, sister.", Loki says apologetically. I turn around and see this little baby boy sleeping in his uncle-Thor's lap. They have both fallen asleep and are looking extremely peaceful. I have the family that I have always wanted. I found love that I have always searched for. What more could I hope for?

I wake up from the dream with a feeling of joy. I lift my head and see Bucky sleeping. Funí lifts his head, and it almost feels like he also saw my dream. I don't know whether it was only a dream or a glance into our future together, but I lower my head back to Bucky's chest, take a stronger hold of him and close my eyes. I smile and fall back into this blissful dream about our future.