The ghosts we hide (Winter Soldier x OC)

Ten

"Welcome home, Mr. Stark." A voice sounds, seemingly from thin air. I jump out of my skin, much to Tony's amusement. "My apologies. I didn't mean to scare you, Ms. Nelson. My name is Jarvis, I'm Mr. Stark's personal A.I."

I stare at Tony in amazement. He shrugs modestly, as if it's the most normal thing in the world.

Something turns in my stomach when the thought of the contrast between this and Hydra seeps into my mind. I picture the tiny cell that I used to call home, complete with a metal slate nailed to the wall for a bed and the stained steel toilet which I never had the right equipment to clean.

Don't forget what you are just because you're staying in a fancy tower. It doesn't change what you've done.

I try to shrug away the thought, but the small smile still slips from my lips.

"If you would follow me." Tony instructs, swiftly unbuttoning his dark suit, Shrugging it off and chucking it haphazardly over the table to our left, before heading towards the stairs leading up.

I catch sight of a glowing blue circle under his thin white shirt, as if it's embedded into his chest.

Something clicks in my brain.

Iron man.

Access to the internet isn't something permitted in Hydra. Unless it's paramount to a mission, we are only told the information they want us to hear. So, while I know what Captain America and the Iron Man suit look like, I couldn't tell you who was under the mask.

It's all about control.

Information breeds opportunity, and opportunity breeds rebellion. Hydra is built on the bases of fear, and fear is the strongest form of control there is.

Everything aches and I have to take the steps one at a time, relying heavily on the smooth steel bannister. The two men reach the top first, turning around to watch as I struggle up behind them. Gritting my teeth, I force myself over the last few stairs in an attempt to shrug off their concerned gazes.

I constrain myself to breathe as quietly as possible as I follow them along the landing, trying to hide how much effort it took to clamber up those steps. Anxiety nags at my heart, greatly uncomfortable at the thought of being at such a disadvantage, especially in as strange a situation at this one.

We stop outside a tall black door, three along from the stairs.

Tony gestures for me to go first. I step around him, breathing in deeply as my good hand grasps the cold steel handle and pushes the door open.

The air rushes back out of my lungs at the sight in front of me.

Three white walls converge around a 15x15 meter square of white marble, which swirls across the floor. A double bed sits to one side, covered in soft looking, pale bedding. There's a small grey cabinet tucked into the corner beside that, as well as a larger desk across from the bed on the other side of the room. A white wardrobe stands proudly against the back wall next to the door.

Much like the main living space, the whole of one wall is glass, giving me a floor to ceiling view over the buzzing city.

"This is your room. There's also a en-suit through there." Tony says, nodding to a grey door next to the desk. "As another safety precaution we had to remove the locks from all the doors."

I spin around and stare at him. "So anyone can just walk in here any time they like?"

"We know how to knock." He shrugs nonchalantly, but I don't miss Steve narrowing his eyes at the man.