Wings, Metal, and Frost

Far From Normal

"You're stubborn, too," Bucky said, turning to her. 

"Yeah, but you love me anyway," Ellie grinned. 

"Mhm." Bucky hummed. 

Ellie scrunched her nose and turned off the lamp. She laid her head back on the pillow and sighed. 

"Goodnight, Bucky." 

"Goodnight, Snow Angel." 

~~~

Ellie pushed open the main entrance door to the Hudson Valley Police Department. There was an obvious difference in foot traffic since the last five years. More officers and workers walked the hallways and the secretary, Alice, was on the phone when Ellie approached the front desk. Alice glanced up at her as she spoke, nodded once, and pressed the door buzzer. Ellie smiled and passed two officers on her way to the hallway door that lead to the offices. As she entered the hallway, she got a quick look at the interrogation room, the place where she spent a lot of her time during the past five years. Ellie reached the Lieutenant's Office and knocked twice. 

"C'mon in," a woman's voice answered. Ellie opened the door and entered the office. The department Lieutenant, Britt, stood as Ellie walked in and gave her a friendly smile. "Welcome, welcome. It's good to see you again." 

"It's good to see you, too, Britt," Ellie replied as she approached the desk. 

The women shook hands and Britt gestured for Ellie to have a seat. As Ellie took her seat, Britt eyed the right side of her face. Ellie felt her ears warm and she glanced at the floor. She thought she'd be used to people staring at the burn scar that trailed her right cheek and arm by now, but she wasn't. Britt averted her eyes and sat as well. The Lieutenant folded her hands on the desk and relaxed her shoulders. 

"So, what brings you here?" She asked Ellie. "Been a crazy few months, hasn't it?" 

"Yeah, crazy." Ellie nodded. "Have you been adjusting okay?" 

Britt grinned. "Yeah, the paperwork is tiring, we weren't prepared for the phones to ring off the hook because people were appearing everywhere at once. But, we've got some of our best officers back in the field. And..." She reached to a picture frame on her desk and turned it to reveal a photo of herself with two young boys. "I've got my boys back, thanks to you." 

Ellie smiled. "I couldn't have done it alone." Her smile faded with the thought of what she had lost, who the world had lost. 

Britt gave her a sympathetic smile and turned the frame back around. "Have you been adjusting well?" 

Ellie blinked and turned her attention back to Britt. "Trying. Which is sort of why I'm here." 

Britt narrowed her eyes knowingly. "You're resigning." Ellie exhaled with a nod. "Got some Avengers stuff?" 

Ellie chuckled and tilted her head. "A little. So much is happening in the world, we're trying to adjust too- Bucky is..." She swallowed and glanced down as she fidgeted her fingers. "Well, you know, a man out of his time, so, we're both figuring out how to live normal lives." Ellie chewed her inner lip. 

"Meanwhile you both are far from normal," Britt said.

Britt knew full well of Ellie's abilities and she knew about HYDRA, almost everyone did. And the people that had no clue were lucky souls. 

"Exactly," Ellie looked up. "It hasn't been easy for us... ever." She readjusted in her seat. "My thinking is that if I step away from the action, we can both just... have some time." 

There was a brief pause before Britt nodded and breathed in. "Well, we're gonna miss you up here. You did some good work." Ellie smiled and stood with Britt. They shook hands again with firm grips. "Take care, Ellie."