An Imploding Star

Chapter Three

Sam reached out to hold her hand as she spoke 

"That was when I was 6, from then on, they would have us play these games, like hide and seek, but they would hunt us, and if they found us then they would beat us. Something about preparing us for later? They would teach us fighting skills, and one you hit 10 they taught you how to hold a gun. I hated every second of it.  So anyway, by the time I hit 13, I knew I needed to get out of there, so I ran to the only other place I could call home, I slept on that damn boat for a few days, until Sam came around one evening and found me. After that, he took me home with him and after about a week his parents realised something was wrong. So I opened up, and told them everything. They let me stay with them and informally adopted me. I would have been stuck in that orphanage and then who knows what if it wasn't for them" she explained with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, I'm really sorry for asking, I didn't think it would be quite so much."

"I'm so sorry Steve, you didn't ask for my life story" she replied wiping her eyes 

"Bells, are you ok?"

"I'm good Sam, thanks" 

"Why the Navy? after everything you went through, no one would have blamed you for doing nothing, and living a normal life."

"Once I was old enough to figure out what I wanted, I knew I needed to do something to protect others. My biggest regret in life is leaving behind all of the other girls, especially the younger ones, I have no idea what happened to them, but I don't think it was good. I just wanted to protect people, you know?"

"I understand that, more than you could know" 

"Steve, how is Zola still alive, if you think you killed him in the 40's? Because I definitely spoke to him that day, I remember all of it, I know I'm right!" 

"Honestly, I have no idea, maybe it's a relative or something? Or maybe I didn't kill him when I thought I did." after a pause he spoke up again "Um, Isabella, are you alright?"

"I'm just getting a bit tired"

As their evening progressed Isabella continued to get really tired and, considering she wasn't actually allowed out of the house yet, she wasn't too mad about being tired.

Noticing that Isabella was yawning a lot, Steve paid the bill with many complaints from Isabella, along with some mumblings of paying him back. The three friends swiftly left the restaurant. 

"Hey, I know this might seem weird considering I met you today, but do you want a piggyback?"

"No way! I would be far too heavy for you" 

"Um, Isabella, really? You know I got the super soldier serum right? I could literally carry 20 of you if I tried"

"But I'll feel bad Steve?"

"Listen, you really don't have to, come on, just let me give you a piggyback"

"Um, ok, but if you get tired please tell me so I can walk."

"yeah, sure" 

The two men carried on walking back to the apartment talking between the two of them, within two minutes Isabella had fallen asleep on Steve's back. Once back home, the two men carefully lay Isabella in bed, and went through to the lounge. They began talking again, until Steve got a phone call and left in a hurry. Although early in the night Sam was tired, so went to bed swiftly after saying goodbye to Steve. 

Sam woke up in the middle of the night to screaming. He raced into Isabella's room to once again see the girl wriggling in bed and the lights flickering. He woke her up and the lights turned off. She began crying. He held her in his arms and let her cry. He felt like they had been there for hours, though it had really only been about 20 minutes. She began to calm down and yawned. 

"I'm sorry Sam, I don't know why these nightmares are still so bad, they counsellor said they would have stopped by now."

"Bella, it's ok, I just want you to be better, you know, no more dreams and stuff"

"hmm, hey Sam, where is Steve?"

"He got called away for an important mission or something, left in a massive hurry after a phone call" 

The next morning Sam woke up early to make Isabella waffles for breakfast. He took them through to her bedroom. He opened the door and tried to wake the sleeping girl. 

"HAPPY FREEDOM DAY"

"I AM SLEEPING LEAVE ME ALONE" she replied throwing a pillow in Sam's general direction

"Hey hey hey, watch the waffles!" 

"Oh go aw-WAFFLES?" 

"Yes, waffles you ungrateful creature. Now eat up, we have a big day ahead" 

She ate her breakfast in bed and got ready for the day ahead. After her shower, she put her contacts in and she got dressed in a pair of  black ripped jeans, a flowery crop top, a brown corduroy jacket and black hightop converses. She put her hair in two French braids and did minimal makeup. With that she went out to the lounge to wait for Sam. 

Once Sam was also ready, the two friends left the apartment. Sam had a massive list of things planned to do. He had decided that since it had been the best part of a year since she had seen the outside world, he would take her to all of the tourist attractions around the city. 

They started off at National Mall, where they had taken their walk the previous day, then went onto Lincoln memorial, then the National Gallery of Art, then the Smithsonian air and space museum and finished with the Smithsonian natural history museum. 

While in the Smithsonian the found the exhibit about Steve and the Howling Commandos. They spent the rest of their afternoon reading all of the information about Bucky Barnes, Peggy Carter and Steve himself. Once she was getting weary, the two found their way home and ordered in postulates. They ordered McDonalds, she got chicken nuggets and a sprite while he got a Big Mac and a Chocolate Shake. 

They sat together watching films for the rest of the evening. They watched 'We Bought a Zoo' which was Isabella's favourite film, along with 'The Fantastic 4', 'Tangled' and Monsters Inc. By the time they had finished the four films, it was 2 in the morning, so they began heading to bed.

"Thank you for today Sam, I had loads of fun"

"It's alright, what are best friends for? I'm just glad you're happy Bells"

"Ew go to bed before I VOMIT" 

"Night Bella"

"Night Sammy"