The Scorch || Marvel/HP

76 - The Return

Steve bit the inside of his cheek, his mind feeding him the exact opposite of what Nat said. "Yeah I know." He forced out, blatantly lying as he dropped the girls duffel bag by the side of the bed. "What's her next steps?" He asked as he wandered round her bed, evaluating her health.

Nat pushed off the door, joining Steve at her side. "Honestly I'm not so sure." She replied honestly, "She's weak so she hadn't been healing as quickly and she's most likely in a lot of pain. But, I don't know if she'll want to see her lot back in England."

Steve nodded along, his eyes beginning to water ever so slightly, "Are Finnic and Jasmine still with them?" He asked, knowing that the pair had flown over to England for a visit at the start of the boys summer holiday. They had been there for a week already.

Nat nodded her head as a small frown formed on her face. "I don't know if Harlow will want to see them. But I think it's for the best if she does." Nat stated softly, trying to keep her voice down to avoid waking up the girl she thought was sleeping. "She's been isolated for so long, with no one to talk to apart from Hydra. I don't want her to loose all the progress she's made but I'm afraid it might be too late." She explained, rubbing her forehead as she spoke.

Steve looked away from the girl, his eyes training onto his feet. "What about Agent Kent?" He questioned, having heard rumours about the mystery helper they had whilst taking down Hydra.

The man in question was locked up in the room next to Harlow. With Hydra and Shield being destructed, they had to use a modified safety house. Nick had access to one of the only remaining safe houses that was private from the majority of Shield, since it was under his name. With the property being secret from almost all Shield employees, it was able to remain safe and usable. The mans room was loaded with cameras and locks, him being in the second secureist room in the building.

"Next door." Nat told him, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "Thought the son of a bitch was dead. Instead he was really a Hydra agent... the shit he's put Harlow though, he's despicable." She spat, shaking her head slowly. Nat could barely control her rage whenever she thought about the man. The hell he had put Harlow through, was more than cruel and disturbing. "I don't know what happened to Agent Wilson, Kent got all squirely when we asked. He must be covering for her."

"Then why'd he help us?" Steve retorted.

Nat could only shrug, unsure herself why the man had a change of heart.

Harlow laid silently the whole time, listening to their conversation. Her hands clutched her pillow tightly, her finger aching from how tightly she was holding on to the cotton material. Tears started to form in her ways, flowing from the outer corner of her eye and to her ear, the other tears dripping across her nose. Hearing the defeat in Steve's tone and the anger in Nat's made the girl feel so much more guilty. Harlow believed she was at fault for their feelings, rather than the people who took her. She blamed herself for not being stronger, for not being more determined and ambitious. She gave into her defeat and depression. Choosing to only think about herself.

"Has Tony visited?" Steve asked, knowing Nat had been by the girls side constantly and she'd be the one to know. Nick had vanish, his fake death having to stick.

"Not yet. He's really struggling at the moment."

Harlow's silent tears quickly turned into sniffles that caught the pairs attention. She wished to curse herself for becoming so emotional but she was too distracted in the moment. Nat and Steve snapped their heads to look at the girl, watching as her chest moved with her sobs. Nat moved first, reaching out to place a gentle hand on the girls shoulder. Nat pretended not to be hurt when Harlow flinched away from her hand.