The Black Winter

Chapter 19

  "Joan, please, talk to us,"I say in a calm soft voice. I place my hand on her shoulder but she swipes it away. She goes to stand back up. She's hunched over with her hands resting against her thighs.

  "I can help," Rose says, walking up to her.

  Rose walks up to Joan and places her hands on her head. Then something inside of her changed. She stands back up, straight as a pencil and shoves Rose into me.

  "Get off me!" Joan yells.

  "I can help," she says.

  "I'm fine!" Joan shouts. She bends down and grabs her gun. And rushes out of the room. We all just stand there for a moment.

  "Something not right," I state. Then I get the feeling that someone else is here and I can tell that Natasha gets the same feeling.

  "I'll go get Joan, Natasha, Clint, and Steve, scan the area," I command as I rush out of the room.

  As I get out of Tony's room I make my way down the hall, then I spot Joan laying on the floor unconscious. I rush over to her and pick her up. I don't like this, somethings not right. I look down to the floor and see the tiniest bit of mud. I push it off and pick up Joans unconscious body.

  She feels hot, like feverish hot. Which is weird considering that she just like Steve and I, a super soldier. Then, I can here her mumbling under her breath. I rush her to the labs where I find Bruce. I burst through the doors where Cho and Banner are talking.

  "Bruce, I need your help. Something's wrong with Joan," I tell him.

  The three of us head to the hospital wing and take her to one of the rooms. I lay her down on the bed and Bruce starts running test, taking her temperature and what not. The entire time she's mumbling and talking in different languages. Bruce, Cho, and I leave the room to discuss the matter.

  "She seems to be sick," Cho says.

  "What do you mean?" I ask.

  "She has a fever of 129, almost 130. Her normal body temperature should 112-115 degrees. Not only that but her body seems to be fighting off some sort of virus," Bruce explains.

  "But she's a super soldier, she doesn't just get sick," I explain.

  The two of them shrug. Things weren't adding up.

  "We'll know more once she wakes up but for now we all we know is that her body is fighting off some sort of virus," Bruce adds.

  Bruce and I end up waiting for her to wake up. The entire time she keeps on talking to her self. I tried to keep track but she keeps on switching and going to languages that I don't know. After about another two hours she wakes up with a jolt. She's covered in sweat.

  I go up to her and gently try to get her to lay back down. Doing my best not to startle her.

  "Lay back down Joan," I say softly.

  She looks at me and her face softens. Instead of aggression, she gently takes my hands and place them at my sides. She swings her legs across the bed and starts to rub the side of her head. I can see goosebumps all along her arms. Cho has switched out her uniform for a pair of leggings and a black t-shirt.

  "Joan, you need to lay back down," Bruce says.

  "No, I need to find him," Joan says.

  "Tony and Natasha are finding him, you need to rest and get some fluids into you,"Bruce says, walking over to us.

  I can see Joans eyes go to the syringe. She quickly stands up from the bed. I can tell that her legs want to give out but she won't let them.

  "I'm fine. I need to find him, this is my job," she stammers.

  "Joan, your sick. Your body temperature is high and you were experiencing hallucinations," I tell her.

  "I don't get sick," she fights back.

  "Well then how do you explain a temperature of 128? Joan, our normal body temperature is 112, you shouldn't be any higher then 115," I add.

  "I'm fine, thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."

  "Joan, your shaking and you can barely stand," I say softly.

  "Look, let me just give you some-''

  "No! I-I mean no. I don't need any medicine," she says, cutting Bruce off.

  "Look, I'll make a deal with you Joan. If you lay down for a little bit and let Bruce give you some medicine then I will make you the best ramen that you have ever had," I say.

  "No, look I'm fine," she says once more. Then she drops to her knees and let's out a yelp.

  "Joan!" I shout, dropping to her side. I bend down and place one hand on her back and the other on the floor next to her hand. I can see her face scrunch up in discomfort. I watch as her hands turn into fists and her body becomes tight.

  "Bruce, grab the sedatives," I command. I can tell that she's in pain, but not only that but it looks like she's fighting something, and I can tell that it wouldn't end well.

  So Bruce quickly goes into one of the drawers and pulls out a syringe. He quickly sticks the needle in the side of her neck and her body goes limp and she becomes silent.