Animo - Avengers {Completed}

Chapter Seven: Midnight Flights

          My head was throbbing erratically. “So I’m really not important in any way? You’re just keeping me around because you have to?”

          “Precisely.” Fury’s voice was cold, and it sparked another wave of anger inside me.

          “Then why don’t you just send me home? Let the aliens take me!” I got quieter. “I don’t want to be here. What’s the point of it?” It was barely a whisper.

          Stark gave an exasperated sigh. “Really, Mo, how stupid can you get? I mean, honestly, do you really think we’d let that happen? You’re going to stay here, and you’re not going to say another word about it!”

          Fury nodded. “It’s not up for negotiation.”

          I pulled away from Barton and Natasha, shoving them aside. “Whatever, then! I’ll just go back to my cell!” I turned away and began to storm out of the room, glaring wildly at anyone who stood in front of me.

          “Okay, who told her?”

          I stopped in shock. Slowly, I pivoted back around. “Excuse me?” I was addressing Fury, who’d been the one that had spoken. “What exactly are you getting at here?”

          Everyone looked uneasy except for the one-eyed director. “Your room is really a prison cell. It was the safest place to keep you.”

          My jaw dropped, but I quickly snapped it shut again and continued my walk away. My fists were clenched at my sides, but really, there wasn’t anything that I could do.

          The door to my “prison cell” groaned when I got frustrated with the doorknob and kicked it open. I slammed it shut after stepping inside. My foot earned the pleasure of being babied as I hobbled over to my stupid little bed in the corner of that stupid little room.

          The first sob got choked down as I sat heavily on the thin mattress. I slipped off my boots and collapsed, drawing the cottony blanket up to my chin. Then I rolled over and faced the wall.

          I couldn’t even listen to my music, I was so sick with emotion. Anger, terror, disappointment, and a lingering trace of confusion rubbed against my brain, making my headache even worse. There was no relief to the pain I was feeling. I didn’t even understand the sensation myself. How could I expect to get out of it?

          Another sob was swallowed. I wouldn’t let this stop me. I’d try to find a way to fix everything, even if that meant defying orders and finding a way to give myself over. But only if that was the only option.

          Fatigue washed over my consciousness. As I slipped away, a single tear slid down my cheek.

*

          I was woken by someone shaking my shoulder. “Get up,” the unknown person hissed in my ear. I swatted at them, not ready to follow any orders just yet, but he or she grabbed my wrist. “Seriously. Now. Grab your stuff.”