Even After Death

Chapter 54

I stared at it for the longest time. Wondering, trying to imagine what he had went through. My hand tightened on the sledgehammer, my jaw tightening.

Rae Alexa Donovan.
Beloved friend, Avenger, and sister.

I swung the hammer down on the stone and it cracked slightly. Grunting out, I continued to slam the sledgehammer in frustration. I dropped the hammer, panting. I walked away from the crushed stone, satisfied with my work.

The elevator dinged as it reached the floor. I stepped out, seeing Bucky swinging at Tony. Bucky pulled out a gun and aimed it at Tony. Tony managed to get a iron man hand on his, before Bucky shot him. I pulled out my gun and shot at Bucky's metal arm. Everyone turned to me. Aiming guns and blasters at me. But I didn't pay attention to them.

"That is enough. You are not here to kill Tony, Bucky." I told him. Bucky's jaw hardened before moving away from Tony and closer to me.

"Bucky, get away from her." Steve ordered him. He didn't listen to him as he stood closer to me. "Who are you?"

"Rae." Elijah walked into the room, his hands stilled tied. His face was bruised and cut up. I slipped off my mask and everyone's eyes widened, jaw dropping.

"Rae?" Steve asked, in shock. I knew he didn't believe I was here. That I wasn't dead. Sam stood next to him, looking quite guilty. "You're alive?"

"Yes. Sam, what exactly happened to my brother?" I asked nodding to my injured brother. Sam glanced at Steve and I looked at Steve's knuckles. They were bruised and kind of bloody.

"What the hell is going on?" Natasha asked, quite angry. She turned her glare from Elijah to me. Bucky placed a gently hand on my back. "What the hell did you do?"

"You wouldn't understand, Natasha." Elijah told her.

"Well please, make me understand. Make all of us understand." She demanded.

"Rae, tell them. Please, stop hiding." Sam pleaded. Everyone turned to him.

"You knew about this? About her?" Steve asked. Sam's face held even more guilt.

"Yes, I did. I'm sorry, Steve." Sam told him. Steve looked at me.

"Everyone leave but Steve." I asked. Everyone moved out but Bucky stayed next to me. I looked at him. "It's okay, I'll be fine."

He nodded and left. Steve stood there while I moved to sit on the couch. Steve followdd, sitting in front of me.

"I guess I should start from the begin." I said to myself.

"That would be best." He answered back.

"All my life, I've been used as puppet. By my own father, as you know as Johann Schmidt. He abused me when my brother left, even before that. Do you know how it feels to be used, abused and tortured for fun? For the last few months, I have been looking for my brother. Not to see him again but to get revenge. But mow that I see him and look at him, all I see is a man who was trying to protect his family. His only family." Steve's jaw hardened as I continued.

"I have no explanation for why I have hurt you the way that I did but I thought I had a good reason for it. But in reality, I didn't. And for that I am sorry." He didn't say a word and I stood up, feeling like I didn't belong with this family anymore. "I just hope one day that you and the team can forgive me for the heartache I have caused."

I turned to leave but a hand wrapped around my waist. I was jerked into Steve's body as he hugged me.

Author's note-
New story posted called 'Before We Fall'. I really hope you gugs/girls go check it out.