In My Eyes

Ch•12- The Gem

She looked the same, nothing has changed. Her hair, her eyes, the dimples on the sides of her cheeks. Every freckle on her skin is exactly where it should be.

I wrapped my arms around her waist. She held me close to her. I could smell her familiar flowery scent "I miss you Mom" I held back a cry "I still see you every night in my dreams. But sometimes..." I closed my eyes "... I, I forget what you look like. I forget the sound of your voice" I lifted my head off her shoulder and stared up at her face.

   "M-Mom, I don't want to live like that anymore" She pressed her pink lips into a thin line, her blue eyes becoming glassy as I spoke "I don't want to live without you anymore"

"You are needed, Jessica" my Mother lifted my chin up. Her fingers were warm, like they always had been "you are an Avenger. A hero to the people of earth"

"Mom I don't want to be an Avenger" I could stop the sob from escaping. My lips trembled like a small child "I don't want people to... depend on me. I don't want to be known as a super hero. I'm not good enough for them. I just want to go home, I want to go home with you" I pleaded.

"My love, it doesn't work that way" she smoothed my hair, I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut, more tears slipping out "Your time on earth isn't up yet. You still have so much more to accomplish in life"

She raised up her hand. A spiral of colors swirled around her fingers until six shapes were formed. 6 gems. They slowly spun around her hand.

"What is this?" I asked. My Mothers skin glowed a rainbow of colors as she held the gems in the air "A dream? A vision? A vision of the future?"

She brought her hand down to mine. I open my palm as she gently set the floating gems down in my hand. They drifted around over my palm. I stared at them, mesmerized by the beauty. My Mom smiled "Call it your destiny, Jessi"

In a flash, everything disappeared. I was left floating in space once again. The gems surrounded me at all sides.

The golden gem levitated towards me, closer than the others. It was Visions gem, the one that was attached to him. It lowered itself into my hand. I could still feel my Mothers presence around me.

Just below my levitating body, something was opening rather slowly. I looked down past my feet to a large circle that was forming in the middle of space. New York City was beyond that opening. It was the portal from the battle with Loki and the Chitauri. The tower was down there with the name 'Stark' on it.

I let go of the gem, and fell. Down, down, down through the portal, back home.

                              ***

"Ow ow ow" I hissed, sucking in a sharp breath as the nurse dabbed some disinfecting alcohol to my cheek. Bucky had literally kicked it open. The skin was purplish and yellow, and even some orange! I have no idea how that happened. I gripped the arm rests and squeezed my eyes shut "that hurts!"

"beruhige dich" the nurse scolded in German.

"Sie sich niederlassen!" I snapped back, wincing at the pain again "Sie sind nicht derjenige, der von Alkohol angegriffen wird"

The nurse rolled her eyes "Weiche" she insulted "and your German is terrible" she spoke in English "I don't have the slightest clue as to what you just said"

I frowned "me neither" I leaned back against the chair. Dad stood beside me, he now had bruises over his left eye. He was slowly pacing from side to side, his thumb pressed against his bottom lip.

I glanced over to him, not sure if we were still on good terms from our past argument. He seemed worried about me when I awoke from my unconsciousness after that very strange gem dream.

I haven't told anyone about what I saw in my dream, the things that transpired. It didn't seem like a good time to bring in my troubles when there was so much going on around me.
Dad started talking to me once the nurse left.

"Jessi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything I said. I-"

"No" I stopped him, running my hands along my thighs to warm them up "This is all on me. It's my fault, this would not have happen if I had just stayed in my own lane and let you handle things. I shouldn't have gotten involved from the beginning, I just make things worse"

"That's not true" Dad shook his head, but I didn't believe "things are just crazy right now, and we're all a little frustrated and paranoid"

"Where are they now?" I asked about Steve, Sam, and Bucky.

"We don't know" Dad took a seat next to me "they disappeared after the whole incident"

I closed my eyes and buried my face in my hands. My hair fell over my fingers. This was all happening so fast. Not too long ago I was playing chess with Vision, and driving with Sam to school, and laughing with Steve about some online trend that he didn't understand.

Not too long ago, Wanda and I were sitting in a café. Clint was facing timing with me and showing me his plaid shirt collection (it's as boring as it sounds). Dad and I were like we always are. We're two peas in a pod. The Avengers are my friends, my family. They're the only friends that I really need. We even spent Thanksgiving together! Twice!

Steve really didn't have anywhere to go so he came over for Christmas. I want to go back to those days and forget this past month ever happened. I just want things to be normal again. Of course, in this life, nothing is ever truly normal.

"Oh no" I mumbled, staring down at the floor "I didn't want this, I just wanted things to go back to the way they were"

I felt Dad place his hand on my shoulder, I didn't look up at him "I know this is hard for you Jes, you're going through things that no kid should. You've always been special, you've always been more than the people your age. You're intelligent, wise, whole hearted, and you care. There is the occasional 'Starky' comment... and- and we all lose our temper sometimes, it's nothing to be ashamed of"

"Remember the time when I mouthed off to the government of live television?" A sudden voice asked from the door of the hospital room. Nat stood in the doorway with her hands crossed at her chest.

"It was bad-ass" I nodded. Dad gave me a look, he doesn't really like it when I swear even though he does it all the time "my bad" I corrected myself "it was bad-donkey"

Natasha smirked, dropping her hands down to her sides before entering the room "It might not have been necessarily the right thing to do, but at least you did something. Most people would've just sit back and hide while all this was going on. But not you Jesssi, you charged in head on and unafraid like the 54th Massachusetts. That's pretty incredible"

"Enough about me" I stood up suddenly, tired of hearing their praise. None of this was about me anyway, this is about Steve, Bucky, and Sam "I appreciate it, but this shouldn't be our discussion. We need to know our next move. We need to find Steve and Bucky before something else happens"

"Right" Dad and Nat nodded simultaneously.

"Don't worry Jes" Dad smiled, draping his arm across my shoulder. I raised my eyebrow "I think you're going to like our next move"

A/N : well, your left hand's free, and your right's in a grip 🎶