Saving Grace

Chapter XVI

She was lying on a quilt-covered bed in an unfamiliar room. Well, it seemed familiar, but she did not remember it. Her throat burned and hurt with every swallow, her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and her chest ached.

Breathing triggered a hitch in her throat and set her off coughing harshly, making her throat hurt even more. She sat up to ease her breathing, and her quilt slipped from her shoulders, reminding her of how freezing she was. Looking down, she found herself in a pale blue flannel nightgown, tangled golden curls resting on each shoulder.

Just then, the door opened to reveal a small, skinny blonde teen boy, a taller, broader built boy stood just behind him.

"Look who I brought home from school, Gracie!" the blonde said cheerfully, then noticed she was sitting up. "Grace! You can't get out of bed yet!" He rushed forward, gently pushing her down. She fell back against her pillow, all strength suddenly gone.

"It's hard to breathe, Stevie..." Another fit of harsh coughs racked her tiny body, causing "Stevie" to help her sit up until they passed. She was not sure how she knew him or his name, but she seemed to be right since he did not correct her. She snuggled back down beneath her faded pink and yellow quilt. "It's cold," she murmured.

A gentle hand combed the tangles back from her face. "I know, you've gotten yourself a fever since I went to school," Stevie said. "Be a pal and grab the cover off my bed, will ya?" he asked the taller, dark-headed boy, who nodded and left the room. "I'm gonna make you some soup, Gracie. That'll warm you right up," Stevie said.

"Chicken noodle?" She asked hopefully.

He grinned back. "Just like Ma taught us," he promised, kissed her cheek, then left the room.

Moments later, the dark-haired boy came back. He carefully covered her all the way up to her chin with the worn blue quilt.

"Don't worry about a thing, Babydoll. Steve and I will take care of ya."

She wanted to say "I know you will," but she was just so tired, and her throat hurt...and...and...her eyes fluttered closed for a moment...

She blinked awake to find herself in her white room. She was in bed, wearing light blue pajamas. Somehow the boys in her dream were familiar. They spoke to her like they knew her, especially the blonde one. She felt like they were the most important people in the world to her, and that she should know them. Particularly, the blonde, but, at the same time, she felt so drawn to the brunette. They felt so safe, so comforting, that she wanted them back. They were just boys, but she somehow knew that they would still look after her and keep her safe.

"Stevie?" she called out timidly, still hazy from her dream. Her head began throbbing with stabbing pains once more. Burying her face in her knees, she called softly again. "Stevie? Stevie? Need you..." She was not sure where these strange words were coming from, but she hoped they made sense. "Need you, Stevie..."

That was how Bruce found Grace ten minutes later. She was rocking back and forth, knees drawn up to her chest with her face hidden there, mumbling about "Stevie." He tried to talk to her to find out what was wrong, bit all he could figure out was that she was in some kind of pain. When he tried to give her a pain reliever, she shrunk away from his needle violently, almost falling off the bed.

"Nein!" she cried. "Need Stevie! He make better."

"'Stevie'? You mean Steve? Your brother, Steve?"

"Need Stevie," she insisted in broken English.

"Okay, okay," Bruce placated, his hands held out in a calming gesture. "I'll call for him." He glanced up toward the ceiling. "JARVIS, could you please put me in touch with Captain Rodgers?"