Winter's Daughter

Chapter Twelve

If there's one thing I've learned from HYDRA, it is that death is inevitable. No one can escape it, not even the most innocent person. Some can choose when death greats them, and some cannot.

But death wears the same face. No matter who it takes.

When I ran through the doors onto the open battle field, I didn't know what to expect. But what I found was something I didn't want to see.

My best friend lied on the ground next to a tree, motionless. All I could do in that moment was stand there, numb. Then I found that my legs were moving. I came crashing down to his side.

"Luka?" I said, holding back my tears. No answer. With shaky hands, I turned him so he was on his back. To my surprise he was still awake.

"Howdy." He said. I helped him up so that his back was lying on the tree. "What happened?" I asked with a shaky voice.

"It's not important now. The only thing that matters is this moment." He said slowly, his energy decreasing. Now I didn't even stop the tears streaming down my face.

"I want you to do something, okay?" He said. I nodded in response.

He weakly smiled. "Live. I want you to live. No matter how hard some days may get, you get up out of that bed and live. I may not be there with you, but I'll be watching over you. And I swear if I see anything less, I will haunt you." He said with a slight chuckle.

"Promise me, Nadiya. Promise me you'll do this, as it is my dying wish."

I grabbed onto his hand. "I promise." I choked out.

He gave me a weak smile. "Good."
I say there for a few more minutes, watching for his breathing. Then I saw it stop. Alarmed, I looked at his face.

No.

All the light in his eyes were gone.

No. No!

His skin was so pale.

No!

His hands were ice cold.

NO!

I backed away and looked around me. I saw Clint in the trees, shooting arrows. Bucky, Nat, and Steve were on the ground doing hand to hand combat. Tony and Thor were in the skies. Hulk was attempting to smash his opponent into the ground.

But in all, we were failing. Explosives were going off everywhere, bullets flying everywhere.

I need to stop this, and I need to do it now. I looked to my right to see the syringe. I quickly grabbed it and examined it.

You can do this, you can do this.

"Hey! Hey you! Hey!" I screamed at the top of my lungs while flailing my arms around. Eventually, I got the agents attention.

"You wanted me, right? Well, come and get it!" I yelled as I ran into the forest. As I turned to see if he was following, I caught a glimpse of Bucky's face.

He seemed mortified.

But I couldn't let him get to me. He only just met me, so why would he care if I died?

Once I saw that the agent was following, I turned my attention back to forest in front of me and ran for my life.

Back to present time

Another gust of wind comes at me as I run throughout the forest. The thick, cold snow slows me down, but I never stop. I can't stop. I won't stop.

I lost count of how long I've been running for. Four, five hours? The only thing that's keeping me going is the intense fear of him catching up to me.