Spirited {Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier fanfic}

Chapter 5

Edit#2: IM SO SORRY FOR EDITING AGAIN AND AGAIN BUT I WAS JUST SO CONFUSED WHETHER TO USE THE TOWER OR COMPOUND. But now I've settled with the compound. Sorry again.

This chapter will contain some information, stuff about Heather's past, a little about her powers, etc. Might get a little boring, so sorry in advance!

The entirety of her powers will be disclosed as the book goes on, so if you don't understand something, I suggest keep reading ;)

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The ride to the Avengers compound was uncomfortable, to say the least.

Black Widow's expressionless eyes never left my face for a second. While I'm always confident in myself and my abilities, it all goes down the drain when you're in the presence of a trained Russian assassin-turned-Avenger.

The three heroes, Spidey, Bucky and Falcon had stayed behind at the crime scene with a few more agents, while I was being detained and brought in by the extremely intimidating and gorgeous, Black Widow.

I looked around the van and seated next to us were four agents. My friends had gone back to the realm of the dead after my constant insistence.

The 'Realm of the Dead' was all around us. The spirits just wandered about, doing whatever they did in their spare time. I could always feel their presence and knew that right now, my close spirit-friends were nearby.

I could choose whether or not to activate my "ghost-gaze", a stupid term coined by a kid spirit, Bruno, which allows me to see them ghosts. It took me many years to control this ability, by the time of which, I was already being ridiculed as a "freak-show" for talking to myself and doing things that were practically impossible.

I was about 5 years old when I started seeing them. Ghosts, spirits, apparitions, whatever the hell you want to call them. At first, it didn't scare me because I didn't know they were ghosts. It's only when the kids at the orphanage started getting freaked out by me and the things that happened around me, that I realised what they were.

For the next 8-something years, I was miserable. Being called an "orphaned freak" and other colourful names started taking a toll on me. The constant bullying and the never-ending loneliness didn't help either. I'd gotten over my initial fear of the spirits and just thought of them as a burden and blamed them for all my problems.

No matter how harsh I was to them or how hurtful the things I said to them were, they just wouldn't go away. I was probably depressed for a while, when one fine afternoon, I met the guy who would later on become my best-friend and eventually, partner in crime.

Matt Murdock.

I was walking to the park, where I'd sit around, read books and look at other kids having fun with their friends and family, something I so desperately craved. I started walking towards my regular bench without looking and suddenly came to a halt when I saw a kid, no older than me, sitting there. As if he could sense me, he looked up and I was met with a pair of black sunglasses.

"Can I help you?" He asked. His hands started fidgeting and moved to hold his walking stick. That was when I realised he was blind.

"O-oh, no, it's nothing. I wasn't looking where I was going. It's-"

"Do you want to sit down?" He suddenly asked, shifting to make space for me.

"Oh, um, I don't want to bother-"

"It's fine." He cut me off and gave me a side smile. I hesitantly sat down and looked ahead at the playing children for a bit, then sighed and was about to open my book when he introduced himself.

"I'm Matt." He said extending his right hand towards me.

"Heather." We shook hands and I briefly smiled. Was this what it feels like to become friends with someone? Is this what happiness feels like?

I tiny spark of hope took place in my heart.

As the evening continued, I read my book, with my not-so-conversing new friend beside me, making small-talk from time to time. We talked about trivial things, like favourite colour, food, book, song, movie, etc. It felt good. Having someone to talk to.

It felt freeing.

And as I looked up, I realised that I couldn't see them. I couldn't see the ghosts! I whipped my head around side to side, trying to find them but they weren't there! How is this possible? Why now, after all these years of torment? That too when I was feeling free and calm and at peace with myself for the first time in eight years?

A calm, ancient-sounding voice floated inside my head, the words it spoke, resonating.

Inner Peace is the key.

~Edit~
Just edited a few grammatical errors is all.
I don't particularly like this chapter but I'll edit this book once I'm close to finishing it.

:)