FALLEN ─ marvel

IV. Break A Leg

Thirty four hours later...

Chapter Four
Soroya

We have a van parked outside the building the recital is being held. In this van, Jade, Sharon, and I are getting ready for our mission. Theodora Ray, the daughter of Fredrick Ray, the HYDRA agent we need to capture, is going on stage with her class in less than twenty minutes. They are wearing a two piece dark grey costume: high waisted shorts and a blouse, which are both covered in glitter, with skin colored tights and ash looking makeup on their faces. Some of the other CIA agents here with us are helping Jade, Sharon, and I with our makeup and costumes. We need to pass as members of her class.

The official plan is for Jade and I to go on stage and search for Ray in the crowd. Once we spot him, we are supposed to give the location in our coms. The CIA agents will block the exits and shut the music off, then Bucky, Sam, and John will go and arrest Ray. Sharon is in charge of making sure Theodora is detained and brought in for questioning. But what will really happen is that as soon as I give Ray's location, I'll fake my injury and drop to the ground. Once I do, I'll activate the hologram on my leg to make it look broken, then Jade and Sharon will carry me off stage while the others arrest Ray.

Bucky has been sitting next to me while I've gotten my makeup done, and as soon as the agent is done, he leans forward and gently kisses my cheek, whispering: "You look beautiful."

There's a mirror in front of me so I can see the final product, and only now that I see myself in makeup and costume, do I realize what I'm about to do. I speak my revelation aloud: "I'm about to get on stage with a professional dance company in front of hundreds of people on a real stage. This is something I used to dream about doing."

Bucky's smile grows a little sad as he tucks a loose strand of my hair away. "Are you excited or nervous about doing this?"

I turn to face him more, my knees resting against his, his hand traveling to my back and lazily trialing up and down my skin. "A little bit of both. I'm finally living out one of my dreams, but I'm doing it for a mission and I won't even get to finish the whole dance. And as stupid as it is, part of me worries that I'll look completely stupid up there."

"Of all the things to worry about, whether or not you'll do good shouldn't be one of them. You can't seriously think you'll be anything but amazing on that stage."

"Buck, I haven't been to a dance class since I was twelve, I've never danced on a stage this big before or danced in front of this many people. For all these years I've called myself a dancer, but I've never even really danced."

Bucky grabs onto both of my hands tightly, looking at me firmly in the eyes, without an ounce of hesitation or doubt. "Lena, I see the look in your eyes whenever you dance. You have such a great love and passion for it, and that matters way more than the amount of time you've spent in a class room learning about it. I know this is for a mission, but when you go up on that stage, I want you to enjoy your moment of living out your dream. This is what HYDRA took away from you, and I want you to savor every moment of it. Don't worry about everyone else, don't worry about the crowd or the other agents. You're going to be amazing, sweetheart."

I lean forward and press my forehead against his, feeling my cheeks heat up and my eyes grow watery as I tell him: "That made me feel a lot better."

He brushes the backs of both my hands, his smile growing, causing his face to crinkle like it does whenever he's truly happy. "I mean every word. You have no idea how incredible you are, Soroya Roberts, and no matter what happens on that stage, you will always be the greatest dancer in my eyes."