I was walking down to the garage when I found no one around the compound, so I figured the team we're all with Drift, seeing as they we're so intrigued with him yesterday, I wouldn't blame them.
'Step off', I heard the familiar voice and recognised it to be my own, 'You don't back off, I will put you down', it says.
When I stepped in and saw them seated on the couch they must have pulled in here, and Bucky being the first to turn his head and look at me, whilst I stared at the white sheet and saw a projection of myself and a few other people.
'What are you doing', I asked and then they all turned to me, 'watching you, Drift has a lot of recording off you', Pietro answered and I look back at the screen whilst Bucky's hand grips onto mine and he pushes me back onto the seat next to him and I laugh a little, 'why are you watching it', I asked him.
'Because we wanted to', he says and I shake my head, tuck myself into him, and then stare at the screen whilst it changed into another clip, and I see myself staring at a car that had caught my attention and I walk over to it, 'Y/n', Oscar stops me in my tracks and I look over at him with the dealership owner, 'have you picked out a car yet', he asks and I make a quick second decision and nod, 'this one', I point out and Oscar gives me a look, 'really, that one', he asks with a little condescending and I nod, 'yes, what's wrong with it', I ask this time.
'It's run down and old', he replies and I look at it again, 'and I'll fix it right up', I said, 'it'll be great, I want this one', I said and look at Oscar who then looks at the man beside him, 'could you please give us a moment', he tells him and then he nods and walks back inside.
'Y/n, choose another car, this one will just keep breaking down, even when and if you fix it up', he says and I'm frowning at him, 'I don't want another, I want this one', I tell him and he sighs, 'I know you like it, but it's not going to get you to point A to B', he explains to me and I move my hand over the hood of the car, 'this isn't going to be suitable, a car is supposed to be convenient and you can trust one hundred percent that it won't break down in the middle of nowhere where you'll be stranded', he says and I'm sighing to myself again, 'I know this is nice, but you have to pick a car more convenient for you, so please could you', he asks and I look up at him, 'fine', I sigh, 'you pick a car more convenient for me, I don't care', I said and then walk away from him.
Then the clip changes with the same car that caught my attention in the compound where I had kept everyone, 'Y/n', Oscar calls out to me when he jumps out of the car and I turn to him, 'you got it', I said with the happiest smile, 'yes, so it's you're responsibility', he says and I jump in excitement and hug him, 'thank you, thank you, thank you', I chime and he laughs and shakes his head with the team doing the same in the present.
________
'Evie', I called out in the projection, and looked around, 'Evie', I repeat again and see myself reaching for my gun and then taking it out.
When I reached inside, I draw my gun, and looked around for her and when I moved into the living space, I locked eyes on a barrel and looked up, 'Evie', I called out and slowly put my gun down whilst she trembled, 'It's me, don't shoot', I said and when she took a moment, she put it down and a flood of tears flow down her cheeks and I quickly head to her and hug her, 'you're okay, your going to be fine now', I soothed and felt her shaky breath on my neck.
She looks like the same as I remembered, short curly hair, the colour of mine, flawless rounded face, burgundy red lip, a short pointed nose that had little specks of freckles, and her eyes as bright as my own, she looked beautiful and just like the big sister I remember, a teddy bear and the heart of gold.
'I shot him, it was an accident', she muttered.
'He was trying to brake in, you did what you had to do', I said in the video and then stared at her, '...where is he', I asked, I saw the blood, but nothing else, so it weird that I didn't see a dead body here.
'I shot him in the leg, he escaped after that', she says, her hands trembling and when I look down, I take the gun off of her, 'I hate guns', she confesses and I nod, 'and you won't have to use them again', I said and she hugs me and cries in my shoulder whilst a younger version of Oscar comes running in.
'Is she okay', he asked and I look up at him, 'yeah', I said whilst he leans down, 'take her, I have someone to find', I instructed and he nods and picks her up.
'When I get back, all this is going to the compound, she moves and lives there now', I said and when he nods, I head out and get into the car, 'where to Agent Y/n', Drift asked.
'We're going hunting', I replied and he drives off.
When we watched a few more, there was one special one I remembered, the one with my favourite person at the time and how we met.
She was just a sweet innocent little baby girl, but her parents we're caught up with Hydra to even take care of her properly and when they died, agents we're trying to take her out too, but I didn't let them, I got in ahead, I grabbed her and took her somewhere safe so she knew she was safe.
'What's that', Nat asked and I look over at her and see the bucket of popcorn she had on her lap with Wanda sharing and I try not to laugh, 'locomotives, they we're very old, so I made it a safe house when I knew they we're abandoned', I explained and then go back to watch the video, she's as cute as I remembered.
'Here, I made you something', I said, putting the plate out to her as she continued to stare at it and then back at me, so I picked up half the sandwich, dipped it into the soup and then reached over as she continued to stare at me and I give a reassured nod and smile which made her lean in and eat it, 'is it nice', I asked as she silently nods, and I laugh under my breath when she took another wet look bite.
'What's your name', I questioned, but she does nothing but eat and look out the window, 'you look like a Jellybean', I state, 'yep, I think I'll call you Jellybean', I add and it's then she turns her eyes to me and I laugh in the video as well as outside of it whilst I see and feel the team stare at w we
'Grace', she whispered as I smile in the Video and to myself, 'Grace', I repeated as she nods and continues to eat, 'Mmm', I mumble, 'I think I like Jellybean better', I tell her, 'yep, it's definitely Jellybean', I said and see a small smile tug on her lips which makes me smile and the team laugh when I heard them.
'Where we're you born Jellybean', I asked whilst she went to take another bite, 'England', she answered as I stare back at her, 'really, I was born there too', I said and I watch her eyes trail back to me, 'really', she asked, her voice more clearer and I nod.
________
I reached inside the locomotive and look over at Evie, 'where is she', I ask and set my keys on the cabinet whilst she points under the table, and I sigh to myself, I thought she would be fine with Evie babysitting her for a while, but I had to wrap everything up earlier because Grace wasn't doing so good and she was finding it difficult to trust and interact with everyone else that wasn't me.
I crouch down and tap my knuckle on the cabinet under the table Grace had hidden herself in and smile at her when I open the door, 'are we playing hide and seek', I ask and she looks at me with a pout and tears pooling in her eyes, 'what's wrong', I ask her this time.
'You left', she replies and then closes the cabinet whilst I sigh to myself, she doesn't understand how much I work yet and until she does, she'll never understand what I'm building and how many people I'm protecting, but until then, she needs to know that I'll still be here for her.
I open the cabinet door again and then squeeze inside with her, 'I got you something', I tell her and then reach around and grab the box.
'Here you go', I said and she turns away from me with another pout, 'go way', she mutters and I stare at her, then find some way to cheer her up and when I've found one, I see her lips perk up with a small smile on her face, which makes me presently smile and laugh to myself.
________
We watched a couple of them with me and Grace, I helped her heal and get past some of her trauma, the other parts I helped her with too, but I was just taking it a day at a time and making sure she was actually comfortable with everything, and she was, when I got her into the compound and began to slowly introduce her to everyone, she was stuck to myside and watched all the kids and I'd just let her sit on my lap with her pet beneath our feet.
A few weeks after me looking after her, she was doing some painting outside when a wolf stumbled by her, I honestly didn't know the amount of wild animals that come around these parts, but I should've expected it since we we're basically in the middle of nowhere and surrounded my trees and wildlife.
I almost had a heart attack when I saw it, but then it all disappeared when I realised it was the same wolf that would come by for some food and I'd always leave some out for her, but on that particular day, she somehow managed to form a bond with Grace and ever since, they've both been inseparable.
She named her Emori the following day and I just laughed to myself because it was somehow branded onto my brain that it somehow stuck to me and I remembered it, even without my memories and I just kept on stroking Emori after I put her on my lap.
'Are you sure you don't want to play with them', I asked as she turned her head, looked at me and shook her head whilst I nod and understood.
'look Grace, I found your teddy', a little girl, the same age as Grace called out as we look at her and she finally smiles and takes it, 'what do you say', I said, looking at her whilst she looks back at the little girl, 'thank you', she says whilst she smiles at her, 'want to play on the bouncy castle', she asked as Grace looked at her and then at me as I smile and put her on my feet, 'go on, I'll be right here', I said, and she hands me her bear, nods and follows the little girl whilst Emori followed her.
I got up and walked over to Evie, Oscar, Lily, and Mary, who we're tending to the grill with a few other adults, 'Grace seems to be doing okay', Lily says as I look over at her and nod whilst Evie hands me a plate, 'she's getting there, she's not okay with so much people yet but I think she'll be okay once she gets used to it', I said whilst Oscar began to fill the plate with food, 'No, Grace doesn't like mushrooms', I said as they stare at me and chuckle whilst I pick them off, put them back and add a little extra cheese biscuit snacks.
'Here, fill one up for yourself now', Oscar says, handing me another plate as I shook my head, 'I'm sharing with Grace', I said, and he nods as I walk back.
When I look up, I see her run to me with tears in her eyes and I quickly put the plate down and take her into my arms, 'what's wrong', I asked as she hugged me tighter and stares at me, 'I thought you left me', she says as I laugh, 'I was just by the grill, besides, I'd never leave you', I said as she squeezed into me whilst I took a seat, pulled away and then wiped her tears.
'Come on, let's eat, and then we can have dessert', I said as she smiled and looked down at the plate whilst I presently see the team chuckle.
When it moved onto another clip, I saw myself seated with Grace facing me whilst she pouts and I move both my hands on her face, 'nope, your not getting your way this time', I said whilst she moves her head and tries to look at me but I move my hand to her face again so it restricts my view, but she moved them away and stared at me, 'please', she innocently said and I sigh.
'I hate you', I mumbled and see her scowl deepen, 'you love me', she says and I cross my arms over, 'no, I don't like you', I said and watch her face come closer to me, 'you love me', she says, emphasising it more and I shake my head but before I could say anything, she stares me down.
'Fine, don't love me', she says and then I smile, '...your not getting free kisses now', she adds and my smile slowly falls, 'really, we're resorted to this now, your still not going to get what you want', I said and this time she crosses her arms with a huff, like it was an exercise for her, 'don't need to, still no free kisses', she says and when I huff at her, she smiles.
'Say you love me and then I change my mind', she counters and I stare at her, I can't believe I'm actually being bribed by a three year old.
When I give in, I sigh, 'fine, I love you', I said and she giggled and then gives me two kisses on each cheek, 'I'm still not going to say yes, no amount of begging, kisses or pouting will get you what you want', I said whilst she gives me her dough eyes again and I watch myself slowly giving in whilst I presently see the team cackle with laughter, even Bucky was doing the same thing, which is scarce, because he hardly laughs in front of the team, he's always got that tough grumpy old man look going for him, but it's fallen off and he's laughing with the team and it makes me happy to see him like that.
'Ugh, fine, your so annoying', I tell her and she giggled with delight and hugs me whilst I move my eyes to Bucky, who had put his hand on my leg and held a firm grip, which makes me smile and I slip my hand into his.
Then there's a loud cheer that draws my attention back to the screen and I see, myself, Evie, Oscar and his wife Mary, who was then his girlfriend, all cheer with Grace on the stage after she finished her Christmas nativity and she turns red and tries to hide behind her teacher, 'go Gracie', Evie cheers with me and everyone looks over at her, whilst her head peaks out and she gives us a look where she's both embarrassed and annoyed at us and we laugh it off whilst the team presently do the same.
When all the kids are off of the stage and we walk around to find Grace, she's got a scowl on her face with her arms crossed, 'you promised not to talk', she says and we laugh, 'we promised we wouldn't talk during the play, no one said anything about afterwards', I said and her scowl deepens.
'Go away, you guys are soo barrasing', she states and we're laughing again.
'We got you cookies for a job well done', Evie says and she stops frowning at us, then I scoop her up and put her over my shoulder where I spin in a circle and it elicits a laugh from her, 'stop, I'm still mad', she tells me when I stop and look at her, 'okay', I said, 'more cookies for us then', I add and she frowns which us laugh again.
________
I stroked Emori's head as she ate and I continued to stare at her, 'Y/n', I heard Wanda call out as I look over at her, 'sorry, did you say something', I asked as she shook her head and walked over to me, 'you okay', she asked and I nod, 'I'm okay', I said as she smiles a little, 'so, you want to tell me about Grace', she asked, and I shrug my shoulders a little, 'there's nothing much to say', I said, whilst she sat at the other end of me, '...she died after I thought I would have too', I said.
'What happened', she questioned as I took my index finger and stroked Emori's head and flattened her hair a little down, 'she died of an allergic reaction, it was no body's fault, but she's gone and I wasn't able to be there for her', I explained whilst Emori moved her head after she was finished and began to drink her water, 'I'm sorry', she says.
'It's fine', I said, almost mumbling whilst Emori was done and pounced on me, and I help her up to my shoulder whilst noticed the team sat with us too as Bucky was on the left of me with his hand on my thigh offering me both, comfort, and warmth.
I don't think watching Drift's memory files was good for me because now I miss them even more.