The rain washes everything away. The past the future, the failures and victories of our predecessors. Until we are left standing drenched in all of it. Carrying the burden for years to come. Rain was Fallons favourite thing. The sound and the smell of it reminded her of tranquility. Peace that she never had, and will forever chase. She loved the rain, just for a moment it stilled the fire inside of her. Yet James was the oxygen that set her world ablaze.
All her walls came crumbling down in the pit of fire, and he stood in the middle enjoying the burn. Two monsters facing one another. A sullied metaphor.
What a wicked thing, the cruelty of life. The choice we never had; to be or not to be. We just are. The path we choose from there on is our own.
The lessons taught in her childhood weigh on her shoulders. The severity of them she did not understand, until she was much older.
Years later she stood on top of her empire, with bodies and ruins at her feet, of men and companies she has taken down along the way of her climb to the top. Yet, it all comes crumbling down eventually. And it did. James betrayal ran deep in her veins. She was left hurt, left to bleed out and exposed. She shared some of the biggest horrors of her past, and he will now use it against her. The weakness that no one was meant to know.
How stupid.
Letting her heart do the bidding for her life. She was smarter than that. Yet those ocean eyes looked deep into her soul and she reached for the depths of them. Just to drown in the end. She will have to swim for the shores that she cannot see. The ache in her heart was pressing against her chest. Lungs filled with smoke from a cigarette that dangled between her lips, while she stared at the soaking New York streets, from the safety of her office.
Petty little humans, getting on with their petty little lives. She envied their simplicity of life. Grow up, get a job, find a partner, grow a family and then die. Yet selected few have a darkness inside of them that must be fed.
How she longed to lay in his arms, take in the intoxicating smell of his being that she has grown so addicted to.
What heart wants doesn't get.
She will put a bullet between those mesmerising eyes. She'll watch as the ocean pours out of them with no life left. Her soul will go with him. The first and the last human, monster that she ever loved. Even if she never admitted that to him.
The battle of her thoughts was interrupted by the sound of her office door opening. Well put together Natasha walked in. The familiar sight of her laptop in one hand and the holder with two coffees in the other. Natasha placed the coffees on the dark wooden table and flopped herself onto the armchair.
''Sheesh this rain has me feeling all miserable''
Fallon grunted in response and stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray. Ashes is the only thing that will remain after she is done in this world.
Natasha perked up again. ''I was thinking we should all go away somewhere warm. Like a big couples holiday''
Fallon took a sip of the hot bitter coffee, it scolded her throat as it went down. She welcomed the pain with open arms. Anything is better than the ache of her heart. Before Fallon could protest about the holiday Natasha continued.
''We can rent a villa! Big swimming pool, hot baths and sunshine to soak in.''
Fallon opened her mouth to speak, but Natasha wasn't finished.
''Ohh ohh, can go to all those trinket markets, and dinners on the beach'' She swayed like a school girl in love.
Natasha had a simple love. Her existence was not scarred by the darkness that surrounded her family name . A ray of sunshine parting the gloomy clouds.
''Ohh I swear James has that beautiful villa in Italy by Lake Como? I remember Steve mentioning it.'' Natasha placed a hand on her heart.
''I have business to take care of'' Fallon shook her head.
''Oh come on. You deserve a holiday you know! Can't be always working''
Fallon sighed. She didn't want to say it out loud. Saying those things out loud made them real. It seemed though she won't wriggle her way out of this one. ''James and I are no longer together'' Fallons voice was raspy. Strained from the screams of the night before.
Natasha stopped talking, with her mouth still open. She shut it and then opened to say something, but stopped. Natashas eyes studied Fallons features. Red sunken in eyes, pale skin and groggy voice.
''Are you guys bickering again? You two and your commitment issues I swear''
Fallon chuckled, it was low and unamused. ''No. We just not made for each other''
''Now that's the biggest lie if I ever heard one''
Really rubbing salt in the wound.
''You and Steve should definitely go on holiday'' Fallon took another sip of the coffee. Bitter smoke and coffee lingering on her tongue. '' and I have business to take care of''
Fallon locked the ache deep in her being. No more weakness. She failed once, she will not do it again.
She had to protect what was really hers. And James was not it. She was a fool to believe it in the first place.
''What actually happened?'' Natasha frowned. The seriousness of Fallon weighing down on her.
''Nothing that affects the reason why we are here. Business must go on, I am not finished''
''Will you ever be?'' Natasha scoffed and leaned back in the seat.
''Not until I have air in my lungs'' Fallon sat down in her office chair and opened her laptop, the last window with Tony Starks name on it still open, staring back at her face. As if mocking.
''All I'll say is don't make rash decisions. I know that this empire is everything you dreamed about, but yet having a somewhat normal life doesn't have to be thrown away''
Fallon looked up and smiled. ''There was nothing normal about James and I''
Natasha pressed her lips together for a moment. ''And that is why you and James are perfect for one another''
Natasha stood up and headed out of Fallons office. She walked across Olivias desk and walked into her own office shutting the door behind. Natasha pulled her phone out and dialled Steves number.
''Hey babe'' Steves cheerful voice came through the receiver.
''Hey'' Natasha leaned on her desk.
''Whats up?''
''Have you spoken to James today?'' Natasha chewed on her lip.
''Not yet, just walking through the lobby now. Why?''
''It seems Fallon and James had a falling out, but she's not telling me anything'' The worry in her voice was evident.
''I'm sure they will work it out'' The sound of the elevator ding could be heard through the receiver.
''I'm not so sure this time, she said they were over'' Natasha sighed. ''I'm just worried about her. I've never seen her as happy as when she is with him. Would you talk to him?''
Steve gulped, guilt of the knowledge of their plan sinking into him. He stepped out onto the floor of James office. ''I will talk to him'' Steve looked up as the sound of smashing glass could be heard.
''Get the fuck out!'' James shouted, and suddenly the door to his office flung open as very distressed Michelle ran out. Her deer like eyes found Steve and she flashed him a thin lipped smile.
''I gotta go babe, will talk to James for you. Okay? Love you'' Steve said into the receiver and hung up the phone. ''Everything okay Michelle?''
''Uh... Boss is in an extremely bad mood. I'll take your bullet proof vest if you're going inside'' Her raspy high voice was quiet as she made it to her desk.
Steve sighed and walked inside James office. He glanced down at the shattered glass by the door, clearly it once contained whiskey inside.
''A bit early to drink Buck..'' He said as the doors shut behind him.
''Its not if I never stopped'' James gravelly voice responded. His shirt was untucked and first few buttons undone. He looked dishevelled. Very different to his usual well put together self. He ran a hand through his already dishevelled hair.
''Is this about a certain red head?'' Steve walked over and plonked himself onto an armchair and lit a cigarette.
''How do you know?''
''Natasha called me and said that Fallon has informed her that you two are done?'' He shrugged.
James slammed his fist down on the wooden desk, making everything in close proximity jitter. His jaw flexed in anger. ''She found the folder''
''Hmm..'' Steve ran his hand through his blonde hair. ''So is the plan back in action?''
James looked down at his lap, it looked like he was holding something but Steve couldn't see over the desk.
''There is plenty of other fish in the sea brother... Take out the competition that we don't need and then you can find yourself another red head that's a bit loopy in the head'' He shrugged. ''God or just pay to get some ass''
James sighed and placed a satin black square box on the table.
Steve stared at the box, nothing but an engagement ring would go in a box like that. ''Fuck man...'' Knowing that James always said he would never fall in love, the fact that he bought an engagement ring spoke volumes.
♠️♠️♠️
Fallon pulled up in her black Ferrari, and parked up next to a side walk by Manhattan beach. Her long heels clicked against the pavement as she rounded the car and leant onto the bonnet by the passenger side. Flicking a lighter she lit a cigarette and glanced over her shoulder. The colour of the sky was the same as the tip of her cancer stick. The sun was setting, slowly disappearing into the horizon. Gust of wind from the ocean breeze scattered her hair in all directions. She loved the beach, even though water was one of the only things that scared her to her core.
First day without James, was almost over. Her chest felt empty, and her head full of swarming bees. Therefore she decided to throw herself into work. Put the focus back on the empire that she wanted to create in the first place.
Before her thoughts could spiral, scuffing of shoes approaching her, pulled her back. Fallon turned her head and watched as a man with very baggy jeans and jumper approached her, his black hair shaved down short, carrying a rather large black duffel bag. Fallon took a drag of her cigarette and opened the passenger door motioning for the man to place the bag in her car.
''Don't you want to count it?'' The man raised an eyebrow. A tattoo resting just above it.
''I believe you are capable of basic maths'' Fallon retorted.
The man chuckled and placed the bag full of drug money in her passenger seat. Fallon shut the door and leaned back on the bonnet, the man took a few steps back. ''Since when do you do pick ups yourself princess?'' The man pulled out a cigarette of his own.
Fallon raised an eyebrow at the nickname. ''Since I want you to pass a message on to your boss''
''I'm all ears''
''Can your operation handle double?'' Fallon dropped her finished cigarette on the floor and stubbed it out with her red soled heel.
He pondered for a moment. ''We could make it work''
''I don't care how you run it, as long as payments are made on time. I want a smooth clean sailing''
He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked her up and down. ''Have we not provided a clean smooth operation so far, Princess?''
''Cant argue with that. Lets keep it that way''
The man nodded and turned away to head off from the same direction he came from.
Fallon opened the passenger door and pulled out a wad of cash. ''Nick'' She called out to him, while shutting the door back up.
Nick turned back around and took a few steps closer to her. Fallon threw the wad of cash in his hands and he caught it. He flicked through it and shoved it in the front pocket of his hoodie. He raised a hand as if to ask what that was for.
''If anything smells fishy, and the name Tony Stark pops up. You come and tell me'' Fallon looked at him and raised her eyebrow.
Nick grinned for a moment and walked over to her, too close for the liking of personal space ''Who's got your feathers ruffled, princess?'' He pulled one of his hands out of his pocket and ran the back of his knuckle across her cheek. He licked his lips as he studied her face, enjoying her soft skin against him.
Fallon watched his hands for a moment and then looked up at his eyes. ''Don't try it on me, Nick'' She threatened.
Nick chuckled and brushed his finger under her chin raising her head up. ''I would never, you are that James Barnes girl''
Fallon stared at Nick for a moment, she placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back to get him out of her space. She started to round the car to get back into the drivers seat before looking over her shoulder at him.
''I am no ones girl''
A/N: Please comment and vote! Love to hear your thoughts good and bad! Shit is about to go down hard over here so please stay tuned.
What do you guys think so far? :)