Running. I was running for my life and I knew...I knew they were chasing me, and if I stopped for a minute it would be the end of me.
I left them back there. God I'm such a coward. Hot tears trickled down my cheeks after hearing the loud gun shots coming from behind.
I'm sorry. God I'm so sorry. I charged into a restaurant and went through the back door knowing very well that they followed me in.
-That morning-
****
"Good morning." I mumbled as I took a seat at the table with Anna and Salvador.
It was tense. No one uttered a word and we sat in an uncomfortable silence. They were both stealing glances at each other the whole time and I made the link.
"You two fucked didn't you?" I smirked and they both spit out their food.
"Where are you getting this from?" My father spoke coldly, to hide his flushed face.
"Oh please, can you be more obvious?" I chuckled humorously and they both stayed silent.
"Alright fine, what's on the agenda today?" I asked.
"We need to go into town." My father said and I nodded.
"I'll meet you by the car in 10."
****
We cruised through the city, and I kept staring at my lock screen the whole time.
"Don't even think about it." Anna ordered as she scanned the text. I nodded slowly and locked my phone, gaining a pain in my chest.
Finally, the car came to a stop and apparently we were at some abandoned warehouse.
"Stay in the car. We'll grab some guns and we'll be on our way."
I have no idea how many minutes I spent waiting for them, but it's been too long for my liking.
Stepping out of the car slowly, both my father and Anna charged out of the building with horrified expressions.
"Run, Valentina!" My father screamed and the desperation in his voice made it clear that something was indeed very wrong. And so I did. I ran. I ran straight in the other direction, hearing explosions and gunshots behind me.
Breathing hard, I took a look inside the restaurant, where everyone was scrambling outside, from the corner of my eyes and saw them. Two armed men. Taking a deep breath, I convinced myself that I wasn't this coward, helpless girl that couldn't defend herself.
I was strong. I was taught to be strong, and that's exactly what I'll be. Grabbing my gun from my back pocket, I inhaled one more time, convincing myself that I could do it.
Charging inside, I shot both men in a blink of an eye, in their legs. As they groaned in pain, I gave each of them a kick in the face knocking them unconscious, and headed back.
Headed back to defend my father. To defend Anna.
"Dad!" I shouted as the man gripped his throat.
"What a lovely one you got here, Salvador. Maybe I'll have a little fun with her myself." The man teased and my father's face grew red.
"Valentina, run!" He managed to choke but I shook my head and pointed the gun at the man.
"Let him go." I seethed and he seemed to obey as he slowly started putting him down. I though I heard movement behind me, so I elbowed the man in the face and he fell to the ground.
"She's a tough cookie, I see." The man chuckled humourlessly and I shot him in the arm.
"Where is Anna?" I breathed out as I addressed my father who was trying to catch his breath.
"I don't know, but back up is on its way." He nodded and I shook my head.
"They won't be fast enough, dad." I stated and before I got to say my idea the man whispered something that widened my eyes.
"What did you just say?" I snarled while gripping his hair.
"Hail Hydra."
I gasped and without thinking twice, I dialled the number I was contemplating to dial.
"Oh, thank god. Are you okay?" His voice was full of concern.
"I need you." I whispered and I watched my father's eye twitch, clearly annoyed that I sounded so weak.
"I'll be there." He responded and hung up.
In 10 minutes, the Avengers were assembled and standing right in front of us.
"Who are they?" Wanda motioned to the dead people my father has murdered.
"Hydra." I stated and watch their eyes widen in shock.
"I thought we got rid of those bastards." Clint growled.
"Language!" Steve scolded and I raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"We need to move." Nat spoke in a deadly tone and rushed towards the building, where all the Hydra soldiers were gathered.
"Stay here." Tony demanded with glare on his face before he closed the mask.
My father nodded at me before taking the gun from my hands and running after the team to fight along with them.
Being the stubborn woman I am, I went in anyway, and the sight I saw would definitely haunt me in my sleep. It was a bloody massacre. Bodies everywhere, but what really caught my eye was Anna leaning over one of those bodies, and if I'm not mistaken...crying?
"Anna?" I chocked and she turned around, so I had a clear view of the body and what I saw broke my very being.
"Dad?" I whispered and there was no response. "Dad!" I fell to my knees, tears trickling down my cheek while I shook my dad repeatedly.
"Daddy?" I chocked and Anna wrapped her arm around me, whispering soothing words, that I didn't want to hear.
"You gotta wake up! You have to wake up! Please!" I begged, for any sign, for any movement that proved that I didn't lose my dad for good this time.
"Come on! You didn't get the chance to make everything up to me. You didn't get the chance to make up for lost time. Dad...I didn't get to hear you say it." I cried. I cried because I was pathetic. Pathetic to think that it might end up okay.
"I didn't get to hear you say that you loved me too." I sobbed and for a moment there. I felt numb. I just wanted to learn how it feels like to wake up in the morning and not feel sad.
"Let's go, Valentina." I think I heard her say, but I was too numb to listen to anything, too numb to notice that my feet started to move on their own. Too numb to notice how broken I really was.