The Memories of Night | 18+

𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻

𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗱

≫ ──── ««•◦ ✪ ◦•»» ──── ≪

We were sitting in a park, I was between Steve's thighs, resting my head on his collarbone, while Sam, Natasha, and Bruce sat in front of us.

I had just finished explaining why Brock was so hellbent on grabbing me, not only because he had always wanted to hold some sort of power over me, but because he knew I was the only one with the knowledge of the codes, the nuclear codes. I held the power to end any country I wanted to, with the blink of an eye, and all they needed was my facial identification to get into the Oval Office to get them. I was so tired, tired of running for my life and for saving it. Tired of being the only one who seems to suffer at everyone's hands. It was a never-ending cycle, and the only place I had ever felt safe was inside Steve's arms, it seemed to be the only place I could let my guard down.

Steve's thumbs traced along the strip of exposed skin of my waist, a soothing touch meant to remind me that I was safe, I was real, this was all real. There was no rush to his touch, no urgency, it was like he was proud to have me be around him, be around his friends, to be a part of this little family he had created. And it made me feel like I belonged, after so many years of not having a place to land, of being a product of the government, it felt nice to have a support system, a friend group, and a small family. Because mine had been ripped away from me, torn from my grasp.

I could feel the steps behind Steve, could hear the crunch of grass, and could tell that the approaching person wasn't kind. So, I reached for one of the knives that I had taken off the Winter Soldier and raised my arm over my head as the knife came down. The man's forearm hit mine so hard the knife was dropped from his grip and I parted my thighs just in time for it to embed itself in the grass. "Go," I told Steve, his hold tightening, "Go get them out of here."

He sighed, pulling the knife free when I stood, turning to face the attacker, and I felt my heart seize because it was my instructor, Agent Patrick Roland who was attacking me. "Agent Roland?" I asked, his body flinching away at the mention of his name, and my brows dropped, countering an attack instantly. When he grabbed my wrists I brought my knee up, my kneecap hitting him in the stomach and making him double over, I pulled my wrist free, twisting his arm behind his shoulder blade, pushing him against a tree. "What do you want?"

"Kill. You."

I furrowed my brow further when I realized his voice sounded different, and I shoved him harder into the tree when he tried to push back, "Stop it," I ground out, gasping when he turned his head towards me. His eyes were nearly black, his pupils so blown out it looked like he was in pain from the light. "Why do you want to kill me?"

"You ruin," He barked a laugh when he tried to push me back again, only this time I shoved my knee between his leg and pushed my weight into the tree, completely plastering myself to his back, "Their cause."

"Who's cause?"

"Hydra."

Before I could say anything, Agent Roland shook his head and I flinched when his head hit my still-sore nose, "Agent King," he breathed out and I pressed harder against him, keeping him against the tree. His voice had become the same octave I had known my entire life. "Please," He whispered, turning his head to me and I could see the war going on in his eyes, two personalities shoving against each other, fighting for control of his body. "End me, they injected me with something-"

I tried to hold in a scream when his pupils dilated before my eyes, "Ignore him."

And then Agent Roland was back with tears rolling down his cheeks, "Please, it would be mercy. Don't make me go through this anymore."