The ghosts we hide (Winter Soldier x OC)

Twenty four

A growl rumbles in the back of my throat.

Nat lets out a small laugh as I glare at the man walking in the other direction, the fifth person to knock my shoulder as they pass.

"The next one who does that is going to end up with something sharp in their neck."

"This is New York Nyx, you'd better get used to it." Nat sighs, shaking her head in humour.

I mutter under my breath as we continue down the pavement, everything around us buzzing with life. The streets are a mass of people bustling from place to place, everyone always in a hurry to be somewhere. The buildings seem to reach the sky above us, windows glinting in the mid morning sun and sending beams of light bouncing around the city.

I keep close to Natasha as we walk, the thought of losing her in the writhing mass of humans looming in the back of my mind. The cap stays low over my brow, another form of paranoia sticking with me - anyone here could be undercover.

Hydra have people everywhere.

"So where are we going?" I shout to Nat over the din of the streets.

She sends me a sly smile, manoeuvring around vendors and merchant stalls.

"You'll see." Her words float back to me.

I let out a huff, continuing to follow the red head through the maze of people. Despite my lingering anxiety, excitement also bubbles in my stomach at my apparent freedom. As far back as I can remember I've always had a mission to complete whenever I was allowed out, otherwise I spent my days staring at withering metal walls.

I take a deep breath in, enjoying the fresh air; the sweet tang of hotdog stalls; even the acrid pang of petrol.

"Hey!"

I stand my ground as a hard body connects with mine.

I look back at the business man, his phone knocked to the floor with the force of my shoulder against his. I scowl at him, despite the deep satisfaction fizzing in my veins. The man seems taken aback at the depth of my glare, obviously used to people getting out of his way and not barging right into him.

After staring for a couple of seconds, his face turns a light red and he scuttles off.

My eyes find Nat's as she lifts her brow at me. A smug smile graces my lips as I briskly walk to catch up to her, my mood even better than it was before.

"This is New York - he should get used to it."

The super spy snorts, flashing her teeth as she laughs at my antics.

If shoulder barging random people is part of normal life in this city, then I definitely think I'll like it.

*****

Finally, we pause at the end of a street.

A huge expanse of green stretches out on the other side of the road, looking so out of place in the concrete jungle. Trees wave softly in the breeze, almost as if they're welcoming us while a huge lake is just visible through the mass of leaves.

We stop at a zebra crossing. My whole body wants to move, impatient to get the the massive park, almost as if it's calling to me. It seems like an age before the man finally turns green. Nat and I surge forwards, right at the head of the swarm of other people trying to shove their way to wherever they're going.

Much to my disappointment, no one else dares nudge my shoulder.

My excitement grows as we make it to the other side and make a beeline for the park entrance. Something swells in my chest as we pass the emerald threshold, suddenly surrounded by grass and trees and leaves.