a simple encounter

battleship

"Vision is it really you?" I ask while standing up from the bed, dropping the picture frame

"Is that my sweater?" he asks

"This isn't real, I watched you die," I state, tears falling down my cheeks

"Yes, but I'm here now my dear," he replies

I walk up and place my hand on his cheek, he leans into my touch and my eyes widen.

"Why can I feel you, How can I feel you," I begin to panic in disbelief

He just smiles at me in sympathy. My eyes lock onto his and he wipes a tear from my cheek. I could actually feel his cold vibranium skin against mine. My head begins to feel dizzy and soon enough, everything goes back and I hit the floor. When I wake, I am sitting in the lab on the medical bed, where Tony once laid. I sit up quickly, only to have my eyes meet with Steve and Nat as they sat across from my bed.

"You're awake," Nat smiles

"Where is he? Where did he go?" I state

"Who?" Steve asks in confusion

"Vision. Where did Vision go?" I ask

Steve and Nat just look at each other as their expressions of confusion soften to sympathy.

"Vision has been dead for over a month now, you know this," Nat replies as she approaches my bed

"I know that, but he was here. I saw him. He was in my bedroom. I could feel him," I reply

"Did you take anything?" Steve asks, standing beside Nat

"No, no. He was here." I reply

"When was the last time you ate something?" Nat asks, softening her voice

"Oh god, uh. I'm not sure," I say in confusion

Nat looks at Steve and he nods at her.

"I'll order us food," Nat states as she pulls her phone from her pocket and leaves the room

Steve sits on the end of the medical bed and looks at me in worry.

"You really don't remember the last time you've eaten?" he asks with a worried expression

"The last time I remember was, maybe a couple of days ago?" I say, even questioning my own answer

"Oh god," he states

"It felt so real Steve," I whisper

"I know it hurts, but he's gone," he replies

I lean forward, pulling my knees up to my chest and curling up into a ball. Steve moves closer and wraps his arms around me to comfort me. I needed it.

"Even if it was just for a second. Everything felt fine again when I heard his voice," I whisper

"I'm so sorry," Steve replies

Nat walks in and smiles.

"I ordered us Chinese food. Should be here in about 20 minutes. Why don't we all go start a movie while we wait for it to arrive?" she proposes

"Sounds like fun," Steve replies, releasing me from his embrace

"Let's do it," I smile weakly

Steve and Nat help me up as we make our way down to the common room. We let Nat pick the movie, granted that it was her idea. She picks the movie 'Battleship'. Steve and I have never seen it but it looked very action-packed. We all sat on separate couches that surrounded a coffee table as we watched the movie. F.R.I.D.A.Y soon announces the delivery driver's arrival and Nat runs down to grab the food. She comes back up with two bags that were full.

"Jesus, you order the whole menu?" I chuckle

"Well, I had no idea what you guys like. Plus we need the leftovers. The fridge is empty unless you feel like drinking mayonnaise," Nat replies

We all laugh at her comment and begin to eat. At this moment, things felt okay. I had almost forgotten about everything bad that's happened. We all laughed as we joked about times before all of this mess. Nat would crack the occasional joke at a serious part of the movie, sending us into a laughing fit. The food was good, I felt myself gaining more energy as I ate. With everything going on, I had completely forgotten about taking care of myself. I spent all that time fighting for everyone we had lost and checking up on everyone that we didn't. I forgot about myself. It felt nice to be here, knowing that everyone I had left was safe and healthy. That feeling was all I needed. Before the movie had even finished, I fell asleep. I woke up on the couch with extreme neck pain. I definitely have to stop sleeping on these couches. I tilted my head to look at the other couches where Nat and Steve were sitting. Nat was asleep on her couch and Steve was nowhere to be seen. I got up from the couch, looking down at the mess we had made on the table, there were Chinese food boxes everywhere. I walk over to the kitchen to get myself a glass of water when I am greeted by someone who had already beat me to it. Steve was standing there in the kitchen leaning against the counter with a glass of water in one hand and a tablet in the other. He was going over emails and looks very concentrated while doing so.

"Couldn't sleep?" I ask, getting his attention

"Afraid not. Those couches are very uncomfortable," he replies with a chuckle

"Yeah, Somehow I keep forgetting that," I reply while holding the back of my neck

"Here, let me help. Sit down," he smiles while putting everything in his hands down on the counter and motioning to the stool in front of the counter.

I take a seat as I watch Steve scramble around the kitchen looking in all the drawers. He stops at one and pulls out a large white rag. He turns to the sink, turning n the hot water and placing the rag underneath the running water until it is completely wet.

"Tie your hair up," he says while still wetting the rag

I pull the hair elastic off from around my wrist and tie my hair up into a ponytail. Steve rings out the rag of any excess water and folds it up into a rectangle. He walks around the counter and stands behind me. He gently brushes my hair out of the way, making sure my neck was completely exposed.

"This might feel a little warm but it'll help," he states as he gently holds the warm rag against my neck.

His hold is firm, keeping the skin on the back of my neck warm.

"Thank you," I smile, slightly turning my head to look at him

I place my hand on the back of my neck, holding the rag in place so he could let go. He gently let's go and returns to where he once stood, leaning against the counter again.

"Any luck with that apartment you talked about?" I ask, breaking the silence

"I did find one, it's small but it's not too far away. It's probably going to be the once I choose," he replies

"Sounds like a good pick," I reply with another smile

Steve and I continued to talk about his apartment. It sounded like a great place but he was hesitant. He didn't know what he was going to do with himself. All he has ever really known is war and constant battle. He never saw himself wanting to live a domestic lifestyle. After a little while, I headed back to my bedroom. I flopped down onto my bed and began to wonder what I would do with myself. I've experienced the domestic lifestyle and I loved it, but I could never move on. My life was meant to be lived with Vision, no one could really convince me otherwise. I missed the feeling of waking up next to him every day. I miss the comforting atmosphere he created in our first little home. I miss him. With Steve leaving soon it would just be Nat and me. She and I are very similar, we truly would stop at nothing to get our friends and family back. I know there has to be a way, it's impossible that there isn't one. I've met a talking tree for god's sake. I literally have flown into space on a spaceship alongside a raccoon, a demi-god, and a hundred-year-old man. I don't think anything is impossible anymore.