All for a girl named Rose

In bed

"Yes", word the echoed in her head as she walked the sterile white halls, now tinted with the purple shade of night.

"Yes", the word that could change her life. She rounded another corner.

"Yes",  she was about to find out. She knocked on the door she hoped was the right one. The Wakandans had been kind enough to lend rooms to those who were in need of a place to stay for the night. 

She looked up at the man who opened the door, he towered over her at 6 feet tall, he was over twice her weight, lean muscle and scar yet with such kind eyes.

"Hello?" 

"I couldn't sleep." 

He asked no further questions, he simply stepped aside to let her in. Rose sighed as she sat upon the end of the bed. Her back was killing her. Rose watched as James, her father, toyed with a letter. He looked like he was trying to find something to say. She waited patiently.

"Natalia... Natasha, she uh, left me a letter. I thought you might like to read it." He handed her a slightly crumpled envelope. 

James, the envelope read.  

"Thank you." Rose carefully removed the letter.

If you are reading this it means we won, it also means I am no longer with you. I am willing to do anything to give our daughter a second chance, I already got mine and I know the Wakandans have given you yours, finally ridding you of your trigger words. Steve will immediately become Rose's legal guardian, but I encourage you to be a part of her life. You are her father, I've seen the security tapes of your broken compliance. I know you will do anything it takes to make her happy, encourage her to pursue ballet, get her a puppy if you have to (I'm joking.) We both know what she went through, she deserves to be happy, whatever it takes.

Tell Rose I love her.

I have faith in you James Buchanan Barnes.

Rose carefully refolded the paper and handed it back to James. He carefully sat beside her, like she was a stray he was afraid would scare if he moved too quickly.

"Barnes-"

"Please, I'm your father, not an authoritative figure, don't call me Barnes"

"James, I've never had a father before. I knew my mother for a little less than a year and as much as I loved her we lived a nomadic life. I don't know how to be a daughter. I only know how to be on my own. I would like to form relationships, but I don't know how."

James set his hand on her shoulder.

"Well, we'll figure it out together." 

Rose looked down at her hands, then over to her father.

"I was just getting ready to leave." James carefully watched her expression. "I had a safe house in Manhattan, I'm going to see if the lease has expired."

"And if it has?"

"I'll get a hotel until I find a new apartment. I'm sure Stark can pull some strings to find a place for you and Steve."

"How are you getting back to New York?"

"The same way I got here, the sorcerer. He's going to be taking you, Steve, Sam, and that kid back tomorrow." He gave her shoulder a squeeze."You need to get some rest."

"Goodnight James." Rose stood up to face her father. "I'll see you in New York."

"See you in New York." He echoed as she left the room.

She continued to wander down the hall, she couldn't stand to be alone. She stopped at a door, it was either Steve or Peter. Either way she wouldn't be alone. That was her main goal, right? She knocked and waited for an answer. 

The teenage boy answered the door. He seemed like he couldn't decide if he should be more surprised or nervous.

"Hi?"

"Can I come in." It was less of a question than an acknowledgment that she would be let in.

"Yeah." He closed the door behind her. "Is something wrong?" he asked as she sat on the bed.

"No. I mean of course there is, everything is messed up, people we love are dying, half of the world has been displaced. But there is nothing new thats wrong, not sense you went to your room." She suddenly noticed how cold she was, she shivered. It was early June in northern Africa. It was at least 27 C and yet her bare feet and hands were freezing.

"Are you cold? Do you need a blanket?" Peter asked, face full of concern.

"No well I don't know. I just... I don't know. I can't be alone I guess I've never felt this way before. I've always been alone."

"Is this the first time you've lost someone?" He asked carefully.

"It's the first time I've lost someone and it's meant something more than..  just... I don't know how to explain it. I grew up so cold and calloused and I never had anything or anyone. I guess I had James for a while but he wasn't really a person. He just... The mind control it I did something. I had glimpses of him and of course that hurt when he was taken. He was all I had Natasha, I had her, she was a person. She was my mother and I don't know how I'm supposed to feel or act, and I feel guilty for the way I feel, and I feel guilty. I just... I don't understand why.  And I don't understand why I'm telling you this either." Rose wiped a tear from her eye.

"I get it, I lost my mother, my father, but I was too young to understand. I lost my uncle who raised me. He became my father and I saw him die, and I just... I get it, is what I'm trying to say. I haven't been through half the stuff you have, but I understand this and it feels so lonely and isolating and confusing but you're not alone."

"I've never been open before and I don't understand why I'm being open now. I feel like I'm acting so bipolar. I don't understand why I'm not myself. I don't understand why I'm talking to you. I don't understand. I just don't understand, this isn't me. Usually I'm closed, often calloused and I'm almost selfish and I can keep myself safe. I can take care of myself. I don't know why I feel like I need someone else and I don't know why  I am talking to you. I guess... I just figured you'd get it. You're my age you've been through more than you should. Steve he's great. I guess he's like a stepfather to me. But I don't think he'd get it, what we're going to through isn't the same. You know? He's older, and he's more mature and he could explain things to me. He could tell me why I feel this way, and he could comfort me, but I don't Need comfort I need someone who really understands because it's raw and it hurts and I guess I'm scared to feel vulnerable in front of him because he misses her too, and I feel guilty, and I'd feel guilter if I made my issue his problem too."

"Yeah, I get it. I can just sit and talk if you want? About this or anything else." Peter felt bad for this girl he just met.

"I think a just need companionship with someone more equal to me." She sat on Peter'a bed.

"I think you just need a friend" Peter sat down with her. "So.. uh, how's school?" He attempted to make small talk to calm her wandering mind.

"I've never been." Rose slid under the white comforter.

"Homeschooled?" Peter asked while judging what his next move should be.

"No."

"So where are you from" Peter also slipped under the covers after judging the situation.

"Somewhere in Russia" Rose closed her heavy eyes but continued the conversation.

"Just Russia?" Peter asked.

"Well, I have been everywhere. But I know what you're asking. It was almost a mix between a boarding school, ballet academy, and, the biggest part of my life, secret agent training." Rose looked over at Peter. He lay as far away from her as he could, tense.

"You don't expect anything from me tonight, do you?" Peter asked cautiously. Rose laughed.

"Nothing more than being in this room."