Remember Me?

24

Anna's story wasn't over yet, even if I thought it was too. You can die, but you're never dead to those who love you. Your story doesn't end with you. It's never over for the people who love you.

•

"Get Banner" I called out, onto the com. The battle was officially over. I tried to keep my voice stable, but I was panicking.

"Captain?" Banner answered running towards me. He took one look at Anna's body before he said something.

"Get her on the jet, now." He ordered. I carefully picked her up and we hurried back to the jet.

"Someone get to the jet who can fly it." I demanded.

"I'm already there Cap." Barton replied.
Clint flew us out as quick as possible.

"Get her on the bed." Banner demanded. He searched the aircraft for some medical supplies. I placed Anna's body on the stretcher. Her eyes were closed and she looked as if she had simply fallen asleep, but the paleness in her skin was alarming. She had dried blood around her, and on her. Her suit was wet with it, and her lips were red with it too.

"She has a pulse, but it's fading, she doesn't have much time left." Bruce noted worried. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to help but I didn't want to get in the way. Bruce quickly ripped Anna's uniform trying to get to the source. She was still bleeding, but slower.

"Captain grab those bandages!" He yelled. I was cut out of my trance and grabbed them. I placed them at the source of the bleeding pressing down. The bandages slowly filled with dark red blood.

"This is Barton, quinjet 3, asking for permission to board the helicarrier. Director Smith is unresponsive." As soon as we landed Banner took the stretcher and was met with a team of doctors. They ran through the Helicarrier with the stretcher.

"She has a stab wound to her chest. Collapsed right lung, possible injury to her heart, and has lost pints of blood." He yelled. I tried to follow them into the medical room but a nurse kicked me out. I wanted to break down the door in frustration.

How could this happen?

I was ushered into an examination room myself. A doctor checked out my own injuries. They wrapped my ribs and patched me up. I couldn't focus on it. All I could see was Anna. All I could see was the blood pooling next to her. All I could feel was her blood on my hands, and the faintness of her pulse.

Anna was missing for the last minutes of the battle. I didn't hear anything from her after she said we needed to close the portal. When she didn't answer after we said Stark was okay after falling out of the hole in the sky, I panicked. I knew something had gone wrong. I wasn't able to find her for some time afterwards.

I tried to think of what when wrong. This was my fault. I should have been there with her. She was already pretty beaten up even before the fight. I should have stayed with her. I should have protected her. Now she was dying.

I was moved to a bench outside her room. I refused to move or take any food. I didn't need any more medical attention. I didn't need any sympathy. I just needed to hear that she would be okay.

All I remembered doing was just sitting outside her room. Watching for people to come out. Listening to the machinery inside. Staring at the wooden door. Feeling nauseous and tired. There was too much going on. And there was too much I didn't understand. I faded away somewhere, and let my mind wonder to where she used to be, where she would always be.