Avengers The Captain's Secret

Part 16: Painful Truth

LESEDI EVELYN POV

I sat there, staring at the screen, even after it had faded to black. I felt out of breath, out of everything. My head began to hurt, and I stood, doubling over. Steve stood up, and so did Clint, but neither touched me. I felt a cold blast of wind from half open windows in the shop...oh, no...

"Evie?" I heard Steve's voice whisper. It was like a life preserver out of reach. "Sedi?"

I looked at him. He'd never said my name like that. But suddenly the heavens opened, and rain came down outside. Coffee shop staff started closing windows, commenting about no rain being in the forecast.

"Calm her down," Clint whispered, taking Steve's arm. I looked at him, and he gasped. I could see my eyes in his. They were white. I closed them and kept my head down. DAMMIT!

"I'm sorry." It was all I could think to say even though all I could see in my mind were the heavens rolling above us, the clouds gathering, and how I felt more a part of that than anything.

I felt Steve's arm go around me. "Outside."

I was steered outside. We stood next to me under the awning. No one said anything, so I listened to the rain, tried to concentrate on Steve's arm around me, and Clint holding my hand. I stared at my boots, seeing that there were drops on them. I took a deep breath, realizing that those were my tears.

"I'm sorry this is happening, Lesedi, I am, but you need to calm down," Steve said softly but firmly. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, feeling comforting strokes going up and down my back. "Breathe...that's it." The rhythm was like waves, and I could feel his hand take mine.

"We're here, okay?" Clint said, squeezing my hand. "We're right here."

"Look at me."

I turned to Steve. His hand was warm against my cheek.

"Look at me."

I felt myself get tired, and I felt Steve relax. My eyes must have turned to normal. I watched Clint give a sigh of relief. I don't know how long we stood there. I felt like I was locked inside myself somehow, but Steve's hand against my cheek kept me coming out for air. "Steve?"

His look was apologetic. "Sedi--"

"My biological father-an Asgardian criminal-killed...my real father?" I watched Steve swallow hard. I could see his eyes welling up. "God, Steve, I'm a freak."

"No, no you're not." He looked at Clint. "I don't know about you, but I could really use a warm drink now."

Clint gave a small smile and we walked back inside. "Remember what you said about Cosmo and Vanity Fair?"

"What?"

"That they are just books telling everyone how to be unique like everybody else."

I looked at Clint. "But this isn't the same."

Suddenly the door opened. It was Natasha.

"Hey, Evie." She sat across from me. "That cloudburst wasn't in the forecast. What happened?"

"Loki killed my father," I said tearfully. "My...biological father killed my real father."

Natasha's eyes widened as she looked at us. "Wow, okay. Real mythological stuff." She saw that Steve did not let go of me as we sat, and looked at me. "That's...quite a blow."

"I want him dead."

Natasha's voice was soft and even as she looked around. "He's in Asgard now--"

"I don't care!" People in the café started looking at us. I stared at my lunch, realizing I'd gotten too loud, my eyes filling with tears and disrupting my vision. I was shaking. I closed my eyes, and let the tears fall. I reopened them, thinking there would be no more tears, but my eyes filled again. I was losing control again. I had to calm down. "Excuse me."

I went outside, taking deep breaths. The winds were kicking up. Steve walked up beside me, took my hand gently and turned me to him. "There is nothing I can do, but I am sure Thor and his father will see he pays for what he's done."

"Is there any part of me that's human?" I asked, putting my hands on his chest, one of them over his heart. "Really human?"

Steve kissed my forehead, and took one of my hands from his chest to kiss. He touched my cheek. "Sedi, you are human, as human as anyone I've known."

I felt the winds slow and die down as I simply looked in his eyes. How I wanted him to kiss me, but he pulled me into the shelter of his arms, and held me tight. I could sense more from him, but I accepted what he offered. Clint and Natasha caught up to us outside.

"How much does Fury know?" Steve asked. I turned to look for the answer.

"Way too much for comfort," Clint said, and Natasha nodded in agreement.

I looked up at Steve. He was worried now, and so was I. I put my head on his chest. I didn't want to know anything. I wish I'd never seen that video. I just wanted the world to go away.

"You're not alone, okay?" Steve comforted, folding his arms tighter around me. "You're not alone."

I put my arms around him. "Thank you."

As he held me close, shielding me from all around us, all I kept thinking was, Thanks, Dad. You chose right. But why didn't you tell me all of this?