FALLEN ─ marvel

XIII. Fear, Bravery, And Hope

Chapter Thirteen
Soroya

"Yes, that's good, focus." I tell Jade, pacing in a circle around her. I'm keeping within just a few feet from her, making her much more nervous than usual.

"I didn't peg you for the reckless type." Jade mumbles, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling steadily.

"I'm not reckless, I'm just putting my trust in you."

"You have way too much trust in me."

"Stop talking and focus on the exercise."

One blast goes off on the other side of her, making her flinch. She opens her eyes to see where I am, and once we lock eyes, I give her a reassuring nod. "Don't focus on me, focus on yourself. I'll be fine."

"I can't focus on myself when I might hurt you."

"You won't." I tell her. She actually can't, because I can sense when her powers are about to go off. Her body temperature heats up and her adrenaline goes off the charts. I would shift into a bird and fly away from the blast before I would get hit. But I won't tell her that. She'll never learn unless there are stakes to our lessons.

I hear the familiar hum of the Wakandan ship engine as it appears in the sky, parking in the field a few yards away. Jade looks relieved to see the others return, mostly because it means we can stop our lessons for now.

Bucky, Sam, and John all walk down the ramp and make their way towards us, Bucky moving considerably faster than the others. The moment he reaches me he collects me in his arms and picks me up, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"How bad was it?" I whisper to him, running my fingers through his hair.

"I'm glad you weren't there to see it."

I remember finding Alex in that dreadful place, seeing the scattered bones and bodies of prisoners who never saw their freedom, and of HYDRA guards and agents who became dinner to the animal side of my brother. I'm glad I didn't have to see it again too.

Bucky sets me down and kisses me on the forehead before stepping back to allow me to see the others. John is standing a few feet away watching Sam talk to Jade. She looks very calm around Sam, maybe even happy, or as happy as she can be. Sam was the first person to connect with her, the first person to touch her and show her hope. He'll play a very important role in her training. I may be her teacher, but Sam will be her light.

"How are you doing?" I ask John, sensing some unease within him.

"It wasn't a pretty sight. I had no idea what Alex went through for all those years."

"Alex doesn't like to talk about it. That's why when he threatened to eat Zemo in Analiese's cabin, he looked so shaken. It's a part of his life he wants to forget, it's the part that still haunts him."

"We found his files in the records room. There's a whole box of it, for Jade as well. We brought them both."

I place my hand on his arm and give him an appreciative smile. "That means a lot, I'll make sure Alex gets it."

"How is training going?"

"Very well. She's an easier student than Alex was."

John chuckles. "That doesn't shock me."

Jade walks up to me and stares at the ship, asking me hesitatingly: "Can I look through the files you guys found? I want to know everything that happened to me."

I nod, rubbing her shoulder gently. "Of course, do you want me to come with you?"

She shakes her head, glancing at Sam next to her. "Can you?"