necromancy | avengers 1

VI- Vending Machine

Celestia was brought out of her memory by Steve shaking her shoulders. "Hey, are you alright?" He questioned. Celestia's eyes darted around the roof, no sign of the man with the metal arm. "Hey." Steve put his hand of her face, angling it towards him. "Are you okay? You sort of spaced out there." She stared up at him, nodding. He wiped her cheek gently, and Celestia furrowed her brows, wiping her face as well. She had started crying?

**

Natasha came rushing in the observation room, standing in between Celestia and Steve. "Is he gonna make it?" She asked lowly.

"I don't know." He shrugged.

"Tell me about the shooter." She questioned once more.

"He's fast. Strong. Had a metal arm." The redhead silently gasped, her eyes flickering over to Celestia, but she didn't meet them, keeping her eyes down to the ground.

Agent Hill came walking into the observation room next, standing next to Celestia. "Ballistics?" Nat asked again.

"Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable." Celestia exhaled, 'that seems familiar'.

"Soviet made." Nat stated. Hill turned her head to Nat, nodding slightly, "Yeah."

The doctors and nurses suddenly started rushing around the operating theatre. Celestia's breathing hitched. "Don't do this to me Nick." Nat voiced Celestia's thoughts.

Natasha continuously whispered that to herself as the doctors called out no pulse. Steve turned out of the room as the doctors called time.

Natasha subconsciously stood closer to Celestia as Hill also exited the room.

**

Steve stood at the back wall as Natasha and Celestia stood on either side of Nick's body.

Nat had her arms crossed, staring at the body. Celestia wanted to feel sad, but she couldn't. She was well accustomed to death and it usually didn't feel like this. Usually there was this overwhelming sense wanting to puke and cry at the same time, and it hung around her head like a storm cloud, but this time, this time it was different. There was no storm cloud. No vomiting. No crying. Nothing. It was a strange sensation. Almost as strange as the tear that dropped down Natasha's face.

Celestia heard Hill step into the room and whisper something to Steve. Whatever it was, it made Steve walk over, his eyes focused on Celestia, up until he made his way right behind Nat. "Natasha." He whispered, silently saying, 'we need to leave'. She got the message, and inhaled deeply, putting a hand on Fury's head. She turned rushing out of the room, both Steve and Celestia's eyes on her. Their eyes flicked to each others, as they followed her out.

"Nat." Celestia said calmly, while Steve called out "Natasha!" The brunette looked up to him, hitting his arm. He didn't have time to respond before Nat whipped around. "Why was Fury in your apartment?" She questioned, her eyes flicking between Celestia and Steve.

"I don't know." He sighed out, lying. Now, Celestia knew Fury said not to trust anyone, but it's Natasha! Why wouldn't he tell her? Was it because of what they did on the mission? Celestia didn't get to ask these questions aloud because Rumlow interrupted.

"Cap, they want you back at S.H.I.E.L.D." Steve turned, nodding. "Yeah, give me a second." He went to turn back to Nat but Rumlow spoke again, "They want you now." Celestia rolled her eyes.

"Okay." He answered, annoyance obvious in his tone. Rumlow finally walked away and Steve turned back to Nat. "You're a terrible liar." She said, also walking away. Celestia huffed, looking at Steve before following after Nat.

She had just caught up to her, when her phone started ringing. She sighed, looking at her phone to see who it is. 'Adi' was across the screen.

"Hey Ads, what's u-" she was cut off by her sister. "Don't you dare 'what's up' me! What happened is all over social media. Leaked videos of police cars and ambulances, outside of Steve Rogers' apartment! Why didn't you call me?" She spoke quickly, emphasising 'Steve Rogers' apartment.

Celestia sighed. "I'm sorry Ads. I was just preoccupied, I'm sorry." Adrienne was breathing heavily over the line. "I thought- I thought you were hurt." Tears were evident even through the phone. "Hey, don't be worried about stuff like that. It's not like I can die." She chucked out.

"Not funny." Her sister deadpanned. "Anyway, I'm fine, how are you?" She spoke after rolling her eyes at her sister not finding the joke funny. "I'm okay. Rory is still at our place. Is that okay?" Celestia grinned. "Yeah, it's all good. How is she?" She spoke with a teasing tone. Adrienne groaned, handing up. Celestia laughed putting her phone back in her pocket after trying to call her sister, but no answer.

**

Celestia and Natasha were chewing gum, leaning against a wall, watching Steve in a hoodie walk up to the vending machine. Nat quickly stuffed the flash drive in Celestia's hands pushing her towards the man. "What?" She whisper yelled. "You were gonna-" Natasha just winked, and nodded her head forward silently telling her to move. Celestia quickly composed herself, and stood behind Steve, blowing a bubble with the gum. He turned to her, waiting for a doctor to move further down the hall before pushing her into a room.

He slammed her against a wall, pushing off his hood. "Where is it?" She looked up at him and grinned. "Safe."

"Do better." His grip on her arms tightened. "Why did Fury give it to you?" She questioned.

"What's on it?" He pressed for answers. "I don't know." He pushed her against the wall harder. "Stop lying."

"I only act like I know everything Steve. You're the one with answers here." He scoffed. "Yeah? And what about Nat?"

"She doesn't know either."

"I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn't you?" It felt like a rapid fire round of a game.

Celestia inhaled. "Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you." He grabbed her arms tighter, pushing her again, but without actually hurting her.

"I'm not gonna ask you again." Her eyes flicked between his. "I know who killed Fury." He audibly exhaled, letting her go.

"Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists. The ones that do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last 50 years." She tried to not let her mind stray to her parents.

"So he's a ghost story?" He questioned, not believing her. She sighed.

"2004. I was lying in bed when I woke up to Adrienne screaming. I didn't get to see much after that because he shot me in the head. Gutted me just to be sure." She pulled up her shirt to show the scar across her stomach, running from her sternum to groin she wasn't sure why the scar stayed, but it was just as clear as it was 10 years before. "It was the Winter Soldier. Metal arm, smudged eyeliner. Bye-bye, bikinis." His hands ghosted over the scar before she dropped her shirt. "Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now." He met her eyes once more.

Her eyes scanned his face. "Going after him is a dead end. I know, we've tried." She said, referring to herself and Natasha. She pulled the flash drive out of her pocket, holding it up. "Like you said, he's a ghost story."

He stared at her for a few moments before taking the flash drive from her. "Well, let's find out what the ghost wants." Celestia rolled her eyes internally. 'This is why I didn't want Ghost as my superhero alias. Steve literally just used it to refer to a murderer.' She complained in her head. She made a mental note to complain to Tony as well.

Damn, I go to sleep and wake up with like 30 more reads. Almost at 300 now, thank you all so muchhh <33