Chapter 22

Nats pov:
6 hours. We carefully carry back the cups of coffee and wandas tea while wanda uses her magic to carry some water too. When we enter the room, the mood is tense and it feels like death is all around us, suffocating us. Its hard to look at yelena because of the hope in her eyes and its hard to look at peter because of the lack of hope in his. Wanda leans in close enough that only i can hear what she says. “Jesus it feels like a funeral in here.” She sits down on one of the chairs at the back of the room. I place down coffee and then water by yel and peter before slumping down on the chair next to her.

“Shouldnt bruce be checking on her again?” Ive never heard yel so concerned. Its strange.

“Bruce cant do anything else until she wakes up now.” Wandas hand finds my thigh supportively.

“He could make sure the wounds arent infected.” Its the first time peters spoken since he came back in. I see his jaw tick from here and the tension in his shoulders.

“He already checked. Besides our main concern now is if theres brain damage.” Everyone falls silent after that. No one knows what happened yet, but it has to be pretty serious to put her in this state. Its hard to even look at her and ive seen a lot of dead bodies.

Yelena scoffs. “Thats if she wakes up remember.” It was stupid. I didnt think before i spoke.

“Yel you know i didnt mean to say that. It slipped out.” She rolls her eyes and folds her arms. She always did feel vulnerable around yn, but thats because yn always understood her in a way no one else could. It made her feel exposed and thats fine while its just those two, yel told me she even liked it, but around us? She felt too exposed, like a live wire.

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Yelenas pov:
8 hours. Times going so slowly, i think ive died for a second. But that would be yn, not me. I look at her pale face, the jagged little cuts that sharpen her features. I spot the little scar on her cheekbone, remembering when i stroked my thumb over it as the sunlight warmed the calm air. I just want that moment back. Before anything went wrong. Yn wasnt hurt. She hadnt been kidnapped. I hadnt messed up our friendship. My eyes trail down to the scar on her neck. If i ever get a chance to kiss her again, im gonna kiss each of her scars, to give them at least one good memory. I cant even see the scar on her arm, the sling covers it. What could have happened to her? What could cause that much damage? She wasnt gone that long, how could they have done all of this? Its unfathomable. “What do you think happened to her?” The words leave my mouth before i can think better of it.

“Whatever it is, we should let her tell us. We shouldnt be guessing like its a game.” Peters as moody as ever, i prefered it when he didnt speak.

My eyes fall back to her and i notice her chest rising and falling quickly. Too quickly. “Guys do you think her breathing is a bit quick?” I sit up and the others come over. Shes definitely breathing fast.

“Ill get bruce!” Nats gone before i have chance to turn my head. She starts wheezing slightly and i hear nat scream for bruce who runs in quickly, checking her over. Panic from even the doctor is never a good sign.

“It looks like late onset pulmonary edema. Easily fixed for what is likely acute cases like this.” He messes around in some draws and pulls an oxygen mask over her face.

“Oxygen? For a condition?” I dont think he actually knows what hes doing here.

“No, its just a start. Im going to administer some diuretics and a catheter, which will be removed when she wakes up. She’ll have to take them for 3 days.” He takes off his glasses and wipes his moist brow.

“What caused it?” My hand subconsciously traces circles on her thigh. If she was awake, this would drive her mad.

“I dont know. If i were to guess having known that they were torturing her, i would say drowning is the most likely reason.” Holy shit. They drowned her. Now im gonna kill them three times over. They are gonna wish i was the one they tried to kill.

“That makes sense.” My head swings towards peter, a warning look on my face. “Hold on, let me explain. Shes scared of water. She doesnt know how to swim.” She doesnt know how to swim? But thats like basic survival skills.

Bruce buts in again, making time itself stop. “The question you should be asking, is how she got away. They wouldnt just let her go.” Bloody genius. I hate it. Now im thinking about the fact she was drowned and now probably nearly murdered. “Im gonna need some privacy, so could you all leave?” Right the catheter.

We wait outside the room, no one looking at each other. I break the silence mumbling under my breath. “Im gonna kill the fuckers when i find them.”

“Keep a clear head yel, we dont know what happened yet, you can get angry when you find out.” Fucking ginger bitch. No i dont mean that. Maybe i do just a little. But its deserved. I can be fucking angry at the fact my best friend – my favourite person, has been hurt so badly!

Bruce comes out after a few awkward minutes of no one speaking. “Ill be back in an hour to check on her and see if its taken effect yet. She should be okay. The diuretic will not be required long term in this case, you should think her lucky. Her lungs couldve been ruined forever.” Lucky? Is he stupid? She is in there knocked out and covered in injuries. How can he say that?

The others head in once he leaves. Nat stops in the doorway turning back to me. Her eyes narrow as she studies me. My mind is screaming at me to move, but my legs wont cooperate. The lump in my throat doesnt help and ive never felt more dread in my life. “Yel? You coming?”

“I-” A sob escapes me and tears fill my eyes. She shuts the door quietly before pulling me into a tight hug. The pressure helps. Normally the only person i would let hug me is yn, but shes not here and i need this hug. It helps me feel like im not falling apart for the first time in a long time. “If i go in there, it becomes real again. Everything feels stale and dead. Yns not awake to fix it.”

“Its okay to take a break yel. But make sure thats all it is. Me, wanda and peter would never have noticed her breathing, she needs you.” Shes right, i need to stop making this about me. I go to move past her but she grabs my wrist. “I said take a break.”

10 hours. Bruce will have been to check on her by now. We need to get back to make sure shes okay. We’ve just been walking around the eerily silent compound. The air is too stuffy here. Even though i feel better for taking a break, it still feels like i havent taken a full breath. “Can we go outside?” She glances at me out the corner of her eye but nods. We head for the doors and the crisp cold immediately wakes me up from this half dead trance. Reality hits and the hope comes back. She nearly drowned, but she survived. They tried to kill her, and she survived. The harsh air burns my lungs but it makes me feel more alive than ive felt since yn got taken. I sit down on the steps and watch the scenery. Its nice, i dont get much time to actually enjoy life like this. I mean i enjoyed the simple things with yn, just spending time together and watching movies. But actual normal life outside of everyone else?

I feel a hand drop on my shoulder and i turn to see nat sitting next to me, her eyebrows knitted together. “Hey, you okay?”

I give her a faint smile, it takes a lot of effort but its worth it to stop her from worrying. “Not yet, but im getting there.”

“You ready to go back in?” I rub my hand down my face and take a deep breath.

“Not really, but i need to make sure shes doing okay.” Nat extends a hand to help me up and we head inside. With each step towards the room, my head starts to feel increasingly foggy. I cant focus with the reminder of everything going on. Entering the room feels like holding up the sky. I get now why yn likes percy jackson so much; its relatable as hell. I drop down in the seat next to yns bed and look pointedly at peter. “What did bruce say?”

“If you really cared, you wouldve been here to hear.” Asshole. I hope he fucking falls down a hill infront of his bullies.

Wanda steps in answering for him, probably noticing the lethal look in my eyes. “He said the meds are working and shes reacting well. He thinks she’ll be awake soon.” God i hope so. Its been 12 hours. Another 3 and we need to worry. I bet bruce just said that to calm everyone down a little.

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Yns pov:
I feel my pulse jump when i hear her beatiful thick accent. Yelenas here, waiting for me to wake up. “14 hours. Shes been asleep for 14 hours. Im starting to worry, you know what bruce said.” What did bruce say? Whats going on? Is something wrong?

“She’ll be okay yel. Just give her more time, there was a lot of stress on her body.” Yeah thats one way to put it. Another way is that i experienced torture worse than hell.

I can hear everything but my body is too tired to move. My eyes feel sewn shut and my limbs feel dead. I would think i was paralysed if i didnt somehow walk here. “Im tired of waiting, im going to pietros room.” Pete no, dont go. Ill wake up soon. I can hear his heavy footsteps fade out of earshot. Okay open your eyes. Do it…now! Okay on 3. 1…2…3! Nope still not open. Wait. Whats that? Someones tracing circles on my thigh. Its lena. A familiar heat spreads through my body at her touch. Im just glad im too out of it for my body to react.

“Come on yn, wake up.” She whispers her quiet pleas close to my ear. It makes me want to be sick, ive never heard her so desperate before. My eyelids open the slightest bit but its enough for me to glance at her. God i miss her face. “Yn?” Her voice is louder now, encouraging. “She just opened her eyes! Come on yn, do it again.” Since when was blinking so difficult.

My eyes open with great difficulty, but they stay open this time. “We have to stop meeting like this.” My voice is scratchy and strained. She brings me some water and i sip it, it feels like rain after a drought. I can see her. Her beautiful honey blonde hair, her soft green eyes, her small dimples. This view right here might be enough to save me.

Bruce appears in my vision, ushering people out. He comes over and checks my eyes, shining a light in them as i squint. “How are you feeling yn?”

“Im wondering why everyone had to leave?” He writes some things on his clipboard frantically.

“Follow my finger with your eyes.” He moves his finger side to side and then up and down. This is stupid. I just want to see lena. “Okay good, it looks like no brain damage. I was worried when they saod you forgot a basic word but that mustve been an immediate, temporary side af-“

“BRUCE! i just want to see my family. Please let them back in.” He shuffles uncomfortably as he gestures towards me.

“Well something happened while you were out. I had to put in a catheter and now i need to remove it.” Well thats fun. Wait that means hes seen- oh god, i do not need anyone else seeing down there, way too many people saw when i was in high school. After a few very uncomfortable minutes, the catheter is out and i can put my trousers back on. Bruce doesnt look at me. That makes it worse. He just moves about, accidentally bumping into things before he gives up and just leaves. Men. Absolute unprofessional idiots.

Yelenas the first one in, sitting on my bed. Her hand flies up to my face, cupping it as she strokes her thumb over the scar on my cheekbone. I melt into her touch as tears prick my eyes. Ive dreamt about this moment. About being able to make things right with her. “Your pretty face is all broken.”

“You shouldve seen it when this was all fresh, i dont think you wouldve recognised me.” I chuckle despite my ribs flaring with pain. She just offers a small sad smile, her hand still on my face, too scared to let me go.

“I wouldve. I will always be able to tell its you.” Thats a more intimate sentence than those three important words will ever be.

“Lena, im so sorry. I was in a bad place before i left, i needed time, thats all.” Her hand slides down my neck to the crook of my neck. Her touch lights something in me that makes me forget all my pain. It makes me want to tear of my sling and show her how much i missed her.

“I know detka, im sorry for blurting it out. Maybe if i hadnt, you wouldnt have been taken.” My hand finds hers, our fibgers interlocking as i pull her hand into my lap.

“Dont do that. Dont blame yourself. It was their fault. They took me.” She nods but doesnt speak. She doesnt agree. I hate seeing her blame herself like this. She looks tired, but not in the usual way. More like her soul is tired. “Ask me again.”

“What?” Her green eyes reflect in mine as they meet, hope making her eyes more vibrant.

“Ask me again.”

“Will you be my girlfriend?” My hand fists in her shirt as i start pulling her closer. Her hand trails up my arm and over my shoulder so slowly, it wakes something inside me. Her hand keeps going, stopping on my cheek.

I whisper, our mouths close enough i can feel her breath tickle my skin. “Yes.” Our lips meet in a slow, purposeful manner, savouring the kiss in a way ive never felt before and showing each other exactly how much we missed each other. Her tongue slides over mine as she explores my mouth, claiming it as her own. This doesnt feel rushed like last time; we both know it means something entirely different and infinitely bigger than last time. We were just messing about before, this is serious.

She pulls away and she feels instantly too far away. “Wait, are we telling people?” Shit. I hadnt thought about that. I enjoy this. The secret looks and the kissing. Its been going on for a while but we both ignored it. Played it off as nothing.

“Can we keep it between us for now? I want to enjoy us before the others try to ruin it.” She gives me a genuine smile, i know its genuine because her small dimple shows. Ive missed this.

“Ofcourse. Its gonna drive the others insane if they think we still arent together after all of this.” I chuckle, my ribs screaming in pain. Her devious plans always make me laugh. Its the first real laugh in what feels like weeks.

We hear the door handle jostle open and she moves to ths chair next to my bed. It feels wrong to have her so close but so far away. All i want to do is cuddle with her, touch her, actually feel that shes real. To see her and not kill her. “Hey yn, long time no see.” Wanda. Shes probably my first friend here. Lena doesnt count now shes my girlfriend. Wow that feels weird. Lena is my girlfriend. Its like when my dad was arrested and i realised for the first time that i was safe.

“Yeah, theres been some crazy shit happen.” She gives me a small smile at my undefeated words. And i feel the electric buzz under my skin. “I have a favour to ask you actually.”

Corncern is etched on her face as she sits on the soft chair next to my bed. “Yeah ofcourse, anything.”

“Something happened while i was there.” Nat takes a step forward, getting invested in the conversation about to happen. “Something i cant explain. They gave me too much hallucinogen.” I see their faces twist with anger, i cant imagine ehat they’ll look like when i get to the worst part. “I seized and they had to give me emergency medical care. When i woke up, i hurt some people.”

“Thats okay yn, it was a severe situation, its understandable.” Nats comforting words vibrate through the bright room.

“Thank you, but thats not it. The hallucinogen did something to me.” Wandas brow furrows and she leans closer. “I hurt people with electricity that flowed from me.”

“What? Ive never heard of that power before.” Wandas voice is light and full of wonder. Her eyes seem lost in a daydream. “Not to worry, i can help train you. It shouldnt be too disimilar from my power.”

I offer and appreciatove smile as my shoulders sag in relief. “Thank you.” I glance around the room and lay my head back on the pillow, exhausted. “Still no peter?”

“He got a little temperamental and impatient while you were gone.”

I scoff and raise my eyebrows. “He was like that before i left.” They share a glance and my smile fades. “It got worse didnt it?”

They nod and i swallow the lump in my throat. I guess a lot happened while i was gone. “Things were different whilr you were gone. Quiet. Sad.” Nats words rattle around my head. I didnt know they cared that much. I didnt know anyone could care about me that much.