Charlie's POV:
"Hey Magpie, you spending the day with Sarah and the boys?" Sam asks kneeling down to be eye level with my small child.
"Yes! She's taking us out on the boat." Her little fingers wiggle around in excitement. "Are they upstairs?" Her eyes are looking everywhere but at Sam, wanting to know exactly where AJ and Cas are. He nods at her and she runs upstairs to find them.
"You sure you're ready to do this?" Sam asks. Looking between myself and Bucky. Bucky softly nods his head.
"Is there ever going to be a perfect time?" I ask.
"No probably not. You guys want me here? I can go out on the boat with Sarah and the kids."
I look over to Bucky. Sam has become one of the most constant people in my life. He's always been there for me, and has wanted nothing more in return. But I also don't want to make Bucky uncomfortable. "I'm okay with him being here, if you are, doll."
"It might make things easier, that way we don't have to tell him everything afterwards." I agree.
"Once everyone leaves, I'll hand the file to you guys. I will be here as long as you need me." We all nod in agreement.
Not long after Sarah and the kids come bounding down the stairs. "We'll be back when we get back. So probably a few hours, give or take some hours." Sarah reaches over hugging me. "I'll take care of her. She'll keep her life jacket on, so will both boys, don't worry."
"I don't worry when she's with you." I assure her. And I really don't. Sarah and I have an unspoken understanding. Both us mothers will fight tooth and nail for all three of our children.
"You ready for this?" Her eyes narrow at me, knowing that this file is going to bring out so many answers that will change our current lives.
I let out an awkward giggle. "No, but it has to do be done. We've got more questions than answers. It'll be nice to finally know what everyone else already does, ya know?"
"Maggie James behave for Sarah, okay? If not your mom and I will make you have regular waffles from now on?" Bucky picks up the young girl. Even though he's being playful with her, she knows that she needs to listen to Sarah.
"You wouldn't dare." Her brows furrow playfully.
"Oh, but we would." He gives her a quick tickle and kisses her cheek, sliding her into my arms.
"I love you little pearl, but Bucky is right. Have fun, but listen, and be safe, okay?"
"Okay. Okay." She tightly hugs my neck and gives me a kiss. "Love you." Her little voice is so full of life and excitement.
"Love you, too little pearl." I give her another kiss. "You guys have fun." Sarah leaves with the kids.
"Let's go to the computer. There are some SD cards in the file. I didn't look at them. They just fell out." Sam guides us to where the computer is. "You guys ready?" We both nod and he hands us the file. I take a deep breath and Bucky's arm goes around my shoulder.
The first thing I notice is a birth certificate, and already I know something is off. Taking a deep breath. This is going to be a long day. "What's wrong?" Bucky asks at my pausing.
"Already something I didn't know." I look at the date, everything about my birthday has been a lie.
"What is it, Charlie." Sam asks. He moves to the other side of me.
"I was always told my birthday was in September...two years later." Both men look at me. "This is saying I was born January 14, 1992. So, I'm actually thirty-two."
"Charlie, this is just the first piece of information. Don't read too much into it. They wanted to change your birthdate and make you younger for a reason. What about your parents." Sam doesn't want me dwelling on my date of birth too much.
"Umm...Elizabeth Jones, and the father is blank." My head is spinning. "I don't know who that is. At least my name is right. Charlotte Tora." Bucky pulls out his phone and plays around with it, "What are you doing?"
"Checking out what those names mean." He deadpans.
"And?" I ask. A bit of humor comes back to my voice.
"Charlotte means free or petite. Pretty fitting." He laughs. I am a short person.
"And Tora?"
He almost giggles. "You don't want to know."
I turn looking at him. "Why wouldn't I want to know?"
"It kind of furthers your suspicions." I just stare at him, hoping he continues. "Well, there's a few meanings."
"Bucky. Just tell me what it means."
"Thunder. Goddess. And it's the female version of..."
"Don't finish that sentence." I interrupt him.
"Pikachu why are you so scared for someone to say his name?" Sam asks.
"I don't know. Makes it seem real." I shrug. "Let's continue. We've literally just looked at one piece of this file." I pull out the next paper. "Charlotte Jones, Test Subject 143, The Child. 11/24/00." A picture of me when I was younger sitting on a bed in a cell. "I guess this is what Zemo meant about all of us in a cell. Can we just see what's on the SD cards? I'm tired of reading all of this."
Sam stands bringing a laptop over. Bucky moves closer to me. "Hey, I'm right here." He whispers.
"I know." I give him a quick peck.
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Third Person POV:
In a dark and cold room that has no furniture, besides a table with two chairs, and third chair sits in the corner. The two chairs at the table are being occupied by a small and frail brunette woman with dark and hollow under eyes. Almost as if she hasn't slept or ate in a few weeks. Her bones protrude on her arms and her face is gaunt and sunken in. The other chair at the table is occupied by a S.H.I.E.L.D agent turned Hydra, John Garrett. He is cold and harsh. His eyes are focused on the frail woman, but also shifts to the young girl sitting in the corner. A small eight-year-old with stringy dark blonde hair shifts nervously in her seat. She was told not to make a sound, to sit still and to keep her thoughts to herself. All she wishes to do is come to her mother's side and soothe her worries.
"Ms. Jones, what brings you here?" The cold-eyed man asks.
"I didn't have a choice. People thought I was crazy and I was brought here. I'm not crazy." She bites nervously at her nails.
"What have you done to make people believe you're crazy?" His tone softens a bit, but it's still menacing.
"My daughter." The woman shifts and looks back at her daughter.
"Eyes on me. What about your daughter makes people think you're crazy?" He pulls out a notebook ready to write any random details she may tell.
"Her father." His eyes narrow at the woman. Understanding he wants her to continue. "Her father is a god. Thor Odinson."
His eyes quickly roll before looking back up at her. "And why should I believe you? Thor is a myth."
"She can show you." Again, her eyes flick back to her daughter whose legs swing gently in the chair, unphased by the tension in the room.
"If I have to warn you again to keep your eyes on me, I will throw you in a cell and I can talk with the child." The woman nods, eyes only on the intimidating man questioning her. "Now what do you mean she can show me?"
"She has powers."
"What sort of powers?" A slight smirk curls the side of his mouth. He's clearly interested now.
"She can communicate with her emotions. And when angry or scared she manipulates electricity, like her father. God of thunder."
"Child." He addresses the small girl. She looks up at me. "Come here." The child confidently walks over to him. "Can you show me who your father is?" She nods at him and brings her hand closer to his cheek. His body jumps away from her.
"I won't hurt you." Her voice is small and there's a sweetness to it. He nods at her. The small girl's hand comes to his cheek, gently placing it there. His eyes focus on something far away. Frozen. She removes her hand from his cheek. He genuinely smiles at her. Wonder in his eyes.
"Excuse me." He stands leaving the woman and child alone. Shortly after two men dressed in all black grab the woman and take her away from her child. She kicks and screams looking back worriedly at her child.
"No! She's mine! You can't take her away from me! Charlotte, don't let them change you!" The girl never flinches just watches her mother, eyes squinting at her. The woman's demeanor changes and she calms, complying to the men carrying her away.
John Garrett returns to the small child. "Charlotte. Can I call you that?"
"Charlie." She answers. "My grandma calls me Charlie."
"Charlie. How old are you?" He asks. His voice is almost kind.
"Eight." Her eyes bore into his, but she never questions where they took her mother.
"You and I are going to be friends, okay?" She nods at him. "What is it that you showed me?"
"My father."
"Where was that?" A nefarious smirk planted clearly on his face.
"Asgard."
"How did you get here?" He asks the small child.
"My grandfather thought it best to keep me hidden." The young girl is almost too calm staring at the man.
"Why is that child?"
"I was a distraction."
"To who?" His fingers snap to someone beyond the door.
"My father and grandmother. She taught me how to talk with my emotions. And control people."
"What about the electricity?"
"I'm not good at that. Dad said that it takes a lot to harness lightning."
"We're going to go on a walk. Is that okay with you? Want to see your new home?" The girl's large hazel eyes look up at the man and nods.
Shifting through the cameras throughout the compound the man leads the small girl to her new home and room. Hydra agents flank all around the pair. "You will grow to love it here little one. We will provide you with everything you need. Even enhance your powers. And you will become an asset to the greater good of mankind."
"What about my mother?"
The man pauses and turns to look at her, "She's very sick. You know that right?" She nods her head. Insomnia and lack of an appetite isn't exactly sick, but the young girl knows she needs help. "We're going to help her get better. You understand, yes?" She nods to the man again. "You can call me John. We're friends remember?" He spins and continues to walk.
While walking through the compound a room with large chambers catches the girl's eyes. She stops at one of them, placing her hand on the pod. She flinches and jerks back. "What is this, John?" Her innocent eyes look at him, wanting to read the man.
"Ahh...this is our greatest asset. That is until you reach maturity...I have faith you may be more powerful than him."
"Him? There's someone in there?" She knew there was someone in there, he's the reason that she flinched back.
"Would you like to see?" She nods her head happily at him. He reaches down picking her up. A small window allows her to see the man within. She places a small hand on the window. This time she doesn't flinch. She focuses her energy on reading him, wanting to know his story. There's a softness in his face. He wants to protect, but is being used by the people in this place. Slowly his eyes begin to flick around. Quickly John removes the girl away from the chamber. "Call Pierce. Tell him he needs to get here. You, freeze him again. He's stirring."
"Don't." Her voice is louder this time and the man's eyes in the chamber fully open looking at her. Her eyes only focus on his. "He's scared. Why is he here?"
"He's a soldier. How were you able to wake him?"
"My grandmother is a good teacher. He won't hurt me." The soldier continues staring only at the small child and another man walks in. Older than John, but walks with an air of superiority.
"What's going on in here? Why is my asset awake in his chamber?" He looks between the chamber, and the pair standing. "Why is there a child here?"
"I was coming to talk to you about her. Remember the crazy woman?" The older man nods. "She wasn't lying. Well about the child's powers anyways. She woke him. He hasn't quit looking at her."
The older man walks closer to the chamber. "Bring her closer." John walks closer and the older man squeezes the girl's cheeks harshly causing her to cry out in pain. Immediately the soldier thrashes around trying to remove himself from the chamber.
"I'm okay." She whispers to him. As quickly as it started the soldier eases his movements. "Can you take me closer to him, John?"
John begins to move closer to the chamber. "You take orders from a brat now?"
"Pierce, she controls emotions. She calmed him just by speaking." John tells him.
"Take her away and let me deal with him." Pierce harshly says.
"I just want to put him to sleep." The girls voice meekly looks at Pierce before her eyes go to the soldiers. Pierce nods his head. Moving the girl closer to the chamber she places a hand to it. The soldier's eyes quickly open and close before they are slower to close and then don't open again.
"How did you do that?" Pierce's voice is threatening as he talks to the small child.
"My grandmother is a good teacher. Are you going to let him out?" She peers up at the man.
"When he's needed. Garrett, take her to her cell. I'll talk with her tomorrow." Pierce demands the pair. Quickly he retreats and takes the girl to her new home.
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"Charlottle you've been here for a few months. You wanted to see the soldier out of the chamber, and I've obliged. Now I need you to cooperate." Pierce's eyes are cold staring at the girl across the table from him. Behind him the soldier stands in the corner, armed to protect him. "We have seen your emotional powers and how you can control people. You tell us your father is Thor, God of Thunder, and yet you can't prove it with your abilities. Before your mother passed, she said you can manipulate electricity when you were scared. Do I need to scare you?"
Meekly she shakes her head no, looking up at the soldier. "Look at me Charlotte. I control him. He's been triggered and only listens to me. Understand?" She nods her head. "So please, show us what you have. You're almost nine now. I'm sure the older you get those powers will become stronger." A young Charlie looks down at the table. Alexander Pierce is not as pleasant as John. John is her friend. Pierce scares her.
"Charlotte!" His hands slam on the table. Charlie flinches in front of him, but her fingers do spark. In the corner the soldier listens and watches Pierce intensely. "You will fucking listen to me. I told you to cooperate. Now listen!" His fist connects with the table. Charlie pushes her chair back. Fingers sparking and pointing towards him. Lightning shapes glow on her skin, as if it runs through her blood. She wasn't the only one who took a defensive stance.
The armed and masked soldier brings the gun to Pierce's head. Charlie's hands quit sparking and relax. Looking only at the soldier. "Don't. Please. He'll hurt you." The soldier only slightly relaxes.
"If you knew what was good for you, you would listen to the girl. You're in here to protect me from her. At ease soldier." His stance never changes.
"Please." Her eyes well with tears as she looks at him. His eyes flick towards her. "I'm okay." Slowly he drops the gun and walks back into the corner.
"Take her away. I'm tired of her in subordinance." Pierce flicks his hands towards the guards outside the hall before they enter and calmly take her away.
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"Sir, she's connected to him. What if you used him to get to her?" John asks Pierce. "She's been here a year and you've really not made much progress, but you scare her."
"So, you're saying that you or the soldier would be better to get to her?" Pierce's eyes narrow to John.
"What I'm saying is what you're doing isn't working for her. She reads emotions. She sees that you would cause harm to the soldier."
"Why is she connected to him?" He angrily asks John.
"She reads emotions. He has a tragic one. Maybe she wants to help him." John shrugs.
"And where would that leave us? What if she hurts him?" He smirks over to John.
"She's nine. And barely makes sparks in her fingers."
"You're too soft on her. I saw lightning light up her skin. The problem is, I don't want to be alone with her, but the soldier wants to protect her and not me. He treats her like she's a breakable China doll. She's manipulated his brain." Pierce's hatred towards the girl is evident.
"Maybe I'm too soft. But what you're doing is clearly not working. You want to manipulate her, but she's the one capable of manipulating people. We need her to trust us. We gain her trust and then we gain her loyalty. Isn't that the point?" John calmly explains to Pierce.
"So, you're wanting to send in our biggest asset alone with her to accomplish what?" Pierce's brow cocks over to him.
"To let her know that we don't want to hurt him. He's the one to gain her trust. And once we harness into her true potential, we can have her join us by choice instead of manipulation."
"Fine let's try it your way."
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The soldier stands outside the door of Charlie's bedroom cell. "You're back." He nods to her. "Why are your hands behind your back?" He still doesn't move. "Are you suddenly shy? I'm the child. I should be shy." She smiles up at him. Even though she's nine she's a small child, giving her the look of much younger. "Let me see your hands."
The soldier produces a dark brown teddy bear from behind his back. "Is this for me?" She asks with a smile. He only nods and hands it to her. "I should call it my soldier. Since my actual soldier gifted it to me." She goes and sits in the floor, patting her bed for him to sit down. He quietly sits down. "Is there something else I can call you besides soldier? That's what everyone else calls you. I don't want to call you that. And anyways I have a soldier now with this teddy bear. Oh!! I should call you teddy bear." Excitedly she rambles. Very rarely does she get to see him, or anyone for that matter. Usually, people just try to get her to enhance the lightning. The past few months that she gets to be alone with the soldier she has made more progress.
"Don't call me teddy bear." His voice is calm and has no excitement in it.
"Ok. Is there another word for teddy bear that you would prefer? Maybe that language you sometimes speak."
His eyes look at the small child. Soaking in what she said. "Mishka."
"What does that mean?" Her large hazel eyes stare up at him.
"Teddy bear."
"You mean I can call you Mishka?" He nods his head and slightly smiles. "My Mishka." She tests out the word. Liking the way it sounds and how it suits the intimidating soldier. He's only intimidating with others. He shows her a true kindness. "How has your day been?" He shrugs his shoulders. "I know. It's boring here after a while. The nanny will let me go outside for a little bit every day. Mostly I'm stuck here. I don't mind when you or John come in here. Pierce kind of scares me. He's mean."
"Has he hurt you?" The soldier tenses up at the fact that the girl called him mean.
"No. I just don't like him. I don't think he likes me. He thinks I should have more control with my lightning. But my dad said it takes a long time to harness it. My grandma was a good teacher, that's why I can read you. Can I?"
He nods his head at her. She stands smiling at him, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. A moment later she jerks back with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry."
"Why?" She made sure that he felt peace, reflecting what she wanted him to feel, while reading his deepest memories.
"You've lost so much. Who is Steve?"
"Steve?" Bright blue eyes stare up at the girl. Before she can further her conversation, someone knocks on the side of the cell.
"Enough. You don't get to see him just to talk." The guard spits over to the pair. "Quit being so gentle with your China doll, soldier."
Bright blue eyes meet the glassed over hazel eyes. "You're supposed to be making me use the lightning. That power scares me."
"Why?"
"It's not easily controlled. I don't think I'm supposed to. Dad has a hammer to help harness it. I have nothing."
"Your brain might be bigger than his. You can use your emotions. Focus."
"That's the most I've heard you speak in a while Mishka." She smiles down at the man while holding the bear tightly to her chest.
"Focus." She rolls her eyes and focuses. Producing sparks on her fingers, slowly her skin lights up with lightning running through her veins. "Throw it." Focusing further she moves her hand up and the lightning hits the ceiling light causing the room to get dark.
Charlie screams at the darkness and holds tighter to the bear. Moving closer to the soldier. "I'm scared of the dark." She whispers to him. He pulls the small girl closer to him before picking her up and placing her in his lap.
"I've got you." It feels like it takes forever before the lights are turned back on. And when they turn back on an angry Alexander Pierce stands at the door of the cell glaring at the pair. The soldier stands placing the small girl behind him.
"What the hell happened?" He asks. His anger makes the girl cower closer to the soldier.
"She hit the light with her lightning." The soldier angrily answers him.
"And it caused the majority of the compound to lose power? Charlotte. Did you do this?" She peeks around the soldier and nods her head. "Why were you holding her?"
"She was scared of the dark." Pierce laughs at this confession.
"Time for you to go. Come on soldier." He opens the door. The soldier doesn't move. "I said it's time for you to go."
"Are you going to punish her?"
"For what?" Pierce asks looking back down at the girl.
"I made a mistake. I'm sorry." You can clearly hear the trembling in the girl's voice.
"At least he's getting some use out of your powers. You need to learn to better control it."
"She will in time."
"Soldier, I won't tell you again. It's time to go."
The soldier still doesn't move. "When will he be back?" She asks, still cowering behind the soldier and only peeking at Pierce.
"When he learns to leave when he's told."
"You won't hurt her while I'm gone?" The soldier stands strong glowering at Pierce.
Pierce's maniacal laughter reverberates down the hall. "Is that what this is? You're protecting your precious China doll? I assure you, if she wanted, she could kill us all." The soldier's piercing steel blue eyes continue staring at Pierce. "She will be fine soldier. You continue to disobey me you won't be back. Let's go. You need to be wiped and frozen.
"No!" A small Charlie finally comes out from behind the soldier, skin glowing with lightning as it flows through her veins, her eyes also glow a bluish white as she's focused on protecting her Mishka. She plants herself in front of the large soldier focusing only at Pierce.
"Charlotte, you continue to follow through with your anger, the soldier will be more than wiped and frozen. I can make his life a living hell. Now behave and let your lightning ease. All this time and who knew I just had to threaten your soldier. Here's a secret though...he's mine and I'll do as I wish to him."
"He's not yours." Her hand begins to flick towards Pierce before the soldier grabs ahold of it.
"Don't, doll. I have to go. I'll be back."
The girl relaxes and looks back at Pierce. "Do not hurt him. Please."
He smirks at the small girl. "I don't take orders from children." Once the soldier is out of her bedroom cell Pierce pushes him forward. "Garrett! My office now."
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"I don't understand, sir." John looks at Pierce. He's become quite fond of the young girl. Knowing that they can use her, but also he wants to keep her safe.
"She's bringing too much humanity to the soldier. We tried things your way. And they're working, but the more time she spends with him the more he remembers. He wants to protect her. Even commands don't affect him as much. He's becoming loyal to her."
"What are you proposing?"
"I have a daughter. She recently married a man, he wants children, my daughter doesn't really. They will care for the child. Put some space between her and the soldier." Pierce tells John his plan.
"But, sir, if she doesn't really want children..."
"She will do whatever her father tells her. She actually listens unlike your little pet brat. I also can't stand to be around the child too much. She even threatened me with her lightning." Pierce's eyes go distant as he tries to figure out how to convince his daughter to take care of the child.
"Isn't that what we wanted, was the use of her lightning?" John asks.
"Not against me. It's final. There will be space between her and the soldier."
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"Charlie, it's good to see you back." John greets the girl in her old bedroom cell. Charlie is now a twelve-year-old girl. Her visits to Hydra compound during vacations from her studies have actually increased her skills with her lightning. Her fear of Pierce still hasn't changed. She hates that he makes her call him Pappy to keep up the façade of one big happy family. And even worse that she has to call his daughter mom. Her hatred for the girl is almost worse than her father's. Audrey's husband Richard Allen, Charlie loves. He's kind to her. He encourages her powers instead of trying to force them back.
"Will I get to see him this time?" Charlie asks John. The past couple of times her Mishka had been on missions, meaning she didn't actually get to see him.
"See who?" John asks as he opens the door to her cell. He knows who she means. And it's exactly who she's leading her to.
"Mishka!" Charlie exclaims.
"Pierce doesn't like you giving him a different name, you know." John glances down at the girl. Even though she's now twelve, she's still a petite little thing.
"Yeah, well, I don't much care what Pappy thinks." John laughs at the girl. Her face lights up once she realizes where he's leading her. "He's here?" John nods to her. She catches sight of her Mishka smiling before running to him wrapping her arms around him. He doesn't immediately return the hug. Up until she touched him, spreading her warmth to him and using her powers to cast their past memories together does he finally return the hug.
The girl now older looks at the soldier a bit differently. She recognizes how handsome he is. He hasn't aged a day since their last meeting, while she continues to age and grow. She knows nothing will become by having a crush on the soldier, but it is a school girl crush after all. "I've missed you Mishka."
"You too, China doll."
"I've gotten better with my lightning." He pushes her back from him. Fear in his eyes thinking someone has hurt her or scared her to get more use of her powers. He lifts her arms up and checks her over. "What are you doing?"
"Who hurt you?"
"No one. Why would someone hurt me?" She looks at him, clearly confused.
"You have more use of your lightning."
Understanding. "No one's had to threaten me. I was adopted. By Pierce's daughter and husband." She rolls her eyes. "I actually like him. He's helped me by being kind and not using fear."
"Let's see." The soldier's arms cross as he looks down at the girl. Smiling she focuses her energy. He watches at the lightning starts in her fingers and then runs up her arms through her veins lighting her whole body up. Once her whole body is lit up with the lightning, she tightly closes her eyes, once open they glow with the shade of the lightning. Looking over to the soldier she flicks a tiny bit at his flesh arm. Even though it's uncomfortable he smiles at her control.
Looking at his metal arm she flicks another bit. His arm convulses unnaturally with the electricity and his eyes lace with fear. As soon as she realizes this, she removes the lightning from her body. Walking closer to the soldier she touches his arm and absorbs the excess electricity that flows through his cybernetic arm until the convulsions stop. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it would do that."
"You're fine. It's amazing you were able to control it. You fixed it. I'm okay, doll." His eyes shine down to the young girl. "No harm done."
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A now sixteen-year-old Charlie travels to the hated Hydra compound. The only silver lining of visiting is John and the possibility of seeing her Mishka. The older she gets the more she envisions an escape with him. Living a life together. She assumes the man looks at her as his little China doll. A young girl that he needs to protect and nothing more. But a sixteen-year-old can dream.
She's definitely starting to fill out. Her features are growing up. She still remains petite. Not getting her height from her god of a father. Hydra has told her that her mother was a bit crazy in her last days and there was no guarantee that the Norse god who is nothing more than a myth is her father. She knows. She recalls the man, and more so her grandmother. She was always kind and attentive to her.
"Charlie. I hate to tell you that he's not here this time." John greets the girl. She figured as much. "Pierce has been brutal with him lately. You playing your part with your other family? You know they just want to take you from us."
"I haven't seen them much." Sadness is in her voice. Some due to the fact she won't see her Mishka, and some due to the fact that Hydra can't control and manipulate her. She knows what they're doing is wrong, but she's too scared to say anything to Clint, but she knows that he's a good man. So is her adopted father, but he's blinded by what her "mom" is doing. He has no idea that her constant ballet, volley ball, piano, and all the other camps is her visiting Hydra.
"I'm here for a couple months. It's summer. I won't see him at all?" She asks John as he opens the door to her dreaded bedroom cell.
"If I didn't know any better, I would say that you had a crush on the soldier."
"No, I don't." She states a bit too quickly, and a bit too defensively. John smiles nodding his head.
"Of course, you don't. Well, he is actually on a mission. But maybe, if he is quick and successful." Charlie sulks, pulling out her teddy bear he gifted her all those years ago. Her soldier. She lays down on her small bed hugging the bear.
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"Garret, what exactly are you trying to say? You've always been too soft on the girl. What I think you're suggesting is..." Pierce rolls a pen in between in fingers thinking about what the man had told him of the girl's affection.
"You're looking at it the wrong way. She definitely has a crush on the soldier. They haven't seen each other in a few years. The last time he seen her, she was a child. She's almost of age. Two more years." John is almost disgusted he mentioned it to Pierce. Pierce is very disgusting when it comes to the girl. He doesn't like her, because she can't be controlled, and she takes his control from the soldier.
"Hmm...imagine, daughter of a god and a super soldier...I wonder if the genes would carry on to their children. There's a problem though. If he doesn't reciprocate those feelings. It would never work."
"True. You would have to allow him to be around the girl. His humanity will have to come out. If you tried to force him it won't work. She quickly softens him." John looks over to Pierce, mostly thinking out loud.
"They haven't been around each other much. Maybe bringing his humanity back will take longer. I'm bringing him in earlier. We'll have to let him see her as more than a child. His China doll is growing up." Pierce's eyes glint with his devious plan. What did John do?
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Charlie sleeps, clutching tightly to her teddy. Unbeknownst to her a soldier watches her sleep. He's confused as to why he feels the need to protect the girl. Several brain wiping's and frozen sleeps have happened since their last meeting. She's beautiful. Much too young for him, but he can't fight the feeling and need to keep her safe.
Feeling she's being watched; Charlie stirs in her sleeping. Once her eyes focus, she notices the soldier staring at her with a tilted head, "Mishka? You're here. I was told that I wouldn't get to see you." She stands walking over to him. Wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. She reads his confusion and casts their memories to him. He never tries to remove the girl from him, but it takes longer for him to return the hug.
"Doll?"
"Yes, Mishka. It's me Charlie." She stands back smiling up at him.
"Charlie." He tries to vocalize their memories together.
"It's been a while. Have they been kind to you?"
"Kind?" He questions her.
"Yeah, Pierce. He's...cruel. Have they hurt you? I mean other than wiping you. I've heard you scream when they do that. I don't like when they hurt you."
"I'm okay. I protect you; you don't protect me." He tells her, his gaze softens at her, she really is a sweet and perfect doll.
"We protect each other when we're here."
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"I can't do this anymore. She's eighteen. I won't keep her. My husband has always favored the brat over me. She's your problem now! Here's her shit. I'm not taking her anymore." Audrey shouts at her father.
"You've played your part well. I have other plans for the girl." He calmly tells her.
"Good. I don't want to hear about her anymore." Audrey stalks out of the room. Leaving Charlie outside Pierce's office. Not turning to say goodbye to her. Charlie knew she was never wanted in the Allen home, not from her anyways.
Pierce picks up his phone. "Send the soldier to kill them. They're leaving."
"But sir, your daughter."
"She served her purpose. They know too much." Pierce hangs up and walks outside his office. Charlie sits uncomfortably in her chair. "Looks like you're finally home, Charlotte. Let's go to your room."
Charlie stands following Pierce to her bedroom cell. "I gave you a bigger bed, more space. It's not the normal cell, you actually have walls since you're here to live, as an adult. It'll give you more privacy. You can go throughout the compound as you please, as long as you don't try to escape. I'll try to make life easier for you. As long as you comply."
"Where is he?"
"The soldier?" He looks down at Charlie who nods. "You'll see him soon enough. Don't cause trouble and you'll see him more."
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"You're back." Charlie smiles up at the soldier standing in her cell bedroom doorway.
"I was just away for the night, doll." He smiles back before sitting on the bed with her.
"I just wish you didn't have to sleep in a cell. They could give you a room like mine." She leans her shoulder into his. She craves his touch, and now that she's a legal adult she lays her flirting on much thicker. Freezing him has kept him looking young. John explained when he was actually born and how old he actually is. He doesn't look a day over twenty-seven though.
"Or they could just let me stay in here with you, doll."
Her cheeks flush a bright pink, "You're such a flirt."
"You make it easy." He tells her. "At least they're giving me a break from being wiped."
"I'm glad of that." Charlie glances around the room looking up at every corner. Curious the soldier looks around with her.
"What are you doing?" He asks her.
"There's no cameras in here." Unfortunately, that is not true. Pierce knew growing up in Hydra she would look for cameras, not putting her guard down if she saw them. He had to be smart with where they put the cameras. Making sure he could watch his two prized possessions.
Biting his lip, he looks at the girl. She really is a beautiful little thing. No longer the young girl he remembers. His need to protect the kind girl has gotten stronger, and a bit of a tinge to want to do something he hasn't done in years. He wants to touch her. Her lips are particularly inviting. He definitely wants to kiss those. "You're right he says. But why is that important." She shrugs. The life she's lived has never given her much experience with boys. None really. She was homeschooled with a private tutor, Pierce wouldn't allow her to communicate with outsiders, in case she told someone the truth. She looks the soldier over. Her feelings towards him have changed throughout the years, and now that she's no longer a child she wants him to explore her and teach her.
She assumes that the soldier still views her as his breakable China doll though. "Nothing." She mumbles. Too embarrassed to say what she really wants. A few months back at Hydra every day, and actually getting to see him on a daily basis has been weird, and nice. The more they're around one another the more she wants him to touch her. Butterflies constantly roam around in her stomach when he's near her.
"You can tell me anything. We've known each other for many years." He thought for a moment that he saw her check him out, wanting him possibly as much as he wants her. While she's not looking at him, he looks the girl up and down. Her exposed collarbones in her tank top, the swell of her breasts, her toned arms, her shorts that are way too short, thighs that are achingly close to him. When he glances back up her body he watches as her breasts heave a bit faster until his gaze lands back on her eyes. She had been watching him check her out. Being the charming man he is, "Why are you breathing so deeply?"
"Can I kiss you?" She chokes out a whisper.
"What's that?" His super soldier ears heard exactly what she said. But being the cheeky man he is, he wants her to say it again.
"Sorry." She turns back away from him. Nervous.
He spins his body to look at her, placing a hand on her cheek, caressing her face with his thumb, and bringing her closer to him. "What did you say, doll?" His thumb moves closer to her lips before he gently traces it along her lips. Eyes roaming from hers down to her pouty mouth.
Without answering she quickly places her lips on his, and attempts to pull away. "Don't go." He whispers to her. He softly and much more slowly kisses her lips. Feeling the way, they perfectly melt together. How soft her lips feel against his. Timidly she follows his lead, and he can't stand it. He wants to taste her, tenderly sliding his tongue along her lips, hoping her inexperience will give way to something natural and she'll open her mouth for him.
His desires come true as she returns the faint teasing with her own tongue. Connecting them even further. There's a sweetness in her taste. She places her small hands on either side of his face, wanting him even closer to her. Shifting his weight to lean over her body, he pushes her back onto the mattress, until he's hovering over her. Continuing their discovery of one another. His hand begins to coast down her body. Ghosting over the side of her breast. Taking a deep breath, she pushes the soldier off of her.
"I'm sorry. It's just...I-I'm not ready. For that. I'm sorry." Sheepishly she tries to look away from him.
"No... I'm sorry. I just..." He tries to find the words.
"I want to. Things are private here. But...that...that was my first kiss."
"What?" He almost feels ashamed that he was the first kiss and they were getting that heated.
"I can't have my first kiss and lose my..."
"Doll, it's okay. You're stuck here with me. I'm not going anywhere. Neither are you." He leans his body back on the wall. "We're not in any rush."