Goodbyes Never Last Forever

A bell chimed as I walked into the coffee shop and the chilling breeze from outside followed me in. My fingertips were frozen to the bone and were practically begging to hold something warm. Shivering at the mixed warm and cold air, I drew my coat closer around myself and rubbed my naked hands together. I was never one to keep track of the date but I knew that winter was just around the corner.

Besides work and my little apartment this was the only place I visited on a daily basis. The coffee shop was small with a brown and cream color scheme. The furniture was nice as long as you didn’t plan on sitting for more than half an hour and there was always this endless tune playing in the background. The place was local and on a busy street but it was never crowded, then again what place was crowded at seven in the morning. They served a decent cup of coffee and the people that worked here were always nice. They never asked anything more than ‘How do you take your coffee’ and ‘How’s your day going’. Like everything else in my life it was painfully normal.

The bitter smell of coffee beans wafted towards me, intensifying my craving for the hot liquid even more. Without any hesitation I made my way towards the line. It was short with a couple already standing off to the side. The man was tall with dirty blonde hair that was cut short in the back. My attention moved to the woman whom he had locked arms with. She giggled and then whispered something back to him casually. The woman was only a head shorter than the man yet was still average in height. Her hair was a straight golden blonde that stopped just below her shoulders. I couldn’t really see her face but by the sound of her voice I could only assume she was pretty.

“I can help whosever’s next.” I looked over to see a petite brunette looking over at me expectantly. When the couple in front of me didn’t move forward I slowly made my way up to the counter.

“Hello my name is Ellie,” She tapped her pen to the nametag on her chest. “What can I get for you today?”

Out of habit I ordered, “Medium coffee with a little bit of cream.”

She arched a thin brow, “Any sugar?”

“No thank you.”

“Alrighty then I’ll be out with it in just a minute.” She jotted my order down on a piece of paper then scurried off into the back.

Frowning I glanced over at the coffee machine that was on the counter right beside me. Normally when I placed my order they would just reach under the countertop, grab a cheap paper mug, and fill it with coffee from the machine. In the two and a half years that I had been coming here they’ve never had to go into the back to make my coffee.

Maybe this one’s broken and their using a spare that’s set up back there. The thought seemed reasonable enough so calmly I waited at the counter for the woman’s return. A minute passed by and I aimlessly started scratching my nails against the lining of my coat pockets. When five minutes passed I brushed it off assuming that maybe she was brewing a fresh cup but when it starting going on ten minutes I became nervous.

They’ve found you, My body became tense at the idea but I shook it off. Tilting my head to the side I tried to catch a glimpse at where the woman had run off to but saw nothing. When I didn’t see anyone popping their heads out from the back the hairs on the back of my neck started standing up. I turned my head to glance out the window and saw no one out there but then quickly reasoned that that was normal for this time of day.

They’ve found you, I could feel my nervousness staring to grow into panic and I knew that I needed to calm myself down so I tried closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. Slowly I exhaled but it did nothing to relax me. Knowing that panicking was just going to make matters worse I tried taking a deep breath in again.

They know where you are, I gave my head a shake and focused my attention on the counter as I tried to reason with myself. Nobody knows where I am. I’ve left no trail behind. No one can find me because I’m dead. Everyone thinks I’m dead.

They’re here, Nervously my fingertips started rubbing together. I’m dead. They couldn’t have found me. I’ve been dead for years.

They’re here, I could feel it starting to build up inside of me. If I kept panicking I was going to lose control and I had promised myself years ago that I would never let that happen again. I started praying for Ellie to walk out from the back with my coffee in hand and some simple excuse as to why she had had to go back there in the first place. I started wishing that I had some kind of anxiety medication because I was pretty sure I needed to be on some. And for godsakes I really wished the couple behind me would start making some kind of noise because it being eerie quiet in here was not helping.

They’re here, My back straightened instantly as I thought about the couple that hadn’t made a sound since I walked in front of them. A couple whose faces I hadn’t gotten a good glimpse of because their backs had always been towards me and now they were both right behind me, breathing down my neck.

They’re here!

There was a click and suddenly I was facing the woman. She was pretty. Her features were soft and her blonde hair framed her face perfectly. Everything about her looked innocent expect for her hard brown eyes and sleek revolver.

“Stay calm and everything will be fine.” She said smoothly enough that my shoulders actually relaxed a notch even though her gun was pointing right at my heart. I was in such a state of shock that my body just froze and for a moment nobody moved.

The man sided himself with the woman. “Sorry about this,” He stared at the weapon in his companions hands. “We didn’t know how to approach you but I can assure you that we just want to talk.”

Something about his face seemed oddly familiar but I couldn’t quiet place where I had seen it before. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something flash underneath his coat. As soon as I saw it everything that I had been trying so desperately to keep locked away broke free.

My powers surged to the forefront of my mind and with them came the rage and bloodlust that I had feared. I quickly raised my hands and mentally threw the woman across the shop. Her gun went off when she slammed into a table. I felt a sting on my upper arm and instinctively I raised a shield around myself for protection.

The man cursed before coming at me. He reached into his coat to grab something but before he got his weapon or reached me I fisted my hand up in front of him and swung it to the side. He went flying into the nearby wall and then I swung my arm to the other side, sending him into the opposite wall.

A bullet ricocheted off of my shield. I turned back to see the woman standing up with a stream of blood running down her forehead and her gun pointing at me. Dropping the man I quickly moved my hands towards the woman and forced a shield around her. Slowly I made her shield smaller until she was pressed against its walls. I kept squeezing it tighter until her eyes were wide with fear and her perfectly formed lips were parted in a soundless scream.

If I added anymore pressure her body would break. Well actually I knew that it was much more gruesome than that. First her skin would rip around her arms, legs and back and then her bones would shatter into a million tiny shards. With her bones no longer intact her intestines would go next. They’d be so squished together that they would start hemorrhaging blood, and that would quickly build up inside of her until it came gushing out of her nose and mouth.

Most people died after their bones were broken, a shard would embed itself into one of their vital organs and depending on the organ they’d be dead before the rest of their body was crushed. But if by some unlikely chance that didn’t happen then they would most likely experience it all until the very end.

Movement caught my attention and I looked over at the man who was picking himself up out of the rubble. I frowned at him. When people went through two walls they normally didn’t get back up. He looked over at the woman, realized what I was doing to her and quickly reached into his jacket. Instead of pulling out a weapon he brought out a shield. Before I could think more about it he threw it at me.

When it collided with my own shield I flinched at the booming noise it made. The man caught his weapon midair and came at me again only this time when he hit my defenses I felt something crack. My eyes widened as I stared at him. My defenses could stand against a wide range of arsenals ranging from guns to bombs and here the man was breaking it down with a damn Frisbee.

I yanked one of my hands away from the woman and bond the man in a shield. He was trapped for now but I knew it couldn’t last very long and throwing him into walls didn’t seem to work on him. I needed to crush him but I couldn’t with just one hand and if I let the woman go she would shot at my already weakened shield. Feeling trapped I tried looking around for something I could use but saw nothing.

“Amora” In that moment everything froze. My racing heart beat came to a stuttering halt in my chest, breathing stopped, body locked up, mind completely wiped blank and just when I felt like a total statue the memories of that voice came slamming back. Us together at camp joking around after hours, sharing our fears and discussing our dreams, pushing the other to do their best, having each other’s backs on missions, we had become more than friends and closer than family. The three of us had been the perfect team; Sam, Riley and I. Until I screwed everything up.

“Let them go,” Sam warned from behind me. I didn’t hesitate at the order, I just dropped them and turned around to a man I hadn’t thought I’d see ever again.

For a while all I could do was stare at him in disbelief. In the two and a half years we had been apart he honestly hadn’t changed. His expression had always been soft, as if he were about to break out in a laugh at any moment, but his eyes told me how serious he was, disappointed. Shame filled me at how I had let my powers get the best of me yet again and I had to look away from him.

“Sure took your time.” The man with the shield watched me wearily. “We could have used you.”

Sam gave him a smile. “I was entertaining the coffee girl and after I heard you all fighting I thought it would be better to get her out of the building, besides you wanted to see what she was capable of. Now you know.”

“Thanks for the heads up by the way.” The woman picked up her gun but didn’t holster it. She swiped at the blood on her forehead then flicked it off her fingers as if it were sweat. “If I had known I would have brought something a little bigger.”

“If you had, it still wouldn’t have worked.” The man said to his companion then looked back at Sam with a glare. “I don’t think she’s the ‘kind’ of reinforcement we need.”

Sam made his way out from behind the counter, “I’ve worked with her for years Cap, and I’m telling you she’s exactly what we’re missing.”

Cap as in Captain? I pondered the abbreviation over in my head as my gaze wondered to the shield the man was carrying and for first time I noticed the red and blue circles around a big white star. Captain as in Captain America?

“Shit,” I cursed under my breath and luckily no one seemed to hear me. If Sam was working with Captain America that would mean that he was still working for the government.

Sam started towards me and the closer he got the more ridged I became. When he finally stopped there were only a couple of feet left between us. “We need your help.”

Shaking my head I slowly met his gaze. “I can’t.”

“Yes you can, Amora.” He drew out my name. “I really need your help on this.”

“I went to great lengths to disappear and you think I want to go back, just like that?” I snapped, “You know what I did Sam. I can’t go back and work for those people again. I just can’t.”

“But we aren’t working with the military. There’s no hidden agenda or outranking officers here to boss you around. It’s just us and we’re here for a very personal reason.” When I didn’t say anything he let out a sigh and took a step closer. “I saw your apartment Amora, you’ve sentenced yourself to a prison for something that wasn’t your fault.”

“You know damn well it was my fault.” I cried and took a threaten step towards him. “Riley died because of me.”

“An RPG killed him, not you.” The look in his eyes told me that he truly believed that and I had to shake my head at him. “I lost one friend that night, not two and now I’m asking you as a friend for help.”

The thing was I didn’t want to help. I knew that if I did some form of government would figure out that I was alive and want me in their ranks. Then before I’d know it I’d be back in action doing the same things all over again, but Sam had asked me for help. Worse actually he had tracked me down for my help and when he found me he had the nerve to call me his friend. I should feel horrified by that statement and yet I was happy. Even though I had done something unforgivable he still saw me as his friend and for that I would do what he asked.

“Fine,” I sighed and folded my arms over my chest then glanced over at his companions. “What do you need me for?”

Captain America rubbed the back of his neck, “I’m looking for an old friend.”

“I’m not much of a tracker.”

The Captain nodded his head at the woman standing by his side. “That’s what Agent Carter is for. Sam thought that you might be more useful for holding him down without hurting him.”

Puzzled I asked, “I thought he was just you’re friend.”

The Captain winced at that. “He doesn’t really remember who I am.”

“Okay,” I looked them all over, “I don’t think I’m following.”

“This organization known as Hydra captured him and then brainwashed him into forgetting everything about himself. They’ve been using him as an assassin until recently when we brought down a part of their organization. Now we’re trying to find him before whatever’s left of Hydra forces does.” Sam informed.

Thanking him with a quick nod I turned back to the Captain. “Okay so let’s say we track him down and capture him, what then?”

“I just want to talk with him. Help him remember who he was and who I am.”

“What if he doesn’t remember?”

“Now that he’s free from Hyrda they can’t mess with his mind anymore. He was already starting to remember me and as long as we find him before they do, he’ll slowly begin to remember everything.” The Captain stated determinedly.

Understanding that this was an important time sensitive mission I nodded to show that I understood but still felt the need to know a little but more about this ‘friend’ that we were hunting down. “Besides being an assassin who exactly is this guy we’re going after?”

Agent Carter stepped forward and slowly placed her gun back in its holster. “He’s called the Winter Solider.”

“He’s called Bucky.” Captain America snapped at her. “He was born in Indiana, and grew up in Brooklyn. We’ve been friends since childhood. Now are you in or not?”

I stiffened at his hardened tone but nodded none the less, “When do we start?”

“Immediately.”