It was cold. That was the first thing he noticed as the fog in his mind began to clear. He couldn't look around, couldn't speak, couldn't entire smell, but he could feel. He felt a weight on his hand as if someone was squeezing it. 

He felt the air hit his exposed skin as if someone was pacing back and forth in front of him. He felt a huge weight on his eyes, preventing him from looking around and seeing who or what was around him. 

It didn't help that his mind was screaming. It was pounding with thoughts. Ones that felt like memories, only he couldn't remember any of them. Like a vivid dream that seems so real at the time until you open your eyes. 

"Trust me, the only ones who are going to feel the pain are you two." She smirked. She had multiplied herself as a way of keeping an eye on each of the Avengers, she didn't want them having any tricks up their sleeves. "Death is many things. The ones who die are the lucky ones, it's the ones who are left behind who have to deal with the pain."

James raised a knife out of his pants and aimed it at his sister's chest, right above her heart. Steve cried out and Natasha ran towards the two, Willa used her powers, trying her hardest to remove Amora's protection spell. Tony, Sam, Bucky, Maria, Nicole, and Morgan fought off some of her duplicates around them as Sif and Thor took down Amora, she was no match for them all. Amora screamed in pain as she was hit by a blast of lightning from Thor's hammer.

As his mind sorted through these memories, the first welcoming sounds began to come in, pushing these foreign memories backward. He heard the soft beat, almost like an electric heartbeat. He heard a loud set of feet walking, it got loud and then faded as if the person walking was pacing. Then he heard a voice. 

"I thought you said he woke up!" A statement rather than a question. The voice was muffled in his ears. But it clear enough for him to know it was a man, a familiar one. His brain couldn't concentrate long enough for him to make out who it was. 

"He was sir. He was awake for only a second. As I told you over the phone he will be in and out of-" this voice rambled on. He sounded timid. Almost afraid of whoever it was that he was speaking to. He wondered partly if he was in any sort of danger. 

That was until he felt the pull on his right hand again. He could feel lips that rested gently on his hand, moving as if reciting a string of words. The feel of their hands became present. They were soft and small. He's held these hands. He's held them his entire life. 

His senses all came flooding back in an instant. Like every single one was being shoved into his brain, he couldn't' take it any longer. That was when his eyes fluttered. That was when he released a breath. That was when he could hear the voice of his mother calmly reeling him back into reality. 

"Hey, buddy." He made out his father taking place by his mother where his gaze was focused. She was whispering soothing Russian words. "How are you feeling?" He looked around slowly, taking in everything and everyone. There were a few doctors to his left, checking computers, his monitors, and anything that could be important. 

"James?" Once again his mother's voice caught his attention. 

"Ow." Was the only thing he could manage. His mother let out a soft laugh as a tear slid down her cheek. His father practically mirrored the expression. He slowly was falling back into slumber, but this time, he had every intention of waking up. 

*

James was awake. He was being checked out by a doctor as they stood outside the room. Words couldn't contain how excited Natasha was. She wanted to hug her baby. She wanted to be able to smile again, but smiling would have to wait. The road before them was going to be tough. It was going to be difficult. 

"Natasha!" She turned to see Maria running up to her, Nicole right by her side. Natasha was not a hugger. She didn't like showing emotion but that was before she became a mother. A mother of two. She couldn't even help herself when she hugged Maria back. 

"He's awake." She whispered. 

"We told you he would," Maria said back. "He's a strong boy." 

"Just like his mom." Sam's voice came next. Natasha looked over giving him a thankful smile as Steve went in for a hug. 

"You guys got here fast." Steve laughed. 

"Yeah well, Maria almost ran me over as we pulled out of the driveway." 

"He was taking too long." She said in defense. Nicole took a seat besides Hugh and Elliot who were here minutes before. Looked to have run here. "How is he?" 

"He's being checked out now." Steve filled them in. "about an hour ago he spoke his first word and then fell right back asleep.  The doctor said it was normal. He woke up ten minutes ago and it hasn't fallen back asleep so hopefully that means something." 

"It does indeed." The doctor interrupted. "James seems to progress fine as if the accident never occurred. I imagine that is due to the second strain of serum he has in his veins but I'd have to do more tests." 

"Can we see him?" Natasha asked impatiently. 

"We are currently drawing blood and removing certain tubes but afterwards you are free to see him." The doctor gave them a smile. "I will contact you as soon as he's ready." 

"Thank you, doctor." Steve smiled, it was the first time anyone had seen even a fraction of a smile from Steve. The doctor walked away and Steve pulled Natasha in for a hug, carefully lifting her off her feet. "He's awake babe," He mumbled in her ear, Natasha hugged him back tighter. 

"Hey love birds, save it for the bedroom." Steve shook his head as he heard Bucky's voice. He carefully put his wife down on the floor to turn to him. Wanda embraced Natasha and spoke to her softly in her ear. 

"Yeah know, Jerk, I am really getting tired of you," Steve said jokingly as they hugged. 

"Of me? I'm offended Punk." 

"He's not the only one," Sam smirked. 

"You two are the worse." While they all talked waiting for James's room to open Willa walked over to Nicole. 

"Hey." She smiled. 

"Hey Willa,"  Nicole said as she took a seat beside her. "I can't believe he's actually awake." 

"Careful Nic, it's starting to sound like you actually care." 

"Oh please. I know better." She laughed. Truth be told she did care, James, as much as she hates to admit it, is like her brother. She'll never tell him that of course, but she was glad that he was awake. 

"Morgan?" Willa risked asking.

"Please if Stark knows what best for her, she'll stay away." 

"Don't you think that this is getting a bit old? This fighting?" 

"Willa, please. Not today. I don't want to talk about that today. Okay?" Nicole took her hand to show her that she didn't want to argue with her. Willa only nodded her head and sat beside her in silence. 

It wasn't for another 20 minutes did the doctor come walking back in to talk to Natasha and Steve. Everyone watched and listen in anticipation. 
"It looks like Jame's vitals are good. However, we are having some memory problems." 

"He doesn't know?" Natasha asked, her voice was almost a shiver. 

"No. We can't pinpoint why." 

"I'll tell you why it was that darn witch," Bucky butted in, causing him to glared at by Wanda, a causal way of getting him to shut up.

The doctor went on to explain he remembers events leading up to the attack but everything that happened during the attack was a complete blur. They would deal with that soon enough, right now all Steve and Natasha wanted to do was see their son. 

"Hey Jamie," Natasha smiled. 

"Mom." He mumbled looking over at her. 

"How are you champ," Steve said, both of them taking a seat beside him. Natasha moved a piece of hair, which was grown out, away from his eyes. 

"Tired...confused." He admitted. 

"Well, that's completely normal," Natasha told him. "At least you are still in bed, when your father woke up from the ice he broke many doors." 

"Well excuse me for being freaked out." Steve shook his head. "We are just glad that you are okay-" 

"Where's Sarah?" He asked interrupting Steve for a second. Steve looked at his son and then his wife. "I know Sarah and I argue a lot, but I'd like to think she'd come to see me when I am in the hospital." 

"You know who is here? Your godfather!" Natasha could bear telling him just yet, but James could see behind her little act. He watched her carefully as she walked over the door and called in Bucky, who was shocked he was being called in so fast. In fact, she called almost everyone in. 

"Hey kid, nice to see you awake," Bucky said giving James his signature smirk. 

"Yeah well, I believe you still owe me $20," James smirked right back at him. 

"Who? Me? No. I think you must have hit your head a little too hard. I do not owe you anything." 

"You sound like a terrible liar," Steve said. "And I should know." 

"And the prodigal son is awake!" Nicole joked walking into the room, James groaned. 

"You're still here?" He asked. 

"Who else is gonna clean up after you?" She teased. "Thought you were gotta take a long beauty sleep." 

"I don't need beauty sleep." He fought back. "You can't improve perfection." 

"Yeah see I beg to differ. You  might need another 50 years." 

"I wanna go back to sleep. I wake up from a coma and I have to deal with you? Who did I upset in my past life." 

"Ooo Rogers, learn to actually insult someone in your sleep?" Willa butted in. 

"You know you used to be the nice one of the group." He shook his head. "Where is Miles? He'll be on  my side." 

"Tiny is currently spending a glorious week away with his father and uncle Luis." Willa filled in. 

"Oh, where are they going?" 

"Jail," Nicole said. Everyone turned to look at her with questioning eyes. "Well I mean not technically, but he's gonna meet a bunch of old criminals. Uncle Scott is teaching him that starting fights won't  get him far in life." 

"Miles start fights? God, what alternate reality did I wake up in?" He asked. Natasha looked at her son with a sad smile. "So what about Morgan and Nate? I know they both hate my guts more than half the time but..." His words faded out. 

No one could bring themselves to say anything. The adults looking at Natasha and Steve to see any cues about how they were going to tell James. 

"You are all acting very weird." He said, his voice confused. Natasha reached out and moved a strand of hair out of his way. 

"James..." She began. "We have to tell you something. It's about your sister." 

"What is it?" He asked. "Come on mom just tell me," 

"James, that night, a lot happened. And we just want to start off by saying it was in no way your fault. You are not to be blamed at all. Do you understand?" She was running on by now. 

"Just tell me. You are all acting so weird." James was getting frustrated, evident by the increase beeping in the heart monitor. The group looked amoung themselves for what felt like hours. The single phrase the had to be said was not being spoken. 

Instead of a healthy conversation, there was silence. 

Instead of heart break there was a heart beeting in antipation for the words needs needed to be said. 

It all just felt wrong. Yet no one wanted to mend that wrong. Wanted to live in the ignorant bliss for a little longer. Why were they given such the burden to start the downfall of their small world? Why was life cursed with an endless wall of dissapointment. 

"James. Sarah... she passed away." The words finally slipped pasted his mother mouth, into the air. Making it real. Too real. James was silent. All the words were now frozen, but there was one thing, one word that he managed to ask. 

"How?" His mother squeezed his hand. 

"Amora, she umm. She took over your mind." James closed his eyes as Steve spoke. "She made you fight. She..." Steve couldn't bare finish, but James understood. Everyone watched him carefully, tears in his eyes. 

"James we-" 

"Get out." he said, voice full and angry. 

"James you have to understand-" His mother tried fidning the words. 

"I said get out! I want to be alone." Natasha looked at him in shock, Maria carefully walked over her to guide her out as James screams go worse, Bucky guiding Steve. James was yelling for them all to leave and to get out. Natasha and Steve crying to reach their son as his heart monitor started excellorating and the nurses rushed in. 

Was this their life now? One painful event after another? How would they go on? Did they even want to go on?

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So I am finally updating! Haha like 4 months later.

Tomorrow is my birthday so I felt the need to give y'all a gift. Hope you enjoyed and I will update again soon!

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