Thunder Wolf [B.Barnes]

Chapter 12

"Come on, doll; you need to wake up. You need to eat something," Bucky whispered gently, shaking Fern. He smiled as her eyes fluttered open. "There you are, about time."

"What time is it?" Fern carefully raised her head to look around; she was shocked to see the morning sunglow through the windows.

"Morning, you were so tired last night, Tony said to let you sleep. Ryker growled at anyone who got too close to you anyways. He almost didn't let Bruce check your levels last night," Bucky smiled, brushing hair out of her face.

"Oh," Fern yawned. She looked down past the end of her bed to the Thunderbird; it stared out the window, she could feel that it was worried.

"What is it? You've got that look on your face," Bucky followed her gaze to the giant bird lying on the floor. "It's been doing that all night."

Fern moved the blankets off her and slowly stood with Bucky's help walking over to the Thunderbird. "You want out, but you're still hurt. We're still hurt." Fern sighed hesitantly, resting her hand on the Thunderbirds wing. A feeling she'd never felt before overcame her, love, motherly love. "Go and get Tony, please. It's important." Bucky didn't ask questions as he helped Fern sit next to the Thunderbird on the floor and left to find Tony.

"That dream, was that something you've shown him? A future, a happy one. Why now, of all times, have you picked to try and talk to me? It's been years; why now?" Fern sighed, running her hand along with the smooth feathers.

"Because you were not ready, and neither was I." Fern jumped at the voice backing away from the Thunderbird. "I kept you away to protect you, and I now know that it has only hurt us."

"Holy shit. I'm sorry, what? You were trying to protect me? Well, you see where that got us," Fern rolled her eyes. "You know, if you would have at least talked to me once, once, we wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have been scared to leave my house half of the time because I didn't know what was going to piss you off and cause another storm."

"I know, and I am sorry. This mountain valley is not the only thing that I protect. I was worried that you would not understand, and after those people came and hurt us, I wasn't going to let something like that happen ever again." The Thunderbird watched Fern, its golden eyes never breaking eye contact.

"The Avengers wouldn't hurt us. Thor, he's another story, and I expect an answer as to what the hell all of that was, but it's not needed right now. So what are you protecting, and do I need to worry?" Fern moved closer to the Thunderbird, following its gaze as it turned to look back at the mountain.

"I have a nest with an egg. Thunderbird eggs take many years to hatch; the day I was captured, I protected my egg so that they wouldn't find it. But, your friends, when they flew over, they were too close to my nest, so I worried those people were back. I still worry that maybe they will come back." Fern looked to the area she knew the Thunderbird rested at. It now made sense why when she tried to go there, and the Thunderbird chased her away.

"Can you show me? Like you did with the dream? If you can see the future, we can stop it before it happens." Fern felt her chest grow heavy with fear. She wasn't going to let anything happen to the Thunderbird, never again.

"No, I can only see possibilities. The future is ever-changing; what I showed you is only possible if you make it. Nothing is ever sure."

"So you can guess at things that could happen," Fern sighed, leaning back into the table leg behind her. "That doesn't make me feel better."

"I will communicate with you more. But for everyone's safety, no one can go near the mountain. I will not hesitate to protect my egg. Your friends need to leave; we can't have too many people here; it will attract others here as well."