Phoenixfire

The beginning

Phoenix wakes, she is lying on a somewhat soft hospital bed, hooked up to machinery beeping in time with her heartbeat. It starts rapidly beeping in protest, when a flash of fear rushes through her as she realizes she is bound hands and feet to the bed. Her Phoenix and it's fire is there in an instant, but the cuffs don't relinquish. A torrent of flame erupts around her, setting fire to the mattress and sheets, but the frame doesn't budge. "Emergency fire protocol activated. Start oxygen deprivation" a computerized female voice says. Phoenix can hear a hissing sound and then instantly can't catch a breath. As her flames are extinguished, she again falls unconscious.

When she comes to next, she feels three things. One, a killer headache. Two, no restrains. Three, her Phoenix dulled and as if a glass wall between them. Instantly she scrambles to sit and recognizes, she is no longer in a bed, but on the floor of an empty round...cell? The lights are dimed to a faded green along the edges of the glass wall, which takes up about two third of the perimeter. In the back part is a half-wall hiding bathroom necessities. She can't see beyond the glass. She is wearing a hospital gown. When she tries to stand, her head feels weird. Balance is off. Stubbornly she tries to walk anyway, wanting to reach that glass front and see.... She comes but a step before falling, hard. She tries it again, and again finds herself kissing the floor. She slams her fist into the ground in frustration "Come on Phoenix, this is ridiculous", she tells herself. She tries a third time, but this time can't even get to her knees properly. "Ah, fuck this" she murmurs, slides back to the ground, and takes the mental step aside to reach her inner pit. Only, she can't reach it. She feels she should be there, but all she can see is a red haze dome. Inside she sees her Phoenix circling, caged. No no no no the woman panics, she's got to me, they caught me blasts through her mind and she is slammed back into her body as panic takes hold. She curls up in a tight little ball. The only outward sign of something not right. Inward she is screaming nonstop. Just like it had been during her time in the tender care of Hydra, where any noise from the cell was greeted with harsh punishments and more often than not a visit to the blond German who'd try to find what makes you tick.

A few days later, a few stories above the cell tract Wanda Maximoff enters the lab which currently has the observation feed from the cell running on a screen. She's just back from a stake out with Natasha, which did not reveal as much info as they had hoped, but they had a lead to another Hydra base. Maybe. "How's she" she asks, indicating the screen. Tony looks up and quickly glances at the screen. "Hasn't moved much since waking up a three days ago. Doesn't eat, drink, completely catatonic. Bruce says, if she keeps this up another day, we will have to put her on monkey bag and fluids. Oh, she mumbled something before.... she did that.... so she can talk...." He indicates to the curled-up figure. "Have any of you tried to talk to her?" Wanda asks frowning. "We tried a few times, but she's not responding and things got a bit hectic here" he glances to one of his projects and adds sheepishly "not for a day or two...." Exasperated Wanda rolls her eyes "Men." She turns and leaves into the direction of the cell. She picks up a tray of simple foods from the kitchen, adds a bottle of water, and goes downstairs. Having it float behind her, she turns to open the cell door, when Vision steps up to her. "Are you sure about this? She sat Med on fire the other day?" "She did and I blocked her from her power, so I need to see if that "-she indicates to the huddled figure- "is caused by me. I have to make it right." Vision steps back and allows her through.

The cell door behind her closes with a hiss and Wanda sets down the tray. She raises her red whisps to get a feeling for the woman, and the room suddenly seems to reverberate with silent screams interspersed with no no no no. The woman's eyes fly open and Wanda recoils at the pure panic rolling off her as she scrambles back and hits the wall with a resounding smack, hitting her head in the process. "No no no no, I'll be good, I promise. I didn't make a sound.... No no no no" The voice is broken, breathy, pleading. Wanda kneels and retracts her whisps. "Hey, it's okay. You're okay. No one will hurt you. I promise." She keeps talking, keeping her tone soothing, light. She slides the tray over. "Eat, drink. Your body need sustenance." The woman eyes the tray wearily. Hesitantly she reaches for a slice of bread and starts to eat it, always keeping her eyes on Wanda. Whenever Wanda moves slightly the woman hesitates as if expecting punishment. The feelings seeping from her are still pure terror laced with the need to obey. Wanda keeps her tone light and keeps on talking, holding as still as she could. By the time the tray is empty the woman has relaxed a little bit and her eyes droop sleepily. Wanda takes this as her que to slowly get up, taking the tray with her, but leaving the water bottle, which is not finished yet. The woman is wide awake in an instant, huddling back to the wall, eyes wide with fear. "You are safe here, you know. You might not see it yet, but you are." Wanda says, slowly turning to the door. "I will be back tomorrow." When the door opens a quiet voice comes from behind her "My name is Phoenix." Wanda smiles beamingly and turns back around. "My name is Wanda. See you tomorrow Phoenix."