Take Me Home

Anxiety

"Nia?" Tony says one morning at the table. She smiles, staring at Vincent, not realizing Tony is calling her. After the third time Vincent realizes what's going on subtly letting her know Tony is calling her. She turns to Tony with a smile, it quickly dropping as she sees the sadness in his eyes, the rest of the avengers with the same look also.

"I'm-I'm sorry. You called me?" Tony nods trying to get ahold of his emotions.

"I did," Tony says clearing his throat. "We figured out the machine, the one to get your memories back."

"I-" Nia looks around in a half panic.

Tony claps his hands, "Yes we figures it out congratulations all around. Let's turn this baby on."

"I-I don't know if I'm ready." She whispers, ignoring the shock look on everyone's face.

"Piccolina." Vincent whispers.

"I know. I know this is what I've been wanting but I-"

"If you're not ready-" Damien says softly but the sadness and anger in their faces is obvious.

She takes a deep breath, "Ok let's do it."

" Piccolina if you're not-"

"It's fine." She whispers to Vincent. "Let's get this over with." He searches her eyes as everyone walks out before nodding reluctantly. Nia tries to push down the anxiety as they enter the lab. She lays down, a dome appearing over her head. The bed raises and she's able to see part of the room. Gripping the arm rests tight with shaky breaths she watches as everything gets set up. Tony motions for someone to talk to her to calm her anxiety.

"So Nia," Sam says. "We were curious what type of vacation spot you like to visit."

She smiles widely. "The snow! I love the snow!"

"The snow?" Steve asks.

"I love the snow!" She says excitedly, closing her eyes to imagine the snow falling gently around her. "We frequently visited the mountains where it snowed all year round. I loved seeing how beautiful the land looked covered."

Damien smiles at her, "and you always cheated at the snow ball fights."

Bruce smiles gently at her as they talk, placing little squares with wires on various areas of her forehead to monitor what's happening. Everyone stands behind a line on the floor, looking at her with a small flicker of hope.

"Okay!," Tony says looking down at the tablet. She smiles at them trying to hide her fear. "Here we go."

She closes her eyes when the machine goes on. She smiles as she see flashes of Clint and his family. Natasha picking up Clint when they need his help. Clint brings her to the tower. Everyone is tense as they watch, noises from the machine filling the silence. A sigh of relief leaves them when she smiles. Bruce and Tony watch her vital and brain waves on the tablet making notes.

"There's a spike." Bruce whispers right as a sharp pain hits her so hard she screams. Her lungs hurt right before everything goes black. Everyone is frozen as she lets out a blood curdling scream, thrashing around.

"TURN IT OFF!" Everyone yells trying to get to her. Luke, Bruce, Tony and Loki stand by the machine but nothing turns the machine off. It doesn't stop despite the safety precautions that were put in.

"Wanda!" Loki yells pointing to the machine hoping one of them can get it to stop. Wanda pushes her magic to the machine before she's thrown back violently.

"It's magic!" Loki yells at Tony. "It's reacting! The machine is making her remember but the magic is hurting her."

She continues to thrash around blood coming from her mouth and ears. Random words and names are sobbed out, nothing making sense to the others. Bruce hulks out being careful as he breaks the machine but even with it in pieces she still screams, blood now coming out her nose. Everyone's in a panic trying anything and everything but nothing helps.

As suddenly as the screaming starts it stops. Blood continues to flow, Bucky springs into action, grabbing her and running to medical. He holds back his tears taking the stairs to get her there sooner. F.R.I.D.A.Y notifies medical so they're waiting for him. He tries to follow but they push him out rushing her to a room. He paces outside as everyone arrives.

In the three hours since they brought her in no one has told them anything. Luke and Tony pour over everything trying to figure out what went wrong. Bruce, having calmed down is wrapped in a blanket wondering where he fucked up. No one says anything until Tony finally lashes out, throwing his tablet.

"DAMMIT!" He leans over a table. "I just keep failing her."

"No, you didn't." Loki says softly. Tony goes to speak but he cuts him off. "No one would have known this would happen.

"I should've!" Tony screams.

"You're not a God Tony! You don't have premonitions! NO ONE COULD'VE KNOWN!" Loki screams back. Tony breathes hard, turning away.

"Will she be ok?" Bucky finally asks in the silence.

"I don't know." Loki says letting out a slight sob.