Avengers One-Shots

Firefly (2)

I could barely open my eyes, but when I cracked them open just a bit, it was to unknown surroundings again. One thing is clear: I'm not hanging from the metal chains anymore, but I still have no idea where I am. That's not surprising because I haven't known my location for months now. However, this place seems different from where I've been before. It's cleaner, you can smell whatever cleaning solution is used in the air. It's more organized, more high-tech.

A door opened, and my heart rate accelerated. I tried to sit up, but my hands were tied to the bed, and I noticed gloves on my hands. In my haste, I kept pulling and tugging at the restraints, feeling them digging into my skin, but I didn't open my eyes. Those men wanted to do disgusting things to me, and I don't want to see that in whoever's face has taken me now.

"Angelica ... it's okay, you're safe here. Please breathe and calm down." I heard a male voice say.

How does he know my name? Where the hell am I? I've gotta get away, gotta find a way to get out. The voice isn't familiar, it isn't one of the men who tortured me, I'm sure of that. I just need to find a way to get these restraints off.

"Angelica, please, just breathe. Please relax." the voice insisted, still at a distance.

He sounds alarmed but calm at the same time. He's gonna hurt me, that's what they all want to do. Hurt me to make me do things. I need to get away.

"Don't let him in, I'm going to have to sedate her again. Please, open your eyes, Angelica, look at me, and please breathe." he said.

I just shook my head and struggled some more, trying to get away. After so long with those people, I know what injections feel like. When I felt the needle slide in, I struggled even more, but I felt myself losing consciousness. Desperation and resignation wash over me as I realize that, once again, I'm stuck at the mercy of the people holding me captive.

A noise woke me up again. It was voices, fuzzy and distant but close by. I don't recognize any of the voices, and when I try to sit up, I have no strength.

"Angelica, you're safe here. You are not in danger, you are not going to be hurt here, I promise. Please, open your eyes and look at me." the soft voice said.

I could hear a machine beeping, and that beeping accelerated, a heart monitor.

"Please breathe, I need you to breathe and calm your heart rate." he insisted. "Go get Nick now."

I tried, I really did, but I couldn't help the erratic breathing. Couldn't control my heart, couldn't control the fear.

"Angelica, please breathe." I heard, and the voice sounds familiar, but I can't trust them ... can't trust anyone. "Please, look at me ... I promised your dad I would take care of you, and I failed him before, but I can keep that promise now. Breathe, Angel, that's good ... calm down. It is safe here, you're with Nick ... Nick Fury."

"Nick ..." I muttered.

"Open your eyes, please. You're safe, I promise."

"That's what they told me too." I whispered, turning my head away from the voice.

"Your father asked me to take care of you if something happened to him. When you were five, you wanted a puppy, but he didn't want a pet. Your mom got you a stuffed animal that looked like a husky, and you named him Moony because he has a spot on his head that looked like a moon." he said.

No one knows that but my family ... no one knows about Moony outside of my family except for Dad's friend Nick. Slowly enough, I stopped hyperventilating, and the beeping on the machine calmed down as well.

"That's good ... that's really good." he sighed in relief.

I opened my eyes again, and thankfully the room was dim. The man sitting next to me with worry in his eyes looked familiar, but time has aged him, as happens to the best of us.