Maybe Someday

Healing Days

          A doctor finally comes and the boys stand up. "Annabelle is going to be just fine. Her hand is broken and one of her eyes is swollen shut. It looks like they whipped her back. It will be sensitive. The wounds were still open when she was brought in. She has a concussion and her hands are raw. Probably her throat too. This is not even including the mental damage that Hydra could have caused. We have her on heavy pain medication. You can see her in a few minutes."

Steve sighs and sits back down. "Thank God." A nurse comes in after a few minutes and leads them back. Steve starts to tear up when he sees her.

Pietro goes in first and sits down next to Annabelle. Tears fall freely. Pietro raises his hand to her hair but hesitates. Eventually, he decides against it. Steve walks in, carrying a book. Pietro notices it. "Her favorite."

"Yeah. I would read this to her on those nights she had trouble sleeping. Before she could see, there were a lot of times when sleeping wasn't easy. I would read to her until she fell asleep."

Steve starts to read as Pietro sits there, staring at Annabelle. After what feels like hours, she stirs. "Steve, get the nurse." Steve throws the book down and goes.

As Annabelle wakes, Pietro sees tears come to her eyes. "No!" she cries. She tries to sit up and covers her face in her hands.

"Annabelle," Pietro says. She doesn't move. "Annabelle look at me." Pietro lightly moves her hands away and she looks up.

She gasps as she sees Pietro. She reaches a hand forward to make sure he's real. When she's assured, she latches on to him and cries. "You're still here! What year is it?"

"It's only been about a week since you were taken, I promise." He gently wraps his arms around her.

"They told me if I didn't tell them information they would hurt me and if I still didn't, they would freeze me for another seventy years. I thought I would never see you again!"

"It's alright. We're all still here. Don't worry. I need you to lie down, please. Can you do that?"

Annabelle looks confused. "Why?"

"You were hurt by them. You need to rest. I will be right here."

"Alright." Pietro helps her lie back down as the nurse comes back in.

"Can you all please leave for a moment? We need to check her injuries." Annabelle looks at Steve and Pietro scared. She shakes her head and the tears start to show through again.

"Is it alright if one of us stays?" Pietro asks. "I think she would be more comfortable if at least her brother is with her."

"Is that alright with you?" the nurse asks. Annabelle nods, looking relieved. The nurse ushers Pietro out and he goes with no complaint.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~❶~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Steve rubs my and down my arm, avoiding my hands, as the doctor walks in. "Hello Annabelle. How are you feeling?"

"Numb. What happened?"

"I'm sure Captain Rogers can explain all of this later. Can you roll over?" I do so, very slowly. My back aches as I move. Steve helps me when it becomes too much. "Great. I am going to open up the back of the gown and look at the whip marks on your back." I feel the cold air reach my spine and I shiver. Steve adjusts the blanket to try and keep me warm and I smile at him, thankful. The doctor starts to tie the dress together again. "There are no signs of infection which is good. You should stay here for a two days and then off your feet for another three. After that, come back and we'll give you a checkup. Someone will be by later to talk to you about what happened."

As the doctor leaves, I turn to Steve. "So, what happened?"

"You were taken and tortured as you know. Nat went and got you back. I was allowed nowhere near you or any mission until you were back. She said that you were frozen in a tube. You actually woke up on the way back, apparently." Pietro comes back in and sits down next to me. I smile and put my hand on his. "Do you want to tell us what happened?"

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. "They took me from my room. When I heard the door close, I thought it was Pietro trying to sneak up on me and surprise me. He drugged me and took me to some base. They wanted information. The Avengers' weaknesses. They first tried to beat it out of me, as you can see, then they froze me." Tears start to fall down my cheeks. "They told me they were going to freeze me for another seventy years. I thought I'd never see you guys again."

Pietro wraps his arms around me, gently, and tries to comfort me. "It's alright. We aren't going anywhere, I promise." I nod and my eyes feel heavy. I look to my side and see a nurse there, inject something into the line. I sway forward and Pietro catches me, lying me down. He runs his hands through my hair as I fall asleep.

The next time I wake up, Wanda is there, alone. "Hey Wanda."

"Annabelle. How do you feel?"

"Pretty good. Where did the boys go?"

"They needed to go to training. I'm here with you 'til then. The doctor just told me someone will be coming to talk to you in a minute about what happened."

"Will you stay with me?"

Wanda nods. "Of course." The shrink comes in and we talk for a while. I feel so much better when I tell him what happened.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next time I wake up, Steve is there. "Hey Sis. How are you today?"

"Good. What day is it?" I ask.

"Last day you're in here," Steve says. "Also, you and Pietro's anniversary."

I sigh and stare at the ceiling. "Is there any way you can get me out of here?"

"Sorry, Annabelle. You're staying here until the doctor says you can leave."

"Then can you help me with his gift. I was making him a scrapbook. I was putting some finishing touches on it that day. When I thought he was coming in, I hid it under my bed. Can you get it and wrap it for me? Please."

"Alright. Will you be here alone for half an hour?"

I smile. "I'll be fine for a while. Thank you. Keep it hidden when you're done."

Steve leaves and I roll onto my side, falling into a peaceful sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When I wake up, I'm in my normal clothes. I look around and I'm not in that hospital room, but in a wheelchair. Before me is a table with candles and some Italian food. Pietro walks into the room. "Hey sleepyhead. How do you feel?"

"Better. How'd you get me away? Steve said I wasn't allowed to leave until the doctor said it was alright for me to."

"He was spending that time distracting you while I talked to the doctor to get you out. Steve understood what today meant to us and he was willing to let you out as long as you checked in with him after. And stay in the wheelchair. Are you hungry?"

"Definitely. Thank you for this." I look around the chair and see a bag hanging on the back. I smile and pull out the present. "Happy anniversary." Pietro smiles and pulls at the strings. "I've been working on it for a few weeks. Got Steve to wrap it up for me earlier."

Pietro finishes unwrapping it and opens the book. "It's us."

"Yeah. I made a scrapbook."

Pietro walks up over and kisses me. I smile into it. "I love it." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box before getting down on one knee. "I hope you like yours too. Ever since I met you, I have loved you. From your sparkling blue eyes to your ticklish toes. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

I smile before leaning over and kissing him. He kisses back just as deep. He wraps me in a hug as his fingers gently roam my back. We pull away panting. "Yes."