Silent Night • An Avengers Story

Burned-Part 1

"Bruce."

Bruce Banner turned around to see his leader walk in with a girl behind her. "Hi Steve." He greeted, smiling slightly. "Hey, we need to look into the HYDRA files again, to find her name." Steve said, pointing his thumb back at the former HYDRA weapon.

"Alright, just come over here." Bruce said, waving his hand as he walked over to a machine. The girl looked hesitantly at it. "It's alright, Bruce knows what he's doing." Steve said, giving her a reassuring smile.

The girl nodded and walked over to the machine. Bruce gently placed his hands on her shoulders, making her flinch a little. He took his hands off for a little bit before softly placing them back on her shoulders, noting she didn't flinch that time.

He placed her on a small red dot in the middle of the machine. "The machines loud, but it won't touch you, so just stand still and don't move an inch." Bruce said. The girl nodded.

Bruce pressed a button and the machine moved around her head and then body before shutting off. The noise scared her at first, but she got used to it and didn't move like Bruce said.

"All done. Now it scanned your body, and will go through all HYDRA files to find yours." Bruce explained as the computer showed different faces on HYDRA files.

Soon, her picture appeared as the computer beeped. Bruce clicked on it, a couple files coming up and he searched through them. "It'll be awhile. HYDRA has hundreds of files they've hidden and she'll probably be deep in there. I'll call you when I find something."

~

After a few hours, Bruce called them in and showed them her files. The silent assassin looked at them with fear and confusion written in her eyes as she gazed across them until she saw the words she was looking for.

'Legal name:'

She caressed the spot, making Steve look at it before smiling as he looked at her.

"It suites you, Trisha."

~

"I'll fix you some coffee. You're probably exhausted." Steve said. Trisha looked at him with a questioning look and Steve frowned. "You haven't had coffee?" She shook her head. "Right. Trust me, you'll love it."

Trust. That was one thing Trish didn't have much of. While she wanted to trust this man, how could see she when she barely trusted herself from not going insane and killing everyone.

Trisha nodded as she sat down on a couch Steve motioned her to before he walked off. Trisha took in her surroundings before Steve came back in, carrying to mugs of coffee.

"Here. It's hot, so careful." Steve said, setting one of the coffee table. Trisha nodded to say thank you as she reached out to the mug to lift it up.

As her hand touched the scolding hot side of the mug, her eyes flashed with panic as a memory raced through her mind.

Bright, orange and red lights. Flickering toward her. Her hand burning as she tried not to scream.

She needed to pass it.

Pass the test.

To stop the pain.

"Trish?" Trisha snapped out of it with a jolt. Steve looked at her worriedly. "You alright?" He asked. Trisha nodded, picking up the drink by the handle before sipping it and pretending nothing happened.