Hope Found

Nightmares, Shopping, Pranks Oh My

I trembled as I stood in front of them. They grabbed me harshly dragging me out of the cell. I bucked and tried to escape their grasps but I couldn't. We reached the room. I hated this room more than anything. The silver door gleamed taunting me. I could never escape it. I could never escape them. They whipped the door open and drug me in. I glanced around noticing the scattered men and women, some injured, all staring at me. My heart began to beat erratically. I didn't want to do this. But it didn't matter what I wanted, not to them. They stopped in the middle of the room abruptly. I felt another presence behind me but I couldn't escape it. I felt a prick in my neck and then a rush of ice filled my veins calling out to the monster within.

"Traitors to the cause, it is time to meet your fate," he said looking at the people and then he turned back to me. "You know what to do." With that they left locking the door behind them in fear. I could easily kill them if they stayed. Oh how I wish they would stay or forget to lock the door. I can feel the darkness bubbling up inside me and try as I might I can fight it back down. I never can. I glanced around the room only to be met with horrified eyes widened in fear. They looked at me like I was a monster. I am a monster. They made me one. I tried to convey my apology in my gaze but suddenly the black took over. I can feel the sparks at my hands. The energy swirled in the air searching for its first victim. I felt the killing calm washing over me. I had to deliver the ultimate mercy. I was death.

"Hope!" The black mist swirled around a woman pulling her from the ground.

"Hope!" I could feel the energy of life draining from her body. She didn't even have enough left to scream...

"Hope, wake up!"

I gasp shooting up in bed drenched in sweat. Frantically I look around my breaths coming out in short pants. I see a figure in front of me. No! I don't want to hurt them. I shoot back slamming into the headboard pulling my knees to my chest.

"Hope, calm down. You're okay. You're not there anymore," the figure says. "Take some deep breaths and just relax. Come on you can do it, big deep breaths." I try to process their words and slowly my breathing slows. My vision begins to focus. I'm in a bedroom. Not that room. Not the room where so much death follows. I glance up at the figure. It's a man. I know him. Now my breathing is back to normal. But my face feels wet. I bring a hand up only to wipe away tears. I was crying.

"Hope, do you remember where you are?" he asks me. I think about it. I'm not there, not anymore. I was saved. The avengers... everything rushes back to me. I look up and meet Bucky's eyes and nod. It was just a nightmare, again.

"Tony, how's the tower," Steve asks into his com from my right. I glance at him and finally notice the emergency lights illuminating the otherwise darkened room. My heart drops. Something like this happened there before. I messed up some expensive equipment. They were not happy. I feel myself start to shake slightly.

I-I'm so-sorry. I project weakly into their minds.

"It's okay, Hope. Has this happened before? You had silver sparks coming off your hands." I nod not meeting his eyes. Steve approaches the bed and I start to shake even harder scared of what my punishment would be. I place my head on my knees curling into a ball. Would they lock me in a cage? Would they beat me? Would they kick me out? Would they give me back to Them? Steve seems to notice my shaking and pauses.

"Hey Hope, look at me," Bucky says gently but I shake my head. I don't want to see the same looks from my dream. "Come on, its fine just look at me." He's says it so kindly I peek looking up through my eyelashes at him. His eyes are filled with concern not fear. "No one is mad at you. You are not in trouble. You can't control having a nightmare. It's not your fault. We just want to make sure you're okay." My mind reels.