Thanatophobia

9 | Falling

a l t s c h m e r z

weariness with the same old issues that you've always had-the same boring flaws and anxieties that you've been gnawing on for years

~~~

It would be another year before Gryffin would see light again.

The other HYDRA bases were being destroyed by none other than the Avengers, now joined by the Falcon, Vision, War Machine, and Scarlet Witch, although missing Iron Man and Thor. Brock had caught wind that the Avengers were headed towards them and decided it was time for Gryffin to do her thing.

She was terrified.

She knew that Sam thought she was dead. She knew that Romanoff had seen right through her. She knew that there would be no winning. But perhaps she could escape. Escape from her brother. Escape from HYDRA. 

And hide.

The base rumbled as the Avengers struck and Gryffin remained impassive, an art she had learned from Brock's mocking and tauntingly agonizing torture. Brock headed towards her and she noticed something. 

He was wearing normal clothing.

He seemed to notice her questioning expression and he smiled. "You're job is to stay here and protect the base. Meanwhile, the rest of us," he gestured to the rest of the agents and scientists, "will be leaving and finding elsewhere to stay."

"W-What?!" she sputtered, and next thing she knew, her head snapped to the side, sharp pain pulsing through her cheek. She could taste blood on her lip but straightened and kept her gaze down.

"I knew you were stupid, but I thought you had ears." He pulled out his gun and Gryffin's breathing quickened. Brock smirked and shot her shoulder, making her lurch and grit her teeth. 

'I will not fall. I will not kneel for a coward. I refuse.'

The man in front of her huffed, "Guess you aren't as weak as I thought. Have fun out there, huh little sis?" With that, he left, getting on the jet with the others and flying off into the distance. She stood there for another second before adjusting her mask and picking up a dropped piece of fabric, tying it around her shoulder the best she could.

She walked to the front of the base, a large gun in her hands as she watched the Avengers approach. Her vision was bleary but she stood strong. 

She needed a good fight, and they would surely give it to her.

They didn't all come. It was the Captain, Romanoff, Sam, and the Witch. They lined up, practically waiting for her to attack. None of them had seen her in her gear, but their eyes flickered with familiarity.

"You don't need to fight," the Captain spoke up. She looked at him lazily, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I don't. But I've been looking for one ever since you dropped a building on my face."

His eyes widened and Sam stepped back, while Romanoff merely stared, trying to get a read on her. "You were in the building."

"That I was."

"Then you'd know that it was HYDRA's doing. Not ours."

"Oh, but it was. SHIELD is HYDRA. HYDRA is SHIELD. I know from experience."

"You were a part of SHIELD." It wasn't a question. More of a statement than anything. She suddenly felt very light headed and she blinked a few times rapidly, trying to clear her head. Then she remembered.

The Witch.

She sent electric currents through the floor, shocking the Witch, making her clench her head between her hands, a shout escaping her lips. The whoosh of Cap's shield told her to duck, and she lowered her body, tossing her gun aside.

Was she stupid? Probably.

As the shield went back to him, Gryffin sent currents through the metal, hoping to shock him into dropping it. Natasha quickly dropped her Widow Bites, realizing that they would probably have zero affect on her, seeing as her enhancement was electricity.

She looked over Gryffin, seeing if there were any weak spots, then she saw it. The wrap on her shoulder. There was a dark splotch on it. Natasha ran up at Gryffin, tackling her to the ground, before rolling over and going to attack the wound.

Gryffin saw it coming and shocked her, hard and rendered her unconscious. Then she saw something flying over her and she grabbed Sam's foot, sending electricity through his clothes and to the mechanism on his back, making it useless.

He crashed to the floor and Gryffin looked over her shoulder at him for a split second. A second too long, it seemed, as the Captain landed a hard punch to her nose. She swiped at his wrist with her knife, making him recoil and she kicked his stomach and swiped at his feet, making him fall. 

She moved towards the fallen Captain, but a hand grabbed and tugged at her ankle, making her fall forward. Rolling over, she chucked a knife at the grabber's head, missing by an inch when he smacked his head down at the last second. She twisted around, getting to her feet gracefully before crouching and swiping at the Captain's fast approaching feet. He stepped back, then lunged his foot forward, nearly hitting her rising head. 

Gryffin grabbed his foot, pulling on it and making him lose his balance. At the sound of Sam's feet crunching through the snow behind her, she flipped, tossing both through the air. She breathed heavily, stalking towards them when she felt a harsh pulse ring through her head.

She grimaced, stepping backwards, and felt a presence beside her. Her fingers tensed, trying to send electricity, trying to shift into the figure's shadow, anything, but their strong grip on her mind restricted any movement.

She blinked once, then found herself back in the base, her brother in front of her, a bucket of hot water in his hands. She could feel it, his harsh gloved hands tugging at her arm and tossing her across the room, making her hit the wall.

She was falling.

He was shouting something at her, but there was only pounding in her ears. He tossed the water over her body and she screamed, her throat burning. He was still talking. What was he saying? She shuddered, sharp bursts of electricity wracking through her small body. She wanted to die. She wanted to die so badly, but she was so afraid of what could wait on the other side.

Falling.

She was dry now, but she was still there. She was huddled in the corner, naked and shivering in the cold. Her body muddled with scars, not just the burns. Words cut into her skin. Brands marred into her once smooth skin. In front of her was a gun. Fully loaded.

Shoot.

The gun was in her hand, shaking with fear. She brought it to her head. No. She didn't want to die. She wanted to live. Breath. Let her be. She doesn't want to die. She wants to live. Please. Let her live. Leave her be. God please.

Shoot.

And she was falling.

~Sarah