Avengers x Reader // Just Different

Chapter 29

I hate big time skips but...

3 months later...

Natasha POV

I sat down on the couch next to the rest of the Avengers.

Another failed mission against (Y/N). We were all sore, and the media didn't help.

"This mysterious woman has assassinated over 12 different ambassadors and country leaders. The woman has not only done that, though but also defeated the Avengers countless times, all single-handed. But what the world wants to know: Who is this young lady? Where is she heading next? The Avengers were not able to offer any input, which makes us wonder--"

Tony turned off the TV and slammed the remote down. 

Of all of us, Bucky and I knew what she was going through the most. Steve and Tony felt the worst about the whole situation, though. Steve felt like he could have been able to protect her, and Tony felt like he could have treated (Y/N) better. And now, we didn't know what to do.

At first, we had just tried to capture her; bring her back. That turned into harming her to bring her back. Now, as much as I hated it, we were doing everything in our power to shut her down. No matter what. 

I was just hoping that she could get another chance like the rest of us did.

I put my face in my hands, rebellious tears falling out of my eyes. I had never done this in front of the rest of the Avengers. Even when I got shot by Bucky, Steve and Sam didn't see me cry.

Everyone in the room sat silently as I tried to tame my tears. But I couldn't. I had no idea what (Y/N) was going through. Bucky and I thought we had had it bad. But now, with (Y/N) practically bulletproof, who knew what they did to her. And I didn't know how to bring her back. 

Not only did we need her back, but the world would go into a dictatorship under HYDRA and the Red Room if she kept this up.

Steve didn't know what to do, so he just put his hand on my shoulder. It was oddly comforting. 

"Me too, Romanoff. Me too," Tony murmured. 

"What do we do?" Wanda asked. 

"We need everyone," Sam admitted. "All of SHIELD and us won't do. We've already tried. We need to phone Parker, Scott, Hope, Shuri, the rest of the Wakandan army, the Guardians, Carol, Clint, even though he claimed he was retired. It doesn't matter. We need everybody. This needs to end."

I thought it sounded like a huge group. But that's what we needed. Maybe we could shut down HYDRA and the Red Room once and for all.

"We have some phone calls to make," Bucky said. 

"Looks like I can test a new device," Tony remarked.

I looked at him in alarm.

"Oh, calm down, Romanoff. It will bring back memories of us. HYDRA doesn't take memories, they just hide them. Hopefully, the device I've been working on will bring (Y/N)'s memory back. Before you say anything, Sam," Tony said, cutting off a remark Sam was about to make. "The reason I haven't used this in the past fights we've been in is because I didn't know if it was safe or ready. But I'm pretty sure it'll work now."

"Pretty sure?" Steve questioned.

Tony gave him a look. "If it doesn't work, we know what we have to do," he said sadly. "But wait until I give the cue to."

I wiped away the last of my tears. We had to get (Y/N) back, alive. Whatever it took.

(Y/N) POV

You hated this. But this was a part of you now. 

Fedor never kept his promise. Every time you got back from a mission, he would make another tally on your back. It was supposed to keep you in line, and it worked.

You were scared. In the field you never were, but in the HYDRA facility, you never knew what would happen next. No wonder all your missions were successful.

Even if you wanted to get killed working, it wouldn't work. Once Natasha Romanoff shot you in the shoulder, but the bullet dissipated into nothing. But you had to get the job done. Killing meant survival. You had no place in this world, and this was the only way to gain one.

You were a weapon. Any threat to HYDRA meant that you had to wipe it out. The goal was to bring the world onto its knees, and it seemed to be working. The world was at its weakest point.

Even the Avengers couldn't stop you. But you couldn't stop them, either.

And that wasn't good enough for Fedor and Madame. 

Even when you completed all their missions. Even when you could beat their soldiers in a sparring match. You weren't good enough, even when you still strived to be.

Somehow they had made a weapon that could resist the serum in you. And they punished you with it. It was the only way they could make you better. Though your veins would freeze up and when you were paralyzed and your limbs would feel as if they were on fire, it worked. 

They stopped feeding you, too. Food was something you didn't need with the serum. 

"And yet you still fail," Madame B snarled. You looked up at her with a blank stare. A small 'sorry' wouldn't get you anywhere. "The world is not at its knees. The Avengers still provide comfort. Speak, soldier."

You were an expert at masking emotions, but this surprise you couldn't hide. For the first time in a while, you were permitted to speak. Your vocal cords probably didn't know how to.

"Which one of them should I go after?" you croaked.

She pressed her lips together, the smallest form of approval she would give you. 

"Tony Stark," she replied.

The facility turned dark and red lights on the walls started blaring. The Avengers were coming to take you down once and for all. But you weren't going to let that happen.

Her eyes filled with an evil glint.

"Perfect time, soldier. Suit up."

This chapter is shorter than usual but it leads up to something big :)