"let's get our kid back"
Penny skipped down the sidewalk, humming happily to herself. She only had two more weeks of freedom before school started up again. Two more weeks to sleep in late, patrol with Natasha, and go on missions with the Avengers. Two more weeks before homework, projects, and decathlon practice took over her life. Not to mention, one week until her birthday!
She planned to make the most of it. Starting with a trip to Delmar's for her favorite sandwich.
"Hey Mr. Delmar!" she called as she entered the bodega.
"Penny!" the shopkeeper greeted warmly. He was used to seeing the teenage superhero stop by. "The usual?"
"You know it," Penny grinned, hopping up onto a stool. She scrolled through her phone while she waited, texting her sister that she'd grabbed them both sandwiches and will be waiting for her in front of the deli.
A few minutes later, bag in hand, Penny strolled back into the busy streets of New York, sitting on a nearby bench. She took her phone and headphones out, looking for something to kill time while waiting for her sister.
Suddenly, she felt the hairs on her arm stand up. Her Spidey Sense was tingling. She paused, looking around cautiously. Is there a mugging in progress near her? Some kind of danger?
Before she could react, a black bag was thrown over her head. Strong arms grabbed her, pinning her own arms to her sides. She thrashed violently, but thick metal cuffs were slapped over her wrists. Her super strength was neutralized.
"Hey! Let me go!" she yelled, kicking at where she guessed her attacker's shins were. A harsh blow to the back of her head made her seeing stars. She collapsed, dazed.
Rough hands dragged her along, throwing her into some kind of vehicle. The engine roared to life and they sped off. Penny's head spun, her healing factor working to counteract what had to be a concussion.
She strained against the cuffs desperately. "Karen?! Karen can you hear me?"
No response came from her AI. They must have shorted out her suit. She was on her own.
Gathering her wits, Penny shouted, "You've made a big mistake, bub! Do you have any idea who I am? The Avengers will come for me!"
A cold laugh answered her. "That's exactly what we're counting on, little spider."
Penny's blood turned to ice.
Wanda paced anxiously outside Delmar's bodega. Penny was late. That wasn't like her conscientious little sister at all. She shot off another text, worry gnawing at her gut.
After a few more minutes, she gave in and called Natasha. "Hey, is Penny back yet?" she asked without preamble.
"No, I thought she was meeting you," Nat replied, tone sharpening with concern.
"She was supposed to, but she never showed up. I think something's wrong."
"Get back here now," Natasha ordered. "We'll track her suit and go from there."
Wanda hurried back to Avengers Tower, trying not to imagine worst case scenarios. When she burst into the training room, the others were already gathered. Steve looked up grimly from a holoscreen. "Her suit's offline. No way to track it."
"No!" Wanda gasped. Natasha squeezed her shoulder.
"Easy Wanda, we'll find her. Tony's analyzing security footage around Delmar's now to see if we get any leads." Natasha's voice was steady, but Wanda could see worry in the set of her mouth. Penny was like a daughter to the assassin.
"Do we have any idea who could have taken her?" Clint asked.
"Lots of groups would love to get their hands on an enhanced individual with Penny's powers," Steve sighed. "We've got to-"
"Incoming threat alert from FRIDAY," Tony interrupted tersely, joining them. "It's about Penny. You're gonna want to hear this." He tapped the center holotable and surveillance video projected up.
It showed Penny walking cheerfully down the street, then sitting on a bench. Two black-clad armed men appeared from an ally behind her. The men lunged at Penny, holding her tightly between them, before tossing her into a waiting black van.
"I've analyzed the insignia on their uniforms against known organizations," FRIDAY reported. "There is a 95% match to known HYDRA affiliations."
"HYDRA?!" Wanda gasped. She exchanged an alarmed look with Bucky. His metal hand clenched into a fist.
"Of all the groups to take her..." Natasha murmured. She squared her shoulders. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get our girl back."
"I should have guessed HYDRA might make a move for enhanced individuals again," Steve said grimly. "Especially a young, impressionable one like Penny."
"We can't let them turn her into another weapon," Bucky growled. "You know they'll try to break her. Wipe her mind and turn her into their obedient little pet."
Wanda shuddered at the thought. Sweet, bubbly Penny twisted into an empty shell like Bucky had once been? It was unthinkable.
"They want another Black Widow," Natasha said tonelessly. "It's me and the other Widows all over again. I won't let that happen to Penny."
Tony pulled up a 3D holo map. "FRIDAY traced the van's likely route. There's an old industrial park here, perfect spot for a secret HYDRA base."
"Let's move," Steve ordered.
Penny drifted slowly back to consciousness. Her head still ached, but her healing factor had taken care of the worst of it. She took stock of her surroundings.
She lay on a cold metal table in a sterile white room. Thick restraints pinned her wrists and ankles. Her suit was gone, leaving her in just a t-shirt and jeans. A camera in the corner tracked her movements.
Penny tested the restraints, but even her super strength couldn't budge them. She felt weak, probably from some kind of drug.
A speaker crackled. "Ah, awake at last, Ms. Parker," a accented voice said. "Welcome. We have much work ahead of us."
The door slid open and a tall man in a lab coat entered, flanked by two armed guards. Penny glared at him defiantly.
"What do you want with me?" she spat.
"Such spirit!" the man said. "I am Doctor Faustus. We require your...cooperation for a special project."
He stepped closer and Penny thrashed against the restraints. "Stay away from me!"
"Now now, don't struggle," Faustus chided. He pulled out a syringe and injected it into her arm. "This will make things easier."
Penny's limbs grew heavy. Her eyes drifted closed as darkness took her.
The Quinjet descended silently outside the industrial park. Steve did a final check of weapons and coms as the team prepared themselves. There was no chatter or banter today - only grim focus and determination. This was one of their own on the line.
Natasha's face was stone, but Wanda could feel the roiling terror and anger beneath the surface. She knew Nat saw herself in Penny - a young girl turned into a weapon by force. Natasha would die before she let that happen to Penny.
As the ramp lowered, Tony's helmet enclosed his head. "Let's get our kid back," he said gruffly. Then they charged in.
Steve and Bucky took point, smashing through the main entrance. Alarms blared as HYDRA agents swarmed them. Natasha swept through the crowd, her stingers cracking. Tony rocketed overhead, blasting security systems and clearing a path.
Wanda hurled bursts of scarlet energy, slamming HYDRA soldiers back. She ripped open sealed doors with her powers, searching for any sign of Penny. Room after room was empty.
"How big is this place?" Clint muttered, picking off enemies with his arrows.
"Focus," Steve said. "She has to be here somewhere."
They battled through wave after wave of HYDRA's forces. As they descended deeper into the complex, the enemies thinned out. Clearly they were getting close to wherever HYDRA had Penny.
Finally they reached a long corridor with just a single reinforced door at the end. Wanda could sense a familiar energy on the other side. "She's in there!"
Tony blasted the door open. They charged through - and pulled up short.
Penny stood inside an observation chamber behind thick glass. She was dressed in a black catsuit, her hair braided back severely. A steel cuff glinted on her wrist. Her face was empty, eyes cold and blank.
A HYDRA agent stood beside her, holding a red book. "Good morning, Soldier," he purred.
"Ready to comply," Penny intoned flatly.
"No!" Bucky shouted hoarsely. "Stop! She's just a child!"
The agent looked up with a smug smile. "Ah, if it isn't the famous Asset. You'll understand soon, Soldier." He began reciting a string of trigger words from the book.
Penny didn't react, gaze fixed straight ahead, as he worked through the list. Natasha beat her fists helplessly on the glass. "Penny, look at me! You have to fight this!"
Wanda felt tears spill down her cheeks. Their Penny - their bright, bubbly girl - was locked away somewhere deep inside her own mind. And they were moments away from losing her completely.
Tony raised his repulsors towards the glass. "Cover your ears!" he yelled. "I'm gonna blast us in there!"
"Ready to comply," Penny repeated as the scientist read the last word. "Ready to comply. Ready to comply."
"Soldier?" the agent said.
Penny's blank gaze focused on him. "Ready to comply," she said once more.
"No!" Tony shouted in anguish, firing his repulsors. The glass exploded inward. Penny - the Winter Widow - sprang at Natasha in a blur.
"Don't hurt her!" Steve yelled even as he raised his shield to block a vicious kick from Penny. She fought with lethal grace, silently working through combinations meant to utterly incapacitate her opponents.
Wanda reached out with her powers, trying to restrain Penny. But Penny twisted and flipped gracefully free, breaking the scarlet bonds. Nothing would stop her mission.
"Please, stop this!" Wanda begged. "This isn't you!" She cried out as Penny slammed Natasha to the ground. The Widow was dazed, struggling to rise. Penny lifted a boot, ready to crush her windpipe.
"PENELOPE PARKER!" Wanda screamed desperately.
Penny froze, boot hovering over her mother. Slowly she turned her head to look at Wanda. The faintest hint of confusion flickered in her blank eyes.
"It's me, your sister," Wanda pleaded. She let the scarlet energy around her hands dissipate. "You know me. I'm Wanda, your sister. Natasha - she's our mom. We're your family."
Penny's brows drew together ever so slightly. Her boot lowered a fraction.
Encouraged, Wanda took a small step closer. "You love to build Legos with me and watch movies and help Natasha cook." She smiled tearily. "Remember when we braided Bucky's hair that one time? And we're always trying to prank Tony?"
The barest spark entered Penny's gaze. Her voice came out hoarse and small. "Wanda?"
"Yes!" Wanda cried in relief, surging forward to embrace her sister tightly. "It's me. It's gonna be okay." Over Penny's shoulder she saw Tony knock the HYDRA agent out cold.
Penny's slim body began shaking with sobs. "Wanda, I'm so sorry, I didn't want to hurt anyone-"
"Shh, котёнок, no one blames you," Natasha murmured, hugging them both close.
"You're safe now. We've got you," Steve added gently.
The rest of the team clustered around, echoing reassurances. Under their gentle care, the tension slowly eased from Penny's frame. The cold emptiness left her eyes, replaced by the warm loving gaze they knew so well.
HYDRA would never take their girl away again.
One Week Later
"Wake up sleepyhead!"
Penny jolted awake to find Wanda bouncing eagerly on her bed. She groaned. "Wha time'sit?"
"Time for presents!" Wanda said, tugging her upright.
Penny blinked. Then her eyes widened. "It's my birthday!"
"Come on, we're all waiting!" Wanda urged, pulling a laughing Penny from her room.
The others greeted her with a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday!" as they entered the kitchen. Streamers and balloons decorated the room. A huge stack of pancakes and presents sat on the table.
"All this for me?" Penny said, touched. She slid into a seat between Natasha and Wanda, who both pressed kisses to her hair.
"Of course, sweetie. After everything, you deserve a wonderful day," Nat said warmly.
Tony set a plate of pancakes drowning in syrup before her. "Eat up kid. Growing spiderlings need fuel." He ruffled her hair affectionately.
Penny dug in happily, savoring Tony's fluffy pancakes. The others chatted and laughed around her. It was perfect.
Once she finished eating, they dove into presents. Tony got her a gorgeous new laptop. "Only the best for my protege."
Steve gave her a set of classic novels she'd been wanting to read. Bucky shyly handed her a bracelet made from intricately braided threads of red, blue and purple. "I, uh, thought you'd like the colors," he mumbled.
"I love it!" Penny assured him, clasping it on immediately. She turned the woven strands, admiring the way they caught the light.
Clint gifted her fancy new noise-cancelling headphones "for when Stark's music gets too loud." Sam passed over a boxed set of scented soaps "so you smell as good as you look."
Finally Wanda pushed over an oddly-shaped package. "It's from me and Nat."
Penny unwrapped it to reveal a plushie of a red panda. "Aww it's adorable!"
"Look at its paw," Natasha directed softly. Penny turned it over to see "Sister" embroidered on one paw and "Forever" on the other.
Suddenly Penny couldn't see the plushie anymore as tears filled her eyes. She hugged it tightly to her chest. "I love you guys so much," she whispered.
Wanda wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "We love you too, forever and always. Our family is never breaking apart."
Natasha hugged them both and pressed a kiss to Penny's hair. "No matter what happens, we will always find our way back to each other. Always."
Penny nestled into their embrace, treasuring the unconditional love surrounding her. She was really home.