Memory Pain...
***ON THE JET BACK TO NYC***
Steve had carried her onto the jet due to the fact when she woke, she was shaking horribly. She couldn’t believe she let that idiot distract her. Why was her reaction to him so different from anyone she met or caught on a mission? She couldn’t understand it. She was angry but then again not entirely at him, she understood the need for survival, but she also wanted to get back at them.
“Hey Ver,” Natasha’s voice broke her out of her thoughts. “You, okay?”
“I’m fine.” She lied. Though she trusted Natasha she didn’t trust her mind right now. She thought once she had escaped, however that happened, that she was free, she could trust herself. But no, today proved her moderately wrong.
“You know you can tell me if you feel off,” Natasha started and tilted her head. “Right?”
Veronika nodded.
“I know. But I’m fine, thank you. Don’t worry Nat.” She faked a smile.
Natasha studied the girl’s face and sighed, not completely believing her. But she knew when to not push boundaries. So, giving a nod she turned walking away.
Veronika looked at her hands. The memory flashing through her thoughts.
“NO!” Veronika screamed trying to stop it.
But the boy hit the ground, blood pooling around his body. She froze in fear, holding in tears, something she's learned to do well. Guilt filled her body as she stared at the sight.
“Now this my child is what happens when you don’t follow my orders.” Dreykov said to her.
“I’m sorry General…I promise it won’t happen again.”
“I’m sure it won’t, you are my prized widow.” He stepped closer and held her face examining her. The scars on her face and as she flinched under his touch, he stepped away, gave a gesture sending her away.
She ran her hands over her face, that witch knows her past. Not even Steve or Nat knows about all that happened to her. She didn’t want them to, they knew all that was necessary…. But that girl, Wanda and possibly her speedster brother knew it. That is what made her angry.
Once the jet landed she stood and waited for Tony to leave so she could talk to Steve, alone. But a woman came in and started talking to him.
“Welcome back Cap.” She said coming closer to him.
“Hill, what’s the update on Strucker?”
“Natives got him, locked him up.”
“The enhanced?”
“Pietro and Wanda Maximoff.” Veronika said from behind them. Steve turned and gave her a look opening his mouth to talk but she stopped him. “I read his mind before SHE got there. They volunteered for HYDRA. That’s all I found out.”
“Who the hell is this kid?”
“I am Veronika Preston and I am not a kid, Ms. Maria Hill, I am 15 turning 16 in a week. I am teen.” She gave a look.
“Still a kid.” she said unamused. “Why was she there? When did she join the team?”
“This morning, but she had a rough first day so I might keep her back to training for a bit-”
“NO!” She cut Steve off. “I failed once, I’m not doing it again. That is why I must ask when will we be getting them?”
“We aren’t unless we have to, according to this device” he pointed to the tablet Maria gave him. “They joined after their parents died and they wanted to help their country. Strucker tricked them.” He sighed, an understanding look in his eyes. “If anyone can understand what they’ve done. It's me.”
Veronika stared. “So we aren’t getting them? They did that mind trick to two people!”
“Exactly because, and if anyone understands this it’s you, they didn’t have a choice until Strucker was captured. Now come on. You need your rest.”
She sighed and followed him off the jet. She knew he was right, again the game of survival she understood.
“Steve, you aren’t really going to keep me back, right? I promise this was the only time it will happen. I let him, the Maximoff boy, distract me. Please give me another chance?” she begged. “I want to help.” She stated.
He sighed. “Are you sure? You were shaking bad back there, I’m just trying to protect you kid.”
She nodded “I promise, and better yet I’ll train more, just please da- Steve.” She doesn’t know where that slip came from but she just rolled it off. He looked at her and chuckled softly.
“Fine, but you will keep up on that training promise. Tomorrow, For now Hill will set you up in a room, get cleaned up and rest, also if Tony talks about a party around you, you’re welcome to come, but stay close to Nat or me got it?”
“Yes sir, thank you sir.” She smiled and with a false salute followed Maria Hill to a room.
Steve laughed watching her. He was starting to care deeply for that kid. He sighed walking to go talk to Nat.
Veronika walked with Maria, and she saw something in her head that piqued her interests.
“Who’s Director Fury?”
Maria quirked a brow.
“He was my, and the Avengers’ old boss.”
“Then why are you thinking about telling him about me?” She asked. “I won’t tell on you, I’m just curious.” She added.
The woman stopped and looked at the young girl next to her. Right in front of a few doors.
“He needs to know all the updates with the program he put into action. So that is why I must tell him about you. But they don’t know he needs to know, so yes keep it a secret miss?”
“Preston, Veronika Preston.” She gave the fake name and added a small smile. “And I’ll keep the promise Miss Hill, thank you for taking me to my room. Which one is it?”
Maria smiled and gave a nod pointed to the right door and left to talk to Steve.
Veronika walked in taking off Natasha’s suit. She found some shirts and shorts that Steve asked to be brought there, Tony helped with his bots doing that, and then she plopped down on a bed.
“This has been a long day…” She sighed resting her head on her pillow. Staring at the ceiling she felt her eyes closing and soon fell into a sleep.
She ran through corridors turning left, then right. Looking for a way out.
“Veronika! Ostanavlivat'sya!” A woman yelled chasing her. The woman was a “nurse”. Charged with watching her by the scientist.
(Veronika! Stop!)
Veronika, a smaller, fresh faced, no scars, Veronika kept running. As far as her little legs could carry. Her stamina for her age being 5 is impressive.
“Veronika, davay! OSTANAVLIVAT'SYA!” the woman endlessly commanded the child ahead of her.
(Veronika, come on! STOP!)
“YA KHOCHU VYYTI” Screamed the child looking back. She faced forward seeing a door but was stopped when someone grabbed her.
(I WANT OUT!)
“Khoroshaya rabota, soldat.” A man said. The girl struggled against his grip.
(Good job soldier.)
“NET! OTPUSTI MENYA!” She cried. The woman following her took hold of her.
(NO! LET ME GO!)
“Spasibo, seychas ya otvedu yeye obratno v yeye kayutu.”
(Thank you, I’ll take her back to her quarters now.)
“NET, POZHALUYSTA, OSTANOVITES'!” She struggled trying to get away. “YA NE KHOCHU ETOGO, STOP!”
(NO PLEASE STOP!)
(I DON’T WANT THIS, STOP!)
“Teper' u tebya net vybora, uspokoysya.” the woman said.
(You have no choice now, settle down.)
Veronika felt a tingle in her hands and when she looked at the woman, the woman’s face changed.
“Ser, yeye glaza snova svetyatsya. Zaprosit' pomoshch'.” The nurse said noticing Veronika was breathing heavily and glaring.
(Sir, her eyes are glowing again. Request assistance.)
The girl was in emotional and physical pain. Her body being strained from the tests and from training, now from being held back. She was losing control as she let out a scream making everyone, and everything fall.
It went dark.
Veronika sat up panting in the bed she’d been sleeping in. She was covered in a layer of cold sweat and stared at her shaking hands. She saw purple, blue, and black clouds leave them and making fists pulled them against her chest breathing deeply.
These dreams were normal but since leaving the Red Room not as normal, maybe once in this timeline of being with Steve and Nat she had, had them, other than what Wanda did. But she hoped that didn’t affect her.
After possibly a half-an-hour, which felt more than that, her body stopped shaking and she sighed looking at the ceiling. Faces haunted everyone she guessed. Steve with his friend who looked familiar, Natasha with a girl who she thought of, she also looked familiar to Veronika, but she didn’t know why. Tony with the face of a man he must have known…and all the rest, they all had something that haunted them….
Veronika watched the window as she stood. More faces in her mind.
Always in her mind.
But she’ll mark her wrongs right. She will. She knows–HOPES–she will, if she can’t…fate decides that.
She stayed awake sitting in the window and staring at the moon.