Vision's eyes grew wide as he stared at the computer monitor in front of him. It could not be right, it was a glitch, a cruel joke played by the ever tactless Mr. Stark. He closed out of the heavily encrypted internet browser and then tried again finding the server that granted The Raft their internet and hacking into their live video feed and rerouting it to the one next to him. The same images flashed to life and his metaphorical heart, for he knew his synthetic one did not react to stress the way humans did, stopped in his chest.

His friends were caged like animals. Stuck in tiny boxes with no comforts or privacy. It was humiliating and unjust, these people had merely tried to protect one of their own, had opted to not sign a document that the UN had asked them to. Nothing justified their harsh treatment, and he would never forgive their treatment of her.

Wanda. Precious, colorful, beautiful, uncontrollable, powerful, incredible Wanda was not only caged, she was bound. Her body wrapped in harsh restraints and a strange device clasped around her neck. He was unsure of its purpose until her head tilted, her eyes glowing red just a fraction and suddenly she was convulsing on the floor of her cell, her mouth open in a scream he could not hear. It was a small blessing for had he been able to hear her screams Vision likely would have broken all three monitors surrounding him instead of just the one in front of him.

"Vision? What happened?" Came Tony Stark's voice as he entered the lab. "FRIDAY just said-"

His words died as he looked at the other monitors that displayed the prison feed. Vision glanced up at him and for the first time felt anger towards one of the men who had helped give him life.

"Vision, look I know it's bad but-"

"Look at her!" Vision demanded gesturing to the screen, his heart twisting as she was slammed violently back onto her cot by an over aggressive guard and curled up against the wall clearly crying. "She has done nothing that warrants this kind of inhumane treatment."

"I'm sorry." Tony said softly. "I never wanted this."

Vision hung his head and clutched at his skull. "This is all my fault. I handed her over to them. I should have taken her and flown away."

"No you did the right thing." Tony countered. "She knew what she was doing."

"It cannot be right, not when it feels this wrong." Vision replied before he phased through the ceiling.

Tony walked over to the monitor reaching out a trembling hand, touching the image of the young woman whom he had taken in, promised to protect and care for after his own technology had taken everything from her. He had failed her a third time. Blinded by his fear and anger he had taken her home, her friends, her family, her freedom away. He'd taken something precious from Vision as well. Forced the infant of an Android to choose between himself and the girl; a girl whom Tony strongly suspected his robo-son was developing romantic feelings for. He had ripped them apart and now even Vision was drifting from him. How could he not after seeing the suffering his most precious one was experiencing?

"I'm sorry." He whispered a hard lump forming in his throat as he watched Wanda sob in her cell. "I am so, so, sorry sweetheart. I swear, I only ever wanted to protect you."

WxVxWxV

Vision knew that what he was doing was wrong in the eyes of the law, but honestly did not care. He would not be able to last another moment in his own skin without doing something to save them, save her, from the ones that wished to harm them. He waited for the confirming beep that alerted him that his message had reached its destination before destroying the slim electric device in his hand and depositing its remnants in the ocean below. He hated to liter, but he could not afford to make anymore mistakes, not when her life could be at stake. He knew enough of humans and fear to know that if the UN decided to pass judgement on the defecting Avengers, that Wanda would immediately be deemed too dangerous and destroyed. He would never be able to forgive himself if such a thing came to pass.

He flew through the pitch black night until he arrived at his room in Stark Tower phasing through the ceiling. He landed in the sleek but mostly empty space and went to a safe he kept hidden beneath his desk and opened it with a flick of his fingers. He reached in and pulled a black zip up jacket from inside and then closed it again floating over to one of his chairs to sit. He held the jacket close breathing in the unique combination of smells that was Wanda Maximoff. He knew it was silly, perhaps even downright insane that he'd taken most of her belongings with him from the compound, leaving his own behind but he could not seem to help himself. He was desperate to have just a piece of her with him, though it hardly took the edge off of the gaping hole her absence left in his life and his soul.

"Vision."

"Yes Mr. Stark." He replied glancing at the man in the doorway but not moving towards him.

"I… I really am sorry about Wanda and the others." He said softly walking into the room his eyes downcast.

"So am I." Vision replied curling up as best he could on the sleek leather covered seat hugging Wanda's jacket to his chest.

WxVxWxV

Rage, there was so much of it inside her. It was physically painful to hold it all in but she gritted her teeth until her jaw spasmed in protest to contain it. Any flicker of her mentally controlled power would become visible and the trigger happy, hero wannabes, would send her screaming to the floor. She didn't want to give them that satisfaction.

"Wanda? Honey, are you ok?" Came Clint's concerned voice through the walls.

She dared not answer him knowing that if she opened her mouth a scream would come out and she'd be shocked, again.

How she hated this place and the ones that had put her there. Hated Tony Stark. Hated Vision.

Tony Stark who was always so sure that he was right. Barreling through life dragging you along at his insane pace and then dumping you like trash the moment you didn't do what he wanted. Bowing to the whims of the rich and politically powerful instead of those he claimed were 'like his family'. Lying, backstabbing, ass!

Vision whom she'd once considered her best friend who had locked her up like a bird in a cage and then handed her over to an enemy who thought of and treated her like a rabid dog. He'd promised to protect her when they came for her and then thrown her away because his creator said so. A childish coward who refused to think for a moment that the world wasn't as black and white as those in positions of power painted it. Naive, rule loving, bastard!

Maybe she was just a monster created in Hydra's lab from a piece of Sokovian street trash. How would she know if she wasn't? Was this fitting punishment for all of the blood on her hands? Retribution for her involvement with Hydra and Ultron? For letting Pietro die? Would her death be atonement enough?

"Why didn't he just let me die?" She whimpered thinking of Vision and how he'd saved her from death twice.

"Please tell me I heard that wrong." Clint said tapping on the wall that connected their two cells. "Common Wanda, you're better than this."

"I am nothing. I've ruined everything." She shuddered as the rage turned into despair that ran down her pale cheeks. "Why didn't he just let me die? At least dead I wouldn't be able to hurt anyone anymore and I'd be with Pietro again."

"Wanda! You listen to me. You are not nothing. You are one of the most wonderful and powerful people in this world. Just because assholes are jealous and afraid of that power doesn't make you any less amazing. You're the best babysitter in the whole world and the most patient friend anyone could ask for. Don't give up. We are going to make it through this. Once we're out of here you're getting the biggest Barton hug ever given and an entire tres leches cake, made personally by my people, all to yourself, ok?"

Wanda tried to believe him but it seemed so helpless. Steve was gone, Vision had abandoned her and Clint was trapped with her. A little sob escaped her lips and another voice spoke out.

"Oh, don't cry baby doll. Everything will work out fine in the end." Came Sam's soothing voice. "People will come for us, you'll see."

"Hang in there kid. Prison sucks but being dead is worse." Scott pipped in.

Her eyes closed and she tried to remember happy things. Playing with Pietro on the kitchen floor while her mother hummed and made Paprikash, her father in his favorite chair reading the newspaper. Pietro's warm hand in hers stroking the back of her hand gently with his thumb. The look on Steve's face when she changed is 50's playlist to her preferred hard alternative rock and watched him try to fix the speakers. The day she spent at the beach with Clint's family where his daughter Lila had called her a fairy princess after watching her use her powers to save her favorite doll from a big wave at the beach. Vision's first disastrous attempt at buttoning up a collared shirt.

She flinched and a tendril of rage lashed out at the last image, her happiness overridden by the resentment she felt towards her once, best friend.

Unfortunately the guard that hated her most noticed her red tinted eyes and immediately pressed his trigger sending bolts of agony searing across her nerves. She screamed and crashed to the ground writhing and her prison mates immediately reacted to the sound.

"Damn you! Leave her alone!" Clint shouted slamming his fists against the transparent front wall of his cell.

"I swear to GOD, when I get out of here I'll make you pay for that!" Sam snarled.

"You bastards will rot in Hell for this!" Scott hissed.

"Keep talking shit and the witch gets another hit." The guard said, a sneer almost audible in his voice.

"Shit!" Clint hissed between clenched teeth. "Wanda, I'm so sorry baby. Hang in there sweetie."

She knew he was sorry, though he had no reason to be. Wanda knew that she'd made the right choice. Few knew better than her what years of Hydra's torture, training and brainwashing could do to a person. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Bucky was an innocent turned into a plaything for Hydra with dark magic and science just like she and Pietro had. She'd seen it in his mind. It was even worse for the Winter Soldier because he'd never been given a choice the way she and her brother had.

"I'm fine." She rasped her throat burning.

Another vicious shock to her system turned that statement into a lie.

After that punishment delivered for assuring her friends that she was alright, Wanda retreated into herself. Created a cold quiet place inside her mind where pain no longer existed. She didn't speak, the guards would shock her if she tried. She didn't eat, no longer trusting that those who held her captive wouldn't start trying to poison her since their prefered method of torturing her wasn't working anymore and stopped drinking for the same reasons.

Clint and the others were worried. She could sense their turbulent emotions even as she worked to block them out. Scott tried to reach her by telling jokes, Sam tried to reach her by telling stories about his PTSD support groups and offering false promises about how she would recover from her circumstances. Clint tried hardest of all lying to her about how beautiful and strong she was, about how Pietro would never approve of her starving herself. All of their words just drifted past her along with the jeers and derogatory slurs spewed at her by the guards.

Despite her best efforts, she still felt the pain of being electrocuted. They were even more frequent now, her lack of general movement making the guards even more trigger happy. A tremor from lack of sugar, an eye blink that was faster than normal, a whimper when her demons came for her during the little sleep she manage to get, they were all grounds for shocks. Shocks that reminded her that she was nothing but a weapon of mass destruction locked in a cage. That she would never feel the sun on her face again.

When the lights suddenly went out days later, she received a massive shock and hit the ground hard since she hadn't anticipated either action.

"You fucking animals! She couldn't have put the lights out even if she wanted to." Clint snarled.

Another harder shock came and she writhed on the floor in agony her scream nothing but a pitiful squeak due to how dry and raw her throat was. She was aware of nothing but pain and silently prayed that this was it, that the next arc of electricity would finally destroy her. Take her from this cold place of only pain and numbness to the warm one she dreamed about that was filled with her mama's soft singing, her papa's rich laughter, and Pietro's infinitely warm hugs.

When it abruptly stopped she was disappointed to find that she was still alive even as the room faded in and out of focus. She thought she heard a happy whoop from Sam and an enthusiastic greeting from Scott but that could easily be her imagination.

"Wanda! Oh God." Came a voice she hadn't heard in weeks.

Part of her didn't trust her own ears, believing her mind had conjured up a beautiful dream after hitting the concrete of her cell floor once too many times. It wasn't until the door slid open and a pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped around her that she dared believe even a little. When the arms shifted to straps on the jacket that bound her, she instinctively cried out and jerked away from them, scrambling to curl up in the corner of her cell and cry. It was just another guard, a masked man that would slam her up against the wall and spew vile words at her before spitting on her and leaving again.

"Wanda?" Came the familiar voice again, softer and gentler as her bleary eyes focused on the form of a large man moving slowly towards her. "It's alright sweetheart. I'm here to rescue you."

A pathetic whimper left her throat and she turned away from the hands that reached for her, waiting for the sting of electricity or the pain of being slammed up against the cell wall.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Let me help you. None of this is your fault. You're safe now." The man said in a soothing tone, his words bringing forward a memory.

A tall broad man with blonde hair. A kind man. One who had sat with her on her bed and assured her that she wasn't a mass murdering monster like she was convinced she was. A man who had never tried to hurt her. A man who normally wore blue white and red.

"Steve?" She rasped blinking her eyes in an attempt to clear them and see him better

"Yeah, I'm here honey. Just hang in there a little longer. Clint! Help me get this thing off her." Her former mentor called a slight edge in his voice.

Wanda whimpered her entire form trembling as the pair of men worked together to remove the straight jacket from her. A cry of distress left her throat when they reached for the collar and they both drew back looking worriedly at one another.

"Did you break the triggers for this thing?" Clint asked.

"That was the first thing I did." Steve replied. "It shouldn't be able to hurt her anymore."

"Alright. Maybe it would be better to leave it on for now. Just until we're somewhere safe where we can take our time getting it off without scaring her." Clint suggested.

"Good idea. We don't have a lot of time." The super soldier agreed.

"You'll probably have to carry her." Clint said. "She's deteriorated a lot over the past few days and I'm not feeling all that great myself. Besides I need to…" he glanced around the room and spotted whomever he seemed to be looking for. "Sam! Please tell me you know where that trigger happy bastard went!"

"You bet your ass I do! Scott's tailing him now and promised to leave some for us." Sam replied.

"Good, because that asshole is about to find out that payback is a wicked bitch." Clint said before squatting down to Wanda's level. "I know you're scared right now, but you gotta go with Steve, ok? He'll protect you, you know he will." The archer assured her.

Wanda let her chin fall down slowly. It was true and she was so tired. Even if Steve tossed her into a pit and left her to die, she'd be grateful just to be out of this place.

"Thatta girl." Clint said with a smile before he stood and chased Sam down the corridor.

Steve swept her up into his arms and started to jog down the hall after them, his sharp eyes darting back and forth as he moved through the prison. In no time, they arrived on the surface where a quinjet was waiting. He gently laid her down across a row of seats as Clint strapped in to the pilot's chair.

"Is that everyone?" The arched asked.

"Yes, let's get the Hell out of here. I'll give you coordinates in a few, just head East." Steve replied.

"Roger that." Clint replied pushing buttons as the jet lifted from the ground. "Someone get a med kit and check on my girl. She's been dehydrated and starved since we stepped foot in that hell hole and shocked multiple times a day on top of being strapped into that god awful jacket."

Wanda moved to sit up feeling confined and afraid in the new space and cried out as her weak, battered body screamed in protest. She cowered attempting to huddle into a ball waiting for the shock to come and was mildly surprised when it didn't.

"Stay down." Steve said softly laying a blanket over her. "I'm so sorry it took us so long to get to you and thank you for helping Bucky and me."

Wanda merely stared at him, her mind still mostly trapped in that place of numbness and pain anticipation.

"Go give Clint the coordinates, I'll look after her." Natasha said walking up to them.

Steve nodded and smiled sadly at Wanda before rising to his feet and walking up to the pilot's chair.

The seasoned assassin poured antiseptic into several balls of cotton and dabbed them against the multiple cuts and scrapes on Wanda's face, her expression unreadable as always. Wanda stayed as still as possible her power lifting to the surface in case she needed to defend herself. After that was taken care of, Natasha lifted a portable medical scanner and activated it waving the wand like device over Wanda's body twice.

"Multiple rib fractures, deep tissue bruising, multiple abrasions and contusions, multiple burns, severe dehydration, and malnutrition detected. Advanced medical treatment advised." It chirped in its robotic voice.

"Oh kiddo." Natasha breathed. "They put you through Hell, didn't they? It'll be ok. There are amazing doctors where we're going. They'll have you fixed up in no time." She assured her.

Wanda didn't answer, too overwhelmed by emotions trying to bubble up to speak. Part of her wanted to scream and part of her wanted to cry, but the loudest part of her wanted a pair of red arms wrapped in cashmere to hold her. It hurt almost worse than her body did, because it could never be. Vision had chosen his side and she hers, they could never be together again, she wasn't even sure she really wanted to be.

When they arrived at their destination and a pair of people dressed in white lab coats approached, Wanda knew it was the end for her. She did not fight when they laid her on a strange gurney and pushed her towards a massive building, she did not fight when they produced a syringe filled with clear liquid insisting it was just medicine to help her sleep so removing the collar would be easier. She simply accepted that her life was over and willingly slipped into cool, peaceful, safe, oblivion with no intention of surfacing ever again.

WxVxWxV

"They've escaped." Tony said walking into Vision's room.

Vision glanced up from the book he'd been reading, one of Wanda's colorful scarves wrapped around his free hand.

"They have? We're there any casualties?" Vision asked his soul trembling in anticipation and fear.

"There's no information currently available," Vision felt his heart drop like a stone. "However there was a strange report of a group of people suddenly appearing at a Wakandan medical facility floating around in the deepest caverns of the dark web." Tony said.

A sigh of relief left Vision's lips and he closed his eyes. Alive, Wanda was alive. He hadn't felt this light in weeks. Wakanda was secretive and isolated but not impossible to find. He'd just claim that he was checking with King T'Challa for any information regarding the escaped fugitives and use that as his excuse.

"Listen junior, normally I'd say 'Go get her tiger' and send you on your way, but there's a couple of things I have to tell you first." Tony said sitting across from him in the empty chair. "First of all, be prepared for the fact the she's probably not going to want to see you." Vision felt a cold sensation slither through him at that. "They say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and given my history with the fairer sex, I can confirm it's one hundred percent true. Wanda trusted you and you broke that. Getting back into her good graces is going to take time, effort, and patience. If you're not prepared for that, don't go." Vision nodded. Tony Stark did indeed have more experience in the subject and he was fully prepared to do anything to be close to Wanda again. "Secondly, remember that in the eyes of the law, she's a wanted criminal. If you get caught with her you're both screwed." Vision pondered this second bit of information and quickly began to think of an effective way to disguise himself even as he rose and grabbed a small bag from the closet.

Tony sighed and looked at the ground for a moment before he raised his head again. "I know that this isn't fair to either of you, but I truly wish for you both to be happy. If…" he took a deep breath. "If it ever comes up, will you tell her how sorry I am? I swear, I only ever wanted to protect her. I know it won't mean much coming from you but, I might never get the chance to say it to her myself."

Vision studied the normally cocky man before him noting his posture and body language, he seemed sincere, perhaps even sad and Vision nodded.

"I will pass along your message if the correct time ever comes to pass." Vision said.

"That's all I can ask." Tony replied with a sigh. "Good luck robo-son."

Vision nodded and then set to work packing the bag with things he knew she'd want with her. Her small collection of photographs, the silver ring Pietro had bought for her that she never wore because she didn't want to lose it, her favorite band tee shirt, her favorite book, a box of Earl Gray tea from her favorite tea shop and the pair of ruby earrings he'd given her for her last birthday. He hesitated and then took out a blank notebook from his desk and wrote down a phone number and email address, slipping it in with a music player filled with her favorite songs. He could always get another for himself at any time.

With his bag packed he turned and took a moment to study his reflection in the mirror. His red skin, blue markings and glowing gem in his forehead making his identity undeniable. He thought Wanda found his face attractive, she'd mentioned that she found him handsome a few times in the past but he was unsure of the coloring she'd like on him besides his normal tone. After all, humans came in an amazing variety of colors. His brow furrowed as he tried to come up with any sort of inspiration.

"You think that Silas dude is cute?" Sam said his dark eyes wide as he stared at Wanda.

She shrugged and popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth. "He's better looking than Tom Hanks, I'm not into older guys."

"Yeah, we all know you're a cradle robber. Almost literally." Rhody said with a smirk giving Vision a pointed look.

Vision was only a little surprised when the seasoned soldier's soda can suddenly exploded covering him in the sticky wetness a trail of scarlet dissipating quickly.

"Damnit!" Rhodey grumbled walking to the kitchen to grab a towel.

Vision glanced at Wanda seated next to him on the couch and she pressed a finger to her lips silently telling him that her involvement in the can's suddenly integrity loss was to remain a secret. He nodded and focused on the film called The Da Vinci Code studying Silas carefully. Strangely the man's lithe build reminded him a little of his own.

Deciding to go off the one moment that he remembered hearing Wanda's preference when it came to human men's physical appearances, he closed his eyes and concentrated willing his skin to take on a pale cream color and hair to appear on his head. When his eyes opened, he was rather satisfied with his appearance even if it startled him at first. He adjusted the length of the pale blonde strands of hair and took care to ensure the stone in his forehead was covered before picking up the bag and phasing through his wall.

"Will this suffice?" Vision asked Tony who was reading a report in the common room.

The surprise on Tony's face was evidence enough of his disguise's success and he nodded once before phasing through another wall and out into the night.

As he flew, Vision found himself touching his temple lightly. He and Wanda had always shared a connection. He didn't know if it was the will of The Mind Stone embedded in his forehead or simply because their minds had connected before his brain was fully formed, but there was a part of her that was tethered to him. Even at a distance, he could sense her. In this moment however, he could barely feel her. It was as though she was fading from his mind and he didn't like it. Her presence had been there from the moment he was born, being without it frightened him; not only because of his fear of the unknown, but because of what it might mean for Wanda. Was she in danger, or distressed? Was she… dying?

Vision clenched his teeth and flew faster. No, she couldn't be dying, she was too strong and resilient for that. She would wait for him. He was going to Wakanda, he was going to see Wanda again and he was not going to give up until they were best friends once more.

Author's Note: I'm back! Sort of... I sincerely apologize for me extended absence. Life, work, and writer's block have been DESTROYING me lately. Just to be clear, I haven't given up on any of my other stories so breath easy my SasuSaku, KenshinKaoru, and VegeBul fans. I just haven't had the time, energy or inspiration to get much done with them lately. I am a bit of perfectionist and refuse to publish half-assed chapters just because. I WILL get back to those stories, it'll probably just be a little while until I can get back into the right state of mind to do so. THIS story only happened because I was commissionedto write it by someone I couldn't really refuse. Let me know what you think and thank you all so much for your support!