You guys…I found a ship…and it's setting sail RIGHT NOW.

A/N: All of the things are Marvel's…except for the plotstuffs. Me and my RP buddy made that.

Mind Games

Steve woke up sitting on the floor. He tried to stretch his arms but when he tried he found his hands were bound above his head. He tried twisting slowly but was soon yanking on the chains in a mad attempt to get free. Giving up on that, he looked around the room. It was near total darkness. There was a faint light coming from a tiny window on the other side of the room, which must have been big because when he called out "Hello?" to the blackness it echoed.

"Oh good, you're awake."

Steve tried to turn to see who was speaking to him but his chained hands prevented him from doing so. Natasha Romanoff walked around him so that he could see her. Immediately Steve relaxed, categorizing Natasha as a friend and labeling her as 'safe.' He had heard the team liked to play pranks. Maybe Natasha could unchain him.

"So…mind telling me what this prank entails?" He asked, smiling a little.

"Ah so you heard." Natasha circled him slowly. "Well this one's a lot of fun." She smiled darkly.

Steve looked up at her. Something was wrong. He could sense it. Her eyes were a glassy, glazed-over blue. It made him uncomfortable but he didn't show it.

"So can you unchain me now?" He asked.

Natasha circled him again, pulling out a long, thin knife from her belt. "But that would spoil all the fun we're going to have." She tut-ed disapprovingly.

"Uh…Tasha, what's the knife for?" He asked, his face paling slightly.

"In case you're a bad boy. Like this." She said as she slashed the knife across his cheek, making a thin cut that started to bleed. Steve breathed in roughly.

"Now," Natasha said quietly. "what's Fury planning?"

Steve looked confused. "I-I don't know. You know that. He hasn't told us anything." He worked to keep his voice even and firm, determined not to show fear.

"You and I both know that's a lie. You were debriefed on the way over here." She raised the knife up and brought it down quickly making another gash on the super soldier's skin. "Tell me!" She shouted.

"You know I'll never tell you." He said steadily.

"TELL ME NOW!" She screamed as she sliced a hole in Steve's t-shirt and drew blood for a third time.

Steve hissed in pain. "Natasha, you can cut me up all you want but I won't tell you anything."

Natasha's glassy blue eyes stared at him. "So be it." She growled.

oOo

Inside her head, Natasha was screaming. She had lost control of her body and now she was hurting her friend. She fought the force controlling her mind. It was strong but she thought she might be able to break it. She battled but couldn't manage to break its hold on her.

oOo

Steve watched as Natasha put down the knife and walked over to a table near the wall. She studied the items there before picking one of them up and laughing quietly. She turned back to him and held up a blow torch, flames dancing at the end. Steve's eyes widened.

"Natasha, stop. What are you doing?" He couldn't help the note of panic that seeped into his voice.

"You were right Steve. Cutting you up just wasn't working…we'll have to toast you instead." As she walked towards him, Steve pulled on the chains again, desperate to escape her and the blow torch.

Natasha broke through the force controlling her. She stared at Steve then at her hand, which still held the torch. She let it clatter to the ground as she walked unsteadily towards Steve. She dropped to her knees next to him.

"I-I'm so s-sorry." She whispered quietly.

"Shhh…it's okay…shhh, Natasha, it's alright. It's okay…you didn't mean to. I know…shhh." He said gently, trying to reassure her.

Natasha lifted her head up and cold eyes looked up at him. "It's not going to be okay for you." She said, smiling darkly. She stood up and went to fetch the discarded blow torch.

oOo

"NO! No no no no no no!" Natasha's subconscious was screaming. "Please! Stop!" She begged but the force in her mind didn't listen. She fought it, pushed it back and managed to break through a second time just as her hand reached toward Steve, brandishing the torch with flames licking at the end.

oOo

She threw the torch away from her and ran towards Steve, sliding to her knees and starting to unchain his wrists. "Steve, I'm so sorry. I-I…please. Steve I-" Once he was free he put a comforting hand on her back.

"It's alright. Shhh, Nat, I need you to stay calm. I'm really sorry." The lock on the chains clicked around her wrists. Her head shot up.

"What are you doing?" She screamed, the panic evident in her voice. "It's me! It's Natasha!"

Steve walked calmly back to where the torch lay abandoned on the ground. He picked it up and slowly walked back to where Natasha sat chained up. "Tell me how to get him out of you." He said calmly, keeping his fear of hurting her pushed to the back of his mind.

"Steve, I-I-I'm not sure." She said, shaking.

"Do you know where we are?" He asked, bringing the fire closer to her.

"NO! S-somewhere by the river I think…a-a warehouse." She closed her eyes, trying to focus.

"Natasha, tell me how to get him out of you." The fire was so close she could feel the heat on her skin.

"I…please, Steve! You wouldn't really do it, would you? I don't know!"

"Tell me, Natasha." He said, keeping his emotions out of the way.

"Fine! BURN ME!" Tears rolled down her cheeks. This wasn't how she was supposed to die. "Burn me! Maybe he'll leave!"

"I'm so sorry. I should never have tricked you like that. I just had to be sure."

Steve knew Loki's control over her was gone now. She was strong and could easily manipulate people's minds. She had tricked the power he had over her. She was herself again. He knelt down in front of her and held her chained form in his arms. He gently reached up and unlocked the padlock which had held the chains together. Her arms instantly flew around his neck, holding onto him with every ounce of strength she had left. She was shaking with tears which ever happened. No one made her cry.

"Oh Nat…I'm so sorry." He whispered, holding her close. He felt guilty for tricking her and making her think he would actually hurt her. He could never do that. Not only were his manners and morals far too good to do that, he felt something more for the Black Widow…love maybe? Yes, that was it. It pained him to see her crying, weak and vulnerable.

"Come on. Let's go home." He whispered, pulling her to her feet and helping her walk out of the building.

When they reached the door Natasha stopped. "Wait." Steve stopped and looked down at her.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Natasha stood on her toes and kissed him gently. "Thank you for stopping him. And for saving me."

Steve felt his face go pink. She…she kissed him. Hesitant as he was, her actions made him just brave enough to try it again. He leaned down and kissed her softly, his hands resting awkwardly on her back. To his relief she returned the kiss but reached up to move his hands down to her waist. He smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his shoulder, her red curls falling in her face.

"Let's go home." She said and Steve nodded in agreement, taking her hand and leading her back to the street where they hailed a taxi and left the memories of torture and mind-control behind.

A/N: Dear Premium Beautiful Person: I would love you so very, very much if you would please review. Tell me what you think as it is the only way to make me a better writer…also I love hearing what you have to say. So yeah…thanks.