So, here's a new story since I can't find the inspiration to update any of my other ones. This one has been eating at me for a couple of weeks so I figured I'd put it down and get it out of the way so I can focus on my other stories. This one's got some dark aspects to it, as well as it being an AU and there are some underage themes in it since the character is underage. And of course there are some mature themes as well, some graphic content, mild torture and abuse, that sort of stuff. It involves HYDRA so they're kind of their own warning at this point. This is a soulmate AU so if that's not your thing, then don't bother reading it. There are also multiple pairings in this one. Like, pretty much everyone is together cause they're the Avengers and they're all dating, and then Bucky and the OC get thrown in there as well.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.

Rory swears if the guard behind her digs the barrel of his machine gun into her shoulders again, she'll turn around and melt his face off. She won't, really. The last time she'd tried, they'd hit her so hard she swore she'd gone blind for three days. As much as she hated to admit it, they had taught her the lesson not to try to fight them. Sure, she had powers, but they had studied them enough to know how to beat her. Even when she could find the rare cracks, they beat her literally, using raw strength against her. Knock her out as fast as possible, and that was the end of her rebellion.

She's lead into a spacious room full of guards with guns all centered on a man in the middle of the room. He's seated in a chair, an IV hooked to one arm, his other glinting in the light. It seemed from the shoulder down, his left arm was made of metal. Recognition quickly runs through Rory's head. She had never met him, but she'd heard plenty of talk between the guards. Talk about HYDRA's ultimate weapon. The soldier. He's struggling against the men trying to hold him down. From the looks of it, he was quickly gaining the upper hand. Pierce turns his steely gaze to her as she's ushered further into the room.

"Good. Calm him down."

She's given a none-too-gentle shove forward, nearly losing her footing. She sends a glare towards the guard that had shoved her, Rollins was his name, before turning back to the struggling soldier. The brain wasn't her specialty, and Pierce knew that. However, if she focused hard enough, occasionally she could work her way in. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to focus with the metal armed maniac struggling like he was. One hit from that thing and it would be game over. But she knew she had to try. Better to try and fail than be forced to do it.

She approaches him slowly, reaching for the soldier's flesh hand. She keeps her eyes on his face, watching him. One swing with that metal arm and he could paint the walls with her brain matter. But for the moment, he seemed more focused on watching her approach.

She nearly jumps back when she makes contact with his hand. It feels almost like she's being electrocuted, but there's no pain. The soldier has stopped struggling altogether, empty eyes boring into her face. She can't look away, chills running through her body as she touches him, part of her seeming to get jump-started. A part of her she didn't know she was missing.

She does go to pull away now, realization dawning on her, but he's too fast. His hand is around her forearm, yanking her closer to him. She nearly falls against him, but she catches herself on his bare shoulder, more electricity flowing through her as she makes more contact with him. There's something flashing through his eyes, an almost pained look on his face as he stares at her. She's close enough she can feel his breath on her face, her heart thudding in her chest as adrenaline flows through her.

"It's you." She whispers, her eyes wide as she stares at the soldier.

All too soon she's yanked back, torn from his grip, her back meeting a solid wall of muscle. She can tell by his aftershave who it is, his grip on her tight enough to hurt. Pierce is speaking, but she can't make out what he's saying, her ears ringing. The soldier's eyes are still on her, wide and unsure. Some part of him deep down had to know what was happening. A rough hand grips her right arm, holding it up to the light. Her eyes are drawn away from the soldier finally, glancing down at her arm. On her forearm, right below the inside of her elbow, is the beginning of a mark. Three vines spiraling outward around a rose.

"Sir," Rumlow says, holding her arm out so Pierce can see.

Pierce studies her arm for a few moments before turning to the soldier. "Let me see his arm."

One of the men standing behind him forces the soldier's right arm out. Rory can't see what it is from her spot, but she can see a definite mark on his arm. Pierce studies the soldier's arm for a moment before turning back to face her.

"Take her back to her room." He turns back to the doctors, Rumlow starting to drag her out of the room. "Wipe him."

Rory snaps at his words, fighting against Rumlow. "No!" Her voice echoes through the room, Rumlow having to wrap his other arm around her to hold her. He lifts her up, half carrying her out of the room, everyone ignoring her protests. She had just met her soulmate, and now he would be forced to forget her.

Rumlow drags her down the hall to her own room, tossing her inside rather unceremoniously. She grunts as she hits the floor, her knees knocking painfully against the concrete, but she doesn't care. She's on her feet quickly, but not quick enough. The door slams closed, but she doesn't care, hatred running through her veins. No one ever met their soulmate so young, and now she was going to lose him again. She can feel her body starting to warm, her emotions taking over as her hands beat against the steel door. Her fingers start to glow, red tendrils of heat flowing through her as she tries to melt a hole in the door.

Her angry yell turns into a shriek as her body is forced away from the door, pain burning through her body hotter than the fire inside of her. She drops to the floor, her muscles spasming painfully from the shock. She had burned through the first door shortly after she'd arrived there, and they had quickly rigged the door to electrocute her if it got too hot. Usually the pain subdued her, but she was beyond angry, pure rage burning through the pain, almost literally.

She let out another angry scream, her skin feeling as if it was blistering, flames erupting from her hands. It doesn't last long this time, the failsafe being activated as the holes in the walls open up, dowsing her with flame retardant. Her scream is cut off, the retardant choking her, sticking to her skin and making her itch. Shortly after the sprinklers turn on, dowsing her with ice-cold water, washing the flame retardant away. Her screams have died away to angry sobs, tears mixing with the blood dripping from her nose, quickly mixing in with the water soaking her from the ceiling. She drops to her knees in exhaustion, her head drooping from the exertion her outburst had taken.

The water shuts off, flowing down the drain under her bed. The door opens, but she doesn't bother looking up. She knows who it is by the sound of his expensive dress shoes on the wet concrete.

"Are you finished with your tantrum?"

She doesn't move aside from her shivering from the shock of the temperature change. Pierce squats down in front of her, reaching forward and gripping her chin, forcing her to look up at him. She fixes him with her nastiest glare, but she knows she probably doesn't look very threatening soaking wet with flame retardant clumped in her hair.

"Don't think that this...development changes anything. He'll go on serving HYDRA as he always has, and you will continue learning your place here." He studies her face for a moment before letting her go. He stands, speaking to the other body in the room. "Get her cleaned up."

The expensive dress shoes leave her line of sight, quickly replaced by a pair of heavy boots. Her stomach contracts unconsciously, having felt the driving kick of those boots more than once.

"Come on. You look like a wet rat." Hands are on her arms, hauling her up to her feet. She's more than a head shorter than him, her eyes avoiding his face.

He grips the back of her neck, all but dragging her towards the showers. How she would have loved to burn him to a crisp, but she knew better. The one time HYDRA kept their base to OSHA standards. There were fire extinguishers every ten feet down the hallways, and at least one in every room. They didn't take any chances, and she had learned the hard way she would always pay for acting out.

Rory is shoved into the shower room, the door shut and locked behind them. She keeps her back to the door and Rumlow, marching over to one of the stalls. She ignores the eyes on her back as she pulls her clothes off, turning on the water. It's cold, but it's always that way. She keeps her back turned to Rumlow at all times, even if it meant getting soap in her eyes. She would prefer that than let him see all of her. He had never touched her, never tried anything, but she could always feel the leering, looming gaze on her when they were in a room together.

She keeps her shower quick, pulling the towel off the hook. She wraps it around herself, not bothering to dry off. She would do that in the privacy of her own room. Not that she had much privacy with the cameras. But at least she would be alone.

She keeps her head down as she makes her way back towards the door. Rumlow doesn't move to open it, however, making Rory's heart start to race, her stomach twisting painfully. She was vulnerable now, vulnerable and alone. His hand grips her chin, lifting her face so she's looking up at him. His thumb traces over her lips, pulling on her bottom lip for a moment.

"Maybe if you were a few years older." He smirks, a chuckle sounding deep in his chest. He lets her go, gripping the back of her neck again, opening the door. "You're going to be a killer when you grow up, sweetheart."

Rory doesn't see the soldier again for almost two years.