Day 22

It was the same every day for the past 4 days. Elijah would come down, give her 4 ounces of blood, just enough to keep her alive, then he would begin the psychological torture. He would dry her out, make her think it was days, months years, until she was dry heaving and screaming. She saw Steve behind the glass every day, looking nauseous.

When Elijah got tired of drying her out, he flooded her mind with memories of Steve and Tony.

Her and Steve's first dance. The way he held her, the looks in his eyes when she had called him captain.

You're giving me a million reasons to let you go
You're giving me a million reasons to quit the show

The way she had felt when Tony touched her for the first time. The hopefulness in his eyes. When he kissed her, and she had thrown all her worries out the damn window.

Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons

The warmth she felt when Steve hugged her after he saved her in Sokovia. He was so gentle with her; he was terrified he would lose her. That's when he really realized he cared for her.

If I had a highway, I would run for the hills
If you could find a dry way, I'd forever be still

The night she found Tony in her apartment. How he had been so gentle when he made love to her. They were the only two people in the world.

"Elijah. Stop. Please."

But you're giving me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons

The moment she chose to follow Steve after the accords. She followed him without hesitation, she believed in him that much, that he was right.

I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord, show me the way
To cut through all his worn-out leather

The first time Steve kissed her. She had tried to fight how she felt, but she felt the pull. When they found out what they were to each other, what that meant for all three of them.

I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby, I just need one good one to stay

When she compelled Steve to leave, choosing Tony. How he cared for her after her first nightmare after Steve left.

Head stuck in a cycle, I look off and I stare
It's like that I've stopped breathing, but completely aware
Cause you're giving me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons

Reading the letter Steve had written her. She loved him in that moment, she knew it. And that hurt her even more because she didn't know if she'd ever see him again.

And if you say something that you might even mean
It's hard to even fathom which parts I should believe
'Cause you're giving me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons

Her birthday, seeing how Tony had done up their bedroom, when he proposed to her. Her heart had broken because she wanted to say yes, but she couldn't because of Steve.

I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord, show me the way
To cut through all his worn-out leather

"Elijah, enough." Anna cried out. Elijah bent down to look at her, she had been laying on her side. "I can stop Anna, but you know what you have to do."

"No."

"Very well."

The phone call she made to Steve; the one Tony didn't know about. She had just needed to hear his voice, to know if he was okay. It was enough to send her into an episode and she almost turned her humanity off, Tony begging her to stop.

I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby, I just need one good one to stay

The way she felt when Tony went up on the spaceship. Her whole world shattered.

Baby I'm bleedin', bleedin'
Stay
Can't you give me what I'm needin', needin'
Every heartbreak makes it hard to keep the faith

When she saw Steve again. She couldn't believe that it had been real, for so many days after he came back, she thought he was a dream. But he wasn't. He came back to her.

But baby, I just need one good one
Good one, good one, good one, good one, good one

Then the snap happened. She had lost Rebekah, Nik, Tony. Steve had lost Bucky. Steve had taken care of her after every nightmare, every panic attack. He loved her.

When I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord, show me the way
To cut through all his worn-out leather

The last memory Elijah showed her wasn't hers. It was something Steve must have told him. She saw him storm into their room, shoving things off the dresser, pulling out the drawers, throwing them, shattering the mirror in the bathroom, busting open his hand. Sliding down on the floor and sobbing.

I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby, I just need one good one, good one
Tell me that you'll be the good one, good one
Baby, I just need one good one to stay

"Elijah…" She said weakly. "No more. I can't." She was in the fetal position, shaking. He had done a number on her. Elijah got up and went into the room with Steve.

"She's almost there, I know it. We just keep pushing." They felt a rumble and ran upstairs and out onto the lawn to see a ship being set down by a woman. The door opened and Tony was being helped down the stairs by a blue machine woman. Steve couldn't believe it. Then thought about Anna. Oh God, what was he gonna tell Tony. He ran up to him and slung his arm over his shoulder.

Tony's voice was shaky. "I couldn't stop him." Steve sighed. "Neither could I."

Tony stopped, looking at Steve. "I lost the kid."

"Tony, we lost." But he didn't finish the sentence because Tony knew. He knew how much they lost. He looked around, not seeing her. "Why is Elijah here? Where's Anna?" He asked, looking at Steve.

"She's in the basement." Elijah answered. Tony closed his eyes. "She didn't. You let her shut off her humanity!" He yelled.

"I didn't let her Tony; she's been through hell."

"I want to see her." Tony said.

It was Rhodey who spoke. "Ton I don't think that's a good idea. She's not in a good way. The things she's been saying, what she's done. Elijah's been working on breaking her, forcing her to turn it back on, but she won't. You need to rest."

"I want to see her. Now."

Anna heard the door open. She was sitting against the wall with her head tilted back, eyes closed. She sighed heavily; she wasn't ready for another round of Elijah's bullshit.

"Elijah, can we pick this back up in the morning? I'm tired of pretending to care about these little memories you keep putting in my head." She whined out.

"God aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

Anna's eyes shot open and Tony was standing in the middle of the room.

"Elijah, this isn't funny, knock it off."

The vision of Tony walked over to her and crouched down. "Hey baby. It's me." Her eyes widened and she held out a shaky hand, placing it on his chest. She drew in a breath. He wasn't dead. He was here. Every emotion she had ever felt washed over her at once, and she threw her arms around Tony, pulling him to her, sobbing.

Steve watched from behind the glass, sighing and hanging his head. She was back.

Anna ran her hands up and down his arms, making sure he was really there. "You real right? It's not in my head?" She whispered.

"No baby. I'm here, I'm real, I promise."

"Oh God Tony, I thought you were-" She began but he cut her off by placing his lips on hers. She moaned at the contact, closing her eyes and leaning into the kiss. Then she started remembering everything she'd done over the past few days. She let go of Tony and scooted back against the wall, eyes wide in horror.

"Oh God Tony, what did I do?" She whispered. "Oh God. I killed someone. I hurt people. The things I said, I'm a monster Tony." She cried, putting her head in her hands. Tony turned his head to look at Steve, and nodded for him to come in. He knelt next to Anna and held his hand out, placing it on her shoulders. "Hey sweetheart. Look at me."

She shook her head. "Oh God Steve the things I said to you, they way I acted, you should hate me." She felt him loop his arms around her back and under her legs, pulling her into his lap. "Listen to me sweetheart. I know that wasn't you. I know you were going through a rough time, and I know you didn't mean the things you said. We're just so happy you're back doll." He told her. She sobbed into his shirt, reaching her hand out to Tony, who sat opposite Steve, rubbing his hand up and down her back. Steve sighed. Tony was home. Anna was back. Everything was going to be okay.

A/N: Yay! She's back and so is Tony!