A week later she still wasn't awake. They had brought her back from the hospital as Tony had set up a more advanced medical bay so she could wake up in familiar surroundings. Steve sat by her side perched on the hospital bed, his fingers intertwined with hers. They had cleaned her up as best as possible and changed her clothes whilst she was in the hospital but the bruising and the wounds still shone brightly on her pale skin.

"Please Katarina, please come back to us" he whispered in her ear for the hundredth time that day. Tony dozed in the chair next to the bed the rhythmic sound of the heart monitor lulling him to sleep. Clint squeezed Steve's shoulder.

"Mate you need some sleep."

"Not yet"

"I'll wake you if she comes round". A soft movement from Katarinas fingers brushing against his snapped his attention back to her.

"Katarina?" he watched as her eyes fluttered open slowly, wincing as the bright light hit them.

"Tony, Tony wake up she's coming round" Clint said. Tony started out of his chair, grabbing her other hand as the three men watched with baited breath as she fully opened her eyes.

"Welcome back kid" Tony said, tears filling his eyes. Fear and sorrow filled his nieces eyes as she grabbed at his arms.

"Everything hurts" she whispered.

"We'll get you some more pain medication" Tony reassured her stroking scarred cheek.

"Clint, tell Bruce she's awake"

"Hello beautiful" Steve breathed his hands clasped round her delicate one.

"What happened?" she tried to sit up but Tony gently pushed her back into the bed.

"You scared the shit out of us kid" he smiled softly. Pieces of memory slowly started to slot themselves together like a nightmarish jigsaw puzzle in her mind and then a voice purring in her ear.

"I'm sorry Tony I tried to fight them off but there were too many of them" she started to weep.

"It's okay sweetheart, just relax"

"Loki, is he okay" she said with a start trying to get up again.

"He's okay, he's upstairs resting" Steve said, stroking her hair trying to calm down. Bruce appeared over his shoulder.

"That's enough excitement for one day. Katarina you need to rest". He shooed the other two men out of the room, checking her vitals as she slipped back into sleep.

The next morning Steve was right back by her side when she woke up again, she felt a new sensation this time. Like her throat was on fire and something was blocking her air wave. Panic flooded through her whole being. Her hand rose to her nose as she felt a tube. She tried to sit up, scrabbling at the tube that she could feel down her throat.

"Relax Katarina"

"Get it out Steve, get it out now" she was gasping for breath.

"It's just a feeding tube, you're okay." he tried to soothe her.

"Get it out now" she yelled. Bruce came striding through the door to see what the commotion was.

"Katarina, it's only temporary. They didn't feed you whilst they had you captive we need to get your strength back up, your too weak"

"I can eat for myself Bruce, please" she pleaded with him, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You can't. Your broken rib punctured a lung. So eating will be a little difficult right now" he explained.

"Did Tony put you up to this" her voice was bitter now, her hands still tearing at the tubes, using every bit of strength that she had in her bruised and battered body.

"He can check his fucking AI log books" she seethed. Bruce looked at Steve confused.

"Katarina, don't make me restrain you. Stop touching it and calm down" his voice was stern but it didn't stop her from trying to pull the tube out, she thrashed wincing as the pain in her ribs ripped through her giving the two men the perfect opportunity.

"You can't do this to me" she cried out as she felt Bruce and Steve grab her arms and pin them down to her sides. Restraining her with leather cuffs.

"What are you doing to her" Peppers voice rang through the air.

"I wasn't aware that you still cared, seeing as you've been on 'business' for almost two months" Tony's voice cut through the chaos.

"Tony what is going on, why didn't you call me if something had happened" they were nose to nose.

"Guys, is this really the time?" Bruce said from where he stood. Katarina had stopped struggling too exhausted to carry on fighting, her whole body racked with sobs.

"Please Steve, take it out" she whispered through the sobs.

"You know I can't do that. It's only temporary. I promise" he ran his hands through her hair.

"It hurts"

"It will calm down soon and you'll barely know it's there" Bruce said from the other side of her.

"As soon as your lung starts to heal we'll remove it"

"How long will that be" she bit her bottom lip to stop it quivering.

"It will take around 8 to 9 weeks to fully recover but that's just the lung. You've got broken ribs and a couple that are cracked as well, not to mention multiple lacerations. You are going to have to take it easy for at least three months"

"But you'll take it out before then"

"If you're ready and up to a healthy weight then we can take it out so you can start eating solids. Now try and get some rest" Steve kissed her forehead, his thumb drawing circles on her hand.

"You'll stay won't you". He nodded.

"Always"

Tony sat back in the arm chair, another whisky in his hand. Bruce flopped down on the sofa.

"I didn't think she'd react that badly to the feeding tube" he said, his head in his hands. Tony took another sip and sighed.

"She doesn't like to look weak"

"Reminds me of someone" Bruce smirked, shooting his friend a smile.

"Did you talk to Pepper?" Tony nodded.

"She wants to stay and try and work things out"

"And what do you want?"

"I can't think about that now. I need Katarina to be alright first"

"She will be. She's home and she's resting, she's in the best place possible"

"Is she Bruce? The reason she is in this mess is because she was here" Tony's hand curled into a fist.

"I should have protected her better"

"Tony. No-one saw that attack coming. It was just a group of vile individuals trying their luck. It wasn't HYDRA."

"But what if it is next time?"

"There won't be a next time. I've seen the security upgrades you've done" Tony nodded, downing the last of his whisky before reaching to pour himself another one. Bruce's hand stopped on his.

"That's enough Tony, you need to rest and not in a drunken stupor"

Katarina squirmed in her sleep, the scenes of her abuse replaying over and over again in her mind. She could feel each punch like it was happening in real life, the hands round her throat strangling her to within an inch of her life before leaving her slumped on the floor gasping for breath. She had made the promise to herself the first night she was there and had woken up on the cold floor that she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of screaming or crying but each time it got harder and harder. She was too exhausted to hold in the pain anymore and she opened her mouth, her screams echoing into the dimly lit medical bay. Cool hands on her cheek and sweet whispers in her ear soothed her and she opened her eyes. Steve's thumb wiping away the tears that ran down her cheeks.

"I'm here my love. Don't panic. You're safe" she clung to him as if her life depended on it.