So Spring Break came and then all of the papers and tests I needed to study for got neglected for that entire week. Coming back to school sort of hit me like a truck with thousands of pounds of responsibility. I finally got around to working on this again. Sorry it's a little shorter than the others but I hope you enjoy!

I don't own any of the characters from the MCU. Kate is an original character I created.

Even from behind closed eyelids Kate could see the bright lights shining down on her. Beeps from medical monitors filled her left ear and someone's breathing sounded in her right one. She squeezed her eyes tighter and prayed for the trillionth time that she was dreaming. Even after so many years she still hoped her prayers would be heard. She hoped that this was indeed a horrible nightmare and someday she would wake up in her bed in her family's tiny home in Brooklyn. But there's only so much praying could do; she gave up true hope a long time ago and now it was just routine to pray before inevitably opening her eyes. If this nightmare was going to last forever she realized she should just accept it and get through. Something good had to come out of all this pain, right?

Breathing in deeply, she slowly opened her eyes. Kate blinked at the harsh fluorescent light that shined down on her. Impulsively her arms went to rub her eyes due to the stinging the light caused, but she was shocked to find that this time they actually moved. Due to the shock she accidentally smacked her face. She didn't realize the force moving her arms and actually having the move would take. The sound of limbs smacking her face jerked the person next to her out of their thoughts.

"Hey, it's okay. You're safe now," the person said softly. Kate didn't acknowledge them; she was too busy staring at her free arms. Out of curiosity she moved her legs. They were free too! What was happening? She hadn't woken up on a table without being strapped down in who knows how long. Wait. This wasn't a table… Kate rested her arms at her sides so she could lift herself up a little to look around her. She was lying on a hospital bed. There was cushioning, sheets, a pillow. The little movement in her elbows caused a little sting of pain in her arms. IVs. Of course, this was why she was comfortable. These probably had some new hallucinogen and they wanted to see how the drugs would affect her. This was probably some drug induced coma. No wonder they were transporting her after so long. One of the labs had intense testing to do and she was the only subject that would survive. Nothing could kill her.

"Hey there," the person gently rested a hand on Kate's shoulder, causing her to jump. Kate finally looked over at the person. It was a woman around her mid-twenties, she wasn't sure. Time and age had become difficult for Kate to figure out. The woman had wavy, reddish brown hair that fell past her shoulders. Her blue eyes stared at Kate's with a sort of pitiful, concerned gaze. That was different. The doctors and scientists normally looked manic and excited when they saw her. This woman was different. Just from looking at her Kate could tell she was a fighter; her stance was relaxed but her arms and legs were poised in way that allowed her to easily defend anything that might threaten her, like Kate. This was a test. They wanted to see if Kate would try and run. That's why there were no straps or guards or doctors. Although this woman was very pretty she was definitely an agent. She gave off the vibe of someone who could snap your neck at any moment if you gave enough reason.

Kate lay back down on the bed with a sigh of defeat. It may seem like she could easily get away but there was definitely an army of guards waiting around the corner to drop her if she made one wrong move. She could feel tears forming as the glee of having free limbs faded away at the realization that this was still her living hell. It really was too good to be true.

"Sweetie it's okay. You're safe. My name is Natasha. You're at the Avengers compound. Hydra can't hurt you anymore," the woman said quickly, still trying to be reassuring. Kate looked at her with confusion. What was the Avengers compound? Why was that supposed to be calming? And Hydra? They would always find a way to hurt her. Dr. Erksine was the only person from Hydra she had ever met who had been nice to her. He even sent her that letter about Steve. Steve…

No. She didn't need this. She survived by being emotionless. Memories of her past just made this nightmare harder, it was better to just forget. Besides, her family was probably dead. There was no one left for her in this world. She forced her face to become the emotionless mask that had gotten her through every experiment and behavior session she'd been forced into. Maybe that would let them end whatever this was.

"Can you tell me your name?" No, Natasha. I know what you're trying to do. You can't break me. "Can you write it down for me?" Natasha pulled out a pad of paper and pencil from some bag on the floor. She set in Kate's lap and looked at her hopefully. Kate stared at it, knowing that any sudden movement would set off the doctors waiting for her to break. But she'd been doing this longer than they had been alive; she could do this. But her stomach said otherwise. A low rumble came from her. The traitor. Natasha's eyebrows raised and a knowing look came over her face. "How about some food? Do you want something to eat?" Something must have shown on Kate's face because after asking that question Natasha gave a small smile and stood up. She unhooked the IV's in Kate's arms and turned off the machines. The red head stepped back a little to give Kate space to get up off the bed. "Come one. It's okay. I promise that no one will hurt you."

She wasn't sure what about that sentence convinced her, but Kate decided it would be okay. Slowly moving her legs to hang off the bed, she willed herself to slide off until her feet touched the floor. Looking down at her twig legs and stick thin torso, she felt her cheeks heat up and moved her arms to cover herself. Her fingers grazed soft fabric and Kate noticed that someone had taken her out of that paper thin hospital gown and into a pink sweater and comfortable black pants. She didn't have shoes or socks but the cool ground felt soothing on her feet. Natasha must have been started to realize that touching her was going to get her nowhere so she simply went over to the door and said, "This way sweetie."

Kate nodded and looked back at the hospital bed before following Natasha out the door.